President’s Column

from the president

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