BoardRoom magazine September/October 2021 by BoardRoom magazine

McMahon’s Strategic Facility Planning that gets



Projects Approved!

EXISTING 2 PICKLEBALL COURTS UPGRADED WITH SOUND MITIGATION ON ALL 4 SIDES

NEW SHADE AREAS

Clubhouse Facility Planning is exploding today, but members are much more discerning about what they are approving. They want assurances that the club improvements are needed, will add value to their memberships and will continue to attract new members to keep their clubs financially viable.

ENLARGED COVERED SPA/WHIRLPOOL COVERED SEATING AREAS

Image shadow box

4 NEW PICKLEBALL COURTS WITH SOUND MITIGATION ON ALL 4 SIDES

2 NEW BOCCE COURTS

POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT SITE PLAN for SOMERSET AT THE PLANTATION Fort Meyers, Florida

THE SOURCE FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNITY SUCCESS

New Tennis Courts Maintenance & Storage Building 600 s.f.

This is where Strategic Planning and Facility Planning are married to achieve the desired results rather than just building big clubhouses. There has to be a purpose behind every facility built.

New Canopy 4 New Pickle Ball Courts

New Roof Ventilated Roof over Pool Equip.

Tennis Courts

New Canopies

New Covered Pickleball & Bocce Patio

At McMahon Group we invented the Club Strategic Facility Planning Process. We were the first to Survey, Strategic Plan, Master Plan and Present Projects so they get approved and built. Only after a project passes the strategic needs test should it be built. Dollars spent on unneeded projects are a terrible waste. Know what is really needed by doing Strategic Facility Planning first. This results in the best projects being built.

Lake New Bocce Courts Bocce Courts

Pool

Add Pool Area Lights

Existing Pickleball area

New Whirlpool

Amenities Center Building

Assumed Property Line

Assumed Property Line to be verified by Surveyor

Main Entry Improve Landscaping

Possible Additional Golf Cart Parking

Tee

Lake Add 5 Parking Lot Light Standards

Tee Dartington

Rd.

SITE Florida License - # AR001208 670 Mason Ridge Center Drive #220, St. Louis, MO 63141

T H E

314.744.5040 - McMahonGroup.com

PLAN

North

Preliminary - NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION, RECORDING PURPOSES OR IMPLEMENTATION The Club, not McMahon Group, shall be responsible for all code compliance and environmental issues.

S O U R C E

William P. McMahon, Architect

Tee seal Date: 2/19/21

Scale: 1"=30'-0" On A 48"x36" Sheet 30

Graphic Scale

F O R

120

180 Feet

P R I V A T E

P R I VAT E C L U B P L A N N E R S & C O N S U LTA N T S

Page

C L U B

E X C E L L E N C E™

Call us now for a First Impressions Visit!

DAVE WHITE

EDITOR’S NOTE

Dave White is the editor of BoardRoom magazine. If you have comments on this article or suggestions for other topics, please send Dave an email to: dave@boardroommag.com.

Technology – The Topic of the Day Barely a day goes by that there isn’t something new and wonderful on the market…and most people are embracing the changes happily because it’s made our lives easier. It’s simplified what we do, and we do it more quickly, efficiently and effectively. That, of course, is the ‘good’ side of technology. Today’s technological change is unceasing and happening with such mind-boggling speed and depth that we can only imagine where tomorrow takes us. Yet, just think of what’s happened in the past year. Why have private clubs been such laggards in accepting and adopting technology? How do clubs prepare for the future? Club Benchmarking, the baby of founder Ray Cronin, provides a platform whereby private clubs can assess their financial and operational health. It’s a fact-driven business that assists in developing long-term, sustainable success. And that’s the focus of our cover story this issue...The Evolution of Data-Driven Leadership, what that means, how clubs can benefit from and make the transition to data-driven leadership. It’s one of the many case studies we’re featuring in our annual BoardRoom September/October technology issue. Bill Boothe and colleague Jeff Hall write about securing your notebook while traveling. And of course, the question is: How safe are your communications and data while traveling. Bill and Jeff offer several solutions to keep your computer safe and secure while traveling... solutions that can ward off harmful intruders. As they say, “Don’t procrastinate—do it today!” It’s a must read. ClubTec, clubsystems group, FOOD-TRAK, Jonas, MembersFirst, MemberText, Northstar, Clubessential, ClubPay, Country Club Technology, Paisano Performance, Signera and Survey & Ballot are among the businesses contributing case studies. These case studies demonstrate how their businesses can help private clubs with their technological issues. As a result, they’re at the forefront of offering solutions to tech problems... solutions that make life easier for staff members while at the same time providing a better experience for club members. Technology holds the key to success for many private clubs who are seeking a new generation of members, i.e., the Millennials…the generation that’s grown up with much of the technology they (and we) carry around with us today. Digital devices are how younger club members read, listen, search, and communicate with their families, friends and 4

BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021

work colleagues. So how do clubs accommodate the requirements of the next generation? What decisions do board of directors face? Who leads the charge? All good questions and these technology-friendly operations can help provide solutions to knowing what your club members want. n n n

In Nancy’s Corner, Nancy Berkley pinpoints some different golf tournament formats that are appealing to private club members. “Most golf clubs repeat the same tournaments and team events every season. Tradition has its value but consider adding new formats to your club’s schedule. Following are tournament formats that I learned and developed over the years as golf chairman and member of governing boards of several golf clubs. And the different formats she mentions include Sixsome coed scramble; Use a ‘gimme circle’ on the green; use a pro’s ‘sweet shot’ in a team event; Play with a pro tournament; ‘Superintendent’s revenge’ tournament and Go for the Win-Win. Nancy gives details for each format and as she says, “I think your members will like these different, creative and fun formats.” We agree, and they’re worth giving a try at your club. n n n

And as BoardRoom continues to celebrate its 25th anniversary year, we offer a feature about Frank Vain, president of the St. Louis-based McMahon Group, another industry firm that boasts a long working relationship with BoardRoom. “I’ve had a richer and fuller life because of all the people I’ve met through the club industry – the volunteer leaders, the people that I’ve had the opportunity to work with on club and association boards and the incredibly hard-working and conscientious professionals that make club management their profession,” Vain commented. Words spoken from the heart! n n n

Top Presidents: Our features on BoardRoom’s Top Presidents for 2020 also continue with articles about Chris Novy, President, Evanston Golf Club, Skokie, IL; Robert Shelley, President, Williams Island Club, Aventura, FL; R. Patrick Sheridan, President, Athens Country Club, Athens, GA; Meredith Shorkey, President, Myers Park Country Club, Charlotte, NC, and Harvey P. Stein, President, Addison Reserve Country Club, Delray Beach, FL. B R

Publisher/CEO

Co-Founder/CEO

John G. Fornaro

Editor

President

Dave White

Keith Jarrett

Assoc. Editor/VP Creative

Chief Analyst

Heather Arias de Cordoba

Frank Gore

Copy Editor

Chief Information Officer

Chryssoula Filippakopoulos

Quality isn’t Expensive It’s Priceless!

Jeff Briggs

Innovative Ideas Editor

Executive Director

Ellery Platts

Bill Thomas

APCD Executive Director

Executive Assistant/ Director of Support

Bill Thomas

Editorial & Marketing Director

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Contact Information

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www.DistinguishedClubs.com (949) 376-8889

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Contact Information

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Featured Columnists Rick Coyne Henry DeLozier John G. Fornaro Dick Kopplin

Bonnie J. Kutson Kurt Kuebler Nancy M. Levenburg Jerry Mccoy

Gregg Patterson Kevin F. Reilly Bill Schwartz R. Todd Swisher

Tom Wallace

Contributing Writers Andy Anderson Matthew D. Anderson Justin Baer Bruce Barilla Rita Barreto Nancy Berkley Bill Boothe Jarrett Chirico Ronald F. Cichy Trevor Coughlan Michael Crandal

Dave Doherty Todd Dufek John R. Embree John Finley Steve Graves Jeff Hall Philip J. Harvey Sr. Jason House Kyle Jennings David W. Lacey Lynne Lafond Deluca

Melissa Low Ryan Maione Steve Mona Dave Moyer By Erica Mullery Mike Phelps Ellery Platts Pamela Radcliff Steve Schendel Robert A. Sereci Craig J. Smith

Michael Sparks Robyn Stowell Scott Taylor Kevin Walls Gordon Welch Pete Westerhaus Donald N. Williams Noel Wixsom

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CONTENTS | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE | 10

CASE STUDY | 12

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES | 14

WHY DO PRIVATE CLUBS HAVE SUCH A DIFFICULT TIME WITH CHANGE?

TECHNOLOGY AND OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO CLUBS

SURVEY FINDS CLUB LEADERS ARE OPTIMISTIC

BY JOHN G . FOR NAR O

BY RICK COYNE

BY HENRY DELOZIER

“The one thing constant is change!” And it’s been that way since the middle 1600s, when French author, Francois de la Rochefoucauld, coined the phrase. This is especially true today for private clubs where change is happening even more rapidly in our fastpaced, technologically-based world.

“Don’t be afraid of your fears. They’re not there to scare you. They’re there to let you know that something is worth it.” Was it fear that kept DOS operating systems alive and well in some private clubs through the turn of the century? Or was it not understanding the benefits or not having the time to get fully educated in potentially beneficial technologies?

Leaders of many of America’s private clubs are bullish on their clubs’ futures. What’s not to like about full membership equivalents (FME) on the rise, bulging wait lists, golf participation and rounds increasing and membership demand continuing to grow?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT | 16

BOARDROOM BASICS & BEYOND | 18

MEMBERSHIP MUSINGS | 72

LESSONS LEARNED: F&B AUTOMATION REDUCES LABOR REQUIREMENTS

THE IMPORTANCE OF MANDATORY, COMPREHENSIVE ORIENTATIONS

DOES YOUR CLUB HAVE A MILK STOOL?

BY BI LL S CHW AR TZ

BY DICK KOPPLIN, KURT KUEBLER & TOM WALLACE

Perhaps of all industries affected by the pandemic, food service has taken the biggest hit, losing 75 percent of its workers. In the aftermath, food service operators are finding it difficult to hire since many of the laid off workers moved to other career paths while some simply found unemployment benefits more lucrative than their food service jobs.

Taking a serious, holistic and active approach to orientation leads to stronger employees, boards that function at a higher level, more effective committees and better-behaved members. When it comes to orientation for stakeholders, we love the well-known slogan from Syms clothing stores: “An educated consumer is our best customer.”

My nonno (Italian for grandfather) was a cobbler. Like many first-generation immigrants, he left “the old country” for an opportunity to build a better life for his family. And like many immigrants, he worked where he lived. My grandparents’ house was on a corner lot which had room enough for Nonno to build a little shoe shop a short walk from their home.

WINNING STRATEGIES | 78

CLUB FACTS & FIGURES | 86

TRIBAL MAGIC | 112

WHO AND WHAT ARE YOU?

WHAT DO LEADERS DO?

BY JER R Y MCCOY

BY KEVIN F. REILLY & R. TODD SWISHER

BY GREGG PATTERSON

Does your community think you are the same thing you think you are? The vision and mission of the club makes a statement about what you want to be and what the greater community is going to think you are. A vision statement is your destination. It’s your guiding purpose. The ideal that your mission and values build toward.

The economy is roaring back. In the hospitality industry, arguably hardest hit by the pandemic, a conundrum has emerged. According to the Department of Labor’s May 2021 report, the unemployment rate for leisure and hospitality is 10.1 percent, nearly twice the national average.

Upwardly mobile club professionals hunger to become the leader — to make things happen, to get the money, to wear the badge, to glory in the cheers and to park in the big cheese parking spot. Those who hunger to be leader will read the books, take the courses, pass the tests and talk the leadership talk to all their friends, their peers and their leadership coach.

BY BONNIE J. KNUTSON

SECTIONS

DEPARTMENTS

TECHNOLOGY FEATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 NORTHSTAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 CLUBSYSTEMS GROUP . . . . . . . . . 46 & 47 CLUBTEC / WEBTEC . . . . . . . . . . . 48 & 49 CLUBUP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 & 51 FOOD-TRAK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 & 53 JONAS CLUB SOFTWARE . . . . . . . 54 & 55 MEMBERSFIRST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 & 57 MEMBERTEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 & 59 CLUBESSENTIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 CLUBPAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 COUNTRY CLUB TECHNOLOGY . . . . . . . 62 PAISANO PERFORMANCE . . . . . . . . . . . 63 SIGNERA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 SURVEY & BALLOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 TECHNOLOGY PERSPECTIVE . . . . . . . . . 66

CUL I NA RY & CA TE RI NG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Member Services Born During the Pandemic…Should They Stay or Should They Go? By Lynne LaFond DeLuca

E XE CUTI V E COMMI TTE E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Top Private Club Presidents 2020 By Ellery Platts

E XE CUTI V E COMMI TTE E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

How Technology Has Altered the Hiring Process By Kevin Walls

TE NNI S COMMI TTE E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

The Rapid Rate of Digital Transformation By John R. Embree

How to Secure Your Notebook PC While Traveling

E XE CUTI V E COMMI TTE E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

By Bill Boothe & Jeff Hall

Board Orientations Are a Necessary Evil By Gordon Welch

NANCY’S CORNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Tournament Formats Your Members Will Like

E XE CUTI V E COMMI TTE E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

A Digital Conversation for the Club Industry

By Nancy Berkley

By Kyle Jennings & Melissa Low

CASE STUDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Castor Design Associates

Special to BoardRoom

COMMITTEES

CASE STUDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

C2 Limited Design Associates

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

HR COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

INNOVATIVE IDEAS . . . . . . . . . . . 100-101

By Michael Crandal

By Pamela Radcliff

By Craig J. Smith

Bay Head Yacht Club Country Club of Virgina By Ellery Platts

PLIGHTS & INSIGHTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

The Cost of Golf Outings

The Club Will Never Be What the Leadership Is Not

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

The Not-So-Far-Off Future By Rita Barreto

By Nancy M. Levenburg

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

LAW & LEGISLATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

By Ronald F. Cichy & Matthew D. Anderson

Lassie Stay Home

By Robyn Stowell

FEATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 David Voorhees Has Experienced a Changing Industry - Now Prepares to Move On By Dave White, editor

FEATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Private Clubs on the Cusp of a Golden Age Predicts McMahon’s President Frank Vain By Dave White, editor

Let It Go – Safely

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion What’s Your Strategy? By Steve Mona

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Team Succession Planning Critical or a Waste of Time? By Robert A. Sereci

GOLF COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Charting the Course

Special to BoardRoom HR COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Replacing Work-Life Balance With Work-Life Integration By David W. Lacey

Instant Fix to Avoid the Yips in the Boardroom

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . 98

Tips for Prospecting Emails By Mike Phelps

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . 99

HOUSE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Low-Hanging Fruit Phenomenon Is Over

By Bruce Barilla

RACQUET COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

HOUSE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

By Jarrett Chirico

Managerial Qualities of My Best Bosses

Dr. Freud and Exceptional Service Share Common Ancestry By Todd Dufek

GREEN COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Have We Lost Our Ability to Think? By Dave Doherty

GREEN COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Hiring Can Be Tiring

By Steve Schendel INSURANCE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Cyber-safe Your Club

By Philip J. Harvey Sr. MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . 97

Keeping Membership Numbers Strong in the Future By Trevor Coughlan

By Steve Graves

Staffing in the Age of Racquets - Part I RACQUET COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Building Racquet Sports Using Technology By Dave Moyer

COVER STORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

The Evolution of Data-Driven Leadership in Private Clubs By Dave White

JOHN G. FORNARO

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

Why Do Private Clubs Have Such a Difficult Time with Change? And How Do They Affect Change? “The one thing constant is change!” And it’s been that way since the middle 1600s, when French author, Francois de la Rochefoucauld, coined the phrase. This is especially true today for private clubs where change is happening even more rapidly in our fastpaced, technologically-based world. So, if change is always constant, why do private clubs have such a difficult time with change…why do so many private clubs continue to embrace the ‘status quo?’ “In my opinion, there are five primary reasons,” said Bob Jones, president and principal of Ethos Club and Leisure, Dallas, TX, “including (1) bad governance, (2) poor understanding of the membership goals and expectations, (3) lack of a strategic plan and brand strategy, (4) the overall membership composition, and (5) the age gaps.

“The club becomes imbalanced when the younger member uses the club in segments of limited time and weekends, while the older members have time to serve on committees and boards to fight for their point of view. Therefore ‘old habits die hard.’ “The result is restrictive with no reward for embracing change, only to fall back on old habits, services, facilities, staffing, etc., unless a significant economic or operational event occurs. Unfortunately, in some clubs, it arrives quicker than some see it coming through declining revenues, use of the facilities, deferred maintenance, and membership sales,” Jones added. “Clubs, like the games of golf and tennis, are based on tradition. All three endured and prospered for decades with little or NO change,” expressed Frank Gore, chief analyst for BoardRoom’s Distinguished Clubs. “For decades, tennis players only wore white; male professional golfers are still required to wear long pants during competition despite extremely high temperatures. Tradition is great but can also be limiting. Consumers love to buy historical homes because of

Sadly, many believe when something is changing that it means they’ve lost something. Many have also watched change happen that didn’t work. Still, club members, especially the older members, will accept change if they are respected and clearly understand the reasons behind the change. Many will accept an evolution, not a revolution. “The answer can be found within the overall composition of the equity membership in a private club. In many clubs today, the age and expectation gap can be monumental because the younger member wants ‘family first’ and a vibrant operating model with resort and ‘staycation’ services for their family to enjoy. “The other side of the gap is the older member who embraces traditions of years past, restrictive rules and policies, with a desire to limit fees and capital investments in improvements they may not live long enough to enjoy,” he explained. 10

BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021

the unique architecture. But as much as they love the look, the first thing they do is upgrade the kitchens, bathroom and add heating and air conditioning. “Members love their club the way it has been for years. They are comfortable with the status quo. It was good enough for my dad and my dad’s dad,” Gore added. Tradition, Rick Coyne, agrees is a primary reason for the lack of change.

SEE PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE | 114

ADDISONLAW

gm ETHOS

CLUB

LEISURE

EXECUTIVESEARCH

Equity Turnovers

Business and Brand Strategy

Executive Search

Acquisitions and Sales

Operations

Human Capital Management

Membership Plans / Bylaws

Repositioning and New Capital

Post-Hire Consulting

Licensing and Permitting

Development/Sales

HR Compliance

Deal Structures

Redevelopment

Training/Team Building

CREATING FOUNDATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE SUCCESS addisonlaw.com

ethosclubandleisure.com

gsiexecutivesearch.com

The Crossings, 5429 LBJ Freeway, Suite 400, Dallas, Texas 75240 • (972) 341-8133

RICK COYNE Rick Coyne is president of ClubInsights. He can be reached via email: rcoyne@clubinsights.com

CASE STUDY

Technology and Opportunity Available to Clubs “Don’t be afraid of your fears. They’re not there to scare you. They’re there to let you know that something is worth it.” I’m not sure who the author is, but is it just me or is there a general fear of what we don’t fully understand? Was it fear that kept DOS operating systems alive and well in some private clubs through the turn of the century? Or was it not understanding the benefits or not having the time to get fully educated in emerging and potentially beneficial technologies? One of the things I’ve heard over the past many years is, “My glass is so full I can’t take on anything new.” Sound familiar? Before COVID-19, even if your club wasn’t full, there always seemed to be more things to do than hours in the day. For some, maybe even most, that statement may still hold true. If so, how can technology help you? Some of us may still feel burned over claims that cellphones and the internet would make our lives easier and save us tons of precious time with the ease of accessibility. Truth is that technology did deliver on those promises. We simply took the available time and allowed the glass to fill again. The types of technology available to clubs today is extensive and valuable. Video conferencing was available for decades, but it didn’t really become widely accepted until we needed it the most, when restrictive travel and distancing become the norm. Today, nearly every club has accessibility for board meetings, business meetings and opportunities for members to conduct their own business meetings. Members love it and it saves a lot of time and energy. Implied need for technology is also a big part of specific technology acceptance. In our recovering club environment, we have issues of relearning what members want and need to feel more comfortable, engaged and safe. The reality of new staff and potential missteps, we need to know more about member

BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021

experiences to establish where problems may be occurring. What could be more crucial than having the ability to track each member’s experience. While time is involved in reviewing systems that have the capability to provide 24/7, two-way communication, what better way to ensure sustainability of your newfound prosperity than listening, acting and improving. COVID-19 created many positive outcomes for private clubs. Growth has been amazing, and the number of rounds played is the greatest in 17 years. Curiosity begs the question, however, what were the actual drivers of new membership and rounds? When lives return to normal, is it possible that things could change? Without having the ability to answer these questions through pulse and regular member surveys how can we really know. What value to retention and member satisfaction could possibly be greater than in knowing your members’ names and preferences in each department on campus? Better yet, how valuable and satisfying would it be for members to be called by name and remembered not by one or two staff persons, but by every department they might frequent at the club? This technology exists in many forms and creates loyal and raving fans eager to share their experiences with friends. One of the byproducts of the COVID-19 pandemic was organic membership growth and a keen interest in what club life could offer. Wouldn’t it be a shame not to embrace the types of technology that allow you to ensure member experiences remain positive, perpetuating the positive moment and making every experience a personalized and memorable experience? The opportunity is there now. Make the time to embrace the things that will make life easier for your staff and your members. You might find that your glass has a little more room for you to relax, too. As Thomas Edison once said: “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” The future is yours to capture. Let technology help you make the most of it. B R

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those who support us. Competitive research will confirm that our moderate fee structure sets us apart. Over the past 21 years, we’ve placed more than 35,000 professional managers and earned the respect and loyalty of our clients. Recruiting all levels of management positions for the club industry: Country clubs, golf clubs, yacht clubs, tennis clubs, city clubs, business clubs and equestrian clubs. We know the best person for the position can come from a variety of industries, not just the obvious one.

HENRY DELOZIER Henry DeLozier is a partner at GGA Partners. He can be reached via email: henry.delozier@ ggapartners.com

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

Survey Finds Club Leaders Are Optimistic

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t important elements of their clubs’ operations that are keeping some awake at night. Following a year that saw clubs respond in championship fashion to the challenge of continuing to deliver services and value to their members, nearly 80 percent of private club leaders are optimistic about their clubs’ future. They are also benefiting from lessons learned during the pandemic and planning capital projects to position their clubs for future growth. These are among the findings of a GGA Partners survey of more than 500 club leaders in the US and Canada. These same leaders realize, however, that business and good fortunes run in cycles and are focused on several key aspects of their business that could affect performance.

entrance/joining fees. Over 40 percent are planning to fund via surpluses from operations. Other important takeaways from the survey concerning capital planning include: • Most capital improvement/growth projects are proceeding as planned. Improvement and growth projects may be delayed in some cases, but most have not been halted. Only nine percent of club leaders indicate having paused or cancelled planned capital projects. • Three in 10 leaders say their clubs used COVID-related closures and/or anticipated decreases in club utilization to complete small-scale capital improvement/growth projects they otherwise may not have prioritized. Almost 40 percent report their clubs are rethinking the use of clubhouse space. Three-quarters are considering offering a business center or meeting rooms with enhanced technology. • More than half of clubs have added, significantly improved or enhanced amenities in the past three years. In many instances, pickleball and golf simulators have been added while significant improvements or expansions have focused on food and beverage/ dining and golf course enhancement. Overwhelmingly, the growth of open-air dining has been a silver lining of the pandemic as most clubs seek to bring the outdoors in or extend the indoors outward.

TOP CONCERNS Emerging from pandemic lockdowns, more than two-thirds of clubs are scrambling to re-hire personnel. More than 90 percent of leaders say their clubs have implemented measures to address employee concerns. Three-quarters of clubs are conducting regular morale check-ins, and almost half have introduced bonus or compensation incentives. Capital planning is also on many minds. Most club leaders (60 percent) expect their clubs’ cash, cash-equivalent and capital reserve balance to change over the next two years. Nearly half foresee an increase while 14 percent see a decrease. Between January 2021 and January 2023, more than nine in 10 leaders believe their clubs’ general financial position will either improve or remain the same. Based on current forecasts, 62 percent of club leaders believe their clubs’ net income will meet or exceed pre-COVID budgets. Going forward, the primary funding mechanisms for capital maintenance (sustaining) expenditures are capital reserve and

LEARNING FROM A CRISIS Operational changes made during the pandemic have generated efficiencies that should endure to benefit members. More than 90 percent of club leaders believe their operations will be more efficient in the future. Specifically, scope of operations solutions, including reduced hours of operations in services such as shoe care, pool and tennis food service and self-service options for members (morning coffee and pool deck refreshments) may endure to improve clubs’ post-pandemic planning. Overall membership size and demand for key categories have increased. Driving this optimism, 96 percent expect their membership level to increase or stay the same. Members’ (consumer) confidence is high, as reported in GGA’s 2020 pandemic report, and only 14 percent of club leaders introduced pandemic-driven dues abatements or credits. After years of flat performance and disheartening results, clubs are basking in the afterglow of some well-deserved results. Those that refuse to become complacent while addressing labor challenges and making prudent capital investments will be well positioned for whatever the future holds. B R

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DO YOU KNOW THE BENEFITS OF MAKING YOUR CLUB SUSTAINABLE? • Good for the environment and saves money • Reduces costs for utilities, gas, water, waste, fertilizers… up to 40% • Builds closer knit teams and pride of belonging • Improves brand reputation and visibility • Gives you a competitive advantage to attract new members • Foster the beauty of our environment for generations to come • A sustainable club will succeed and excel even through challenging times

Learn how clubs across the country are increasing resilience and sustainability. Visit www. vivid-leaf. com, ask for a free evaluation and talk to clubs in your neighborhood that have already advanced in their journey to sustainability. Welcome to the new paradigm of clubs.

BILL SCHWARTZ

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Bill Schwartz is the founder and CEO of System Concepts, Inc. (SCI). Based in Scottsdale AZ, SCI is a food and beverage procurement and inventory management consulting firm and the developer of the FOOD-TRAK System, which is widely used in club operations around the country. Bill can be reached at (480)951-8011 or bills@foodtrak.com

Lessons Learned: F&B Automation Reduces Post-Pandemic Labor Requirements Perhaps of all industries affected by the pandemic, food service has taken the biggest hit, losing 75 percent of its workers. In the aftermath, food service operators are finding it difficult to hire since many of the laid off workers moved to other career paths while some simply found unemployment benefits more lucrative than their food service jobs. Many were looking for remote work, which, of course, is difficult in food service. Hard lessons were learned during the pandemic. Operators, forced to live on take-out revenue, streamlined their menus to enable them to operate with less staff while reorganizing kitchen stations to provide for social distancing. Managers took on additional responsibilities. Some operators invested in technologies to allow online ordering and payment. Given the new approaches, some do not intend to hire back to pre-pandemic levels at all. According to a July 16 Wall Street Journal article, during the COVID-19 surge in May 2020, as the travel and hospitality industries were cratering, Jim Risoleo, the chief executive of Host Hotels & Resorts Inc., a large owner of Hyatt and Marriott hotels, described the pandemic “truly as an opportunity to redefine the hotel operating model.” He said the hotel chain planned to reduce management staff by 30 percent in 2020 in its food and beverage department and said the changes would be permanent. The following month at restaurant and entertainment chain Dave & Buster’s Entertainment Inc., chief operating officer Margo Manning indicated customers were provided with digital tablets to order food and drink, allowing managers to schedule fewer servers. These hard lessons have a way of changing our perspectives. In this case, it forced food service operators to pivot and retool their operations to accommodate the new reality. In doing so, they have discovered new ways to do business with less labor. By investing in automation, they save on labor costs – not to mention myriad other benefits. So how can F&B automation help? Front of house technologies can reduce wait staff, but what can be done about back of house? We still need chefs, purchasers, receivers, line cooks and dishwashers. The more business we do, the more of them we need. But if we consider time savings associated with enterprise-level comprehensive F&B back-office automation, it may be possible to do these jobs with fewer people. Chefs: Consider the labor savings from automation. Recipe costing functions can virtually eliminate all the time chefs take 16

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to do that job. New recipes can be costed as quickly as they are built. Catered events will not require any of the chef’s time to calculate costs. Mobile devices cut inventory time by 75 percent. Production planning reports improve kitchen efficiency and relieve chefs of doing this manually or in person. Outlet managers: Mobile devices allow requisitioning in real time without paper forms. The same mobile capability allows requisitions to be turned into transfers on the spot. Usage and profitability reports allow more control over costs and menu offerings. Purchasers: Bid sheet imports eliminate time spent on the phone calling vendors for pricing. Shopping lists can be created from reorder reports and instantly turned into purchase orders. Purchase orders are converted to invoices and distributed to proper G/L accounts instantly. Transactions are exported directly to the accounting system for payment. Receivers: Mobile devices allow receiving using scanners. Orders can be received accurately in a fraction of the time and immediately reconciled against the purchase order. Accountants: Time savings are obvious since many of these tasks no longer need to be performed manually. No need to maintain and print inventory forms or enter associated data. Inventories are extended in real time and errors can be corrected immediately. Transfers are assigned to appropriate accounts and summarized for instant journal entry. Invoices are automatically distributed to the appropriate accounts and imported into the accounting system. Managers: Cost of sales, contribution analysis, usage analysis, variance reporting, menu engineering and business intelligence-based analytics provide numerous ways to instantly analyze performance and profitability in real time. No need to wait for monthly P&Ls to determine status. Adding up the time savings and residual benefits, it becomes clear how this type of system – implemented properly – can provide the means for operating with reduced labor. And while systems of this type are not inexpensive to implement, once in place the cloud-based subscription fees can be very affordable on an ongoing basis. The return from enterprise-level, professionally implemented F&B management systems can easily reduce operating costs from two to five percent of sales and reduce labor costs at the same time, allowing operators to weather most any storm. Taking advantage of lessons learned from the 2020 pandemic prepares operators to scale up or down profitably for any future twists and turns. BR

