Contributing Writers Strategic Partners and Allied Associations
Arlene
River Crossing Golf Club | Spring Branch, Texas
JOHN R. COCHRAN
ERIK PETERSON AIA
PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE | 10
ARE YOUR BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS SCRAMBLING IN THE DARK?
JOHN FORNARO
Investing in governance training and leadership development is vital for private clubs. Proper training equips board and committee members with the knowledge and skills to lead effectively. This is especially crucial for those transitioning from corporate boards to nonprofit private clubs.
THREE WAYS PRIVATE CLUBS ARE LEVERAGING AI
TODD SWISHER
Every day, AI elevates how private clubs manage costs and map a path for generating better financial results. However, managing expenses involves a delicate balance for private clubs where member experience is critically important. AI helps ensure that your club manages costs effectively while sustaining the service level you deliver to your members.
ARE YOU LIKE MARTY MCFLY?
BONNIE J. KNUTSON
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be Marty McFly in “Back to the Future,” go back in time and adapt to a different period? It may not be easy, but eventually we will appreciate the difference and use the change to our advantage. This is how I think about data analytics.
CLUB COMMUNITIES AND THE COMMUNITY IN CLUBS
RICK COYNE
A rich diversity of age, backgrounds, education and wealth has long defined private clubs and communities. However, only about 17 percent of the population actively participates in golf. Why do developers invest millions in building golf courses, tennis courts, and other amenities? The answer is simple: the green space golf courses provide is universally appealing.
KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON
J.G. TED GILLARY
While visiting a friend my wife Annie and I noticed a sign, “Keep calm and carry on.” She said her daughter had displayed it while she was battling cancer. Our son displayed the same quote during his years of military service. Tough situations had taught him to lace a bit of humor in whatever he did.
2024 LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY WRAP-UP
MELISSA LOW
It has been a busy year with several significant regulatory changes impacting the operations of clubs, from changes in how employees and independent contractors are classified to the rules for overtime eligibility. As we wrap up 2024, more changes are on the horizon.
DON’T FORGET THE PS!
NANCY
LEVENBURG
“PS I Love You” Remember this Beatles’ tune from the flip side of “Love Me Do”? So why the big deal about the PS? A former colleague (and writing professor) once told me that the PS was the most important part of a letter. Why? Because people tend to notice what’s at the beginning and the end of a letter, and the same applies to email.
PAST PRESIDENTS CAN BE A VALUABLE RESOURCE
HENRY DELOZIER
Being the president or chair of a private club board of directors can be a pretty heady and exhilarating role … until it is over. Then, many dedicated servant leaders who gave of themselves feel discarded and disrespected. While the grumpy soul questioning his new status in the club was sorting things out, the question reveals a great opportunity for current-day private clubs.
LEATHER UP FOR THE CHANGE CHALLENGE
GREGG PATTERSON
At some point in a manager’s career, the manager will become an agent of operational or policy change. It won’t be easy, it won’t be fun, and it won’t be pretty, but it’ll be interesting, challenging and endlessly entertaining. Emotions need protection. Knowing “what’s coming” will help a change manager leather up.
SECTIONS
CLUB MANAGEMENT .............. 50
The Importance of Balance By
Michelle Cocita
ON THE FRONTLINES
DEPARTMENTS
By Heather Arias de Cordoba
EXCELLENCE IN CLUB GOVERNANCE . 86-87
Understanding What Your Key Stakeholders Want and Don’t Want Board Elections with Purpose By Henry
DeLozier
THE FACTS OF WINE
The Nuts and Bolts of Club Staff Training for Wine By Wes Hagen
THIS MUCH I KNOW FOR SURE 118 Eureka! I Found It! The Secret to Being a Great Board Member By Dick
Kopplin
COMMITTEES
Lynne LaFond DeLuca
Exchange of Ideas and Member Experience By
Dave White, editor
Excellence in Action. What Makes Top Clubs Exceptional By Keith Fisher
TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE .
Arlene Ramirez and Justin Taillon
IT’S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE! 32 Editor’s Farewell: Reflecting on 65 Years in Journalism and Welcoming a New Era at BoardRoom Magazine By Dave White
PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE
John G. Fornaro is the publisher/CEO of BoardRoom magazine, co-founder/CEO of Distinguished Clubs and the CEO of the Association of Private Club Directors (APCD). If you have comments on this article or suggestions for other topics, please contact John Fornaro at (949) 376-8889 or via email: johnf@apcd.com
Are Your Board and Committee Members Scrambling in The Dark?
One of the most critical actions a private club can take today is to invest in governance training, leadership development and future planning.
This means providing board and committee members with opportunities for training and development and learning how nonprofit equity clubs can be successful and sustainable.
This is particularly important for club members who have served on corporate boards but who need to familiarize themselves with the functioning of 501(c) 3 or 501(c)7 nonprofit private clubs.
Training committee members to become outstanding board members in non-profit private clubs involves a mix of education, mentorship and practical experience.
the Association of Private Cub Directors (APCD), the parent organization of BoardRoom magazine and BoardRoom Institute, the online board training that provides a wealth of knowledge for private club leaders.
“Boards need to see the entire club facilities: the good, bad and ugly. Boards do need to meet with senior staff and know who they are and what they do. However, boards must also understand the best practices today, what collaborative governance is, and how to stay out of the club’s operations. Too many boards feel empowered with operational issues because of pressure from close friends. Those board members have to suggest their friends call the GM on all operational issues, including staff, service and amenities, etc.,” he added.
“The board you have is the board you build!”
Joan Garry, principal, coach, advisor, The Nonprofit Leadership Lab
All too often, upcoming committee members need more supervision, training or development to prepare them for later positions as board members, including executive positions.
Providing board and committee members with opportunities for training and development will reduce micromanaging, provide clarity and minimize the risk of board liability.
Given the board’s level of responsibility, every member must have the information and understanding they need to carry out their role.
Thus, investing in governance training and industry knowledge, especially for committee members who may become board members or president, as well as an orientation strategy, synergistic planning and a governance audit, is necessary.
Continuous training is needed to uphold government standards and ensure transparency, accountability and ethical behavior, which helps create a culture of accountability.
“The ‘traditional style’ of training, which is usually an occasional board retreat, has gotten us to where we are today – with some boards being micromanagers and not looking to senior staff as leaders,” said Gordon Welch, president of
“The annual retreat and orientation is an important best practice and can provide a sound foundation for quality governance when properly administered and executed,” explained Frank Cordeiro, chief operating officer of Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, TX.
“However, absent a process of ongoing training, reinforcement and evaluation, the foundation will fail and the members, board and employees will struggle.”
Dick Kopplin, Kurt Kuebler, and Tom Wallace, principals of Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace, are well experienced with board retreats but say, “It is getting more and more difficult to get board members to commit to a full day of training as people are getting busier, and scheduling becomes harder.
“Having some in-person education and some online/video training leads to the best situation and outcome. The video/ online training is only valuable if the general manager/president knows the person has completed it and they’ve been tested on their knowledge of the information. It can be a red
CASE STUDY
RICK COYNE
Rick Coyne is founder and president of Club Mark Advisors and co-founder of the Professional Club Marketing Association. He can be reached via email: rcoyne@clubmark.com
Club Communities and the Community in Clubs
A rich diversity of age, interests, backgrounds, education and wealth has long defined private clubs and communities.
Clubs and developers, in their choice of amenities, clearly understood this diversity, evolving into countless country clubs and communities with expansive arrays of amenities and assets designed around three things: creating greater worth of the product, enhanced member usage and satisfaction, and competitive attractiveness.
However, with only about 17 percent of the population actively participating in golf, one might wonder why developers invest millions in building golf courses, marinas, tennis courts, fitness centers, and other amenities.
The answer is simple: Whether a buyer plays golf, the green space golf courses provide is universally appealing. Whether a family plays golf, many other pursuits are available.
This same principle applies to the other amenities. They add to the overall attractiveness and available lifestyle, giving members and residents a wealth of leisure time and entertainment options.
Even if members or buyers don’t regularly use these facilities, their presence enhances the living experience, providing options for family and friends.
As time passes and members/homeowners mature, their priorities shift, and some may use fewer amenities. The cost of dues and maintaining these features can also concern more tenured households.
Despite the changes affecting tenured members, the expectations of new members or buyers remain consistent. When they evaluate a club or community, they assess the location and landscaping as well as the quality and variety of amenities.
The condition and mix of these assets play a crucial role in their decision to engage. Existing members must recognize this reality and incorporate it into regular communication so that when it is time for an assessment, it’s not a scramble to present reasons your improvements are necessary. They are a constant.
Proactive governance requires a mission, vision and core values proposition that anticipate growth and attrition as a continuous cycle. It addresses the fiduciary stewardship of members, owners and successive boards to address a constantly changing set of needs that maintain attractiveness
and value, driving growth, retention, enhanced usage and greater member satisfaction.
Remind your members often that these guiding principles must be a part of every decision.
As clubs and communities age, another reality begins to surface—households with more tenure and others may experience concerns over dwindling savings, leading them to question investments improving what’s been good enough for decades.
Conversely, younger buyers and newer residents are often more enthusiastic about enhancements and eager to invest in the amenities that affect their future.
This generational divide is common and relatively predictable by performing surveys by demographic of your members at least every three years.
Here’s a reality. The payment of dues is a license to use, but it does not pay for the depreciation of the assets. Members and owners cannot ignore the depreciation of the assets during their tenure without a commitment to ongoing replenishment and upgrades.
Survey data will provide more insight into what members think, but as club/community leaders, it’s crucial to consider this balance when communicating with residents.
Clearly explaining the “why” behind decisions—rooted in the community’s mission, vision and core values—reinforces that ownership mandates stewardship. It’s not just about keeping up with other communities. It’s about preserving the value, attractiveness and unique identity of their club and their community.
It’s equally important to recognize that any club, despite its distinctive location and offerings, is part of a larger, interconnected world of private clubs and communities.
The industry is continually evolving, with associations and talented researchers providing insights into shifting member interests and how to enhance your balance sheet, operational performance and brand position in your community while remaining relevant and valuable.
Understanding these realities and remaining consistently observant of both current and future members’ needs should be a guiding priority for every private club and community.
There’s no time like the present to learn more. BR
Award Winning Clubhouse Master Planning
“creating your club’s road map to best in class facilities”
“We interviewed six different companies, both local and national firms. The field was reduced to two national companies and in the end we overwhelmingly selected C2 Limited Design Associates. Their initial concepts were excellent, and their portfolio matched well with what we felt OLCC needed. We also felt comfortable with them handling both the design and decorating components of the project. C2 was wonderful to work with. Craig Smith has a lowkey style and is a great listener. He understands the committee process and the mind of club members. I can’t thank C2 enough for the time, effort and expertise they brought to our project.”
Nick Nicolay, Past President OLCC Board of Governor Orchard Lake Country Club
Award Winning Clubhouse Design & Furniture
“transformative
change to your member experience & operations”
“I cannot more highly recommend C2 Limited for private clubs looking to update and enhance their spaces. Their approach, process, and results speak for themselves. We are so pleased with their entire team’s engagement and commitment to delivering the best possible result for their clients. It is a rare occurrence in a private club when there is zero negative feedback when a major renovation project is completed. We were the exception to that rule after Craig, Christina, and their team finished their vision for our new casual dining space. We plan to have C2 Limited lead all future renovation projects for our Clubhouse spaces in the future.”
Nathan M. Stewart GM/COO Kansas City Country Club
PLIGHTS AND INSIGHTS
Don’t Forget the PS!
“PS I Love You”
– Paul McCartney/John Lennon
Remember this Beatles’ tune from the flip side of “Love Me Do”? It was featured on their 1963 debut album, “Please Please Me,” and was allegedly written largely by Paul McCartney but credited to both McCartney and John Lennon. In it, McCartney (lead vocals) croons “PS I love you” not just once, but four times.
So why the big deal about the PS?
A former colleague (and writing professor) once told me that the PS was the most important part of a letter. Why? Because people tend to notice what’s at the beginning and the end of a letter, and the same applies to email.
In fact, Grammarly tells us this is something direct mail marketers have known for years: Statistics have shown that as many as 79 percent of people who open a direct mail letter read the PS first. That’s amazing! I’ve always considered it a success if a direct mail piece simply gets opened by the receiver … but is it actually read? And the PS is read first?
A PS is also the last thought in the reader’s mind. It leaves an impression … it’s the final touchpoint. So in a letter, there’s the beginning and the content – which the recipient may or may not pay attention
NANCY M. LEVENBURG
Nancy Levenburg, PhD, is professor emerita in management from the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI. She has published hundreds of articles in business and professional journals and has assisted over 200 organizations with strategic planning, marketing strategy and improving operations. She is the president of Edgewater Consulting and a member of Spring Lake Country Club in Spring Lake, MI. For more information, contact her at: levenbun@gvsu.edu or (616) 821-5678.
to – and then there’s the grand finale … the PS, the last opportunity to make an impression, or reinforce an existing one.
In case you are wondering, PS is the abbreviation for “postscript,” which made a lot of sense in the “olden days” when letter writing was done by hand (i.e., script) or on a typewriter. In either case, after you’ve gotten to the end of the letter and affixed your signature, what do you do when one more thought occurs to you (which may or may not relate to the letter’s content)? That’s when the PS comes in handy … it’s an afterthought.
Translating this into practice, what’s that last, lingering thought you leave with your members when they depart from your club? Do you have a grand finale touchpoint?
At First Presbyterian Church in Grand Haven, MI (where I’m a member), each worship service concludes with the sound of a bell (played on the organ) tolling three times. (Why three times? To remind us of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.)
At Spring Lake Country Club in Spring Lake, MI (where I’m also a member), the grand finale is a foil-wrapped, bite-sized Andes chocolate mint, delivered to each seated guest at the conclusion of a meal.
My favorite home appliances store—Bekins in Grand Haven— always presents a fresh-from-the-florist red rose to homeowners after an appliance repair. In a nearby restaurant (The Village Baker), diners receive a small shortbread-like cookie as a final touch of sweetness. The cookie also serves as a lasting memory. We’ve all heard the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” But you also only get one chance to make a good last impression. So as Kristin Baird of the Baird Group writes, “The last impression should be a fond farewell that leaves the (patron) with a sense of clarity, security and overall good feelings about the organization.”
What are you doing to create a fond farewell and memorable last impression?
PS. According to The Chicago Manual of Style, PS is written without periods. However, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, the proper American English format is P.S. (with periods after each letter). BR
Editor’s note: BoardRoom magazine uses The Associated Press Stylebook. With AP Stylebook, PS is written without periods.
Essential Solutions for Extraordinary Member Experiences
Fall Into a Flawless Season With Clubessential's Next Generation Comprehensive Suite
For more than 25 years, Clubessential has empowered private clubs by streamlining operations and accelerating member experiences. From reservations to revenue, our seamless, integrated technology suite equips modern clubs with all the tools needed to recruit, engage, and retain members — for life.
MOBILE POS – Increase speed and security with cloud-based services
MOBILE APP – Our club-branded app, complete with geofencing, in-app messaging, and communities
CRM – Build relationships with your members and prospects for lifelong loyalty
KITCHEN DISPLAY SYSTEM –
Streamlined kitchen services with data-driven dining insights
MEMBERSHIP ANALYTICS PREDICTOR –
Predictive analytics and robust engagement scores to elevate your member services
CLUB INTELLIGENCE, FUELED BY AI –
Turn Your Club’s Historic Data into Actionable, AI-predicted Insights
“We decided to move to Clubessential because everything we needed, from the website, to reservations, to back-end accounting — was under one roof with a vendor we trusted and liked.”
Shawn Rowley, Director
of Communications and Marketing, The Apawamis Club
CLUBESSENTIAL TASKTRACKER –
Intuitive golf course maintenance and labor management at your fingertips
NEXT GEN SPA MANAGEMENT & RESERVATIONS – Quick check-ins, seamless member processing and billing, and e ortless mobile booking
BANQUETS – Create exceptional banquet and catering experiences with less stress
WEBSITES – Honor your club’s online reputation with a stunning digital hub for members
PAYMENTS – Increase cash flow, improve e iciency, and enhance member convenience
TOURNAMENT MANAGEMENT – E ortless tournament management built specifically for clubs
Todd Swisher, CPA, serves as the leader of the PBMares Hospitality Team. He oversees services for the firm’s hospitality clients, including private clubs. He is also an experienced team member who serves the firm’s employee benefit plan and not-for-profit clients. He can be reached at (804) 323-0022 or TSwisher@PBMares.com.
Three Ways Private Clubs Are Leveraging AI To Minimize Costs and Drive Profits
Every day, artificial intelligence elevates how private clubs manage costs and map a path for generating better financial results.
However, managing expenses involves a delicate balance for private clubs where member experience is critically important. AI helps ensure that your club manages costs effectively while sustaining — and often improving — the service level you deliver to your members.
Keep reading to learn how private clubs optimize operational efficiency in staffing, menu management and pro shop inventory management.
AI AND PRIVATE CLUB STAFFING
Best practices for private club staffing strive to make an impact using the least amount of effort, time and resources possible. Today’s private clubs use AI and detailed analytics dashboards to optimize staffing by automatically analyzing data that can predict demand for club usage in a variety of areas.
The focus is not necessarily on scaling back on staff — it’s more about optimizing labor.
By analyzing peak hours, member preferences and the most popular amenities, clubs can manage costs efficiently and deliver the best possible member experience. AI can also gather and analyze data about the following to uncover valuable insights and trends:
• Labor spend by area
• Average employee turnover rate
• Employee absenteeism
• Growth opportunity projections for the business and staff
• Responses from member and employee feedback surveys. Put the right amount of staff in the right places at the right times for your members.
It’s like playing Tetris with staff assignments and maintenance schedules so you optimize cost-effectiveness and member enjoyment at the same time.
AI AND PRIVATE CLUB MENU MANAGEMENT
Connecting their POS and CRM systems lets private clubs track member preference data and ingredient costs in real time to optimize menus and fine-tune pricing.
AI can gather data about the following to uncover valuable insights and trends:
• Member spending habits
• Best-selling dishes and beverages
• Club restaurant inventory levels
• Restaurant industry trends
• Emerging food trends (e.g., immunity-boosting foods and plant-based options).
The following AI tools can help:
• An integrated POS system
• QR codes for digitized menus
• Kitchen display systems.
AI AND A PROFITABLE PRO SHOP
Of course, when members wear your club’s merchandise, they become brand ambassadors. Marketing merchandise will boost your club’s performance in a variety of ways.
Use AI to gather data about in-person pro shop activity and member preferences:
• Monitor each member’s transaction history and recommend relevant products
• Automatically maintain a robust inventory management system
• Receive an alert if stock drops below a certain level
• Track the most popular items and optimize stock to meet demand.
LEARN MORE
With many years of experience serving private clubs, our dedicated hospitality team offers you the comprehensive accounting, management and business advisory services you need. Contact us today. BR
BOARDROOM BASICS AND BEYOND
Keep Calm and Carry On
TED GILLARY
J.G. Ted Gillary, CCM, CCE, ECM, CMAA Fellow is a coach and search and consulting executive with KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE. He can be reached via email: ted@kkandw.com
One evening this past summer as my wife Annie and I were driving out of the neighborhood, we stopped to say hello to a new friend.
As we approached her front porch, I noticed a white metal sign leaning against a column embossed with bold black letters declaring, “Keep calm and carry on.” When I asked our friend about it, she said her daughter had prominently displayed the sign in her home during the years she was battling cancer. I was intrigued because our son displayed the same quote in his Baltimore rowhouse having just completed years of military service. Tough situations had taught him to lace a bit of humor in whatever he did. His framed poster hung over the loo in his firstfloor bathroom.
GOOD ADVICE FOR BOARD RELATIONS
This pithy saying is good advice for a general manager. How best to work with the board of directors seems to be the main challenge many GMs face. No doubt a board can test an executive’s patience in often unintended ways. Working with nine or more type A individuals, all trying to do the right thing from their perspective, is an exercise in diplomacy for the GM. Often the GM has the best sense of the
world around us. Being calm is not the goal but a means to an end. When we are calm, we think more clearly. It is more than just the determination to appear calm. It is a principled way of thinking. It is a mindset that combines the virtue of magnanimity with a vision for the future. To stay on the right path with this outlook is the essence of what it means to collaborate and to lead. Magnanimity is an attitude of generosity, an empathy for the thinking of others, and in practice is the ability to “put yourself in someone else’s shoes.” When a GM masters this approach of working with the board, the GM can bear challenges calmly. When we reach this state of calmness, we think with clarity, we are open for discussion, we are more agile with weighing the ideas of others, and we gracefully consider input. This process gives us a greater understanding of a situation and prepares us to speak purposefully.
KEEP EMOTION IN CHECK
The key to calmness requires not letting our emotions dominate our thinking. Developing emotional intelligence is an intentional practice and the foundation of right thinking.
All too often our emotions get the best of us and leave something less desirable in its place. The least palatable of these emotions can be classified as stress, anger, fear, arrogance and resentment, in any combination or altogether.
direction a club should go but only if the GM can consider the input of others to craft the best plans. Few boards rubber stamp a GM’s proposals without asking tough questions. That is their role.
The GM’s responsibility when working with the board is to foster an atmosphere of collaboration to conduct a productive strategic discussion and ultimately reach an agreement. The GM’s role is even harder if the board goes off track. The good news is that there are ways for the general manager to navigate the challenges the board poses and tame an errant director or two. The state of mind that is the starting point could not be better stated than to “keep calm.”
ACHIEVING CALMNESS
The state of calmness requires discipline. Achieving a calm demeanor is not just an act of will but a way of looking at the
All too often our emotions get the best of us and leave something less desirable in its place. The least palatable of these emotions can be classified as stress, anger, fear, arrogance and resentment, in any combination or altogether. Often these emotions are triggered when we allow ourselves to be offended. The result is poor thinking on our part and a poor impression left on observers. If we begin by doing a few things right in principle, in time we will be able to do many things well.
For a seasoned leader, it’s not when dealing with subordinates that these feelings rise to the surface, but more likely we chafe when dealing with authority, i.e., the board and officers. They have the power to direct the GM’s activities. They can affirm a desired course and strategy or expect the
/,neks(t)'jen/ adjective
Abbr. for "Next-Generation"
Refers to the newest, most advanced version of a product, technology, or service, designed to surpass previous iterations in performance, efficiency, and innovation.
Built with cutting-edge tools and technology to meet the evolving needs of today and tomorrow.
Offers Exchange of Ideas and Member Experience 2024 DISTINGUISHED IDEAS SUMMIT
COVER STORY BY DAVE WHITE, EDITOR
The Distinguished Ideas Summit, a highlight for BoardRoom’s Distinguished Clubs each year, marks an exclusive gathering of general managers of the most prestigious and successful private clubs.
General managers from 150 of the country’s top three percent of private clubs recently gathered in Arizona for the 2024 Distinguished Ideas Summit to exchange ideas about creating unforgettable member experiences and crafting a strong club culture. This is a private event for Distinguished Clubs only...a benefit that accrues to Distinguished Clubs and Distinguished Golf Destinations
“This happened to be our first Distinguished Club Summit in Arizona and we selected this area and six clubs from the Scottsdale and Phoenix area because of their operations, excellent management and staff, with every club providing their members with unique member experiences,” explained John Fornaro, CEO of BoardRoom magazine and one of the innovators behind the Distinguished Club Program.
Participating clubs included Arizona Country Club, Desert Highlands Golf Club, Desert Mountain Club, Paradise Valley Country Club, the Mirabel Golf Club and Troon Country Club.
“The event was sold out, but sadly, about 30 general managers flew home to the Florida area the night before because of the hurricanes Milton and Helene. However, our participating clubs provided an excellent experience for all our Distinguished Club attendees,” Fornaro added.
BoardRoom’s Distinguished Clubs are genuinely a special group of private clubs…exceptional clubs based on their extraordinary delivery of a first-class Member Experience to all their members
“We’ve realize that what we’ve created allows us to showcase the most outstanding private clubs nationwide. It’s a model with a message that can help private clubs grow and enhance their member experience.
“Because every club has unique ideas and every club is unique, the Distinguished Idea Summit brings out some ideas in a format that has worked. It’s quick and a meaningful learning environment,” Fornaro explained.
The recognition of key industry leaders marked a standout moment of the Summit.
“Doc Belitz, GM/COO of Arizona Country Club, hosted the education and executed a great breakfast and lunch. Doc, Damon DiOrio (CEO of Desert Mountain Club) and I presented an anniversary cake to Jeff Morgan, FASAE, CAE, who has been celebrating 10 years as CEO of the Club Management Association of America. It’s a testament to his influence and leadership. Jeff was surprised when Doc’s staff created a cake to feed 150 people,” he added.
Fornaro, CEO of Distinguished Clubs and publisher of BoardRoom magazine, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement
Award for his 30 years of contributions to the private club industry.
John Easterbrook, Chief Membership Officer, PGA of America, also received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ron Banaszak, CCM, CCE, recently promoted to chief operating officer of the Distinguished Club and president of Distinguished Golf Destinations, was the Summit’s master of ceremonies.
Banaszak also provided an update on the Distinguished Club’ s recent accomplishments. This included the completion of a strategic planning process with Strategic Club Solutions, the creation of the Standards Advisory Committee, the establishment of new criteria with 37 Distinguished Practices, the reinstitution of the four-hour requalification site visit, a new Distinguished Club website, the new Zardozi award for clubs advancing their Distinguished Club status, and new Distinguished Achievement in Leadership Awards .
Distinguished Clubs is also partnering with three past club managers to conduct site visits. These managers will function as Directors of Standards and Ratings.
Keith Jarrett remains BoardRoom’s Distinguished Club program president, with Bill Thomas as executive vice president
“BoardRoom’s Distinguished Clubs are truly a special grouping of private clubs…exceptional clubs based on their extraordinary delivery of a first-class Member Experience to every one of their members,” explained Jarrett.
“When developing this concept, we thought, these are the best clubs in the world with the best general managers, and they have the best ideas that they implement at their clubs. So why not have them present their member experience ideas to other GMs? Thus, the summit format was born.”
Tim Schantz, CEO of Troon Golf, sponsored the Summit’s education, which focused on club culture, working with different demographics and branding. Tom Wallace, managing partner of Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace, hosted the board panels featuring Vito Gioia, president of the Detroit Athletic Club and BoardRoom’s Distinguished Club President for 2023.
“Ryan Cozzetto, GM and Ashley Mills, director of catering and events hosted the evening reception at Paradise Valley Country Club and executed the perfect event. The staff provided a great presentation of eatables and excellent service. The photo booth was a hit, and the band Swing Beats belted out tunes,” Fornaro expressed.
Decorated U.S. Army veteran Frank Armenta, who has received two Purple Hearts and numerous other commendations, spoke movingly about his experiences and involvement with Tee It Up for the Troops, a program that has profoundly impacted his life. Real Foods President Ed Doyle shared strategies for enhancing club dining experiences.
Club site visits to Troon Country Club and GM/COO Garrett Wallace, Desert Mountain Club (CEO Damon DiOrio), Desert Highlands (COO/ GM Desi Speh) and The Mirabel Club and GM/COO Jim Napolitano highlighted the Summit’s second day.
