from the president The MAC is open. Although COVID-19 continues to limit our daily activities, our Club is open and providing a level of normalcy for us. August was the first month since March that our Club hosted larger events, which were done so safely. The tradition of the Father-Daughter Banquet continued in 2020. The attendees appreciated an event that felt “normal” and enjoyed carriage rides, dinner and dancing in a safe environment. It was grand to see fellow members adoring their daughters and experiencing a wonderful time together. We recognized Members who have attended the event with their daughters for five, 10, 15 years or more. Steve Bahn has attended the event for 35 years with his daughters, and more recently, his granddaughters. Amazing tradition! We held the first Lawyers’ Joke Contest and Dinner. While the humor was suspect, the dinner and camaraderie were entertaining and classic MAC. We wrapped up Foundations’ Month at the end of August with the Preservation Foundation Golf Tournament. This fun event raised funds for the MAC Preservation Foundation and included a unique golf trip to an exclusive club in Florida. Looking ahead to September, the Monthly Membership Mixer on Sept. 3 presents an excellent opportunity to mingle with other Members and introduce prospective Members to the Club. The Cigar-B-Que on Sept. 12 offers a unique experience with a meal, beer and cigars on the rooftop of the Downtown Clubhouse. The Golf Club Championship kicks off at Glen Echo on Sept. 17. The event is free to Glen Echo members, but all golfers are welcome. There is an open division and a handicap division. You can be the next Club champion! There will be food and drinks after the round. Reservations remain open for all
the September events. Further details and registration can be found on our website. We will continue to navigate COVID and the changing requirements of St. Louis City and County. Although neither Clubhouse is currently permitted to operate at 100 percent capacity, we are close to 100 percent in the Member services and amenities that are open. We are now welcoming guests for dining at both Clubhouses, and reservations are no longer required for fitness at the Downtown Clubhouse. Thank you to the 500-plus Members who responded to our recent survey. The goal of the survey is to gain insights into how our Club can evolve to meet the changing needs of our Members and their families during this unprecedented time. Your responses will help the Club deliver relevant services and program offerings during the pendency of the pandemic. Our Club is financially stable. We were on pace for a solid financial fiscal year when COVID arrived. Quick actions by the Board of Governors and staff mitigated the initial, adverse impacts and helped the Club endure during the Clubhouse closures. As we reopened, we experienced negative cash flow as the costs of staffing for Member services and amenities outpaced revenue from anemic hotel bookings and banquets just beginning to return. That said, we finished the fiscal year ending Aug. 31 with positive cash flow and have many events booked for the remainder of 2020. We just completed next fiscal year’s budget. We were careful to make realistic budget assumptions and consider multiple scenarios given the uncertainties surrounding COVID. We are prepared to react to multiple scenarios and are confident that our Club will persevere and emerge from the pandemic
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stronger than ever. You can help by continuing to refer potential Members to the Club and sharing with them the many benefits of membership. As part of our new strategic planning process, a Thriving Membership is a Strategic Priority under our Relevance and Sustainability Strategic Pillar. A Thriving Membership means a membership comprised of individuals and families with different backgrounds and experiences who come together for the common purposes that the Club offers: premier social, dining and athletic experiences. As a new initiative, our Board launched a diversity and inclusion task force made up of MAC Governors, members of color and staff. The mission of the task force is to “engage diverse Members of the MAC community in meaningful activities to promote positive and sustained relationships among all persons inclusive of race, ethnicity, gender and other aspects of the human experience.” As part of this initiative, we will soon arrange our first Member and employee listening forum. Through these, we aim to better understand how we can make the MAC a more inclusive place for our employees, Members and guests. Our Club is open and striving to safely offer amenities and programs that our Members value during the pandemic. Please continue to offer your feedback and ideas to make our Club relevant and sustainable during COVID and beyond. I hope to see you at the Club soon.
Dan Lett, President Missouri Athletic Club
“A thriving membership means a membership comprised of individuals and families with different backgrounds and experiences who come together for the common purposes that the Club offers: premier social, dining and athletic experiences.” 2 F Cherry Diamond F SEPT 2020
