June 2026 Guest Speaker:
Guest Speaker: Joe Galiardi
Holder of Guinness Record in Autographed Golfballs!
Joe Galiardi has assembled a private collection of signed golf balls that is the biggest and most varied in the world. Besides famous and best-loved golfers, his signed golf ball collection includes autographed balls from famous entertainers, notable athletes, and nine U.S. presidents. In his 2009 book, Hooked on Autographs (now in its 7th edition), he shares many of his favorite tales about securing autographs on golf balls.
In April 2015, Joe was awarded the Guinness World Record for the Largest Collection of Autographed Golf Balls. His one-of-a-kind collection is featured in the 2017 Guinness World Records, on page 92 in the Collectors section.
Joe Galiardi received his diploma from Penn State in 1957, was drafted and spent two years in the U.S. Army after college. He worked at Fayette National Bank in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco, then began a 30-year Public Affairs career at Allstate Insurance Company.
Throughout his career at Allstate, Joe participated actively in civic affairs, was named Man of the Year in Sacramento in 1968 and was awarded the City and County of San Francisco’s Award of Merit for his work establishing Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) with founder Candy Lightner.
He and his wife, Judy, have two children and three granddaughters. He lives in Cupertino, California.
Art Bernstein