Each club featured speakers, including Gregg Patterson, president of Tribal Magic and Frank Pritchard, partner of J Pritchard Collection and whose parents, Joel and Joan Pritchard, founded pickleball in 1965. The J. Pritchard Collection, is a premium apparel company created in partnership with pickleball’s founding family.
“We believe the Distinguished Ideas Summit is one of the best benefits of earning and retaining Distinguished Clubs status. Distinguished Ideas Summit is not just an event but a different way of learning about what works for private clubs. The Distinguished Clubs award program aims to vitalize and preserve private clubs by fostering a ceaseless drive to improve the Member Experience offered by private clubs worldwide,” added Fornaro.
“Sometimes, some people just don’t get what our Distinguished Clubs program is about. They’re wondering why we’re helping the country’s top clubs. In reality, the program and process are much, much more than that. The top clubs, because they’re the innovators, are helping many lower-tiered clubs, and we’re the facilitators. The clubs are incubators for ideas, thoughts and action in our never-ending process to enhance the private club member experience,” Fornaro concluded.
ARIZONA COUNTRY CLUB
Amenities Offer Exceptional Member Experiences
Arizona Country Club, founded in 1946, is rich with tradition and history and situated in one of the most sought-after zip codes in the Phoenix, AZ, metropolitan area.
This Distinguished Club with Exceptional status lies just south of picturesque Camelback Mountain. Its mission statement exemplifies premier private family country club membership. The club has a beloved golf course and various activities and amenities sprinkled throughout the campus, making for exceptional member experiences.
The Frank Lloyd Wright craftsman-style clubhouse exudes friendliness and charm, creating a perfect atmosphere for members to call a second home
With year-round play available in the southwest, the club’s most valuable asset is the golf course. It boasts approximately 33,000 rounds annually and hosts a list of wellattended and anticipated annual events, scheduled weekend men’s group play and women’s leagues. There’s also a successful juniors’ program that has watched many children grow up on the course and go on to play at the collegiate level.
The golf shop, staffed with talented people and stocked with the latest gear, has garnered a Southwest Merchandiser of the Year award.
The racquet sports area has developed various standout athletes through tournaments and sanctioned play. Over 90 women compete in city-wide tennis leagues and a pickleball program continues to thrive and grow. One of the latest pickleball weekend events, which included a Pro-Am exhibition, drew over 300 spectators.
The aquatics center has a youth swim team that fiercely competes against other local clubs. It also hosts multiple kid’s camps and offers childcare for members.
The fitness center and spa are also popular, with 1,000 rostered members with personal trainers, state-of-the-art equipment, scheduled classes, red light therapy, skilled aestheticians and massage therapists.
AZCC wants to add cold plunge therapy to the locker room spaces and strives to stay current in health and wellness offerings.
The food and beverage program attracts resume-rich culinary staff who enlighten and enhance the seasonal menus while taking advantage of the arid climate for al fresco dining opportunities. The club has also been awarded CMAA’s Wines of Distinction Award, the hallmark award for quality and assurance of an eminent wine program.
AZCC hosts various member events, including themed golf tournaments, wine-paired dinners, family-centered holiday occasions and large adult-only social gatherings, all leaning into our warm and lively member base.
With the acclaimed Camelback Mountain as their backdrop, the ballroom and meeting space at AZCC are widely popular with catering staff who serve and delight.
Arizona Country Club has a multi-year waitlist for membership, which speaks to the draw and appeal of the facilities and amenities.
Another primary attraction is the staff family. Under the keen leadership of GM/COO Doc Belitz, the 200 employees are mentored, groomed and retained through programs, care and incentives. The club has several staff members now in their third decade of service.
Doc’s background includes over 25 years of executive leadership in private golf and country clubs, exclusively in the Phoenix and Scottsdale market. He is approachable, humble and passionate about providing an excellent experience every day for his members, their guests and our staff,
Brian Scott, president of the board of directors, applauds Doc’s management style and credits him with the highest satisfaction rate among members and staff families to date. BR
“The Idea Summit creates the perfect environment for collaborative learning, where good ideas transform into great ones. True innovation happens when we work together and focus on the collective success, not on who gets the credit.”
Doc Belitz, GM/COO
The Arizona Country Club
DESERT HIGHLANDS
Signature Course Renovation Will Enhance Desert Highlands
Home to the original Skins Game in 1983, Desert Highlands, a BoardRoom Distinguished Club with Elite status, is a renowned private club offering a balanced mix of world-class golf, luxury amenities, and a strong sense of community.
Known for its scenic location and vibrant lifestyle, the Scottsdale, AZ club offers members a distinctive experience that goes beyond typical country club offerings.
With a $9.8 million renovation of its Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course set for 2025, Desert Highlands is enhancing this experience, solidifying its reputation as one of the country’s leading private communities.
The golf course renovation will involve major updates to improve playability, aesthetics, and sustainability. Changes include transitioning greens from Bermuda to Bentgrass, an upgrade that will provide a consistent, high-quality playing surface tailored for the North Scottsdale climate. Other improvements include reconstructing tee boxes for better visibility, reshaping bunkers to improve drainage and durability, significantly upgrading the desert areas, and refreshing fairways to optimize turf quality.
Beyond these changes, Desert Highlands is committed to environmental responsibility. The course improvements align with best sustainability practices, ensuring that updates enhance aesthetics and support the club’s broader commitment to environmental stewardship.
Desert Highlands offers more than its acclaimed golf course. The community includes a state-of-the-art clubhouse with dining and event spaces, a wellness center, tennis and pickleball courts, and a packed schedule of social events, from fitness classes to exclusive gatherings.
Under the guidance of Desi Speh, general manager/COO of The Desert Highlands Association, members benefit from a comprehensive range of amenities that encourage active living and foster a close-knit community atmosphere. This commitment to variety and excellence extends to the club’s management approach, with Desert Highlands continually refining its services to provide consistent quality across all facilities.
Desert Highlands, a vision of real estate developer Lyle Anderson, was built with a deep respect for the natural environment. The community has incorporated sustainable practices, from water conservation to preserving native plant life, ensuring the beauty of the desert remains unspoiled. BR
“The Distinguished Idea Summit was an absolute blast! The networking was fantastic—I loved reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. The educational sessions were packed with actionable insights, and being part of such a dynamic event was truly inspiring and energizing!”
Desi Speh, COO/GM
The Desert Highlands Association
DESERT MOUNTAIN CLUB
Largest Collection of Nicklaus Signature Courses
Nestled at the foothills of the Tonto National Forest in north Scottsdale, AZ, lies Desert Mountain Club, affectionately known as the ‘Sanctuary in the Sonoran Desert.’
Through its 38-year history, Desert Mountain has earned its reputation as a haven for golfers and members who seek an active lifestyle of premier luxury. In an area that was originally a working cattle spread called Carefree Ranch, developer Lyle Anderson had a vision in the early 1980s of what this scenic landscape could become.
Taliesin Associated Architects, founded by the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright, conceptualized the club’s master plan. Anderson worked with close friend and golf legend Jack Nicklaus to create the world’s largest collection of Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses, each built to showcase the potential for luxury real estate.
That potential is now reality!
More than 2,000 homes within 35 distinct villages are spread across 8,300 acres. Most notably, seven golf courses, one to play each day of the week, are highlighted by the six Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses – Renegade, Cochise, Apache, Geronimo, Chiricahua, and Outlaw.
The seventh, aptly named No. 7, is a par-54 championship course designed by developers Bill Brownlee and Wendell Pickett. The Desert Mountain members that call this sanctuary home take advantage of second-to-none amenities such as a 42,000 square foot full-service Sonoran Clubhouse with a wellness center, spa and pools, 25 miles of private hiking trails, 10 restaurants all curated by a 5-Star French Master Chef, golf croquet, pickleball, tennis, bocce. A private onsite health clinic with doctor, staff, and dermatology services exclusively for club members and employees – is also featured.
As a BoardRoom Distinguished Club with Elite status, the size and scope of Desert Mountain requires a detailed level of service offered by the over 850 employees. Golf, club operations, agronomy, food and beverage, retail, fitness, health and many others all collectively make up a culture that has been awarded as a ‘Great Place to Work’ multiple times. The award-winning team culture has encouraged countless employees to stay for years, some since the very beginning, and allowed the members to enjoy life to their fullest.
Led by CEO Damon DiOrio, that culture and member experience is at the forefront of everything Desert Mountain does.
“Our club truly values having a safe, healthy and positive culture for our members and our team to enjoy,” DiOrio said. “The quality of the people, depth of character, integrity
and care of the professional team is what makes our club so special.”
Desert Mountain leads by example as evidenced by the $10 million its members have contributed to support cancer research in Arizona and more than $510,000 to support their employee scholarship and hardship fund.
With over $120 million in capital investment projects either already completed or proposed over the next few years, all paid for in cash with no assessment, there is much more ahead that will continue to make Desert Mountain one of the top Distinguished Clubs in the country.
“We desire to forge positive memories in our members’ lives,” DiOrio added. “We truly want our Members to feel like they don’t have to leave the property to build lifelong friendships and enjoy memorable family experiences.” BR
“Two great benefits arise from participating in the Distinguished Idea Summit – The opportunity to spend time with many valued and respected peers while touring several outstanding clubs, and the perfect setting to learn private club industry best practices that we can integrate at our club and raise our Member Experience to the next level”
Damon DiOrio, CEO, CCM, CCE Desert Mountain Club
PARADISE VALLEY COUNTRY CLUB
A Tradition of Excellence, Enjoyment and Community
Since its founding in 1953, Paradise Valley Country Club (PVCC) has been a distinguished institution in the heart of Paradise Valley, Arizona.
Surrounded by the iconic Camelback Mountain to the south, the Phoenix Mountain Preserve to the west and the McDowell Mountains to the east, Paradise Valley Country Club, a BoardRoom Distinguished Club with Elite status, offers a breathtaking setting for a wide array of amenities, world-class facilities and a welcoming community.
The club has consistently provided its members with a place to relax, connect and create lifelong memories in an environment that blends tradition and elegance.
“Paradise Valley Country Club is a distinguished hideaway, offering unparalleled amenities and member services in the heart of Arizona,” said General Manager Ryan Cozzetto.
“The club values its longstanding history, traditions and culture. This is made possible by our outstanding membership and dedicated team members, whose passion and commitment to excellence make the club truly exceptional.”
At the core of PVCC’s offerings is its 18-hole, parkland-style golf course, designed by Lawrence Hughes and renovated by the acclaimed Coore and Crenshaw. Nestled below Camelback Mountain, this beautifully crafted course offers a challenging yet rewarding experience for golfers of all skill levels. From beginners to seasoned professionals, PVCC’s golf course provides an exceptional venue to play, compete and enjoy the outdoors.
The golf learning center is unrivaled for those looking to hone their skills. The club features a state-of-the-art Trackman Bay, equipped with professional-grade technology to provide accurate yardage measurements and instant data feedback for every club.
In addition, the simulator bay allows members to virtually play on world-famous courses like St. Andrews, bringing the thrill of legendary layouts to your fingertips. The Zen Putting Green and Sam Putt Lab provide a unique visual feedback system, ensuring golfers can fine-tune their technique.
Dining at PVCC offers a truly unique experience. Members can enjoy five distinct dining venues: a fine dining room, casual poolside dining, a Men’s & Ladies’ Grill and a private dining room. The luxe bar offers stunning views of Camelback Mountain, while outdoor dining areas create a relaxed atmosphere for socializing. The wine tasting room is the perfect setting for discovering new vintages and enjoying curated wine experiences.
The club includes a variety of elegant venues to suit any occasion, including grand ballrooms, a private dining room, a wine salon and a picturesque event lawn. Whether celebrating a milestone event, hosting a wedding, or attending a private wine dinner, the club provides an exquisite backdrop for every gathering. Members enjoy a full calendar of club-wide events, including seasonal celebrations, family nights and exclusive wine dinner experiences.
PVCC offers a cutting-edge fitness facility featuring a variety of cardio equipment, a fullweight section, a private Pilates studio, and a six-lane, 25-yard competition swimming pool. For those seeking a personalized approach to wellness, the club also provides nutrition coaching, physical therapy and Titleist Performance Institute services. For families, the extensive youth activities program provides valuable resources for children. From the study hub with tutoring, family activity nights, swim team and lessons, to a separate swim area for kids, there is always something for every member of the family to enjoy.
Racquet sports are a key component of life at PVCC, with a newly renovated facility that includes nine tennis courts, eight pickleball courts, and a padel court. The club’s racquet pro shop offers premier racquet brands. Professional instructors also provide lessons for all skill levels, from juniors to advanced players. BR
“Distinguished Clubs recognizes the best in the private club industry. It was an honor hosting several of the top leaders in the country at Paradise Valley Country Club for the 2024 Ideas Summit. Thank you to the leadership team at Boardroom magazine for letting us be a part of this special event!”
Ryan Cozzetto, GM Paradise Valley Country Club
THE MIRABEL CLUB A Legacy of Luxury and Community
Set amidst the breathtaking Sonoran Desert, the Mirabel Club of Scottsdale, Arizona, epitomizes exclusivity and elegance…3,000 feet above sea level.
This premier, member-owned and debt-free community weaves together luxury living, natural beauty and a welcoming spirit, creating an unmatched retreat for those who crave an active lifestyle and refined relaxation.
The Mirabel Club, a BoardRoom Distinguished Club with Elite status, was envisioned as a sanctuary that harmonizes with the unique beauty of its desert surroundings. It offers members a place where camaraderie and sophistication flourish.
At its core, Mirabel’s mission is to create an experience of refined luxury underscored by a closely-knit community. Today, under the guidance of Jim Napolitano, general manager/COO, the club attracts a vibrant membership drawn to its world-class amenities and its collaborative and inclusive atmosphere.
Mirabel’s carefully curated amenities appeal to various lifestyles, from avid golfers to those who enjoy a serene spa day. At the heart of its offerings is a Tom Fazio-designed golf course, acclaimed for its challenging play, breathtaking fairways, and seamless integration with the natural desert landscape. This course doesn’t just provide a game; it delivers a unique experience highlighting the Sonoran Desert’s rugged beauty, creating an unforgettable backdrop for players of all levels.
The club’s architectural marvel—a 42,000-square-foot clubhouse inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright—serves as a vibrant social epicenter. Here, members gather to dine, unwind and connect in an atmosphere that marries luxury with the warm charm of the desert. Complementing the clubhouse is a resort-style pool, perfect for relaxation or exercise and a state-of-the-art fitness center designed to cater to casual users and fitness aficionados alike.
Beyond golf, Mirabel entices members with four Har-Tru tennis courts, four pickleball courts and two country club regulation-size bocce courts. These amenities have programs appealing to enthusiasts of various skill levels.
Its prime location also provides convenient access to a variety of outdoor adventures, including hiking, biking, horseback riding and off-roading, with trails leading into the iconic Tonto National Forest. Each amenity at Mirabel reflects a commitment to fostering an enriching, active lifestyle set against Arizona’s desert panorama.
Mirabel isn’t just a club—it’s a community where 275 golf members and 50 social members enjoy an inviting, closely-knit environment that inspires lasting friendships. The membership structure encourages flexibility, offering social memberships that serve as an introduction to
the Mirabel experience, with the potential to upgrade to full golf memberships as opportunities become available. This setup ensures that members of varied interests can find their place within the community and feel a true sense of belonging.
Guided by attentive management and a visionary leadership team, Mirabel’s dedication to excellence shines through in every detail, from top-tier services to strategic development initiatives. This commitment to member satisfaction, community and continual improvement solidifies Mirabel’s status as one of Arizona’s premier luxury destinations.
Blending luxury, natural beauty and a vibrant community, The Mirabel Club is celebrated as one of the nation’s premier private clubs. It has been recognized as a BoardRoom Distinguished Club with Elite status since 2012. With its scenic golf course, elegant clubhouse and carefully curated amenities, Mirabel offers members an exceptional Arizona lifestyle—a true oasis of sophistication in the heart of the Sonoran Desert. BR
“We were thrilled to be able to attend this year’s Ideas Summit, and especially to be included on the club tour! It’s always motivating to be around so many dynamic Private Club Industry professionals and apply some of the ideas shared to improve our Member Experience at The Mirabel Club.”
Jim Napolitano, GM/COO The Mirabel Club
TROON COUNTRY CLUB A Warm Atmosphere and Camaraderie
A home away from home. Tom Weiskopf’s first golf course design. Immersive member experiences. Unforgettable food. Coveted connections, where members treat one another like family. That’s Troon Country Club, a BoardRoom Distinguished Club with Elite status!
The hallowed walls of the Scottsdale, AZ, country club, guided by general manager Garrett Wallace, PGA, echo with stories and memories, creating a warm atmosphere steeped in tradition. Each corner holds a piece of history, fostering a deep connection among members. This rich backdrop enhances the camaraderie and makes every gathering feel significant, like stepping into a living tapestry of shared experiences.
After pulling into valet, members are whisked away to seize every moment…living life to its fullest potential. They can transform their day with unparalleled training services in a state-of-the-art wellness center or join an interactive bocce game where stories are told and re-told.
Whether meeting their neighbors for a doubles match or simply staying active, sometimes the best part of the day is the peaceful comfort of majestic, breathtaking views from the patios, surrounded by friends.
Pulling up a seat at one of three restaurants, members can nosh on mouthwatering plates and enjoy innovative cocktails and live music, while others may prefer their vino with a side of quiet, upscale dining in our new restaurant, Vista. The recent addition of Vista follows Troon Country Club’s commitment to reinventing excellence. Over the past 10 years, members have invested over $20 million in capital enhancements.
Stepping onto Tom Weiskopf’s pristine golf course, sculpted through the desert landscape, feels like entering a peaceful enclave, a haven where you can escape into the joys of golf. Members and accompanied guests play over 27,000 rounds each year. The club is also a certified Audubon Sanctuary.
Immediately, you understand why Troon Country Club has hosted three national championships – the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship in 1990, the upcoming 44th Mid-Amateur Championship in 2025 and the 61st U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, earning the distinction from the USGA as the cathedral of golf.
At the heart of Troon Country Club’s uniqueness is its extraordinary community, which shares an endless thirst for enrichment, adventure and generous philanthropic giving.
The members’ love and kindness always make a difference. They have donated over 1,200 pounds of food through the Foothills Food Drive, hosted 11 Special Olympics Tennis Fun Days and donated over $70,000 to Ava’s Tree House for pediatric cancer.
The Club’s Scholarship Foundation has provided over 500 scholarships totaling over $3 million since 2010, enabling promising employees and their dependents to find their passion, achieve their goals and realize their dreams. Forty-two scholarships have been awarded for 2024-25.
Over the years, members forge friendships and share memories to last a lifetime. These experiences are made better through the collaboration of the attentive staff who can elevate any occasion and bring any dream to life. BR
“Thank you to Distinguished Clubs and BoardRoom magazine for the opportunity to share Troon Country Club with so many esteemed colleagues during the Summit. We were honored to host you.”
Garrett Wallace, GM/COO Troon Country Club
It’s Time to Say Goodbye!
Dave White Retires After Decades of Dedication to BoardRoom Magazine
By Dave White, editor
On July 1st, 1959, I got a phone call from an acquaintance who happened to be the sports director of our local radio station. I’d known him because, as an 18-year-old, I played, with some success, all kinds of sports, but more particularly high school football and with our local hockey teams.
“Hi Dave, it’s Al McCann. I’ve got an opening for a sports announcer. Are you interested?” “Absolutely,” I replied.
And so, at age 18, my long, fascinating and most interesting career in the media, or more specifically, journalism, began. It’s been exciting because it certainly has been that at times, but interesting and fascinating, also captures much of what has happened during the past 65 years.
Now, on December 31st, 2024, this active part of my life will end as I retire as the editor of BoardRoom magazine.
Mine has been one of those careers where a person simply falls into it. Never, while finishing high school, had I thought about a journalism career because, like so many young people, I really didn’t have a clue about what I wanted to do. My media journey has been a winding trail through radio, television, newspapers and finally, BoardRoom magazine …and there’s nary a day I regret or forget anything that’s happened during that time.
My trail has taken me from radio sports to the local newspaper in Lethbridge, Alberta, where I worked as a sports reporter and then as a general reporter before moving to my next smalltown daily newspaper, the Red Deer Advocate, and my position as a sports editor at the age of 21.
A couple of years later, a sports reporter position at a larger metropolitan newspaper, the Edmonton Journal, followed. Then came a general reporter’s assignment before the political beat offered another exciting opportunity.
Around that time, one thing became quite apparent to me. I had oodles of questions about our world, our societies, and our politics that, in my mind, remained unanswered. How could I resolve the constant need to know more? How could I give sway to my skepticism that was as much curiosity? Two good qualities to own as a journalist, but I had to quench my thirst for knowledge.
For me, university offered the answer and thus began another segment of my life that ended six years later when I graduated with a Master’s Degree from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. And now, married with three kids, I also needed to work to support our family. So, during those six years, I also worked full-time as a journalist and then as a writer for the university’s public relations department.
After my university graduation, radio and television beckoned and close to 20 years with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) as a reporter, a current affairs television on-air personality and producer and radio opinion commentator followed as the next steps of my long, rewarding career. These years marked one of my career’s most significant time periods.
When considering attending university as a ‘mature adult student,’ an aptitude test was one of the entrance requirements and a time when I learned much more about myself. Becoming a lawyer surfaced as the number one trait on that test, followed by being a pastor (which meant following in my father’s footsteps) and, thirdly, a teacher. I quickly bypassed life as an attorney and a preacher.
So, my calling as a teacher led to my appointment as a tenured university professor and almost 10 years as director of the University of Regina Journalism and Communications program in Regina, Saskatchewan. One more newspaper appointment as director of planning followed before we, as a family, moved to Calgary, Alberta…also the hometown of BoardRoom’s CEO, John Fornaro and my introduction to BoardRoom, which John, after moving to the U.S. had established in Laguna Beach, CA.
Twenty-five years ago, as one of our printing firm’s owners, we printed the BoardRoom magazine for John. Printing in Canada at the time made a lot of sense because the American dollar was worth so much more than the Canadian loonie. Not too long afterward, John happened to be looking for an editor and co-publisher for BoardRoom , and so began the final stage of my career. My credentials fit the bill.
My 25 years working in the private club industry began earlier as a member of several private clubs, so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect as editor based on my journalism background and private club experiences. Now it’s time to pass the torch, and Heather Arias de Cordoba, currently our chief content officer (and who also happens to be my daughter), takes on the role of editor. I will transition to editor emeritus— staying involved with the editorial direction while continuing to write the cover stories as needed. Ownership of BoardRoom remains with our CEO John Fornaro and Heather and me as part owners.
Heather’s well qualified, knows the industry and its people very well, and, along with John and the rest of the group, will help take BoardRoom , the Distinguished Clubs, Distinguished Golf Destinations and BoardRoom Institute to greater heights.
So, I express my heartfelt gratitude to my wonderful wife, Gail, who has traveled this winding trail with me for 62 years and to my family for their support. This includes my eldest daughter Karen, her husband Al, and their children Bailey, Braden, Brandon, and Breanne; my son Scott, his wife Dawn, and their son Brennan; as well as Heather and her children, Kaden and Kaiya. I’m especially proud that Kaiya has recently joined the BoardRoom team as our new marketing coordinator. I also want to thank the many mentors and colleagues I’ve worked with over the years, especially during my BoardRoom days. Yep, it’s been a pretty good run! BR
Thank you!
As Dave heads into retirement, the writers and private club colleagues who’ve worked with him over the years are chiming in with cheers, congratulations, and heartfelt thanks. The following messages celebrate the incredible impact Dave has had on their journeys, on BoardRoom , and on the private club industry as a whole! As I pulled this feature together, it’s been a heart tugging walk down memory lane. And from all of us at BoardRoom we say Thank You!
Heather Arias de Cordoba
Dave, cheers to you and your amazing career! Always the consummate professional and guide! All the best!
Pamela Radcliff, SHRM-SCP, CCM, CAM Director of Human Resources, Hideaway Beach Club
When I think of Dave White, I think of someone that is always willing to put others if front of himself. Dave is always kind, considerate, and flexible. Dave always had time for me during our decades of working together both as a manager and an industry professional. He had such a global grasp of industry that always amazed me.
Dr. Jim Butler, CEO, Club Benchmarking
Working with Dave White these many years has been a great joy to me. Dave is the most stand-up of stand-up guys. Working with Dave and gaining the benefit of his good counsel have been enlightening and instructive. He is the consummate professional in all things and has been such a defining force within BoardRoom and its readers.
Henry DeLozier, Partner, GGA Partners
David’s legacy of educating our industry is second to none. His keen insight and professionalism will inspire the next generation of educators, writers and influencers. David, on behalf of our industry, a sincere thank you!
Frank Cordeiro, COO/GM, Colonial Country Club
Thank you, Dave, for publishing articles I have submitted on how to have a better locker room. God bless.
Bruce Barilla, Locker Room Consulting
Thanks Dave for all that you have done to help build the most respected magazine in the industry! Your professionalism and integrity has always been an inspiration to all of us!
Keith Jarrett, Distinguished Clubs
For many years Dave White has been the editor of BoardRoom Magazine and in that role he reviewed our KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE articles often with great suggestions. We always appreciated his guidance and advice and will miss his talented editing. Dave, we wish you all the best as you enjoy a well-deserved retirement.
Founding Partner Richard Kopplin
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Rita Barreto is an engaging, motivational speaker on the national stage. She also has 30-plus years as an award-winning human resource executive for a Fortune 500 company. She offers customized, industry-specific consulting services to navigate change and build an agile and thriving company culture. Don’t hesitate to visit toptierleadership.com, and then give Rita a call to book a free 20-minute consultation.
Navigating Today’s Challenges
I believe we can all agree on one thing that remains universally clear: We are in a state of constant and faster change in every facet of our lives and industries.
While some individuals welcome change with open arms, others might prefer a root canal. Having conducted lots of workshops on change, I’ve noticed that employees are in one of three stages:
1. Letting go. They talk about wanting to return to the way it used to be.
2. Chaos. They vacillate between wanting to accept the change or wishing for the past.
3. Acceptance. That’s when they have accepted the change and focus on the future.
Let’s look at some of the major challenges impacting the workplace and practical steps leaders can take to navigate these turbulent times.
RISING COST OF LIVING
The soaring cost of living has left many employers grappling with increased demands for higher salaries and expanded benefits. To address these concerns, employers can consider several actions.
Clubs might explore flexible compensation packages, such as performance-based bonuses, to provide financial incentives that will not immediately impact the bottom line. Consider including mental health assistance in your employee benefits packages to provide valuable support and demonstrate a commitment to employee well-being. Offering counseling services, stress management programs and wellness initiatives can help alleviate personal pressures that contribute to financial stress.
ALTERNATIVE WORK ARRANGEMENTS
For positions requiring physical presence, offering flexible schedules or compressed workweeks can help accommodate employees’ personal needs. Additionally, creating a supportive work environment that values work-life integration and provides career development opportunities can enhance job satisfaction and reduce turnover.
Before a boss says no, work with employees to create winwin options. Be mindful of schedules and the impact on em-
ployees and their families. Take a proactive approach to show you respect work-life integration. This is one of the most important areas today.
BUILDING A WINNING CULTURE
Having consulted in the country club industry for years, I’ve seen firsthand what swimming in Jell-O looks like. Balancing events, meals, clubs, tournaments and more can be an undaunting task. Not working together as one team with one goal is detrimental to members, guests and employees. Companies struggle to maintain a cohesive and motivated workforce without a clear and deliberate focus on culture.
