Dave Kaplan, the long-time director of Atlanta’s former PGA Tour event, most recently known as the AT&T Classic, died. Kaplan also had roles at Georgia Tech and Georgia State. He was 71 years old. Georgia State announced his death Wednesday.

Kaplan directed the PGA Tour event from 1983-2008, serving as the executive director and tournament director for the Atlanta Classic Foundation.

Kaplan joined Georgia State’s football program as the director of operations in 2009 and served under Bill Curry.

“Dave was a wonderful human being and a great friend," Curry said in a statement released by Georgia State on Wednesday. “He brought a wealth of knowledge and experience that was so helpful in those early days when we were getting the program off the ground.”

Before his long stint with the Atlanta Classic Foundation, Kaplan served as the manager of public relations for Six Flags Over Georgia and as coordinator of special promotions for Lake Lanier Islands.

Kaplan was the assistant sports information director at Tech from 1972-73, and sports information director from 1974-76, including one year while Curry was an assistant football coach.

He is survived by his wife, Marcia, and son, Chandler.

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