T he Bo ardRo o m m ag az ine
C E L E B R A T I N G 24 Y E A R S O F E D U C A T I N G T H E P R I V A T E C L U B I N D U S T R Y ISSUE 291
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VOLUME XXIV SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
Vo l um e X X IV, S eptem ber / Oc t o be r 2 0 2 0
MINDFULNESS LEADS TO A SUSTAINABLE CULTURE | 26 10 | PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE
80 | PGA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
THE YEAR OF THE CORONAVIRUS WHAT SHOULD BE THE FOCUS OF PRIVATE CLUB BOARDS?
THE PGA COACH FORGES CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
20 | COVER STORY
COUNTRY CLUB OF LINCOLN, NY ATHLETIC CLUB, CANOE BROOK COUNTRY CLUB
100-103 | INNOVATIVE IDEAS
SUSTAINABILITY...THE TIME HAS COME
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DAVE WHITE 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.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Sustainability…What Does That Mean to Each of Us? Over the years, we’ve published several different stories focused on sustainability and what it means to private clubs and society in general. In our cover story package this issue, we’ve taken a more definitive approach on where we are today and the fact sustainability means doing the right thing for future generations and our planet, with a focus on the hospitality industry, private clubs. The fact that what’s suitable for private clubs is also good for the environment, our communities and people. Hervé Houdré, a principal with H2 Sustainability Consulting, says, “sustainable development ideals (leaving a better world, than the one we are in, to future generations) were set in 1987. Still, it wasn’t until 1997 that John Elkington, an English author and strategist, coined the term “Triple Bottom Line of Profit, People and Planet in his book, Cannibals with Forks, that businesses were offered a very simple, yet extremely efficient, sustainable strategy model.” Houdré’ has taken his passion and 40 years’ experience in the luxury hospitality industry and espouses methods and plans that industry, organizations and private clubs can implement as profitable sustainable strategies. And yes, the triple bottom line plan is being integrated into valuable strategies for private clubs. Til von Ruexleben and his group, Brodtmann Consulting of Denver, CO and Naples, FL, have taken up the sustainability challenge with the development of its program – Vivid Leaf. It’s a one-stop platform covering all aspects of sustainability for private clubs and some private clubs have taken up this challenge. “Saving on resources, however, is only a fraction of the value proposition for becoming a self-sustainable club. Doing the ‘right thing’ for your members, your community, the planet and your clubs pays in many ways,” von Ruexleben says. Broken Sound Club in Boca Raton, FL, a BoardRoom Distinguished Club and Hacienda Golf Club in La Habra Heights, Ca, also a BoardRoom Distinguished Club are examples of clubs seeking more significant achievement as self-sustainable operations. Considering where we are today as a society and our changing climate patterns, for sustainability, the time has come. n n n
As an adjunct to our main cover story, the focus is on Hacienda Golf Club and the fact “sustainability also means a culture that thrives on education and adaptability.” 4
BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020
To strive for this culture, general manager Russell Sylte views sustainability through the mindfulness lens and has incorporated mindfulness practices into the culture and daily life at Hacienda. Sylte and his department managers have accomplished this by completing a year-long process of weekly classes through Mindful U to become Certified Mindful Professionals. Weekly classes included stress reduction, listening skills, meditation, managing angry people, creating a safe learning environment and the relationship between the mind and body. They also received tools for decision-making, time management and conflict resolution. Hacienda’s tells us how Sylte and his staff accomplished their goals leading to a culture that gives Hacienda’s members and staff pride in belonging…just in time for Hacienda’s 100th anniversary this year. n n n
What’s a PGA coach? In a “Special to BoardRoom” yarn, the PGA stresses how the PGA Coach is responsible for the human connection at a golf facility, forging close ties and relationships that ultimately keep members engaged. “The director of instruction in many facilities is the most valuable employee on-site,” said PGA of America Chief Membership Officer, John Easterbrook Jr., PGA. “At private clubs, the lifeline is members and member engagement. The DOI is responsible for helping develop members’ games and growing the connections to the club by introducing the game to new players. The more satisfied and connected members are to golf, the more likely the members will stay members and bring new members into their club,” Easterbrook added. “When people enjoy having fun at the game of golf and seeing inviting faces, the success of your club can be endless. That is just the tip of the iceberg to the value PGA Coaches bring to a facility,” said Brian Jones, director of instruction of Kenwood Country Club in Cincinnati, OH. n n n
And our series with BoardRoom’s Top Presidents continues in this issue with stories about Albon O. Head, Jr., President, The Fort Worth Club, Fort Worth, TX; Gordon Roberts, President, River Crest Country Club, Fort Worth, TX; Lloyd S. Rothouse, President, Colleton River Club, Bluffton, SC, and Adrian Sakashita, President, Hacienda Golf Club, La Habra Heights, CA. B R
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CONTENTS | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE | 10
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES | 12
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE | 14
THE YEAR OF THE CORONAVIRUS
TECHNOLOGY’S TOOLS PREPARE CLUBS FOR THE NEW NORMAL
LIFESTYLE CLUBS NEED A MULTIFUNCTIONAL CLUBHOUSE
What should private club boards and management focus on and how can private clubs handle their board orientation in the year of the coronavirus? These are two central questions facing private clubs during a year that’s been unlike any other. So, we’ve asked industry leaders for their opinions and suggestions.
BY HENRY DELOZIER
BY FRANK VAIN
One hears a lot these days about the “new normal” and how the coronavirus has forever changed the ways we work, shop, travel and interact. But it wasn’t that long ago that we were talking about another new normal. Remember the new normal that followed the financial crisis of 2007-2008, which led to a global recession?
There’s a lot of evidence that the COVID-19 crisis didn’t cause people to embrace a completely new lifestyle so much as it accelerated the path society was already on. The lines between home, work and play have been blurring for years. Technology and the iPhone, has been the big reason for that. It’s made it easy and cheap for people to be in touch from anywhere, any time.
LEGAL COMMITTEE | 16
MEMBERSHIP MUSINGS | 18
WINNING STRATEGIES | 38
ENFORCING DUES IN A PANDEMIC
I’VE ALWAYS LIKED THE NUMBER 19
A SOLID MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY
BY M ICHELLE T ANZER
B Y B ON NI E J. K NU T S O N
BY JERRY N. MCCOY
Given that clubs are frequently referred to as being “in the business of collecting dues” and dues typically account for 40 percent to 60 percent of total club revenue, it’s not surprising that clubs were not quick to grant these concessions. In a survey of clubs in late April, over half were declining to offer any financial accommodation.
My husband and I started dating when we were 19 years old. We were married on February 19th. And in my immediate family, it’s 1 + 9 – one family plus nine people – grandparent, daughters, son-in-law and grandkids. All in all, 19 has always treated me well. The truth be told, however, it has never helped me win the lottery. But hope does spring eternal.
Certainly, things are much different today than we could have imagined. The club industry is focused on how to handle the virus and still serve the members. Some clubs have been more successful than others in dealing with the crisis. Why? Recently we have heard the word systemic used frequently. When a system is designed, it normally has specific goals and objectives built in.
BOARDROOM BASICS & BEYOND | 70
FOOD FOR THOUGHT | 98
TRIBAL MAGIC | 112
NOW MORE THAN EVER BEST PRACTICES FOR PRIVATE CLUBS
CASH ON THE SHELVES?