DICK KOPPLIN

KURT KUEBLER

TOM WALLACE

BOARDROOM BASICS AND BEYOND

The Importance of Mandatory, Comprehensive Orientations - Part I We believe that nearly all best-in-class clubs have mandatory, comprehensive and thorough orientations for new employees, new board members, new committee members, new members and even new club presidents. Taking a serious, holistic and active approach to orientation leads to stronger employees, boards that function at a higher level, more effective committees and better-behaved members. When it comes to orientation for stakeholders, we love the well-known slogan from Syms clothing stores: “An educated consumer is our best customer.” Educating each constituency as often and as effectively as possible is critical; keeping education at the forefront and setting each stakeholder up for success right out of the game is one of the most important things a club can do. We believe: Education = Buy in = Continuity = Relevance Conducting a mandatory, not discretionary, orientation helps ensure that each constituency is the most effective it can be and truly understands key expectations, priorities, metrics and other important information about the club, its culture and where it’s going. Teaching, training and educating stakeholders dramatically reduces the learning curve that typically exists. We meet with 100-plus boards each year, and we almost always hear that board members feel they could have been better prepared for what they have been asked to oversee and how best to contribute to the relevance and long-term success of the club. An effective orientation is what they missed. Think back to when you were a freshman in something. It doesn’t matter what you were a freshman in, but recall how you overcame that freshman feeling. It was through knowledge, time, experience and confidence. You learned about the environment, the priorities, the tasks and how to be most effective in your role. If you can recall the way you felt at that time, you will understand that no matter how old you are, what you’ve accomplished in your own business world or where you are in your life, you can still be a freshman in something. The goal of orientation is to reduce that uncomfortable freshman transition period and to get stakeholders up to speed and contributing more quickly. When it comes to board member orientation, there’s a lot they need to learn, especially the three primary legal duties: duty of care – board members take the same precautions in 18

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governing the club that an “ordinary prudent” person would take, duty of loyalty or good faith – board members put interests of the club ahead of their own personal interests and duty of obedience – board members must remain faithful to the mission of the club. It is imperative that board members understand their role and responsibility and how it connects to the overall organization. Secondly, orientation helps board members feel more useful and productive because they have deeper insights, and their confidence grows as a result. Thus, you create a better board member experience. When conducting your mandatory board orientation, identify the core values and guiding principles that are the foundation of how you operate. Explain “this is how we function and get the work of our club done here” to them. It’s the time to say, “If you want to color outside of these lines, then this probably isn’t the right role or place for you.” Coming in with an “agenda” and without understanding why and how things are done is quite possibly the most significant contributory issue to dysfunctionality in the boardroom. Help board members understand that in conjunction with the general manager, they are responsible for setting the goals and the focus for the club for the year ahead…for the organization, including committees, senior leaders and themselves. Make sure you emphasize that goal setting is one of the board’s most important tasks. Committees can often get a bloated sense of their authority, and this is less likely to happen if you have a detailed and comprehensive orientation process up front. If you cover up front where their roles and responsibilities begin and end, and include board-initiated goals you want them to work on and achieve, it makes for a better experience for committee members and it leads to more effective committees and stronger overall continuity for the club. Part II will be published in the November/December BoardRoom. B R Richard Kopplin, a principal with KK&W, can be reached via email: Dick@kkandw.com Kurt D. Kuebler, CCM, a principal with KK&W, can be reached via email: Kurt@kkandw.com Thomas B. Wallace III, CCM, CCE, ECM, a principal with KK&W, can be reached via email: Tom@kkandw.com

FORT WORTH | PALM DESERT | SCOTTSDALE | BEVERLY HILLS CLUBDESIGNASSOCIATES . COM | 866-484-9853

Great Hills Country Club, Aus�n, Texas

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Mirabel Golf Club, Sco�sdale, Arizona

THE EVOLUTION OF

Data-Driven Leadership IN PRIVATE CLUBS COVER STORY BY DAVE WHITE, EDITOR

Without big data, you are blind and deaf in the middle of a freeway – Geoffrey Moore, American organizational theorist, management consultant and author The first private clubs in the United States were formed more than 200 years ago by groups of likeminded people who came together around shared values and interests. Their independence is part of what makes the industry unique. Still, it has also put clubs at a disadvantage by limiting interactions and the exchange of ideas with others engaged in the same undertaking. Clubs exist in what is known in the business world as a cottage industry, meaning each club tends to govern more by art than by science. As a result, best practices disseminate slowly, if at all, and too many clubs believe they are “unique” and not subject to the competitive dynamics that drive the industry. TRADITION IS GOOD. STAGNATION DEADLY Historically, clubs have been steeped in tradition and slow to change, while the world around them has not. However, over the last two decades, technology has dramatically changed how business is conducted and completely reshaped the way society interacts. It’s as Jeff Weiner, a businessman and former CEO of LinkedIn, says, “Data really powers everything we do.” However, the club industry has struggled to keep pace. Since the turn of the century, one of the most important technology shifts in the business world has been the emergence of business intelligence software and processes. Unfortunately, the use of business intelligence as a requisite management tool is an area where clubs have greatly lagged other industries. In the absence of facts and data regarding the key drivers of financial outcomes that move other business sectors forward, clubs have been forced to lean heavily on opinions, guesswork, and emotion. As a result, professional club managers fight an uphill battle in the boardroom. Even the best long-term plans often get lost in the shuffle during board changeovers and management transitions. 20

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Data beats emotion – Sean Rad, technology entrepreneur In 2008, Club Benchmarking founder Ray Cronin witnessed that information vacuum firsthand early in his tenure on the board of his own club in Massachusetts. As a serial entrepreneur in high technology, he knew there was a better way and he set out to develop a software-based solution that would give club boards and managers easy access to the data they needed to make informed fact-based decisions. Club Benchmarking (CB), founded in 2009, set to work building a business intelligence platform for the industry by aggregating a critical mass of data from clubs across North America for analysis and identification of relevant benchmarks. The CB software team created a platform to enable the study of the data flowing in from clubs and deliver the resulting key performance indicators as insight to clubs in the form of graphical reports. Almost immediately, analysis revealed that the industry was suffering from a lack of understanding of its own business model. For example, the number of club boards overly focused on operational details like monthly F&B results, even though analysis of industry data showed that in a private club setting F&B functions as an amenity rather than a profit center surfaced as one of the most glaring examples. Cronin remained convinced that giving clubs access to reliable and accurate financial and operational benchmarks to inform the decision-making process would have a game-changing effect by shifting the industry away from guesswork and opinion to facts. The Club Benchmarking platform launched in 2009 during the Great Recession and when clubs were just beginning to incorporate computers and software into day-today operations. Not surprisingly, clubs initially were slow to adopt, but over the next decade, club leaders have embraced the clarity and confidence that comes with relying on data and have begun to gain control over their outcomes and build financial health for their clubs. The business intelligence flowing from the platform has served as material for education that has been an integral part ➤ SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

Clubs Embracing Club Benchmarking LAREDO COUNTRY CLUB

“The key to making sound decisions in any board room is presenting industry backed data on KPIs that matter, and we find that with the information at our fingertips provided by Club Benchmarking, the answers have never been clearer. As the industry continues to evolve, the vast resources available to general managers across the country will allow them to keep an eye on future trends, implement best practices and utilize analytics to drive decisions. Our club has fully embraced a data-driven approach that promotes forward-thinking strategy in our board room, laser focus on continuous enhancement of the member experience by our management team, and a thriving membership who now finds value in the broad base of amenities they enjoy.” Mike Mainhart, PGA, GM | Laredo Country Club - Laredo, TX CB Partner: Chris Barron, CCM

THE COUNTRY CLUB OF ORLANDO

“The availability of large samplings of data specific to the private club industry is playing an increasingly important role in the decisions being made. It’s the old-fashioned ‘competitive club survey’ on steroids. From the most general “best practices” information to specific departmental detail, having access to consensus metrics of the highest performing clubs when making any club decision can only improve your probability of success.” Eric Allain, GM/COO | The Country Club of Orlando | Orlando, FL CB Partner: Kenny Buchanan

BISHOPS BAY COUNTRY CLUB

“Embracing data and fact-based insight has helped propel Bishops Bay forward and the board is now operating strategically. We are leading our local market and we have developed a vision and capital plan that will fuel our member experience for years to come.” Jeff Murray, COO | Bishops Bay Country Club | Middleton, WI CB Partner: Chris Barron, CCM

TWO RIVERS COUNTRY CLUB

“The journey that we are currently on at Two Rivers Country Club involves aligning our board and committees with what we call our ‘wildly important goals.’ We found that using accurate, real-time data is helpful in controlling our messaging. What was once a debate over whose opinion was the strongest is now a productive conversation about what is best for the club.” John S. Hilker, GM/COO | Two Rivers Country Club Williamsburg, VA | CB Partner: Kenny Buchanan

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTRY CLUB

“We started applying data and fact-based insight into our planning and decision-making processes about five years ago. We use data-centric reporting tools from Club Benchmarking and I work with their support team to ensure that we present the most relevant annual data at our townhall meetings, delivering the KPIs that matter most to our members. We’ve also taken a data-driven approach to capital planning, and I could never have anticipated the powerful impact it would have on the focus and dialogue in our boardroom. Our board has embraced data-driven, strategic leadership and it is exciting to see them so engaged in creating an outstanding future for our club.” Jeff Murray, COO | Bishops Bay Country Club | Middleton, WI CB Partner: Chris Barron, CCM 22

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Golf Maintenance

from Cover Story | 22

of bridging the information gap on the business and financial model. That education is changing the way the industry thinks and talks about club finance, specifically, teaching professional and volunteer leaders about the central concepts of the private club financial and business model so that data-driven leadership becomes standard operating procedure. Over time this lays a foundation of strategic, fact-based governance that can withstand the constant churn of board members inherent in club governance. EVOLUTION MILESTONES Continuous analysis of data from a full spectrum of clubs, ranging from extremely successful to failing, brought patterns to light and made it possible to discover key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter to every club in the industry. The first KPIs to surface were from the income statement (aka the operating ledger), specifically the dues to operating revenue ratio, the payroll to operating revenue ratio, the dues subsidy of F&B ratio, and the proportion of fixed operating expenses by department. This unveiled the critical impact breadth of services and amenities has on a club’s overall financial and membership outcomes. These KPIs represented the industry’s first milestone on the path to data-driven leadership. In February 2016, after presenting to a town hall meeting of more than 300 club members, Cronin had a revelation and turned his focus to benchmarking the balance sheet alongside the operating ledger. The focus on the balance sheet, specifically the growth or decline of net worth over time (aka member’s equity) and the resulting direct impact on the debt-to-equity ratio and the net-to-gross property, plant & equipment ratio, unveiled the mission-critical nature of forward-looking capital planning. For years, focus across the industry on the income statement had obscured the fact that the financial driver of a club over time is the capital ledger. Following that discovery, it became clear that the balance sheet provides a precise, strategic view of how well a given club has met its capital needs over time. Coupled with that effort, the emergence of net worth over time as the most important financial KPI has been central to the evolution of data-driven leadership in the club industry since 2015. 24

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That work led CB to develop new software technology and processes to help clubs adopt a robust, data-driven approach to capital planning. That work continues in full force. Clubs are asset-intensive businesses and technology is a necessity to manage those assets properly. Historically, the data shows clearly clubs have done a poor job of asset management. A software platform and data-centric approach to managing, preserving, and growing the asset base is exactly within the expected fiduciary role of the board. Without robust software and processes, the job is impossible. CONTINUOUS PROGRESS In terms of broader investment in software and processes used across the industrial spectrum, one of the evolutions over the last decade has been to use an approach, initially developed by Bain & Company, called the net promoter score (NPS). The NPS process allows businesses to measure their customers’ loyalty and satisfaction and benchmark the outcome against a host of other companies and industries. The widespread adoption of NPS allows for context to be applied regarding customer service. In 2017, after getting to know Cronin as a customer of Club Benchmarking, Dr. Jim Butler joined the CB team as CEO, allowing Cronin to shift his focus back to technology. Butler earned his Ph.D. from Iowa State using statistics and technology to study the link between member satisfaction, the member’s original motivation to join a club, their loyalty and emotional attachment to the club, and the value they perceive in being a member. CB has embraced Butler’s research and is applying technology and software to measure that link at hundreds of clubs. In 2018, CB began to apply very similar research to staff engagement. Obviously, the private club’s staff has a profound impact on the membership experience. The technology, software and processes, including NPS that apply to measuring membership outcomes, are now also being used to measure staff outcomes and their engagement in that membership experience. Alongside measuring staff engagement, CB applied benchmarking technology to compensation and benefits analysis for all employees in the club. Given the dramatic increases in hourly wages and widespread staff shortages as clubs emerge from the pandemic, scalable, technology-based solutions to benchmark compensation and benefits have become a critical management and governance issue. Today, Butler and Cronin are backed by a highly skilled team of more than 30 people, including five regional executive directors. The entire team is dedicated to developing and applying leading-edge software, technology and data science processes to help clubs throughout the industry make data-driven decisions that will result in more consistent and sustainable financial and member-experience outcomes over time. Ultimately, Club Benchmarking is a technology company committed to delivering business intelligence tools that drive the ongoing evolution of data-driven leadership in the club industry. B R

MICHAEL CRANDAL, CNG

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The letters after our author’s name Michael Crandal, CNG stand for Certified Nice Guy. Self-certified, by the way. But, a nice guy nonetheless. Michael is co-author with Gabriel Aluisy of the groundbreaking book, The ABC’s of Plutonium Private Club Leadership. www.plutonium.club He can be reached directly at (760) 464-6103.

The Club Will Never Be What the Leadership Is Not Talented people may be on your team bus. But are they in the right seat? The higher up the ladder of executive leadership, the more ultimate success revolves around talent. Identifying it in others and knowing what to do with it. Great leadership perfectly blends unique individual talent into a dynamic collective winning team – year after year. (We just described World Series and Super Bowl winning teams. Why should the approach to leadership in a “winning” private club be any different?) Understanding specific individual responsibilities (board of directors and management) and how to work seamlessly as a winning team are essential. The single best resource to get an entire private club leadership team on the same page is via The ABCs of Plutonium Private Club Leadership. Can both individual and team talents be continually polished and refined? Yes. But it is only brought to fruition with everyone understanding and being confident in their respective roles.

Need some better examples in the business world? OK. A great behind-the-scenes chief financial officer with a gift for numbers but zero natural people skills is asked to make presentations to shareholders. A creative architect is asked to quit designing and to instead install drywall. A talented chef is told to spend less time leading the culinary team and more time attending Excel training classes. An outgoing and authentic “people person” is given a cubicle to come up with customer service slogans for H/R to hang in the employee lounge to inspire introverts to be more outgoing.

Need some all too often examples in private clubs? OK. A great “numbers guy” chief financial officer of a major corporation is now chairman of the finance committee and believes that every department should be a “profit center.” A club champion feels qualified to instruct the superintendent on acceptable daily green speeds. The new house committee chair, who owns a local popular restaurant, schools the executive chef on acceptable net cost of goods sold ratios. A member couple, well known for impeccable taste in their home, directs the professional design firm retained to orchestrate the renovation of the front entryway and main dining room. And so it goes… And – yes…even general managers/chief operating officers who are either not qualified to truly lead the entire operation or, due to the above, are not allowed to do what they are indeed fully capable of doing, should be allowed/expected to do, and held accountable for leadTalent is not enough without positive leadering the entirety of day-to-day club operations. Needless micromanageship orchestrating it. ment raises its ugly head. Imagine if a talented third baseman found their Few people are successful unless a lot of people want them to be. So, name penciled in as the starting pitcher, and the ask yourselves: “Does our leadership and approach to governance truly all-star pitcher is now relegated to shortstop. The enhance the probability of our day-to-day membership experiences all-star shortstop? Oh – pitching coach for the being perceived as a resounding success? Do we have the right people day. The all-star catcher, while somewhat slow of on our leadership bus? Are they in the right seats?” foot on the base paths, is now in center field. The Authority starts at the top and works its way down. Accountabilmanager whose job it is to identify talent and put ity starts at the bottom and rises all the way to the top. At the top is it in the right places? Back in the minor leagues a membership that deserves talented people who know their roles filling out forms for H/R. (board/policy and LRP – management/daily operations and member exImagine if an all-star quarterback is put in the poperiences) and are capable of execution. The result is perennially being sition of left guard. A tackle now going to be a wide in contention for the World Series or the Super Bowl. B R receiver? The defensive coordinator is putting on a uniform and playing quarterback. The head coach? Oh, he’s back in the locker room deflating balls so the former defensive coordinator can get a better grip and the former tackle just might be able to catch a pass if it hits him on the numbers. 26

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“Having been the General Manager at The Country Club for the past 29 years I was not thrilled at the prospect of working with a search firm, at my Board’s suggestion, to help find the best Golf Course Superintendent available. However, after having spent only 5 minutes on the phone with Armen Suny I knew we made the right decision. He was fantastic in every aspect of the search and the process was impressive. I could not be happier with our hire and the entire process.”

Amedee Moran, General Manager The Country Club, Salt Lake City, UT

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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Rita Barreto is an engaging, motivational speaker on the national stage. She also has 30+ 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.

The Not-So-Far-Off Future Does the future frighten you or challenge you? Are It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelliyou ready and eager to greet its opportunities, or gent, but the one most adaptable to change. — Charles Darwin does the idea of change scare you to pieces? Are you The future seems to come up on us faster and faster these days and still weighed down by a pandemic few foresaw? Or some worrying and wondering about what it will bring is normal. But do you see it now as a driver to change for the better? there’s also what psychologists call anticipatory anxiety, the fear of bad One thing’s for sure: The future is around the things that could happen, things one can’t predict or control. Anyone corner, so the answers are critical. So is your stuck there may need help to focus forward to the good stuff, the chalplan. lenge, excitement, urgency and achievement. First, some basics. Does your club have a leader No one knows what the future holds. But some employers are actively who crystalizes the vision for everyone in the trying to make it a better place for their employees and seeing good organization? Can you roam the halls and ask emresults. ployees if they know the key areas you are work“Employers that support employees in their personal lives help them ing on to achieve it? Everyone benefits when they not only live better lives but perform at a higher level,” says a survey have that North Star to focus on. The North Star from Gartner, a global research company. “They see a 23 percent inmeans different things to people and cultures, crease in the number reporting better mental health and a 17 percent but it’s a symbol that can lead to a purposeful increase in those reporting better physical health.” destination, and that’s where you want to go. Many employees who worked remotely during the pandemic are reNext, think strategically. Make decisions based turning to the office. Organizations that offer flexibility regarding when, on evidence. Value hard-headed pragmatists as where and how much they work see 55 percent of their work force as well as idealists. Be future-oriented, open-minded high performers and are offering benefits, such as extended parental and proactive. Understand the importance and leave and increases in mental health support. New jobs may measure a opportunity of two aspects of most organizations: worker’s output rather than a set of hours. the internal and the external. The number of skills employers are looking for has risen significantly. Internal factors: What is our purpose? What is “Companies listed about 33 more skills on job ads in 2020 than in our plan for fulfilling that purpose? Do we need 2017.” to change? If so, how? What will happen if we Increasingly, employees also want to work for organizations whose don’t? Do these questions spark new urgency to values align with their own. Seventy-four percent of employees expect meet a forthcoming future? If not, why not? their employer to be more actively involved in the social and political External factors: Compared to internal factors, debates of the day. such as staff, culture and finances, these include Finally, keep in mind that the various parts of a new employment picuncontrollable components, such as the econture are falling into place all the time. That far-off future is around the omy, politics, competitors, even weather. That’s corner. B R why it’s important to make change your friend. Sure, changing how we do things can be difficult, but we have no choice. We may try to avoid it, but change will enter our lives just the same. To remain competitive, embrace it. Otherwise, your competitors will leave you behind. It’s smarter to initiate change ourselves, to adapt to get what we want. The cliché that there’s nothing permanent except change is true.

BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021

RONALD F. CICHY

MATTHEW D. ANDERSON

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Let It Go – Safely COVID-19 has taken so much from so many. It has By removing their job security concerns, you will help the talent fulfill radically changed people and their lives, businesses, their personal responsibilities and feel more confident in their professional the economy, and the hospitality industry. As much lives. If talent feels comfortable and confident, that will subconsciously peras the virus causes illness, what it has created even meate into their behavior and positive attitude toward the member owners. Boards of directors lead by example. Talk openly about new protocols more extensively is fear. Fear of the unknown. and the importance of respecting the health and safety of one another. We now live in a world that has been permaDiscuss and post expectations required if the talent becomes ill. This nently affected by the cultural and behavioral will in turn help the member owners to feel more welcome, relaxed, and changes that were deemed necessary to prevent safe at their clubs. the spread of the virus. Even though America is Now may also be an ideal time to explore new or enhanced talent now heavily vaccinated and has ended restricbenefits. Thinking back to marketing 101: The best way to increase or tions, the world will almost certainly not return to regain membership and right-size the staff is by word of mouth, and the “normal” of pre-pandemic times. that includes from the current talent to potential talent. Something that will not change, though, is that Daily talent “family meals” at the start or end of the shift, increased acprivate club members will desire to have their cess to club amenities, and allotments of day passes for talent to disperse clubs be a refuge, a safe place. Their clubs are to those they love and care about are impactful ways to increase talent filled with happy memories. It is incumbent on loyalty and club knowledge while capitalizing on underutilized capacity. club leaders to help talent feel safe and comfort-

When talent is happy, comfortable, and free from work stressors that can be reasonably eliminated, talent will create a safe environment for returning owner members that’s a refuge from the realities of the pandemic. able so that they can in turn create that same environment for the owner members. Creating a feeling of safety and comfort for talent is more than letting them wear a mask as they feel inclined. It means being compassionate, empathetic, and engaged in the lives of talent. As talent and member owners continue to return to the clubs in increasing numbers, the virus is still a real concern. The virus is present, and will continue affecting the lives of people, including the families of talent and member owners. As staffing challenges have demonstrated, talent and member owners may rightfully feel uncertain, uncomfortable, or even fearful to return to the clubs. This may be an ideal time to review and shift club policies to a more forgiving and trusting attitude toward call-ins and sick time. The talent may be healthy but could be supporting or caring for those around them who need help. 30

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Talent is keenly interested in WIIFT – what is in it for them – as they navigate the new horizons. Listen to them. Hear their concerns about safety protocols. Take solace in their desires to do well by serving club member owners, and at the same time being a club where the personal values of talent are served by the club. This is the essence of servant leadership. Whether or not it is currently top of mind for you as a club leader, you likely remember, and may have once shared with others, that it is the talent who take care of the owner members. Place your focus on the talent. When talent is happy, comfortable, and free from work stressors that can be reasonably eliminated, talent will create a safe environment for returning owner members that’s a refuge from the realities of the pandemic. Our club is a place to be with family and friends. A place to feel free to, in the words of Elsa from Frozen, “Let It Go!” – Safely. BR Dr. Ronald F. Cichy, O.M. is professor emeritus, Michigan State University. Matthew D. Anderson is chief executive officer, Leadership Coaching for Results

STEVE MONA

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Steve Mona is director of governance and leadership for Club Benchmarking. In May, he was inducted into the National Black Golf Hall of Fame for his role in convincing the World Golf Foundation’s board and partners to construct a permanent African American exhibit at the World Golf Hall of Fame headquarters in St. Augustine, FL. Steve can be reached at smona@clubbenchmarking.com

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion What’s Your Strategy?

In the wake of societal changes over the last several years, the subject of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has come to the forefront and is being addressed at some level by virtually every business across all industry sectors. In the golf world, CEOs of the LPGA, PGA of America and PGA Tour came together last year to launch an industry-wide effort to increase diversity and inclusion in the golf business and in the game itself. In addition to the commitment of these recognized industry leaders, the effort is receiving considerable financial support by leading golf organizations and brands. The message is clear: In an industry already saddled with a reputation for being stodgy and old-fashioned, private club leaders cannot afford to become out of step with the world around them, particularly in an area as sensitive and visible as DEI. The first step in developing a DEI strategy is to evaluate how your club is doing currently with diversity, equity and inclusion among the membership and the staff. Understanding that these are two separate areas that require different strategies is critical. A DEI effort will not be successful if either group is not fully addressed. The next step is to seek outside counsel in developing a customized DEI strategy for your club. Businesses have been developing DEI strategies for several years, which means there is no shortage of qualified groups available who have significant experience in this area. While this process is taking place, the club should engage in a formal evaluation of the composition of its membership and staff to understand the current gender and ethnicity mix. The results of this initial assessment will become the benchmark from which you chart progress going forward. Commissioning an evaluation of your club’s key documents, including membership and employ32

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ment applications, is imperative. There should be no language that can be considered exclusionary based on gender or ethnicity. Legal counsel should review these documents to ensure they comply with all applicable laws and regulations. An evaluation of the process by which members are admitted to your club should also be conducted, preferably by an objective, third-party expert. Similarly, you should review your club’s hiring and orientation process for new employees to identify longstanding practices and policies that may be outdated, biased or unfair by contemporary standards. Once again, outside counsel can assist with this evaluation. A formal, ongoing and intentional education process should also be undertaken. Your club’s board and staff should receive separate training on how to lead and work at a club that practices inclusion. Learning from experts and from businesses that have been working at DEI for

The message is clear: In an industry already saddled with a reputation for being stodgy and old-fashioned, private club leaders cannot afford to become out of step with the world around them, particularly in an area as sensitive and visible as DEI. years can shorten the learning curve and prevent missteps that can easily occur without proper training. In the end, your club should seek to create a culture of inclusion that extends from the board to the hourly staff. Ensuring that key documents, hiring and admittance procedures, and orientation and onboarding processes are not exclusionary is critical, but ultimately achieving inclusion at all levels must become part of the club’s culture. Perhaps the best approach to starting and committing to a comprehensive DEI strategy is to remember the words of the late Arthur Ashe: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” BR

ROBERT A. SERECI Robert A. Sereci, CCM is general manager, Medinah Country Club. He can be reached via email: rsereci@medinahcc.org

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Team Succession Planning Critical or a Waste of Time?

GMs and boards also have tremendous anxiety in hiring someone This year I celebrated my sixth year at Medinah from within, as they may be concerned with member perception. They Country Club in Medinah, IL. do not want to look bad if the internal candidate fails when the reality is So, following my review and updated agreethat this can happen with the failure of an internal or external candidate. ment, the board asked me to develop a succesSenior managers do not feel secure discussing succession plans. sion plan for me and my team. Just like general managers, senior managers also display a high level of While it is the right action for Medinah and insecurity discussing succession plans. With the average GM turnover of many clubs, succession planning for general manfour years (three years at Medinah), why would a senior manager openly agers and senior managers is unusual in private discuss a succession plan when there is a high probability the GM will clubs. And for those GMs who claim to have such not be present to execute the program when the time arrives? a plan, I would suggest it is a strategy for one or Impossible to get plan buy-in. With an average GM turnover of four two positions, rather than a comprehensive teamyears and a new president every year or two, it isn’t easy to get buy-in on based plan. a plan even if you develop one. It is also the reason strategic plans fail. For most of my peers, succession planning feels Any goal spanning over multiple presidents and boards is likely to like a waste of time and here is why. be phased out or become obsolete because the architects behind the Clubs cannot afford to have a deep bench. It program are no longer around to articulate and enforce it. A similar is costly to develop talent that is ready and qualsituation exists with succession plans. Who knows how the president or ified to take over senior leadership roles. While board will feel in five years? many clubs struggle to fund payroll at the approIndustry turnover makes it difficult to retain talent. Given the sigpriate levels, asking for additional funding to denificant turnover often experienced in the private club space, it is not velop a potential senior manager is a hard sell. easy to retain top talent, especially at large platinum clubs. Talent is Even when clubs have tenured senior managusually excited to move for a new opportunity at a smaller club which ers, chances are they are well-liked but not necmay provide a higher immediate compensation package and title but essarily ready for senior manager roles, because may not offer the chance for professional growth. clubs pay and reward for tenure and not perforJob retention is complicated because club professionals are often mance. As a result, it is common to see highly less concerned about the job location and more interested in title and paid, long-tenured employees with barely the compensation. In other words, they are very mobile. These short-term skills to excel at their current roles in senior-level factors make it difficult to retain top talent. positions. The irony is that members will fight for So, what does all this mean for a private club? Depending on the size line employees to be promoted to managers but and complexity of the organization, I believe most clubs can successfully will not do the same for managers to move up to follow a hybrid model. While many of the challenges outlined above senior-level management positions. apply to many, there are a few circumstances where succession planClub boards value outside talent more than ning is a worthwhile exercise. homegrown talent. For these reasons, for certain Focus on succession development rather than succession planning. senior-level positions, club boards and search You first need to identify the appropriate individuals for succession committees are more likely to look outside the ordevelopment. While you should address your entire team, you should ganization for a replacement rather than develop specify which positions require succession development and which candidates internally. ones do not. In my experience, members seem to enjoy sitMany companies get caught up in the process and fail to focus on the ting on search committees, and there appears to plan itself. Like weight loss, you can have goals, checklists, and detailed be a certain cachet or badge of honor in sitting on a search committee. SEE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE | 113 34

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LYNNE LAFOND DELUCA

CULINARY & CATERING

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, the LinkedIn Group and Instagram at www.instagram.com/clubcateringpro

Member Services Born During the Pandemic… Should They Stay or Should They Go? Here are some of the events, services and ideas from pandemic times, Clubs are open again and events are finally coming including a few shout-outs to the clubs that have decided to continue back after being hit hard during this pandemic. these member favorites: I’m sure that while we are beyond grateful to • Anything drive-though see members’ faces again and the phones ringing • Events such as Free Coffee Friday, Ice Cream Sundae Serenade, off the hook for reservations and booking events, Taco Tuesday to-go with a mariachi band on the curb as members things went from zero to a full-throttle, mad rush drive through (or any other themed meal pick-up) to catch up. • Drive-in events, such as movies and concerts So here we are, short on staff but wanting to • Pantry or grocery store services maximize our efforts and capacities to accommo• Produce boxes to-go date all the members who want to socialize again. • Country Club of Virginia twist on its traditional Halloween event In a state of semi-chaos, it is ever so easy to rewith trick-or-treating using 6-foot-long “candy chutes,” with vert to habits of pre-pandemic days and go back costumed staff at one end and the happy child on the other end to doing things the way we always did. holding open the trick-or-treat bag Stop. Don’t be lulled back to those days just be• “Christmas on the Course” takes the holiday event outside for a cause it is easier right now to not have to create chilly snow day with Santa in a life-size snow globe a new routine. During the pandemic, clubs were • Golf cart parades for any holiday allowed to wipe the current event calendar clean • Custom-branded merchandise available through the pro shop for and create new and exciting member services a member’s business or charitable affiliations that are now in jeopardy of disappearing. Events • Monthly farmers market/community fair where members can and experiences that have the potential of beshop from local vendors coming (or have already become) new member • Reservations for swim lanes, pool chairs, tennis courts and fitness favorites and traditions. equipment So, it begs the question…should the new events • Small, curated luxury events, either planned as member events or and experiences we created during the pandemic booked as private events in special locations around the club, like stay or should they go? Inverness Golf Club’s Social Suites In the quest to continue to elevate the member • Expanding membership reach by exploring a wider array of culexperience and provide the highest value and tural events, such as what Los Altos Golf & Country Club did experience to members, we continue to push the with their Festival of Color, celebrated in Indian and South Asian envelope of events, travel experiences, virtual excultures, modeling it after a fun run with color stations positioned periences and more. The goal is to not offer less around the course followed by a dinner of Indian Food. in terms of member services, so why would we The key is to take a little time (maybe a department head meeting and discard all the new ideas we started only to have change up the agenda one week) to address how to keep these members to seek additional new ones? favorites and add to the fun year after year, post-pandemic. Ideas born out of necessity are sometimes the Challenge yourself to continue to add new events and twists on trabest ones, and many clubs are now thinking that ditional events so that members will keep falling in love with their club “the members liked it so much, we are going to and the fun that you create. B R keep it going.”

BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021

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GOLF COMMITTEE | SPECIAL TO BOARDROOM

Charting the Course

Survey Explores Changing Golf Landscape Not only has COVID-19 caused a resurgence said Steve Skinner, CEO of KemperSports, a leading Chicago-based golf course in the game of golf, but it has also intro- management company and source of the Insights Survey. “We saw increased play and participation from people of all ages and walks duced a new kind of golfer...one with differof life, including many beginners and lapsed golfers who returned to the game. ent needs and priorities. This survey data is an important tool to help us keep customers engaged and That’s the thrust of the recent Kemcarry this momentum into the future. perSports golfer insights survey, which “It allows us to tap into the changing needs and demands of the new player queried 24,774 current, lapsed and new to deliver experiences that better serve our customers, members and guests,” golfers. It also revealed that nearly half he explained. of new players are looking for more comKey findings from the survey include: fortable, social environments rather than 1. The new golfer is a social golfer – younger and female. Gen Z and keeping and improving their scores. younger Millennials are really getting into the game, with almost 27 percent of “There’s no doubt that the pandemic has new golfers representing the 18-34 age group. In addition, women entered the reshaped the game of golf in many ways,” game in a big way, representing almost 33 percent of new golfers surveyed, compared to the industry average of 24 percent. 2. Once they played, they couldn’t stay away. Almost 60 percent of respondents played more than 25 rounds last year, including one-third of new golfers. And, about 30 percent of all respondents played between eight and 24 rounds. This means that more than half of surveyed golfers played more rounds than the industry average. 3. Intent to play in 2021 is even higher than 2020. The majority of new golfers (58 percent) came to the game because of the pandemic. But, they plan to play even more golf in 2021 and intend to play just as much golf in the future as current golfers play, if they feel comfortable and confident. For new golfers, 30 percent of those surveyed are more likely to come back if they can get instruction and social events. 4. “Fun” will keep new players coming back for more. The fun factor is important to new golfers, with more than 40 percent saying fun events or activities combined with golf would motivate them to play more rounds in 2021. And lastly, scores aren’t everything. Only about 12 percent of new golfers said no improvement/lower scores would be a barrier to playing more in 2021. “These findings point to an optimistic outlook for the game of golf,” Skinner said. “Now it’s on us, golf course operators, to ensure that we are delivering a welcoming, inclusive experience that golfers are so clearly craving.” KemperSports clients and properties across the country are implementing creative ways to attract and keep these new golfers. For example, the Social 6 series at Chambers Bay in University Place, WA, host of the 2015 U.S. Open, gives players the chance to play casual, 6-hole rounds of golf that end in a social cocktail hour, while the popular Jack and Jill couples league at Sand Creek Station in Newton, KS, provides a less intimidating approach to league play. Thornberry Creek at Oneida’s Five After Five initiative creates an opportunity for people to play a shorter round of five holes and is targeted towards SEE SPECIAL | 113 38

BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021

DAVID W. LACEY David Lacey is a member of the Philadelphia Cricket Club. He served two terms on the board of governors and chaired the tennis and paddle committee.

HR COMMITTEE

Replacing Work-Life Balance With Work-Life Integration Katharine Hepburn famously said to an interviewer that work-life balance does not exist. The reason, according to Hepburn, is that a woman cannot be equally effective as a mother, lover/spouse and professional in the work world. She said you must choose the best option for applying your skills. For Hepburn, the priority was her professional acting. For me as a consultant, the balance notion implies that equal time is allocated to work and other pressing priorities in your personal or family life. I think that balance may be dated and not achievable because there may not be enough time to be equally effective at all three priorities. But the notion of integration may be more realistic and practical. I define work-life integration as a process of thoughtfully allocating my energy and expertise to the priority most needing my attention. There are times when my energy and expertise must be invested 100 percent in my profession and other times when my 100 percent is invested in my personal or family priorities. Each priority – whether personal or professional – requires 100 percent of my intellectual and emotional energy. The shorthand for work-life integration is if it is a priority, then 100 percent is required for excellence – being my best personally or professionally.

Work-life integration asks each of us to engage in these actions: 1. Strive for perfection and let go of being perfect. As fallible human beings (FHBs), perfection is not attainable. But striving to be the best personally or professionally is achievable. Being the best is excellence. 2. Invest your time and energy in people and work that give you pleasure and rewards. That pleasurable investment means you limit time-wasting investment in “no-goodniks,” people who do not deserve your time for many different reasons. Period, end of the investment. 3. Select a small number of personal and professional priorities and make them central in your life. By assigning them a central position, you are integrating them into the organization of your life. For me, a small number means two to three priorities personally and professionally. It is useful to remember that a successful professional juggler is tossing three items in the air at one time, and never four to six items. The focus is on three and being a successful professional juggler. The SIS model of strive, invest and select is a practical approach for achieving worklife integration. Everyone can use it with confidence and be successful. My juggling metaphor is helpful when we consider the actions of work-life integration. You always win (succeed) when you invest in your best three – both personally and professionally. If your actions and priorities are guided by the rule of three (investing in three priorities), then work-life integration is achievable. B R

BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021

Belfair Bluffton, South Carolina

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Every private club has its own unique identity and we want to help your club maintain yours. Of course, that requires a different approach than the status quo of self-management, which is why Troon Privé® continues to grow. As Troon’s dedicated private club division, we are a proven professional services organization that provides best-in-class systems, processes and resources to the private clubs we serve. To learn more about who we are and why our clients partner with us, contact our Business Development Team at 480.477.0505, or visit TROONMGT.COM.

The Clubs at St. James Southport, North Carolina

P R I V AT E C L U B S O F D I S T I N C T I O N

Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club St. George, Utah

The Club at Cordillera Edwards, Colorado

West Bay Club Estero, Florida

PAMELA RADCLIFF Pamela Radcliff, SHRM-SCP, CAM, can be reached at pamela.b.radcliff@gmail.com

HR COMMITTEE

Instant Fix to Avoid the Yips in the Boardroom The Secret Advantage to Nailing Your Interview Intro-body-conclusion remains a strategy that will help solidify your confidence during interviews or facilitate your case presenting ideas in the boardroom. Let’s go back to your high school communications or introduction to writing class. First, there was a simple recipe you had to use: intro-body-conclusion. Chances are you heard on more than one occasion, “Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em, tell ‘em, then tell ‘em what you told ‘em.” If you didn’t hear it in high school, maybe you heard it in a presentation skills class you might have taken along the way. In any case, it’s time to put that sage advice to work for you. . .intro-body-conclusion. But first, let me explain the rule of three. Have you ever noticed that we have a natural, ingrained tendency to gravitate toward and respond positively to things that come in sets of threes? Not only that, but we tend to remember things in threes as well. An audience will typically only remember three things from a presentation or speech, so if you want something to stick out in their minds, present it as a trio. In sports, there are three medals: gold, silver, and bronze. We eat three meals a day. Traffic lights have three colors. There are three primary colors.

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Even our life consists of birth, life and death; past, present and future; mind, body and spirit. Everything has a beginning, a middle and an end. Here’s a quick refresher that will knock your socks off. Intro-body-conclusion. “Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em, tell ‘em, then tell ‘em what you told ‘em.” So, let’s use that now to make you your most successful self. Whether you’re trying to sell your idea in the boardroom or marketing yourself in a job interview, using the rule of three and the intro-body-conclusion strategy will give you a robust framework to make your case. Here’s how it works: What’s the most dreaded question in a job interview? “Why are you the ideal candidate for this job?” Am I right? By using the intro-body-conclusion method, you will now and forever be prepared to answer that question with confidence and put yourself head and shoulders above your competition. Here’s what you do: Think about your education, experience, and why you love the hospitality industry. Then, write down one sentence about each. Here’s your script: Intro: (Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em.) “I am the best candidate for this position for three reasons: my education, my experience and my passion for service.” Body: (Tell ‘em.) Now you fill in the blanks for each of the three reasons. Conclusion: (Tell ‘em what you told ‘em.) “And for these three reasons, my education, my experience, and my passion for service, I am the ideal candidate for this position.” So, there you have it. The rule of three and intro-body-conclusion. A winning formula to boost your confidence when interviewing or seal the deal when presenting in the boardroom. B R

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Technology Feature It’s time again for BoardRoom magazine’s technology issue. Today barely a day goes by that there isn’t something new and wonderful on the market for private clubs. Often new ideas have simplified what we do, and we do it more quickly and efficiently and effectively. Still private clubs have often been slow to accept change but the COVID-19 pandemic, if it has done nothing else, has forced private clubs to face change, and often rapidly, to help them survive during a most difficult time. Technology holds the key to success for many private clubs who are seeking a new generation of members, i.e., the Millennials and Generation Z, often known as the iGen, whose members were born during a time of fast-paced digital growth and who are regarded as being a tech-savvy generation. So how do private clubs prepare for the future? How do clubs accommodate the requirements of the next generation? What decisions do boards of directors face? And who leads the charge? Our case studies from the industry’s leading technology innovators give some of the answers to these vital questions, so read on!

BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021

Northstar Club Management Software | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE

Ransomware

A FOE FOR YOUR ENTERPRISE

here is a constant virtual hunt. A hunt for vulnerable systems and networks. A quest to kidnap the hottest commodity in the market – data. Data that your customers have trusted you with. Systems of today host financial and personally identifiable information. They are a gold mine for an attacker on the hunt. In this callous game if you’re not protected - you lose! To make life more complicated, security threats are relentlessly evolving and no “one solution” is for certain. For every lock you put on, with some ingenuity a key appears. The only thing for certain: the hunt is always on. Ransomware has been around for a while now. Large and small companies get impacted with ransomware every day, yet many internet users remain blissfully unaware of the threat and its unfortunate consequences. Modus operandi is typically for a virus to infiltrate a server, then lock down its data. The lock won’t release until a ransom is paid – whatever that may be. The attack usually comes from systems exposed to the internet. Without specialized detection and protection mechanisms in place attackers can easily infiltrate, as on the surface the requests seem completely harmless. Your website or other web applications will respond to all incoming requests – as programmed to do. The attackers try to find information to identify the kind of systems and technologies the web applications are using. This information will help them choose the right weapon and attack vulnerabilities in those technologies.

Clubs using Northstar enjoy the freedom of accessing not just the member website and smartphone app from anywhere in the world, but even the NS Office application too. It’s an amazing solution for a very effective use; not only allowing clubs to enhance the productivity of their management and staff - but also provide an excellent member experience. With this technology, prospects abound for improving the member experience. Be it members booking their own tee times, dining, or other reservations, a gatehouse that lets only the active members check-in, or a beverage cart out on the golf course and many other tools. Northstar is always accessible, thus allowing clubs to serve their members better. While this technology is Northstar’s strength and an opportunity for our customers to provide exceptional member experience, the threat to publically accessible web applications is all too real; we can’t allow that to be our weakness.

To safeguard the integrity of our systems and the hardware it resides on, Northstar has implemented a series of security protocols to ensure uninterrupted and secure access. First and foremost, Northstar applications are protected by a leading Web Application Firewall (WAF) called CloudFlare. This layer is extremely important as it shields the environment from any threats and provide protection against vulnerabilities. The great thing about this Web Application Firewall is that it’s under constant improvement. Cloudflare maintains a growing database of rules to control what traffic is allowed through its barrier. The database is kept up-to-date with all new threats and protocols to fight them. It also allows custom rules, in addition to the default ones, which further restricts which requests will get through the firewall. The WAF protection enables Northstar to open public access to its applications with complete confidence, knowing that there is safety not just against older threats - but also new ones as they emerge. To further strengthen the security of Northstar applications and protect member data, an Endpoint Security Software (ESS) is put in place. This utility is a combination of antimalware and antivirus programs. It scans every file on the Northstar servers – in real time – to constantly monitor any unusual activity. In addition, sensitive datasets are heavily encrypted and financial information (such as credit cards and ACH accounts) are stored off-site in PCI compliant vaults, hosted by leading payment gateways. To Northstar, our clients’ data security is paramount. B R For more information about Northstar, please visit www.globalnorthstar.com or email info@globalnorthstar.com.

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

clubsystems group | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Erica Mullery, Vice-President, Operations

Need More Modernized Technology for Your Members and Staff? clubsystems group Has You Covered

ccording to a 2021 survey, four out of every five club leaders (81 percent) say their club is currently in the process of making capital improvements or growth projects. Modernizing outdated technology should be a part of capital planning so that you don’t risk falling behind industry standards. Additionally, the demographics of club memberships are changing. The average age of new private club members declined from 58.6 in 2017 to 54.9 in 2020. This means that club members are increasingly becoming younger, and with that comes a reliance on technology to enhance their membership experience. If this makes you think that your club could use an enhancement to your technology offering, then let us show you the ways that clubsystems group can provide modernized technology while reducing operational costs and creating better experiences at the same time. CLUBSYSTEMS GROUP POS

Expectations around food service at private clubs are changing significantly. With expanded F&B operations and higher demand on existing staff, having to run back and forth between POS stations can decrease the service capabilities of your servers as well as the quality of dining experiences for your members. With these increased expectations in mind, we have enhanced our POS offering. clubsystems group POS now allows F&B staff to carry their own POS station on a Microsoft Surface Pro or Microsoft Surface Go tablet. By eliminating the time required for staff to venture between tables and POS stations, you allow your club to conduct business as usual with less demand on staff while increasing member dining satisfaction through reduced wait times. These tablets are also small enough for staff to safely store in their apron while doing other tasks. SELF-SERVE KIOSKS

Another efficient way to reduce operational costs and do more with less staff is by installing self-serve 46

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kiosks around your club. Any items you sell that have bar codes can be scanned, and those that don’t can be chosen from a POS menu on the self-serve kiosk screen. This allows members to make unstaffed purchases throughout your club, enabling them to quickly grab and scan an item and then be on their way. Additionally, you can easily track and report on items sold at POS outlets vs self-serve kiosk stations to better understand facility usage and where additional stations could be used. The self-serve kiosks are also ideal for locations where having a full-time staff member would be difficult such as a fitness facility or a locker room. By installing a self-serve kiosk in areas where staff cannot be, you open up a new source of revenue for your club. CLUBSYSTEMS GROUP MAKES PURCHASING AND INSTALLING HARDWARE EASY FOR YOUR CLUB

clubsystems group has over 30 years of experience in the club industry and during that time we have tested and evolved our hardware offering to ensure that you’re receiving best-in-class equipment that is compatible with your club’s suite of software. Hardware we offer includes state-of-the-art touchscreens for both POS and selfserve kiosk. This technology provides configurations that can meet the unique needs of your club. Additionally, they can be mounted on floor stands or countertops allowing them to be placed almost anywhere in your club. The systems are also compatible with barcode scanners, MSR readers and more. clubsystems group also offers tablets designed to fit to your POS menu so your F&B staff can quickly serve members wherever they need to inside your club. Through the power of remote configuration, the installation process of your hardware can be completed quickly. All you need to do is connect to your network and from there we install the software and configure the equipment to suit your club’s needs. We also offer free hardware consultations with our hardware experts to help you find the right products for your club. MORE COMING TO CLUBSYSTEMS GROUP

We’re always striving to make state of the art technology available to our clients. With that in mind, we are about to release a staff scheduling solution designed with clubs in mind and a member survey application that allows clubs to make more informed business decisions based on what members are saying about their club. We are excited to continue to help clubs level up their operations through the use of our existing and soon to come products. B R For more information, please visit www.clubsys.com.

SEE THE DIFFERENCE EXPERIENCE MAKES.

clubsystems group

1-800-356-4242

www.clubsys.com

sales@clubsys.com

ClubTec/WebTec | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Donald N. Williams, CEO

Keeping Pace with Technology@YourClub.com

lub members utilize a vast array of technology solutions in every area of their lives. Today they want their club to be able to provide the same level and variety of these offerings. Increasingly, clubs are being judged by the technology they employ to run their operation and provide service to their members efficiently. Technology is no longer a behind-the-scenes tool to generate member statements… which has not been the case for many years. It is now a must extension of the amenities and conveniences that members expect. At ClubTec, we have spent the past few years embracing this new higher-tech shift in our very high-touch industry. We have focused our development mapping and our resources on such things as feature-rich interactive websites, online bill pay, tee times and reservations, dynamic banquet management, member and prospective member databases, handheld POS devices, broadcast email, social media, mobile apps…and the list keeps growing. Although there are many new and wonderful technical advances ahead, the two most revolutionary things that affect club technology of today are social media and mobile access to information (via mobile responsive websites or custom Apps). A

generation is reaching the age of joining clubs that do not use email as their primary means of communication. The young member, the new member and the future member will increasingly seek modes of communication that resemble the social media platforms they use in their everyday lives. When it comes to social media, a club has many options…yet once dissected, they quickly become limited. Most clubs need to maintain their privacy status and as such must be very careful about using public social media platforms (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc). Privacy has become increasingly hard to maintain in a world 48

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where we post information about our lives on an hourly basis. Privacy is also a generational issue and the technology that a club employs must allow for this divide and have controls and settings that make members comfortable using it. Indeed a club may need to use different types of technology for different generations – mail, email, social and mobile. At present there is not one single “best” solution for communicating with members. Some of us can remember the first mobile phones that were as large as a suitcase. With progress came smaller and smaller phones. But something has changed. Phones are getting larger again, with larger displays so that people can use them as a miniature pocket computer, connecting them to the world instantly. We talk, text, play and buy on our phones. In fact, less than 12 percent of Americans do not have a mobile phone and those are not your members. Today, our primary goal is to create technology that allows you to tap your members on their shoulders with regularity. They want to know what is going on at their club…it’s why they pay dues to belong to an exclusive community. Clubs will be judged by their technology and the ability to use it to not only operate the club but also to provide communication and service to the members. ClubTec has raised their priorities in this arena and devoted money and manpower to the task. When building your budgets of the future, ramping up your technology allocations will be something well worth the investment. Please reach out to us to further discuss your needs and desires relative to the subject of technology and member communications. BR Donald N. Williams is the CEO of ClubTec and The Private Club Advisor. For more information, please contact him at 972-756-9000 or by email at dwilliams@clubtec.com. We also invite you to visit our website – www.clubtec.com.

ClubTec Has Led Clubs With Unsurpassed Service And Customer Satisfaction For Over 40 Years

ClubTec and WebTec have leading-edge technology tools clubs need.

www.clubtec.com • www.clubtec.com/webtec • 800.800.5506

ClupUp | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Andy Anderson

Technology to Advance Your Club ClubUp provides leading technology and resources to enable golf and country clubs to facilitate efficient and compliant caddie programs while preserving club culture and member experience. • Caddie Program Compliance: Legal challenges at private golf clubs and increased focus on independent contractor regulation has clubs across the country re-evaluating their caddie program operations. ClubUp technology provides a platform designed to help remove clubs from the problematic operations within a caddie program.

• Caddie Supply: With over 3,000 caddies on the platform ClubUp can help clubs connect with experienced caddies working at leading clubs across the country. In addition, ClubUp relationships with Youth on Course, The First Tee and the Western Golf Association enable young people to caddie at premier clubs while helping partner clubs establish a long-term plan for their caddie program.

• Caddie Program Efficiency: A web-based portal, that can be accessed from anywhere, is operated by club staff. The club portal communicates with a mobile app used by the club’s caddies.

• Member Experience: ClubUp technology tracks caddie ratings, member preferences, member favorite raddles and other data points to help provide a first-class caddie experience to each member or guest playing with a caddie.

• Innovative Solutions: Partner clubs are encouraged to provide feedback on how the ClubUp platform can be improved or adjusted • Caddie Well Being: ClubUp provides insurance for the caddies to better fit their operation. Features like pace of play reporting, working at partner clubs. ClubUp takes no money from the caddies GPS technology and tee sheet integrations are examples of enand supports cash payments. hancements that have been designed together with partner clubs. ClubUp technology is designed to support the long-term stability of caddying, which currently faces legal and operational challenges. Please contact us to learn more and see why ClubUp is the right fit for your club’s caddie program. B R

CLUBUP TECHNOLOGY IS TRUSTED BY CLUBS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND ABROAD INCLUDING:

BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021

FOOD-TRAK / System Concepts, Inc. | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Bill Schwartz, Founder and CEO

You Don’t Need FOOD-TRAK!

et’s face it. You already run a successful F&B operation. You have processes and reporting in place that are tried and true. Perhaps it is a combination of spreadsheets, accounting system reports and point of sale data that allows you to keep track of things and steer the ship. You may even have F&B software. You can maintain the status quo and continue to operate smoothly. But for those managers and chefs who are never satisfied with simply maintaining the status quo – perhaps the proper implementation and partnership with an enterprise-capable F&B management system provider should be the next step. And as many of the most successful operators can attest – FOOD-TRAK is that system and the experts at SCI are those partners. EXPERIENCE LEADS TO SUCCESS

You weren’t this successful when you first started in the industry. You got there through experience and good decision making. Food service operations in complex environments are complicated to manage. When we started in 1980, our software was built to handle fast food operations with limited fixed menus and typically less than 200 raw food items. When we tried to implement it in a fine dining operation we fell flat.

Thankfully that client helped us make the necessary improvements to handle their environment. A few years later, when the IBM PC was introduced, we started signing up resellers and sold the software in slipcase binders for $995. Many of the clients who bought the software never got it implemented. Learning that lesson, we eliminated our 700 reseller network and started implementing the system ourselves. Of course this took the price point much higher, but at least our clients succeeded. This approach turned out to be the key to our success. 52

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Now, 40 plus years later, the software has grown to accommodate the most complex and sophisticated environments. This was only possible through the experience we gained in so many different operations. The expertise associated with our implementers, trainers and consultants gained from the decades of experience is our primary asset – not the software. ALWAYS GET THE BEST YOU CAN AFFORD

You operate a complex foodservice environment, and rely on experience to guide you. You try to hire the most experienced people you can find for the same reason. You wouldn’t hire just any heart surgeon or the cheapest lawyer if you needed one. While F&B management isn’t heart surgery, your F&B operation can be quite complicated, which is especially true for higher volume operations with catering and multiple outlets. The tool isn’t enough. Most of our early competitors have been acquired by other companies or gone out of business. Their experienced founders left. More recent competitors have not had the time to develop the software capabilities required to handle complex operations and their employees typically don’t have extensive implementation experience – assuming they offer that option in the first place. Enterprise software takes decades to develop and we are still adding new capabilities to FOOD-TRAK 40 years later. We see the process of implementing a comprehensive F&B management system that fits the operation and its people and processes as a partnership and a responsibility. Many of our account managers and trainers have been with us for more than 25 years. This expertise is the key to your success, and we guide you at your own pace. You can start out using the basics like inventory and purchasing, and expand to requisitions and transfers, recipes and interfaces to POS, accounting, catering and distributor systems. All at your own pace and with our assistance. The FOOD-TRAK system has an extensive tool box, with help for board members, managers, chefs, controllers, purchasers and even IT people. You can make use of our extensive mobility tools for pads, scanners and smartphones, our enterprise-grade analytic tools to monitor progress over time in key aspects of the operation, and our specialized modules for commissary, wine, production planning and nutrition. You don’t need FOOD-TRAK. You are already successful. Think of it as something you want. Let our seasoned professionals partner with you to achieve the next level of success and the expertise you are looking for. B R

0 198

THE MOST AWARDED AND RECOGNIZED

2020

F&B MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN THE CLUB INDUSTRY Simplify ordering, receiving, and taking inventory using FOOD-TRAK, the leaders in streamlining F&B operations and reducing food costs since 1980: u Monitor and react to price fluctuations with preselected reports automatically emailed to you. u Hosted system provides full access from anywhere while eliminating the need for any servers, hardware, or IT staffing. u Reduce labor costs and data-entry time using the FOOD-TRAK Mobile Scanners for inventory, receiving, ordering - adding barcodes on the fly. u Maximize cash flow with a single report that identifies overstocked items and the dollar value on the shelves prior to placing orders. u Enterprise-level system with state-of-the-art reports allowing you to know where you can reduce inventory spend, reduce waste and make menu adjustments when recipe margins fall below parameters you have selected. “Since we implemented FOOD-TRAK at Cherokee Town & Country Club, the information needed to better manage our food costs has been more accessible, not only to the purchasing agent, but to th business office. Cherokee has always had an accurate perpetual inventory system of our vast wine, liquor and food, but FOOD-TRAK has made the information more accessible to the business office and has aided Cherokee in its processes for forecasting. We have more accurate pricing for inventories, transfers, recipe and even costing” — Michael Wheeler, CCM, COO, Cherokee Town & Country Club Our purpose and passion has been to help clubs get as close to their ideal F&B cost as possible. We have remained resilient in delivering an initial turn-key setup, giving your employees the confidence to be successful. Our award-winning implementation and training process with our in-house team of career professionals of 10+ years, ensures you are in very good hands. Together we can make a difference!

FOOD-TRAK MOBILE PARTNER Inventory Requisitions Transfers Receiving Waste Tracking

FOOD-TRAK MOBILE APPLICATION Inventory Receiving Requisitions Recipes Waste Tracking

FOOD-TRAK PAD MODULE Inventory Requisitions Pick Lists Recipes Reports

Contact our club account managers to get started! 800.553.2438 | WWW.FOODTRAK.COM F&B MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Jonas Club Software | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Trevor Coughlan, Vice-President, Marketing

Addressing Staffing Shortages with Technology

hroughout 2021 as we all try to regain some semblance of normalcy, the unforeseen impacts of the pandemic continue to rear their ugly heads. The latest, and by no means a small issue to overcome, is the industry wide staffing shortage. Just ask John Riccio, CFO of GlenArbor Golf Club. “This pandemic is really still affecting us,” he recently told me. “You think it’s waning, but we’re still in the thick of it when it comes to trying to get employees to come to work.” It seems that the pandemic created the perfect labor storm by skyrocketing interest in golf and private club memberships, while simultaneously driving staff out of the industry. A July article published by Business Insider pointed out just how dire the situation is for all hospitality businesses, citing the fact that total employment in the Leisure and Hospitality sector was down nearly 13 percent from pre-pandemic levels. So, what happens when clubs have many new members expecting first class service, but the labor force needed to deliver isn’t available? Simply put, club management is left scrambling for solutions and many are finding creative ways to service members. In some cases clubs have made sacrifices in member service. Some clubs have switched to buffet only dining options with kitchen staff running fresh items out from the kitchen, others have closed dining facilities on certain days of the week. In another instance, a club chef brought in family and friends to serve a member/guest dinner at the club.

As the staffing shortages continue throughout the hospitality world, we at Jonas Club Software are standing by our commitment to help clubs thrive no matter what challenges they face. Our innovative technologies are one way of accomplishing this goal, and they are backed by our passionate support and services teams. Even in scenarios where clubs have been able to staff up for their busy summer season, sacrifices have been made and many know that more troubles lie ahead. “We’re all feeling the crunch. My poor food and beverage manager is pulling his hair out trying to get people to come to work,” said Riccio. “Pretty much all we’ve been able to do is get high school kids to come out. It’s a quick fix, but once they go back to school we’re going to be searching for a whole new crew and will have to do training late in the season. That’s not really when you want to be training new staff.” Across the country, clubs are trying to cope where demand for service is high and labor supply is low, and while many are looking inward for creative solutions, just as many are looking to the tech sector to help ease the demand on their already burdened staff. At Jonas Club Software, we’ve seen demand for online reservation systems and mobile apps continue to increase as clubs everywhere work to streamline and automate 54

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manual processes. By placing more functionality in the hands of members, such as booking tee times, creating a dining reservation, or submitting an order for pick-up, there is less need for manual processing by staff. Self-service kiosks have also come into their own this year, allowing members a convenient grab-and-go option for areas of the club such as the half-way house or outside the fitness facility. Where there would normally need to be staff manning a POS station, members can now pick up a smoothie or energy bar, scan the barcode and be on their way without staff needing to be present. Scheduling staff intelligently has never been more critical for clubs. The time taken to manually publish schedules, then the back and forth attempting to adjust and backfill shifts can often turn into a fulltime role in itself. Our launch of Shift Manager earlier this year could not have come at a better time, allowing clubs to go live on the platform and better manage staff schedules during the 2021 season. The online schedule builder is simple and intuitive, allowing departmental schedules to be built in minutes. The convenience is further extended by way of mobile apps for departmental managers as well as staff, allowing on the go scheduling and shift swapping. The whole system is designed to help minimize excess overtime allowing clubs to better forecast and stay within their labor budget. As the staffing shortages continue throughout the hospitality world, we at Jonas Club Software are standing by our commitment to help clubs thrive no matter what challenges they face. Our innovative technologies are one way of accomplishing this goal, and they are backed by our passionate support and services teams. If you haven’t spoken to us recently about how we can help your club thrive, please reach out and let us show you how our solutions can help you address the challenges your club is facing. We’re committed to your success. B R

INTRODUCING

The Private Club Industry’s First Staffing App

W W W. J O N AS C LU B . CO M

Shift Manager uses smart features, intuitive design and a people-first approach to help you manage your staff. It’s a complete mobile and web solution that helps you build more effective schedules, accurately track time and attendance, and communicate more efficiently with your people.