Perhaps you’ve heard the saying that employees leave bosses not clubs. If that is true, and I believe it is, leaders must be proactive in building a culture of engagement.
Regularly scheduled meetings (one-on-one and department-wide) can help reinforce club values and objectives. Implementing feedback mechanisms, such as surveys and focus groups, can also provide insights into employee satisfaction, areas for improvement and solutions.
As Jim Goodnight, CEO of SAS Institute, has said, “Treat employees like they make a difference, and they will.”
THE CHANGING ROLE OF THE LEADER
Impactful leaders must possess a range of competencies to navigate the changing modern workplace. Emotional intelligence is crucial for understanding and managing one’s emotions and those of others. Your IQ gets you in the door. Your EQ drives you up the ladder.
Leaders need to demonstrate that embracing management change is not only good. It is also critical to success. Can you think of companies that are no longer around because they didn’t change and/or didn’t change fast enough?
Taking time to be a strategic thinker and fostering innovation are essential for driving progress and staying ahead of industry trends. Leaders must also be skilled communicators and use storytelling to inspire their teams to higher performance levels.
The bottom line: Learn to love change and embrace your role as a change agent. It is truly a privilege. BR
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Dr. Ronald F. Cichy, O.M. is professor emeritus, Michigan State University. He can be reached via email: cichy@bus.msu.edu
Adios, Au Revoir, Auf Wiedersehen
“You know you will always remain in my heart.”
We are fortunate to live in a town with a PBS station, WKAR. One of my favorite programs is “The Lawrence Welk Show” on Saturday evenings.
Lawrence Welk and his orchestra, his musical family singing what was written by Jack Elliott, music by George Cates, 1969: “Goodnight, goodnight, until we meet again”
“Adios, Au Revoir, Auf Wiedersehen”
This story is my closing story as a contributing writer for BoardRoom . Including the story that you are now reading, we have published over 60 stories in BoardRoom since 2006.
It has been such a joy to be with you each issue. It was an experiment in which, by design, we studied each topic in 700 words or less and presented it to editor Dave White, who was ever helpful in making the submissions reader-worthy. One page in BoardRoom.
To Being: I am hanging up my fountain pens and shelving the inks. After 42 years of serving as an author, it is time to close this chapter as a writer and ease on down the road. After writing and publishing over 300 industry trade articles, academic research articles, stories and books, it is time to hand the Roget’s Thesaurus to others. And step aside. And move from doing to being a retired contributing writer.
Sister Mary Cyrilla: I did not set out to be an author. Rather, it hatched and was encouraged by role model Sister Mary Cyrilla, a great aunt who was a Felician Sister and author of “The Educational System of the Felician Sisters,” among other works. Whenever Sister Mary Cyrilla would visit, she would give me a book and say, “Readers are leaders.”
Her words echoed in my brain while I was practicing becoming an author. Becoming and being an author grew out of the need to teach new concepts that had not been discussed before. I set out to study the business of hospitality and benchmark the finest operations and management, strategies, ownership thought and actions, real estate, and private clubs.
Then record them. I became fascinated with the innovations observed there. I taught innovations to students aspiring to be industry leaders and to executives looking to sharpen their skills and improve themselves professionally and personally.
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS TO TEAM BUILDING TO LEADERSHIP AND THINKING AND ACTING LIKE THE OWNER
The management and operations focus of my research and writing in the early years (ca 1978) evolved into thinking like the owner, team building and leadership. Writing that started as sole authorship expanded when I invited dozens of coauthors, from the academy and the industry.
They added a rich view of what was happening in the world and what was possible. The academicians used the research in their undergraduate and graduate classes. In addition, we concentrated heavily on industry executives and the development of their leadership knowledge, skills, attitudes and actions to achieve desired results.
Industry leaders and academic leaders who wanted to improve used our research to alter their professional and personal approaches to leadership. The intended results were experienced around the world.
I traveled to four continents to dispense the knowledge we had discovered to thousands of supervisors, managers, leaders, undergraduate and graduate students, and countless others who sought to learn through distance learning courses.
Beginning to experience the possibilities: Some are just beginning to experience the possibilities. Their SMARTER goals are in leaders’ hearts. They want to be embraced, move forward, realize desired outcomes, and keep moving, improving and having wisdom.
Never settling, but relentlessly searching for the truth, pointed in the right direction that the vision leads us. Leadership of self and leadership of others. Leadership representing the owner and leadership of an organization. Leadership in the community.
Constant improvement: Improving using wisdom to know. Using knowledge to understand. Using understanding to choose wisely. Which builds depth and enhances wisdom.
A closing lyric from Lawrence Welk’s song:
“You know you will always remain in my heart”
“Adios, Au Revoir, Auf Wiedersehen.” BR
RONALD F. CICHY
Visionaries Are Dreamers Leaders Transform Dreams Into Reality
Colonial Country Club founder Marvin Leonard was a visionary leader who is permanently etched in Texas history as a legendary Fort Worth philanthropist and iconic business leader.
Like all great leaders, he created and adopted simple but powerful principles to guide and inform important decisions and actions. What separates the icons from the rest is that their leadership principles transcend time.
Their influence is far-reaching, and their legacy perpetuates legacy. One of Leonard’s sustained leadership principles still guides Colonial Country Club. You see, Leonard believed, “Being better than the others is not enough, you must be better and different.”
This concept of differentiation is simple and easy to understand. It is what we consider a “big idea.” Big ideas are effective because everyone gets it. Big ideas are easy to relate to and easy to recognize.
When Apple Inc. struggled, Steve Jobs returned to right the ship. What was his big idea? He had many, but the overarching principle rested on one simple but big idea: “Think different.” Like most big ideas, it guides Apple’s success to this day, years after Jobs’ passing.
How often does a difficult question in the boardroom default to the droning on of questions such as: How do other clubs do it? What does the club down
the road charge? What are other clubs in the industry doing? What is the industry standard? What is the national average? How have we done it in the past? Isn’t this how we have always done it?
This approach is a certain path to mediocrity. Do you aspire to be like every other club in the market? Should you model your club on the club down the road? It seems obvious, yet the questions asked in the boardroom too often default to the natural but wrong questions.
Our industry is not immune from competition, even in the robust environment we are currently experiencing. Leonard was considered heretical, at best, and crazy, at worst, to risk creating a new golf club in 1936. Boons do not last forever and neither do busts, and clubs should start asking why they are the best choice for their members. What makes the club and the club experience special (i.e., different)? What do we offer that no one else can? What do we offer as a privilege of membership that cannot be purchased or acquired?
Differentiation is not a novel concept, in business or otherwise. Intuitively, we understand its power and inherent benefits. To fully realize the potential of differentiation, one must do so in the context of “better and different.” Focus on delivering something truly unique. Differentiate well and you will have great success and a lasting leadership legacy. BR
Frank Cordeiro is chief operating officer of Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, TX. He can be reached via email: fcordeiro@colonialfw.com
David Mackesey, Diablo Country Club President (2013-2015), Club Historian and Retired President, The Wine Group, Inc.
FRANK CORDEIRO
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
ROB DEMORE
ED DOYLE
Silos to Synergy: Be Like Ants
The Benefits of Fusion Between Food & Beverage and Sales & Marketing Teams
The more connected we become, the more disconnected we seem to behave. Yet in hospitality, where our primary aim is to deliver experiences, teamwork is crucial for success.
It’s the paradox of modern life: The more we rely on technology, the less present we are in face-to-face interactions. The more emails, notifications, alerts and digital checklists that fill our days, the less time we have for meaningful conversations and cooperative planning. Everyone is busy and although that implies a high level of activity, frenetic schedules often only provide the illusion of productivity while limiting the space required to facilitate the root of all teamwork – communication and collaboration.
Henry David Thoreau wisely noted, “It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?” Ants, while industrious, focus solely on the essential tasks that ensure the colony’s survival. From foraging and nesting to caring for the young and defending their home, each ant has a specialized role that contributes to the efficiency and success of the colony. They are communicating all the while to synchronize their behaviors. In hospitality, our “busyness” becomes more productive only when collaboration is more fruitful.
Within the club environment, the functions of sales and marketing and food and beverage have evolved, especially as the game of golf becomes more inclusive and accessible. The traditionally older, affluent male member is now just one component of the broadening audience of younger men, women and families. This new collective expects a “complete” club lifestyle that supplements golf – fitness wellness, racquet sports, dining experiences, unique programming, coordinated activities and more.
To successfully navigate this shift, deeper departmental collaboration is required. It’s not enough to be busy; we must be intentional. As food and beverage and sales and marketing professionals, there are key areas where coming together first is most beneficial to synthesized thinking and connective operating. Outcomes can be enhanced, even when each department works within its domain.
• “Brand” has a queen ant character. The queen ant is central to the colony’s survival, just as a strong brand is essential to a club’s identity and success. Since ev-
erything we do is either additive or detractive to the brand, we must stop doing things that make no contribution or yield no result. Action should make the pendulum move, but the brand strategy should guide all decisions. What is your club’s vision, and how do the experiences you’re creating enliven your brand promise?
• Worker ants simultaneously balance strategy and tactics. In the ant colony, the worker ants conduct various tasks, but always with the higher purpose of survival and success. At the club level, every action should align with the broader goal. Does your busyness have a purpose? How does your strategy achieve your brand promise and what actions are you taking to achieve both?
• Ants work together to bridge gaps and navigate water. Because an overarching culture of collaboration serves the whole, ants intuitively know when to form a chain or a raft to collectively solve immediate needs and situational challenges. Similarly, a sales culture is not just the job of the membership director and group/event sales manager. Sales is everyone’s responsibility because every interaction can influence perceptions, build relationships and create opportunities. Does every associate at your club, regardless of role, operate first and foremost as a brand ambassador?
• Marketing is like an ant march. If you’ve ever watched a train of ants marching to and from the colony, their adaptability and persistence are evident. Successful marketing requires discipline and the ability to be flexible and responsive to market trends, competitive dynamics and results. Although one individual, one department, and/or one agency may be the keeper and quarterback of the marketing, the messaging and content should come from every department. Ants may be limited to transmitting via pheromones, but clubs can use email, public relations, social media, photography, websites and more. Is your club colony of workers united in your marketing march?
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
SARAH JAKLE
Sarah Jakle is the founder and executive director of DemocraShe. She also trains women on how to make their brains their ally, including at Emily‘s List and Northwestern University. Previ-ously, Sarah served as the Get Out The Vote Director for the California National Organization for Women and as the National Outreach Director for Field Team 6. She has a Bachelor’s from Yale (Phi Beta Kappa), a Master’s in Social Work from USC and a Master’s in Public Policy from UCLA.
What if I’m not good enough? - Part I
Stark fact: A 2022 KPMG study found that 75 percent of all women executives across industries identify as having imposter syndrome, an internalized belief that success is because of luck or some other external factor rather than our own skills, talent, intelligence, or qualifications.
And even though women are uniquely suited for the connection and competence needed for club management, there’s not a woman I’ve spoken with who hasn’t, at some point, had the thought: “What if I’m not good enough?”
Why? Women are amazing. We have intelligence, talent, skills and qualifications. Why does research show our brain has such a hard time believing it?
To understand, let’s go on a brief journey on the science of the brain. Don’t worry – it’s super simple.
So, we have our prefrontal cortex in the front of the brain, where we can make rational decisions and are aware of our thoughts. We may think that’s our whole brain.
But there’s an unconscious part of the brain called the limbic system, which is located in the back of the brain and supports and regulates emotion, behavior, memory, and olfaction.
This part of the brain evolved to look for threats and make sure they grabbed our attention because, back in caveperson days, this was very helpful. If there was a laidback cavewoman whose limbic system thought, “You know, I’m sure that rustling in the bushes is fine,” she probably got eaten.
The cavewomen who heard the rustling and whose limbic system immediately assumed something new was a threat and ran away, stayed alive. Because they are the ones who survived, we genetically inherited their anxious brains.
Since the limbic system runs outside of our consciousness, let’s use an example to illustrate it. Imagine you get an email from a member and it says, “We need to talk.”
Can you immediately feel how your body starts to flood with anxiety? Maybe your heart beats a little faster, you get a pit in your stomach and your mind starts obsessing over what that email might mean? It doesn’t say, “You know, I’m sure it’s fine.”
That’s the anxious limbic system kicking in and its whole job is to look out for threats. Evolutionarily, this part of the brain thinks it’s helping by overreacting to a potential threat rather than thinking it through calmly.
And here’s the key point: the everyday rational language we’re accustomed to using doesn’t work for this part of the
brain. So, you see that email that says, “We need to talk.” Now imagine just saying rationally, “Stop worrying right now!” Did that work? Of course not! Conscious rational arguments like that do not convince the unconscious limbic system.
So why does all this matter for women in leadership? Why do we care that the prefrontal cortex and limbic system have different languages?
Because when a woman walks into a club, each part of the brain has a very different experience. Our prefrontal cortex is all in for ambition, all in for service! It’s excited about opportunities and knows it deserves them.
On the other hand, our limbic system, (which, remember, unconsciously scans for potential threats) starts noticing how much these spaces have not looked like us.
The pictures on the wall don’t look like us. The pictures in the history books don’t look like us. It just makes that part of the brain a little nervous, especially since the limbic system evolved to interpret anything new as potentially dangerous. And there is no question that these spaces are still relatively new for women. Amplified across any diverse identity.
Not only are these spaces new, but the limbic system is also picking up that we face very real pushback: members who don’t want women leaders or boards who are resistant or headhunters who often give women short shrift. The limbic system is not lying when it’s picking up resistance in club spaces.
So, here’s our reality: even though women are filling the industry more than ever, every time a woman walks into a club, her limbic system is pinged because the space doesn’t look like us and our competence and connection are not always recognized.
We know rationally we’ve got the goods. However, the dissonance between the confident prefrontal part of the brain and the anxious limbic part of the brain contributes to the doubts we call imposter syndrome
But if we can name this - we can change it. We’re not going to be held back by the fact that our brain is just adaptively trying to warn us in a way that it evolved to do. BR
So, how can we change? In Part II, to be published in our January/ February 2025 BoardRoom magazine, we will learn a practice that talks to that anxious part of our brain and makes it our ally.
WHITNEY REID PENNELL
Whitney Reid Pennell, president of RCS Hospitality Group, is a celebrated thought leader, consultant, management educator, and speaker. RCS specializes in strategic planning, operations consulting, food and beverage management, executive recruitment, and training programs. RCS has been recognized 14 times with BoardRoom Magazine’s Excellence in Achievement Awards, including Staff Training Company 7 times. RCS continues to offer innovative solutions through RCSUniversity.com, an online virtual training portal for employees and managers, and plentiful in-person training programs for staff and managers, including the wildly popular Food and Beverage Boot CampTM series. For more information, call (623) 322-0773 or visit RCS at www.consultingRCS.com.
Turning Strategy Into Action Leveraging Human Capital for Club Success
While facilities and strategic plans are essential, a well-structured human capital plan (HCP) is key to adapting to today’s challenges, ensuring efficient operations and continued personalized service — critical for member satisfaction and referrals.
Club leaders face an evolving landscape of economic uncertainty, labor shortages, shifting member demographics, technological advancements and regulatory changes. HCP supports the strategic plan by aligning workforce strategies with these challenges, helping to implement the broader vision while maintaining high service standards.
Here are the key components to include in your HCP.
RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING
Recruiting the right people and ensuring they are welltrained leads to consistent, high-quality service that builds member loyalty and drives referrals. To attract and develop employees who can deliver personalized service or excel in support roles, consider using nontraditional recruitment methods, targeting candidates where they are. This could include offering foundational training, such as life skills, for younger employees. A recruiting website, active social media presence, consistent onboarding, continuous training and a strong mentoring program are central to this strategy.
EMPLOYEE RETENTION AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS
High turnover disrupts service and impacts member relationships. Investing in employee retention reduces recruitment and training costs and ensures service consistency. Competitive compensation, benefits and career development opportunities should be at the forefront of retention strategies. Highlighting valuable employee perks — like meals, golf privileges, uniforms, education allowances and recognition events — will go a long way with a multigenerational workforce. If available, flexible schedules or hybrid options can be emphasized to attract talent seeking work-life balance.
WORKFORCE PLANNING FOR SEASONALITY
Seasonal fluctuations and labor shortages can impact a club’s ability to provide consistent, personalized service. A strong plan helps manage staffing during peak and off-peak periods. Year-round cross-training keeps employees engaged, consistently learning and ready for new challenges. Cross-training offers flexibility by allowing skilled employees to work in other departments if their regular hours are reduced. Collaborating
with local culinary, hospitality and trade schools for internships or apprenticeships is another valuable strategy. Additionally, member/employee mentorships in finance, manufacturing or sales can help staff develop broader skills.
Diversity and inclusion initiatives
A club’s workforce should reflect the diversity of its surrounding community and membership. Inclusive policies and practices, such as diversity and inclusion training and diverse hiring, foster a welcoming environment and strengthen organizational culture. The most successful clubs align their diversity and inclusion initiatives with the club’s values by using inclusive images, language and management training to ensure a workforce that resonates with both the community and members.
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
Technology is essential for improving both member experience and operational efficiency. Automated systems, CRM tools, a club app and data analytics streamline operations while personalizing member interactions. Clubs must allocate resources for both staff and member training as new technologies arise. Offering “high touch” and “low touch” service options will become increasingly common. For example, self-checkout can save on labor while delivering faster service in areas where members may prefer it. With careful planning, these options can maintain the personal touch that members expect.
SUCCESSION PLANNING
Leadership continuity and growth are vital to a club. An HCP includes a framework for developing future leaders through training and mentoring. Succession planning ensures smooth transitions for key roles, minimizing disruptions and maintaining service standards while ensuring a strong culture match by developing leaders who embody the club’s core values.
COMPLIANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT
Staying informed about regulatory changes is crucial for avoiding legal complications and ensuring financial stability. A well-crafted HCP takes a proactive approach to labor laws, wage regulations and environmental policies, keeping the club compliant and ahead of potential challenges. Regular compliance audits help clubs adapt quickly to new regulations.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Unreasonable Culture
M. Kent Johnson, CCM, CCE, is the general manager and COO of the Baltimore Country Club. He can be reached via email: kjohnson@bcc1898.comu
How many of you have read Will Guidara’s book, “Unreasonable Hospitality”? I’d be willing to bet most of us.
Those who attended the CMAA Conference earlier this year experienced Guidara in person. He did not disappoint and left us all wanting more. His stories about the pursuit to be the best restaurant in the world were uncompromisingly inspiring.
I think back to the one about the bottle of brandy they brought with the check, the partnership with Tiffany’s for the champagne flutes when couples get engaged, or the simple act of bringing a New York City hot dog to a table that had missed out on the experience.
Guidara and his team always asked how they could do something better or break down a specific sequence. They continued a relentless pursuit until they had exhausted every outcome or possibility, regardless of how crazy it seemed, and finally arrived at what is now known and commonly referred to as “unreasonable.”
We all relate to hospitality. It’s our chosen field, so was it that far of a stretch to challenge ourselves to think of hospitality in clubs unreasonably? I don’t think so.
is imperative that we hire people who share this passion to serve and to make a difference.”
But what if?
What if we chose to look at the cultures in our clubs through the same “unreasonable” lens? How might we think differently about how we treat our people? Are we prepared to adapt and expand our thinking and creativity to match the same willingness or desire to create unreasonable hospitality?
If so, we can deliver an “unreasonable” culture that includes the experiences, environments, respect and innovation our teams deserve. We can demonstrate this through interactions, programs, benefits and more to show our people how much we love and care for them.
If we are inspired by “Unreasonable Hospitality,” why shouldn’t we be inspired by the notion of creating an “unreasonable culture”? I asked ChatGPT what an unreasonable culture looked like. It replied with 10 things: lack of work-life balance, poor communication, unrealistic expectations, micromanagement, lack of recognition, high turnover, toxic behavior, poor leadership, inflexibility and lack of development opportunities.
Conduct a culture audit by addressing the 12 things to build a positive culture. Do so through surveys, focus groups or one-on-one meetings, and then listen to what your team tells you. When culture is connected with people, heart, tradition, innovation, hospitality and facilities, you will have created a rewarding, fun environment that you are proud of and inspires others. Is that really so unreasonable?
What would you say if I asked you what you took away from “Unreasonable Hospitality” or if the book challenged you to look at other things in your club differently? Likely, there would be similarly profound answers about the numerous inspirations or thought-provoking stories felt upon reading.
Not surprisingly, this was among several similar responses I received when I asked a group of managers who had read “Unreasonable Hospitality.” Another manager said the book “is a reminder of the difference we can make in our club. It
Conversely, I asked what the best employee cultures look like. It replied with 12 things: strong leadership, open communication, work-life balance, employee recognition, professional development opportunities, inclusivity and diversity, employee empowerment, positive work environment, innovation encouraged, fair compensation and benefits, community and team spirit, and clear goals and expectations.
SEE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE |
While this does, in my opinion, accurately reflect elements of what our cultures should include, it doesn’t go far enough. Each of the 12 must be defined and tailored to the individual club.
For example, a positive work environment says, “The workplace atmosphere is positive, collaborative and supportive, reducing stress and promoting well-being.” As an example, how do you define supportive? How can others understand your intention or be held accountable if you can’t define it? As the leaders of our organizations, we must be accountable for every element of the cultures we’ve created.
Nothing on this list is “unreasonable,” yet our approach and definition for each list item should be. Building an unreasonable culture will undoubtedly be one of the most challenging things we will do as leaders. And yes, we must do it. Our teams deserve this from us, and so do our members. It should also be one of the most rewarding accomplishments. Wouldn’t creating an unreasonable culture lead to “unreasonable hospitality”?
In my opinion, the unequivocal answer is “yes!” Our clubs will flourish if we take an unreasonable approach to creating and nurturing our culture by genuinely loving and caring for our teams. These are the bedrock principles for a successful operation regardless of the size or location of the clubs you lead.
Creating an unreasonable culture doesn’t mean we overlook standards and accountability. It reminds me of a quote from Guidara’s book: “You cannot establish any standard of excellence without criticism, so a thoughtful approach to how you correct people must be a part of your culture, too.”
We often use the word “hospitality” broadly and mostly in pursuit of how we care for our members. A manager’s spouse who is in a related field said, “Hospitality is how we make people feel, and it’s free. The little things matter, slowing down and listening to clients’ (members’) wants or needs instead of telling them.”
Of course, taking care of our members must stay a main focus, but why aren’t we turning that inward to our teams by treating them with the same goodwill and welcoming spirit they deserve as much as our members?
When our teams see, feel and experience the same warm embrace of true hospitality we endeavor to provide our members, wouldn’t they better understand the true meaning of hospitality and be inspired to provide it at a higher level to our members and each other?
Phil Kiester from Country Club of Virginia said it best a couple of years ago, asking, “Why do we treat capital assets as an investment, but human capital as an expense?”
Our teams require and deserve our investment. Not just in the present but in their futures and who they are as people. Doesn’t taking an unreasonable approach to caring, leading and developing people through hospitality regardless of their career path inspire them or at least plant the seed that we can do things differently? This is an opportunity for all of us to take part in building something greater than ourselves.
A significant challenge, however, is how we, as club leaders, teach our boards the importance of these principles and that this is the right way to invest in and lead our teams and clubs.
A simple evaluation would show that if our teams are happy, they do a better job of caring for members. Happy members are engaged, engaged members participate, and participating members spend money and bring their friends.
A strategy for people and culture should be embedded into your mission and strategic plans just as much, if not more, than facilities. Facilities and amenities are nice, but our people bring them to life.
Take the time to ask the hard questions to gather candid feedback from your team about various aspects of your culture. Conduct a culture audit by addressing the 12 things to build a positive culture. Do so through surveys, focus groups or one-on-one meetings, and then listen to what your team tells you.
When culture is connected with people, heart, tradition, innovation, hospitality and facilities, you will have created a rewarding, fun environment that you are proud of and inspires others. Is that really so unreasonable? BR
CLUB MANAGEMENT
The Importance of Balance
MICHELLE COCITA
Michelle Cocita, Director of Client Success & Organizational Strategy at Strategic Club Solutions. Michelle can be reached at michelle@strategicclubsolutions.com, (262) 661-2582
In the fast-paced environment of private clubs, general managers juggle various responsibilities, from member satisfaction to financial oversight.
While the demands are high, balance remains crucial. Achieving this balance helps general managers maintain their well-being and sets a standard for their leadership teams to follow. A culture of well-being positively impacts engagement, creativity and productivity, which are vital to club success.
HOW TO FOSTER BALANCE
1. Set clear boundaries. General managers must prioritize their time by setting clear boundaries between work and life. This includes taking regular vacations, not working during personal hours and establishing limits on when they can be contacted. For instance, by scheduling time off and avoiding emails after hours, general managers can set a precedent, allowing their leadership teams to feel empowered to do the same.
Example: A general manager may set an emergency call list for specific situations and mentor the team on handling challenges. Implementing a daily closing report from the closing manager to department heads ensures smooth communication of issues, member follow-ups and maintenance needs without after-hours disruptions.
2. Delegate and empower the team. Strategic delegation lightens the general manager’s workload and strengthens the team. By assigning tasks based on individual skills and experience, general managers help their team members grow into leadership roles. Communicating expectations, resources and deadlines ensures tasks are executed smoothly while empowering the team to take ownership. This approach creates a more sustainable work environment where everyone contributes to success.
Example: A general manager can assign decision-making authority on operational issues to department heads, enabling the general manager to focus on strategic goals while ensuring the team gains confidence.
3. Establish after-hours communication norms. Limiting communication during personal time is a powerful way to model balance. General managers should be clear about expectations around after-hours communication, ensuring that non-urgent issues wait until the next business day.
Example: Setting clear expectations for response times— such as prioritizing member emails within the same day
but allowing internal emails to be addressed by the next day—helps reduce pressure and maintains balance for the leadership team.
4. Implement flexible work policies. Flexible work schedules and adaptable hours during off-peak seasons help employees balance personal and professional responsibilities. By showing flexibility, general managers demonstrate that the club values employee well-being.
Example: Offering compressed (four-day) workweeks during the off-season allows employees to have additional days to recharge, improving morale and job satisfaction.
5. Encourage open communication and psychological safety. A general manager should foster an environment where staff feel comfortable discussing workload issues without fear of judgment. This approach prevents burnout and helps teams address issues before they escalate.
Example: Regularly scheduled check-ins, such as stay interviews or bi-weekly meetings, provide team members with a space to voice concerns about balance, help general managers stay informed and offer proactive support.
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
Implementing balance isn’t without obstacles. High-demand periods, such as during major events, make it difficult to step away. However, general managers who establish balanced routines during slower times are better equipped to maintain them during peak seasons. Additionally, there is sometimes a stigma that prioritizing personal time reflects poorly on leadership, but sustainable leadership thrives on balance.
LONG-TERM BENEFITS
The long-term benefits of modeling balance are substantial. Teams that witness their general manager prioritizing balance are more likely to do the same, leading to higher job satisfaction, lower turnover and improved morale. A balanced and supported team is better positioned to provide exceptional member experiences, boosting the club’s reputation and overall success.