TRANSLATING GREAT IDEAS AND WINNING TACTICS INTO MUSCLE MEMORY
BY RICHAR D KOPPLIN, K U R T D. K U EB LER AN D T HOMAS B. W ALLAC E III
Significant or complete reduction in banquet business, reduced capacity of dining rooms and bars and other related side effects have reduced food and beverage revenues by as much as 50 percent in some clubs. While this situation is unprecedented, it’s never a bad idea to operate with as little waste, spoilage, theft or portioning issues as possible.
BY JOHN G . FOR NAR O
Now more than ever, as we emerge from a devastating pandemic, those practices will ensure the success and, in some cases, the survival of private clubs. Perhaps the most important best practice that we see clubs engage is the focus on “data-driven” decision making.
BY BILL SCHWARTZ
BY GREGG PATTERSON
Muscles that aren’t used will shrink. Lose the leader who believes in muscle memory and muscles will shrink. Allow bad examples to proliferate and muscles will shrink. Fail to practice and muscles will shrink. If people stop believing muscles will shrink. Every muscle memory journey starts with the gotta do’s, the guiding principles that are the road map for doing what needs to be done.
“
“ From helping us navigate the challenging COVID-19 impacts, to delivering a digital member engagement platform to keep our members connected –
ClubLife Management has worked in lock-step with our Board to keep our club running smoothly during the pandemic. Their partnership has been invaluable, and together we look forward to an even brighter future for our club.”
– Bob Baird, President, Board of Directors Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club, Santa Rosa Beach, FL
What’s your game plan for 2021? Let ClubLife Management help get your club started on the path towards long-term success. Visit clublifemanagement.com to request a complimentary financial review and consultation with a member of our Senior Leadership team.
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SECTIONS
DEPARTMENTS
COVER STORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Sustainability – The Time Has Come
A SSOCI A TI ON OF P RI V A TE CL UB D I RE CTORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
By Dave White
Committee Recall
By Gordon Welch
COVER STORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Mindfulness Leads to a Sustainable Culture
A SSOCI A TI ON OF P RI V A TE CL UB D I RE CTORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
BoardRoom magazine’s Top Private Club Presidents 2019
By Dave White
By Meghan Thibault
CASE STUDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace
E XE CUTI V E COMMI TTE E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
PUBLISHER’S COMMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
By Michael Mueller
By John G. Fornaro
E XE CUTI V E COMMI TTE E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
NANCY’S CORNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Special to BoardRoom
The Role of Technology in Managing Labor Assets
Lesson Program Clarification
The PGA Coach Forges Connections and Relationships
Use Distance Learning Technology To Benefit Your Community
TE NNI S COMMI TTE E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
By Nancy Berkley
New Competencies for 2020 and Beyond By Jason Koenigsfeld
ON THE FRONTLINES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
The Downfall of Perfectionism By Robert Sereci
ON THE FRONTLINES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
COMMITTEES
By M. Kent Johnson
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
INNOVATIVE IDEAS . . . . . . . . . . . 100-103
By Steve Hockett
Culture and Hospitality
Country Club of Lincoln New York Athletic Club Canoe Brook Country Club Country Club of Virginia By Ellery Platts
Insights to Help the Club Executive
CLUBESSENTIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48-49 CLUBSYSTEMS GROUP . . . . . . . . . . . 50-51 CLUBTEC/WEBTEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52-53 FOOD-TRAK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54-55
By Tood Dufek
RACQUET COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
By Ron Cichy
LOCKER ROOM COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . 77
Taking Advantage During Uncertain Times
By Bruce Barilla
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . 104
HOUSE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
By Mike Phelps
Making a Case for Annual Board Governance Tune-ups By Steve Mona
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Passing The Baton
F&B COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
CSR PRIVACY SOLUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . 64 PAISANO PERFORMANCE PARTNERS . 65 SURVEY & BALLOT SYSTEMS (SBS) . . . . 66
GREEN COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
MEMBERSFIRST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58-59
CC TECH PARTNERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
By Steve Schendel
Have We Lost Our Ability to Think?
By Larry Hirsh
JONAS CLUB MANAGEMENT . . . . . . 56-57
CLUBPAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Ideas to Help Push Sustainability
LOCKER ROOM COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . 76
By Craig Martin
MEMBERTEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60-61
By David W. Lacey
GREEN COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Change…A Scary Word
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 NORTHSTAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Turning Part-Time Employees Into a Staffing Plus
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Curiosity Intelligence
TECHNOLOGY FEATURE
HR COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Beyond the Four Walls By Ed Doyle
FINANCE COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Tax Guidance Issued for Private Clubs By Christopher Cecil
Locker Room Lessons Learned from the Pandemic
Are Employees Being Trained to Talk Like Robots?
The Power of the Member/Employee Relationship By Lisa Carroll
WELLNESS COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
The Wonderful World of Wellness By Rita Craig
TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . . 85
Are You Using Technology Or Is Technology Using You? By David Hamilton
By Dave Doherty
By Boris Fetbroyt
Low Tech Is at a New High
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . 106
Automate Your Marketing to Make the Most of Your Leads By AJ Redetzke
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE . . . . . . . . . 108
Value Proposition It’s a Real Thing!
By Rosie Slocum
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
The Year of the Coronavirus
What Should Be the Focus of Private Club Boards? What should private club boards and management focus on and how can private clubs handle their board orientation in the year of the coronavirus? These are two central questions facing private clubs during a year that’s been unlike any other. So, we’ve asked industry leaders for their opinions and suggestions. Survival, of course, is the number one objective for private clubs and it’s a matter of how clubs deal with the chaos of COVID-019… points emphasized by Kevin Reilly of PB Mares. “The main focus needs to be on the club’s survival and the impact of COVID on the finances of the club,” Reilly said. “How can the club highlight its relevance in this time when members may not be able to use it the same way as they have in the past? Members need to see the value of remaining a member despite the reduced offerings. Boards, and more particularly management, must highlight the ways the club can and are reaching out to the members,” he added. “Since March, the club industry has been brought to a crossroads of sorts,” explained Jim Butler, CEO of Club Benchmarking. “Some club leaders will cling to the status quo and kick tough decisions down the road to future boards. Others will seize the opportunity for meaningful change and innovation, facing head on the tough decisions necessary to put their clubs on the path to long-term sustainable financial health. MANY CHALLENGES “Lessons learned through the COVID-19 crisis have been painful, but the fact is, the industry has survived more than its share of depressions, recessions and natural disasters over the last 150 years. Invariably, clubs that addressed the challenges by taking a longterm view gained market share in the years that followed,” he added. This year, Butler says, “has presented unimaginable challenges, but there have also been many valuable lessons learned and opportunities presented. When shutdowns began in the middle of March, many clubs experienced an immediate wake-up call about the sensitivity of their business model. Over the last five months, those most dependent on outings, banquets and guest fees as funding sources for the club’s operation have suffered significantly more damage than those with a more dues-centric business model. 10
BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020
“Understanding what your club’s position was before the current crisis began is the first step in determining what changes must be made to strengthen the club going forward. There are specific common characteristics in the business model of a financially sustainable club. One of the most important is a healthy dues engine, meaning members pay dues at a rate that adequately funds the operation and supports delivery of a satisfactory member experience. The ratio of dues revenue as a percentage of the club’s total operating revenue in a healthy club is 50 percent or higher,” Butler explained. “Fully understanding the club’s pre-COVID position also requires an unbiased evaluation of the balance sheet beginning with a calculation of the club’s Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of Net Worth. Club Benchmarking research indicates the goal for healthy CAGR should be 3.5 percent at a minimum, but the industry median currently is 2.1 percent. Clubs with weak capital engines have weak balance sheets. They struggle to keep up with necessary’ repair and replace’ maintenance of the club’s physical assets. They are often unable to fund the aspirational projects required to compete with healthier clubs.” The focus, Butler maintains, in “developing an annual plan and budget for 2021 will require a clear-eyed assessment of the club’s business model and the environment impacting current and prospective members. Club leaders should resist the temptation to focus on cost-cutting and adopt a laser focus on increasing membership value through innovative programming and enhancements to the physical plant,” he said. “Clubs have been challenged in a variety of ways. Safety and concerns for members and staff likely topped the list,” commented Rick Coyne, CEO of ClubInsights, an industry consulting firm. “The period has also been challenging to read as many reactions to the epidemic initially didn’t seem very logical. For example, membership in many clubs increased rather than decreased, as was initially thought. Attrition wasn’t nearly as high as anticipated. “In retrospect, of course, people weren’t traveling but staying closer to home. Membership may very well have been a logical direction. However, as COVID lingers, as closures are extended and services limited, is there the potential for a reversal of direction? More importantly, how will you know? “My focus,” Coyne added, “would be on communicating with the members to ascertain their concerns over the club’s future, their concerns over retaining membership, using the club even after COVID has passed, ensuring that there is an open channel of communications to engage the member’s fears mitigating risk.” “The subject is a moving target for most clubs, “says Phil Harvey, Venture Programs. “However, I’m still a bit frustrated by the lack of creativity and direction in the club industry, but maybe it’s just the culture of following traditions. “I’m looking forward to more vibrant and constructive leadership at the board level and perhaps as a result of these times, it may be on its way,” he added. SEE PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE | 116
