SPRING April - June 2025
2025-2026 Board of Directors
President
Treasurer
Secretary
Dr. Scott Miller, MD
Pat Waters
John Breitfeller
David Lewis
Jim Curley
Dr. Mark Hanley, MD
Rick Renfro
Committee Chair Roster
Pat Waters
John Breitfeller
Pat Waters
David Lewis
Dr. Mark Hanley, MD
Rick Renfro
Rick Renfro
Dr. Scott Miller, MD
& Beverage
David Lewis
Jim Curley
David Carver
Robert A. Stone, Jr., CCM, CCE, CAM General Manager/COO
Amy Barati CFO
Mike Johnson Director of Golf
Anna Collins Director of Membership
Jim Tills Food & Beverage Director
Trent Hoare Assistant Food & Beverage Director
Joe Kinney Service Manager
Lucy Paulson Director of Events
Jes Akey Assistant Events Director
Paul Davis Director of Racquet Sports
Claudia Santos Tennis Facilities Manager
Katie Holley Communications Manager
Charlotte Pinabell Accounts Receivable
Dave Drenga Facilities Maintenance Manager
rob.stone@suntree.com
amy.barati@suntree.com
mike.johnson@suntree.com anna.collins@suntree.com
jim.tills@suntree.com
trent.hoare@suntree.com
joe.kinney@suntree.com
lucy.paulson@suntree.com
jes.akey@suntree.com
paul.davis@suntree.com
claudia.santos@suntree.com
katie.holley@suntree.com
charlotte.pinabell@suntree.com
dave.drenga@suntree.com
webmaster@suntree.com
Outgoing President’s SPRING MESSAGE
As the Suntree Country Club’s 2024 – 2025 Board of Director’s tenure comes to an end, I would like to thank each and every Board and Committee member for their time, energy and effort in making Suntree a better Club for its’ members. I would especially like to thank Rob Lattig and Brian Murtha. Rob served on the BOD for 6 consecutive years and his contributions across the Golf and Green Committees were numerous. Brian was asked, this past summer, to fill a Board vacancy for the remainder of the year. Having been a past president, he was able to step right in and was an invaluable part of the Board operations. We are sorry to see these two stalwart members of the Board of Directors depart; we have excellent incoming Board volunteers that will fill their vacancies.
I too am departing this year. It has been my pleasure watching our Club evolve over the last two years. Rob Stone is the consummate professional and General Manager; he understands all aspects of private club operations and has aligned Suntree Country Club operational departments according to best practices with established goals and objectives and key performance indicators. This has allowed the Board of Director’s to remove itself from the
Phil Schlatter
C LUB P RESIDENT (2023-2025)
vast majority of daily operations and back to providing club-oversight and direction for the long-term health and growth of our Club. This transition was necessary for Suntree Country Club to achieve its’ full potential and realize its Mission and Vision. As we continue to mature, I am confident all members will fully appreciate the gem that is Suntree Country Club.
Thank you to all the Club employees who allow each member to enjoy their time at the Club. Thank you to the members for your continued support of the Club which is leading to an incredibly vibrant and active Club in all our social and athletic programs. I wish the Board of Directors great success, and trust that the Club will continue to grow and prosper for the future generations of potential members.
All the Best
----
Phil Schlatter
MESSAGE from the GENERAL MANAGER
Dear Members,
We are coming out of an extremely busy and successful season and appreciate all 800+ members who attended our 50th Anniversary gala on March 29. My thanks go out to the entire staff for coming together to make that evening a special event that showcased what we are truly capable of. The Social Committee deserves individual recognition for their months of planning, meetings, creative ideas and support of our Catering and Club Events department. It was truly exceptional.
We have welcomed two new Department Heads, Amy Barati, our new Chief Financial Officer, and Nicolas Garibay, our new Director of Agronomy. I look forward to working with them and incorporating their extensive experience within our committee structure to strengthen our operations.