Balance isn’t just a personal pursuit for general managers—it’s a strategic advantage that enhances the well-being of both leadership and staff, creating a positive and sustainable work culture for the long term. BR
CULINARY & CATERING
Read the Room!
LYNNE LAFOND DELUCA
Lynne LaFond DeLuca is the executive director of the Association of Club Catering & Event Professionals and a private club industry consultant. In 2016 and 2019, Boardroom magazine awarded her the Gary Player Educator of the Year Award. You can reach her at Lynne@TheACCP.com, or visit the website at www.TheACCP. com. www.facebook.com/AsociationofClubCateringProfessionals, on our LinkedIn Group and Instagram at www.instagram.com/clubcateringpro
The Key to Tailoring Events and Experiences in Private Clubs
In the club industry, your club’s success isn’t defined solely by its amenities, luxurious spaces or prestigious reputation. It’s defined by the experience you offer and, most importantly, how well that experience aligns with your members’ unique preferences and needs.
Private clubs are inherently personal, and understanding your members on a deep level is critical to ensuring their satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy for your club.
WHY KNOWING YOUR MEMBERS IS VITAL
Every club is as distinct as its members, and each member joins for a unique set of reasons—whether it’s for socializing, networking, recreational activities or exclusive access to services.
A one-size-fits-all approach to events and services won’t work in this setting; besides, it’s boring. Instead, your members expect and deserve bespoke events and experiences that feel tailor-made for them. This means understanding their demographics, interests and values to ensure that you plan engaging and relevant events. This is where the fun starts.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH PERSONALIZATION
Creating meaningful experiences for members starts with building strong relationships. As a manager, you should interact with members regularly and leverage your team to gather insights that reveal the heartbeat of your club’s community.
• Conduct surveys and feedback mechanisms: Regularly solicit feedback from members to understand their evolving preferences. This doesn’t need to be formal or time-consuming. Conversations on the golf course, at the bar or during events can reveal what they would like to see at the club.
• Segment your members: Demographics like age, interests and profession can shape the events your members will enjoy. A younger demographic may prefer more energetic events, like themed parties or live music nights, while older members may value fine dining experiences, golf tournaments or intimate wine tastings. Segmenting your membership base into different personas allows you to target relevant and engaging events for each group.
• Leverage data: You can track members’ engagement patterns if your club has digital tools such as membership apps or CRM systems. Which events do they attend? Which services do they use most frequently? Do they prefer using the gym, spa or dining areas? These insights can guide your planning process, ensuring you create activities your members are more likely to appreciate and attend.
THE ROLE OF TAILORED EVENTS IN MEMBER RETENTION
Once you understand your members’ preferences, you can plan events that don’t just meet their expectations but exceed them. Events that resonate deeply with members foster a sense of belonging, making them feel valued, understood, engaged and loyal.
Imagine a club that routinely organizes events tailored to its members’ passions, such as hosting an art show for members who are avid collectors, curating a weekend golf tournament with local professionals, or arranging a wellness retreat for health-conscious members. The object is not just to fill the calendar – the goal is to offer meaningful opportunities for members to connect with their peers, engage with their interests, feel personally catered to and have extreme amounts of fun.
When members feel that their club is paying attention to their preferences, they are more likely to see their membership as an investment in their lifestyle rather than an expense. This leads to higher retention rates, member satisfaction and positive word-of-mouth referrals.
ENHANCING THE CLUB’S VALUE PROPOSITION
Tailoring events and experiences doesn’t just benefit members; it also enhances your club’s overall value proposition. Members are increasingly selective about where they spend their leisure time and money. By curating experiences they can’t find anywhere else, you differentiate your club from competitors and position it as an indispensable part of their lives.
Unique offerings also create an exclusive environment that can serve as a powerful membership recruitment.
Practical steps to curating tailored events
1. Establish a member profile: Regularly update information about members, including their interests, life milestones and past event attendance.
2. Be flexible and adaptable: Preferences can change over time. Ensure your event calendar is dynamic and adjusts to emerging trends or new member interests. Make sure every event has a wow factor and something that will create buzz.
3. Personalize communications: When inviting members to events, tailor invitations with personal touches that speak to their past attendance or stated interests.
4. Create a feedback loop: After every event, seek feedback from members on what worked and what they want to see next. Gain feedback from staff so you are constantly fine-tuning your operations and efficiencies.
In today’s competitive environment, the key to thriving lies in understanding and catering to your members on a personal level. A club that listens and responds to its members will flourish and foster a strong, loyal community that remains engaged for years. BR
COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE
COREY SABAN
Corey Saban helps clubs find their why through compelling communication strategies and team building. He can be reached at: www.csmediaworks.com
Make Your Relationships Less Transactional
You do the job. I pay you. Unfortunately, that is the give and take we have become accustomed to. While it’s true that “we’ve always done it that way,” it’s time to evolve with the realization that your team wants more than just performance-based rewards.
We are social creatures. Being connected and “tribal” is deeply rooted in our biology and psychology. It is essential for our mental, emotional and physical well-being. As leaders, you must stretch yourself beyond operations and maintaining facilities and embrace an authentic culture of excellence.
Start with team building. Get your key people together and break the ice, get to know one another personally, and then discuss the challenges you face in your roles.
Recently, I facilitated one of these sessions with a team that had been together for 10-plus years, and I was amazed at how little they knew about each other or their roles. There were many takeaways following our three hours together focused on enhanced communication, accountability, respect and support.
This set the baseline for what was next, including training in personal development skills, problem-solving and a conversation about the club’s mission and how those words could turn into positive actions. Today, that team meets monthly to strengthen camaraderie around a specific topic, such as emotional intelligence, shared vision and values, or an activity that assists their professional development,
While
like public speaking training, time management and conflict resolution.
It is up to you to empower employees to reach their true potential. Provide opportunities for growth in a non-judgmental environment. Invite them to CMAA conferences followed by a team dinner where, as a group, you discuss what they learned and liked and how it can help them. This simple interaction allows them to feel heard and to be a part of something bigger. Encourage employee feedback on activities and provide mentoring in every layer of your organization so that you have people ready to step in if someone leaves.
While many of us never grew up with a work-life balance and were thrilled just to have a job, today’s employees want more and deserve it. Promoting flexible scheduling, wellness programs and encouraging time off can help employees recharge and stay motivated. A team that wants to be with you is more productive and creative. Team members experience a feeling of genuine trust, which is the foundation for collaboration and a willingness to go the extra mile.
Start small. Volunteer in the community for a couple of hours and show them you are more than just their boss. You are a leader and a regular person looking to make a difference. Remember, not everything is give and take. Give not to get but to make a difference, and the desired results will come. BR
many of us never grew up with a work-life balance and were thrilled
just to have a job,
today’s employees
want
more and deserve it. Promoting flexible scheduling, wellness programs and encouraging time off can help employees recharge and stay motivated. A team that wants to be with you is more productive and creative. Team members experience a feeling of genuine trust, which is the foundation for collaboration and a willingness to go the extra mile.
Putting It All in Context: Understanding Contextual Architecture
At Rogers McCagg, “contextual architecture” defines the work we do—a term that reflects our commitment to planning, architecture, and interior design uniquely suited to private clubs nationwide. But what does contextual architecture mean?
Our approach goes beyond delivering superior service. It stems from a deep respect for each club’s distinct history and culture. We don’t just design spaces; we craft environments that resonate with the identity of each club.
Central to our process is extensive information gathering. We listen carefully to understand what makes each club special, learning what is valued and what functions well, while identifying areas where new ideas can enhance the experience. We also recognize the critical importance of
operational efficiency and back-of-house spaces—areas rarely seen by members but vital to seamless service and a high-quality member experience.
With leadership changing frequently, clubs often experience shifts in priorities. While we bring comprehensive planning, interior design, and architectural expertise, we highly value our clients’ insights, whether they’re rooted in tradition or looking toward the future. Our role is to weave these perspectives into a cohesive design, creating beautiful, timeless, and highly functional spaces that feel both authentic and contextually appropriate.
For over 30 years, we’ve been fortunate to work with some of the most prestigious golf and country clubs across the country. Led by a dedicated team, our practice brings an unmatched depth of knowledge in club planning, architecture, and interior design—a distinction we proudly uphold.
Chris McCagg, AIA, President
FINANCE COMMITTEE
LARRY HIRSH
Larry Hirsh, CRE, MAI, SGA, FRICS is the president of Golf Property Analysts (www.golfprop.com), a leading golf and club property consulting, appraisal and brokerage firm based in Philadelphia. He blogs on a variety of club and appraisal issues at http://blog.golfprop.com. He is the author of “The Culture of Golf - Isn’t It Just a Game?” available at: https://golfprop.com/the-culture-of-golf/.
Cost Trends of Private Club Memberships
Inflation. This is one of the most unwelcome of terms, especially to incumbent politicians. According to the Federal Reserve, a two percent target is considered an acceptable inflation rate for the US economy.
Golf Property Analysts set out to see how the cost of private club membership compared during the past four years to both the inflation rate and the Fed’s target rate of two percent.
From 2010 to 2020, according to statista.com, annual inflation rates ranged from .12 percent to 3.14 percent, with an average rate of 1.72 percent. From 2021 through (projected) 2024, thanks largely to the COVID-19 pandemic, artificially low interest rates and supply chain issues, inflation ranged from 2.3 percent to as high as 8 percent in 2022, an average rate of 4.87 percent. The good news is that inflation has declined in 2023 and is projected to be 2.3 percent in 2024, near the Fed’s target rate.
How does that compare with the average increase in the cost of membership at private golf and country clubs?
We’ve surveyed clubs we’ve analyzed during the past several years and reviewed our database to get a sampling of how the cost of private club membership has risen since the beginning of COVID in 2020. We tracked membership dues (full family), capital dues (if any), annual assessments (if any), and food and beverage minimums (if any) and added those factors to produce the total cost of membership. These figures do not include other expenditures, like cart fees, events, pro shop purchases, etc. Average annual increases were calculated as a percentage along with cumulative increases.
The clubs surveyed included a wide variety of clubs across the economic spectrum with projected 2024 annual cost of membership ranging from $7,680 to $37,500 and entrance fees (2024 projected) ranging from $0 to $250,000. There were smaller clubs (fewer than 300 members) and larger clubs (more than 1,000 members). The results were interesting.
The average annual increase in the cost of membership ranged from 0 percent to 6.4 percent (per year) and the overall average was a 3.81 percent annual increase over the period 2020 to 2024. The cumulative increase in the cost of
membership ranged from 0 percent to 36.6 percent, with an average cumulative increase of 20.97 percent. Thus, on average, the clubs surveyed maintained increases less than the average national inflation rate of 4.87 percent for the period.
Clubs experienced the most significant increases in membership entrance fees, which rose on average approximately 23 percent per year and nearly tripled over the period for the clubs surveyed.
As the clubs included in the survey are diverse (size of membership, cost, age, amenities, etc.), this data helps illustrate the direction of private club costs during the COVID era and shows to some degree what levels of increased membership cost have been typical in the market. The highest year-over-year increase was just over 15 percent in one year for a club that averaged 6.4 percent for the period.
Increased debt from extensive renovation projects likely contributed to the increased cost of membership at some clubs, as did “catching up” in some cases where dues were maintained at artificially low levels in the pre-COVID era when clubs were struggling.
Like everything else, the cost of private and public golf is increasing. When premium daily-fee courses are charging $900 for a round of golf it raises eyebrows. In the private club world, members want to know if they’re getting a fair value for their dollar. While clubs and markets vary in pricing, the picture created here is not so much to analyze the cost but the level of increase.
Excessive increases can “raise red flags.” We’ve been contacted and in some cases engaged by members at some clubs concerned about the rising cost of membership and raising questions about management practices, transparency of operations and spending. Members want to know where the money is going and the club environment is often discouraging to those who seek (and at member-owned clubs have a right to) that information.
Discrepancies do occur at some clubs whether or not we acknowledge it. They can originate from a variety of sources. Excessive increases, often imposed simply “because they can,” with limited or no justification can signal broader problems with a club’s management, staff or leadership that however uncomfortable or awkward need to be addressed. BR
You’ve
“After
FINANCE COMMITTEE
BRAD D. STEELE
Brad D. Steele, JD, started Private Club Consultants to provide in-depth legal and operational answers for America’s top private clubs. For more information about PCC, email Brad at steele@privateclubconsultants.net, call/text him at (703) 395-5463 or connect with him at www.linkedin.com/in/BradSteelePCC.
Protecting Your Club’s Tax-Exempt Status What Every Club Leader Should Know
For many club members, finding out their club is a 501(c)(7) entity is usually surprising. After all, only a few entities in the country are granted tax-exempt status and even fewer look like private clubs.
Of course, failing to comply with Internal Revenue Service requirements can mean a loss of that exemption. To avoid this, club leaders must understand what it means to be tax-exempt and how to protect it.
For a club to be tax-exempt under the Internal Revenue Code, it must:
1. Be organized for its members’ pleasure, recreation and other non-profitable purposes
2. Ensure that substantially all of the members’ activities are for pleasure, recreation and other non-profitable purposes
3. Ensure no part of the club’s net earnings inure to the benefit of any member.
Traditionally, the IRS looks at how a club generates its income to determine if it should maintain its tax exemption. Specifically, the IRS wants to know who spent money at the club and for what activities.
WHO SPENT MONEY AT YOUR CLUB?
As expected, the club’s income must come mostly from its members. If there is a group of eight or fewer members, any money generated is usually considered member income. If there is a group of more than eight, the determining factor will be whether members make up 75 percent or more of that group. If they do and a member pays, then it’s member income. If they don’t or if they do but a nonmember pays, then it’s usually seen as nonmember income.
The good news is that a small portion of your club’s income may be earned from nonmembers—no more than 15 percent of the club’s gross receipts. The bad news is that the 15 percent limit can be reached quickly if you’re not paying attention, so booking those nonmember weddings, golf outings and parties should be limited. Additionally, if there is a question regarding the source of club revenue, the IRS places the burden of proof on the club to show that the income came from a member. Therefore, record-keeping is essential.
WHAT ACTIVITIES DID YOU OFFER?
A less obvious (but just as important) requirement is ensuring the club offers appropriate tax-exempt activities. Specifically, the IRS mandates that clubs make most of their income from “traditional” club activities—those that promote interaction among members for the stated exempt purposes. Activities like golf, tennis, fitness, swimming and other athletic pursuits, as well as the attendant pro shop services, certainly suffice. The IRS has also indicated that club restaurants and bars provide for personal contacts and fellowship and are traditional activities, too. However, if a club strays from providing these traditional activities, it can jeopardize its tax-exempt status.
We all know that club members love it when their club offers takeout food and wine, or caters events at their homes, or even operates a barbershop on the property. Regrettably, these activities have been deemed “nontraditional” by the IRS. Such activities do not promote social and/or recreational interaction among members, and they do not further the club’s exempt purposes. Thus, too much money from these activities can impact the club’s tax-exempt status.
The good news, again, is that your club may earn an insubstantial amount from these activities—up to 5 percent of its gross receipts—but that is all. The bad news is that with the holidays almost here members and nonmembers who want that Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner or that holiday event catered by the club may have to be told “no.”
In the end, private clubs have something corporations want—the ability to make money and not be taxed on it. The factors outlined above represent the main reasons clubs lose their tax-exempt status. As such, club leaders must focus on how their clubs generate money. Doing it the right way (including keeping earnings within the nonmember income and nontraditional activity income thresholds) will go a long way to protecting your club’s tax-exempt status. If you can’t, that first tax bill could be a doozy. B R
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
HENRY DELOZIER
Henry DeLozier is a partner at GGA Partners. He can be reached via email: henry.delozier@ggapartners.com
Past Presidents Can Be a Valuable Resource
The past president said, “I went from being who’swhoto ‘who’s he?’ ”
Being the president or chair of a private club board of directors can be a pretty heady and exhilarating role … until it is over. Then, many dedicated servant leaders who gave of themselves feel discarded and disrespected.
While the grumpy soul questioning his new status in the club was sorting things out, the question reveals a great opportunity for current-day private clubs.
Calling on the experience of past presidents brings three valuable capabilities to the sitting board chair. It also raises the question of how the current board chair can organize a group of past presidents and put their experience at the club to productive use.
Benefits and capabilities of the past president – One who has chaired their club’s board of directors for a term or more has the tremendous value of informed experience. More specifically, a past president, or more accurately for most clubs, the former chair provides three tremendous and potentially useful benefits to the successor in the chair.
Hands-on insight – First, one who has served as the chair of an organization knows how the organization functions and dysfunctions. Successors can benefit by having access to someone who has faced certain challenges previously, knows the historical reasons why and when specific choices were made, and understands the assorted personalities involved.
These insights answer such successor questions as:
• What is this all about?
• What is the origin or source of this issue or problem?
• How did you address this previously?
• Who are the members pushing this issue or causing this problem?
Political savvy – Next, having experience in the club’s politics – and all clubs are political – is a tremendous advantage for a sitting chair. Without attitudinal and quantitative analysis, there are usually multiple factions that can tell you that “everyone sees it this way.” It helps to have an experienced hand or two to navigate the various interest groups within the club.
It helps sometimes to have answers to the following questions:
• What is the history of this issue or group?
• What are their primary needs and concerns?
• Who in the club can influence these folks?
Organizational agility – Understanding the club is essential to leading the club in a balanced and reasoned manner. Furthermore, having a broad enough and deep enough understanding of the club optimizes strategic continuity from leader to leader. Continuity is often the greatest challenge in private clubs. As such, many clubs swing wildly from one issue to the next and from one leadership group to the next.
Knowing how to get things done and working within the established culture of the club and its management and governance functions helps effective leaders get things done. Among the questions that should be answered are:
• What is the origin and reasoning behind this policy or practice?
• How much influence and with whom will we be most effective?
Effective or transformative leaders understand the club’s culture.
HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR CLUB’S PAST PRESIDENTS
Leading a group of leaders requires a master’s touch and a genuine understanding and empowerment. You are advised to launch an advisory committee of past presidents with a simply stated charter.
Three primary necessities for activating the past presidents are:
1. Emphasize the advisory capacity of the group
2. Develop and use a carefully considered description of needs from the committee
3. Consider the past presidents as an informed sounding board and a communications conduit between the board and the club’s members.
The Past Presidents Advisory Committee charter should include:
1. A purpose statement which should reflect the work that the committee needs to do. The purpose statement can also describe the functions and responsibilities of the committee. It should state clearly what the committee is not authorized to do.
GOLF COMMITTEE
VICTORIA BURNS
Victoria Burns is the corporate marketing manager at MembersFirst and has experience working at four private clubs before her nine-year tenure. With her blend of technical expertise and deep understanding of club culture and member expectations, she’s a trusted leader in guiding clubs through their web and app tech needs. Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/victoriaburns1.
Rethinking Tee Times Lessons from a Hybrid Approach and Understanding the Challenges
In today’s golf landscape, many private clubs face “positive” challenges with waitlists and “inevitable” challenges of limited tee time availability. With membership numbers soaring and demand outpacing supply, club management must rethink how it offers tee times.
The traditional method of allowing members to rush for spots at 7 a.m. is outdated and often leads to frustration. Clubs should explore innovative solutions that employ a hybrid approach to create a more equitable system.
The impact of high demand: As clubs reach capacity, longstanding members often feel overlooked while new members struggle to secure tee times. This imbalance can create tension within the community, undermining the overall member experience. The sentiment of “joining a club and not being able to play” can be particularly discouraging. By adopting a structured approach to tee time management, clubs can alleviate these concerns and promote a more inclusive environment.
Innovative approaches to tee time management: In high-demand regions, golf clubs have navigated capacity challenges by adopting strategic tee time management. For instance, I’ve encountered two comparable clubs facing capacity issues with their courses. One club uses a point-based system for tee times, allowing members to submit their preferences in advance. This system prioritizes requests based on criteria such as past play history and desired time, enabling members to enjoy peace of mind knowing their preferences are considered.
In contrast, the other club faces significant capacity issues that highlight the need for change. While relying on a traditional first-come, first-served approach, this club struggles to meet the demands of its members, resulting in frustration and dissatisfaction. By learning from the successful practices of the first club, the second club could foster collaboration and fairness through a point-based approach. This shift would alleviate anxiety over tee time availability and encourage members to engage more actively in their golfing experience. Which hybrid bucket do you fit into? Clubs must understand the hybrid approach to evaluate their tee time systems effectively. If you are a single course, the hybrid approach involves analyzing data from rounds reports tied to the tee sheet. This data helps identify the busiest days and times, allowing clubs to target those periods for a “lottery”—whether
point-based or random. Customization based on what fits your club culture best is pivotal.
If you are a multi-course, implementing a point-based system on one course can help you manage demand effectively. This allows for a good blend of cultures, enabling members to secure tee times without the hassle of competing against each other.
Leveraging technology for modern solutions: Technology plays a vital role in facilitating this transition. As new generations of golfers join the club, they come with different expectations and a higher degree of tech-savvy. By leveraging innovative tools, clubs can modernize their tee time systems to serve their members better.
The goal is not just to fill tee times but to enhance the overall member experience, ensuring that all golfers feel valued and included. Integrating technology can streamline operations, making it easier for staff to manage tee sheets while providing members with clear information about their reservations.
Charting a new course for golf: The golf landscape is evolving and private clubs must adapt to remain relevant and appealing. Embracing lessons from clubs that successfully manage member expectations through structured tee time systems can alleviate frustrations and enhance member experiences.
This approach may not align with traditional mindsets but works well for many clubs. By adopting customizable hybrid solutions like those offered by MembersFirst, private clubs can implement modern interfaces and robust customizations that fit their unique situations. Now is the time for clubs to transform their tee time management—prioritizing equitable access and innovative practices.
As Chris Evans, managing director of Quail Creek Country Club in Naples, FL, shared, “Having transitioned from software with lottery capabilities to the MembersFirst Tee Sheet, I’ve found the customization options to be really impressive. It is so customizable to our membership restrictions that however we want it to work, the tee sheet seamlessly does it. The way the system can be tailored to each member’s needs and criteria really is amazing. We have adapted quickly, and it has provided a better member experience.”
This reflects the positive shift in managing member expectations and enhancing their golfing experience.
Let’s set new expectations and foster a golfing environment that welcomes everyone—where every round played reflects our commitment to the game. BR
Our investor group of local residents and club members lovingly cared for this Nicklaus gem, but then ran into disagreements and capital calls
We knew we needed an upscale, private club hospitality firm that invested for the long-term We’ve found that partner - Concert Golf Partners is a breath of fresh air!
Many esteemed clubs, such as The Club at Pasadera, choose to partner with Concert Golf Partners as the best approach to preserve and enhance their clubs
The Club at Pasadera | Designed by Jack Nicklaus | Monterey, California
- CHRIS LAVER THE CLUB AT PASADERA MANAGING MEMBER
RUSSELL MILLER
Russell Miller is general manager of the Balboa Yacht Club, Corona del Mar, CA. He can be reached via email: russell@balboayachtclub.com
The Seven Strategies - Part II
Editor’s note: Russell Miller, general manager of Balboa Yacht Club in Corona del Mar, CA, based on his many years in the hospitality industry, has developed the Seven Strategies that he applies to the club business administration, strategically and tactically. The first three strategies—Be Magnanimous, Curate a Thriving Culture and Master your Metrics– were published in the September/ October issue of BoardRoom. In this issue, Part II covers his final four strategies.
4. BE ESSENTIAL
In any business, you must first focus on the desired result and then reverse engineer a critical path to deliver that result, connecting costs to outcomes along the way. In our business, after 20 years of thoughtful consideration, I believe our end result is to be essential in the lives of our members.
If something is deemed essential in someone’s life, it represents a foundational element crucial to their well-being, happiness and fulfillment. These essential components define individuality and can serve as pillars that support one’s self-concept.
If your club becomes essential to your members’ lives, it fosters an emotional connection that transcends the physical space, becoming an integral part of their identity. There is no loftier ambition than striving to attain such significance in someone’s life, an aspiration deserving of pursuit by all of us in the industry.
In fact, we define it as our core product, being supported by facilitating products that are themselves essential for the members’ satisfactory use of the core product (F&B operations, employees, amenities, etc.) and supporting products (serviscape, brand voice, hours of operation, etc.), which are the nice-to-have elements that allow members to derive maximum value from their membership. Framing the business this way helps clubs strategically deploy resources so they are essential in our members’ lives, as it categorizes the importance of the various elements.
Attaining essential status is challenging, so it is imperative to establish a clear path toward achieving it. Value creation and delivery are the critical components of the process. At Balboa Yacht Club, we incentivize “essential actions,” actions that make us essential in our members’ lives. It could be facilitating a connection between members, creating a positive experience that creates an emotional bond between yourself and the member,
personalizing a service, etc. The idea is to transition from a convenient experience to an essential part of the member’s life.
Hospitality is our business, but our goal is being essential.
5. MEMBERS VOICES SHAPE YOUR FUTURE
As the great Will Guidara said in his excellent book, “Unreasonable Hospitality,” “If your business involves making people happy, you can’t be good at it if you don’t care what people think.” Whether organic or formal, we should be soliciting feedback from our members daily.
When I started my career, the only feedback we got from members was unsolicited, good and bad. Over time, we have developed increasingly sophisticated ways to get constant feedback from the membership, through conversations, daily usage surveys, technology channels (website, app) and comprehensive annual surveys.
This constant flow of information allows us to examine the feedback, filter and distill it, and execute it with a high degree of technical excellence. It has become so ingrained in our methodology that we now call it our brand strategy (our approach to building and maintaining favorability among the members).
The strategy is simple: Members’ voices combined with insights from professional management and volunteer leaders will create the optimal environment for the club’s success (making the club essential). The infographic is also simple: four circles feeding into one another, improving the club’s value stream. It has proven to be highly effective and increased survey results and iteration velocity (the speed at which we get through our iteration cycle), ensuring that we consistently align our efforts with our members’ wants and needs.
We now have the added advantage of using artificial intelligence to sort the data in endless ways, allowing us to develop a comprehensive understanding of the membership’s wants and needs. Give it a try.
A want combined with purchasing power is a demand. What are your members demanding of you?
6. SOMETIMES THE EASIEST ROUTE IS THE SMARTEST MOVE
At our club, we have a member who owns a company that ranks among the largest private employers in one of the largest counties in California. We developed a friendly relationship, and one day he brought me a copy of his book,
which I read with great enthusiasm. In it, there was a line that I will never forget. He said that “often, with ambitious, driven employees around me, I take the path of least resistance.” This was counterintuitive to read from someone so incredibly ambitious and driven to the tune that he built a company with thousands of employees. Honestly, though, it was a relief. Reading that line validated a behavior I had been engaging in for years. I, too, often take the path of least resistance.
I believe that the most successful administration of the private club business is through the practice known as democratized leadership, where you share decision-making with the team. We employ people who are experts in their fields and whose knowledge is superior to our own in their selected disciplines. The best leadership approach in this dynamic is to empower them to take initiative and make decisions, and then collaborate with them, inspiring them to iterate the idea into something special along the way. If they identify a course of action that diverges from what you initially considered optimal yet aligns with their expertise, it may be necessary to defer to their judgment and get out of the way.
The same logic applies to the work we do with our volun-
best known as the host of “Bar Rescue,” calls it “reaction management,” where positive and negative reactions shape your success. Cornell University calls them “experience cues.” Positive experience cues are good, and negative experience cues are bad. Whatever your word(s), your membership’s psychological response to the club’s stimuli is of paramount importance to your success. The best approach to this is a culmination of strategies one through six.