HENRY DELOZIER Henry DeLozier is a partner at GGA Partners. He can be reached via email: henry.delozier@ggapartners.com
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
Technology’s Tools Prepare Clubs for the New Normal One hears a lot these days about the “new normal” and how the coronavirus has forever changed the ways we work, shop, travel and interact. But it wasn’t that long ago that we were talking about another new normal. Remember the new normal that followed the financial crisis of 2007-2008, which led to a global recession? That transition from the previous normal to a new normal ushered in more stringent guidelines for financial institutions and, in a much broader sense, ushered out the spirit of trust we had in many other institutions and the people who ran them. And although the term was not yet in vogue, didn’t the seismic shift from analog to digital – the tipping point came in 2002 when the world began storing more information in digital than in analog format – qualify as a new normal? All of which led some creative soul to design a bumper sticker that said it all: Change Happens. (You may remember it with a synonym for change.) The most adaptable among us learn to deal with change; the most successful turn it into a competitive advantage. How do they do it? Don’t be surprised – be prepared. When he first heard Bob Dylan’s 1965 anthem, “Like a Rolling Stone,” Bruce Springsteen said, “[It] sounded like somebody’d kicked open the door to your mind.” With that song, Dylan changed how artists thought about making music. Major change often seems to arrive suddenly – with the speed of a stone rolling down a steep hill – and without warning. Its capriciousness makes us anxious. But if we know it’s coming, we shouldn’t be surprised. We should be prepared. An embrace of the tools that technology now affords is an important key to our preparation. Derek Johnston of GGA Partners, says although club leaders could not have anticipated the pandemic, they could have been better prepared. “Many clubs were ill-prepared to quickly analyze the potential impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, to run initial scenarios, to gather more information easily, to test their hypotheses with their membership and, ultimately, set a course of action,” he said. 12
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That’s not to say that clubs have responded poorly. On the contrary, club leaders have performed in a truly admirable fashion. Many clubs just had to work much harder than those that had already implemented data analytics processes and plug-and-play dashboarding tools, like MetricsFirst or continuous member feedback tools like MemberInsight. “Some club leaders still question the need to bother with data analytics tools and programs. This misunderstanding is simply misguided,” Johnston stressed, adding that the term “analytics” seems to intimidate some and conjure visions of data overload and complexity. Another fallacy, Johnston said, “Data analytics, when executed properly, is intended to simplify information and present insights in very crisp, clean and easy to understand ways.” Ginni Rometty, executive chair of IBM, told Fortune magazine editor Alan Murray, “There is no doubt this [coronavirus] will speed up everyone’s transition to be a digital business.” She identified four areas of impending change: 1) the movement to the cloud, 2) the move toward automation, 3) the overhaul of supply chains, and 4) the movement toward new ways of doing work. Each force will happen in an accelerated fashion, she predicts. Rometty is not alone in her assessment. Almost two out of three respondents to a recent Fortune survey of Fortune 500 CEOs expect technological transformation to accelerate. Doug Merritt, CEO at Splunk, a big-data platform, pointed out two important observations: 1) a rapid digital transformation and 2) the elevated importance of gathering and interrogating data. Top-performing clubs will similarly leverage the pandemic to implement advanced methods for executing work and providing services. Retooling such routine practices as monthly billings, guest policy tracking and point-of-sale transactions will happen quickly. Likewise, separating work from jobs will trend even more in the wake of the pandemic. “Clubs that are actively maintaining both real-time operating dashboards and strategic dashboards, combined with a proper financial model, are taking preemptive steps toward dealing with change,” Johnston said. “When it happens – and we know it will – they will experience far less conflict amongst their management team and their board. Ultimately, their preparation will enable better decisions, faster.” B R
• DIGITAL MARKETING
• AUTOMATED EMAIL STRATEGIES
• LIFESTYLE BRANDING
• MEMBERSHIP RETENTION
• MEMBERSHIP MARKETING
• SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
FRANK VAIN Frank Vain is president of McMahon Group, a consulting and planning firm service to private clubs. He can be reached at fvain@mcmahongroup.com
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Lifestyle Clubs Need a Multifunctional Clubhouse There’s a lot of evidence that the COVID-19 crisis didn’t cause people to embrace a completely new lifestyle so much as it accelerated the path society was already on. For example, the lines between home, work and play have been blurring for years. Technology, due in large part to the internet and the iPhone, has been the big reason for that. It’s made it easy and cheap for people to be in touch from anywhere, any time. Their physical presence at work, meetings, and even social gatherings is no longer as important as it once was. One of the biggest changes is occurring in the work world. While some industries had the ability and culture to embrace remote work, most were only inching toward the virtual office until the quarantine period meant that office-based workers suddenly had to work from home.
summer is evidence of what can happen when people can time shift. They golfed during the day and moved their work earlier or later as suited them, or they dropped by the club to work out or have a drink in that hour or so they used to spend on their commute. They may also do a little work while they’re there. One of the core promises of club membership is access to premier facilities and programs developed by a likeminded community of people. At one time, that meant that the club offered amenities that couldn’t be found in the home. That has changed in recent years as the new McMansions and the restored older homes in the affluent suburbs are loaded with features that were once only within the
Rather than providing a clubhouse designed only to draw members out on special occasions, the clubhouse of the future must be a multifunctional enclave with amenities similar to those found in the modern home, or even better, enhanced versions with effective programming to drive community. And guess what? People liked it. Recent surveys by major employers show that about 50 percent of workers want to continue to work remotely when their office is fully opened. This is especially the case in major metro areas where commuting to work eats up a lot of time and money. For their part, most companies are finding similar productivity levels among their teams. Virtual meeting tools like Zoom went from modest adoption to some 200 million meetings in a single day. Being “at work” is now about getting the job done more than going to a physical space for a set period each day. This new attitude will grow over time. Reduced office expenses and equal output is a trade most CEOs will be willing to make. What would have taken years to become commonly accepted happened almost overnight. This new work environment gives people flexibility to live their lives in the manner that works for them. It also opens pathways for clubs. The big golf boom this past 14
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grasp of the uber-wealthy or a collective, like a club. In addition to the essential spaces for sleeping and eating, multi-faceted homes in wealthy suburbs now feature things like gourmet kitchens, wine rooms, screening rooms, fitness rooms, home offices, golf simulators, swimming pools and hot tubs. Private clubs have an edge on other hospitality outlets in the socially distant world because they have an inherent trust factor. They are a community of self-governed people and the relationship between members and staff is much closer than anything that exists in the commercial markets. Rather than providing a clubhouse designed only to draw members out on special occasions, the clubhouse of the future must be a multifunctional enclave with amenities similar to those found in the modern home, or even better, enhanced versions with effective programming to drive community. B R
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MICHELLE TANZER
LEGAL COMMITTEE
Michelle Tanzer, Esq. serves on the National Club Association board of directors, arbitrates club-related disputes for the American Arbitration Association’s (AAA) National Golf Industry Panel and authored “The Club Litigation Book: Keeping Clubs out of Court.” She gives special thanks to Matthew Smekens, a summer associate, for assisting her. Ms. Tanzer is chair of the Global Club and Branded Residences group at the law firm of Nelson Mullins Broad and Cassel and can be reached at (561) 866-5700 or via email: Michelle.Tanzer@NelsonMullins.com.
