RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Jan. 31, 2005 – The Kraft Nabisco Championship LPGA golf tournament has named Linda Krengel as chairperson of the tournament's Community Relations Committee. The appointment follows the recent retirement of longtime Kraft Nabisco volunteer Ernie Young, who chaired the committee for the past 13 years.

Krengel, a resident of Palm Springs, Calif., has served as executive director for United Way of the Desert since 1999. In her new volunteer position as Community Relations Committee chairwoman, she will oversee one of the tournament's largest and most dynamic committees, comprised of approximately 100 volunteers from the desert community and beyond. The Community Relations Committee is responsible for promoting the tournament throughout the desert area in addition to providing volunteers for the tournament's popular Senior Putting Competition and the Toyota/Kraft Nabisco Championship $1 Million Hole-in-One Contest.

Young, who first joined the tournament in 1980 as a ticket sales volunteer, handled many assignments for the LPGA major tournament for nearly 25 years and was named chairman of the Community Relations Committee in 1992. He and his wife, Mary Lou, also a longtime tournament volunteer, were instrumental in the growth of the tournament's Hole-in-One Contest over the years.

"Working with the staff and friends of the Kraft Nabisco Championship has been a wonderful experience, and Mary Lou and I have made some lifelong friends through the tournament, " Young said. "However, we feel the time has come to relax and enjoy some of the fun activities we've been involved in as volunteers, only this time from the other side."

"Ernie Young leaves some enormous shoes to fill, but I look forward to expanding my involvement and making this event as successful as possible for many years to come," Krengel said. "The Kraft Nabisco Championship has been very generous to the United Way of the Desert for more than 30 years, and I am honored to have the opportunity to work on its behalf alongside a great staff and fantastic volunteers who are the lifeblood of this tournament."

According to Terry Wilcox, tournament director, Krengel's expertise and ability to work with a strong volunteer force are clearly evident, based upon her successful leadership of the desert's United Way over the past six years. The chapter currently provides 25 crucial programs and services to the Coachella Valley.

"We feel extremely fortunate to have Linda on board," Wilcox said. "She has been a joy to work with for the past several years, and we look forward to expanding our involvement with her. Linda's strong business skills and numerous contacts in the valley are a terrific fit for our tournament and we see this marriage as a complete 'win-win' for United Way of the Desert, the people it serves and, of course, the tournament itself."

Prior to joining United Way of the Desert, Krengel was owner of Bandwidth Communications and Marketing. Her company was the consultant for the city of Palm Springs on its award-winning CAL-ED Business Retention and Expansion Program. The company also developed the city's INFO project for planning the new virtual university and conference sites, as well as other projects.

Krengel currently serves on numerous civic and non-profit boards, including the county of Riverside's Emergency Food and Shelter Program and the Leadership Coachella Valley Advisory Committee. Her previous volunteer experience includes leadership positions with the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, the Boys and Girls Club of Desert Hot Springs and the Morongo Basin United Way, among numerous others. In 2003, she was awarded the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce's prestigious Athena Business Award.

The 2005 Kraft Nabisco Championship will be held March 21 - 27 for the 34th year on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif. This year's tournament features a number of fan-friendly improvements, including a fresh new image and an interactive Web site at www.kncgolf.com.

For tickets or more information on the upcoming tournament, please visit the Web site or call the Tournament Office at 760/324-4546.