SCHEDULE SMARTER MANAGE ON THE MOVE FILL SHIFTS FASTER GET REAL-TIME UPDATES MAKE REQUESTS & APPROVALS CLOCK-IN AND CLOCK-OUT

VISIT JONASCLUB.COM TO LEARN MORE

1-888-789-9073 | sales@jonasclub.com

MembersFirst | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Ryan Maione, President

The Agency Approach

ur goal, every year, is to design and build the best websites we can for our clients and their members. We strive to lead the club industry by setting the bar in both our standard of service and the products we deliver, so that our partner clubs can increase member engagement through a robust online experience and keep their prospect pipeline full for the club’s future health. The process that has guided us over the years has resulted in being named the Boardroom Magazine Excellence in Achievement Awards Website Company of the Year eight times and our client’s websites have been recognized 46 times for website design awards. It is our proven process and the hard work of both our clients and staff that helps us achieve those results. THE MEMBERSFIRST DIFFERENCE

Consistently delivering websites that our clients can be proud of is grounded in a proven step-by-step process unrivaled within the club industry. By taking an agency approach from presale to post-launch, our team relies on years of club industry experience and technology knowledge to guide, simplify, and manage every aspect of the project. By pairing every client with a highly skilled and experienced Project Manager, our clients have a direct point of contact that will ensure both the club’s team and the MembersFirst team are working to meet project milestones.

The long-term success of a club website hinges on member adoption and that comes from the members deriving value from the site. To create value, the site must offer useful tools and constantly provide new information so we not only focus on the user experience for members but for admins as well. Whether your club is trying to attract new prospects or drive members to utilize the website, we explore your goals and challenges from the start so we can work to deliver a measurable return on your investment. Because we take the time to deeply research your organization’s goals and culture, the qualities and characteristics of your club emerge so that they can be brought to life on your website. We emphasize your club’s unique brand identity and complete a competitive analysis so that your club sets itself apart. Our design objectives are driven by your club objectives, setting us up to deliver a results-driven product. The MembersFirst team works with you to fully understand your vision and uses our years of experience to bring that vision to life. We want our clients to push the boundaries and bring ideas from other industries that lead to a more effective result for the end-user. We combine the research from the planning phase and the ideas and vision shared by our partners to design a site that portrays the true essence of the club, and we don’t stop until it exceeds expectations. 56

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Throughout this process, we put a priority on keeping our clients involved and like to think of ourselves as an extension of the club’s team. By regularly involving our partners in design meetings, brainstorms, and research, we ensure that they have a voice in the project’s direction and they are aware of the solutions that we are proposing. By the time the project is ready to launch, both the club staff and MembersFirst team have done multiple rounds of quality assurance. The members’ initial impressions are vital to the success of a web design project, so rigorously testing the site helps us to ensure a seamless launch. The long-term success of a club website hinges on member adoption and that comes from the members deriving value from the site. To create value, the site must offer useful tools and constantly provide new information so we not only focus on the user experience for members but for admins as well. We are constantly adding new tools for efficient ways for our partners to make updates, add content, and expand the site in the future so that it can evolve with the club and continually engage members. At the end of what we hope is an excellent web design and implementation experience, the journey is just beginning. Our team of industry-expert client services managers will support you with personalized training and consultative support. We match up all of our clients with a dedicated member of the team who gets to know you, your club, and your website to offer an unmatched level of personalized support not found anywhere else in the industry. When we exceed our clients’ expectations, it reaffirms that the MembersFirst agency approach is what sets us apart. The multi-step process combined with the enthusiasm and creativity of our clients has led to numerous accolades and we hope that your club’s next website project will be an award-winning success in partnership with MembersFirst. B R

The Award-Winning Agency For Private Clubs 8x

Website Company Of the Year Winner

46x

Interactive Media Award Winner

info@membersfirst.com | 508-653-3399

See for yourself at www.membersfirst.com

MemberText | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Justin Baer, CEO

Email Ain’t What it Used To Be

hen it comes to email communication, Toby Keith may have said it best with his hit song “I ain’t as good as I once was.” Email, just ain’t what it used to be. Email is now 30 years old, and while it’s great for one-on-one conversations, we have seen a severe decline in effectiveness for mass communication. Statistics are showing that email open rates and time people actually spend reading and comprehending emails are going down. Why is this happening? Well, one of the reasons is that club members are overwhelmed with the amount of email they are receiving. It’s tough to filter through their cluttered inbox. According to a recent DMR study, the average person receives over 3,500 emails a month! Combine that with the Gmail and Outlook’s new feature where they automatically syphon out mass emails into promotion folders, clubs are now facing a serious communications crisis. Club managers have tried various methods to combat the communication divide. Some try push notifications which have a worse open rate than emails. This is due to the fact that only about 40 percent of people turn on notifications and only a fraction of those people turn on alerts. Some club managers are even going back to mailing paper newsletters or flyers. There are however, some new technologies and platforms designed specifically for clubs that are not only fixing the member communications breakdown, but improving it! One of those technologies that is taking off is texting. Brian Pizzimenti, general manager of Woodmont Country Club was asked about using the MemberText platform at this year’s CMAA conference and he said. “You wouldn’t believe how many members come up to me and say ‘Brian, I didn’t know you were doing the clambake tonight, thanks so much for the text blast.’” He continued, “They will read that (text) much more than they will read an email.” The statistics agree. According to a Tatango study, text messages have a 98 percent open rate. 58

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This is most likely due to the fact that people check their phone almost 150 times a day according to an Experian Marketing survey. If members are texting 150 times a day, clubs should be there in some capacity. I wouldn’t recommend everyday, but being in the text inbox once or twice a week where friends and family members communicate is huge. We’re seeing clubs dramatically increase event participation, club usage, revenues and more. For those unexpected delays, weather events, frost delays, club closures, emergencies and more being able to reach members in minutes is crucial. With texting, open times are close three minutes. It’s no wonder club managers are turning to text messaging for their urgent messages. Mark Petzing, general manager of Kirtland Country Club noted, “Our membership loves it. When we’ve had issues of closing the pool down for weather or when we had a delay on 4th of July, we can send a text out to membership saying we are still on, it will alleviate all the phone calls coming in because we can message everybody through MemberText.” Texts aren’t just for announcements and emergencies either. A growing trend is for clubs to enable their landline number and let members actually text the club. With MemberText, clubs can let members know they can text snack shop at the 9th hole, text the front desk simple questions that would normally require a phone call or even text the valet stand to have their car ready. “Being able to get texts when my order is ready from the pavillion restaurant will be extremely convenient. Anything the club does to save me time is a huge win. I love it,” said Woodmont Country Club member, Robert Katz. There are many cases that make having a texting platform compelling for a club, whether it’s to let members know about an unexpected kitchen fire which will shut down dining for the evening or just reminding members not to forget to make reservations for the July 4th family carnival. Texting is by far the most efficient way to get your club members to tune in. B R For more information and video testimonials from other club managers, visit www.membertext.net.

WOODMONT COUNTRY CLUB

Golf & Country Club Text Marketing Made Easy. 98% Open Rate on Messages Keep Members Updated in Minutes Increase Revenue, Member Retention, and Event Attendance

“I am thrilled with MemberText’s messaging service and our members love it!” - Lisa M. Martin, GM, Yakima Country Club

Text “CMAA” to 71441 to see how it works. Trusted By

www.MemberText.net

P: (240) 630-4653 | Justin@membertext.net

Clubessential | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Jason House, CTO

4 Gates and Guards for your Club Against Ransomware IT’S IN THE HEADLINES BECAUSE IT’S REAL; RANSOMWARE ATTACKS ARE EVERYWHERE.

ansomware is used by bad actors to hold your important digital information “hostage” until you pay an often exorbitant ransom. Your club’s prestigious profile and visibly high net-worth members make you an attractive target for ransomware and an attack is something every club needs to plan for. Following are four key steps that club leaders should consider to protect their club. 1. Be Professional. Cyber security is serious business with potentially dire consequences. Just like your health or legal decisions, this is a time to partner with reliable outside experts or experienced internal IT resources that you trust to implement best practices. 2. Be Up to Date. All major operating system vendors and software providers continuously “patch” their offerings to improve them and eliminate critical vulnerabilities. By applying the latest updates to your software you stay up to date with the latest technology and minimize that attack vector old software presents.

3. Be Active. Modern malware and antivirus software products are very effective at identifying and preventing common malware attacks before they take hold within your network. This real-time protection is your always-on, first line of defense, even when your employees aren’t always as vigilant. 4. Be Ready to Step Back. Frequently backing up your systems is the best and most critical step to help recover quickly from an attack without having to pay a ransom. When an attack happens, your critical information is encrypted and inaccessible pending your payment. When you have backed up data frequently and stored it off-site, you can work to restore from the latest version of data without paying the ransom and with minimal actual impact to your operations. You should assume that bad actors are striving to access your internal club network right now because they are. The thought of a criminal organization holding your information hostage is scary, but clubs can’t pretend they are not at risk. That means it’s up to you to identify the risks and make smart decisions about your security. Start with these four steps and stay ever vigilant. Check out the cybersecurity sessions from the Clubessential virtual summit: https://go.clubessential.com/4cyber B R

BENCHMARK YOUR CLUB’S GROWTH

What’s Next for Your Club? Leading Clubs have deployed innovative programs across their organizations that are driving membership, engagement, and security. Where do you stand? Find out with the industry’s first Private Club Maturity Model. After conducting extensive research in the private club space and other industries, including hospitality, we’ve identified four distinct stages in the private club maturity model.

SEE WHERE YOU STAND IN THIS EXCLUSIVE WORKBOOK:

BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021

ClubPay | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Scott Taylor, Vice-President, Global Account Management

Innovating Payroll & HR Outsourcing to Meet New Staffing Needs

ost clubs today outsource some of their payroll and HR. Why? Demand for talent, complexities around payroll and staffing, the need to streamline budgeting, and increasing the bottom line, to name a few. With COVID-19, there is more need to ensure payroll liabilities, tax deductions & credits and unemployment, are being handled properly as fraud has risen significantly during the pandemic. As a leader in the payroll and HR domain, no one understands this better than ClubPay. We’ve catered to clients’ diverse and evolving needs for close to three decades. Wendy Zurstadt, former HFTP president spoke to the advantages of outsourcing payroll and HR to ClubPay. “ClubPay should be the choice software of the club industry because they understand the industry, and how clubs operate. The more you can get out of your tools the more you can do. ClubPay provides power for great decision making.” ClubPay works with every major club technology provider and offers a range of HR functionalities. The company’s areas of expertise include implementing applicant tracking

systems (ATS), time and attendance software, and benefits administration systems while providing professional HR support on demand. “We listen to our customers and customize our solution to match their requirements rather than just trying to sell our products,” states Denny Wilson, CEO of ClubPay. The company’s services offer payroll and HR management through its web-based platform featuring a budgeting tool that allows accounting teams to overcome payroll challenges including commissions, service fees, or tips. ClubPay provides clients with dedicated representatives who are readily available to answer queries regarding their accounts. One satisfied client cites: “I am glad to know that your staff goes above and beyond to make sure their customers are well on their way to being successful in their fields.” Evolving to keep up with the changing needs of clients and frequent HR training is the best way to ensure club’s and its staff remain compliant. Outsourced HR guidance can save clubs from expensive pitfalls. Continuing its innovations streak, ClubPay added attributes such as background checks that allow clients to filter applications online and adding settings for onboarding and integrating new hires into the payroll system. As the go-to provider for payroll and HR management, ClubPay is keen on providing companies with the flexibility of integrating its solutions with their existing systems. BR

Recruit

Payroll Program of the Year

Onboard

Payroll & HR Solutions for Clubs

Administrate

From pre-hire to retire, ClubPay streamlines operations with a custom suite of outsourced Payroll and HR solutions to meet your club management needs.

877-729-4258 | info@clubpayroll.com

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE | Country Club Technology Partners By Noel Wixsom

What Does a Good Security Camera System Look Like? Most private clubs have security cameras – commonly 20-30, but many have more than 60. They are usually older systems desperately in need of updating. Private clubs have four major IT technology platforms. 1. Data (payroll, email, club management software, Word, Excel, and other applications) 2. Phones 3. Wi-Fi (member, guest, and admin Wi-Fi) 4. Security cameras Each system requires cabling and support. New security camera systems are based on internet protocol (IP) standards, which are also common in data, phone, and Wi-Fi systems. All four major IT platforms are converging to IP protocol. How does a club convert to an IP security camera system? There are two major factors to consider. 1. It’s not easy. 2. It generally takes several years. The good news is you can often leverage the investment in coax cabling and analog cameras. You can convert the coax cameras to an IP security camera platform. This is a stopgap. Most clubs won’t have $75,000 to replace an outdated security camera system all at once. But by strategically replacing cameras and cabling at $10,000 to $15,000 a year over three to four years, you can “step” your way into the IP security platform. Each step builds on those taken earlier. What does a good IP security camera system look like? An IP-based security camera system has several attributes. • One-time licensing costs. Avoid IP security camera software with annual fees. There are several solid IP security camera software vendors offering one-time license fees, saving the club thousands of dollars over five to 10 years. • Open architecture. Use IP security software that runs with Microsoft operating systems and Dell, HP, or IBM hardware. The club can then easily change hardware or software vendors or mix and match cameras. • Built-in analytics. Use cameras with analytics built right in. Analytics enhance investigations. You can do keyword searches, for example. Looking for a person wearing a blue sweater in a specified time period? Type the key words “blue sweater” to see the movements of everyone wearing blue sweaters.

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• High-resolution cameras. The higher the megapixels (MP), the higher the resolution. IP cameras come in three, five, seven, nine and 10 MP. Clubs generally use five MP for the base camera. • Built-in infrared. Infrared (IR) cameras yield good clarity in poorly lit areas and at night, so you can see events in your maintenance facility at 3 a.m. as clearly as those at 3 p.m. The combination of one-time license costs, open architecture and high resolution five MP IP cameras with built-in analytics and infrared should be the cornerstone of every private club’s security camera system. There are many ways to set up and maintain security camera systems, but a good private club security camera system will include at least several of these attributes. B R Noel Wixsom is founder of Country Club Technology Partners (CC Tech), please contact him at noel@cctechplan.com or (510) 589-4512.

COUNTRY CLUB TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS

Technology Planning for Private Clubs

• Technology Master Planning • Club Technology Report Cards • Cost Reduction / Audits • Hosted IT Solutions • Surveillance Cameras • Cyber Security Analysis

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contact: noel@cctechplan.com

Paisano Performance Partners | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By John Finley, CCM, Managing Partner

Getting “IT” Right!

etting the member experience right starts with getting the employee experience right. It takes applying the right resources with an engaged staff to consistently achieve a great member experience. Paisano Performance Partners provides technology and innovation, applied to fundamentals, to help your team get “IT” right. Good managers understand their team is the key to success in delivering an exceptional member experience. And top performers are seeking that exceptional work culture. Unfortunately, with limited resources and competing priorities, even good managers settle for the “Just Get It Done” approach to performance management. As a result, top performers fall short of potential. Paisano can help you develop that high performing culture for your employees, utilizing performance management software designed to engage and transform your team. CLUB SPECIFIC TOOLS TO GET “IT” RIGHT

• HR Tune-Ups to ensure your foundation is solid. • Team Builder Orientation Software to ensure new team members are ready to deliver a great member experience on day one!

BONITA BAY CLUB GETS “IT”

“Building a cohesive, service-oriented team is paramount for a successful member experience. Sharing a consistent message with all new associates is one of the critical steps to building that team. We expect all employees to know and live our employee WHY statement, which is to exceed members expectations with every interaction. Team Builder will ensure all employees know what is expected of them ON their first day.” — Peggy Taylor SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Director of Human Resources Bonita Bay Club • Performance++ Check-In and Evaluation Software providing feedback that drives performance. • Team coaching and performance assessments to maximize teamwork and output. Paisano Performance Partners offers internet based tools designed to get the experience right for your employees and ultimately your members. BR For Additional Client Testimonials visit our web site at http://www.paisanoperformance.com. John Finley, managing partner at Paisano Performance Partners can be reached at: Jfinley@paisanoperformance.com or (214) 794-5913

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

Signera | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Michael Sparks, Director of Sales

Using the Value Equation in Decision Making

ou make decisions all the time, and consider many things when doing so. Identifying and clarifying your reasons with the Value Equation creates an understandable process to help you make those decisions. What is the Value Equation? It is a simplification of a dynamic process. It helps to understand the relationship of how various factors influence our decision of what is valuable. This equation of value = benefit / cost simply states that when something benefits us, or costs less, value increases. Conversely, the less something benefits us, or the more it costs, value decreases. Benefit is best described as what we get from something. Cost is best described as what we give in exchange for the benefits we receive. So how can you use this in your decision making? First, you have to understand the perspective of who will determine value. When this is you, this process is easier than when it is an employee or club member. Look at each benefit and cost and insert them into the equation. Remember, this is a simpli-

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fication of a dynamic process, so costs and benefits will change rapidly. If someone is in a hurry, time saved becomes a larger benefit. If introducing new technology in the club, time to implement it in your routine becomes a greater cost. There are some typical mistakes made in determining value. One that shuts down the process before it starts is allowing price to stop the understanding of benefits and therefore value. Also, applying your own perceived benefits or costs to your audience puts you on the wrong track. Sometimes you might miss items that might not be top-of-mind in either the benefit or cost side, like time spent, ease-of-use, and access. Additionally, promoting benefits that don’t matter begs the question “Am I paying for benefits I don’t need?”, thus adding to the cost. And finally letting something new hold greater benefit simply because it is new. It will not always be new. We all use the Value Equation subconsciously, making it a conscious process in our decision-making can be invaluable. B R Michael has worked in the marketing and sales fields for 40 years. He teaches sales training based on the consultive sales model and has developed marketing campaigns that generated over a billion dollars of revenue.

Survey & Ballot Systems | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Pete Westerhaus, myDirectVote Account Manager

Revitalizing Your Election

rom country clubs to sports and political organizations, without a high degree of member engagement, your club wouldn’t be the same – this includes electing leaders and voting on internal matters. When adding online voting to your club’s voting events, your members can log on from any computer or mobile device and vote anywhere, at any time members will appreciate and utilize this convenient option as it makes your voting process more efficient and effective. Online voting is also completely transparent. Members see the process upfront and can ensure that there is no election fraud or mismanagement. You also get the benefit of valuable voter data when your club members vote online. Not only can your segmented reports help improve future election efforts, but the voter data you receive will help improve other member communications and endeavors. Online voting saves on postage, printing and other mailing costs while saving your club valuable staff time as well. On-

line voting eliminates the need for manual hand counts, tallying and worrying about duplicate ballots due to its precision and automation. With the right technology, online voting is secure, safe and has a high degree of accuracy. Some of the protections your club’s online election will benefit from when you partner with Survey & Ballot Systems include: secure server environments, voting websites accessible only to authorized members using unique voter logins and passwords, online ballots transmitted using TLS encryption, and high-tech fraud prevention. Just imagine – no more worrying about that box of paper ballots left in the trunk of someone’s car. Now is the time to explore online voting with myDirectVote. It is incredibly cost-effective for your club to self-administer an online election that allows voters to cast their ballots in just a few clicks. Or you can partner with SBS to build an election customized to your club’s needs and members. B R Survey & Ballot Systems takes the guesswork out of the voting process, making it simple for clubs to hold efficient, effective elections that are designed to increase voter turnout, reduce time spent and save money. Ready to get started? Find us online at www.surveyandballotsystems.com or give us a call at 1-800-974-8099.

Ready to get started? Contact us: www.surveyandballotsystems.com 1-800-974-8099

The premiere voting software for club elections. Voting software like myDirectVote® lets club managers hold unbiased board elections and bylaw voting intended to provide transparency, promote good governance and increase member satisfaction and trust.

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

BILL BOOTHE

JEFF HALL

TECHNOLOGY PERSPECTIVE

How to Secure Your Notebook PC While Traveling So, you’re on the road again with your notebook PC, staying in touch with your club. Connecting to airport and hotel Wi-Fi services to access your email and communicate with your staff and members. Conducting business as best you can. But how safe are your communications and data while you’re on the road? Let’s find out… Personal or corporate VPN: A virtual private network (VPN) extends a private network (such as the one at your club or at your home) securely across a public network. This allows users to send and receive data across public networks as if their computing devices were directly connected to their private network. (Wikipedia) A VPN creates an encrypted “tunnel” between you and the VPN endpoint (usually your club network) such that the public network (an airport or hotel Wi-Fi service, for example) cannot “see” your PC. If an attacker can’t “see” it, they can’t hack into it. Personal VPNs are available from many sources, such as Norton, CyberGhost and others, for a nominal annual subscription fee. Corporate VPNs are produced by all major network equipment vendors, such as Cisco, WatchGuard and open-source solutions. They’re easy to use and work well with Windows and Mac PCs. Personal Wi-Fi hotspot: You can use your cellphone to create a personal Wi-Fi hotspot for private internet access. This is particularly important if the public network is being impersonated (“spoofed”) by an attacker. Airport and hotel networks are common targets for attackers, who set up a network that is named the same as the airport/hotel network but is operated by an attacker. Connect to a spoofed network and the attacker is immediately on your PC. However, by using a personal Wi-Fi hotspot on your cellphone, you access the internet directly. Note that personal hotspots can chew up lots of data, so if you use them on a regular basis, you will need an unlimited data plan to avoid excessive data usage charges. Password vault: Most of us are pretty lazy when it comes to passwords. We tend to use the same password for multiple online sites, and we mostly avoid using super-complex passwords that are difficult to remember. Password vaults make it easy to use a unique, strong password for each site we are accessing. One unique password for the bank, another for the Visa card, yet another for the insurance company, and so on. Using a password vault is easy. You start by assigning your user ID and a strong password to each site. You can make up your own password or let the vault randomly create one for you (with 20+ characters if you like). Whenever you log into a particular site, the vault uses the assigned user ID and password to access the site. 66

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If an attacker somehow gets into your system and snoops while you are logging in, no worries. Your logins and passwords are encrypted and invisible to them. Like a personal VPN, password vaults can be had for a nominal annual subscription fee from a long list of providers. Portable security cable lock: According to Gartner, a laptop is stolen every 53 seconds, often from hotels, airports and restaurants. At a minimum, it’s a huge inconvenience to replace a stolen PC, even if the thief doesn’t hack your computer. Security cable locks allow you to attach your PC to an unmovable object (like a desk) so the thief is unable to walk off with your device. The lightweight and compact cables cost about $25. Bottom line: If you want your PC to be safe and secure while you’re traveling, at a minimum, this is what you need: a VPN, personal Wi-Fi hotspot, password vault, and a portable security cable lock. Inexpensive protections that can pay off handsomely by thwarting harmful intruders. Don’t procrastinate – do it today. BR Bill Boothe is president and owner of The Boothe Group, LLC, an independent consulting firm that helps clubs understand computer technology, make good decisions and receive the highest value from their technology investment. Bill can be reached at bboothe@ boothegroup.com Jeff Hall is a senior consultant at Wesbey Associates LLC, an independent information security consultancy that assists organizations with information security and compliance with a variety of programs, such as Payment Card Industry (PCI), HIPAA and NIST. He can be reached at jeff.hall@wesbeyassoc.com

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BoardRoom magazine Recognizes the Private Club Presidents of the Year By Ellery Platts Now in its 13th 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 five of the top 28 presidents for 2020. The Distinguished Club President was featured in the January/February 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. See pages 70 & 71. View the Distinguished Club Presidents from the past 12 years: boardroommagazine.com/board-presidents TOP PRIVATE CLUB PRESIDENTS SPONSORS

CHRIS NOVY | PRESIDENT, EVANSTON GOLF CLUB | SKOKIE, IL

CHRIS NOVY, PRESIDENT

BRYAN POLLETTA, GM

Chris Novy is the true embodiment of the club culture so many aspire to have. He constantly puts his club family first without questioning how it might work out later. To Novy, this family’s security and happiness is everything. His desire to allow this kind of community to flourish paired perfectly with the mixed emotions felt by all in March 2020. “Knowing that the board would later agree, he took the risk of keeping the entire staff fully paid for every day we 68

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were closed because of the pandemic, and even approved increases,” says Evanston Golf Club general manager Bryan Polletta. “He wasn’t concerned about what other area clubs were doing, just wanted to provide for our amazing staff and knew they would be loyal in return.” Their gratitude was well expressed, and the club has not just survived but thrived. His generous personality doesn’t end there. When tragedy struck the course with the news that Polletta had lost his youngest child, he sprang into action to give support any way he could. “The board approved the establishment of the Frankie V. Polletta Charitable Foundation and its mission to help at-risk teens dealing with depression and thoughts of suicide,” says Novy. The club has raised nearly $230,000 since the foundation’s creation and hopes to host a second fundraiser soon. “Over the years, Novy has also become a sponsor/endorser to many prospective members with his personable and outgoing attitude,” says Polletta. “Evanston has been referred to as a ‘family’ and perspective members pick up on this feeling immediately.” Recently, the Evanston Golf Club has been experiencing an influx of newer, younger member families. As a result, Novy has moved to approve renovations that will give the club a more modern look and feel to appeal to this growing demographic. Novy joined in 1992, 10 years after his father Fredric joined and was first introduced to club life. His love for all things Evanston rubbed off on those around him, leading to his brother James joining in 1995. He had served as golf chairman and vice president before he became president in 2019, but I think members and staff alike can all agree that the title of president suits him best. His exemplary leadership will be noted for years to come and will forever leave a positive mark on the Evanston community. B R

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SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

ROBERT SHELLEY | PRESIDENT, WILLIAMS ISLAND CLUB | AVENTURA, FL “The most important action a leader can take, especially during times of confusion and fear, is clear and constant communication with a sense of positive outcome,” says Shelley. He invited guests to the show from the city, varied professionals who educated and kept the community up to date. These guests included doctors, psychologists and religious leaders. “The morale and spirit of the island has exponentially increased because of President Shelley’s consistent positive outlook and immense compassion for every resident and staff member,” added Matlaga. His support for his community surpassed just boosting morale during the panSTEVE MATLAGA, COO ROBERT SHELLEY, PRESIDENT demic. Shelley had also converted parts of club property into COVID-19 test sites to keep residents healthy and safe. Chief operating officer, Steve Matlaga sings the He worked with the board to provide household items, masks, and PPE to their praises of Robert Shelley, long time president at the members, along with food delivery, virtual fitness classes, religious services, counWilliams Island Club in Aventura, FL “Bob is someone you can trust and who will stand selling, and multiple online entertainment events. Through all this, everyone was able to stay informed, engaged and connected to Williams Island. with you unconditionally through both adversity Before he was president, Shelley attended the University of Miami and began and success. These traits are why our team loves his career in the music industry, writing music and producing shows both on and and respects Bob as our mentor and partner at Wiloff-Broadway in New York City. From there he built a career as the president and liams Island.” CEO of Shelby Capital, as well as being the CEO of Shelby Homes. These praises come not only from his wonderful His impressive resume doesn’t end there. Shelley served on the board of directors leadership, but also his charisma and creative ways of Temple Beth Torah for more than 25 years. Currently he sits as the director of the of rejuvenating club enthusiasm. early childhood learning center and prep school. In April of 2020, he began conducting weekly His compassion for those around him, paired with a giving heart create the perinterviews on WITV-Channel 590, the Island’s comfect combination to lead the members and the Williams Island community to an munity television station. He has become a promiexciting and bright future. B R nent local media figure, picking up the role as host, which he is said to execute with the “highest level of compassion and humor” according to Matlaga.

R. PATRICK SHERIDAN | PRESIDENT, ATHENS COUNTRY CLUB | ATHENS, GA

R. PATRICK SHERIDAN, PRESIDENT

ERIC J. RHODES, GM

The first week as board president is often filled with trying to find a footing ¬– deciding what the role truly is and what the next steps are going to be. Imagine if all this uncertainty is paired with the start of a global health pandemic. That was the reality for Patrick Sheridan, president of the Athens Country Club in Athens, Georgia. Sheridan was able to step up immediately and embrace this challenge, despite the fact he had just begun his presidency. “As we deal with the national pandemic, it must be said that we will do everything possible to protect our members and staff,” says Sheridan. 70

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Not only was he able to navigate the pandemic, but President Sheridan also oversaw a 10-month completion of an $8-million-dollar capital project. This encompassed a renovation of the two-storey clubhouse, two outdoor dining patios and fireplaces, the repair and replacement of a drainage system for nine holes on the golf course, and a variety of landscaping modifications. Athens Country Club general manager, Eric Rhodes, says Sheridan’s reign as president adopted, and truly embodies, a members’ first culture. “Membership is becoming a more family-oriented experience,” says Rhodes. “Something for everyone in the family to enjoy.” These experiences include everything from pickleball to family campouts on the green to cooking classes for all ages. “President Sheridan has been the face of the club through some of the club’s largest changes and challenges in its history,” says Rhodes. “The pandemic, top management transition and the club renovation all happened at the same time under his guidance.” Sheridan finds success outside of the club as well. He works as the CEO, cofounder, and a senior managing partner of Fintrust Capital Advisors - an asset management and investment advisory firm. Within the company, he also chairs the management committee and helps to set the firm’s strategic focus and defines their business objectives. This work has provided him with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in his presidential role. The Athens community has selected a fantastic candidate as their president and with an extraordinary first year under his belt, the sky’s the limit for what comes next. B R

MEREDITH SHORKEY | PRESIDENT, MYERS PARK COUNTRY CLUB, | CHARLOTTE, NC affect her decisions. This led to her becoming the first female partner in the Charlotte office, and one of only a few nationally. Her strength and ability became a savior during the pandemic, allowing Myers Park to shift gears quickly and best serve the membership in any capacity required. Shorkey ensured both herself and the board were constantly available for online conference calls, while providing updates in this ever-changing situation. The club became a “to-go” style restaurant almost immediately while the rest of the club found new ways to adapt to the brand new protocols and safety guidelines. “Because of Mrs. Shorkey’s leadership and support, the club never closed a MEREDITH SHORKEY, PRESIDENT MARK BADO, GM AT THE TIME single day during this crisis,” says Mark Bado, general manager at the time of President Shorkey’s nomination as a BoardRoom top president. “We have kept It takes a lot of hard work to maintain a reputaout staff employed and safe, assisted local farmers, donated to local food tion as Charlotte’s club of choice, but for Meredith banks and to first responders, all while providing our membership with the Shorkey there are no other contenders. highest possible service.” She started out as the first female member at Even when faced with pushback regarding the ongoing restrictions, Shorkey kept a Myers Park Country Club. Now she’s been paving level head and provided a platform for members to voice their frustrations. By doing the way as president of the board. this, she was able to hold strong, supporting her management team in their beliefs Shorkey has played integral roles in the creation and decisions. of the club’s strategic plan, governance manual, Myers Park Country Club is set to emerge from this crisis in a position of growth mission and vision statements since joining the and expansion because of Shorkey’s willingness to better her club community. board in 2017. Bado summarized President Shorkey’s work and legacy perfectly, saying, “A club is Her leadership abilities extend far beyond club only as good as its leader, and under the leadership, guidance, and vision of Meredith business into a massively successful career as a fed- Shorkey, Myers Park Country Club has become the ‘club of choice’ as the destination eral tax partner at KPMG. She continually makes her for safe, comforting, high-end dining, facilities and service in the Carolinas.” BR mark in everything she does and never lets history

HARVEY P. STEIN | PRESIDENT, ADDISON RESERVE COUNTRY CLUB | DELRAY BEACH, FL

HARVEY P. STEIN, PRESIDENT

MICHAEL MCCARTHY GM

“We are a family first and foremost, and we support each other, especially in difficult times,” exclaimed Harvey P. Stein, president, Addison Reserve Country Club, Delray Beach, FL. “We’re all grappling with the constantly changing COVID-19 situation and a small sliver of generosity might be just the kind of inspiration we could all use right now.” This philosophy is what has set Stein apart as a memorable and notable leader. Under his guidance, the board established and instituted a much-needed payroll continuation program during Addison’s coronavirus shutdown.