Enforcing Dues in a Pandemic
A Good Prescription or Just Bad Medicine? In the early stages of the pandemic, many members understood the need for clubs to continue charging dues, even though access to the facilities was reduced. However, as the pandemic dragged on and clubs were forced to extend closures for longer periods, some members became restless and began to ask for dues concessions. Given that clubs are frequently referred to as being “in the business of collecting dues” and dues typically account for 40 percent to 60 percent of total club revenue, it’s not surprising that clubs were not quick to grant these concessions. In a survey of clubs in late April, over half were declining to offer any financial accommodation.
ally allege that clubs should refund membership dues for periods when members cannot use facilities. For clubs without clear, express and specific provisions in their governing documents, this type of litigation could be a concern. However, this concern is mitigated at many clubs that have included provisions in their documents requiring dues to be paid regardless of closures caused by events beyond the club’s control. If not already present, adding this type of language could help to insulate the club in the event another pandemic, natural disaster or government-imposed shutdown takes place. Notwithstanding the provisions in the governing documents, clubs may also desire to implement additional steps
By mid-March 2020, the outbreak of the coronavirus forced most of the world’s economy to shut down. Most, if not all, private clubs followed suit and closed or significantly reduced the amenities normally available for member use. With this reduction in access to amenities came a surge in members evaluating whether they should continue to pay for dues or demand refunds for dues previously paid. Clubs were forced to assess whether or not to grant these refunds and risk losing a significant portion of their current revenue or stand firm and risk losing significant long-term business. Simply put, refunding a vital component of the club’s revenue could negatively impact a club’s ability to survive. To further compound this issue, membership dues aren’t the only revenue loss for clubs, because many clubs are also losing additional revenue historically created by the “add-on” activities they would usually offer. Also, in many geographic regions, where March and April are considered “high season”, the pandemic cut the 2020 season abruptly short. With the high season being cut short, many clubs were never able to reach their full revenue earning potential. Ultimately, the decision to grant dues concessions involves weighing the impact on the club’s long-term financial viability against potential legal liability for not doing so. In some states, lawsuits have already been filed against some clubs that continue to charge (or not refund dues) while access to amenities is limited, despite usage being barred by governmental authorities. These lawsuits gener16
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to make their membership program more resilient to these types of closures. For example, transparency in communications with members tend to reduce dues disputes, particularly when explanations are given about how dues are being used during a closure. While a seemingly simple step, communication goes a long way in keeping members satisfied. Other solutions include restructuring amenities and activities to provide both a safe and social experience, such as internet-based classes and events during closures. Clubs that have found creative ways to keep members engaged during the pandemic are building long-lasting bonds, staying relevant and maintaining value for their members. Ultimately, when we have recovered from this pandemic, the clubs that have successfully created and maintained value for their members will be the ones that remain healthy and prosperous for years to come. BR
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BONNIE J. KNUTSON
MEMBERSHIP MUSINGS
Bonnie J. Knutson Ph.D. 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
I’ve Always Liked the Number 19 There are several reasons why I’ve always liked the number 19. My husband and I started dating when we were 19 years old. We were married on February 19th. And in my immediate family, it’s 1 + 9 – one family plus nine people – grandparent, daughters, son-in-law and grandkids. All in all, 19 has always treated me well. The truth be told, however, it has never helped me win the lottery. But hope does spring eternal. As the calendar approached the 19th of this past month, I started thinking about the number 19 and how it has to turn out to be meaningful for everybody. Not just me, nor my family, friends, community, state, country, or even world. Everybody. Because just as 9 and 11 are forever linked by what happened in New York City on September 11, 2001, the number 19 will never be able to stand alone; the dreadful word, COVID will always prefix it. Come to think about it, though, maybe it was fate that this global pandemic bears the number 19. After all, in numerology, the number 19 represents new beginnings, fresh starts, progress, open doors, breakthroughs and upward trajectories. It signifies the end of one phase and the beginning of another. It’s a sign that we should move on to the next level. And after everything that has happened this year – medically, economically, culturally, socially, politically – isn’t that where we are? Isn’t that where our clubs must be? I expect the future will mark 2020 as a transformational year. Amazon Prime boxes are becoming part of our front porch décor. We are learning new cooking skills via webcasts and getting our workouts online. We are trying to help our kids with a math problem that we forgot how to do years ago because they, too, are discovering the virtual world. We can “go” to a meeting in our slippers and jeans. We are all forming love-hate relationships with Zoom and TeamMeetings. And we miss the commandries of colleagues at work and friends at our clubs. Slowly but surely, however, our clubs are being allowed to welcome 18
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us back. But as Yogi Berra purportedly said, the future ain’t what it used to be. Furthermore, it never will be. Our clubs will not return to what we think of as normal or even what we might think of as a new normal. Instead, there will be a “transformational-normal” on our golf courses, in our dining rooms, on our tennis courts, in our locker rooms, in our fitness centers, and in our membership rosters. After all, did we ever think that taking our shoes off to go through TSA security before getting on an airplane would become just part of our standard travel ritual after 9/11? Will the next step be temperature checks? But if anyone tells you that they know what our clubs will be like next year, or in five years, or down farther down the road, they have a better crystal ball than either you or me. Not long ago, a friend of mine emailed me one of those funny little maxims that we all spend too time reading and passing on. But then it hit me. Wrapped up in a simple picture and 34 words was the key for our clubs to thrive, not just survive, in what will be our transformational-normal world. The picture was of Radar (Walter) O’Reilly, the fictional character in the M*A*S*H television series. He was called Radar because he seemingly knew what was going to happen before it did. (For those of you too young to remember the series, I urge you to binge watch it when you have the chance.) In the photo, Radar’s sitting at his cluttered drab army-issued desk talking on the phone, with the caption under it that says, We need to change who is in charge of this crisis. In one phone call Radar could’ve had masks, gloves, ventilators, PPE, 12-year-old Scotch, Rocky Road ice cream, and grape Nehi soda. So, the lesson for all of us is the club world is simple. Get your radar up. “In a progressive country, change is constant, change is inevitable.” Make sure your radar is constantly up and working to proactively watch what’s going on in your community that can directly or indirectly affect your club – demographically, culturally, economically, technologically, and politically. Because, like politics, all clubs are local. Instability can happen anywhere or at any time. If your club’s radar is up 24/7, however, you will have a better chance of detecting the first signs of change, giving your club time to protect itself against threats to its endurance, or take advantage of opportunities that may arise. If your radar is not working properly, or if your management team and/ or your board are not ready, willing and able to respond to the projected change quickly, your club’s strategic thrust can be in jeopardy. Way back in 2006, two authorities on managing change reminded us that the biggest dangers to a [club] are the ones you don’t see coming and understanding these threats – and anticipating opportunities – requires strong peripheral vision. In other words, you must have a 360-degree radar screen. These words are even truer today. Your bottom line will thank you. And now, I better go out to get this week’s lottery ticket. B R