The tennis and racquets department are getting very busy with the opening of the pickleball courts and all the activity that has come with them. Paul and his staff are busy putting together pickleball programing for men, women, mixed and family events, and I look forward to seeing all of you out there. Tennis season is coming up and I encourage all of you who may be interested in participating in our teams and leagues to reach out to Paul to learn more. We are expecting to begin work replacing the light posts on the tennis courts in late April, as well as receiving all the new tennis furniture in the first part of May to replace all our existing furniture. We will also be replacing all the old tennis posts and fencing materials as soon as our contractor is able to secure the amount that is needed to complete the project.
We will begin the spring aerifications of both golf courses in late April. This will consist of utilizing a system called drill and fill on all the greens as well as a full aerification of the entire course. This year, we will be topdressing all the tees on both courses with sand during aerification to improve soil composition, promote healthier turf, and help relevel the surfaces. Director of Agronomy Nick Garibay has also started an aggressive fertilizer and weed mitigation program to make the courses more presentable along with promoting better and stronger growth and turf conditions. We expect
Robert A. Stone, Jr., CCM, CCE, LCAM
G ENERAL M ANAGER/ COO
to see much better aesthetics as well as playing conditions when the first aerification is complete.
Food, beverage and Club events continue to expand and the attendance at our events and our increased cover counts in the restaurant are impressive. The service and food in the Palm Restaurant are continuing to meet and exceed expectations and the feedback has been supportive of the direction that Jim Tills, Trent Hoare and Chef Dean are going in. Lucy Paulson and Jes Akey have been extremely busy with the Social Committee in planning the social calendar with many new and exciting events in the coming months.
Our Golf events continue to fill capacity, and in some cases, far exceed their attendance numbers from last year. Mike Johnson and Austin Lane are doing a great job in managing our members’ expectations of those events and managing many large format events. Our retail offerings in the Professional Shop continue to be met with enthusiasm from the membership and our 50th Anniversary merchandise continues to be very well received – and we love seeing you in it!
We will also be hosting listening sessions in the coming weeks for individual departments as a follow up to our annual Performance Excellence Survey. At this meeting we will share more detail on the individual department’s performance and look to gain more granular and tactical thoughts from you that the Department Directors can deliver on.
I look forward to seeing all our social and athletic events for the remainder of the year and thank you for the continued support of our Club.
Sincerely,
Robert A. Stone, Jr., CCM, CCE,
LCAM
Dear Suntree Country Club Member, I am honored to introduce myself as the new Director of Agronomy at Suntree Country Club. It is with great enthusiasm that I have joined this incredible community, and I look forward to working diligently to enhance the course conditions and overall playing experience for all members. With a strong commitment to agronomic excellence and a passion for innovation, my goal is to ensure that Suntree’s golf courses remain among the finest in the region. My team and I will focus on sustainable turf management, improved playing surfaces, and continued enhancements that align with the club’s vision for the future.
I welcome the opportunity to meet each of you and gain insight into your experiences on the course. Your feedback is invaluable, and I am excited to build upon the traditions that make Suntree such a special place. I’m excited to share an update on the progress we’ve made since my arrival at Suntree Country Club. Our focus has been on improving efficiency across all operations, ensuring that every task is executed effectively while maintaining the highest quality standards.
A comprehensive nutritional program is being put in place for all short grass areas—fairways, tees, and approaches. This will promote a denser canopy and enhance the lush, vibrant appearance of these playing surfaces for your enjoyment. Additionally, our greens will be placed on a more robust nutritional program designed not only to improve their aesthetics but, more importantly, to strengthen their
Nick Garibay D IRECTOR OF A RGONOMY
overall health and performance. On March 10th, we applied a full-course fertilizer and pre-emergent treatment to suppress weed pressure while encouraging strong spring green-up. Meanwhile, our team continues to trim tree lines on several holes of the Challenge Course to improve turf recovery and manage overgrown shrubbery.
We are committed to continual improvement, always striving to elevate course conditions. As we say, we are better than yesterday but not as good as tomorrow!
Thank you for your warm welcome. I look forward to seeing you on the course!
