Feature Story

Every spring Ben Long, president, A Ben Long, Inc., a manufacturers agent in the Southeast, hosts an event called the Outer Banks' Classic (OBC). It's a weekend of festivities in and around Myrtle Beach, SC, that includes golf, fishing and lots of good food, but it's the interaction among industry colleagues that makes the traditional outing special. For Ben and the sponsors, it's an opportunity to express their thanks to customers; for customers and invited guests it's simply a great time.

This year's OBC full sponsors included Phoenix Products; Schulte Paint/Wear-Rite; Rus-tique Enterprises; Prime Pro-ducts; Tie Down Engineering and A. Ben Long, Inc. Associate sponsors include Century Chem-ical; Irvine Shade & Door; Boss/ Accumetric and The Journal of Manufactured Housing.

During the day guests can either play golf at one of the luxurious golf resorts that Ben has hand selected or go on a day-long chartered fishing excursion into the coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Then at night it's cocktails and dinner in a banquet room lined with the sponsor's product displays.

And then there's the competition. Golfers team up for a best-ball scramble and the fisherman try to see who can bring in the largest fish. There's also several closest to the pin contests and even a long drive competition. Some of the "big hitters" were surprised by this year's winner, a young lady named Carrie Lou Smith from Camping World.

All too soon, the event winds down on Saturday night with an awards banquet where winners are honored with prizes and adoration.

And whether attendees took home a golf bag or a plaque as a prize, everyone there was a winner by just being invited and surrounded by such a high class group of sponsors and Ben Long and his staff.

First Place Team at Angels Trace Golf Links in North Carolina l to r: Bob Brower, Service Supply Systems; David Baker, Kevco, Inc.; Pauline Porter, Manufactured Housing Resources; Jerry Tinsley, JT Associates. Each first place team received a new golf bag and a plaque. Second Place Team at Angels Trace Golf Links l to r: Steve Messer, Lane-McDuff Sales Co.; Greg Stuart, Forest River Industries; Tyler Mitchell, Fairfax Supply Co.; (not pictured) Dana Hoffman, National Supply Co. All second place teams won carrying bags and a plaque. Closest to the pin awards -- Angels Trace Golf Links: l to r: Ed Fetters, Century Chemical Corp.; Randy Iseler, Thetford Corp.; David Hudson, Coast Distribution. All "closest to the pin" winners received a dozen logo golf balls. First Place - Gator Hole Golf Course l to r: Rhex A. Moore, Moore Supply Co., Ron Peek, Parts Mart, Inc.; Lloyd Davidson II Mobile Home Accessory Co.; (not pictured) Tom Francis, Durham Supply Second Place: Gator Hole Golf Course l to r: John Tegethoff, Arco Distributing, Jerry Tinsley, JT Associates; Scott Holden, Partners Supply; (not pictured) David McCain, Triad Mobile Home Supply Closest to the pin awards at Gator Hole Golf Course l to r: Tim McGuire, Coast Distribution; Stuart Bull, Atlantic MH & RV Suppliers Corp.; Tim Nicholas, Temple Products; Bob Fogle, Jr., Temple Products; Randy Iseler, Thetford Corp. Monster Fish Award Calvin Ballington, Stagparkway (right), who landed a 15-pound King Mackerel, was the top fisherman and winner of the Monster Fish Award while Bob Fogle, Jr., Temple Products, came in second with a 12-pound Red Snapper.