COVER STORY |
BY DAVE WHITE, EDITOR
SUSTAINABILITY
• The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level. • Avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance. • Meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In addition to natural resources, we also need social and economic resources. Take your pick of these definitions but the bottom line is this: Sustainability means doing the right thing for future generations and our planet. And it’s becoming an even greater focus for private clubs because what’s good for the private club is also good for our environment, our communities and our people. “Sustainable development ideals (leaving a better world, than the one we are in, to future generations) were set in 1987 but it wasn’t until 1997 when John Elkington, an English author and strategist, coined the term ‘Triple Bottom Line of Profit, People and Planet in his book, Cannibals with Forks, that businesses were offered a very simple, yet extremely efficient, sustainable strategy model,” said Hervé Houdré, principal with H2 Sustainability Consulting. Houdré has taken his passion for sustainable development and 40 years’ experience in the luxury hospitality industry and focuses on helping the hospitality industry, cities, groups and organizations integrate and implement profitable, sustainable strategies. “Originally the triple bottom line was seen as a cost rather than an opportunity to develop more profit. Nowadays we realize that focusing on energy efficiency, water consumption and waste management, while developing partnerships with local or international organizations, helps companies reduce their expenses and improve their image and revenue,” Houdré explained. And how does that work for private clubs today? “A triple bottom line master plan can be integrated into all businesses’ strategies, and that includes private clubs. The very first step is to ensure that the person (CEO, GM) or body (board) at the top of the pyramid is committed to engaging in such a strategy,” Houdré added. “Education, plus the nomination of a champion and creation of committees, should ensue. Then, a roadmap, relevant to the business, with clear targets and timeline should be established and include the hierarchy’s ideas as well as those from the employees to ensure that everyone is on board with the plan’s ambition. “Measurements and reporting are critical to the plan’s success and they show, in total transparency, where the organization stands on its journey to a more sustainable business model. 20
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“Celebrating and communicating internally is very important,” Houdré added. “The road to sustainability,” he says, “is long, winding and full of iterations. “The current COVID situation is a bump on the road to full sustainability as companies are striving to remain financially sustainable. However, the pandemic will be solved with a vaccine. Climate change and plastic oceans will not, and we should not take this situation as an excuse not to continue or start the journey,” Hervé added. “The genius of the Triple Bottom Line is that you must focus on the economic bottom line to be able to focus on the environment and social responsibility bottom lines. It must be understood as a business model, not an add-on. “Focus on energy efficiency to start with and everyone will be astonished to see the reduction in electricity costs on their monthly P&L. In a golf club I’d definitely focus on water management, as it is not only a cost but a responsibility, in today’s world, not to wastewater,” he suggested. “Recently, the heir to LVMH, that owns the famous Château Cheval Blanc, said that climate change was a major risk for all vineyards as if temperatures rise too high, the wineries will no longer be able to produce their superb wines. I encourage club owners to ponder this remark. “Partner with some local charitable organizations and one will see how important it is to the employees of the club. It’s recognized that a sustainability strategy helps employee satisfaction and retention, thus reducing hiring and training costs. “Another positive consequence of a proper sustainability strategy helps mitigate risks and, on larger scales, reduces insurance costs,” Houdré emphasized. Till von Ruexleben, principal with Brodtmann Consulting of Denver, CO and Naples, FL, with his cohorts, has developed a program – Vivid Leaf – specifically for the private club industry. “Vivid LeafTM is a cloud-based (with embedded bank-equivalent security) ‘mind-share’ platform that helps private clubs, resorts, hotels and restaurants make their journey to sustainability efficient, focused and successful,” expressed von Ruexleben During a meeting - discussing Germany’s exit from conventional energy sources, shifting completely to wind and solar - with the CEO of Europe’s largest renewable energy company, von Ruexleben brought up the idea of translating the experiences made with sustainability in Europe to the U.S.
“The U.S. version has been developed specifically for the private club industry (in Europe, we have extended the solution to serve whole cities). We have made slight modifications to the assessment to also work for hotels and resorts,” von Ruexleben added. He described Vivid Leaf as a one-stop platform that covers all aspects of sustainability for a private club. No IT equipment or knowledge needed, no technical knowledge needed, and our customers receive constant updates on the latest technological advances as well as what other clubs have done successfully. And as a bonus: the real-time character and built-in Artificial Intelligence (AI) detects and analyzes unusual spikes in usage and allows alerting for defective devices. The definition of sustainability: Profit – People – Planet backs the notion of improving your club’s bottom line while doing the “right thing” for future generations and the planet. “Savings on resources, however, is only a fraction of the value proposition for becoming a (self-)sustainable club. Doing the “right thing” for your members, your community, the planet and your club pays in many ways,” von Ruexleben emphasized. For example: • Significant reduction of expenses: Depending on your club’s size, amenities and geographical location, embracing the core concepts of sustainability carries the potential of annual savings of $25,000 to over $100,000. • Membership retainment and acquisition: Every club has reported increased membership pride of belonging, increased membership engagement and increased community interest in the club, which often results in waitlists. • Community and political support: Several clubs had their permitting process eased and accelerated when they shared their environmental practices with the authorities. ➤
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• Exceptional member experiences and environmentally sound practices go handin-hand: think fresh, organic food grown on the property, organic honey from beehives for the members, oxygen-rich air at your outdoor tennis courts. • Millennials make up around 30 percent of the world’s population and are arguably the most concerned generation when it comes to environmental sustainability. The private club of the future will have to consider their desires and expectations. Already Millennials are forcing organizations to conform to environmental, social and governance tenets.