As a result, not only did staff continue to be paid, but Stein also led the charge to approve a two-dollar raise to staff salaries. Those unable to work, especially those in golf, tennis, spa and fitness, were paid from mid-March to mid-May at a cost of $295,000 to the club...a small price to pay for the protection of staff and loyalty to the club community. General manager Michael McCarthy is truly pleased and impressed with Stein’s ability to step up and produce positive results in an uncertain time. “He has guided the club through this pandemic and navigated waters that we’ve never tread before,” says McCarthy. “Our board president has committed to taking care of our staff and, hopefully, setting an example of how one business can make a difference.” Stein has consistently demonstrated he is capable of the leadership role and rises to every challenge placed before him. He oversaw the analysis of Addison Reserve’s facilities, by-laws, and rules and regulations, helping make the member experience more fulfilling while attracting new members who will prolong the existence of this historic, premier club. This is not Stein’s first experience working with the board at Addison Reserve. He began learning the ropes over 10 years ago when he first joined the finance committee. He also spent two years as a member of the nominating committee, including one of those as a chair. To round out his board resume, he served as a MPOA treasurer and grievance committee member. It’s no wonder he has been an exemplary president and the perfect person to lead during these last few years. McCarthy worded it best, saying Stein “has clearly demonstrated that he is deserving of the 2020 club president of the year.” B R SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

BONNIE J. KNUTSON

MEMBERSHIP MUSINGS

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

Does Your Club Have a Milk Stool? My nonno (Italian for grandfather) was a cobbler. each of the other two, creating a perfect equilateral triangle. Similarly, your club has three legs – its brand, its story, and its space Like many first-generation immigrants, he left “the – that work together to keep your club stable even if your business enold country” for an opportunity to build a better life vironment is uneven. for his family. And like many immigrants, he worked where he lived. My grandparents’ house was on a corner lot which had room enough for Nonno to build a little shoe shop a short walk from their home. We lived a block away from my grandparents. A block away in the other direction was my elementary school. So every day walking home, I would stop by Nonno’s shoe shop for a loving smile, a big hug, and a mia bella nipotina (my beautiful granddaughter). And, of course, there was always a little treat – a biscotti, an amaretti, or a canestrelli – that my mother believed would spoil my dinner, but never did. I have many memories of those special times with Nonno. The aroma of leather. The rhythmic tapping of the hammer as he resoled a boot. The hum of the treadle as he restitched worm shoes so that they could last someone for another year. But most of all, I remember him lifting me up and setting me on his stool so I could see over the counter. His special three-legged stool! I always wondered why his stool had only three legs when chairs always had four. When I asked Nonno, he would just say that the three legs were better for the shoes. It was not until I was older that I understood what he meant. It was not that the three-legged stool was better for the shoes, it was because the three legs were better for the business. The same can be said for your club. Three legs are better for your business. A three-legged stool has been called a wonder of physics. It is more stable than one with four legs, even if the surface on which it sets is uneven, and the legs are angled slightly outward and positioned so that each leg is equally distant from 72

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Brand. Your club’s brand is not its logo or its name. Rather, it is “the sum of all perceptions about [its] product, service…built through experiences and communications…creating a set of expectations between the brand and its [members].” Said another way, a brand is simply how people feel about it. How do your members feel about your club? There is no doubt that every club has a brand and a brand image which is the sum of everything it is, says, and does. With focus, innovation, and consistency across all communication channels, you project a clear image of what your club is and lay the foundation for how your club is perceived. I read somewhere that, like people, brands need to be carefully nurtured and managed, and like people, they get old and tired and need reinvigorating. I agree. In our post-COVID-19 world, every club COO/GM should perform a health check on the club’s brand. I do not mean looking only at rounds played, dues levels established, or even revenues from food and beverages. I mean fully understanding the health of your brand internally and externally. This means doing regular refresher sessions with all key leaders (board and staff) to ensure that they are passionately connected and understand who they are and where you are going as a club. Story. No matter how storytelling is used in brand marketing and building, it is often misunderstood. One of the world’s greatest brand storytellers, Guido Everaert, reminds us that good brand storytelling is not about the language, it is about creating and telling stories in a compelling way. The operative word is compelling. It is about finding the right metaphors and structure in which to tell your story. It is about hitting a hot button in the hearts and minds of members and prospective members. By doing so, you create a part of life and generate a story that is unique to your club and, more importantly, can easily be readily remembered. In other words, the story must be relevant to members and move them to act. Here, the operative phrase is move them to act.

You do not have to write the story all by yourself. Enlist the help of your club family. Use the club’s website or social media to engage members. Their perceptions will be enlightening. Use it as an exercise at your next board meeting. The insights of board members will be useful. And do not forget your staff; make a game of it at the next staff meeting. And you may find their stories surprising. Space. If the past year has taught us anything, it is that “outdoors is no longer a separate space, but a continuation of what’s happening on the interior.” It has shown us that nature is an essential part of our well-being. Or as one designer put it, the line between what looks indoor versus outdoor is becoming ever more blurred. Our ancestors lived in harmony with nature. It gave them what they needed to survive and to thrive. But then along came technological advances. The electric light bulb. The assembly line. The high-rise. And plastics (Remember Mr. McGuire’s admonishment to Ben in the 1967 movie The Graduate?) Fast forward to television, video games, Zoom and 3-D printers. As technology came into our lives, nature got

crowded out. The Global Wellness Summit says we are suffering from Nature Deficit Disorder. “This 24/7, digitally-dominated, Instagram-able world is depriving humankind of some very basic, very important nourishment that comes from being outdoors.” Here is where your spatial footprint comes in. Design is moving the indoors out and the outdoors in. As you think about redecorating, renovating, or events, your club has countless opportunities (some might even say a responsibility) to enhance your members’ overall club experience via spatial design. Perhaps Joni Mitchell said it best in her 1960s anthem, Woodstock: “We’ve got to get ourselves back to the garden.” These, then, are the three legs of your club’s stool – brand, story, and space. And just as my nonno’s were good for the shoes, yours will be good for your business. Your bottom line will thank you. P.S. And what about the stool’s seat? As important as the seat is in making the stool functional, so is communication important in making your club’s three legs functional. Or to borrow from an old phrase: “The best laid plans of mice and men…” will fail without effective communication. BR

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

NANCY BERKLEY

NANCY’S CORNER

Nancy Berkley is an expert on women’s golf and junior girls golf. Nancy shares news and her opinions about women’s golf on the www.lpgawomensnetwork.com, www.womensgolf.com and on her own websites: berkleygolfconsulting.com and nancyberkley.com. You can also follow Nancy on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nancy.berkley.98 and on Twitter @NancyBerkley.

Tournament Formats Your Members Will Like Most golf clubs repeat the same tourna- product. Tie the other end of a 12-inch string to the flagstick and draw a circular line around the hole using the drip bottle. The “gimme circle” line will wash away ments and team events every season. in a sprinkler or two. Tradition has its value but consider Use a pro’s “sweet shot” in a team event: This is a great tournament to introadding new formats to your club’s schedduce members to your professional instructors and your professionals to your ule. Following are tournament formats members. And it really speeds up play. After everyone in a foursome tees off, the that I learned and developed over the professional selects the tee shot that she or he would like to hit onto the green. years as golf chairman and member of Ideally that second shot is over water or a challenging hazard. governing boards of several golf clubs. I In my experience, your professional may want to hit two or three shots to get it think your members will like these differvery close to the flagstick. That’s OK and adds some extra fun. The member fourent, creative and fun formats. some now moves to the green and putts for the birdie. The professional waits for Sixsome coed scramble: This is a the next foursome and hits a “sweet shot” for them. basic team scramble with a coed twist Your golf professionals give up several hours of time for this type of tournathat works for nine- or 18-hole events. ment. In return, your members meet the professional staff and are more likely to Each sixsome has three women and three take more lessons. men. Designate the sets of men’s and Play with a pro tournament: Almost every club has one or more “play with women’s tees that all teams will use on a pro” event. Generally, only “good” golfers want to sign up to play with your every hole. Men tee off on the odd-numclub’s professionals. I designed a new format that is more inclusive. bered holes and women tee off on the Each golf professional posts at least one date and tee time for women and even-numbered holes. one for men. Spread the tee times out over the season. Here’s the highlight of After the three tee shots, the team the format. Each team requires an A, B, C and D golfer along with your golf proselects the best ball for the next shot fessional. Define the handicap ranges for A, B, C and D golfers based on your by the other three players. It’s a regular membership’s skill levels. A high handicapper may surprise the team with great scramble format – with a sixsome coed putting skill, especially when the professional helps read the greens. twist. I recommend that a tee shot from every player be used at least once on each nine. The team’s final gross score is scored like a regular scramble and a handicap is applied to each team’s total score. A good handicap guide is the total of 30 percent of each player’s handicap for nine or 18 holes. The winning sixsome is the team with the lowest net score. Use a “gimme circle” on the green: Speed up play for a fun nine or 18-hole tournament with a “gimme circle” around the flagstick. Any ball that lands on the line or inside the circle is “good.” That speeds up play. Here is an easy method for marking the “gimme circle.” Ask your golf course superintendent to tie a string to a drip bottle filled with a diluted turf-marker 74

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The “play with a pro” tournament became so popular that we had to draw names from the box for A, B, C and D handicap players for each designated date. The members of the team, including the pro, with the lowest net team score during the season’s tournaments each receive a very nice prize. “Superintendent’s Revenge” tournament: Frenchman’s Creek Golf and Country Club has an outstanding golf course superintendent, Wes Dillard. When I learned about a “Su-

2021 Sept BoardRoom_HalfPage.indd 1

perintendent’s Revenge” tournament format, I asked Wes if he liked the idea. He really liked it. He even suggested asking members to tee off with a shovel rather than a golf club. I rejected that idea. Next, Wes suggested a few “revenge” pin placements that were very close to water hazards or featured slanted flagsticks in the holes. But for a great “revenge” tournament, Wes suggested a flagstick and hole in a sand bunker, with a beach chair and sand toys. Yes, golfers must putt around those obstacles. Go for the win-win: Don’t be hesitant to offer a new format that may appear difficult but can be fun if explained well. A good example is the “skins” format. Provide all players with 18 play-money dollar bills. Explain the “skins” format and allow “carry-overs” for ties. I also allow handicaps. Players pay off at the end of each hole, but ties carry over. At the end of the round, golfers convert their winnings to pro-shop credit. Offer a pre-tournament introduction for a corporate event: It is important that employees and clients enjoy golf at your club. An easy solution is to offer a short Zoom presentation about the club before the event and include pictures of the course. A successful golf outing will be another win-win for your club. B R

9/28/2021 9:24:37 AM

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

BRUCE BARILLA

HOUSE COMMITTEE

Bruce Barilla has 20 combined years of golf locker room experience at The Greenbrier and Butler National plus 50 professional tournaments. He is president of Locker Room Consulting. www.lrcgolf.com

Managerial Qualities of My Best Bosses I have worked for several bosses (general managers, locker room managers, club owners and tournament directors) since my early days as a caddie to more recently managing the pros locker room during a professional tournament. Each one displayed positive managerial qualities. These traits instilled in me an increased respect for them and motivated me more to do a good job. QUALITIES LISTED Not necessarily listed in any specific order, yet equally important like a link in a chain, the following characteristics make for better board members, managers and supervisors. You can check those you feel others would say you display or you think you need to improve upon. If you are brave, have staff evaluate you anonymously. _____ Does not get angry when others make a mistake. _____ Makes it clear what is expected. _____ Gives another chance by not firing someone even though could. _____ Willing to rehire if an employee had to leave due to family problems. _____ Fair and honest when it comes to compensation, splitting tips and the workload. _____ Accepts apologies, realizing life is a maturing process. _____ Shows respect by asking staff members for their opinions and carrying out their ideas. _____ Provides necessary “tools” to do the job. _____ Gives an occasional gift as a way to express appreciation. _____ Actually cares about others as people. _____ Stands up for what is right. _____ Goes above and beyond in certain situations. REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES David Bradley, the owner of Fountain Springs Golf Course, where I am employed, doesn’t get upset if I make a mistake when ringing up a customer. He admits to making the same mistakes, which encourages me and helps my confidence. I am grateful to Robert Harris, who first hired me at The Greenbrier. When I moved back to Chicago because of personal problems, Robert allowed me to take sick leave, giving me time to make important decisions. A few years later, when the position was once again open and I was feeling better, Robert rehired me. I will always be grateful to Robert. When Cog Hill gutted the men’s locker room and remodeled it for the Western Open, Nick Mokelke, the manager, called and asked us to design the shoeshine room. This might sound simple, but it is important that employees (who perform the work and provide the service) are asked what they need and how the job should be done and then actually see their suggestions carried out. Otherwise, morale will decrease and the staff will constantly be reminded of being ignored when working with the “improvements” made by someone else. 76

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Scott Heatherington, former locker room manager at Butler National Golf Club during the 1980s, was fair when it came to sharing tips and the workload. I’m reminded of the line in “Coal Miner’s Daughter” when Loretta Lynn’s dad says, “Let’s go get it boys. It always loads easier on payday.” Truthfully, every day was payday with Scott. Being invited by Greg McLaughlin to work the AT&T National was a compliment for my coworkers and me. We were treated as equals, paid well and even given an occasional gift by him to show his appreciation. Certain bosses will always be remembered in a positive way. Greg is one of them. We should try to be the complete package, but to be honest, we all can have a bad day and fall short. Saying “I’m sorry” might be hard for some and easier for others. Either way it can have a healing effect and increase staff harmony, goodwill and motivation. Being afraid of or intimidated by a boss makes it harder for you to do your job and certainly unenjoyable. In fairness, there are other bosses I can mention. Tommy Horal made me feel special and important. Sam Ugolini stood up for what was right, which made my job easier. Walt Swiderek and Matt Morgan gave me numerous opportunities. What type of boss would you like to be? B R

TODD DUFEK Todd Dufek is the locker room manager at The Country Club at DC Ranch in Scottsdale, AZ and the president of the Locker Room Managers Association (www.yourlrma.com). He can be reached at yourlrma1999@gmail.com

HOUSE COMMITTEE

Dr. Freud and Exceptional Service Share Common Ancestry Average service: The attendant replaces the spikes and puts them What do Sigmund Freud and exceptional service in back in the member’s locker. locker rooms have in common? Exceptional service: The manager replaces the cleats, shines the shoes The good doctor was among the first to use and replaces the shoelaces. case studies to analyze his patients. I’m doing Taking it up a notch: The manager does all of this and asks the memthe same here with customer service situations ber what spike he wants to have put in because the staffer has two kinds that arise in your locker rooms. I also stress some of cleats that will fit his shoes. The staffer shows him the two choices crucial points that will make the service in your and installs the one the member prefers. locker rooms even better. I’ve heard repeatedly over the last 30 years that 3. The locker room staff opens the doors to the locker rooms for “… anyone can be a locker room manager at a another day of golf. country club.” Case studies blow that notion right Average service: The attendant doesn’t print the day’s tee sheet but out of the water. No one can walk into a country improvises as he goes. club locker room and provide exceptional serExceptional service: The manager prints Wednesday’s tee sheet late vice — to say nothing of taking it up a notch. That in the afternoon on Tuesday, then sets up the guest lockers with amenitakes experience, study, the right personality and ties for the next day. He puts the guests’ names at the top of a welcome a good work ethic. poem on each locker with a photo of the course’s signature hole. As members/guests arrive on Wednesday, they are greeted by name and 1. An attendant takes a cart full of cleaned/ shoe services are offered. As they leave for the day, they are thanked shined golf shoes and heads into the locker for coming out. room to put them in member lockers. Taking it up a notch: Guests/golfers are greeted before and after Average service: The manager opens each rounds and shoe services are offered. Each person leaving the locker locker and puts the shoes away. room is provided a shoe bag and given a hearty farewell. Exceptional service: The staff’s motto is: “Always leave a member’s locker in better condition 4. The pandemic is still a concern at the club and stopping the than you found it.” When putting shoes away, if spread of the coronavirus is a priority. needed, the staffer pulls all the shoes out and Average service: The attendant puts a box of masks on the shoe room puts them neatly in the locker, removing grass, service counter and makes sure everyone that comes in has a mask. If debris and stains where needed. they don’t, he insists they get one out of the box and put it on. Taking it up a notch: The manager does the Exceptional service: The staffer leaves a half dozen loose masks on same as above, but if he sees loose shoe trees, top of the box for easy member access. he places them in the member’s most expensive/ Taking it up a notch: When members/guests come into the locker favorite pair of golf or dress shoes. He pulls out room without a mask, the manager politely asks, “Excuse me, but do you any dirty street or golf shoes and shines and have a mask with you?” If the answer is no, the staffer hands the memreturns them to the member’s locker. If the attenber/guest a mask. dant sees a loose pile of used socks (or sees them To purchase a copy of Todd’s book, The Secret To Exceptional Locker scattered about), he has them washed, put in a Room Service, contact Todd directly. B R bag and returned to the locker. He puts any loose garments on hangers. 2. Member Mr. Buck drops off a pair of white Adidas 360 golf shoes for a new set of spikes. SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

JERRY MCCOY

WINNING STRATEGIES

Jerry N. McCoy, MCM, is the president of Clubwise, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, master planning, operational audits and governance issues. For over 30 years, he has been a prolific writer regarding club issues, such as governance, operations, strategic and master planning. Jerry received the Lifetime Achievement Award for BoardRoom Magazine in 2018. He can be reached at www.clubwiseconsulting.com or cmaamcm@msn.com

Who and What Are You? Does your community think you are the same thing you think you are? The vision and mission of the club makes a statement about what you want to be and what the greater community is going to think you are. A vision statement is your destination. It’s your guiding purpose. The ideal that your mission and values build toward. A mission statement is your map, and your values are your guideposts. Mission statement details a summary of actions your organization will take to achieve its vision. There are a lot of expectations tied to these words. Disney is a perfect example of identifying the vision/mission. Walt Disney decided early on that he was not in the theme park business. He was in the entertainment business. All his actions were focused on providing the best entertainment experience. On many occasions a club vision has words like premier, exclusive, family-centric, club of choice or finest. They then build a mission that includes words like highest rated, first-class facilities and services for exceptional recreational, social and dining experiences. The problem is that clubs do not make decisions that support the mission and fulfill the vision.

We have seen example after example of clubs making short-sighted decisions that damage their brand. Clubs normally identify a list of products and services they will supply the members as part of the overall club experience. The real issue is establishing a quality level for the club and ensuring that every facility, product and service is delivered at that quality level. Unfortunately, club leaders prioritize this list, making some items more important than others. You have heard this saying: “The golf course is our jewel and it should receive all needed capital dollars first.” The real issue is what facility or service is underperforming to the overall quality level you have established. We have seen clubs that have a great golf course while the tennis facility has fallen into rack and ruin. We have heard club leaders referring to a golf club or a tennis club make this statement: “Golf or tennis is our primary job and other facilities and services are just auxiliary support for golf or tennis and don’t require the attention that either golf or tennis should receive.” Let’s consider food prepared at the club. The only thing every member of the club does is eat. They don’t all play golf or tennis or use the fitness center, but they all eat. Food is the glue that holds a club together.

Have you asked the members if you are performing at their level of expectations? Are you targeting capital projects to bolster those areas of the club facilities that do not equal your level of excellence? Remember, existing members are your most important ambassadors. They will promote your vision within the greater community. This is relatively simple stuff. But why do so many clubs struggle to get it right? 78

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Therefore, it should be obvious that providing excellent food, whether it is casual, upscale, or banquet food, would be a high priority. If the club has a pool, then it needs to be maintained at your level of quality. Members are visiting resorts and enjoying resort-style amenities. They are expecting these amenities back at their home club. If you look over the club industry today, you will see that there are a lot of capital improvements in the areas of pool, fitness, family and youth activities, and casual and al fresco dining. Receiving membership feedback is very important. This type of data can keep the leadership on track. The next time someone asks you why you are spending $1 million on the pool, you can tell them that the pool was the lowest-rated area of the club by the members. I understand your opinion, but 65 percent stated they wanted the pool improved. Surveys give you all the ammunition to make the right choices. It’s a no-brainer. So, review your mission and vision. Does it say what you want it to say and does it give you a roadmap to get there? Have you identified your brand and

expected level of quality? Have you reviewed the level of quality to ensure that all areas are up to speed? Have you asked the members if you are performing at their level of expectations? Are you targeting capital projects to bolster those areas of the club facilities that do not equal your level of excellence? Remember, existing members are your most important ambassadors. They will promote your vision within the greater community. This is relatively simple stuff. But why do so many clubs struggle to get it right? It is because some members who have gained a leadership position have the dreaded disease called “club-Itis.” They believe that the club should take care of the part of the club they use. They don’t care about the rest of the club. Just don’t spend any money in the other areas and, whatever you do, don’t charge me any more money. These people are destructive and dangerous. Great leaders understand it is their job to protect and nurture the complete club. They do not make decisions based on special interests but for the greater good of the complete club. This is an ideal club director. B R

Lifestyle Design TO ENHANCE THE MEMBER EXPERIENCE

Bringing members together with spaces that foster community and camaraderie.

STRATEGIC PLANNING MASTER PLANNING ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN PROCUREMENT

BALD HEAD ISLAND CLUB North Carolina

Follow @chambers1899

MD 410.727.4535 / FL 239.673.1790 / TX 972.253.3583 / DC 202.851.3201 / MN 612.295.0725

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

DAVE WHITE

ON THE FRONTLINES

Dave White is the editor of BoardRoom magazine. If you have comments on this article or suggestions for other topics, please send Dave an email to: dave@boardroommag.com.

David Voorhees Has Experienced a Changing Industry Now Prepares to Move On

Twenty-five years ago, David Voorhees, his wife, Donna, and family packed their bags, left Philadelphia, PA, and headed west...for a gig as general manager of Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach, CA. Voorhees arrived just as Big Canyon was celebrating its 25th anniversary, and now as Big Canyon celebrates its 50th anniversary, Voorhees is moving on. It’s been a remarkable career for Voorhees, who grew up in the village of Chagrin Falls in northeast Ohio. “My love of that community and the bond we valued so greatly was the precursor to my eventual career serving communities of club members. Due in part to diverse business models within the same organization, full-service clubs can be challenging to operate successfully. However, paramount is a passion for serving members, their families, and the staff,” Voorhees said in explaining his commitment to the private club industry. “Growing up in a lower middle-class family included shoveling coal for the furnace, and as a teenager working heavy construction along with my three brothers for the same company as my dad. It was physically demanding and dangerous work that helped prepare me for the commitment to be successful in other endeavors.” Voorhees attended Bowling Green State University and realized that he didn’t want to be in the construction business. That decision led him to follow Donna, his high school sweetheart and ultimately

BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021

wife of 42 years, to Ridgway, PA, and eventually managing Elk County Country Club. “I did a little bit of everything, including bartending, executing events as well as housekeeping and maintenance, with Donna helping out part time as a server. She was the do-it-all office manager when we worked together at Whitford Country Club in suburban Philadelphia, where, at the age of 24, I was hired as general manager in 1979,” Voorhees shared. Voorhees was active in the Club Management Association of America and the Philadelphia chapter during this time. “CMAA education programs and the invaluable assistance of colleagues over the past 40 years have substituted for the hospitality degree I do not possess,” said Voorhees. “A big break for me came through my active role with CMAA as Don Beever, past national president of CMAA, hired me in 1984 as his assistant general manager at Philadelphia Country Club. Upon Don’s retirement in 1991, I became general manager immediately following the club’s 100th anniversary,” Voorhees related. “We enjoyed Philadelphia, had family in the area, and might have stayed there for the rest of my career, but CMAA once again had a hand in re-directing my path. “I attended BMI V at Cornell University in 1996 as did Club Manager of the Year John Hudson, who was preparing to retire from Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach, California. Long story short, with a great deal of persistence, he persuaded me to apply, and that same year our family, including Chris and Julie, at the time 15 and 12 years of age respectively, made the move west.” Big Canyon, a unique combination of a country and city club, boasts a membership of 1,000 families, operating with gross revenues of $30 million. The club opened a fabulous new $60-million clubhouse in 2009...”about $17 million over budget and I’m still here,” Voorhees quipped.

The club has always focused on continuous improvement, recently adding a new turf center, a new childcare facility, a Pilates studio and event lawns and introducing pickleball, one of the fastest-growing sports in North America. A major renovation of the primary member dining room and terrace was completed in June of this year. Voorhees, an advocate of collaborative governance and strategic planning, feels these processes have contributed to his success as Big Canyon’s GM. So, what’s the secret to his success? “In member-equity clubs it begins with embracing the committee structure as opposed to feet dragging and/or attempting to navigate around. While it can be at times frustrating and a bit slow, building consensus between member volunteers and staff is essential for creating a high-performing partnership. It requires good listeners, staff not being defensive, and a can-do mindset. “Successful committee-centric organizations understand the need to embrace their volunteers that donate their valuable time. Effective orientations that identify purpose, process, and defined goals to be accomplished are extremely important. It’s also incumbent that staff leadership respect their volunteers’ time through a professional approach that includes timely and accurate written staff recommendations to streamline the decision-making process and shorten meetings,” Voorhees stressed. “While some may tire of hearing about the value of strategic planning, it has been key to collaboration and ultimately accomplishments at Big Canyon. The well-known ‘leadership from behind’ model is the responsibility of staff leadership to orchestrate and drive the operation with member leadership to challenge and ultimately adopt. “In short, we utilize a bottom-up, top-down approach beginning with department mission statements, SWOT analysis and goals that are vetted by staff leadership before approval by the respective committees. Once the board of directors endorses the goals and identifies those of the highest priority, the process is reversed through the committees and ultimately to the department level,” he stated. “Alignment comes as a result and our progress for goal achievement is measured monthly.” During his long private club industry career, Voorhees has experienced many changes. “Effective use of technology has dramatically improved communication, enhanced the member experience for most through convenience of mobile apps, and provided management with timely data to operate more efficiently,” Voorhees intoned. “This includes a greater emphasis at the board level to do effective longrange planning, including comprehensive reserve analysis and the resulting funding requirements. Ray Cronin and his cohorts at Club Benchmarking continue to be the driving force behind this. “The commitment to building and retaining a talented and dedicated staff at all levels has, of course, always been key to the success of every organization. SEE ON THE FRONTLINES | 113

The Secret Sauce, Or...

44 years of club management and how I lived to tell about it! Five reasons private club general managers get fired: 1. Poor financial performance a. Drive top line revenue through utilization and effectively manage payroll b. Manage like an owner, but never forget you’re not a member c. Maintain a close partnership with the CFO 2. Lack of visibility a. Engagement in all member areas, not simply presence b. Carefully participate in an activity for which the club is known c. Member correspondence provides insight that can be positive or negative

3. Ineffective staff development and relations a. A positive culture begins with “tummies and paychecks.” Quality meals and confidence in accuracy. b. Timely, candid and empathetic communication. c. Maintain a close partnership with the human resource professional. 4. Weak committee and board procedures a. Effective orientations and a firm understanding of roles: “The GM is the board’s only direct report.” b. Expert knowledge of the by-laws, well written recommendations and responsibility for all agendas and minutes. c. An on-going and collaborative strategic planning process is invaluable. 5. Lack of attention to detail a. Sweat the details and start with staff appearance. b. Maintenance and housekeeping are only noticed when they are poor. c. Poor grammar and punctuation are a reflection on staff leadership. SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

KEVIN WALLS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Kevin Walls, PGA, is a PGA career consultant serving Alabama, NW Florida, the Gulf Coast states and Tennessee.

How Technology Has Altered the Hiring Process The past year will be remembered for a lot of reasons, including the evolution of the hiring process. The PGA Career Services Department made some major decisions when the pandemic arrived on how to conduct our executive searches. Our department was already exploring several new ideas, but we quickly had to implement these into reality due to COVID. I used the term “we had to put together the plane at 30,000 feet” during the early stages of the crisis. Our department had several executive searches ongoing, so we had to implement a strategy. The pandemic changed the traditional hiring process, and the golf business was not immune. Clubs still needed to fill management roles, such as head professionals, director of golf, superintendents and general management positions, and we were able to pull them off successfully. The new tools that our team used will probably be the new normal with new advancements in technology. Travel limitations and clubhouses being limited or closed prevented the scheduling of search committee meetings and preliminary in-person meetings. Technology such as Spark, Zoom or Google Meet allowed the hiring process to continue successfully. Job seekers had to adapt as well. Both search committees and candidates favored the new methods. The new resources helped with time restraints and scheduling; meetings were recorded so committees could view them multiple times or they could be seen by those who had conflicts.