Each strategy uses an emotional and/or rational allure to elevate your brand promise. Emotion is paramount. Information hits your medulla (responsible for emotion) before your prefrontal cortex (responsible for logic). This means that members react emotionally before they assess logically. To further complicate things, people are great at backing in logic to explain their emotions. It has long been determined that emotion is intrinsic to human decision-making, so if you appeal to their emotions, you are on your way to creating a positive response.
Combining reason with emotion allows you to connect with the membership through action while demonstrating reliability through rational arguments. This balance will allow you to develop an approach that considers the memberships’ immediate needs while recognizing broader stra-
As the great Will Guidara said in his excellent book, “Unreasonable Hospitality,” “If your business involves making people happy, you can’t be good at it if you don’t care what people think.” Whether organic or formal, we should be soliciting feedback from our members daily.
teer leaders. We get to work with board members who are experts in their fields. Their advice and counsel are something that I feel privileged to receive, and we could not be successful without their support. I think of the leadership structure (board, GM, employees) as a rope. Numerous strands that are individually not that impactful, yet when braided together create something inspiringly powerful. As managers, we should always be trying to add strength to the rope and then wield it to serve the membership. That’s transformational leadership.
Lack of certainty is strength, and absolute certainty is arrogance
7. EVERY ACTION TELLS A STORY
Everything you do conveys information to your membership; the totality of that information is your brand promise, the articulation of the experiential takeaway from engaging with the club. People have different names for this. Who is he referring to? Should we identify Jon Taffer in this article? Jon Taffer, renowned hospitality consultant and television personality
tegic objectives, which means sustainability over time. It will ensure that you are delivering one favorable response after another because you are connecting with the members, they are engaged, and your stories speak to them.
Members will value more highly the stories that speak to them, and in which they have the greatest faith.
CONTROL YOUR DESTINY
Every club can pull one of two levers. It can try to consume fewer resources (cost increase annually) and attempt to create the same amount of member value, or it can increase the members’ willingness to pay increased dues by helping them perceive more value in the products and services they offer. These seven strategies have helped me be successful with the latter, and I am confident they can deliver similar outcomes for you.
“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”
–
Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Your members expect genuine Five-Star service.
Forbes Travel Guide is the authority on hospitality excellence. We work with the best luxury hotel brands globally. Let us help you elevate your service to improve member satisfaction and retention.
Forbes Travel Guide worked with our leadership team to create custom standards and tailored training which have been implemented throughout the club. We value our partnership with Forbes Travel Guide.
Jeffrey P. McFadden Chief Executive Officer/General Manager The
BoardRoom magazine Recognizes the Private Club Presidents of the Year
By Chryssoula Filippakopoulos
Now in its 16th year, BoardRoom magazine annually recognizes the world’s top private club presidents, captains and chairs as Private Club Presidents of the Year, for their outstanding work, their understanding of the industry, and role and responsibilities of the club’s board of directors. In this continuing series, BoardRoom introduces six of its top 20 presidents for 2023. The Distinguished Club President was featured in the January/February 2024 issue. Private club board presidents play a huge role in professional operations of their clubs as a volunteer working diligently with their board of directors and general managers, striving for well informed, but not emotional decisions. This recognition by BoardRoom magazine has attracted board president nominations from clubs and other nominators around the world.
These outstanding presidents exemplify the focus on the leadership responsibilities, the accountability and the management of the board providing a healthy respect for the club’s macro management. They are cognizant of the importance of working, effectively and efficiently, with their volunteer boards and the dedication required from everyone with whom they work. Key elements of a “good” board include commitment, competence, diversity, collective decision making, openness, transparency, effective communication with the management and the membership, fiscal responsibility, development and establishment of the clubs’ mission, vision and policy direction, especially through establishment of a strategic plan. A successful board president draws upon the expertise of other board members, the club’s institutional memory and stewardship of the club’s resources.
As well the board president provides new board members and future board presidents with information they need to perform effectively as board members. Congratulations to these outstanding private club board presidents.
Private Club Presidents of the Year Major Sponsors
MATTHEW M. RANKIN PRESIDENT FRIEDRICH EDER COO/GM
Friedrich Eder, chief operating officer and general manager at Greensboro Country Club, describes working with President Matthew M. Rankin as a phenomenal experience.
“His dedication and strategic thinking have elevated the club throughout his tenure,” Eder said about a man he deems a visionary leader.
“His mantra, ‘empowerment fuels success,’ creates a collaborative environment where everyone thrives. Under his guidance, our club has evolved into a community that achieves goals and cultivates a spirit of camaraderie.”
Rankin has helped steer Greensboro Country Club through its journey of revitalization and growth since 2017.
“It was an honor to work with so many members on various committees to ensure the many needs and desires were represented,” said Rankin, who guided the club through a $20 million renovation.
“The size and scope of the project required intense coordination and communication between the board, senior staff, members and numerous partners. I could not be more pleased with the outcome and to have served GCC during this time in our rich history.”
Greensboro’s renovation, the largest the club has ever done, has elevated the member experience, ushering in a new era of luxury and modern amenities. Members enjoy enhanced dining experiences, premium fitness and wellness facilities, a dedicated youth facility and a rebuild of the pool complex.
This investment has revitalized the physical infrastructure and solidified Greensboro Country Club as a premier destination.
With the $20 million renovation complete, the board is now engaging with industry experts to map the club’s direction for future generations.
The board is engaged in strategic thinking and planning to ensure the club’s success by identifying trends, embracing innovation and aligning the club’s offerings with contemporary preferences while preserving traditions and values.
Rankin is president and CEO of Carlisle Residential Properties, owner of Element Construction Company, director of Nacco Industries and a proud US veteran. He and his wife, Elizabeth, a homemaker and philanthropist, have been Greensboro Country Club members for 20 years. Their two children, Mary Marshall and William, are involved in academics and sports. BR
MATTHEW M. RANKIN, PRESIDENT | GREENSBORO COUNTRY CLUB | GREENSBORO, NC
Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace Continues Expansion
Brad Baecht, LCAM, CMCA, AMS, PCAM Joins as a Search & Consulting Executive
Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace continue to methodically add the brightest and most accomplished industry executive talent to the team.
We welcome Brad Baecht, LCAM, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, as a search and consulting executive. Baecht is a distinguished professional in community association management with extensive expertise in managing large-scale property owners’ associations, condominium associations and homeowner associations.
With a career spanning several decades, Baecht has honed his skills in overseeing some of the most prestigious communities in the country. He holds the PCAM (Professional Community Association Manager) designation, the highest recognition available nationwide for those who specialize in community association management. In addition, Baecht holds the AMS (Association Management Specialist) and
CMCA (Certified Manager of Community Associations) designations and is an LCAM (Licensed Community Association Manager) in Florida. He is also active in Community Associations Institute at both the local and national levels.
“I am truly excited to join Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace and contribute to their esteemed legacy in executive search and consulting,” Baecht said. “The opportunity to work alongside such a dedicated team and leverage my experience in managing community associations aligns perfectly with my passion for excellence and service. I look forward to bringing my expertise to the table and collaborating on innovative solutions that will continue to enhance the communities we serve.”
“Brad is a fantastic addition to the KK&W team. He is an ambitious, operationally focused business development expert, one in complete alignment with our core values. His experience in creating strategic alliances as a progress-driven planner, streamlining operational processes for residential communities and implementing training programs will significantly add to our resources as a team. Through his network, he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to support our community association search roles. We’re excited to partner with Brad and add to the success of our clients and the professionals we place,” the partners said.
Baecht’s notable experience includes managing Boca West, one of the largest and most renowned country club communities in the United States. In addition to his work at Boca West, he has a proven track record in managing various condominium and homeowner associations, demonstrating a deep understanding of the complexities involved in large-scale community association management. Most recently, he served as regional vice president with KW Property Management & Consulting, leading business development strategies and operational processes for communities throughout Florida. He continues to support Ray Engineering Inc. as a business development executive.
A decorated military veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Baecht enjoys traveling and spending quality time with his family. He can be contacted at brad@kkandw.com or 703-727-0964. BR
“We engaged the services of KK&W to conduct a search for a new General Manager. The Search Committee felt KK&W offered us a very professional and thorough process that would achieve a successful outcome of the most important decision our Club could make. They provided us with assistance and the direction to accomplish this task. We are extremely pleased with the outcome of the search and process as we now have a new General Manager for our community. It was a very pleasant and rewarding experience.”
Virginia Lazar, President, Board of Trustees Highland Woods Golf and Country Club, Bonita Springs, FL
The BoardRoom magazine “Excellence in Achievement” Awards is the only private club industry award that recognizes the clubs’ business partners. BoardRoom magazine’s industry peers review and select these outstanding suppliers and consultants, which represent various aspects of course and club operations.
Winners, each year, are selected for overall excellence in their respective fields, achievements, innovation, vision for future growth and continued impact on private club operations.
“The BoardRoom Awards are the only awards in the private club industry that recognize private clubs’ business partners, and every year we see increasing innovation, achievement, a vision and dedication from BoardRoom Award recipients. And of course, private clubs are the beneficiary of outstanding work of the industry’s vendors,” said John Fornaro, publisher of the BoardRoom magazine.
The BoardRoom magazine is the only publication of its kind that is designed to educate the board of directors, owners, general managers and department heads of private golf, city, yacht, tennis and country clubs about issues concerning all aspects of the club, golf course management and operations.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT*
Gregg Patterson
Steve Graves
GARY PLAYER EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
Lori Lebard
DAVE WHITE EDITORIAL AWARD
Nancy Levenburg
JOHN FORNARO INDUSTRY IMPACT AWARD
Lynne LaFond DeLuca
JAY DIPIETRO IMPACT AWARD
Michael McCarthy
NEW PRODUCT OF THE YEAR
Club Leader 360
AMENITIES PROVIDER
Ready Care Industries
ASSOCIATION OF THE YEAR
CMAA
BAR LOUNGE DESIGN
Chambers
BANQUET EQUIPMENT
Southern Aluminum
BEACH CLUB DESIGN
Kuo Diedrich Chi Architects
BRANDED MERCHANDISE
Range & Bearings
BRANDING
Strategic Club Solutions
BRIDAL ROOM INTERIOR DESIGN
ClubDesign Associates
BOARDROOM INTERIOR DESIGN
ClubDesign Associates
BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
Club Benchmarking
CASUAL DINING INTERIOR DESIGN RENOVATION
AM DESIGN GROUP
CHAIR MANUFACTURER Eustis Chairs
CHILDREN PROGRAM
KE Camps
CHINA
Corby Hall
CLOCKS
The Verdin Company
CLUB BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE*
Club Benchmarking
Club Data Services
CLUB ENTERTAINMENT
The Members Only Show - Michael Gutenplan
CLUB FOOD AND BEVERAGE EQUIPMENT
Montaque
CLUB MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE: WEB-BASED Northstar Club Management Software
CLUB MANAGEMENT HOSTING Jonas Club Software
CLUB ALL-PURPOSE MOBILE APP Jonas Club Software
CLUB PHOTOGRAPHY E.A. Photography
CLUB SAFETY Club Safe
CLUB HOUSE BOWLING CENTER C2 Limited Design Associates
CLUB HOUSE LOBBY RENOVATION Castor Design Associates
CLUB HOUSE SPECIALTY SPACE INTERIOR DESIGN Larson/Nichols Interior Design
CLUBHOUSE DESIGN OF THE YEAR (BEL-AIR COUNTRY CLUB) Marsh & Associates, Inc.
Larry Savvides, CCM, CCE, CAM, is general manager and chief operating officer, Hunters Run Country Club, Boynton Beach, FL. He can be reached via email: coo@huntersrun.net
Country Club Security Ensuring Safety in an Exclusive Environment
Country clubs are generally known for their exclusivity, luxury and privacy. They offer members a broad spectrum of amenities, including golf, racquet sports, swimming pools, bars and restaurants, and event spaces.
These amenities collectively help build a club’s reputation. However, providing a secure environment for its members is critical to maintaining that hard-earned reputation. For club management, security must be a top priority.
Security in country clubs is paramount for several reasons. The exclusivity and affluence of the members make clubs potential targets for theft, vandalism and other petty criminal activities. Equally important is the presence of high-value belongings such as luxury vehicles, expensive equipment and valuable personal belongings. These all necessitate strong security measures that ensure the safety and privacy of members and their guests. One negative incident has the potential to damage a club’s reputation.
CHALLENGES IN COUNTRY CLUB SECURITY
Country clubs typically cover extensive areas. Securing our perimeters poses significant challenges. Comprehensive surveillance and monitoring to protect high-value assets, from golf carts and sports equipment to members’ personal belongings, is our front line in protecting against theft or damage. Maintaining members’ privacy is also a critical element, and secu-
rity measures that are discreet yet effective are required. We know the problems we face when hosting events that attract large groups, necessitating additional security measures to manage access control, monitor activities and respond to emergencies.
ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES
Addressing these challenges involves a combination of physical security measures, technological solutions and personnel strategies. At Hunters Run Country Club, this ranges from effective access control to on-site monitoring systems and paramedic programs. The key here is trained security personnel. Their responsibilities include patrolling the grounds, managing access points, responding to incidents and assisting members. Their contribution to our club’s well-being can’t be understated.
COVERING A LOT OF GROUND
At Hunters Run, we cover 990 landscaped acres for a community with over 1,649 residences in 23 local communities. We house condominiums, villas, townhomes and estate homes. We have three 18-hole championship golf courses, two driving ranges, and a short game area. There are 18 Har-Tru tennis courts and 12 USAPA pickleball courts. Our fitness center offers a variety of state-of-theart cardio machines, weight training equipment, wellness programming and a complete portfolio of spa and salon services. Our clubhouse is the heart of our community and features a beach entry resort-style pool. Six restaurants on the premises offer everything from fine to casual to alfresco dining to meet members’ tastes. In short, we need to cover a lot of ground.
A visible security presence can be an effective deterrent against potential breaches in
our community and protect against internal incidents that affect members.
Our security director, Lukasz Kotowski (pictured above), notes, “Security is a twoway street. It involves teamwork with our 40-person team and community members. Just because you live in a gated community, you still have to take steps to protect yourself and your property.”
To that end, he explains that all residents receive a security information booklet outlining what members can expect from the security team and what their responsibilities are to secure a safe environment, i.e., adhering to speed limits, making sure guests are properly signed in, and locking cars and doors to prevent unwanted entry.
“Gate checks and speeding on-premises are the two major concerns,” Kotowski says. “We encourage our members never to give their security code to their guests and vendors. Always remove all valuables from your vehicles, lock them, and close garage doors when you are home.”
BEST PRACTICES FOR COUNTRY CLUB SECURITY
The advancement of technology has introduced innovative solutions to enhance country club security. License plate recognition systems, drones equipped with cameras and sensors, smart locks, keyless entry systems, facial recognition, robots, and custom mobile apps for members can include security features such as emergency alerts, real-time notifications and digital membership cards. These apps enhance communication and provide members with easy access to security services.
However, their effectiveness begins with implementing a best practices program for country club security that ensures a comprehensive and practical approach to safety. This includes conducting regular security assessments to identify vulnerabilities and areas for improvement; reviewing physical security measures, technology systems and emergency response plans; educating members about security protocols and encouraging them to report suspicious activities. Providing tips on personal safety and protecting personal belongings also helps enhance overall security. Establishing a good relationship with local law enforcement agencies is equally important.
One of the most unique features of our Allied Universal Security (AUS) is the paramedic program we offer to members, guests and employees. A state-licensed paramedic is on shift 24 hours a day to assist in any medical emergencies—from a simple blood pressure check to a slip and fall and even something as serious as a heart attack. AUS paramedics are ready to respond with all the medications and equipment our Boynton Beach Fire Rescue has on its trucks.
“We have had as many as 120 incidents a month,” Kotowski says. “Our response time to a member’s call is one to two minutes. We are continually enhancing our skills through education and training courses. We also provide training courses for our members, including CPR.”
Hunters Run CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) is another critical element of our security program. It is under the jurisdiction of FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and consists of volunteers from the community who, in our case, receive training from the Boynton Beach Fire Rescue, including fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations.
Security in country clubs is a complex and multifaceted challenge that requires a strategic and proactive approach. By combining physical security measures, advanced technologies and well-trained personnel, country clubs can create a safe and secure environment for their members.
Continuous assessment, education and collaboration with law enforcement are essential to staying ahead of potential threats. Ultimately, country club security aims to provide peace of mind to members, allowing them to enjoy the experiences these prestigious clubs offer. BR
IDEAS
Light Up the Night
Glow Golf Brings Fun, Style, and Magic to Your Club
With the days getting shorter and in between holiday events, keeping members excited about evenings at the club can take time and effort.
Enter Glow Golf—a fun, 21-plus event that turns the golf course into a glowing playground under the stars. It’s the perfect way to shake off those time-change blues while allowing members to relax, socialize, and try something totally unique.
Here’s the idea: Invite members to form teams of four and encourage them to show up decked out in their brightest, glowiest outfits—think neon, reflective gear, and even LED lights. When they arrive, set the mood by handing out glow sticks, props, and decorating supplies to help them jazz up their carts. Add some friendly competition with prizes for the best-dressed team and the most creative cart design—it’s all about having fun before the first shot is even taken.
The real magic happens on the course. Work with your staff to line the fairways with lights, add glow elements to hazards, illuminate the greens and holes and sprinkle staff along the way to guide players and keep everything running smoothly. Have
a decorated beverage cart roam the course with music and refreshments during the event.
The result? A golf course that feels like it came straight out of a sci-fi movie and a tournament that’s more about the experience than the score.
Before tee-off, set the vibe with a DJ and light show to get everyone pumped. Serve up glowing cocktails (add glow cubes!) and have the chef and their team craft creative appetizers. Once the games begin, the glowing setup transforms a regular round of golf into a magical adventure. Encourage everyone to bundle up—it’s a night to enjoy, not endure.
After the final putt, keep the party going with a fireside celebration. Hand out warm cocktails, cue up some live music, and celebrate the night’s best-dressed teams and most creative carts. It’s the kind of night that leaves everyone talking about how soon they can do it again.
If you want to make this happen, it’s easier than you think. Get your team involved to light up the course, stock up on glow gear, and promote the event as a one-of-a-kind experience. Glow Golf is a great way to bring people together, show off your club’s fun side, and create memories that’ll keep everyone glowing long after the night ends. BR
HEATHER ARIAS DE CORDOBA
Heather is co-publisher and chief creative officer with BoardRoommagazine She can be reached at heather@boardroommag.com.
Travel the World of Wine A Fall Food and Wine Passport Event
The holiday season is just around the corner. While the festive buzz brings excitement, it also brings the chaos of last-minute shopping and packed calendars.
This is the perfect time for private clubs to offer an experience that blends fun, culture, and convenience while generating revenue. Enter the Fall Food and Wine Passport event—a creative way to elevate the member experience, strengthen club culture, and boost your bottom line.
THE IDEA
On a crisp fall evening, members arrive to warm lights, live music, and the enticing aroma of seasonal bites. The club transforms into a global wine experience with 20–30 vendors offering tastings from premier wine regions. Members receive personalized passports with tasting notes and spaces to collect stamps as they explore.
WHY IT WORKS
This isn’t just wine and hors d’oeuvres—it’s an interactive experience combining social connection with exclusive offerings. Members sample unique wines, connect with vendors and enjoy the ambiance of their club.
HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN
1. Partner with Vendors: Source boutique wines and offer members exclusive options. Vendors benefit from direct access to your audience.
2. Curate the Atmosphere: Create a sense of adventure with themed décor and live music that complements the evening.
3. Enhance the Menu: Pair wines with seasonal bites inspired by their regions, such as Chardonnay with risotto or Malbec with spiced lamb.
4. Add a Passport: Encourage members to track their tastings and collect stamps, creating a playful and personalized experience.
5. Offer Wine Sales: Allow members to purchase favorites at exclusive prices, with delivery before the holiday rush.
6. Promote the Event: Market it as a must-attend experience to unwind and connect before the holidays.
7. Bring Guests: Encourage members to invite friends and family, showcasing the club to potential new members.
8. Provide Child Care: Offer engaging activities for kids so parents can relax and enjoy the evening.
THE IMPACT
The Fall Food and Wine Passport event builds community, enhances member satisfaction, and positions your club as a destination for unique, memorable experiences. With thoughtful execution, it can become an annual tradition your members eagerly anticipate. Get your passports ready and toast to a successful event! BR
MIKE STRAUSS
Mike Strauss is GCSAA’s media relations manager.
Making Investments to Keep Your Golf Club Sustainable GREEN COMMITTEE
It is a simple statement, but one that rings true. Without a golf course, there is no game or business of golf.
It is difficult for a golf facility to survive if the golf course is not at its best. Golf Course Superintendents Association of America members strive to create the best possible playing conditions while maintaining high environmental standards. Superintendents, assistant superintendents and equipment managers use the opportunities GCSAA provides to become the best land managers they can be. They have access to education, best management practices and information on industry equipment. They can be part of advocacy efforts and make a difference in their facilities and communities, and they have a network of fellow superintendents.
As part of your club’s board or greens committee, what are you doing to ensure the future of your golf course?
GCSAA is doing its part by being committed to its mission of serving its members, advancing their profession and improving communities through the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf, which, in turn, helps every golf course.
The association’s efforts to improve the vitality of the game of golf are far-reaching. These efforts also require funding. GCSAA’s philanthropic organization, the GCSAA Foundation, secures funds and support to strengthen advocacy, education and research that advances the work of golf course management professionals. Supporting the GCSAA Foundation is investing in the sustainability and future of the golf business, which benefits all of us. Where does this funding go and why is it important?
ADVOCACY
GCSAA continues to expand the reach and effectiveness of grassroots advocacy through dedicated proactive recruitment, training and engagement of GCSAA’s grassroots ambassadors to better golf’s position with members of Congress, regulators and state and local officials. The Grassroots Ambassadors program strives to match GCSAA members with members of Congress to build strong relationships and serve as the “go-to” experts for lawmakers and their staff on golf course management issues.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Staffing and reliable labor concern many clubs and golf course maintenance teams. GCSAA is committed to developing solutions to these issues through programs like its Women’s Leadership Academy, scholarships for non-traditional and minority students and a recent partnership with FFA. In addition, the First Green program exposes students to career
opportunities in golf and golf course management, setting the table for future members of the profession.
RESEARCH
Funding helps expand the number and depth of research grants to develop science-based approaches to better golf course management. This research leads to solutions to keep golf sustainable and cost-efficient for facilities and results in a better product for golfers.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Engaging the community and showcasing the benefits of golf courses play a key role in keeping golf viable. Many facilities host tours or classes and have staff involved in local environmental and business organizations. GCSAA’s First Green program, which emphasizes STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) on a golf course, introduces students to turfgrass management careers and promotes the benefits of golf and golf courses to communities. This program has reached more than 6,000 students this year and recently expanded to the UK and Australia.
ACCELERATED DATA COLLECTION
The GCSAA Golf Course Environmental Profile is used to grow awareness about the positive environmental impact of golf courses. Funding is needed to increase the speed at which data is collected about water, land use, nutrient use and best practices to enable 20,000-plus GCSAA members to make informed decisions to save money and produce the best playing conditions. This will enhance the GCEP providing critical and necessary data for sustainable business operations and the association’s efforts toward sustainable golf.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND AGRONOMIC RESOURCES
Creating templates to develop written nutrient, water, IPM and energy plans to ensure efficient and effective course management while protecting the environment is essential. These resources will drive best management practices to ensure quality playing surfaces and environmental protection to keep golf sustainable.
All these efforts lead to keeping golf courses and the golf business sustainable. Learn more about the GCSAA Foundation and how you can contribute to the future success of the golf industry at https://www.gcsaa.org/foundation or by contacting Ed Several, chief marketing officer, at eseveral@gcsaa.org, or Mischia Wright, director of development, at mwright@gcsaa.org. BR
DAVE DOHERTY
Dave Doherty is CEO and founder of the International Sports Turf Research Center, Inc. (ISTRC) and holds three patents regarding the testing of sand- and soil-based greens. He can be reached at (913) 706-6635 or via email: daveistrc@hotmail.com www.davedohertyistrc.com
Why Is Organic, Our Best Friend, So Misunderstood?
Organic matter, Mother Nature’s wonderful gift, is often viewed as public enemy number one by the sports turf industries.
However, organic matter, naturally produced by a grass plant in the upper two inches of the root zone, can be our best friend when it comes to maintaining healthy turf. Organic matter provides three essential elements that contribute to plant health.
1. Organic matter will hold water/retain moisture, which plants need to cool themselves in times of stress.
2. Organic matter contains cation exchange capacity. “Soils can be thought of as storehouses for plant nutrients. Many nutrients, such as calcium and magnesium, may be supplied to plants solely from reserves held in the soil,” says David B. Mengel, department of agronomy, Purdue University.
“Others, like potassium, are added regularly to soils as fertilizer for the purpose of being withdrawn as needed by crops. The relative ability of soils to store one particular group of nutrients, the cations, is referred to as cation exchange capacity or CEC.”
3. Organic matter provides food for soil life. “Soil microbes play key roles in ecosystems and influence a large number of important ecosystem processes, including nutrient acquisition,” the Ecology Letters, explained in 2008.
My early research into the failure of turf grass on golf greens has shown that the number one cause of greens failure was an excessive amount of organic matter in the top inch of the soil profile. Continuing research into excessive organic matter shows that organic matter in excessive amounts had a direct relationship with the amount of air pores in the root zone.
For example, three percent organic matter in a root zone with 25 percent air pores proved to be very healthy and a benefit to plant health. However, three percent organic matter in a root zone with 12 percent air pores proved to cause extreme plant failure in many cases. Pores are best described as the space between the solids.
A root zone has three elements: solids, air pores and water pores. Roots of turf plants can only live in air pores. They cannot live in solids and they cannot live in water pores.
Roots from a grass plant can only exist in air pores because these air pores supply the oxygen that root systems require for sustainable plant health. Organic matter deposited by the roots ends up in the air pores because roots only live and exist in air pores.
Over time the organic matter can build up and decrease the amount of oxygen available to the plants. When a turf plant does not have enough oxygen to breathe freely, it becomes weak and susceptible to many diseases. This lack of oxygen also leads to greatly diminished microbial populations resulting in poor soil balance.
What we have learned from this research which started in the early 1990s and continues today is that a balance between air pores and organic matter is essential and the number one element that must be maintained to have a healthy plant and reduce our dependence on chemicals.
When my work in the early 1990s became available to the sports turf industry, there was an immediate knee-jerk reaction that “Oh my goodness,” organic matter is bad and we must eliminate it.
Many golf course architects started recommending that greens be made out of soil mixes that were very low in organic matter. Superintendents battled these almost sterile greens mixes. With time and patience, we’ve been able to overcome this lack of organic matter and nurse these greens into maturity. The plants have been allowed to build up organic matter and convert these sterile greens mixes into well-balanced soils.
Organic matter is not our enemy; it is, in fact, one of our best friends. We just need to keep organic matter and air pores in balance, which we can do with regular soil physical properties testing.