TILL VON RUEXLEBEN
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• Free marketing and press coverage: Clubs that lead with resilience and sustainability get a lot of media attention and coverage. • Resiliency: It’s almost self-explanatory that a private club that spends less on energy, water, pesticides, fertilizers and trash removal is much better suited to last through a pandemic or even a natural disaster, such as fires, hurricanes and droughts and floods. Independence of the grid has also paid for many clubs on our platform. “We think a comprehensive, overall approach is needed, which will have a long-lasting, financial and membership retainment impact.” Von Ruexleben also reiterated some of the unique aspects of the approach for private clubs. 1. The social “mind-share” means that every club on the platform can propose a sustainability initiative that they tried and that worked for them. So, instead of 160 engineering brains, we have hundreds of club/ hotel/city employees, GMs, groundkeepers, superintendents and chief engineers submitting creative, new and different ways to reduce waste, water- and energy usage, reduce carbon emissions, chemical/fertilizer use and to provide their members with exceptional, fresh food. We have 50 (!) initiatives pending, including recycling of tennis balls, golf clubs etc. 2. Real-time means actual data - and our built-in machine learning AI alerts clubs immediately if usage data spikes. We had detected three defective compressors and two pumps before they completely failed (but they used a lot of electrical power). 3. Clubs can immediately see where they stand in terms of environmental impact: Our unique rating system shows them (in real time, of course) whether they are sustainability leaders in their community, their state, the whole U.S. or even worldwide. 4. Our platforms show the net carbon emissions of a club - in direct comparison to the U.S. average - in real time, with the data we pull from their utility. Venice Golf and Country Club has a negative balance - amazing! 5. Our users report that they love the ease of use and clear representation of what has been done, what’s the effect and what could be done and why. They do not need to have IT knowledge; nothing is installed on their hardware and they do not need environmental technology know-how. We explain everything in layman terms and even help connecting clubs with the best providers, e.g., geothermal heaters. 6. Our customers are in the know for the latest technology developments. We even purchase state-of-the-art IoT devices and e.g., water heaters for our lab - and document the true savings potential. 7. Easy and instant integration of our dashboard on the club’s website. See: http://venicegcc.public.vivid-leaf.com 8. We have implemented an integration with all leading social platforms so that the club can push notifications about noticeable environmental achievements automatically on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter etc. Von Ruexleben also says the group has implemented Vivid Leaf differently to ‘standard’ certifications. “We started with the idea of a wide-reaching ‘static’/classic certification. While this works well for bird sanctuaries and elimination of invasive species (e.g., Audubon - all of which we cover as well), it does not for rapidly advancing technologies to achieve higher levels of sustainability.” Examples of developments in the last 18 months include: ➤
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SHANNON EASTER, DIRECTOR OF GOLF MAINTENANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY BROKEN SOUND CLUB
• IoT devices that measure nitrogen and phosphate content in water • Hybrid water heaters • One-watt energy input - four-watt energy output geothermal heating units • Recyclable cups made from cellulose nanocrystals (from wood pulp), which, combined with polyvinyl alcohol, exceed the insulation capabilities of Styrofoam and the material is just as elastic • Tennis ball recycling • Fast advancing energy storage, and • Solar roof tiles approved for hurricane-prone areas. • LoRaWan – inexpensive long-range sensors to monitor all key aspects of maintaining a perfect course from the clubhouse - even for very large areas. So, a static certification would be ‘aged’ the minute it’s complete. Broken Sound Club in Boca Raton, FL, a Boardroom Distinguished Club and Hacienda Golf Club in La Habra Heights, CA, also a Boardroom Distinguished Club are two clubs that have been assessed by von Ruexleben with the Vivid Leaf program. For almost 20 years now, Broken Sound, featured in an earlier BoardRoom story about sustainability, has pursued a path of expansion while also making efforts to be more environmentally sensitive and reducing energy costs and consumption. At Broken Sound it began with the introduction of biodegradable cups and recycling, composting and Golf Environmental Organisation’s (GEO) certification. The club has also received Audubon Sanctuary certification. The club’s earlier sustainability efforts also included: • Reclaimed water for two of its golf courses to supplement its regular water supply. • Card room addition with energy upgrades. • Solar array to general power from carport structures. More recently, Shannon Easter, the club’s director of golf maintenance and sustainability, says the club has expanded its program with: Carbon: “In 2017, we did a full renovation on the new course at Broken Sound, and before the renovation, we had completed studies on carbon,” Easter commented. “The studies showed that we were holding nutrients and H20 in the soil until the plant used them up. So, we also reduced our fertility, fungicides and irrigation by 30 to 40 percent across the board. The carbon creates a filter just like you would use at your house for your air conditioning. “So, we created a huge carbon filter over the entire golf course and applied Mirimichi carbon at a rate of 40lbs/1000 (120 acres). We took it a step further and removed the peat out of the greens’ mix. We built a 20year green that should stay intact and perform consistently. With the Mirimichi carbon, you can adjust your percolation rates by ½ inch per hour,” Easter added. Bat houses: The club has also taken on the challenge of attacking the mosquito population around the club by adding 22 bat houses. Bats are highly effective because they eat a lot of mosquitos. As well, the club has added gambusia minnows in all lakes to eat the mosquito larvae. With the carbon filtering, the lakes don’t have any algae to give mosquitos different places to lay their larvae. SEE COVER STORY | 114
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COVER STORY |
BY DAVE WHITE, EDITOR
Mindfulness Leads to A Sustainable Culture What does sustainability mean to Russell Sylte, general manager of Hacienda Golf Club, a Boardroom Distinguished Club ? A couple of things for sure. For the La Habra Heights, CA club, it represents “meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Profit, People and Planet backs the notion of taking action spending less on utilities, pesticides, fertilizers, trash and recycling and more on member experience, retention and attracting new members. In the mind of the empathic Sylte, “Sustainability also means a culture that thrives in education and adaptability.” Here Hacienda is setting the bar for other 21st Century private clubs. Mindfulness is an idea whose time has come and amid the current uncertainties (COVID-19, social and political unrest, and unemployment), and Sylte has viewed this as the moment to incorporate mindfulness practices into the day-to-day life at Hacienda Golf Club. “Mindfulness is a critical leadership skill and we’re building a sustainable culture as a progressive ‘new normal,’” explained GM Sylte. Hacienda has achieved this standard after 13 department managers and GM Sylte embarked on a journey with Mindful “U” in July 2019 to become Certified Mindful Professionals (CMP). Topics for the weekly classes included: Stress reduction, listening skills, meditation, managing angry people, creating a safe learning environment and the relationship between the mind and body. Students received tools for decision-making, time management and conflict resolution. All 13 graduated as a team 12 months later, the first corporate team to graduate together, an outstanding achievement as Hacienda Golf Club celebrates with its 100th anniversary this year. “It’s helped us chart an innovative course, even with the challenges facing us today,” explained their visionary leader Sylte, GM/COO and a PGA Master Professional. “Certifying my team leaders as Mindful Professionals has taken all of us to a new level. Our team has never been so collaborative and creative. We are breaking down departmental silos, reducing drama and making our club’s vision a daily reality,” he said. “The Mindful “U” leadership engagement program has been one of the most important tools I’ve been given to become a better leader,” offered Jonathan Goglia, the club’s head golf professional. “The lessons lead by Craig Marshall and Rick Ladendorf, the Monk & Mastermind, are priceless and will serve my personal and professional momentum for a lifetime. I am truly proud and grateful to call myself a Certified Mindful Professional,” he added. 26
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“The mindfulness training has been instrumental in my personal and professional growth. I’ve been given tools that have taught me to slow down and not be so reactive. I’ve learned to listen and not judge, “ said Carina Najera, Hacienda’s controller. “Above all, this training could not have come at a better time as we live through uncertainty. I’m not afraid of tomorrow; I am looking forward to conquering it alongside a team of mindful professionals,” she added. “Hacienda’s management team led by GM Sylte has earned the reputation of being the club-of-choice, a great employer and a good neighbor. The entire Hacienda management team unanimously voted to participate in this 26-Lesson Leadership Engagement Program. Their stellar reputation is a direct result of Russell’s mindful leadership skills and his uncompromising focus on forming a safe learning environment. Together, they have created a world-class culture,” Mindful Master Ladendorf emphasized. “One of my favorite ways to measure my leadership style is to ask this question: How do I measure myself? Answer: I measure myself by the people who measure themselves by me. Answers to this question such as, ‘We feel empowered, creative and take ownership in our departments’, are a sure sign of a sustainable culture,” Sylte stressed. So how does Sylte and his staff incorporate these concepts into the BoardRoom Distinguished Club’s culture? SEE MINDFULNESS | 115
STEVE HOCKETT
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Steve M. Hockett CCM, CCE is a 40-year veteran of private club management. He most notably served as the general manager at the Oakmont Country Club in Glendale, CA for 24 years as well as seven years as GM at the Palos Verdes Golf Club in Palos Verdes Estates, CA. He currently is serving as the interim general manager at the Long Beach Yacht Club in Long Beach, CA., his fifth interim GM assignment. He can be reached at (562)881-1223 or at stevemhockett@gmail.com.