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1. Individual profiles and social media platforms — Employers are using individual profiles and social media platforms to learn more about candidates before they engage with them. This helps employers or committees to better prepare. 2. Behavioral assessments — The PGA uses Predictive Index to conduct personality and judgment assessments to get a complete view of candidates’ strengths and weaknesses and to determine the right fit and if candidates will perform in a specific job environment. With these tests, employers can conduct better interviews. 3. Spark Video — This is a one-way video that we can schedule with the first round of candidates. This is beneficial in the early stages. Often, candidates seem good on paper, but this process gives a better understanding of candidates’ potential, particularly when it comes to skills you cannot judge on a resume, such as communication and presentation. This eliminates phone interviews but covers some key points, saving time on follow-up interviews, and provides great talking points for interviews that follow. 4. Two-way video — This process helps reduce travel expenses and time away from work for candidates traveling for initial on-site interviews. The candidate and committee can better fit these videos into their schedule from work or home. 5. Case studies — Our team created specific case studies where certain issues or ideas about the club were provided to the selected candidates. The employer or committee can receive a more accurate picture of the candidate’s creativity and how the candidate responds and solves problems. This exercise also provided a lot of great ideas from the responses that the club may use in the future. 6. Data studio — Our employment team creates a dedicated data studio that houses the candidate’s information, such as resume, cover letter, portfolio, Spark Video, two-way video and case studies. The committee can go to a dedicated link location to view all the candidate’s material. The past year will no doubt change a lot of habits, traditions and methods of conducting business and life as we all adapt. The hiring process will be forever changed with the new tools that were implemented to make successful hires. PGA Career Services has adapted and is a major player in the executive search process. The ability to adapt to the employer’s needs will make the PGA ExecuSearch service a successful resource in the future hiring process for clubs. B R

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SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

DAVE DOHERTY

GREEN COMMITTEE

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

Have We Lost Our Ability to Think? The industry is starting to change to a new breed of commonsense thinkers in regard to what it takes to maintain our golf greens at a level that we only wished for in the past but seldom attained. And, who in most cases were unable to maintain once we did obtain that high level we were seeking. A golf course superintendent in upstate NY phoned me last night that his new green had a 20 percent loss of turf and the cause had been diagnosed as “Pythium Root Dysfunction” by the soil’s lab at Rutgers University. The superintendent then phoned Dr. Lane Tredway at North Carolina State University who is the industry’s leading expert when it comes to this disease and Dr. Tredway recommended building up the nutrient and water holding of the green. The superintendent then phoned me with my thoughts on what would be the best way to achieve this increase in CEC [nutrient holding] and water retention. My recommendation was to aerify as deeply as possible and inject an 80/20 of sand and an inorganic amendment into the Aerification

by giving us this naturally produced material [Organic Matter] that provides us with water and nutrient holding, as well as being food for our microbes. All we had to do was learn how to manage it, which we are starting to do. However, all that many in the industry heard from my research was that Organic Matter was the cause of green failures and with this limited stupid thinking we as an industry started to back off of adding organic matter into our new green mix’s, resulting in an insufficient amount of food and water being available to our plants. Dr. Tredway recommends that mixes contain at least 15 percent organic matter by volume and I could not agree more. When the USGA specifications for new green construction were written at Texas A & M under the guidance of DR. Marvin Ferguson in the early to mid fifties and published in 1960 they had a category called water or moisture holding, which has been largely ignored by many in our industry, and one that is of the upmost importance in today’s world of new grasses and low mowing heights.

This deposit of organic matter is a natural part of the aging process of the turf. Mother Nature is being very good to us by giving us this naturally produced organic matter that provides us with water and nutrient holding, as well as being food for our microbes. All we had to do was learn how to manage it. However, all that many in the industry heard from my research was that organic matter was the cause of green failures and with this limited stupid thinking we as an industry started to back off of adding organic matter into our new green mix’s, resulting in an insufficient amount of food and water being available to our plants. holes. The inorganic amendment would provide us with the nutrient and water holding we needed. He agreed and had already ordered the inorganic amendment [When using an inorganic amendment never use more than an 80/20 mix.] A little research and a lot of common sense. Now was that so difficult. Could this situation have been avoided by using a different mix in this new green? The answer is yes. Three years into my research at ISTRC I found that the leading cause of turf failure in sand-based greens was too high of an organic matter in the top one to two inches of the greens. This deposit of organic matter is a natural part of the aging process of the turf. Mother Nature is being very good to us 84

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Under the category of how to treat the symptoms of “Pythium Root Dysfunction” we find a list of chemicals with how and in what quantities to apply the chemicals. I am glad to say that this golf course superintendent in upstate NY is attacking the cause and not the symptoms. This superintendent is under attack from the members for something that is the result of things that were done before he arrived at the course this past January. I hope that the management team can hold off the membership until the greens turn around, as this superintendent is one of the really, really good ones in our industry. He has not lost his ability to think and use common sense. B R

STEVE SCHENDEL Steve Schendel is vice president/agronomist with Golf Maintenance Solutions. He can be reached at (630) 220-5977 or via email: steve.s@golfmsolutions.com

GREEN COMMITTEE

Hiring Can Be Tiring By the time this article is published, many regions will be winding down from another busy golf season. This doesn’t mean that there is less work to be done. Late summer and early fall keep us busy with continued golf rounds and various projects throughout our facilities. As we wrap up 2021 and prepare for 2022, we are continuing to look at new technology and ways to provide consistent products and services more efficiently. Golf course maintenance has benefited from some very good new technologies in recent years. Articles have been written about water management, moisture meters, automated irrigation, robotic mowers, various golf course apps, electronic job boards and “new ways of hiring.” As finding good labor became more and more difficult in the past, we continued to look at new ways of hiring. The days of word of mouth or running a newspaper advertisement still have merit, but with the advent of social media they are no longer the leading way to attract good staff. Then just as we thought we were figuring things out with the help of Indeed, Monster, Craigslist and other internet platforms things have changed again. It’s no secret that finding good help and in many markets any help has become more challenging than ever. There are various reasons why labor is so hard to find, but the reality is that we still have golf courses to maintain and members and guests to serve. This combined with the recent uptick in golf has compounded the issue as there are higher volumes of member traffic through many facilities while we are experiencing this shortage of labor. So now what? Innovation can refer to something new or to a change made to an existing product, idea, or field. As we have relied on innovation in the past for hiring, we must once again look to innovation if we are going to have sustainable clubs. Just as we relied on websites, apps and social media for innovative ways to hire (and these will still be important moving forward), we must now include innovative ways of thinking to attract and retain the best employees possible.

Money has always been a part of why people take a job, but now it seems to be the most important driving factor why someone wants to be employed at our facilities. It is not realistic that we can pay entry-level positions $15 - $20 per hour, but we can take care of the people who have been with us for many years. Rather than starting to hire new employees at wages many of your current staff are making, start by taking care of your current employees. Give tenured employees improved performance or longevity bonuses before you consider giving any hiring bonuses. Offer tenured employees better work environments, such as elevated uniform policies and more employee events. Maybe offer your five-year veteran better work shifts than your new hires. The hourly wage gap has shrunk considerably, so adding new benefits or work schedules may be ways to keep your tenured employees happy and committed to you even though they may only be making a few dollars more than a new hire. The key is to find the balance between keeping your current employees happy while still attracting quality new hires. Many have focused on going after the new hires first and then trying to compensate their tenured employees after new help is brought on. Try doing the opposite. Start with the employees you have this fall and take care of them first. Let them know they will have perks not offered to new hires, and let new hires know they too can get certain perks based on tenure as part of their employment benefits. Your current employees are your foundation for success in 2022. Putting your existing employees first may not seem like new technology or innovation, but it really is the foundation for retaining and attracting a sustainable workforce in the future. B R

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

KEVIN F. REILLY

R. TODD SWISHER

CLUB FACTS & FIGURES

The Members Are Back…What About the Employees? The economy is roaring back. Mask mandates have been eliminated in many places and capacity limits removed. In the hospitality industry, arguably hardest hit by the pandemic, a conundrum has emerged. According to the Department of Labor’s May 2021 report, the unemployment rate for those 16 years and over was 5.5 percent. The unemployment rate for leisure and hospitality, 10.1 percent, is nearly twice the national average. However, there are Help Wanted signs everywhere and a bountiful number of job postings for hourly and management positions. Further, the preliminary numbers from the Department of Labor show employees quitting hospitality jobs at a rate that is almost double that of other industries. Although hotels and restaurants dominate the headlines, the issue trickles down to clubs, too.

loughs associated with the pandemic adds extra stress for employees, even with the added unemployment benefits. Employees in non-service roles are seeking opportunities to telework and are unwilling to commute. Service and other hospitality employees do not have this option. Childcare may also impact decisions. These and other factors caused employees to reevaluate their work-life balance. In some cases, this gave them the push necessary to leave the industry. In short, people are looking for more money, flexibility and happiness, and may not see those in available club positions. As a result, applicants for open positions are down and sometimes even nonexistent. Another reported problem happens when someone accepts a position and doesn’t report for the first day of work. Further, clubs are finding that recruiting in the current environment is a full-time job. Clubs that historically have not had human resources directors are hiring them, and the human resources directors are spending

Clubs are looking at their basic compensation structures to make sure they are competitive. In addition to increased wages, some clubs are offering sign-on bonuses or a bonus for staying through the season. Service charges that some clubs have historically retained are being distributed to the employees. Clubs are also addressing work-life balance by offering staff schedules that have fewer nights and weekends and giving non-service employees the chance to telework part time. COVID-19 has been an evolving process. It’s forced the world to rethink how to do just about everything. FACTORS AFFECTING CLUB EMPLOYMENT LEVELS So why the disparity? The additional federal unemployment benefits receive a lot of attention and may be partly but not solely to blame. People are finding it more difficult to justify the pay combined with hours worked, not to mention the risk associated with many frontline jobs. The necessary nights, weekends, holidays, and long hours take a toll. Uncertainty arising from fur-

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most of their time simply trying to fill open positions. Holding job fairs at clubs is yet another way the industry is trying to fill open positions. It will be interesting to see what happens when the federal unemployment supplement ends. Clubs located in states that no longer offer the federal supplement are seeing a small uptick in applications, but not nearly enough to alleviate the problem.

SILVER LININGS AMID THE STORM The pandemic hasn’t been all negative for clubs. COVID19 sparked a renewed interest in golf and tennis. Tee sheets are as full as they have been in years. Clubs in certain areas of the country surpassed their total number of rounds played in 2019 by June 2020; that is a trend that has continued to date in 2021. Country clubs in particular did a great job reaching out to members during the pandemic and now provide an atmosphere where members feel safe. Membership is strong. Clubs that haven’t had a wait list for many years are hopeful for one by the end of 2021. Dues and initiation fees are strong and on the rise. Clubs that were offering discounts on initiation fees and deals on dues at the pandemic’s onset have ended the practice and raised initiation fees … in some cases to pre2008 levels. In addition, the banquet business appears to be coming back with a vengeance. Clubs are reporting strong holiday season bookings, and weddings are quickly returning to preCOVID levels. SHORT-TERM TACTICS TO ADDRESS A COMPLICATED PROBLEM Renewed member engagement combined with staff shortages are creating a unique set of issues. Some clubs are not as open as they could be. They are forced to limit availability of some amenities or close on certain days because they do not have enough employees to adequately staff the club. Clubs also must ensure the member experience isn’t diminished, and there are a variety of creative ways to combat the problem. Solutions include: • Using temporary staff for banquets. • Opening up employment to children of members, although there are service and other issues associated with these options. • Multi-purposing employees. For example, maybe the catering director works the front desk, or the front desk person also performs hostess duty. • Hiring interns to fill in as wait staff and perform other jobs not normally expected of interns, though with this option be mindful not to run afoul of Department of Labor laws. • Leaning on managers more heavily to perform roles outside their normal job duties. While the effectiveness may vary among these short-term solutions, neither are long-term answers. Consider that some solutions only contribute to the issues that caused employees to leave the industry in the first place.

Multi-purposing an employee generally means adding to their responsibilities, not replacing them. For salaried exempt employees, this could mean additional uncompensated hours. It becomes a vicious cycle. Clubs can’t hire staff to provide the service, so they rely on current staff to provide service. Employees’ work-life balance can be heavily diminished and contribute to burnout, or worse – a resignation. LOOKING AHEAD: DIFFERENTIATION The good news is clubs are mindful of the situation and are responding to the challenge in a variety of ways. • First, clubs are looking at their basic compensation structures to make sure they are competitive. • They have been forced to dramatically increase starting wages by as much as 25 to 30 percent in some cases. To reward loyal, long-term employees, clubs are raising their salaries/wages as well. • In addition to increased wages, some clubs are offering sign-on bonuses or a bonus for staying through the season. • The latter bonus is usually tied to the number of hours worked and is forfeited if the employee leaves before the end of the season. • Service charges that some clubs have historically retained are being distributed to the employees. • Clubs are also addressing work-life balance by offering staff schedules that have fewer nights and weekends and giving non-service employees the chance to telework part time. COVID-19 has been an evolving process. It’s forced the world to rethink how to do just about everything. Clubs have reconsidered how to view employee safety and workplace structure, and how to attract, compensate, and retain the most valuable asset of all: employees. The more successful clubs will be those that address these issues and can differentiate themselves from the rest of the hospitality industry. B R Kevin F. Reilly, an attorney and CPA, has been involved in the hospitality area and clubs in particular for more than 25 years. A partner with PBMares, LLP, he may be reached at (703) 385-8809 or by email at kreilly@pbmares.com. R. Todd Swisher, CPA, CGMA is an assurance partner and leader of PBMares’ hospitality team and is located in the Richmond, VA, office. You can reach him at (804) 323-0022 or by email at tswisher@pbmares.com.

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

JOHN R. EMBREE John Embree is CEO at the United States Professional Tennis Association and can be reached at (407) 634-3063 or via email: john.embree@uspta.org

The Rapid Rate of Digital Transformation I recently took a moment to think about the numerous initiatives that the United States Professional Tennis Association accomplished over the last year. I was amazed when I thought of the amount of digital transformation that our almost 94-year-old organization has undergone. Not only that, but the rate of change is as rapid as the volume. And I know the USPTA isn’t the only organization that is racing to keep up with the digital revolution as we strive to provide the best customer experience possible. Additionally, I realized that the technology we use every day is interwoven and relies on all parts working and communicating together to deliver the intended results. Our primary technology is our website, which also acts as a CRM and email platform. The safe and secure cloud-based application allows us to keep track of our members, renewals, certifications, and education requirements. Featuring a responsive website design, we can post content to the website, email our members, calculate reporting, and process online purchases all through one interface. In addition, this system allows us to provide superior customer service as members’ information is available with a couple of keyboard strokes. While this database is critically important to our daily operations, it is by no means the only technology that we rely upon. The core mission of the USPTA is to elevate the standards of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches. We accomplish this by delivering education through live events and the Tennis Resources online search engine. This website “ties” into our primary technology to provide our members with a seamless experience. Education credits earned on Tennis Resources are automatically tracked and credited to members in the direct application after they complete a specific

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course. This is just one example of our integrated programs working together in perfect harmony. Another critical system that recently received a significant upgrade was our Find-A-Pro, Post-A-Job, and Find-A-Job platform. This technology allows the public to find local tennis teachers and USPTA members to post job openings or apply for open positions. Keeping our members employed while providing career opportunities is also part of the USPTA’s commitment to our members. Members access the platform with the same credentials they would use for the primary system. Yet, another instance of our technology working together seamlessly. The final example of technology interdependence that I will mention is the official USPTA app. It is available on Android and iOS devices through the App Store. The prevalence of smartphones in our everyday lives makes it imperative that organizations have a way to communicate with stakeholders while they are on the go. Previously, I mentioned our live educational events. Our largest live educational event is our annual world conference. We use the USPTA app to provide participants with the conference agenda, announcements, speaker biographies, and, yes, we even track attendance and provide education credits with QR codes. This information is also automatically updated on the primary system. Honestly, I could go on and on about the use of technology here at the USPTA. We recently completed work with the University of Florida to offer a 100 percent online director of racquet sports certification program. And due to the global pandemic, we conducted our first-ever virtual conference in 2020, with over 1,000 attendees. In addition, we use virtual conference technology within our virtual education webinars. One thing is for sure, there is no escaping digital transformation or the ever-increasing pace of it. We rely on it to provide a higher level of service than we could otherwise provide. B R

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CASE STUDY | SPECIAL TO BOARDROOM

Amenities Are the Attraction for New Members Attracting new members is a constant for private clubs and to do so, private clubs must expand their amenities in today’s private club world. However, attracting new members can’t be done by building amenities that come up short. That’s the opinion of Tim Castor, presidents of Castor Design Associates, Inc. “The sophisticated club members of today have higher expectations of what their club experience should be. It is up to the club and board together with the assistance of their clubhouse designer to incorporate and even surpass that expectation,“ related Tim Castor, president of one of the industry’s design firms recently. “We had the opportunity to walk through a new 24-million-dollar clubhouse in Denver, Colorado, and were asked by the board of directors to provide our impression of what we had observed. We found for the dollars spent, many areas fell short of today’s clubhouse amenities expected by their member,” he exclaimed. “For example, with the unpredictable weather in that Colorado area, the porte cochere was designed to allow only one car at a time to pull up and pass through, as opposed to 2-plus lanes, which would have been much more efficient for large events. “As well, we noted the bar lounge and dining facilities in the clubhouse met industry standards, however, the members had to walk outside to get to the pro shop, as well as the main ballroom. There were no interior entrances for these areas within the clubhouse. This forced members and guests to walk outside in inclement weather just to move from space to space. With space and fitness facilities, it’s vitally important to construct facilities that meet the members’ demands. “We were ushered to an undersized fitness center off the main lobby that was packed with equipment. This didn’t allow for proper layout and comfortable member circulation during their workouts,” Castor related. “The board members then took us to a windowless lower-level basement, which was clearly an afterthought and perceived as an overflow space to accommodate the balance of the workout equipment, which is standard in today’s fitness centers. This included a fitness interior with vinyl flooring, solid beige walls, and a commercial ceiling that you would find in your typical dentist office. “And in the massage area, members are offered private massages in empty-feeling closet sized rooms, void of any design elements or storage for staff to hold supplies. These rooms were simply a space with a table and sheet, that included a utilitarian wall sconce. This doesn’t provide an environment which would entice members to book massage appointments at the club,” Castor added. 90

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“With private country clubs competing with retail commercial fitness centers which offer much more in the way of aesthetics and amenities, clubs need to raise the bar to entice members to stay on campus for their fitness and spa experiences. “We believe in today’s private club spa fitness centers where a member is greeted by a main desk concierge. This includes check-in for a first-class experience, whether it be massage, hair and nails, physical therapy and stretching or simply a great work-out or fitness class. SEE CASE STUDY | 92

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PHILIP J. HARVEY SR. Philip J. Harvey Sr. is president, Preferred Club, a Venture Programs company. He can be reached via email: pharvey@ventureprograms.com

INSURANCE COMMITTEE

Cyber-safe Your Club Think your club is immune to a cyberattack? Think again. Recently a large, Midwest metropolitan club was forced to pay ransom of more than $375,000 after its computer systems were held hostage by a foreign agent for a week. Cyberattacks can occur even while you conduct everyday business transactions. A West Coast country club lost $78,000 via a voluntary wire transfer to an unknown recipient account from a diverted payment through a trusted vendor. Clubs are an easy target for cybercrime. In my travels and discussions throughout the club industry, I see many managers and club directors still operating under the misconception that they are not a target for any form of cyberattack. While the media shines a spotlight on attacks carried out against large corporations, that doesn’t mean small businesses are simply left alone or out of danger. To the contrary, the small to midsize business is the easiest target for the average hacker. With our increased reliance on technology during the pandemic, cybercriminals are launching more threats than ever before, with 90 percent of companies reporting increased attacks throughout the pandemic. Ultimately, any business that uses technology is a prime target for hackers and in need of cyber insurance protection. What is cyber insurance and how does it protect my club? Many clubs are unfamiliar with the various coverages that cyber protection provides because they may not be aware of the many cyber risks they face. From data breach to digital asset damages and business interruption costs, the effects of a cyberattack can be enough to force a club to severely curtail its day-to-day operations. from Case Study | 90

Most clubs also provide spaces for spin classes, yoga, and pregolf stretching that did not exist in this facility,” Castor opined. “The new clubhouse fitness centers today demand custom light fixtures, upscale finishes that also capitalize on doors that open to the outside to capture views of the golf course. Members are requesting massage rooms with storage for their clothing after they undress, as well as accent seating. “Dimmable lighting is the standard to set the mood, so members are not blasted with lighting after a full body mas92

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Some of the beneficial aspects of coverage include: • Breach of contract • Negligent protection of data • Network security breaches • Transmission of software viruses • Denial of service attacks • PCI fines and penalties • Cyber extortion: protects clubs against ransomware, which includes ransom demands. Where is the expense to a club that has an attack? IT forensic costs: to determine the information and cause of breach. Notification costs: expense in notifying individuals, businesses and regulatory, and establishing a call center. Credit protection costs: to provide credit monitoring to affected parties. Crisis management costs: to hire a public relations firm to respond to the attack. Crime and social engineering: coverage of “involuntary” parting of funds from bank accounts. TIME TO CYBER-SAFE YOUR CLUB As we emerge from the pandemic, club managers and directors should take stock of any new cyberexposure in their operations and take steps to protect their clubs from the increasing threats of cybercrime. B R

sage. Staff requests for sinks and countertop space for towel warmers and lotions are also important,” Castor explained. “The designs also should include special heated flooring for bare feet that are conducive to oil cleanup. Finally, a decorative yet functional wall mirror is added for a member to check themselves over before leaving the space after dressing. “It’s imperative that clubs take these parameters into consideration when considering their next renovation or clubhouse spa fitness upgrade. It’s no secret in the club industry today that golf is no longer the prime source of revenue for the clubs. In fact, the younger member demographic today expects a more varied offering from their club,” Castor concluded. BR

CRAIG J. SMITH Craig J. Smith is a founding partner and co-creative director, C² Limited. Educated and trained as an architect, Craig is widely known for bringing his out-ofthe-box, all-things-possible strategic planning approach and creative eye to every assignment the firm takes on. He can be reached via email: csmith@c2limited.com

CASE STUDY

Creating Unique Spaces Brings Special Feelings As a club designer and stylist, I always enjoy discovering new approaches and trends to aid our country club partners. Since the pandemic, now more than ever, private clubs can focus on their exterior real estate and “take the indoors outside.” Before COVID-19, C² Limited created various outdoor environments that mimic spaces previously only envisioned inside the clubhouse; now, we use these design skills post-pandemic.

With the challenges of our new state-by-state regulations on social distancing and indoor dining/bar seating capacity limitations, C² Limited works with clubs to re-imagine their current exterior dining and lounge configurations. To redefine a club’s exterior venues takes more than a furniture plan. We “set the stage” based on the club’s strategic programming, envisioned offerings, and how it will physically interact with the existing architecture, landscape, and views. Design solutions include covered outdoor bars overlooking the 18th tee, enhanced alfresco dining areas with sophisticated chef grill stations, protected open-air lounge areas with TVs, fireplaces, and communal fire pits. For The Stanwich Club in the “Back Country” of Greenwich, CT, C² Limited collaborated with Rogers McCagg to design an outdoor dining and social patio and overlook terrace. Founded in 1962, the club is on the site of the Hekma Estate, where green fairways replaced grazing cattle. Club membership now enjoys a custom, three-season covered patio with radiant-heated flooring for alfresco dining. The dining venue centers on an outdoor bar and a lounge area grouped around a massive flagstone fire-

place where members safely socially distance in our postCOVID-19 world. A lower-tier features a hardscaped 10-foot-long rectangular fire pit overlooking the putting green, with a built-in L-shaped banquette perfect for enjoying port and a cigar. Members can also escape to the rooftop veranda, with a second outdoor fireplace and conversational grouping. From everywhere, views of the 18th tee or the New York skyline create an environment to promote members to “linger longer” safely. GM/COO Guy D’Ambrosio said of the project, “Creating outdoor congregational spaces, especially when you can capture the shoulder seasons, is a winning solution. “Our members will benefit and enjoy our new space well beyond the golf season, with comfort and sophistication, yet again.” Technology is a crucial component for private clubs and their exterior rooms. Affluent club members accustomed to cutting-edge technology in their homes will expect it in their clubs. The backbone is a robust Wi-Fi network. The Wi-Fi 6 is the next generation of Wi-Fi technology, with faster speeds, higher efficiency, improved capacity, better coverage, and reduced network congestion. Next, appropriately placed security cameras are critical to any forward-thinking club operation. Now that we have gotten the practical items out of the way onto the toys. High-performing speakers have evolved a lot, combining the talents of acousticians, engineers, architects, and landscape designers to merge sound with design. Finally, nothing will bring members back like outdoor movie nights. Outdoor TV screens provide entertainment, rain or shine. Whether watching film classics or sporting events, members endure the elements. When conceptualizing outdoor congregational and dining venues pre- or post- COVID-19, the areas must reflect the contextual aesthetic of the clubhouse and campus. At the same time, the ambiance needs to appeal to a broad cross-generational segment of membership and their families. Creating unique spaces and offerings makes members feel special and draws them and their families to the club multiple times a week. Being “special” is the equivalent to being “cool” in the distinguished country club world. The tangible results? Elevated member experience, increased member usage, positive impact on generating revenue, and a high potential for ROI. B R SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

GORDON WELCH

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Gordon Welch is president of the Association of Private Club Directors. If you or your club are having issues with your board meetings or are interested in a board orientation, please call me at (918) 914-9050. I would love to help.

Board Orientations Are a Necessary Evil Recently I visited a club in the Midwest. Unfortunately, this club remains like many that we see. The board is “running” the club, and board members haven’t been given a guideline, an onboarding orientation or any information other than some of the history of the outgoing board members. In fact, one board member asked if I provided board orientation. What? That’s why I was there, right? Many times, I have experienced a club board that is suffering from “fearful GM” syndrome. The GM is in charge, and the board will not experience anything (knowledge) that the GM doesn’t want them to know. This is a dangerous position to be in. Unfortunately, many of you are in this position.

“leadership?” The answer is because they have no true leadership. Instead, they have a controlled meeting where board members never discuss the future or strategy of the club and only focus on the minutiae that staff should be taking care of without being asked. These meetings are, while frustrating, an enormous leap for the club. I asked the board if they had ever had a tour of the club? Most of them replied that yes, they knew the club well. I always require a full tour of the club at an orientation (more on that in a minute). I then asked about the issues in the basement, and I received looks of interest. All but one of the board members did not know there was a basement. The GM had canceled the tour portion of the orientation to save time, and he had talked to the board president and convinced him that it was a waste of time. A complete tour of the facilities is one of the most important things that will take place. Why? As a board member, it is your responsibility to know what facilities you have, what services are possible, and future expectations or needs that may be arising.

Board orientations are especially important to the future of the club and its operations. They are a necessary evil, and all board members should attend the entire orientation. If your GM doesn’t want you to see the “back of the house” or behind the scenes, I would be curious about what they don’t want you to see. So, the next time you have an orientation, require board members to be present and available for the entire day. This board had no ideas of its fiduciary responsibilities. Board members didn’t ask many questions about the club’s financial stability, couldn’t read the balance sheet, and only cared if the club made money that month. Well, they did care whether their own committee was going to be able to replace the tee box markers. So, I asked the question: “Why is the committee concerned about the tee markers?” Of course, they said they wanted new markers – they were tired of repainting the current markers. But I was genuinely asking, “Why is it your concern? This is a decision of management, not the committee.” So, why are clubs getting into this phase of 94

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A good example is the grounds area of a club. I want a board to know what equipment they had when it was purchased and what condition it is in. In fact, I usually ask the superintendent to mark the equipment with the date the equipment was purchased. That way, when you’re in a meeting asking to replace a backhoe that was purchased in the 1990s, the board has some institutional knowledge. It makes your decision easier, and you already know it will need to be replaced. Board orientations are especially important to the future of the club and its operations. They are a necessary evil, and all board members should attend the entire orientation. If your GM doesn’t want you to see the “back of the house” or behind the scenes, I would be curious about what they don’t want you to see. So, the next time you have an orientation, require board members to be present and available for the entire day. Again, make sure you are making an informed decision for your club. B R

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MELISSA LOW

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A Digital Conversation for the Club Industry In May 2018, the first episode of the Let’s Talk Club Management podcast debuted. This podcast gives an indepth look at the club management profession. With insider stories of firsthand experiences to best practices from your current practitioners and Club Management Association of America leaders, the CMAA looks to provide members, listeners, and the greater industry with the best information, with a side of fun. What’s a podcast you might ask? It’s similar to a radio program made available in digital format for automatic download over the internet. Listeners can take the information anywhere – on a commute or run, supplementing CMAA’s other existing resources, publications, and website. The podcast was the brainchild of two of CMAA’s professional staff members and avid podcast listeners, Kyle Jennings and Melissa Low. Both sought to create substantial conversations around the profession, addressing real-life challenges and spotlighting the successes of their members. Starting with two USB microphones and basic music editing

software, Let’s Talk Club Management has grown significantly since its inception. Jennings and Low handle topic development, guest booking, interviews, production, editing, and even have a custom-created intro song. In its first two years, the podcast featured monthly dives into perennial challenges, including Governance Confidential, a two-part series where retired manager Harry Waddington reflected on his board management experiences. Other highly rated episodes include the annual World Conference preview, understanding the CMAA certification pathway, managing career moves, and building winning teams as well as a series of interviews with CMAA’s Master Club Managers (MCM). Additionally, each edition featured an Idea Fair spotlight, where listeners could learn about a club-tested idea – where the idea came from, how it was implemented, what the challenges were, and how it was received. These spotlights served as a way to celebrate the ingenuity and creativity that CMAA members demonstrate every day and provide another avenue for listeners to connect with their colleagues from across the country. In early 2020, the world shifted with COVID-19 and the podcast kicked into high gear, moving to more frequent, weekly episodes as listeners sought the most up-todate information on how club managers were surviving and thriving and the latest legislative and regulatory updates on small business relief. Guests shared their hard-earned, firsthand experiences of the pandemic, including perspectives from members across the country. In a time where there was so much disconnect, it was a great connection point, and it was important to Jennings and Low to not only share guests’ perspectives on working through a pandemic, but also to share the humanity within those experiences. The 2021 Virtual World Conference in February allowed Jennings and Low to expand the podcast with The Daily Grind, a special series which featured video for the first time. These episodes debuted each day of the event, allowing attendees to follow along in real time, and were published via the traditional podcast pathways as well as CMAA’s YouTube channel for those who may have missed out. In 2021, the podcast turned its focus to research, mirroring CMAA’s own advancements in the area. Current episodes are designed to bring to life the Finance and Operations Report in a weekly series as well as recognize hospitality faculty research awardees. Interviews include commentary from industry experts and faculty focusing on person-organization fit, the current phase of membership in clubs, and recruitment tips and tricks. In its third year, podcast listens have exceeded 11,000 plays. It is a technological medium that has created great relationships and introduced and connected a parade of CMAA members and professional staff who have appeared on and contributed to the more than 60 episodes. You can find Let’s Talk Club Management on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts (where it has a five-star review), iHeartRadio, and CMAA’s website at cmaa.org. Most recently, it has become available on Spotify. B R Kyle Jennings is the manager of communications and Melissa Low, CAE, is the senior director of communications and advocacy. Together, they produce Let’s Talk Club Management, among many other CMAA projects.