The days of aerifying and applying products without first knowing what the soil consists of are dead. To be environmentally and agricultural sound we must first find out what the soil needs and then act accordingly. BR
GREEN COMMITTEE
Michael Abramowitz is vice president of public relations and communications with Concert Golf Partners. He can be reached via email: mabramowitz@concertgolfclubs.com
It’s the Agronomy!
Remember the political adage that states, “It’s the economy, stupid”? At several successful private golf clubs, you’ll hear a similar slogan today: “It’s the agronomy.”
The truth is, they’re harmonious. Sound agronomic practices make for good economic returns at many elite clubs and vice versa.
Investing in agronomic projects adds value. If you keep your course in impeccable condition and make improvements year-round, you’ll likely head down the right path.
Yet, we often hear owners and board members stuck in a debate detour: “Are we a golf club or a country club?”
Boards get so involved in daily operating issues and long-term capital improvement projects that they forget that current and prospective members typically focus on the golf course first. Lost in many board discussions is a key economic driver: Golf members pay the majority of your club’s dues.
Louder voices may support multiyear projects, which are important, but it’s also smart business to regularly support your core members by continually investing in your golf course.
It also can help you balance the demands of your younger and older members.
A DELICATE QUESTION
“To close or not to close your course?” is a difficult question. Do you risk losing revenue now to generate more in the future? Are you willing to let member satisfaction temporarily dip for long-term improvements?
Consistent attention to course conditions, with appropriate budget adjustments that allow your superintendent to fix newfound issues, is a formula found in many successful clubs. Our superintendents are empowered with the autonomy to make decisions that drive the quality and reputation of the clubs in our portfolio.
“It’s not unusual for our budgets to go up year after year, but not because of pricing or supply chain issues—we’re reinvesting in our properties,” explains Danny Gwyn, senior vice president of agronomy at Concert Golf Partners. Industry-wide, there isn’t enough emphasis on regularly touring the golf course with the superintendent to spot
areas needing attention and address issues that contribute to slow play or challenges for members.
“We don’t cookie-cutter and run every club the same,” adds Gwyn. “We continually reinvest in the product.”
You must focus on your current course(s), ensuring players have an exceptional experience they’ll want to share with others.
This year, Concert Golf Partners invested $2 million into The Club at Pasadera in Monterey, CA, with about half of that amount allocated to maintaining, updating and improving the 25-year-old iconic course designed by Jack Nicklaus. Wells, pumps and irrigation were updated for sustainability, and an intentional investment was made to improve course visibility.
“We’ve focused on proper tree care to protect and preserve the natural beauty and health of the oak trees, which creates a better golf experience, protects homeowner values, enhances our reputation and our playability. It’s that great reputation that sells to members,” explained Brad Coleman, the club’s superintendent.
“The improvements are critically important,” said Chris Laver, Pasadera member and previous co-owner. “When I talk to members, they say they haven’t seen the golf course look this good in years. It’s only going to attract more members because they see the financial commitment.”
The Tom Fazio-designed Glen Oaks Country Club in West Des Moines, IA, ranks among the state’s Top 5 courses. Led by director of agronomy Chris Coen, the Iowa Golf Association’s 18-Hole Superintendent of the Year for 2023, the club’s golf experience centers on its agronomic best practices and investment.
Using economy-of-scale purchasing power through Concert’s extensive turf and maintenance contracts, Coen can maximize his budget to focus on the course and, ultimately, the core golf members, both new and old.
“I’ve been fortunate to be entrusted to do my job,” said Coen. “I feel like I’m making decisions each day that are best for Glen Oaks.”
And that’s smart for both your agronomy and your economy. BR
MICHAEL ABRAMOWITZ
HOUSE COMMITTEE
Bruce Barilla has consulted at over 60 clubs. As a courtesy, he provides many complimentary teaching tools for a better locker room at: www.lrcgolf.com
Shower Power! Another Reason to Join the Club
Showers are one of the most important features I check when consulting or visiting a club because they should be something to look forward to and another reason for retaining and attracting members.
I don’t receive commissions for making the following recommendations. But here are suggestions based on my experience at various clubs.
WHAT’S NEEDED
Three elements are required to stake claim to having the best showers. Water volume, water pressure and the type of showerhead. Most clubs I have been to do not meet these requirements for a “wow!” showering experience. The reasons are old clogged pipes, a smaller diameter main line coming in from the street and the local water company not providing enough pressure.
Other reasons are a clogged showerhead filter screen and built-in low-volume water limiters. Many clubs simply remove them for maximum flow. Poor quality showerheads are also a major factor. Some clubs have installed a pressure booster while others have three-quarter-inch pipes rather than halfinch. Certain rainfall showerheads require a three-quarterinch fitting.
I know of two clubs with one-inch pipes directly connected to the overhead showers. They can do this because the city code has grandfathered them in.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Speakman Anystream 8-Jet is popular but performs better when the inlet pipe is three-quarter inch. A half-inch adapter is then connected to the showerhead. The 6-Jet model works well with slightly less pressure. Both are adjustable but a “wild” individual spray rather than a uniform pattern occurs at times. The Speakman Reaction 5.5 inch fixed spray is also a good choice when dealing with lower pressure. The plastic head comes in green, blue or gray. It is very inexpensive but good quality.
I highly recommend these Grohe models: Cosmopolitan Euphoria, Euphoria 180 and Tempesta 210. All have full, thick, wide, precise, fixed spray patterns. The Hansgrohe Clubmaster with three settings is a good option for those who want the
choice of standard, deluge and massage settings. However, the massage feature might be too powerful in some cases.
A wide diameter is important for overhead round rainfall types, anywhere from 10-inch to 16-inch. Harrington Brass Works 12-inch model is an excellent choice. Square-shaped brands are available as well.
Having angled or overhead showerheads in separate stalls or each is an option to satisfy all preferences. Using a diverter is doable but might not get maximum flow.
GETTING YOUR MONEY’S WORTH (SUB HEAD)
Just as test-driving a new vehicle makes sense, so does testing different types of showerheads before spending hundreds or thousands of dollars. Lowe’s and Home Depot allow for a grace period and will give a refund if you are not satisfied, although they might not have the brand and model you desire.
So, which club has the best shower experience?
From time to time I hear, “Our club has the best showers!” The only way to know is to visit and experience the shower yourself.
For angled fixed spray, I nominate Bob O’Link Golf Club (Illinois), The Racquet Club of Chicago (Illinois), Meridian Hills Country Club (Indiana) and New Haven Country Club (Connecticut). For overhead rainfall, I nominate Forsyth Country Club (North Carolina) and Conway Farms Golf Club (Illinois). Both clubs feature the same overhead deluge rainfall. The Union League of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) is also a contender.
I must also mention Merion Golf Club (Pennsylvania) and The Union League Golf Club at Torresdale (Pennsylvania). The ultimate shower experience in a class by itself is the Swiss shower at The Greenbrier Spa (West Virginia). Respectfully, I apologize to clubs that are not on the best shower experience list but should be.
As a board member on the house committee, use your authority to help make the shower experience something members will appreciate and positively talk about for years. Please include input from locker room managers so they are part of the decision-making process. If you do not include them, it will hurt their morale. Shower power is more than a catchy phrase. It is what makes each club unique. BR
BRUCE BARILLA
Arcola Country Club, Paramus, NJ
Understanding What Your Key Stakeholders Want … and Don’t Want
Getting “the right things right” is structural guidance from Eric Brey, a director at GGA Partners.
Brey, who holds a doctorate from Purdue University School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, is an expert in understanding stakeholders’ wants, needs and expectations. He is a professor in the School of Management at the University of Wisconsin-Stout School of Hospitality Leadership.
Brey previewed the most recent findings of the GGA Institute at the September CMAA Legislative Leadership Conference in the nation’s capital. He identified “stakeholders” as a club’s leaders, members and employees while explaining how the Institute sorts response data to its annual surveys of each segment. The insights gained from the stakeholders push well beyond the complaints of the day, such as “too many members” and “lack of transparency,” to reveal genuine and actionable guidance from each club’s stakeholder segments.
Brey says there are five things club leaders and operators must get right for 2025. From an acute focus on costs (how is the club spending my money?) to the rising expectations that all clubs are seeing (why can’t I get what I want?), there are so many areas where club leaders will find challenges moving forward. But every club leader knows about these common concerns. When you dive into what members really want, you find that:
1. Members want to feel socially connected. This means hosting targeted events that drive interaction, not just bringing members together. Just hosting an event does not necessarily mean everyone will be able to connect with other members. Being purposeful about driving interaction during social events will only grow in the era of social media. Too often, outgoing members might not think about those who are a little less comfortable in social situations. Remember those members who might be more reserved as they need a different environment to build relationships.
2. Young members are looking for more than just a family-friendly club. They want a family-oriented club. To help make families feel more at home, focus on promoting family bonding opportunities (not just
practical needs of kids), activities and spaces for shared family experiences (not just kids’ entertainment), group activities and family classes (more than playgrounds), experiences that create family togetherness (not just welcoming kids), and creating shared experiences between families and parents (not just having more families with kids).
3. Different generations want to engage with different generations. But some might not know how to do it. Too often, one or two bad experiences can create a rift between generations. Clubs that have integrated generations take a purposeful approach to making sure that targeted events create, some might say dictate, interaction. The clubs who put this at the top of their to-do list will find a membership that can better overcome the differences between generations.
4. Technology is used to supplement the personal interaction members are looking for. The growth in club technology continues to expand, but members don’t want it to replace the personal touch. They might not want to see it, but they want it to help keep costs down while facilitating that ultra-personal experience they crave. Have a robot collect range balls? Absolutely. Replace servers with apps that take member food orders? Maybe not yet.
5. Employees mean more than even the most employee-friendly members believe. From dynamic leaders who are engaged with the members to those favorite employees who are like family, even the most reclusive members want to feel this connection and want to know and feel taken care of by people at their club. The pandemic taught us that great employees are hard to find and even harder to retain.
Meeting stakeholders at their most basic levels of need is a critical step for private clubs navigating their increasingly volatile market conditions. Brey says, “We are very grateful to the thousands of survey respondents as we are already using this information to guide club leaders and operators in getting the important things right.” BR
HENRY DELOZIER
Henry DeLozier is a partner at GGA Partners. He can be reached via at henry.delozier@ggapartners.com
Board Elections with Purpose
A renewed focus on club governance increases attention to board elections and how to organize them. Most club members recognize that the nominating committee is the kingmaker – and queenmaker – if you will.
As such, some members cast a covetous eye on the nominating committee and how it could or should be controlled. Three keys guide effective nominations in top-performing boardrooms.
1. Making the nominating committee independent. An independent and objective nominating committee is essential. The key is to strike a balance enabling the board to tend to its responsibility of governing the club while not prescribing to the nominating committee the “intended outcome.” Members’ trust is a function of the organization and transparency of populating the nominating committee.
Three keys serve as a guide for the nominating committee members who should be chosen because they are:
• Known within the club to be honest and trustworthy servant leaders
• Recognized for their prior trusted service to and understanding of the club
• Not intentional representatives of any member special-interest group or activity segment.
2. Establishing and promulgating the board profile. All members should understand the qualifications required to serve on the club’s board. Every board candidate should be recognized and known to be :
• A responsible collaborator who will act reasonably and in the best interests of the club … rather than one who is self-serving
• Someone interested in a wide array of club activities and organizations … rather than as the spokesperson for a particular category of members or interests
• An experienced leader of companies or nonprofit organizations with a proven record.
Among the mistakes most often made in creating a board profile for a private club are:
• Overengineering the selection process through unnecessarily prescriptive guidelines seeking to diversify the board. Some examples of an overly prescriptive approach are:
° Specific age and gender requirements.
° Specific requirements or quotas for special interest representation, such as specifying one (1) pickleball player, (2) golfers, (3) women and (4) men. Ordinary members become skeptical of the fairness of prescriptive selection processes.
° Actions or requirements that suggest cliquishness or an “old boys” approach.
• Using or viewing board nominations as a popularity contest.
• Board members project their own views of who should be nominated for the next board. The nominating committee must be empowered to act objectively and independently.
The overarching aim of a published board profile is to inform club members who will want to know that their board has been responsibly identified and empowered to serve the club’s members.
3. Identifying needed skills for the board. Skills required on a private club board change from time to time and for multiple reasons. Commonly required skills are (a) legal, (b) banking/finance, (c) accounting/ tax and (d) real estate.
Additional specialties needed on club boards include (e) risk management/insurance for clubs at risk for flooding, wildfires, earthquakes and localized natural disasters; and (f) project/construction management when clubs are preparing for significant renovations and construction projects.
Current thinking is that the club is best served by specialized and proven expertise rather than other attributes – however valid – that endear certain members to friends and fellow members.
A straightforward gap analysis that overlays the skills needed on the board profile shows the pressing current needs in the boardroom. Transparency is the call of the day in most private clubs where members distrust their boards and/or the methods by which their boards are constituted. One of the greatest steps for improving the mood and tone of your club is developing and adhering to standards that ensure trustworthy nominations and board elections. BR
BoardRoom Institute is the only user-friendly, online learning center designed specifically for private club’s board and committee members that sets out to create better clubs through collaborative governance and one-on–one training by industry experts.
BoardRoom Institute means well-informed board members who are better equipped to make meaningful decisions, develop strategies with less micromanagement.
• Clarifying roles & responsibilities
• Setting process & best practices
• Understanding the club business model
• Shared playbook between the board and the GM/COO
• And more.
BoardRoom Institute is your solution:
• Customizable to your club
• Non-technical user friendly
• Accountability: verification users have seen the course
• 24/7 access
• Over 70 interactive courses and training.
one-time set-up fee
INTRO TO PRIVATE CLUBS
COMMITTEE
2.1 Bylaws - The Relationship Between Governance & Members Randy Addison
2.2 What Makes Good Board Members and Cautions to Avoid
Kuebler
2.3 Role of the President & Executive Committee Michael Scimo
2.4 Role of the GM/COO
2.5 The Collaborative Governance Model
2.6 Ethics
2.7 Protecting Your Clubs Private Status
2.8 Protecting Your Clubs Tax Exempt Status
2.9 Setting Goals and Objectives
2.10 Norms and Standards
2.11 Board Orientations
2.12 Why Members Join Your Club and the Relevant Importance?
2.13 Matching Potential Members to Club Culture
3.1 Committee Governing Protocols
3.2 Bylaws and Governance
3.3 Nominating Committee / Tactics & Strategies
3.4 Role of the Secretary
Sereci
Brad Steele
Brad Steele
John Schultz
John Schultz
John Schultz
3.5 Role of the Treasurer / Finance Committee Kevin Reilly
3.6 Role of the House Committee Gregg Patterson
3.7 Role of House Committee Engineering / Maintenance
3.8 Role of the Golf Committee Peter Bevacqua
3.9 Greens and Grounds Committee Rhett Evans
3.10 Role of the Membership Committee Rick Coyne
3.11 Role of the Tennis Committee John Embree
3.12 Board Orientation
3.13 Leadership Development Committee
3.14 Role of the Search Committee Dick Kopplin
3.14 Transition Committee Tom Wallace
PRIVATE
INGREDIENTS OF SUCCESSFUL CLUB BOARDS
5.1 Role of the GM / COO
5.2 Role of the Controller
5.3 Role of the Director of Golf / Golf Professional
5.4 Role of the Golf Course Superintendent
5.5 Role of the Tennis Professional
5.6 Role of the Club Manager / Assistant General Manager
Bevacqua
Embree
Gregg Patterson
5.7 Role of the Membership Director Rick Coyne
6.1 Strategic Finance in a Data Driven Club Jim Butler
6.2 Capital KPIs
6.3 Club Capital Reserve Studies
6.4 Engaging Past Presidents
6.5 Managing the Renegade Director
Jim Butler
Jim Butler
Gordon Welch
Bill McMahon
6.6 Risk Management for Private Clubs Phi Harvey
6.7 Effective Oversight by Volunteer Leadership VS Micromanagement Gregg Patterson
6.8 Managing the Agenda - Good Habits of Effective Boards
6.9 What Is GCSAA?
Kurt Kuebler
Rhett Evans
6.10 PGA, Who we are Peter Bevacqua
6.11 Sexual Harassment / Member Misconduct
Gordon Welch
6.12 Security at Your Club Kevin Peters
6.13 15 Best Practices Tom Wallace
6.14 Uncontested Elections Tom Wallace
6.15 Board Portals John Schultz
6.16 Crisis Management Corey Saban
6.17 Staff Engagement Surveys Mike Morin
6.18 Member satisfaction surveys and NPS Mike Morin
6.19 GM Performance Reviews Kurt Kuebler
Cronin
MEMBERSHIP MUSINGS
BONNIE J. KNUTSON
Bonnie J. Knutson, PhD, is a people watcher. A professor in The School of Hospitality Business, Broad College of Business, Michigan State University, Dr. Knutson is a member of the Country Club of Lansing and the Michigan Athletic Club. She can be reached via email: drbonnie@msu.edu
Are You Like Marty McFly?
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be Marty McFly in “Back to the Future,” go back in time and adapt to a different period? While the movie is fictional and entertaining, it seems to be sending us a message about how important it is to embrace change.
And while it may not always be easy, eventually we will appreciate the difference and use the change to our advantage. As Dr. Emmett Brown says, “Life doesn’t always follow a straight path, and sometimes the most exciting adventures happen off-road.”
This is how I think about data analytics.
The ancient Egyptians kept detailed spreadsheets and checklists on papyri to help them manage the workforce and resources efficiently. They also transported heavy blocks of limestone and granite across the desert and laid them with precision. This required data analytics to ensure that each block was placed correctly to maintain the pyramid’s shape and stability.
In the 19th century, Frederick Winslow Tayor used data analytics to advance the understanding of time management. This understanding increased productivity and efficiency, giving rise to time studies and industrial engineering.
We all learned how Henry Ford broke down the assembly of a car into precise, repeatable steps and introduced the moving assembly line in 1913. This breakthrough in manufacturing efficiency reduced the production time of a single vehicle from over 12 hours to about 90 minutes.
Modern data analytics began to take hold in the business world with the advent of computers in the mid-20th century. Simultaneously, the development of databases leaped forward, enabling organizations to digitally develop, store, organize and manage large amounts of information. These two movements led to more tools to make data-driven decisions.
Fast forward to today as two factors simultaneously impact your club. First, the volume of human knowledge generated is estimated to double every 12 hours. What your college interns learn in their freshman year is out of date by the time they become juniors. What and how you train, pay and reward your staff today will need to be revised within two years. What your members want today will not be what they expect by the time you start working on your next strategic plan.
Second, the growth of club intelligence has significantly evolved with the development of big data, data warehouses and cloud computing, along with newfound software and hardware. It will continue to do so.
Data analytics is both a field and a discipline. It incorporates techniques and processes from mathematics, statistics and computer science. Its value to your club lies in how it can quickly apply statistical analyses and technologies to data so that you can spot trends, see patterns, identify opportunities, and solve problems that can help your club.
Because it can do so much, the thought of starting down the data analytic road can be daunting. So before you start down that analytical road, answer these three questions. They will keep you on the right road.
1. What are you going to do with the information (i.e., what decisions will you make with the information)? Will you be launching a new membership campaign? Is your casual dining room getting a little outdated and needing an updated and revised menu? How can employee-facing technology help you attract and keep a great service staff? Each of these questions requires different data sets and analytical tools.
2. Where do you find the information needed to make the decision? For instance, to measure the success of your upcoming membership campaign, you can leverage internal data sources. Metrics such as website traffic and references from current members can indicate the campaign’s effectiveness. Comparing changes in membership and revenues before, during and after the campaign can translate raw data into actionable insights.
If you are considering revising the restaurant, menu engineering can be useful. And, of course, collecting and analyzing all forms of members’ comments or survey responses will provide additional data points to analyze the overall dining experience.
To help you decide whether to adopt employee-facing technology, you can go to external databases and resources that offer insights into technology, trends, employee satisfaction and industry benchmarks. These might include comprehensive meta-analyses and research articles on technology adoption by employees published in academic journals and surveys conducted by CMAA and/or consulting firms.
3. How do you make the information usable? The answer to this question will help direct you to the most valuable data sets and analytical programs. A feature I always look for in any data analytical program is whether its output can be shown visually or pictorially.
If you have ever stared at a massive spreadsheet of data but could not see a trend or a pattern, you know how much more effective a visualization can be. As the old saying goes, one picture is worth a thousand words. Look for a program that can transform complex data sets into more visually understandable formats, helping in better analysis and decision-making.
Three examples: Tableau can handle large amounts of data and has a user-friendly interface. Power BI can connect
to various data sources, simplify data preparation, and drive ad hoc analysis. Google Charts can display data in a variety of chart types and is integrated into Google’s ecosystem.
Using data analysis in clubs is invaluable, transforming raw data into strategic insights that will drive informed decision-making. By leveraging data analytics, you will have a clearer understanding of member preferences, industry trends and operational efficiencies. This can lead to more personalized member experiences, improved revenues, and give your club a stronger competitive advantage.
Integrating data analytics into club operations is not just a trend. It is a pivotal element that can significantly improve service delivery, member satisfaction and revenues. Your bottom line will thank you. BR
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be Marty McFly in “Back to the Future,” go back in time and adapt to a different period? While the movie is fictional and entertaining, it seems to be sending us a message about how important it is to embrace change. And while it may not always be easy, eventually we will appreciate the difference and use the change to our advantage. As Dr. Emmett Brown says, “Life doesn’t always follow a straight path, and sometimes the most exciting adventures happen off-road.”
This is how I think about data analytics.
The Colony Bay Club Bonita Springs, FL
HISTORICAL COMMITTEE
TOM NEILL
Tom Neill is president of Private Club Historical (www.clubhistorical.com). His company creates strategic historical plans, discovers club history, designs historical exhibits, displays, books and historical videos. He may be reached at (949) 497-6543 or via email: tom@privateclubhistorical.com
The Role of History in Creating Value and Pride in Private Clubs
In the private club world, the initiation fee is more than just a price tag – it reflects the club’s value, identity and exclusivity. While many factors play into how a club sets its fees, one often overlooked yet powerful determinant is the club’s history and how it’s presented.
A well-curated historical exhibit doesn’t just chronicle a club’s past achievements; it creates a deep sense of belonging, pride and emotional investment among members. This connection to its legacy can significantly enhance a club’s perceived value, setting it apart from competitors and justifying a higher initiation fee.
I recall one particular moment at an exhibit we curated for a prestigious private club. A longtime member approached me, tears in his eyes, and said, “I never knew this happened here! I feel so proud to be a part of this club, my club!”
This profound emotional connection makes history a vital asset for any private club. When members see themselves as part of something steeped in tradition and achievement, they’re more than willing to invest in that legacy.
CREATING A SENSE OF BELONGING THROUGH HISTORY
Displaying a club’s history is more than collecting old photographs and memorabilia. It’s about telling the club’s story in a way that resonates with members today, making them feel like they are part of an ongoing narrative.
When members feel connected to the club’s history, they no longer see themselves as paying customers; they understand their role as stewards of an institution that transcends time. This sense of belonging increases members’ willingness to invest financially in the club’s future through initiation fees, annual dues and other contributions.
Every club has unique milestones – tournaments, notable members, architectural changes and contributions to the community – that form its identity. By displaying this rich narrative, a club offers more than amenities; it gives members a chance to connect with a storied past and, in turn, make their mark on its future. This is the intangible quality that many clubs miss when they fail to showcase their heritage.
DIFFERENTIATING THE CLUB IN A COMPETITIVE MARKET
In a competitive landscape, clubs vie for the attention of discerning individuals who have many options. Amenities
like golf courses, tennis courts and wellness centers are important, but they are no longer enough to set a club apart. A well-documented history adds a personal, emotional dimension to membership. It elevates the club from a place of recreation to a place of legacy.
This emotional connection also offers tangible benefits. Prospective members want to join a club with a rich history because it promises exclusive services and entry into a prestigious community. They are willing to pay a premium because they know they are investing in something with a deep-rooted identity.
EVEN NEWER CLUBS CAN SHOWCASE THEIR STORY
While older clubs may have decades or even centuries of history to share, newer clubs can also leverage the power of storytelling. Just because a club is younger doesn’t mean it lacks meaningful moments to highlight. From the founding vision, key events, early members and contributions to the community, newer clubs can begin building a narrative that sets the stage for future generations.
In fact, documenting a club’s growth from its inception can be a unique draw, allowing newer members to feel like they are part of something special from the ground up.
By celebrating early milestones and honoring those who played a role in their development, newer clubs can create a sense of tradition. This establishes a foundation that evolves and builds loyalty among members who want to be part of an ongoing story. History isn’t just for established clubs –it’s a tool for any club looking to create a lasting legacy.
HISTORICAL DISPLAYS AS A FINANCIAL ASSET
When history is displayed well, it elevates the club in the eyes of its current and prospective members. For instance, clubs with strong historical narratives often see increased membership retention and loyalty, as members take pride in belonging to something so meaningful. The exhibit becomes a tool for marketing, offering prospective members an engaging glimpse into the club’s distinguished past and making them want to be part of its future.
Clubs that showcase their history often find that members become their greatest ambassadors. They share stories of
Congratulations
MOVERS & SHAKERS
BOARDROOM magazine is promoting advancement in the club industry via its Movers and Shakers section on the website.
This section pays tribute to new placements and advancement for club executives and staff.
In addition to announcements on social media and on the website, these posts are shared through bi-weekly and monthly emails. Scan
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
KRIS BUTTERFIELD
Kris Butterfield is the director of people and culture at La Cumbre Country Club in Santa Barbara, CA. She can be reached at (805) 563-1622 or via email: kris@lacumbrecc.org
Onboarding and Orientation Set the Stage for Success
We keep reminding each other how the private club world has changed significantly over the past five years. This amount of change in a short time has disrupted our established norms, but what have we done about it?
The topic of orientation and onboarding is consistently discussed among membership professionals and has also become popular among the HR group. Unfortunately, many clubs eliminated new member and new employee orientations from their onboarding routines.
While it is understandable that your new server needed to start yesterday and your new member wants to use the club this weekend, how does this impact your club culture in the long run?
We can’t succeed without knowing what is expected of us, and orientations set those expectations. We ensure everyone is on the same page when we provide new members and new employees with a clear understanding of the club. This encourages satisfaction, commitment and loyalty. Before you know it, new members will refer new members, and great employees will refer great talent.
Onboarding and orientations are perfect opportunities to set the stage for success. This isn’t rocket science, just proven techniques. They lay the foundation for a harmonious, collaborative and trustworthy environment for members and your team. No one wants to feel out of place on their first visit to your club. You know the consequences of a bad first impression, and these initial programs allow everyone to adopt your club’s ideals.
Our club culture is the core of our heart and soul. Your membership and HR professionals are the first line of defense. We know about the outrageous expense of a bad hire and the headache of bringing in a problematic member. We can and should avoid some of these issues during pre-boarding if we look for red flags early on.
We can’t succeed without knowing what is expected of us, and orientations set those expectations. We ensure everyone is on the same page when we provide new members and new employees with a clear understanding of the club. This encourages satisfaction, commitment and loyalty. Before you know it, new members will refer new members, and great employees will refer great talent.
Culture disruption is real and has impacted most of us, but it is time to revert our focus to the beginning of our member and employee life cycles. Our professionals are inundated and likely daunted by how other clubs execute their onboarding and orientations. Instead of focusing on going over the top, stay on-brand and true to your culture. You know your club better than anyone; this is the time to share your uniqueness.