Insights to Help the Club Executive Live Longer With the Club Governance The average tenure for an executive in the private club industry is very short when you compare it to any other industry. Some change is good, but the inability of the club’s board and executive to get along well drives the vast majority of changes. Having a 24-year tenure as a COO at one club and another club for seven years, my mentors gave me many gifts down through the years. They passed along the following concepts on executive longevity and I am hopeful both executives and board members will enjoy these gifts as well. It’s a good thing to have long term senior management tenure. This is a best practice for continuity and proper strategic planning, among other important considerations. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen often enough! Here are some age-old tips on longevity for a club executive to enhance the relationship between the executive and the club governance. Club executives should always lead while giving the impression that they are being led. Making people feel special and important is a fundamental concept in the hospitality industry. This concept is even more pronounced in the club industry. Clubs hire executives to run their business, but successful executives know how to run the business while giving credit to the governance group. Elected or appointed members want to feel important in front of their friends, peers and fellow members. Promote that in public and lead in private. Can’t make everyone happy, so don’t try. Just don’t make anyone angry at you. A young club executive shared this concept with me. Here’s an example related to a lunch following a Tuesday round of golf. The spouse had an issue in the dining room at lunch and proceeded to share this experience with her husband that evening.
THE FOUR CYCLES OF COMMITTEE/BOARD LIFE A lighthearted example of the four cycles of any board or committee life are: 1.
“I finally got on the committee/board that I always wanted and I’m going to change everything!”
2.
“I understand why they do things the way they do, and I better prioritize what I want to get done.”
3.
“I got what I wanted or didn’t because I know how things are done and I’m part of an effective committee or board.”
4. “The hell with it, I’m almost done, let the next guy deal with it.”
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By the time the Saturday golf game rolls around, the problem has grown worse in his mind and he shares this frustration with his foursome. Later that problem is shared with other members, and the overblown problem has turned into an agenda item for the next house committee meeting. That was 38 years ago and although the roles have changed, the concept remains. If you make someone unhappy, your problem with one member becomes a problem with 20 unless addressed immediately. My 84-year-old mentor in 1982 recommended a call to the spouse as soon as possible to apologize. Better yet, back then, catch her in the ladies’ card room before the whole room hears about her problems! I call this time-sensitive service recovery… it makes a significant impact on solving the issue early so we can mitigate the viral nature of private clubs. Golf professional envy versus the club executive: People join golf clubs, for the most part, because they love golf. The golf pros have developed the ability to do what they all wish they could do… play the game of golf well! However, the club executive is a business professional and not a very smart one… they took a job with 900 bosses! This concept specifically related to roles and responsibilities may have changed, but the basic idea of understanding the relationships and motivations have not. Is club governance as quick to replace a golf pro as they are to replace a club executive? I’ve always made it a point to respect and learn from the golf professionals and all department heads. I may not play golf well, but I learned from many golf pros how to push the right buttons for the members and gain respect for my talents. Perhaps this illustrates why golf clubs have increasingly selected PGA members as their chief club executive. A club executive has to be able to run many different “businesses” within the club, and have the knowledge to lead, inspire and manage all staff. Fill the gaps: We can all remember when the board appointed “a doctor” on the board as ➤
LARRY HIRSH Larry Hirsh, CRE, MAI, SGA, FRICS is the president of Golf Property Analysts (www.golfprop.com), a leading golf and club property consulting, appraisal and brokerage firm based in Philadelphia.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Change…A Scary Word “Change.” In many instances, this is a term political candidates use to motivate voters. In the world of private clubs, change is often a scary word, especially to older members seeking the comfort level and traditions they’ve become used to. Change is also often the reason why members leave one club for another and sometimes a necessity for those clubs experiencing distress. Sometimes change occurs for no good reason and creates discontent among the membership that can’t be reversed. I’ve been fortunate to play my golf at private clubs for most of my life. I’ve been at member-owned clubs and corporate clubs. I’ve seen corporate clubs, benevolent dictatorships and board-run clubs, and club politics are rarely pretty. You’ll never please all of the people all of the time. However, I’ve learned one principle that should be applied to all clubs. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! If it is broke, fix it now! That shouldn’t diminish the fact that many clubs have problems that need prompt attention. It can be deferred maintenance, necessary capital improvements to stay competitive, or an evolution in membership indicating a change in culture. There’s no one right answer for all clubs. The most destructive change I’ve observed is when change occurs simply because club leadership changes. If a club is successful, the membership is happy and thriving and the club is financially secure, it’s not uncommon to see a change in leadership seeking to “make their mark.” Key staff members are pushed out, rules are changed (or in many cases added) and the culture of the club is changed. Sometimes, this from Executive Committee | 28
treasurer. The treasurer needed some help – the doctor had never developed an annual budget or prepared monthly reporting for a club. When it comes to important data points that the board reviews, such as monthly reporting or the annual budget, the club executive should lead the process. Executives are the functional experts and should be the support system to fill the gaps, an example for many governance tasks. However, a successful club executive gives credit to the member. Never say no to a member: A scenario taught me this principle – A member suggested we paint the clubhouse purple (seriously!). The response is this: “That’s a good idea, it has a lot of merit and I will be sure to bring that to 30
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type of change simply occurs because there is no change in leadership and those in power make the club their personal fiefdom. “Change” is both good and bad. Leadership needs to change to avoid unnecessary change elsewhere. A long-range plan should be adopted and adhered to by successive leadership. Change often needs to occur to get a club back on track or to evolve and update to be competitive. It’s not at all uncommon for clubs that don’t evolve and invest to fail financially because of a lack of leadership. Conversely, there are clubs with over-aggressive leadership that create a negative environment and a change in culture resulting from micro-management. Every club should have a governance structure of leadership that’s in place long enough for stability but that changes frequently enough to allow for appropriate evolution. Like in Washington, DC term limits are critical. Congress is somewhat dysfunctional because of a lack of term limits. Clubs often have the same problem – “same old crowd”). BR
the attention of the house committee.” In other words, the member may have some interesting ideas, but they should always be listened to and never be disrespected! All clubs have the same members; they just have different names and different faces. Remember that in any organization, people take on similar roles, and these roles are more easily identifiable in the private club environment. The percentage of members who are supportive, no matter what happens, is hopefully larger than the percentage of members that can never be pleased. Some never want to get involved and others have the interest and aspiration to get involved in club governance. With equity owned, the faster the club executive identifies the different sectors of the membership, the better the understanding of the culture and the better the relationship can be. B R
RON CICHY Dr. Ronald F Cichy, O.M. is professor emeritus, Michigan State University.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Curiosity Intelligence A Desire to Know
I’m fascinated with mechanical watches. My first was a 1950 vintage Hopalong Cassidy stainless steel wind-up wristwatch. When I turned 50, I acquired my 1950 vintage Patek Philippe Calatrava ref 96 rose gold mechanical wristwatch. I know what makes them run and keep time. Have you ever looked at something and said to yourself: “I wonder how that works?” That thought is curiosity. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI)
Between 2005 and 2010, we researched and published more than a dozen articles about emotional intelligence (EI) of private club GMs and COOs, volunteer leaders (boards of directors, members, committee members) and staff members. We created and validated an emotional intelligence assessment. We defined EI as IN (intrapersonal), OUT (interpersonal and empathy), and RELATIONSHIPS. We examined EI as it relates to organizational leadership, organizational commitment, social skills and stress management, and the role of a club GM/COO as a chief relationship officer (CRO). BoardRoom magazine and Club Management magazine published our applied EI research results. When initially introduced, some suggested that EI was a complement to IQ (intelligence quotient, a measure used to indicate a person’s relative intelligence, proficiency in or knowledge of a specified subject). Now some are suggesting that a better predictor of life success may be the person’s curiosity intelligence. BR 32
