Growing up, John Isner was no stranger to TAMKO.

As the son of a North Carolina construction contractor, Isner says the TAMKO Building Products brand was an important part of his father’s business, representing a history of quality and integrity in the construction industry.

The TAMKO^® logo is now worn by Isner as he travels the world as the top ranked U.S. star in men’s tennis. Isner is currently ranked #9 in the ATP World Tour and just celebrated the biggest win of his 14-year career, beating out #4 ranked German, Alexander Zverev, to win the Miami Open on April 1.

“To be partners with a brand that has been instrumental in the success of my family’s business means a lot to me,” Isner said when he signed the endorsement deal with TAMKO in 2016.

And while TAMKO’s endorsement of Isner is relatively recent, the company and its owners have a long history of supporting U.S. tennis.

TAMKO President and CEO David Humphreys is an avid tennis enthusiast, having competed at various levels in the sport since his childhood. As an adult, David and his wife Debra Humphreys helped found Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School, a private school with a prestigious tennis program in Joplin, Missouri, where TAMKO is headquartered. The school hosts a variety of tournaments each year that draw teams from across the region and the nation. Players and teams from Thomas Jefferson regularly compete and win at district, regional and state championships.

But David’s love for tennis is more than just a hobby. As the grandson of the company’s founder, his family has lived, worked and served as a major employer in southwest Missouri, supporting the community for nearly 75 years. David and Debra established a premier tennis and fitness facility to serve the Joplin community. Millennium Family Fitness features professional tennis services and an after school tennis program for children. Millennium has also hosted United States Tennis Association tournaments, where Isner has played professionally.

In 2016, Isner visited Millennium as a mentor. Millennium served as the host for a Joplin-area youth tennis clinic with the tennis star. Hundreds of students from public and private high schools in the area had the opportunity to work with Isner during the clinic at no cost to the students or the schools. The event was sponsored by TAMKO.

The Humphreys’ investment in youth tennis also extends beyond Joplin. In 2016, a personal donation from David Humphreys made it possible for the small town of Phillipsburg, Kansas to resurface their high school’s aging tennis courts. TAMKO has operated a manufacturing facility in Phillipsburg since 1969, and is the city’s largest employer.

TAMKO’s charitable giving and support for youth tennis in the communities where it operates has been recognized on a local level, but now extends nationally through TAMKO’s sponsorship of Isner.

“His ability on-court, his pursuit of success and his passion for the game make him an excellent representative for TAMKO,” said President and CEO David Humphreys.