Best regards,
Nicolas Garibay, Director of Agronomy
EVENT AND CATERING News
Happy Spring Members!
When you are ready to plan your next special occasion, we are here to assist you! Quality service and attention to detail ensures your event will be flawless and memorable for all.
We have an eventful spring planned for our members. Please save the date for these future events:
May 11 – Mother’s Day Brunch in the Magnolia Room and Mother’s Day dinner in the Palm Restaurant.
May 15 – Bingo
May 23 – Country Night – get your boots and come dance with Cowboy Bob!
May 26 – Annual Memorial Day cook-out and pool party, featuring the best DJ in Brevard, Michael Van Ness.
May 28 – Chef Dean’s Wine Dinner
June 5 – back by popular demand, Puzzles, Pasta & Pinot
June 12 – What’s That Song???
June 15 – Father’s Day Brunch
June 19 – Bingo
Kid’s Summer Camp begins on June 2.
Please email Jes.Akey@suntree.com for more info. Great activities planned for the kids this summer!
Lucy Paulson D IRECTOR OF E VENTS
Records continue to be broken, as the first quarter of 2025 comes to a close, we have had more participation in Club events than ever!!! Our Professional Staff would like to thank all of the members and their guests for their continuous support of our tournament program.
Reminder: You can find all tournament information on the Suntree website (Golf Corner) or the Tournament Registration button in the Pro’s Corner to include: Registration dates, tournament dates, tournament eligibility & event flyers.
New in the Pro Shop! We would like to introduce you to Holderness & Bourne as they bring style, comfort and
TOURNAMENT Results
Mike Johnson D IRECTOR OF G OLF
functionality to golf apparel for Men. Come on in and get your 50th anniversary gear or accessories. We have just received our wineglasses(available in stemless too), rocks glasses, coffee mugs, bag tags & ball markers to add to our stocked inventory of 50th merch. Our member pricing is sure to give you the best deal!
Couples Championship
Overall ChampiOnS: Karen & Charles Mason
Overall GrOSS ChampiOnS: Patricia & Paul Weiss
FliGht 1:
1st Gross: Janet Lavin & Tony Ralton 1st Net: Jackie & Robert DeVries
FliGht 2:
1st Gross: Lisa & Todd Stirtzinger 1st Net: Ann & Jay Pierce
FliGht 3:
1st Gross: Kristen Moore & Kerry Stinson 1st Net: Jean & Keith Osthus
FliGht 4:
1st Gross: Betsy & Matthew Billings 1st Net: Marcy Engel & Kerry Hemphill
TOURNAMENT Results
Ladies’ Suntree Cup
Overall ChampiOnS: Kami Bryant & Sue Pruiett
Overall GrOSS ChampiOnS: Lea Anne Richard & Patricia Weiss
FliGht WinnerS:
FliGht 1: Carolyn Hough & Ann Pierce
FliGht 2: Lois Heuchert & Holly Parker
FliGht 3: Lisa Adams & Bernadette Grotrian
FliGht 4: Melanie Glenn & Kelly Wind
Men’s Suntree Cup
Overall ChampiOnS: Mark Hanley & Mike Kouzelos
FliGht WinnerS
FliGht 1: Scott Miller & Jacob Shaw
FliGht 2: Mark Hanley & Mike Kouzelos
FliGht 3: Dominick Nitti & Matt Pierce
FliGht 4: Eric Luzar & Jared Shammah
FliGht 5: Sam Baptiste & David Kostanich
FliGht 6: Matthew Billings & Dick Rossetti
FliGht 7: Steve Odiorne & John Parkhurst
FliGht 8:
Brent Pate & David Pruiett
FliGht 9:
Robert Mixon & Fred Thompson
FliGht 10: James Dwyer & Peter Dwyer
Ladies’ Member Guest
Overall ChampiOnS:
Carolyn Hough & Pam Howell (Guest)
Overall GrOSS ChampiOnS:
Patricia Weiss & Helga Lind (Guest)
FliGht WinnerS:
aCe OF SpadeS FliGht (1):
Kelly Wind & Jenna Werle (Guest)
diamOnd dealerS FliGht (2):