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TREVOR COUGHLAN Trevor Coughlan is vice president of marketing at Jonas Club Software. He can be reached at (800) 352-6647 Ext. 2278, or via email: trevor.coughlan@jonasclub.com

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Keeping Membership Numbers Strong in the Future The lasting impacts of COVID-19 remain to be seen, but one thing is for sure: People bers who aren’t as active as you would everywhere are eager to get back to living. This doesn’t necessarily mean returning like, then you may have serious concerns about the social fabric of your club and to the way things used to be. the longevity of that group. For many, the post-COVID-19 world includes a deeper focus on quality of life, Speaking from my own perspective, the possibility of relocation, and even the consideration of joining a private club this information is a marketer’s dream for the first time. and is almost never accessible, yet every The quality-of-life focus many are experiencing is partly driven by the sense club in the world has this data at their of isolation that came with the shutdown. As people everywhere began working fingertips, and you can use it to fuel remotely, many realized that their options for recreation and even the communievery aspect of your marketing and comties they were part of were often dictated by their location of work. munications planning. With that constraint no longer in place and the prospect of international travel Once you understand your existing somewhat in question, many people began to look locally for recreation and membership demographics at an intimate opportunities to socialize. It has been through these eyes that over the course of level, you will be able to see more clearly the last year and a half, private clubs have become an option that many hadn’t the ideal member persona who will fit considered before. into the culture of your club, and even The trend is being seen nationwide as clubs from California to New York are enhance it. reporting increased membership numbers and skyrocketing interest. Many clubs From there, it’s a matter of fine-tuning are experiencing waiting lists for the first time in a long time, and many others your external marketing strategy to efare approaching their capacity. fectively communicate with that target However, it would be shortsighted to think that this new demand for group by asking some simple questions. memberships will last forever. Private clubs are experiencing what may be a • What platforms do they use to unique bubble in time, one which will quickly pop as competing factors begin consume information? to re-emerge. • What style of language resonates International travel, the fact that some companies are forcing staff back to the with them? office, and the reopening of restaurants and entertainment venues mean that • What imagery will they identify the current membership demand may be short-lived. with? So while the good times are here in terms of membership interest, it is more • What price point can they typically important than ever to make sure that the culture of your club is being enbear? hanced, not upset. With questions like these answered, Safeguarding the culture of your club doesn’t mean new members with everything from membership pricing to more diverse interests shouldn’t be brought into the fold, but it does mean website redesigns, advertising channels that there should be a focus on adding members who will fit well into the and even how to optimize new member culture of your club. onboarding can be fine-tuned to resonate To help with this, there are a number of member data points you should be more clearly. analyzing to ensure you can keep your membership numbers healthy in the fuAfter all, while membership interest is ture. at an all-time high, it is more important One of the best things club managers and board members should be doing is than ever to ensure that every new face asking themselves how well they understand their current membership demowho walks through the door is a valugraphics. able, long-term asset to the entire club You should have a clear understanding of your gender ratios, the generational community. B R mix, and club utilization by these categories at your club. If three-quarters of your existing membership is likely to age out of your club in the next five years, then you have a major membership drive ahead. Conversely, if a large cohort of your membership is made up of young single memSEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

MIKE PHELPS Mike Phelps is CEO/co-founder at Pipeline Agency. He can be reached via email: mike@pipeline.agencymike

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Tips for Prospecting Emails Email is still among the most effective means of marketing, especially for new pros- you’re there, asking for interest isn’t as pects. Although gaining a positive response from a prospecting email can be tricky, effective as you’d think. The specific CTA is where you ask them especially when it comes to membership marketing. to come to the club for a tour or schedule But over the past 13 years working with clubs of all shapes and sizes, we’ve a meeting on a specific day and time. For learned a thing or two about how to improve our chances of success. Below are a example, “Are you available to meet on few key tips for your prospecting emails. Tuesday at 4 p.m.?” Specific CTAs are effective in generTIP 1: MAKE IT ABOUT THEM ating a response 37 percent of the time Your new prospect doesn’t care about how great you think your club is (yet). They once the sale cycle has been entered, also don’t care about the numerous awards and distinctions your club has earned whereas interest CTA becomes less ef(yet). Your club’s history may be impressive, but a prospect doesn’t care (yet). fective at this point, with only a 25 perKnow what they do care about? Themselves. cent response rate. As the old customer experience adage goes, “Self-interest isn’t the only horse in Basically, at this point in the relationthe race, but it’s always the one to bet on.” ship, you know they’re interested so a It’s human nature…we’re all driven by self-interest. Specifically, your prospects more direct approach can help maintain care about their goals and the challenges preventing them from reaching those the momentum you’ve just established. goals. So, instead of talking about your club, talk about your prospect. Confirm a time and send the calendar Here’s how to make this a habit: invite before your prospect gets dis• Remove as many “I” statements as possible. tracted or changes their mind. You want to • Add pronouns like “you” and “your team.” move them to “tour scheduled” as quickly Instead of this: “I’m reaching out because I think our club could be a great fit and easily as possible. The specific CTA for you and your family.” doesn’t leave room for uncertainty. It’s Try this: “Imagine if your family could spend more time together having fun clear and direct, and that’s why it works. while staying active and healthy.” “Have you ever wanted to play a few holes of golf after work but couldn’t find TIP 4: KEEP IT SHORT the time?” When you write emails, you should “What if date night could be every night?” assume that they will be read on a smartIf you find yourself listing features to a new prospect, try asking how a feature phone. As such, you should also assume could benefit or help your prospect overcome a challenge instead. that you have a very small amount of real estate in which to capture their attention TIP 2: DON’T ASK FOR TIME and make your point. When it comes to the call to action (CTA) in a prospect email, instead of asking Readers assess the amount of effort for time (meeting, tour, etc.), it may be best to ask for interest. That’s because the it’ll take to digest your message before interest CTA is the highest performing call to action for prospect emails, with a 30 they read a single word. Many salespeopercent response rate, whereas a time-based CTA has a response rate of 15 percent. ple will try to say everything in the first The interest CTA gauges interest, instead of asking for time. This reflects an email. Avoid that. approach to prospecting that is most effective for selling higher-priced, long sales Instead, your goal should be simply to cycle products: selling the conversation, not the membership. capture interest and spark a conversaTime is a finite resource. Interest, however, is not perceived in the same way. tion. That means focusing on what matters It’s not finite, nor is it a resource. You’ll likely have more success by piquing somemost and being concise about it. one’s curiosity instead of asking for resources (like time) upfront. Above all else, remember that the purOnce you get their interest, then set the time to schedule a tour of the club. pose of a prospecting email is to establish a next step, not sell a membership. BR TIP 3: WHEN TO BE SPECIFIC While you should use the interest CTA to get attention in a new prospect email, you should stop using it the moment you enter the sales cycle. Once 98

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STEVE GRAVES Steve Graves is president and founder of Creative Golf Marketing. He can be reached via email: steve@creativegolfmarketing.com

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Low-Hanging Fruit Phenomenon Is Over Almost every private club that offered golf as an amenity enjoyed considerable inEach campaign had the same goal of terest and new member sales over the past year and a half. Affluent consumers exposure, generating leads, further tellflocked to clubs with checks in hand to take refuge at places where they could feel ing the story of The Club at Pasadera and safe, see their friends, enjoy physical activity while staying socially distanced and helping to grow the membership family. Well, the family grew considerably safe from COVID-19. due to the efforts of the members and What we did not know when the pandemic started last March was the the considerable interest of affluent assist the industry would enjoy from the most unlikely source in knocking consumers in the community. the low-hanging fruit off their membership tree. This assist was, of course, By the end of the year, the club sent COVID-19 itself. out a commemorative bottle of wine to I am not suggesting that clubs across the United States did not deserve the all members to celebrate hitting 500 interest they received and the new member growth they have enjoyed. Howtotal members. ever, it is plausible to suggest that if a private club was not experiencing roThat represents a 68 percent inbust membership interest before the pandemic, there is no reason to suggest crease in membership, with all club that will change after the pandemic. offerings essentially closed apart from Clubs are seeing their tee sheets becoming less busy, and airlines are seeing the golf course and take-out food. Goal an increase in bookings by vacation travelers salivating at the prospect of acaccomplished. tually leaving town. Membership sales are going to slow. Once the lowest fruit is picked it takes Momentum is a difficult phenomenon to control. Once momentum stops it a great deal more effort to pick the fruit is exceedingly difficult to regain, particularly if the momentum was not neceshigher up on the tree. sarily created by anything that a club did to generate the most recent memberMoving forward, it will be imperative ship interest or success at the club. for you to professionally and compreIt is going to take well-designed and well-implemented marketing strategies hensively shout from the rooftops the to achieve consistent new member growth, and momentum, that all private many benefits a person would enjoy by clubs thrive to achieve. considering your club. You will not have If you were not professionally marketing your club before the pandemic, you COVID-19 essentially driving them to must understand that the results you have enjoyed in membership growth may your club for you. not be something you created. All private clubs must pick their fruit You can, however, create new member interest through comprehensive, soevery year, and you currently have mophisticated and industry-tested strategies. mentum on your side. Creative Golf Marketing has enjoyed the privilege of working with The Club To pick the most and the best you at Pasadera in Monterey, CA, since January 2020, two and a half months beneed to be comprehensive and sophisfore the world shut down in mid-March. ticated in your harvesting methods. The Club at Pasadera had 300 members at the time, and we were hired Seldom will the fruit just simply fall on to design and implement strategies that would produce more new member the ground like it did in 2020-21. BR growth than the club’s own previous efforts. We put in place a well-orchestrated, multi-channel marketing campaign that highlighted and showcased the many benefits of membership at this extraordinary club. This included print, digital, social media, member recommendations of friends and colleagues, and an automated email campaign to continue all leads through the sales pipeline and generate more engagement with consumers that are not quite ready to join.

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INNOVATIVE

IDEAS

A Rule Repository

In a constantly changing world, how do you know what the best information is? The Bay Head Yacht Club underwent technological changes this past year to control the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on day-to-day operations. General manager Holly Bilotti of the Bay Head, NJ club, beams with pride when reflecting on the fantastic work of her team, especially that of the director of communications, Tyler DeFilippo. “He really made this happen. He came up with a concept and approached our app developer to say, ‘How can we make this work?” said Bilotti. “He streamlined this process for the club.” When members open the Bay Head app on their phones, they are greeted by what is now known as the COVID Ribbon.

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The ribbon serves a simple but effective purpose – concise, constant, and immediate COVID-19 communication. With every day presenting new information and new restrictions, Bilotti and her team were working to find an alternative to filling the email inboxes of their members. DeFilippo presented a new app addition dedicated to displaying the most current information available and the protocols around the club. “Let’s face it. It’s an overload with social media and we try to stay cognizant of all the different communication pieces that people use in general,” Bilotti added. “We didn’t want something as important as this to be overlooked.” By creating a one-stop-shop for all things COVID-19 related, the membership was able to feel safe at their club. With many members unable to travel or stuck working from home, the club became a necessity. According to Bilotti, their hard work paid off and the reward has been larger than they had anticipated. The club saw the most usage it had seen. The members accepted the new technology and fully embraced this new form of communication with open arms. Next steps include transforming this section of the app for use in a post-COVID world, whether that be to inform members of alerts regarding weather and safety or as a space to highlight the accomplishments of their impressive members. But, no matter what the club chooses to do going forward, this has truly been a step in the right direction. “I’m proud of how our team responded. You know, no one really trains you on crisis communications and then they were thrown into a pandemic and a real-life crisis,” says Bilotti of DeFilippo and the team. “I can’t compliment them enough at how efficient everybody was with their time and how we needed to respond differently every day.” With this newly strengthened sense of community and connection between the staff and with the membership, there is no doubt that Bay Head Yacht Club will continue to thrive in the upcoming years. B R

ELLERY PLATTS Ellery Platts, Innovative Ideas editor, earned a Bachelor of Journalism (Hons) from the University of King’s College where she balanced her love for writing and photography with varsity athletics. An avid golfer, she has been in the club circuit since early childhood where she played as a member of Silver Springs Golf and Country Club, Calgary, AB. To submit an idea or story for this section, please email ideas@boardroommag.com

CCV With You

Bringing the Community Together When COVID-19 caused club closures last year, constant email blasts providing updates on what was to come next filled inboxes. Ashley Payne, communications director at the Country Club of Virginia (CCV) in Richmond, Virginia, decided to do something a little bit differently. The board called an emergency meeting where an interactive idea was proposed and put immediately into action. For this plan to work, every staff member in every department needed to play a part. “I knew immediately there was going to be a shift to our communications, our digital communications, and adding value to those,” said Payne. “Everyone was just all in on it together. So we created this concept of CCV With You as a way for members to just feel like they’re at their club when they’re at home.” Four categories, or ‘pillars’ as Payne calls them, makeup CCV With You: One: Staying strong. Two: At the table. Three: Finding calm, and four: Fun with family. Every week, various departments at the club would shoot and submit a short, fun video to be shared with the membership in a digital publication that had been created. In addition, they embed videos and links to other websites or Zoom events by using this format.

Where did the name CCV With You come from? Payne, listening to the Today Show one day, overheard a new segment entitled Today with You. “I thought, ‘Well, that’s exactly what we need!’ The club is home to our members,” added Payne. “It’s like their home away from home, so I really just want to bring to them some of the things that they need during this time.” The digital publication was so well received that it consistently had over 5,000 views by members. “They were looking for something, and then I think it became a conversation piece,” says Payne. “I think they were excited to receive it. One member wrote, “These emails are absolutely phenomenal. From COVID updates to themed events, y’all have stepped up like I never could have imagined.” Members continue to call Payne and her team’s work thoughtful, funny and heartfelt. They concluded by saying, “We’ve got a great club and I am glad to see it all celebrated in these emails. Thank you for brightening up [their] inbox.” This small gesture has seemingly made an impressive impact on everyone at the Country Club of Virginia. It has easily turned what has been a time of social distancing into a time of connection. B R

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JARRETT CHIRICO

RACQUET COMMITTEE

Jarrett Chirico, USPTA, PTR, PPTA, PPR, PPTR was until recently director of racquets at Baltimore Country Club, Baltimore, MD. He is now director of racquets at Royal Oaks Country Club, Dallas, TX.

Staffing in the Age of Racquets - Part I If you have ever heard me speak, read any of my articles or (let’s face it) work in the hospitality industry, you know that we are living in the Age of Racquets. It is no longer enough to just be great at running tennis programs. The consistent growth in other racquet sports, such as pickleball and paddle, has led to an unprecedented demand for racquets. This will change how we staff, program, teach and ultimately connect the dots from one racquet sport to another. The future of your membership will depend on the depth and understanding of all your racquets offerings. Now more than ever is your club’s make it or break it moment. The consistent growth in racquet sports, like pickleball and paddle, has led to an unprecedented demand for a total racquets program that changes the nature of how we staff, program, teach and connect one to the next. The future of your membership will depend on the depth and understanding of all your racquets offerings. Now more than ever your club could thrive or suffer greatly. There is no doubt the obstacles are great, but with difficulty comes opportunity, and you can either meet the new demands, pressures and expectations head on or protect the status quo and be left behind. We must now be an expert in multiple areas, which demands we ask more not just from ourselves but from others as well. We must prioritize education and training to update our staff’s knowledge and arm them with the tools they need to succeed. The greatest investment always lies in people, and it is through people that you will make the greatest difference. It is when you invest in others that you add value to their individual skill sets and obtain the highest overall returns. The foundation to success stems from leadership. A good friend once told me, “It isn’t the club that makes the pro, but rather the pro that makes the club.” As a director, if you do not seek to become an expert in everything, you fail to be the total racquets expert that is now essential to success. This means stepping outside your comfort zone and being willing to continue growing even while on top. One of the greatest pitfalls to success is allowing yourself to be stagnant by being afraid to fail at something unfamiliar. 102

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It can certainly be difficult to change when things are succeeding, but it is then that you must continue to innovate and adapt in a constantly evolving world. So as our successes rise so should our failures. If you are not failing, you are not innovating and failure to do so will ultimately lead to stagnation. If you cannot innovate and adapt when things are at a high, it will be all but impossible when things are at a low. The greatest way to grow is through your network — by connecting with people that you can learn from, and who in turn learn from you. It does not matter how much expertise you acquire. There will always be someone who knows more in that field than you do. But it is those very top-in-their-field experts who you want to know. I have always approached relationships asking myself first: “What can I do for this person?” And second: “What can they do for me?” If you can’t answer these two questions clearly, it is probably not the best relationship to pursue. If you always look to give before seeking anything in return, you will nearly always receive returns that exceed your expectations. Mentorship is a two-way street and something that has defined how I approach my relationships. I can say with certainty that everything valuable I have ever achieved has been due to the people who surround me. Your staff will define you and your success, which means finding the right people is of the highest importance. The first trait I look for is motivation, often found in people considered to be diamonds in the rough. I want people who aspire to be directors, who wake up in the middle of the night with a million ideas they can’t wait to share, and who are always looking for what is next. Having people like this is the key to racquets. It is not so much the ability to be great at one thing, but the desire to be great at all things. I have always been, and will continue to be, in constant pursuit of passionate, dedicated individuals. It is now not only important to be able to teach one racquet sport, but a necessity to be able to acquire the knowledge to teach all racquet sports. It is what is required today to succeed. B R

DAVE MOYER Dave Moyer is a USPTA master professional and the director of racquet sports at The Country Club at DC Ranch in Scottsdale, AZ, and can be reached at dmoyer@ccdcranch.com

RACQUET COMMITTEE

Building Racquet Sports Using Technology There is no substitute for on-court tennis and pickleball play and instruction when it comes to improving a client’s abilities but using technology both on and off the court can enhance the member experience and help grow your programs. Before social media, phones and computers, the only way to promote any aspect of your racquet sports program was through flyers and newsletters. Today, those items have gone the way of newspapers and there are much better options available to use at the click of a button. Social media: Use social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, to not only promote upcoming programs and events but also recognize member and staff achievements. People love to see pictures from events they were involved in or to be recognized for winning. Make sure to be current and don’t be afraid to post daily. Many people check their status multiple times a day, so having one to two posts a day is not overkill. Video is even better than pictures. Make sure to keep it short and to the point. Long videos will not keep anyone’s attention. YouTube: Create a YouTube channel to post instructional tips from you and your staff. This can not only be a great way to stay in front of your members but can create lesson revenue. It might be easy to think of posting instruction as a form of free lessons, so why would a member even want to pay for a lesson? If you keep the video short and focus on one thing, I have found that members actually want to learn more and will sign up for a lesson or clinic. Make sure to finish the video with the tag of how they can get in touch to learn more and sign up.

You could have two rates, with one focusing on a specific shot and commentary and another with the entire lesson on video. As professionals, we see what members need to work on but many times the people taking the lessons do not know what they look like. Video is a great way to show them. Ball machine: If you have not had a chance to see the latest in Playmate ball machines, then you are missing out on a great way to use technology on the court. The new machines can program through an iPhone, which allows professionals to set up and save patterns that will allow your client to practice the right way in between lessons. There are also many patterns pre-programmed to give your member a much better ball machine experience. Text messaging: While email can still be effective at times, data shows that people read text messages at a much higher percentage than email. Use texts to promote upcoming events, remind clients of lessons and especially for cancelling due to inclement weather. We have found that we get more signups through direct text than we do through email, although we still use email to promote upcoming events. Racquet sports-specific apps and websites: If you are not using a reservation system to promote events, allow members to sign up for court time and events and keep track of member tendencies, you are missing the boat. Our members have the capability of signing up for our events in advance and booking court times one week in advance, including the ball machine and pickleball as well as lessons and clinics. This is a great convenience to them and saves time for our staff. B R

Video lessons: Another great way to increase member satisfaction and lesson revenue is through videotaping of lessons. A video lesson should always be a higher rate than a non-video lesson. You have the cost of your phone or iPad plus the time you will put in to enhance the video.

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Private Clubs on the Cusp of a Golden Age Predicts McMahon’s President Frank Vain By Dave White, editor “I grew up in a row house not too far from Center City Philadelphia...a long way to the nearest country club. Green space of any kind was hard to come by, let alone hundreds of acres of highly manicured tees and greens,” Frank Vain, president of the St. Louis-based McMahon Group, recalled recently. “I became fascinated with golf watching Jack Nicklaus on television in the 1960s and first started playing golf at Cobbs Creek, the legendary Philly municipal course that’s now undergoing a major restoration.” Those early days on the golf course ultimately helped define a long and rich private club industry career for Frank Vain. As BoardRoom magazine this year celebrates its 25th anniversary of involvement in the private club industry, it also marks a long working relationship with the McMahon Group, including the publication of many stories written over the years by Frank Vain. “For the past 25 years, John Fornaro and the team at BoardRoom have provided a vital platform for McMahon Group and other service providers to share our ideas with the club community,” Vain explained. “It’s the only industry publication that showcases articles from the people on the front lines of the club world. Every issue is chock full of useful information about all aspects of private clubs – governance, management, facilities, membership, finances and all the recreational activities. The advice and recommendations aren’t theoretical. They are practical, real-world tips and tools the reader can use,” he added. The McMahon Group is an outgrowth of McMahon Architects, a family architectural firm that traces its roots in the St. Louis area back to 1906. Bill McMahon Sr. moved into the leadership position at the firm in the 1960s. “He was a member and leader in several of St. Louis’ most prominent clubs and combined this with his architectural training to develop some important club facilities, including University Club Tower and creating a suburban offshoot for the venerable Racquet Club,” Vain commented. From these experiences, Bill Sr. surmised there was an opportunity to work with clubs nationally. So, in 1983, he formed a new division called McMahon Club Planners. 104

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Frank Vain was hired as the first full-time employee of McMahon Club Planners. This division operated parallel to the architecture firm until the mid-1990s, when all operations were rolled into McMahon Group, a firm focused 100 percent on the private club industry. “So, what started as an effort to diversify ultimately became the sole focus of the company,” Vain stated. “I joined McMahon Group in 1988, so it’s been 33 years since my focus was 100 percent on the private club industry. Before that, I spent about a decade working in various hospitality organizations – restaurants, lodging properties and sports clubs. “Our specialty is helping clubs clarify their strategy and identify and implement capital improvements. It’s rewarding when a club completes a major project, and it leads to increased engagement and satisfaction of the existing members and their ability to attract new members. This is the payoff for all the hard work of the committees and planning team and for the leaders who stood behind the program when many members doubted its merits,” Vain intoned. “We’ve been involved in well over $2 billion worth of projects and have seen some incredible transformations over the years. We’ve been there when iconic clubs like The Union League of Philadelphia or Detroit Athletic Club were struggling, when Boca West Country Club was just transferring from Arvida to the membership or when Medinah Country Club launched its transformative master plan. “Of course, our resume includes many clubs that don’t have these marquee names, but they are important to the small or midsize communities they serve. Helping them sustain and grow has been just as rewarding,” Vain opined. And the private club industry indeed has transformed down through the years. “It is amazing to see how much the industry has changed. The culture of clubs is very different today, which is a good thing,” Vain maintained. “As social organizations, it’s essential that they stay in touch with the ethos of society. So, where formal and traditional were once in vogue, members now want their club to be fun and active. “Pubs and casual grills have replaced formal dress and dining rooms. Seating around the outdoor fire pit has replaced the formal living room. The pool and fitness center are now as important as the golf course. Women and children are important constituents that clubs try to please as much as the men,” he added. “However, the clubs of today are vastly different than what they were 25 years ago. It will be important for the leaders to appreciate that it is the clubs that evolve that succeed, while those that cling to a waning past ultimately fade away.” Vain believes that private clubs are on the cusp of a golden age. “The most important opportunity clubs face is the maturation of the Millennial generation. This age wave means that clubs will have an increasing supply of potential members for the next decade or more. This is the first time this has happened since the Baby Boomers were in the same position some 30 years ago. For those ➤

The private club industry has been good to Frank Vain, not only for the travel but also for the people that he’s met during his travels. “My work in the club industry has taken me to places I might never have otherwise seen. I’ve been to clubs in Indiana and Indonesia, southeast Asia and south Florida. Still, it’s the people that I’ve met along the way that have made involvement in the club industry incredibly rewarding. It’s given me opportunities to meet and learn from remarkable people and experience all sorts of leadership styles and ideas. I’m constantly amazed at the amount of time and energy that smart and talented people are willing to dedicate to their club. Despite its obvious challenges, the self-government aspect of private clubs makes them incredibly interesting.” Frank Vain SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

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NANCY M. LEVENBURG

PLIGHTS AND INSIGHTS

Nancy Levenburg, PhD, is a recently retired professor of management in the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI. She has published numerous 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 is a member of Spring Lake Country Club in Spring Lake, MI. For more information, contact her at: levenbun@gvsu.edu or (616) 821-5678.

The Cost of Golf Outings “Just Say No” was a campaign slogan used by former first lady Nancy Reagan during the 1980s to support the US “War on Drugs.” Its aim was to discourage children from experimenting with or using drugs by simply saying the word “no.” “Just Say No” might also be a wise response when nonmembers or local organizations submit a request to host their outside event at the private club – for example, a golf outing fundraiser. Or a bridal or baby shower, or a wedding reception. Or an anniversary party or a graduation open house. Why? One reason is the impact on private club members; the other reason is the impact on private club members’ checkbooks. IMPACT ON CLUB MEMBERS Before COVID-19, many private clubs around the US were in rough shape (pardon the pun). Interest in golf had been declining for several years, as evidenced by the number of rounds played annually, and numerous clubs witnessed declines in their number of members – or at best, the number of new members barely replaced the number of departing members. The emphasis switched to recruiting younger families, with discounted pricing, more casual dress codes and an array of offerings designed to attract children to the game of golf and other sports (and eventually, club membership). Witness, for example, the number of open-to-the-public summer day camps and sports camps for children.

Now that many private clubs have full memberships (and even waiting lists), you can afford to pick and choose who you want to serve, and who you don’t want to serve. You don’t need to say “yes” to all. As one membership director said, “Our new clubhouse doesn’t have banquet space…for that reason. Our members want their club to feel exclusive.” Now that you have a full – or close to full – membership, isn’t it time to make those members your No. 1 priority? 106

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As an aside, I don’t have anything against children; in fact, I have a two-year-old grandson (Liam) whose first set of (plastic) golf clubs is in my garage. And I hope that in a few years Liam will be able to participate in Spring Lake Country Club’s Junior Golf Program (where I’m a member), which is offered to children and grandchildren (five years and older) who are golf members. But as the private club has reached out to the public in recent years to attempt to bolster its revenues and shore up membership, what has been the impact on the club’s current members? How do they feel when they are unable to book a tee time because the golf course is closed for a private fundraising event? Or another familiar scenario…let’s say the private club has “donated” an 18-hole round of golf for a foursome with a cart to an organization’s silent auction fundraiser. Let’s say the winning bidder (a nonmember but someone who’s always wanted to play your club) books a tee time at 1 p.m. on Friday. BUT, you and your three buddies also decide you want to play on Friday at 1 p.m., so you call the pro shop. And guess what? Your tee time has already been usurped – and by a non-revenue generating foursome. Gr-r-r-r-r-r…exactly how “exclusive” do your exclusive private club members feel when they now have to reschedule their games to accommodate the “freebies”? IMPACT ON CLUB MEMBERS’ CHECKBOOKS One point I’ve made over and over in BoardRoom articles is that before saying “yes” to hosting any outside event, you must know what it will cost. And whether it will be profitable. To answer the profitability question, the club needs to consider not just the direct costs but all costs, including the planning costs (for

example, your special events coordinator’s salary and benefits…what percentage of her/his time is devoted to coordinating outside events?), room set-up costs, room teardown costs, billing and collection costs, and the cost of all employees (including their benefits) who will be serving those nonmembers. If your club doesn’t track all of these costs, it’s probably not pricing nonmember events appropriately. And this means that your club members are not only footing the bill for nonmember events, but they’re barred from using the facilities when the nonmember event is being hosted. I’ve consulted with many small businesses who’ve actually gone out of business simply because they couldn’t say “no.” Their pricing policies were excellent – so “excellent”

in fact that while they were flooded with customers, they failed to cover their costs. So, the bottom line…you have to remember that not all customers are “good” customers, and simply because an event might bring in additional revenue, it’s not necessarily a good business decision. Now that many private clubs have full memberships (and even waiting lists), you can afford to pick and choose who you want to serve, and who you don’t want to serve. You don’t need to say “yes” to all. As one membership director said, “Our new clubhouse doesn’t have banquet space…for that reason. Our members want their club to feel exclusive.” Now that you have a full – or close to full – membership, isn’t it time to make those members your No. 1 priority? To make your club feel exclusive? And “just say no?” BR

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“It’s given me opportunities to meet and learn from remarkable people and experience all sorts of leadership styles and ideas. “I’m constantly amazed at the amount of time and energy that smart and talented people are willing to dedicate to their club. Despite its obvious challenges, the self-government aspect of private clubs makes them incredibly interesting,” he added. “Club boards and committees are there to represent the voice of the members and the chief operating officer and department heads are service-oriented individuals that aim to please. It’s not easy, but it’s the special sauce that makes private clubs unique. “They are messy in the ways that democracy and capitalism are messy, and they are successful for the same reasons that these systems have been the basis for the greatest successes in human history,” Vain suggested. “To have a career that ultimately provided opportunities to set foot on some of the legendary clubs like Merion and Aronimink has been special. The more I’ve been around them, I’ve learned that while clubs provide access to special facilities and programs, they are about people, not assets. “I’ve had a richer and fuller life because of all the people I’ve met through the club industry – the volunteer leaders, the people that I’ve had the opportunity to work with on club and association boards and the incredibly hard-working and conscientious professionals that make club management their profession,” he concluded. And the same can be said for BoardRoom’s long working relationship with Bill McMahon Sr., Frank Vain and all those who work so diligently for the McMahon Group. BR

who are old enough to remember, the 1980s and ’90s were good periods for clubs,” explained Vain. “When the percentage of people in their middle age is increasing, the U.S. economy typically expands. As more people are in their prime earning years, they buy cars and houses, have children, invest in financial markets and join clubs. “To add to this mix, clubs are not yet done with the Boomers – the youngest part of this generation is only 55 – and they are flocking to second-home communities in the sunbelt. “When you combine these population opportunities with the eroding safety of our cities and public places, the stayconnected-and-work-from-anywhere philosophy and the massive amounts of capital clubs are investing to reinvent their facilities, clubs have a bright future,” Vain predicted. “The pandemic made clear for people the value of private associations and the rewards of lifetime sports like golf and tennis. If clubs respond by providing the fun, family-focused and fitness-oriented club that these folks want, they will thrive. “Like clubs, McMahon Group is also planning for a bright future. The next generation of the McMahon family is involved in the business, with CFO Martha McMahon Acker, Marketing Director Alison McMahon and Vice President/ Club Consultant Bill McMahon Jr. all playing important roles in the company. Other next generation leaders are also in place in the survey research, facility planning and consulting divisions,” Vain added. The private club industry has been good to Frank Vain, not only for the travel but also for the people that he’s met during his travels. “My work in the club industry has taken me to places I might never have otherwise seen. I’ve been to clubs in Indiana and Indonesia, southeast Asia and south Florida. Still, it’s the people that I’ve met along the way that have made involvement in the club industry incredibly rewarding,” he enthused.