You know what happens when you lead a horse to water, but what if you served Kool-Aid instead? BR
KATHY HEIL
Kathy Heil is one of the partners at StoryTeller Club Marketing. Kathy can be contacted at kathy@clubmarketing.com or 612-747-6902.
Modernize Your Club’s Approach to Attracting Members in 2025
Club leaders face a critical challenge in the rapidly evolving landscape of private clubs: attracting and retaining members in an increasingly digital world.
This next year brings a paradigm shift in membership marketing, requiring a delicate balance between preserving tradition and embracing innovation. The private club landscape looks different in 2025. Clubs must balance the allure of exclusivity with the needs and desires of modern, digitally connected audiences. Attracting and retaining these new prospective members requires a proactive approach.
From reimagining your online presence to leveraging data-driven insights, the following ideas provide a roadmap for clubs aiming to stay competitive and relevant. As the industry adapts to changing demographics and technical advancements, these insights are designed to challenge the status quo of club marketing to drive sustainable membership growth.
1. Embrace digital transformation
Private clubs must recognize the potential of digital communications. In 2025, a robust online presence isn’t an option–it’s a necessity.
• Revamp your website: Your website is a “first impression,” even if it isn’t the prospective member’s first interaction with your club. It should be a 24/7 sales resource that educates potential members about your club. A robust, informative website removes barriers to entry and enables interested parties to engage with your club– even outside of regular business hours. Highlight your club’s culture with engaging photos that include people, and publish compelling, relevant content that resonates with prospective members. A responsive, fast-loading, mobile-friendly mobile website is essential.
• Use social media: Younger, digitally connected audiences interact on social media, and your club should meet them there. Establish a strong presence on social platforms that align with your target audience. Share captivating visuals, behind-thescenes glimpses and member testimonials to generate interest and cultivate community.
• Invest in targeted advertising: Most private clubs, even those with 501(c)(7) status, can deploy appropriate, non-promotional messaging for online advertising campaigns. You can reach potential members based on demographics, interests and behaviors.
2. Use your CRM platform to create a personalized member experience
Personalization is key to attracting and retaining members. You can foster a sense of belonging and loyalty by tailoring your marketing efforts to individual preferences and needs.
• Implement a CRM system: A customer relationship management system is essential to personalize your communications. It tracks prospective member interactions, preferences and feedback. Use this data to provide personalized recommendations, offers and communications.
• Segment your leads: Clubs can also use CRM data to segment their audience into various categories, such as families, young professionals or corporations, and tailor their messaging accordingly.
• Automate follow-ups: Timing is everything when responding to membership inquiries. CRM systems allow clubs to automate personalized follow-up communications. For example, if a prospect downloads a membership guide or fills out a membership inquiry, the CRM can trigger a follow-up email sequence that guides the individual through the membership process.
3. Show value and transparency
Prospective members are bombarded with choices. You must clearly articulate your club’s value proposition to differentiate your private club from the rest. Be transparent about membership fees, benefits and expectations to build trust and attract the right members.
• Develop a compelling membership guide: Craft a visually appealing and informative brochure highlighting the club’s amenities, events and membership benefits. Emphasize the unique experiences and opportunities available to members and include your membership categories and fees.
• Create written and/or video testimonials: Prospective members rely heavily on recommendations and reviews, so testimonials provide social proof of member value and enjoyment. This builds credibility and trust, especially for potential members who may not be familiar with your club.
As we approach 2025, these digital adaptations are essential for survival and growth in a rapidly evolving landscape. Success will hinge on a club’s ability to balance traditions, like word-ofmouth marketing, with digital innovations that view technology as a tool to enhance, not replace, personal connections. It’s not about a one-time transformation but an ongoing journey of adaptation and refinement.
In essence, private clubs that will thrive will innovate without losing their identity, leveraging new tools to strengthen their unique value proposition. The future of private club membership growth is bright for those willing to embrace this challenge. BR
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
MELISSA LOW
Melissa Low, CAE, is vice president of communications and advocacy for the Club Management Association of America. For the latest information on these and other issues affecting the club industry, please visit CMAA’s Legislative Report blog at www.cmaa.org.
2024 Legislative and Regulatory Wrap-Up Proposed
OSHA Heat Stress Rule, the End of the 80/20/30 Tip Rule, and Next Overtime
It has been a busy year with several significant regulatory changes impacting the operations of clubs, from changes in how employees and independent contractors are classified to the rules for overtime eligibility.
As we wrap up 2024, more changes are on the horizon.
OSHA UNVEILS PROPOSED HEAT STRESS RULE
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued its proposed regulation for heat injury and illness prevention in outdoor and indoor work settings. The proposed rule has been in development since October 2021.
Clubs with employees who conduct indoor and outdoor work would be required to create a plan to evaluate and control heat hazards in the workplace. Exemptions would exist for employees exposed to heat for a short duration, those engaged in emergency response activities, those who work at indoor sites where temperatures do not exceed 79 degrees, and those engaged in indoor, sedentary activities.
Clubs would be required to:
• Create and implement a work site heat injury and illness prevention plan with information specific to the club’s location to evaluate and control heat hazards in the workplace.
• Identify heat hazards in both the club’s outdoor and indoor workplaces.
° For outdoor locations like the golf course/range, racquet sports courts, pool, marina, and/or outdoor dining locations, clubs would be required to monitor heat conditions by tracking local heat index forecasts or measuring heat index or wet bulb globe temperature.
° For indoor locations like physical plants, laundry rooms, and/or kitchens, clubs would be required to identify work areas with the potential for hazardous heat exposure, develop and implement monitoring, and seek employee input.
Increase
• Create a heat emergency response plan and be prepared to take steps when an employee begins experiencing the signs and symptoms of a heat-related illness or heat emergency.
• Conduct annual training for supervisors, heat safety coordinators and employees, as well as supplemental training as needed following changes in exposure or the occurrence of a heat injury/illness.
• Document and maintain records (electronic or written) of indoor monitoring data for at least six months.
• Provide all the required accommodations at no cost to the employee.
The proposed rule establishes two heat triggers, with the initial at a heat index of 80 degrees and the high at a heat index of 90 degrees. Each trigger requires its own set of mandated control measures by the club.
The proposed rule is available for public comment. You can submit comments and attachments electronically at regulations. gov, Docket No. OSHA-2021-0009, until Dec. 30.
DOL’S TIP RULE STRUCK DOWN BY COURT OF APPEALS
Nearly three years after it became effective, the Department of Labor’s existing rule limiting the amount of time that tipped employees can perform non-tipped work when an employer uses the tip credit was struck down by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The rule had been in effect since Dec. 28, 2021, and was struck down on Aug. 23.
“At Addison Reserve, we have been privileged to partner with Steve Berlin for nearly two decades. His custom outdoor, pool, and patio furniture has consistently exemplified the highest standards of quality. Beyond his craftsmanship, Steve’s reliability and commitment to his promises have been unwavering. He is not just a remarkable furniture maker but a tremendous individual whose integrity and dedication are second to none.”
Michael McCarthy, CEO & General Manager, Addison Reserve Country Club
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
Excellence in Action What Makes Top Clubs Exceptional
In the sophisticated and competitive realm of country clubs, maintaining optimal operations while consistently delivering high-quality service to members is non-negotiable.
However, achieving this balance requires more than day-today management; it necessitates strategic oversight and meticulous evaluation. This is where an operational audit comes in—a comprehensive examination of a country club’s operations to ensure efficacy, compliance and member satisfaction.
An operational audit delves into a country club’s procedural and functional aspects. Unlike financial audits, which focus on the accuracy of financial reporting, operational audits are broader in scope. They encapsulate the evaluation of internal controls, administrative and support activities, the effectiveness of policies and procedures, and the overall performance of various club departments.
One primary reason for conducting an operational audit is to identify inefficiencies within the club’s operations. Inefficiencies can stem from outdated practices, redundant processes or inadequate resource allocation. Through detailed scrutiny, an operational audit can pinpoint areas where time, money or effort is being wasted. This can lead to significant cost savings and improved resource utilization.
For instance, the audit might reveal that the procurement process for kitchen supplies is overly complicated, causing delays and higher costs. Streamlining this process reduces expenses and ensures the dining services operate smoothly, enhancing member satisfaction.
Country clubs must adhere to numerous regulations, including health and safety standards, labor laws and environmental guidelines. An operational audit examines whether these regulations are consistently followed. Non-compliance can lead to severe consequences, including fines, legal ramifications and reputational damage.
Additionally, audits can assess the club’s adherence to internal policies and guidelines. This examination ensures that management practices align with the club’s values and objectives, promoting a culture of integrity and accountability.
A country club thrives on its members’ satisfaction and loyalty. An operational audit assesses aspects impacting the member experience, such as service quality, facility maintenance and staff professionalism.
For example, if the audit uncovers frequent complaints about slow service at the club restaurant, management can take targeted actions to address these issues, such as staff training or process adjustment.
KEITH FISHER
Keith Fisher, PGA Certified Professional, is a PGA Career Consultant serving the North Florida, PGA Section. He can be reached at (937) 475-4509 or kfisher@pgahq.com.
Member feedback is often a critical component of an operational audit, providing insights that might not be evident through regular management reviews. This feedback helps tailor improvements to meet member expectations more precisely.
Data-driven decision-making is at the heart of effective management. An operational audit generates valuable data and insights about the club’s performance across various functions. This information is instrumental in strategic planning and decision-making.
For example, audit findings might highlight declining usage of a particular facility, suggesting the need for revitalization or repurposing to serve members’ interests better. The audit offers an empirical basis for such decisions, reducing the reliance on gut feeling and anecdotal evidence.
An operational audit isn’t a one-time event but a cornerstone of continuous improvement. The audit process identifies areas needing improvement and tracks progress over time. Follow-up audits ensure that corrective actions have been effective and identify new areas for enhancement.
This cycle of evaluation and improvement fosters a culture of excellence. It ensures that the country club evolves with changing member needs, industry trends and regulatory requirements, thereby maintaining its competitive edge.
Transparency and accountability are vital for maintaining trust among members and staff. An operational audit enhances transparency by providing a clear picture of the club’s operations and identifying areas of concern. This, in turn, fosters a sense of accountability as staff and management are aware that their actions and processes are subject to scrutiny.
Regularly conducted operational audits can also boost morale among staff, as they see the organization’s commitment to high standards and improvement. This can lead to higher job satisfaction, reduced turnover and a more engaged and motivated team.
An operational audit is invaluable for any country club aiming to ensure efficient, compliant and member-centric operations. It goes beyond the superficial aspects of management to uncover deep-seated issues and opportunities for improvement.
An operational audit lays the foundation for a thriving and sustainable country club by enhancing efficiency, ensuring compliance, improving member experience, supporting strategic decisions, facilitating continuous improvement, and promoting transparency and accountability. Embracing this practice is not merely an option but an essential strategy for long-term success. BR
WES HAGEN
Wes Hagen is brand ambassador and educator for Native9 Wine (native9.com) and an international wine consultant. He can be reached at weswines@gmail.com or (805) 450-2324.
The Nuts and Bolts of Club Staff Training for Wine
THE FACTS OF WINE
Thus far we have discussed club wine programs at a theoretical level, but today’s all about brass tacks—real strategies to apply in training and on the floor.
When I visit restaurants or country clubs for wine training, here is the program I use.
• Bring in all staff who communicate with membership about wine and/or wine and food for mandatory, paid service training.
• Hand out a copy of the Court of Master Sommelier Service Standards, available online at www.mastersommeliers.org/. This sets the standard we want to achieve.
• If your employees are tipped, note that selling six bottles of wine per shift at $50 per bottle would add over $20,000 in tips in a year, working four shifts a week. Serving staff can make more on selling a bottle of wine on the floor than the winemaker, winery owner or distributor/salesperson.
• I find that most club staff cannot pronounce their club’s wine list. Do a “table-reading” of your menu and wine list. Each staff member takes turns reading a wine’s title and appellation off the list, with a knowledgeable somm or consultant listening to ensure pronunciation is 100 percent accurate. Do the same with the menu.
• Develop a “pocket-match” cheat sheet/flash card to match every wine by the glass with an excellent match on the menu, and vice versa. Staff should also be able to match any wine by the bottle with a few menu items, but start with the BTG list.
• This can be done quarterly and for onboarding new employees. Bring veteran staff back for each training cycle to refresh and allow them to show expertise.
The deep dive.
• Twice a year, take a half day to taste (and spit!) the entire wine list with the staff. This may seem laborious and expensive, but trying to sell something you’ve never tasted is unrealistic. Have the chef prepare shared plates for the table of the most popular menu items (or all of them!) and lead the staff through what makes a good wine and food match. Distributors will provide samples for these training sessions and may be willing to teach about the wines.
• Run contests for the highest wine sales at each restaurant/cantina. Your vendors/distributors would likely love to provide wine prizes, magnums, trips, etc.
It’s easy to become overwhelmed with daily concerns with membership and F&B and run a tired, complacent wine program. Like everything in life, you must dig deep and work harder than other F&Bs to produce a wine program worth celebrating. Gather your staff and ask how they want to learn about wine for better sales.
Next issue: Teaching wine to your members: A practical and active approach. BR
GREGG PATTERSON
Gregg Patterson is founder and president of Tribal Magic. He can be reached via email: GJPAir@aol.com
Leather Up for the Change Challenge
Change is a pain.
Creativity is all about introducing the new, the different and the improved—but the journey to new isn’t easy and it isn’t painless for change managers who make new and different happen. Emotional stuff—and protection is needed.
Change will always create friction, resistance and blowback because club cultures have traditions, momentum and a deeply embedded historical direction, and changing course will create a bumpy ride. Members and staff don’t like their routines changed, their expectations altered, their core values questioned, and they don’t take kindly to change managers who generate “creative dissonance” within the culture.
Change is a pain generator for managers. Because they want to be loved, honored and employed “long time, big time,” GMs hesitate to rock the boat and upset the board, the members and the staff. They want to achieve great things and be memorialized in myth and legend as heroes and heroines. Change managers want to accomplish all that without confrontation, hysterics or sleepless nights, but it ain’t going to happen.
Times are changing fast, changes are needed and change agents are a “must-have” to make change happen. These brave souls, these GMs, these change managers need to be steeled against the social and emotional pounding that accompanies change. What to anticipate? How to prepare? How to thicken the skin and stiffen resolve?
If a manager sees the need for change and is eager to become a change agent, or if the manager is thrust into the change manager’s role, like it or not, the manager needs to consider a few of the people pitfalls on the journey to change.
Consider these challenges and “leather up.”
Change challenges
Every change manager, every creative personality who’s tried to move employees, committees, boards and members from where they are now to where they’d like them to be has encountered the same “people challenges” and emotional pummeling during the change adventure. Consider these change challenges and take comfort from a bit of Shakespeare: ”Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.”
It’s going to get lonely: Friends, confidants and supporters evaporate when controversies arise. It’s you against the world. Get primed for loneliness. Emotional stuff—get used to it.
Gotta articulate and defend the vision: The change manager needs to articulate the “change vision” lots in clear and understandable language and then defend that vision against the roadblockers who love to insult your thinking and say no to the changes. Painful stuff—saying it right, getting pummeled for saying it and fighting back against the yowlers and howlers. Emotional stuff—get used to it.
Naysayers will enjoy giving the changer the third degree: Change managers will encounter naysayers in the card room, grill room, first tee, boardroom and staff lounge. Negative types will find it amusing to skewer the changer loudly and personally and enjoy the public humiliation they deliver. Naysaying and stirring the pot are great fun. Emotional stuff—get used to it.
Change managers become the face of change and will be the focal point of conversation: Change managers can’t hide, are public property and are easy targets for abuse and harassment; they will become the bogeyman for the changes being made. Their presence will energize passions and opinions, and their motives, methods and results will be questioned vocally, publicly and often. Emotional stuff—get used to it.
Growing “muscle memory”: The change manager’s vision of the good is often deeply at odds with the muscle memory of the staff and the “expectations memory” of the members. Changes don’t stick until people make those changes part of the culture—part of the club’s muscle memory. Getting new ideas to stick is difficult, time-consuming, frustrating and discouraging. Constant oversight, correction, repetition and reinforcement are “must-do’s.” Generating stick “ain’t easy” and it isn’t fun. Emotional stuff—get used to it.
Changers will second-guess and agonize over the changes they’ve made: Change managers are frequently
bruised by members and staff, and second-guessing their decisions is natural, inevitable and painful. Agonizing questions arise. Is this change right for these players, these circumstances and this club? Did I do the change right? Did I do the change wrong? Doubt—questioning the who, what, how and why—is part of the process and healthy. Emotional stuff—get used to it.
Trust takes time: A track record of success is the engine of trust. Until the manager’s goodwill bank account is filled with operational victories, there’ll be no trust; without trust, there’ll be no psychic peace. Emotional stuff—get used to it.
The lieutenants are “the manager” in members’ eyes: Managers will be judged by the lieutenants they select, cultivate and keep. Every step the lieutenants take is examined and critiqued, and the lieutenants are considered reflections of the leaders who chose them. Choosing the right lieutenants is nerve-wracking. Ensuring the lieutenants “do good” is nerve-wracking. Emotional stuff—get used to it.
The symbol of the good or the bad: The change manager symbolizes the club’s success or failure. People look to the GM to carry them forward, slay the dragons, make them proud to be who they are as a community. Whether the change agent likes it or not, the change agent becomes the symbol of “the new direction.” If the new direction succeeds, the change agent is cheered as a hero; if the new direction fails, the change agent will be ridiculed, scorned and rejected. Emotional stuff—get used to it.
Will this change be enough: Change agents love the adrenalin hit of change and are often bored senseless by the routines needed to maintain those changes. They hunger for the next challenge, the next big change that will stretch them to a new level of achievement. Is a new type of leadership needed? Does the manager stay, or does the manager go—for their good and that of the club? Answering that question is a challenge for both the GM and the club. Emotional stuff—get used to it.
LEATHER UP
At some point in a manager’s career, the manager will become an agent of operational or policy change. It won’t be easy, it won’t be fun, and it won’t be pretty, but it’ll be interesting, challenging and endlessly entertaining. Emotions need protection. Knowing “what’s coming” will help a change manager leather up.
Prepare for the change adventure. Anticipate the challenges. Align your expectations. Don your armor. And enjoy the adventure. BR
Dear Dave, Congratulations on your upcoming retirement. Thank you for your patience, leadership and good humor all these years. Now you can devote your time to your favorite pastimes - husband, father and grandfather.
Bill Thomas, Distinguished Clubs
David’s hard work and ingenuity have made the BoardRoom magazine a must read for all who wish to make their clubs the best they can be. As a contributing writer, I’ve been lucky to work with many editors from industry-leading publications, and David has been one of the best. Sorry to see you go, but you deserve to start a new chapter of your life without deadlines! Thank you for all you’ve done for the industry and BoardRoom. Cheers!
Brad D. Steele, J.D., Founder, Private Club Consultants
Dave White and I have worked together on me writing and Dave editing for over 20 years I believe, and I assure you my articles usually needed a lot of editing. Dave was the leader in bringing to golf course management the Superintendents side of the equation in regards to situations and solutions. Dave….. SO MANY OWE YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU MY FRIEND!
Dave Doherty
Thank you, Dave, for including and spotlighting Addison Reserve CC over the years. We wish you much happiness in retirement!
Denise Saari, Membership & Marketing Manager, Addison Reserve Country Club
Dave White has been a superstar at BoardRoom for decades—and a joy for all of us “scribbleres” to work with, to laugh with and to reflect with. But beyond his editing talents, Dave is a biker (a Chautauquan no less!!!), a traveler, a racconteur and an always interesting and energizing person with a zest for the madness of clubdom and life. THANKS times ten for each of the many memories you’ve given me and all the others who’ve known and worked with you over the years!!!
Gregg Patterson, Founder, Tribal Magic
It’s been such a pleasure to work with Dave over the years! He has always been so responsive, collaborative, and easy to work with. All the very best to him for his next chapter!
Julia Kelly, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Troon
Congrats to Dave on his retirement. In the years I’ve been writing for BoardRoom, I’ve always been impressed by Dave’s willingness to go “outside the box” and embrace different topics. His inclusion of writing has always been most appreciated.
Larry Hirsh, Golf Property Analysts
Dave’s dedication, vision, and passion have shaped the voice of BoardRoom magazine and it has been my pleasure to collaborate with him for so many years. His keen eye, thoughtful guidance, and tireless support have been an inspiration to all who have had the privilege to work with him. Dave, as you turn the page to a well-deserved retirement, know that your legacy will continue to resonate through every story told and every word printed. Thank you for everything, and here’s to the next chapter!
Congratulations – Thank you for the years of help and support. Enjoy the rest of the journey! Peter Cafaro, JBD JGA
Dave, your editorial leadership at BoardRoom magazine has set a standard of excellence in the club industry. Your years of providing insightful, high-quality content has moved the industry forward significantly and your impact will resonate with us for years to come.
Frank Wolfe, CAE, FIH, CEO, HFTP
Dear Dave, thank you for your years of dedication to BoardRoom magazine, which has provided our club leaders, board members, and stakeholders with valuable insights. Your commitment has truly elevated our industry, and I deeply appreciate all you’ve done.
Jeremy Hoch, Founding Partner, Club Data Services
Congratulations, Dave. You have been a true inspiration to our industry over the years and have made such a positive impact on BoardRoom Magazine, but more importantly, on our industry as a whole. I think back to the articles we worked on over 20 years ago—it’s amazing how time flies. I am so happy for you and your family, and I congratulate you on an unbelievable career.
Michael McCarthy, CEO & General Manager, Addison Reserve Country Club
Dave White is the ultimate professional. A talented writer and a first class gentleman. His genius will be missed.
Frank Gore, Distinguished Clubs
Consistency is the foundation of being a professional. Dave has demonstrated consistency to the mission, to the task and to the industry for a significant number of years. Consistently educating the volunteer leaders and professional staff of thousands of private clubs. Dave is a model of consistency and professionalism.
Ray Cronin, Founder and Chief Innovator, Club Benchmarking
David, you have been an inspiration to so many for so long, there is nothing adequate to say how great it was to work with you over these many years. As you ease off into more frequent hikes in the Kootenays, skiing and bicycling, you continue to shine as a beacon of remaining fit and living a long and happy life. I, as one of many, will miss you old friend.
Rick Coyne, President, Club Mark Advisors
Working with Dave has been an absolute pleasure. His leadership style—thoughtful, engaging, and always supportive—has made BoardRoom not just a publication, but a family. Dave’s impact on the industry is immeasurable. He has fostered a culture of innovation, professionalism, and teamwork, all while making sure every issue delivered something truly special. His legacy of excellence will be felt long after his transition, and I am excited for the next chapter under his continued guidance.
Robert D.
Podley,
CCM, CAM, GM/COO, Colonial Country Club
Lynne LaFond DeLuca, Executive Director Association of Club Catering
& Event Professionals (ACCP)
Working with Dave has been an absolute pleasure—he consistently embodies integrity and professionalism in everything he does. Biggest thanks!
Melissa Low, CAE, Vice President, Communications & Advocacy Club Management Association of America
David … what a pleasure it’s been working with you over the many years. What a true professional you are. I especially appreciate your guidance, patience and sense of humor working with such an inexperience “writer” like me! All the very best for all your future endeavors … please stay in touch! Best Regards!
Michael G. Leemhuis - M.A Ed, CCM, CCE, PGA. Principal , Leemhuis Consult,LLC
It has been such a pleasure to work with Dave! I have enjoyed our discussions and will miss his insights that have benefitted so many clubs!
Robyn Nordin Stowell, Partner, Spencer Fane LLP
BoardRoom magazine is an incredible resource and tool for private club managers and board/committee members. With the dedicated service and amazing skills of Dave White, editor, the magazine has earned the reputation as the number one publication in the private club industry. A big part of this is because of Dave’s outstanding attention to messaging, commitment to details and one of kind linguistic knowledge. It’s been a pleasure and an honor to work with Dave over the many years that I have had the privilege to write for BoardRoom. So glad that Dave is still connected and working for the publication.
Ronald Banaszak, CCM, CCE, COO, Distinguished Clubs
Searching for the truth, the light
Distinguished Dave White
Haiku for Dave White written by Ronald F. Cichy, O.M. professor emeritus, Michigan State University
Thank you for the content, collaboration, and continuity you have provided readers and writers throughout your time at BoadRoom. Thank you for your impact and legacy to the private club industry.
Ryan Doerr, President, Strategic Club Solutions
I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation for your invaluable contributions to the private club industry and the CMAA. Your leadership at BoardRoom Magazine has greatly inspired and informed our community, and for that, I am truly grateful.
Skip Avery, CCM, CCE, CMAA Fellow, Club Development Director, Stone Group Architects
Congratulations on a wonderful 22-year run as editor of BoardRoom magazine. It has been a pleasure to know you throughout your tenure, in my capacities of CEO of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, CEO of the World Golf Foundation, and, as Director of Governance & Leadership for Club Benchmarking. I have especially enjoyed working closely with you during these past six years in my role with Club Benchmarking. Together, we’ve collaborated on a thrice-yearly article, which has been a pleasure to write with your guidance, support and editing. I hope you’ll take time to enjoy the best that life has to offer. You have certainly earned that privilege. All the best, my friend.
Steve Mona, Director of Governance & Leadership, Club Benchmarking
Dave, congratulations on your retirement. I remember in 2016, during my tenure as President of PCMA, when we met, the first thing you said was “we’ve got to get you some press.” Well eight years later, I’m still benefiting from your encouragement. Thank you for all you have done for the club industry, the professionals you’ve changed, and now enjoy time for you.
Susan Greene, LCAM, GM/COO, Waterlefe Golf & River Club
Without Dave White there would not be a BoardRoom magazine. Dave White attended the birth of the BoardRoom magazine and, over the past 22 years, he has overseen it from elementary school to a PHD from Harvard!
Steve Graves, President, Creative Golf Marketing
Dave, you are incredibly easy to work with. Your forward-thinking ideas and suggestions have left a lasting impression. I wish you the best in this next chapter.
Corey Saban, CS Media Works
Congratulations to Dave White on an amazing career with BoardRoom magazine! As the nation’s leading insurance provider for private and semi-private golf and country clubs nationwide, we deeply appreciate Dave’s dedication to educating and elevating the private club industry. Your visionary leadership has inspired so many, Dave—thank you!
Phil Harvey Jr, EVP, Preferred Club Insurance Program
Always professional, kind and patient, that’s Dave, and that’s why he’s been amazing to work with over the many years!
Joelle Creamer, Creamer & Co, LLC
I have written BoardRoom articles for 10+ years. And – Dave White can be blamed for that! My initial amateurish submissions could/should have been rejected immediately along with a curt note encouraging me not to offer any further. (Hold your applause, please.) BUT – Dave, as a professional writer/editor, took the time to wade through my original submission and sensed that the SUBSTANCE was of value, but conveyed in a rather amateurish STYLE of writing. He got back to me with professional advice and as a result, I was mentored to be more focused in writing. Dave’s influence enabled me to ultimately progress from writing short articles to authoring a book! Thank you, Dave!
Michael Crandal, CNG
PUBLISHER’S FINAL THOUGHTS
David, your contributions to the private club industry are invaluable. Through your commitment and tireless efforts you’ve elevated the knowledge and professionalism of countless industry leaders. I appreciate not just the big things you’ve accomplished, but all the little things you do for me daily; it means more to me than you know. All that you’ve done has made such a profound impact on me personally, on our industry and on those around you.