Lucy Ryder & Lucia Bergeron (Guest)
Wild JOkerS FliGht (3):
Judy George & Eileen Olejarski (Guest)
BlaCkJaCk ladieS FliGht (4):
Lisa Adams & Lynn Dufour (Guest)
rOyal BluFFS FliGht (5):
Karen Banks & Denise Gigante (Guest)
lOnG ShOtS FliGht (6):
Karen Mason & Kimberlee Cotter (Guest)
Men’s Senior Member-Guest:
Overall ChampiOnS:
Dan Jimenez & Jim Kirby (Guest)
FliGht WinnerS
FliGht 1:
Steve Wind & Bill Shufelt (Guest)
FliGht 2:
Kurt Naasz & Tony Kennicott (Guest)
FliGht 3:
Bachu Patel & Garth Savage (Guest)
FliGht 4:
Scott Molitor & David Kolb (Guest)
FliGht 5:
Bill Warinner & Dennis Speigner (Guest)
FliGht 6:
Dale Bottom & Steve Bottom (Guest)
FliGht 7:
Tom Boyle & John Meyers (Guest)
FliGht 8:
Gary Bernard & Ron Appenbrink (Guest)
Upcoming Events:
April 5-6, 12-13
Men’s Club Championship
April 11-13
Ladies Club Championship
April 25-27 Suntree Challenge
May 16
Golf 9 & Dine
May 26
Memorial Day Golf Event
June 14
Superintendent's Revenge
July 4 The 4th Golf Event
July 18
Golf 9 & Dine
RACQUET CENTER News
Spring is in the air, and we have an actionpacked quarter ahead of us here at the Racquets Center! It’s a beautiful time of year to be out on the courts, and we have plenty happening out there!
We hold quarterly exhibition matches, so keep an eye out on your Club calendars and Racquet Sports E-News to see when the next one will be held.
Racquet stringing available! Remember a good rule of thumb is you need to re-string as many times a year as you play per week - so if you play three (3) times/week then you should re-string three (3) times/year or every four (4) months.
Tennis News
Space Coast Tennis League
Women: Thursdays 9:00am
Mixed Doubles: Tuesdays 7:00pm
Senior Women: Mondays 9:30 and 11am
USTA Teams: There are a number of Women’s, Men’s and Mixed teams that will be forming for the summer, so please contact Claudia to find out more details at (321) 242-6242.
Social Play: Senior men have a group that plays on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. We have a working women’s group that plays on Saturday mornings at 9:30am. Men’s groups are playing on Monday nights as well as Friday and Sunday mornings. If these times fit your schedule, please contact us and we will put you in touch with the organizers of those groups.
Junior Program: Our junior program will be in full force with all levels included.
10 & Under Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-5:30pm& 5:306:30pm (age dependent)
Green Ball Tennis Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-5:30pm
Junior Elite Mondays-Thursdays5:30-7:00pm Please schedule a time with our Junior Director, Tom Knights (knightsy_4@msn.com) to find the right class for your child. Cardio with Claudia: Claudia hosts a fast-paced cardio class every Saturday morning. Contact her for more information or if you wish to sign up! (Claudia.santos@suntree.com)
Events: Men’s and Women’s Doubles Tennis Club
Championships April 18&19. We are looking forward to a great turnout! There will be a courtside bar for the Friday night matches and a celebration after the event on the Veranda with a pasta and pizza buffet.
Men’s Intraclub League: We usually have four teams of 10-14 guys that play on Thursday nights over a 10-week period. It’s all played here on site. This has been a popular tradition over the last few years.
Memorial Day Mixer May 27 Contact Claudia (Claudia. santos@suntree.com) to sign up early!