Frank Vain is president of McMahon Group, a private club survey, strategic and long range planning consulting firm based in St. Louis, Missouri. He can be reached atwfvain@mcmahongroup.com

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ROBYN STOWELL

LAW & LEGISLATION

Robyn Nordin Stowell is an attorney with Nelson Mullins whose practice is focused on the private club industry. She may be reached at (864) 373-2353 or robyn.stowell@nelsonmullins.com

Lassie Stay Home Another thing that apparently happened during COVID is that many members acquired a puppy. That puppy is now a dog, and he has not been left alone more than a few minutes ever in his life (because we were all working from home). As a result, our members want to bring their new friend – now called a “comfort animal” to get around the rules – to the club. Time to update another rule. First, let’s cover service animals – which are not the problem, but help set the stage. A service dog under the Americans with Disabilities Act is “a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability.” A disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of an individual’s major life activities. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA. Generally, public accommodations must permit service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas where members of the public are allowed. There are only two questions you can ask a person with a service animal: (1) Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? (2) What work or task has the dog been trained to perform? You cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task. If your club is not “purely private,” you must comply with these ADA laws. Even purely private clubs might be required to do so in some states, and most clubs would want to comply to assist a disabled person. (State laws can add rights and privileges to what federal law requires but cannot take away a right given under federal law. Naturally, state laws vary.) A comfort animal is not a service animal, but your members may have obtained a vest, tag or certificate via the internet that says their animal is qualified for admission wherever the members want to go. A comfort animal is not covered by the ADA (although psychiatric service animals are). Therefore, under federal law, you have no obligation to allow a comfort animal into your club. Are your members confused, or just behaving badly? The public may be confused because there are different laws governing housing that have required allowances for “assistance animals,” and mass transportation laws have separate provisions for “service animals” under those laws. This past decade we went from almost never seeing an animal in a store or on a plane to seeing animals virtually everywhere. Members might be forgiven for thinking that animals are allowed everywhere or even for thinking it is the law. But it is not. In fact, in some states it is a misdemeanor to falsely claim your pet is a service animal. 108

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If you have too many pets at your club, especially too many untrained pets, it might be time to update your rules. Here are a few thoughts. Understand the law. A very clear short summary of the ADA law relative to service animals can be found at www.ada..gov/service_animals_2010. Michigan State University maintains a website of information on animal-related legal issues. For a state law summary, go to www.animallaw.info and search for “table of state service animal laws” to find your state. There is a good summary of the law and links to the complete laws. Decide what you want. Some clubs will allow animals outside. Some don’t want any pets on club property. Know your club, and then decide where you want to end up. Write clear rules. What animals are allowed, where and when. If you allow animals, make clear they must be leashed, housebroken, under control, etc. Discipline. Once you publish the rules, members must comply. Making false claims about their pet is a violation of the rules. If members are breaking the rules, take action. It is as important here as with any other rules to be consistent and follow your rules. Train staff. Be sure staff understand how to interact with true service animals. B R

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

The only merit-based award program that recognizes private clubs and their management for outstanding delivery of exceptional Member Experience. www.distinguishedclubs.com

GREGG PATTERSON Gregg Patterson is founder and president of Tribal Magic. He can be reached via email: GJPAir@aol.com

TRIBAL MAGIC

What Do Leaders Do? Upwardly mobile club professionals hunger to become the leader — to make things happen, to get the money, to wear the badge, to glory in the cheers and to park in the big cheese parking spot. Those who hunger to be leader will read the books, take the courses, pass the tests and talk the leadership talk to all their friends, their peers and their leadership coach. And those who hunger to be leader often become the leader and do leadership really, really well. But explaining leader to those who want to be leader is lots tougher than doing leader. Those who are and want to explain give examples — Ghandi, Patton, Churchill. They wax poetic about heroic moments that were captured in books, at the movies and on YouTube. When it comes time to tell the search committee, the compensation committee, the board, the senior staff and the head busboy what every day, in-the-trenches leaders do, simply and clearly, leaders who are truly leaders are often at a loss to explain how leaders do leader. Lots of gobbly gook gets tossed on the table, lots of how-to-bea-leader books get recommended, lots of consultant babble gets repeated and lots of stammering and stuttering is experienced. But a clear and simple how-to-do-leader checklist is conspicuous by its absence. A quick and dirty, simple to use, paint-by-the-numbers templates needed for learning, doing, evaluating and explaining leadership. The leadership checklist. A step-by-step leadership checklist is a must-have tool for anyone wanting to learn, do and teach leadership. Consider this template. 1. Identify the why: Leaders have a personal why (for example, to meet and engage with interesting people) and a professional why (for example, to create relationships, build community and efficiently deliver the goods, services and programs needed to create relationships and community). Effective leaders have found alignment between their personal whys and a given club’s wants, needs and expectations. 2. Document the good club checklist: Those who lead clubs have a list of the goods needed to deliver good club. The template includes hardware (for example, aesthetics, facilities and programs.) and software (such as knowing names, humor, waves, greetings, smiles) and each of these things and behaviors is 112

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SMART — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time related. 3. Conduct the “here” audit: Leaders then use their template of the good club to audit where the club’s at right now. The audit is done without emotion, without saying what’s right or wrong. Simply what is. 4. Identify the “there” benchmarks: Leaders have, for each of the items on their good club checklist, the ideal they’re looking for, the “there” they want to achieve, the benchmark they’ll use for doing that thing right. This shows what needs doing to translate the “here” audit into the “there” ideal. 5. Assemble the who’s needed: Once leaders have found the right club culture for their personal why, after they’ve created their good club checklist, once they’ve audited the now and determined the there, they’ll need the right people to translate vision into action. Want to deliver big happy to the members? Leaders hire happy employees. Want to deliver stuff efficiently? Leaders find people who are motivated and capable of learning. Getting from here to there requires having the right people with the right qualities needed to do the good club template right. 6. Create the how-to/must-do checklist: Once the leader has identified what’s needed and has the team in place to do it, they create a comprehensive checklist detailing what needs to be done, how it needs to be done, who needs to do it and when it needs doing. The checklist is the roadmap to make what’s needed happen. 7. Energize using the lubricants of leadership: And lastly, leaders need the intangibles, the lubricants of leadership — energy (the buzz), confidence, command presence, relationship skills (interesting, engaging, stimulating), a track record of success, ability to communicate (verbal, written, body language, virtual) and a shout-it-out belief in the mission, in the why, in the people and in the culture.

The tactics, behaviors and skills needed to do leader right are embedded in this leadership template. Make leadership happen. Leadership is complicated. Tough to do. Tougher to explain. The how-to-do-leader checklist is a must-have tool for those who wanna be or currently are the leader. Score yourself using the checklist. Do you have “why” alignment? Have you created the good club template? Have you conducted the “here” audit? Have you established the “there” benchmarks? Have you identified the who’s needed?

Have you created the how-to checklist? Do you exhibit the lubricants of leadership? Are you doing leader right? Identify your strengths and your weaknesses. Use the checklist to improve you as the leader systematically. Start doing, teaching and explaining leadership better. And enjoy the journey. B R

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is not the technical skills but the softer skills that come with the role of a senior manager – especially in a private club. Engage the manager to establish these goals so they are both vested and committed to the process. These goals will help identify any additional gaps and allow mid-course corrections. Keep it simple and realistic. Focus on a few key positions where succession development makes sense and is in the club’s best interest rather than focusing on the entire team. There is no need to make this process more complex than it has to be. Frankly, trying to develop a plan for the whole team is not feasible. B R

meal plans; if our execution were half as impressive as our planning, you would be very slim. Our focus should be on weight loss, not planning for weight loss. You should focus more on the outcome and less on the process. Once you identify the individuals for succession development, focus on results and less on the process. Develop 1.3specific goals and objectives for these individuals to achieve to be considered as a successor. By goals and objectives, I am not simply referring to business goals and objectives. Often what these individuals lack from BoardRoom Special | 38

those with a busy schedule or players who are new to the game or looking for a quick date night/social activity. Outside of on-course play, properties are also shifting their physical spaces to accommodate socialization and gatherings. Timberlinks in Denton, TX, is creating a fun patio space for people to gather after their rounds, an idea that came about specifically after Timberlinks witnessed an increase in younger golfers flooding to the course. from On the Frontlines | 81

A positive and professional work environment with proper recognition, including compensation as well as advancement potential, even if it means a team member must move on to move up, has also never been more essential,” he added. “Embracing so-called work-life balance has been slow in coming to the hospitality business, yet it’s extremely important. Industry veterans will recall that at one time, Tuesday through Sunday was the standard for leadership, particularly those in the food and beverage department, and severe fatigue and ultimately burnout was very prevalent. Thankfully most hospitality segments, including private clubs, have moved on from that and the industry is better for it,” Voorhees exclaimed. What’s his secret sauce? Or, as Voorhees relates...”44 years of club management and how I lived to tell about it. “There are allegedly two reasons private club GMs get fired:

Additionally, Colwood Golf Center in Portland, OR, features a 9-hole, par-3 course designed with shorter rounds in mind featuring a lively atmosphere with music and creative happy hour programming. Colwood also added indoor simulators for lessons and more social, casual play as well as a 7-hole pitch and putt course that was created from extra, unused green space – all to promote a welcoming atmosphere for new and experienced players alike. B R

poor financial performance and lack of visibility, but I’d assert there are three others, including ineffective staff development and relations, weak committee and board procedures, and a lack of attention to detail,” he asserted. So, now as he prepares for a break, what does Voorhees view as challenges facing private equity clubs? “The critical importance of providing a safe haven for members and staff alike has long been an attribute of private clubs. However, because of the pandemic, both have never been more aware and appreciative, and this must continue to be a part of operating this business. “Clubs must maintain the level of creativity and quick response that the pandemic demanded. It’s challenging, yet an opportunity to shine. “Having done an iffy job of managing so-called work-life balance over the past 45 years, job number one now is to take some time to reassess, enjoy my family, including three grandchildren, before making any new commitments,” Voorhees concluded. BR SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

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“Clubs are fundamentally traditional. As boards change frequently, generally every three years, there is limited time to fully comprehend the nature of the business, much less create a significant vision for change. “While general managers may attempt movement in direction, without a strategic plan that’s the guiding document recognizing and activating the need to change, many clubs languish year after year never really reacting to changing market needs,” the president of ClubInsights maintained. “Traditions are the second part of the equation. Even with a solid strategy, many boards and GMs are reticent to suggest changes that upset traditional values, customs, or practices. In some cases, tradition can be a good thing, but failing to react to the changing needs of members and potential members can be a critical omission. “The third reason I see clubs failing to change involves key and often tenured staff who simply refuse to see the need and/or fear technology. ‘It’s worked for 25 years. So why change it?’” Coyne queried. “With careful research and planning, almost any club can embrace the need for change. When there is data to support change, reasonable people also tend to be more understanding and malleable. Start with member surveys and other ways to listen to your members. Growth and retention

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are the two most financial elements. Success lies in developing a plan that drives both what existing members want and need and what the next generation of members will accept as well,” he added. Ah, yes, the need for data. And that’s the bailiwick of Club Benchmarking’s Ray Cronin. “Our view is that clubs operating on opinion versus data have the hardest time embracing change. However, industry data shows clearly that clubs embracing change and purposeful growth are the healthiest financially. “Strategic change embodies at least two concepts,” stressed Cronin. “1) Growth. Growth requires change. There’s no growth, by definition, without change. Our industry data shows that clubs growing their net worth over time are the most successful clubs. Growth of net worth corresponds directly to consistent, never-ending capital investment. “Secondly, is the continuous addition of services and amenities that evolve in concert with the constantly changing norms and desires of prospective members. The average age for joining a club has been 42 (higher in residential community clubs geared towards retirees). “Data further shows that the resistance to change falls along a fault line between younger and less tenured members and older and more tenured members. Without data, there is simply an unresolvable conflict of perspective. With

data, it becomes clear to many of the more tenured members that change is not optional. It’s necessary,” Cronin added. “In some cases, members don’t like change! And if those members have control of the decision-makers and decision making, nothing’s going to change,” opined Gordon Welch, president of the Association of Private Club Directors, the parent association of BoardRoom Institute. “It’s also difficult when the long-time members feel that they have paid dues for many years and they aren’t interested in change. But, unfortunately, they’re also the ones that can tell you how much a round of golf costs them.” So, why are clubs so different from other aspects of our lives (i.e., our workplaces, technology) when faced with change? “Clubs are the home-away-from-home. Many of the same members that don’t want change haven’t made upgrades to their own homes. When those members joined the club, it was everything they ever wanted/needed and they don’t feel they need more and definitely don’t want to pay more for it,” Welch added. “I also believe many clubs fear the unknown when it comes to debt. They fear the loss of membership and the time needed to pay off the debt. So, it’s a difficult thing for smaller clubs with older members that might be on the line of affordability,” Welch said. “Clubs have historically had members that joined for life,” explained Gore. “They never moved from their home city. Their children also stayed in the home city and took over the club membership from their parents. As a result, they remained in the same job and company for their entire career. “Today, consumers move all over the country and the world. They not only move, but they change jobs and they often even change industries. But, unfortunately, the one constant has been the club, so let’s not change that as well,” he added. Why clubs are so different from other aspects of their lives presents an interesting analogy, Coyne opined. “When we think of change in our workplaces It Is often technology that ➤ forces us there. It isn’t a joke that

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there were still clubs using DOS systems at the end of the last century, changing only when support simply ceased to exist. “Making personal changes can be difficult, but it involves a committee of one. Now, that’s simple,” said Coyne. “We make decisions relatively quickly to make our lives easier, to make our family safer and to ensure the sustainability of our households. That should be how we make decisions in our clubs, but we often fail to see the issues through the same lens. “With so many different backgrounds and interests in your board’s makeup, board members can be myopic to their own specific areas of concern, making the selling of change a greater challenge,” Coyne maintained. Jones agrees that “most members want to see their club as their safe place. So, we operate the clubs to be an extension of their home in an environment of ‘family servicing family.’ This is the natural outcome of this strategy. “Over the past year and a half, this was very visible during the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions. As a result, members felt safe using their club for recreation, dining, and sports away from the public. Based on this core value, changes cannot damage one’s use and enjoyment of their club. As a result, change implementation is slowed down compared to the other segments in general businesses, homes, or lives. An intelligent change-agile GM/COO understands this and takes the long ball approach,” Jones explained.

“While it’s not part of the question, boards must be willing to make tough decisions for the good of the entire membership and those decisions should be based solely on hard data including surveys, industry trends, market conditions and the social needs and desires of each membership segment. Fear should be replaced with unmitigated curiosity of what it takes to be successful in the long term,” Coyne added. “What if we do not like the changes. What if it’s just a fad. Will members who love the club leave because of the changes. What if we lose the traditions that we and past generations have enjoyed?” Gore queried. “In my era, to date myself, the Beatles and Elvis were the music icons of the day. My generation says music is not as good as it was in my day. I suspect 20 years from now the next generation will say today’s music is not as good as Drake, Ariana Grande or Doja Cat and BTS from their day. Change will come and it will be embraced,” he said. Loss of control, value, and consistency are reasons why clubs fear change, injected Jones. “Members expect to be known by name and value dependable and consistent, quality, and service. If negative change occurs to break down reliable consistency, they will voice their complaint and demand club leadership changes,” he added. “Two years ago, this article was desperately needed. Now, I think the club industry is one of the most adaptive segments

“I always think it’s important for club leaders to remember they are just there for an assigned bit of time, but not everyone sees it that way. Sometimes people want to change the club to fit themselves, not the overall membership. Good leaders will be hesitant to change things because it’s not their personal business and that long-term thinking is important. So, clubs do have to move at a slower pace and be respectful of all these aspects while still pushing the club in the right direction for the future.” Tom Wallace, principal with Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace “Necessary change to maintain sustainability is required. However, change must be communicated, presented, and demonstrated before being acted upon. Thoughtful change will be accepted and appreciated. Timing is everything in a private club. That is the secret key,” he added. But the question remains: Why do clubs fear change? “Fear of negative reaction is often the elephant in the room,” intoned Coyne. “Very few board members join the club to create enemies or issues that might filter to negative reaction to their families. Some board members even harbor the belief that representing their friends’ special needs is their mission. 116

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out there,” opined Tom Wallace, principal with Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace, a private club industry consulting firm. “Where hotels and resorts used to be at the tip of the spear, now it’s flipped. Clubs are leading the way. As an industry, we’ve realized we can be agile and need to continue harnessing that momentum. We shouldn’t have needed a pandemic to get to where we are, but now, I believe it isn’t as hard to make changes at clubs as it once was. “In the past, clubs have been trapped in their traditions and/or their bad habits and have historically been slow to change. Because of COVID-19, I think clubs can change more quickly. They’ve also seen how accepting members

and employees can be towards change. Boards and leadership teams have seen how adaptive clubs can be and how positive change can actually be. I think ‘change’ is often thought to be a negative thing, but after a year and a half of constant change, people have seen that change can be a positive thing,” Wallace expounded. “The only other time we saw clubs change as fast as they did during the pandemic was in 2008/09. During the economic downturn, clubs had to run like a business because they couldn’t afford not to. It was one of the first times the ‘Mom and Pop shop’ mindset of clubs was proven as an inefficient way to run the club. COVID has given the industry the opportunity to be more agile and to change quicker. Now, we also know that leadership teams can handle the change(s) and lead the charge,” Wallace asserted. “Clubs are so steeped in tradition that it makes change very intimidating. Clubs are also very political environments and pleasing everyone at the same time is highly unlikely. Therefore, any change often causes waves. No one wants to be the president or the GM that makes the first change or big changes,” Wallace maintained. “The only time change has happened quickly at clubs has been when there’s no other option but to change. For board members, making changes means they might be upsetting their peers and their popularity at the club. For general managers, the members are essentially their bosses, so the governance model of clubs doesn’t lend itself to quick changes. “No one likes change. People have written millions of books about change because change is often hard for people. At clubs, leaders want to be respectful of tradition and also considerate of other members’ feelings and change can often go against both of these aspects. The fear of the unknown also makes people uncomfortable,” Wallace added. “On the other hand, I do respect the fact when club leaders are hesitant to

make changes. Great board members and GMs realize the club isn’t theirs; they are just stewards of the club. As a result, they don’t make unnecessary changes. “I always think it’s important for club leaders to remember they are just there for an assigned bit of time, but not everyone sees it that way. Sometimes people want to change the club to fit themselves, not the overall membership. Good leaders will be hesitant to change things because it’s not their personal business and that long-term thinking is important. So, clubs do have to move at a slower pace and be respectful of all these aspects while still pushing the club in the right direction for the future,” Wallace pronounced. So, are there specific reasons why clubs must consider change? “Clubs must remain relevant to today’s ever-changing consumers. Technology alone changes so rapidly you are always behind. Clubs have not historically been early adopters. What people eat and drink is ever-changing. I’d never even heard of kale or microbrews in my era...we had iceberg lettuce and Budweiser,” Gore reminisced. “Having spent over 50 years in the industry, I’ve witnessed many decisions that languished forever, for example, formal dining, equal access of facilities, and the acceptance of a changing demographic that required something for everyone,” suggested Coyne. “In the short term, we’ve seen the entire industry mobilize around an epidemic creatively, efficiently and expeditiously. When forced to act like a swift boat as opposed to a supertanker, the industry and most clubs do well. It’s always easier when the stakes are high to react quickly. “You do what you have to and most everyone will forgive even if you are wrong. But conversely, some short-term decisions come from short-term opportunities, personal bias or good old knee-jerk reactions.” ➤

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Coyne maintained that “long term requires the arduous task of discovery, using hard data and facts requiring why change is necessary and good. Some won’t change at all. In the early 2000s, we saw evidence of an unwillingness to change with 400 plus golf courses per year closing. Longterm change requires vision, unlike the reactionary process of reacting to a crisis. It’s more like sand through an hourglass... we don’t see the impact sometimes until all the sand has drifted to the bottom. “Short- and long-term change should require full strategic discovery, following the data and empirical trending of social interactions and proven capital and event programming,” Coyne opined. “In the short term, things like COVID need to be considered,” suggested Wallace. “A pandemic, a financial downturn, etc., these are the things clubs have to deal with immediately. But, on the other hand, we’ve seen great clubs adapt and implement practices for short-term solutions that end up being long-term policies because they were such good changes. “I believe that all good changes come as a result of something… it’s a reaction to something happening in your community, city, state or country. I don’t believe club leaders are sitting around dreaming about reasons to change; rather, the changes were sparked by something. From a long-term perspective, I believe industry best practices should and do drive long-term changes,” Wallace expressed. And to encourage change, Wallace believes clubs must “build trust and buy-in with members and employees and then over communicate. Club leadership also needs to celebrate successes and own up to failures. “I think members, boards, committees, members, the leadership team and employees all need to be the ones to bring about change in private clubs. A lot of service and member experience changes come from hourly laborers who saw the opportunity to improve something,” he explained. “Having a culture that initiates and accepts change is important. You have to have a receptive leadership group that encourages change and feedback and then is willing to implement the change to improve continuously,” Wallace added. “Clubs must encourage best practices tours,” offered Coyne. “If you’re trying to explain pickleball or why you need a new kitchen, take the board to a local club and let them see league play in action. Then, take them into the kitchen at ‘rush time’ and let them see for themselves why it’s time for change. “Pass along blogs and articles that address changes being made by your competitors and by the industry at large. Use magazine articles to demonstrate the popularity of new dining, social and sports facilities and activities,” he added. “Share legislative news that impacts the necessity of change – post important change messaging to the member newsletter. Do regular surveys of your members. Nearly 50 118

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percent of your members, with an average attrition rate of eight percent, are gone every six years. “Demonstrate the financial ramifications of failing to change and the potential upsides of positive change affecting your brand, member satisfaction, member growth and member retention,” Coyne recommended. “Clubs must define their strategic plan, mission, vision, and brand strategy and then run all major business decisions through these filters for alignment,” suggested Ethos’ Jones. “This will define their path and who they collectively want to be. If outside variables or negative trends are documented and planned for in advance, then positive changes will be introduced early, planned for, demonstrated, and implemented as part of the board of directors and GM/COO and the leadership team’s annual goals and objectives. “In today’s business environment, a forward-thinking board of directors must find or hire a recruiting firm that will locate a demonstrated change-agile GM/COO to lead the club and team members for success and sustainability,” Jones intoned. “Clubs must embrace change but more with evolution than revolution,” expressed Gore. “Clubs should not be leading edge but not lagging edge either. Some traditions are good but may need to be modified. But most of all communication must be state of the art to attract the next generation of members. “The leaders of the past who are the most pleased with the status quo must have the courage and foresight to initiate change as their responsibility to the club’s future generations. “We all owe them a lot for the sacrifices they made to get the club this far. Clubs have overcome wars; economic downturns and many clubs have burned down. Tax changes and other laws have affected clubs. But the club’s biggest threat today is NOT changing and staying relevant,” Gore stressed. “I believe clubs must have a three, five and 10-year plan that the members approve. Then there are no questions about what may be happening in the future,” outlined APCD’s Welch. “Of course, plans will change, but a basic plan in place. If the members know the future direction, it’s hard not to support It. “The leadership for change has to include the GM/COO, board, club committees including the strategic planning committee. You’re looking at 40 plus individuals that will have input, but the GM and executive committee need to give the direction and lead the charge,” he explained. “The easy answer is to say it’s the GM’s responsibility to spearhead the change,” suggested Coyne. “The GM has the broadest viewpoint of what is possible, best practices and what’s working and why. “However, as part of the orientation of incoming new board members, there should be a requirement to have a complete market briefing and overview including competitive evaluation, market demographics, member profile and new member profile over the past five years. “Let them see the most recent survey with highlights as to what it means. Most importantly, there should be an annual

retreat to create, update and review a three to five-year plan that uses the data to alter the plan and review for specific tactical projects over the next 12 months,” Coyne added. “The specific question relates to bringing about change. For that to happen, there must be transparency in your communication process, adequate sharing of ideas with members, and an inclusive process that allows every member to share in making responsible changes for the good of today’s members and future generations. “Even the easiest decisions on the best-laid plans will fall short of approval without a sound communication strategy,” stressed Coyne. And as Club Benchmarking’s Cronin expressed earlier, that “with data, it becomes clear to many of the more tenured club members that change is not optional, it’s necessary. “If your club is stuck and slow to change, follow the path of data-driven leadership, gather the appropriate data and enjoy the benefits that come with change,” he recommended. PUBLISHER’S FINAL THOUGHTS There are multiple reasons why private clubs have such a difficult time with change. You can’t ignore the fact that many clubs are owned by its members with an average age of 55 and older. These same members often sit on the board and drive the club’s policies. Change is normal for younger members. But change for these older members is less welcome and causes stress and concern. Many more senior members have ended their careers and sold their businesses; often, friends have passed away, and many of their friends have moved away often to locations where their children live. Their club is the one place these older members cry and seek normalcy. Sadly, many believe when something is changing that it means they’ve lost something. Many have also watched change happen that didn’t work. Still, club members, especially the older members, will accept change if they are respected and clearly understand the reasons behind the change. Many will accept an evolution, not a revolution. Frequent general manager changes are another challenge clubs face. The newer GM often doesn’t experience being at that club long enough to know and understand the club’s institutional memory. As a result, older members will be more cautious with the newer GM’s decisions as they learn about the club’s history, culture and membership. My suggestion: The club should develop a five or 10-year strategic plan that encompasses activities, culture and respects the club’s history and members’ usage. Future improvements and changes written down, and voted on, can make the club’s evolution of these changes more trusted and supported. Remember, your younger members will be getting older too. They too, will look for stability and normalcy as they get older. At least, that’s the way I see it. B R

John G. Fornaro, publisher SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021 | BOARDROOM

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BOARDROOM MAGAZINE ADVERTISING INDEX ACCP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

High End Uniforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Addison Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

HINT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Ambassador Uniform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Jonas Club Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 & 55

Bozeman Club & Corporate Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

KE Camps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

BrightView . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 & 27

C2 Limited Design Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

MAI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Castor Design Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

McMahon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Chambers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

MembersFirst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 & 57

ClubDesign Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

MemberText . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 & 59

Clubessential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Northstar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 & 124

ClubPay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Paisano Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

ClubTec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 & 49

Peacock + Lewis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

ClubUp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 & 51

PHX Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

ConcertGolf Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Pipeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Country Club Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

PGA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Creative Golf Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Proform Matting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Distinguished Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109, 110 & 111

RCS university . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Distinguished Golf Destinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Rogers McCagg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Emersa Waterbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

RSM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Ethos Club 7 Leisure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Signera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Eustic Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Strategic Club Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

FOOD-TRAK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 & 53

Survey & Ballot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Forbes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Troon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

GCSAA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 & 123

USPTA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Gecko Hospitality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Videobolt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Golf Business Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Vivid Leaf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Golf Maintenance Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

WebTec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 & 49

Golf Property Analyst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 GSI Executive Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

BOARDROOM MAGAZINE COUNTRY CLUB INDEX Eric Allain, GM/COO, The Country Club of Orlando - Orlando, FL Nancy Berkley, green committee and marketing committee, Frenchman’s Creek Beach & Country Club, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Mike Mainhart, PGA, general manager, Laredo Country Club - Laredo, TX Steve Matlaga CCM, LCAM, general manager, Williams Island Club, Aventura, FL Michael McCarthy, CEO Addison Reserve Country Club, Delray Beach, FL

Holly Bilotti, GM, The Bay Head Yacht Club, Bay Head, NJ

Jeff Murray, chief operating officer, Bishops Bay Country Club - Middleton, WI

Jarrett Chirico, USPTA,PTR, PPTA,PPR, director of racquets, Baltimore Country Club, Baltimore, MD

Chris Novy, President, Evanston Golf Club, Skokie, Il

Tyler DeFilippo, director of communications, The Bay Head Yacht Club, Bay Head, NJ Wes Dillard, golf course superintendent, Frenchman’s Creek Beach and Country Club, Palm Beach, FL Todd Dufek, locker room manager, The Country Club at DC Ranch, Scottsdale, AZ John S. Hilker, GM/COO Two Rivers Country Club – Williamsburg, VA Dr. Bonnie Knutson, the Country Club of Lansing and the Michigan Athletic Club Nancy Levenburg, member, Spring Lake Country Club, Spring Lake, MI

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Ashley Payne, communications director at the Country Club of Virginia, Richmond, VA Eric Rhodes, GM, Athens Country Club, Athens, GA Robert A. Sereci, CCM, general manager, Medinah Country Club, Medinah, IL Robert Shelley, President, Williams Island Club, Aventura, FL R. Patrick Sheridan, President, Athens Country Club, Athens, GA Meredith Shorkey, President, Myers Park Country Club, Charlotte, NC Harvey P. Stein, President, Addison Reserve Country Club, Delray Beach, FL David Voorhees, GM, Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach, CA