Your work has left a lasting legacy—one that continues to shape the future of our industry. I know I speak for so many who may not have the chance to say it directly, but your years of devoted service have made a difference we will not forget. Wishing you all the best as you embark on this well-deserved retirement. Thank you for everything, David.
If you would like to send David a note or letter of congratulations, he can be reached at whitepks@mac .com
John Fornaro, Publisher, BoardRoom magazine
Innovate with AI Tips to Use Large Language Models Effectively
On Sept. 12, OpenAI, the developer of the large language model ChatGPT and its various iterations, released its newest version, GPT-o1.
What is different about this release is that a new artificial intelligence language model, Strawberry, was used. This model should improve the reasoning and problem-solving capabilities of existing language, which is currently in the generative AI that most of us have begun to make mainstream.
That said, while current generative AI models may not have a reasoning component, they facilitate many tasks. One is the analysis of large amounts of data, as they provide a general overview of what the data is saying from varying perspectives in an easy-to-understand format.
GENERATIVE AI IN CLUBS
Generative AI is a language model used to create bespoke content by analyzing patterns, previous behaviors and examples. Machine learning is one term used to explain the process. The technology learns or sees repeated behavior and mimics these when prompted. Examples are ChatGPT, Gemini, Pilot and Poe.
The main stakeholders for clubs are their members, and ensuring they receive the level of service they expect is a top priority. Using generative AI offered in existing applications or as a stand-alone option can provide a valuable resource for management and staff to learn about members’ preferences, past experiences, and use or purchasing trends, allowing club management to proactively anticipate members’ needs and create personalized experiences.
How generative AI can be applied in a club environment varies. Some of the ways it is being used today are: Communication: Many software options exist that help facilitate the development of newsletters, invitations, announcements and club marketing. Such applications can allow clubs to speed up communication with members at lower costs without compromising quality.
Golf course maintenance: The use of drones to oversee areas of the golf course is not a new practice; however, now incorporating other generative AI applications, the data from the drone flights can be used to manage irrigation and maintenance requirements through systems communication, increasing efficiency and helping to manage costs.
Reservation systems: Systems incorporating generative AI can facilitate bookings for tee times, catering, restaurant reservations or special club events. These systems remember member preferences and can cue members to quickly make their arrangements while providing operations with the information they need to plan the members’ experiences.
WHAT CLUB PROFESSIONALS SHOULD KNOW
Prompting should be clear and specific. The process of asking for information is called “prompting.” When using generative AI, phrasing questions or requested information must be clearly defined and specific to obtain the best outputs or responses. Users should learn how to write effective prompts. There is a possibility of misinformation. “Hallucinating” refers to responses received from generative AI applications that are inaccurate, misleading or entirely made up. Often, the responses are presented clearly and appear factual, but upon further research, they are clearly false. The number of hallucinations seen in an application can create distrust in results. Still, these can be diminished as more data is available on the topic at hand within the generative AI application or database.
Understand the risks of information-sharing. Large language models always remember, so be careful of the information you share within your prompts. For example, a club controller used ChatGPT to assist with the profit and loss statement. The controller placed the club’s financials into the system and was impressed with the analysis provided. Now the club’s entire financial picture (including the backand-forth discussion the controller had about the analysis) is forever in the large language model’s memory – and it is also available to any other users who request this information with the right prompt.
Essentially, a modern large language model can function operationally as an unpaid intern if its capabilities are leveraged effectively. You can use it in many ways – perhaps for brainstorming ideas, assistance with Excel, writing emails or creating staff schedules. But don’t become too overly reliant on it and always double-check its work. And if you look at it as an unpaid intern, think of it as one who likes to gossip – so don’t offer sensitive information you wouldn’t want shared with the public. ➤
Given the impact of AI and emerging large language models on the hospitality industry, HFTP will provide multiple opportunities for club professionals to learn how to innovate with AI. “Innovate with AI: How to Leverage Large Language Models for Club Success” was the topic of discussion at the HFTP 2024 Club Forum on Oct. 22 at the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Uncasville, Conn. HFTP has also developed a new micro-certificate to continue and further review the material presented at the Club Forum that will be available to interested club professionals. Learn more by visiting academy.hftp.org.
Arlene Ramirez, MBA, CHAE, CHE, CHIA, CAHTA is senior vice president of learning at HFTP. She brings a wealth of experience from academia and industry to her role as leader of the HFTP Academy, which offers the new “Innovate with AI: Leveraging Large Language Models for Club Excellence,” a micro-credential course for club professionals. She can be reached by email at arlene.ramirez@hftp.org.
Justin Taillon, CHTP, CHIA, MBA, PhD is a professor and department head of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Highline College and a member of the faculty of Central Washington University. He presented about AI in the club industry at the HFTP 2024 Club Forum. He can be reached by email at jtaillon@highline.edu.
their clubs’ past with friends, family and potential members. This word-of-mouth marketing, driven by personal connection, becomes invaluable in attracting the kind of membership that values tradition, community and exclusivity.
In today’s private club landscape, the initiation fee isn’t just about access to top-tier facilities. It’s about joining a community with a well-preserved legacy that members can feel proud of and connect to emotionally. By displaying the
club’s past in a way that tells a compelling story, the club creates an atmosphere of pride, belonging and exclusivity that justifies a premium initiation fee.
At Private Club Historical, we believe that history is more than a collection of dates and events – it’s a powerful tool for creating lasting value. Members who feel connected to a club’s past are more likely to invest in its future. And, when a club successfully showcases its history, it enriches its members’ experiences and sets itself apart in a competitive marketplace. History, in this sense, becomes a priceless asset. BR
practices, educate and train their supervisors and managers, and confirm existing state laws.
Under the rule, an employer could only use the tip credit when a tipped employee performs labor that produces tips and labor that directly supports tip-producing work if it is not performed for a “substantial amount of time.” The final rule defined a substantial amount of time as either (1) exceeding 20 percent of the hours worked during the employee’s workweek or (2) performing for a continuous period exceeding 30 minutes. The rule had become known as the 80/20/30 rule.
In the ruling, the Fifth Circuit stated that the rule was “arbitrary and capricious” and was “contrary to the Fair Labor Standards Act clear statutory text.” The Court referenced the recent reversal of the Chevron doctrine.
The ruling is applicable nationwide. Clubs using the tip credit should take time to evaluate their current business
DEPARTMENT
OF LABOR’S OVERTIME RULE: NEXT STAGE TO BECOME EFFECTIVE JANUARY 2025
On April 23, the Department of Labor released the expected final rule regulating which employees are eligible for overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The final rule increased the annual salary threshold in July. The next salary threshold update will become effective on Jan. 1, 2025. The standard salary threshold will increase to $58,656 (or $1,128 weekly), implementing the new benchmark calculation to the 35th percentile of weekly earnings of full-time salaried workers in the lowest-wage census region. For highly compensated employees, the new threshold as of Jan. 1, 2025, will be $151,164 annually. BR
GM to veer off the plan onto whatever initiative they deem to be better. The perceived unfairness of it all can be disconcerting. As difficult as that may be, a GM focused on the right principles of magnanimity and vision is better able to influence discussions and resolve disagreements.
GOOD ADVICE PUT TO THE TEST
So, what is the rest of the story from the two examples at the beginning of this article? Did the admonition to “keep calm and carry on” stand the test of challenges?
Our neighbor appreciated my question about the sign and told us about her daughter. Sadly, she had lost her battle
from Executive Committee | 40
• Ants understand the benefits of collective intelligence. An ant colony thrives on a connected network. Club professionals know hospitality must maintain the human element. But this shouldn’t translate into a lack of technology. Is your club team embracing the efficiencies of modern tools, such as artificial intelligence, high-functioning websites and mobile applications, user-friendly design platforms, cloud-based accessibility and CRM systems?
If ants were to work independently, the colony would perish. When club teams operate in silos, the brand promise
from Executive Committee - Pennell | 44
FINANCIAL PREPAREDNESS
Similar to identifying a “threat” in a SWOT analysis, your HCP must include strategies for addressing economic uncertainty before it impacts your club. Explore ways to adjust the business model and staffing levels without jeopardizing member service. What communication strategies need to be in place? What does “Plan B” look like? Having these conversations allows for preparedness. Economic uncertainty can affect member retention and club usage, so having cost-saving
from Global Perspective | 60
2. This committee should be described as a board committee responsible to and directed by the board of directors.
3. Chairperson – The sitting board chair should identify the designated committee chair who will speak for the committee for one year.
4. Activities, duties and responsibilities should describe the committee’s authority, expectations and responsibilities.
5. The delegation of authority details the kinds of decisions that the committee can make without formal approval from the board.
with cancer but not until she had left a foundation for her family to cling to after she was gone. Her loving husband was her strength and her three little boys her purpose. Those boys today are fine young men.
Our son, after the Marine Corps, was living what he believed was a normal life working on his degree. His experience as a Marine recon platoon commander operating in the deadly Sangin Valley of Afghanistan was still fresh in his mind. He learned the value of being a calm and dependable leader for his Marines. Through discipline and purpose, they accomplished every mission they were given. But most important to him is that he was grateful to bring all his Marines home alive.
“Keep calm and carry on” is excellent advice. BR
suffers, innovation falters, resources become scarce and the entire operation becomes vulnerable to external threats. Effective teamwork thrives on the synergy of collaboration. Operating like ants allows a club team to protect and serve the colony while aligning efforts to focus on meaningful, shared objectives. Is your club team ready to be like ants and go from silos to synergy? BR
Rob DeMore is president of Troon Privé, the private club division of Troon. He can be reached at rdemore@troon.com
Ed Doyle is president of RealFood Hospitality, Strategy & Design, a Troon company. He can be reached at eddoyle@rfhsd.com
measures outlined will ensure sustainability during challenging times while maintaining service quality.
LONG-TERM STRATEGIC WORKFORCE ALIGNMENT
As clubs evolve, their workforce must adapt accordingly. Use your HCP to ensure the right talent is in place to support these changes and deliver exceptional service. Align workforce and organizational strategies with long-term goals, membership growth and changing member expectations.
A well-executed HCP addresses crucial areas to support a club’s strategic plan. Including these components can ensure exceptional service and long-term success. BR
6. Standard committee procedures, such as cadence, frequency and location of meetings, should be outlined in the charter.
7. The term of service on the committee should be clearly stated as subject to the will of the sitting board chair.
8. Charters should be approved by the board and signed and dated by the board chair.
Past presidents are valuable advisors and can provide terrific insight for sitting boards and board chairs when empowered and guided with purpose and intent. BR
flag if a board member can’t carve out a few hours to attend an in-person board training.
“The most effective way to educate board members is to get the nuts and bolts of their training done at their convenience with online or video education, and then the cultural items, such as a physical tour of the facilities, need to be done in person,” the trio explained.
“Governance is not a static process; it evolves constantly because of changes in regulatory requirements, industry standards, and organizational challenges,” commented Roger Chao, a seasoned CEO and board consultant, based in Victoria, Australia.
“Relying solely on an annual board retreat means that any knowledge or insights gained during that event may quickly become outdated or forgotten. In many cases, new board members receive an information overload during these retreats, leaving them ill-prepared to retain and implement what they have learned over the long term.
“Relying on an annual retreat means that board members may not be made aware of changes in governance standards in real-time. This knowledge gap can result in non-compliance, reputational damage, and even legal consequences for the organization.
“Regular, ongoing governance training, on the other hand, can ensure that board members stay up-to-date with the latest regulations and best practices, allowing them to make informed decisions that align with legal requirements and ethical standards,” he added.
So, does this mean committee members should also be included in governance training?
“Committees are the training ground for your next board members, so ensuring they are properly educated and trained is very important,” KK&W’s Tom Wallace said.
“We believe there is a big hole in the industry when it comes to committee training. A lot of clubs are great at board orientations but then it drops off for committees. We strongly believe committees should be trained just as thoroughly as boards because their committee experience is their training for future board service. You should be picking future board members from your high-performing committee members.
“For us, an indication of dysfunctional governance is when the committees are pushing work to the board and management. The sign of good governance is when the committees understand and do the work of the board, not the other way around. So committee orientation is where they learn what work they are supposed to do,” Wallace added.
“Governance training for committee members is most important! This is the best learning opportunity for any club board,” stated APCD’s Welch. “As committee
"Kurt has led our annual Board self-evaluation and Governance Best Practices presentation for many years. Each year, he consistently delivers relevant knowledge and an invaluable perspective that truly resonates with our Board members. Kurt’s presentation style is engaging and highly articulate, capturing the attention of our Board and generating meaningful discussion. His thorough analysis of our year-over-year results goes beyond sharing information; he identifies trends, highlights areas for improvement, and offers practical, actionable advice tailored to our unique needs.
I know I am speaking on behalf of our entire Board when I say that Kurt’s expertise has become an integral part of our governance process and something we look forward to each year.”
“Governance training for committees plays a vital role in promoting a culture of accountability and ethical behavior within an organization. Committee members, particularly those on audit, risk, or ethics committees, are often responsible for overseeing the organization’s ethical standards and ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations. Training in governance principles helps to reinforce the importance of accountability, transparency and ethical conduct at all levels of the organization. Through governance training, committee members also learn how to identify potential conflicts of interest, uphold ethical standards, and promote a culture of accountability across the organization. When committee members are well-trained in governance, they are better equipped to hold management accountable and ensure that the organization operates consistently with its values and ethical obligations.”
Roger Chao, a seasoned CEO and board consultant, based in Victoria, Australia
from Publisher’s Perspective | 113
members understand the roles and responsibilities of committees, they will grow with the knowledge of best practices in the industry.
“They will learn that their role is to make recommendations to the board, not to give direction to the board or staff nor to spend club funds. This is the best place to begin the learning objectives of being a board member.
“Most GMs face more difficulties from committee members because their knowledge of how 501(c) 7 private clubs are run is minimal. In fact, I have never met a house committee member who understood food and beverage is an amenity, not a revenue producer. Committee members need knowledge of the income flows of the industry,” he added.
Because of the club industry governance model, committees are an integral component within the club industry.
“Critically, the committees are a sounding board, advisor and ambassador for board and management initiatives, projects, goals and objectives. Absent a comprehensive understanding of the model, maximizing committee engagement and impact is unlikely. The BoardRoom Institute can provide the necessary and important ongoing training that is absent in many clubs around the country,” Colonial Club’s COO Cordeiro stressed.
“Committees are often delegated highly specialized functions that require members to possess a thorough understanding of governance principles, regulatory requirements and industry standards,” Choa explained.
“For example, an audit committee is tasked with overseeing the financial reporting process, internal controls and external audit functions. Similarly, a risk management committee may be responsible for identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks that could impact the organization’s opera-
tions or reputation. Without adequate governance training, committee members may lack the specific knowledge and skills to carry out these duties effectively.
“Governance training for committees also plays a vital role in promoting a culture of accountability and ethical behavior within an organization. Committee members, particularly those on audit, risk, or ethics committees, are often responsible for overseeing the organization’s ethical standards and ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations. Training in governance principles helps to reinforce the importance of accountability, transparency and ethical conduct at all levels of the organization,” Chao added.
“Through governance training, committee members also learn how to identify potential conflicts of interest, uphold ethical standards, and promote a culture of accountability across the organization. When committee members are well-trained in governance, they are better equipped to hold management accountable and ensure that the organization operates consistently with its values and ethical obligations,” Chao expressed.
Yes, many of your board members have likely served on a board, especially corporate boards, but how many have served on a 501(c)3 or 501(c)7 board? Are they aware of the differences and purposes of these boards as opposed to a corporate board?
“While many board members have been on nonprofit boards before, the only relative experience is that hopefully they know how collaborate well with others and rules of order. Otherwise, everything about a club board is different from other nonprofit organizations,” explained the principals of KK&W.
“Corporate boards don’t have committees and are not the direct reports for the paid staff. Corporate boards bring in
specific people with skills and experience that are additive to what they need. At clubs, you need passionate, engaged people who use the club and serve the entire club, not just the amenities that are most important to them,” they added.
“Corporate experience is desirable and provides an important frame of reference for board members,” intoned Cordeiro.
“The club governance model is unique and requires industry-specific training. Applying corporate experience absent club industry context will often lead to poor governance and bad decisions. BoardRoom Institute brings decades of experience, insights, and context to its training and resources. Investing in governance training and education is among the best and most impactful investments a club can make,” he added.
“Perhaps the most significant difference between corporate boards and nonprofit boards is the fundamental purpose of the entity,” explained consultant Chao.
“Corporate boards are primarily focused on increasing shareholder value. Their key responsibilities often revolve around profit maximization, ensuring financial performance and navigating competitive markets. Everything from their fiduciary duties to their strategic goals is typically framed in terms of the company’s financial bottom line. Success, in a corporate setting, is usually measured by growth in revenue, profitability and shareholder returns,” he added.
“On the other hand, nonprofit boards are mission-driven. The primary focus of these boards is not financial gain but rather achieving the charitable, educational, or social mission for which the organization was established. Financial health is still important, but it is a means to an end, not the end itself. Non-profit board members are responsible for ensuring that the organization stays true to its mission while maintaining financial sustainability.
“For corporate board members transitioning to a nonprofit or club board, this shift from a profit-focused mindset to a mission-driven approach can be a challenge,” Choa suggested. ➤
“It requires them to rethink their strategies and decision-making processes, placing the organization’s mission at the forefront rather than prioritizing financial performance alone. The balance between fulfilling the mission and ensuring financial health is delicate and often requires a nuanced approach that corporate board experience alone may not provide.”
A curse of nonprofit boards, of course, is micromanagement, where board and committee members can’t keep their fingers out of the club’s operational pie.
“Clubs are different! “ Welch stressed. “It is BUSINESS and not just any business. GMs/COOs are running multiple businesses all under one roof, so to speak. With health and wellness, sports, food and beverage, maintenance of the facilities, financial requirements, budgets, hundreds of employees, committees and the board to deal with GM/COO’s have a busy life and need strong department heads that can support the GM and their leadership outcomes. Committees and bards need to understand the business and their roles for the club to be successful. Micromanagement is verboten!” Welch opined.
“Clubs can hold board members accountable better than public boards can. Club board members earn their position through their proven success as committee chairs, so they are well-versed in the specifics of their responsibilities before they are confirmed,” stated KK&W’s principals.
“It is a best practice that a potential board candidate leads or co-chairs a committee to see how they accomplish measurable goals. If a member leads multiple committees and they haven’t gotten things done, then someone else would likely be a more effective choice for a board member.
“One of the struggles for managers with small clubs or small training budgets is they don’t have the time or wherewith-all to do solid governance training. However, there are many tools available, like BoardRoom Institute, that can do a lot of the heavy lifting for board training so the manager can focus their time on robust tours, deeper understanding of the structure, explaining the communication model and the cultural side of what board members should know.
“Managers that need support in educating board members, maybe because they don’t have the level of respect or governance credibility established yet, can use a product like Boardroom Institute to be that authority and ensure board education takes place,” they said.
“Boardroom Institute can help do exactly that! With 79 programs available to participants, Boardroom Institute is important to every club regardless of size,” Welch added.
“Governance is how and who makes decisions. The decisions you make as a board will define your success and your future. As such, why would you not prioritize and invest in governance training and education?” Cordeiro stressed.
“One of the greatest pieces of advice I can offer to any board member—whether in a corporate or non-profit setting—is to embrace continuous learning,” said Chao.
“Governance is not a one-time lesson; it is a field that requires constant attention and development. The governance challenges of today are likely to be different from those of tomorrow and board members need to be prepared to adapt.
“Encourage your board to participate in ongoing governance education. With the pace of regulatory changes, technological advancements and shifting public expectations, it is critical that board members stay informed and up-to-date. For nonprofits, where board members often serve out of a sense of personal commitment rather than professional duty, it is essential to make governance training a regular part of the board’s calendar,” Choa concluded.
PUBLISHER’S FINAL THOUGHTS.
Here are a few reasons to invest in committee and board development.
1. There are a lot of misconceptions about serving on a private club board because, ultimately, the board is responsible for the club’s success. Investing in board and committee development reduces misconceptions about board responsibilities, ensuring accountability for club success.
2. It protects very good general managers from being dismissed or micromanaged by uninformed board members.
3. It’s the GM’s fault for not providing new board members with the proper training before they make critical mistakes. Investing in board development from day one emphasizes the importance of early training for committee chairs and members, which supports long-term success. It ensures that they will be informed and trained as committee chairs, vice presidents and presidents.
4. We should consider our committees like a farm team, like any sport that has a farm team to develop its players.
5. It provides a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of board and committee members.
6. It leads to more efficient meetings and more effective decision-making processes.
7. It helps keep the club safe and compliant with legal standards.
8. It builds member confidence and trust in board leadership.
9. Develops and sustains a competent, future-proof board.
10. Reduces the micromanagement of club management by board members.
11. Ensures that all members learn from the same consistent, reliable script.
12. Board and committee members understand their fiduciary responsibilities and
13. Lastly, it offers private club-specific training, such as the Boardroom Institute, developed by leading authorities in the club industry. This training is focused, inexpensive and customized to your club’s requirements.
At least, that’s the way I see it. BR
John G. Fornaro, publisher
Does it make a difference if you are a manager at a Distinguished Club?
Of course, it does! Both general managers and department heads of clubs who have earned Distinguished Club status are widely recognized by Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace and boards as leaders at providing a great Member Experience. It makes you a very strong candidate for leading clubs searching for top club management.
Executive Search Firm Leaders for the Private Club Industry
Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace Partners pictured left-right: Dick Kopplin, Tom Wallace and Kurt Kuebler
THIS MUCH I KNOW FOR SURE
DICK KOPPLIN
Richard (Dick) M. Kopplin, CMAA Fellow, is a partner with Kopplin, Kuebler and Wallace, a private club industry executive search and consulting firm. You can reach Dick via email: dickopplin@aol.com
Eureka! I Found It!
The
Secret to Being a Great Board Member
After working with hundreds of private clubs and thousands of club board members over the past 50 years, I am confident I have discovered the secret to being a great board member.
Club members who agree to dedicate hours of their time to private club board duty come in all shapes and sizes. They have all types of career experiences and range in age from the X, Y or Z generations, to the Baby Boomers, to the maturing retirees. Their political and religious beliefs can differ as much as their personal and family use of the private club experience.
Board members will display varying degrees of dedication, passion and commitment as they tackle their roles. Some will lead their assigned committees effectively and others will assume more passive roles.
One trait will set great private club board members apart from “those who also served.” It may not be evident at first and may take careful observation, but if you look closely, you will find a few of these superstars in every private club boardroom.
What is the distinguishing characteristic that sets these club leaders apart? Which trait do the most successful board members possess? Why have these superstars gained the respect of the rest of the board and most members?
The secret that great board members have discovered is the ability to ask the right questions. Not the most questions but the right questions. They have learned to communicate effectively not by dominating the conversation but by asking key questions.
One of those questions might be: “What kind of orientation process will the general manager provide as I begin my duties as a new board member?” The most effective board members have experienced a thorough orientation that gives them the framework to make informed, rational decisions. This orientation includes a complete physical review of club assets and an introduction to department managers.
Another question: “Are the roles and responsibilities of the board members, the general manager and the department managers defined in writing?” Model clubs have clearly outlined the role of board members in club governance and
the role of the general manager and department managers in the day-to-day management of the club. This practice discourages “coloring outside of the lines,” which can happen without written guidelines.
A frequently asked question: “Has the club engaged in a strategic planning process, and do we have a written report that is updated on a yearly basis?” The most progressive and successful private clubs have developed a strategic plan that provides a template for ongoing success. Clubs that are not engaged in this process may find that they will be transitioning in the future to semi-private status or become good candidates for takeover by a management company.
An important question often asked: “How can we as board members effectively support the general manager/ chief operating officer model of club management?” The best-managed and best-governed clubs have embraced this management concept because many club board members can relate to how effective this model is or how effective it has been during their business careers.
Another frequently asked question: “How can we as board members demonstrate a ‘unity of purpose’ once we have made a decision?” It doesn’t matter whether an issue has been decided unanimously or by a close vote. What matters is that once board members leave the boardroom, they support the decision and leave the details of their discussions in the boardroom.
Outstanding board members will ask many other questions during their tenure, but those five are certainly common in club boardrooms.
The secret to being a great board member is not how much you have to say but how good your questions are.
This much I know for sure. BR
CLUBS AND PEOPLE MENTIONED
Doc Belitz, GM/COO, Arizona Country Club, Phoenix, AZ
Kris Butterfield, director of people and culture, La Cumbre Country Club, Santa Barbara, CA
Frank Cordeiro, COO of Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, TX
Ryan Cozzetto, GM, Paradise Valley Country Club, Paradise Valley, AZ
Damon DiOrio, CEO, Desert Mountain Club, Scottsdale, AZ
John Easterbrook, Chief Membership Officer, PGA of America
Friedrich Eder, COO/GM, Greensboro Country Club, Greensboro, NC
Vito Gioia, president of the Detroit Athletic Club, Detroit, MI
Susan Greene, LCAM, GM/COO, Waterlefe Golf & River Club
Nancy Levenburg, member, Spring Lake Country Club, Spring Lake, MI
M. Kent Johnson, CCM, CCE, GM/COO, Baltimore Country Club, Baltimore, MA
Bonnie Knutson, member, Michigan Athletic Club, Detroit, MI
David Mackesey, Diablo Country Club President (2013-2015), Danville, CA
Michael McCarthy, CEO/GM, Addison Reserve Country Club, FL
Russell Miller, GM, Balboa Yacht Club, Corona del Mar, CA
Ashley Mills, Director of Catering & Events Paradise Valley Country Club, Paradise Valley, AZ
Jeff Morgan, FASAE, CAE, CEO, CMAA
Jim Napolitano, GM/COO, The Mirabel Club, Scottsdale, AZ
Robert D. Podley, CCM, CAM, GM/COO, Colonial Country Club
Larry Savvides, CCM, CCE, CAM, GM/COO, Hunters Run Country Club, Boynton Beach, FL
Tim Schantz, CEO, Troon Golf
Brian Scott, board president, Arizona Country Club
Desi Speh, COO/GM, Desert Highlands, Scottsdale, AZ
Matthew Rankin, president, Greensboro Country Club, Greensboro, NC
Garrett Wallace, GM/COO, Troon Country Club, Scottsdale, AZ
Bob O’Link Golf Club (Illinois)
The Racquet Club of Chicago (Illinois)
Meridian Hills Country Club (Indiana)
New Haven Country Club (Connecticut)
Forsyth Country Club (North Carolina)
Conway Farms Golf Club (Illinois)
The Union League of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania)
Merion Golf Club (Pennsylvania)
The Union League Golf Club at Torresdale (Pennsylvania)
The Greenbrier Spa (West Virginia)
With NS Analytics, your data works for you. Gain real-time insights, make data-driven decisions, and visualize complex trends effortlessly. Our advanced analytics module is designed to meet the needs of modern businesses, delivering clarity and confidence with every data point.
Real-Time Reporting: Access live data and stay ahead.
Customizable Dashboards: Visualize what matters most to your business.
Predictive Analytics: Make proactive decisions with accurate forecasting.
User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive design for effortless navigation.