Paul Davis D IRECTOR OF R ACQUET S PORTS
Pickleball News
It’s been a great start at the pickleball facility! We are offering 101 classes, 201 classes, Shot-of-The-Week, Open Play and Friday Night Mixers. League play: We will be looking to put teams together to participate in local leagues that play other teams in the area, as well as an Intraclub league for play only at the Club. It’s been great seeing new faces as well as many of our tennis players branching out and playing pickleball! If you have any interest in classes, lessons or just have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact our Head Pickleball Professional, Mike Forster at mike.forster@suntree.com
Important Contact Information
Pro Shop 321.242.6242
Paul Davis paul.davis@suntree.com
Claudia Santos claudia.santos@suntree.com
Tom Knights tom.knights@suntree.com
Suntree Country Club Members:
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The backyard is framed by towering, established 100+-yearold Mango trees, making the enormous yard feel intimate and secluded. Alfresco entertaining is a breeze with the covered patio and summer kitchen, built-in brick fire pit, swimming pool with a spacious deck. This amazing property offered 100 feet of water frontage with a covered boat dock and lift, and a second covered lounging deck with a built-in bar, bench, and ceiling fans. This property is luxury waterside living at its finest.
Jack Jeffcoat’s creative approach to marketing fine properties, combined with his extensive industry stature and networking reach, get homes showcased in their best light, attracting the best terms and offers, and get homes sold. Just view the stunning property video that was instrumental in getting 9900 South Tropical Trail SOLD:
Scan this QR code with your smart phone camera to view Jack’s stunning property video for Tropical Trail.
PICKLEBALL News
Pickleball at Suntree is off to a fantastic start! It’s incredible to witness the growth of this sport at our Club over the past month. While open play hasn’t been super busy, we've discovered that most players prefer reserving their own courts to enjoy the game, and we absolutely love it!
The Friday night pickleball mixers have been a great opportunity to connect with new people and find partners for play. I keep seeing groups reserving courts together with folks they met at the mixer. If you're looking to make some pickleball friends, I highly recommend joining us on Friday nights! We've been completely packed every week, which means we’re excited to plan even more social events to meet the demand.
We’re also gearing up to launch an intraclub league very soon! This will be a fantastic chance for those who want to compete with fellow members. Every time I glance over at the tennis courts, I see league matches and team practices in full swing, and I can’t wait to see the same energy for pickleball at our Club!
Mike Forster H EAD P ICKLEBALL P RO
Pro tip: To excel in pickleball, focus on simplicity. Embrace shorter backswings, moderated power, and a consistent approach. By minimizing your movements, you can greatly enhance your control during play.
Along with this beautiful Spring weather, we are also looking forward to a wonderful array of activities, events and membership opportunities for all ages.
It was wonderful seeing so many of you at the 50th Anniversary Celebration! We truly appreciate you taking the time to celebrate the Club with us and make the event such a success. I look forward to the next great event!
Wanting to know what events might be happening next at the Club? Make sure to check your email for the weekly E-News publications that highlight weekly food & beverage specials, upcoming events, important announcements and more. Three publications are distributed weekly, and you can select which ones you may/may not want to receive under your profile settings on the Member Portal. In addition to these weekly periodicals, be on the lookout for the monthly Membership Matters newsletter. In this monthly email update, I post the new applicants pending approval, welcome the newest members, highlight member referrals and more!
We had a wonderful time in March at our New Member Welcome Reception. We host this event quarterly and it is a great opportunity for new members to meet not only other new members, but our Directors, Board Members, and some Committee Members as well! We are excited to see so many new faces around the Club – please help me in making our new members feel welcomed!
Introductory Golf information is now available! This program runs from June 1st through September 30th and besides prospective members, current Equity Social and Equity Tennis members can also upgrade to Introductory Golf for the same months. The Introductory Golf Membership offers the perfect introduction to all the perks of being a member at Suntree Country Club. If you know anyone that has been considering membership, this could be the perfect trial for them.
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns regarding your membership!
Mon. – Fri. 9am-5pm | anna.collins@suntree.com 321-242-6252
Anna Collins D IRECTOR OF M EMBERSHIP
AROUND THE CLUB Photos
FOOD & BEVERAGE News
The Food & Beverage Team appreciates the continued patronage of the Membership and is always delightful to see you join us here at the Club for lunch or dinner or attending one of our many events. We so look forward to the fabulous weather associated with the Spring season, and welcoming back our diners that prefer to sit outside on the Veranda or Pool Bar and pavilion locations.
While certainly not required, we continue to encourage reservations for dining at the Clubhouse so we may ensure to accommodate you upon arrival. We are working hard to make sure we are staffed appropriately at all times. Impromptu diners are always welcome, but you may be requested to start your evening in the bar as we arrange for our team to deliver an exceptional service experience. We will seat you as soon as possible if that should occur. We offer reservations for dinner through 9:00pm Tuesday through Sunday, and may be made by calling the Clubhouse, online, or on the app.
We are finalizing a number of fun events to compliment your a la carte dining experiences, and please keep an eye out for out weekly Social e-News sent out Tuesdays for more information and instructions for how to make reservations for events that you would like to participate in. Some of the highlights include our traditional Brunch and Dinners celebrating Easter and Mother’s Day, as well as Bingo, Trivia, Wine Society, and fun family activities!
Jim Tills
Thank you again for your participation with the Club, and we continue to strive to deliver a great experience for you each and every time you are here. We look forward to seeing you at the Club!
CHEF DEAN Greetings
It has been 9 months since I joined the prestigious Suntree Country Club as the Executive Chef. I have developed a great relationship with my Culinary Team. I have also had the opportunity to meet new members in the dining room and outdoor events. My culinary team and I have changed the menus twice, and are still extending different cuisines and themed menus to the members. It was an honor to partake in the 50th Anniversary celebration, as I had the opportunity to showcase my culinary team’s strength, providing spectacular cuisines from 5 different countries. I was also recently inducted into the Chaine des Rotisseurs, a prestigious gastronomic organization .Known for its rich history, the organization’s membership is made up of culinary professionals, restaurateurs, and sommeliers, from around the world. I am working with my management team and Club events team on new menus for the upcoming season. I am very excited about the new ventures that the Culinary Team and Food & Beverage team have planned for the coming year.
Dean Lee E XECUTIVE C HEF
FOOD & BEVERAGE News
M ike Slintak, one of Suntree’s sous chefs, recently supported Mission 10 – the crew of astronauts sent to the International Space Station in March, 2025. A little about Mike, in his words -
Igrew up in the small town of Bloomingburg, located in upstate New York. After graduating from Sullivan County Community College, I furthered my education at The Culinary Institute of America. Following college, I began my culinary career with Club Med, and then went on to work at Tuxedo Country Club in Tuxedo Park, New York, where I held the position of garde manager for ten years. In 2004, I relocated to Florida and took on the role of Executive Chef at Shula’s Steakhouse on Miami Beach. I eventually
Mike Slintak
S OUS C HEF
moved to Brevard County in 2009, where I opened two restaurants in Melbourne, aptly named Backwater 1 and 2. After dedicating 30 years to the culinary field, I decided to take a well-earned break and spent six months traveling through Europe. Upon returning to the United States, I began searching for new opportunities and came across an ad for a position cooking for astronauts. At first, I thought it was a scam, but it turned out to be a once-ina-lifetime opportunity. Around the same time, I received a call from Suntree regarding a position, and when I explained the unique opportunity, cooking and preparing meals for astronauts taking part in Mission 10, they were incredibly supportive and understanding. I am truly grateful to the Chef and the Club for allowing me to pursue this extraordinary experience.
A little about the program and my hiring process: I had to have at least 4 months of vaccinations and medical checks to make sure I had a clean bill of health for the safety of the astronauts and tech crew. Once that was established, I was given the opportunity to work with Certified Executive Chefs (CEC's) preparing home-cooked meals (comfort foods) for the techs and the spacemen (this included Eric Boe, Joe Acaba, plus the crew of astronauts). I also had the opportunity to FaceTime and get a virtual tour of the ISS with Suni Williams, where she showed us their quarters and the window of the world looking down on earth. It was an incredible experience and opportunity!
VENETIAN PRINCESS