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STEVE MONA Steve Mona is Club Benchmarking’s director of governance & leadership. He can be reached at smona@clubbenchmarking.com
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Making a Case for Annual Board Governance Tune-ups Few clubs prioritize an annual governance review, which it must be undertaken as a continuous process and that it requires is arguably one of the most important steps a board can regular maintenance. So, what should be included in a proper governance review? A take to ensure long-term success. variety of different models exist, but I encourage boards to conMost of us wouldn’t think of ignoring our annual sider these eight core components: checkup with the doctor, dentist or optician. When 1) Governing documents: Are the articles of incorporation and we’re planning a long road trip, we make it a top bylaws up to date? priority to get the car checked out in advance by a 2) Operating documents: Are the mission, vision, core values trusted mechanic. In both scenarios, we take proactive and strategic plan (including KPIs) up to date? Are your club rules measures to ensure all critical systems are operating and discipline process current? Is your IT policy up to date? correctly because we want to avoid unpleasant, po3) Financial documents: Are your long-range financial and captentially catastrophic surprises. ital plans up to date? Have you addressed any items raised in the The same logic – reviewing key systems – is regumost recent audit? Are KPIs for your key financial metrics current? larly applied by businesses that are serious about being Is your capital reserve study up to date? around for the long haul. Yet, the concept has not been 5) Board documents: Is your annual calendar of meetings and topcommonly embraced as a best practice by private club ics to be addressed up to date? Is your code of ethics current? Are governance. your roles and responsibilities document up to date? Is your organizational chart current? 6) Succession and evaluation: Are your succession plans for board and key staff up to date? Are you conducting annual performance evaluations of your GM/COO and the board? 7) Leadership development: Are leadership development plans for board and key staff current? Is your board orientation program up to date? Have you recently reviewed the purpose and function of your committees to ensure they are synchronized with the current needs of the club? Is your committee recruitment and selection process up to date? 8) Communication: Is your strategic communications plan up to date? Are you communicating through the most appropriate channels to your members? While I’ve never understood the disconnect, experi9) Financial and cultural stewardship: Are you incorporating ence has shown me that boards operating without an relevant benchmarks for finance, operations, market trends and annual process for governance review generally fall member/staff engagement in the decision-making process and prointo three categories: Those bound to an annual calenmoting a strong culture of fact-based leadership? dar that doesn’t include a placeholder for addressing If you’re a board member asking yourself whether it’s really governance itself, boards stuck in “if it ain’t broke, worth the effort to go through the process every year, consider don’t fix it” mode, and boards that don’t think of themthis: Club Benchmarking data shows 25 percent of private clubs are selves as a strategic body and so don’t address goverin significant financial distress and 50 percent are going sideways nance strategically. or experiencing marginal growth. After more than three decades of observing boards The other 25 percent are achieving robust financial results and in their native environment, I can vouch for the fact growing purposefully. I think it’s safe to assume those successful that those who are intentional about good goveroutcomes do not just happen by chance. They are most likely the nance almost always deliver better results for their product of effective, forward-looking leadership, and the good members. Those intentional boards understand that news is that it is an attainable goal for every club. You just have to good governance is not an end unto itself; they know take the first step and a board review is a great place to start. BR 34
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CRAIG MARTIN
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Craig Martin, CCM is vice president, DENEHY Club Thinking Partners, a leading executive search and consulting firm serving private clubs and boutique resorts. Learn more about CTP at www.denehyctp.com. Craig can be reached at 561.662.4379 or via email: craig@denehyctp.com.
Passing The Baton
Successful Transition of Board Members General managers should take the initiative to encourage new In many instances, the annual board transition of outgoboard members to engage in meeting new club members. Most ing and new board members is a sensitive period. new members like to know who they can communicate with on It requires general managers to draw on their skill the board. This gives the new board members a feeling of gratifiset and experience to handle and lead the process cation and engagement to their role seamlessly. Ensuring this goes smoothly is no easy • Getting professional pictures of the newly formed board and task even for the most experienced general manager. new members to display in the club gives a sense of pride and Here are valuable tips I’ve assembled over my 40 awareness to those who are volunteering their time years in the industry to help make the process go as • Periodically general managers should invite new board memsmoothly as possible. First and foremost, the general bers to meet for coffee or lunch one-on-one to foster the relamanager is responsible for leading the transition to tionship and open the lines of communication. ensure the handoff goes seamlessly. C
STEPS FOR SUCCESS
Upon election, a thorough orientation for all new board members is mandatory and should include the general manager and club president • A professionally prepared presentation of material and information should be given to the new board member to use as a resource during their tenure. Consider using one of several app-based platforms to warehouse industry, club, board and committee information • A tour and walkthrough of the entire facility and campus helps assimilate the new board member and broadens their viewpoint to the back of the house, which they may have never seen before. A general introduction to the key department heads during the tour helps them learn about each manager’s business unit and area. Consider having those department leaders drive the process in their respective areas • Each new board member should meet with the general manager and the professional liaison they will work with as chair of the committee. Outlining the history of the committee, structure of the committee, past minutes, key projects, and a high-level department overview sets the stage for getting off on a good start for all. This is a great time to review the committee’s charter and grants and limits of authority • A personal note welcoming each new board member helps foster a good rapport and earns respect on building a solid relationship 36
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TRANSITIONING OFF THE BOARD
M
• Recognizing each outgoing board member at the annual meeting is very important as it shows respect and recognition for their term on the board to the membership • Symbolically a customized plaque or gift is presented to each outgoing board member at the annual meeting • The general manager should schedule one-on-one time with each outgoing board member over coffee or lunch and glean constructive feedback from their tenure on the board • It is helpful for board members and committee chairs to learn potential areas of improvement by meeting with staff liaison and/ or general managers • Departing board members should be encouraged by the general manager and club president to remain involved in committees and help ensure continuity by being an ambassador supporting the club’s vision and leadership. Don’t allow board members to leave feeling their time was wasted as a board member. Invite them into focus groups or remain involved on committees. Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Imagine a relay race of distance runners who pass the baton from one runner to the next. Each runner relies on their teammates to be in sync and hand off the baton without dropping it. If the baton gets dropped, the rhythm is lost. With the general manager leading as coach, the transition will keep everyone on track and running harmoniously. Your new team will win. Building a strong foundation and successful working relationships with new and outgoing board members pays big dividends and will keep the club environment positive and respectful to all involved. B R
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JERRY N. 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. Clubwise is the 2017 Strategic Planning Company of the Year, 2018 Strategic Planning and Capital Funding Company of the year and 2019 Facility Planning Company of the Year. Jerry received the Lifetime Achievement Award for BoardRoom Magazine in 2018. He can be reached at www.clubwiseconsulting.com or CMAAMCM@msn.com
A Solid Management Philosophy Use COVID to Deal with COVID
Certainly, things are much different today than we could have imagined. The club industry is focused on how to handle the virus and still serve the members. Note the May/June issue of BoardRoom with so many articles directed at how individual clubs are handling the problem. I heard one expert say we may be dealing with wearing masks for years. GOD forbid! In the past few months, some clubs have been more successful than others in dealing with the crisis. Why? Recently we have heard the word systemic used frequently. When a system is designed, it normally has specific goals and objectives built in. Systemic means the system has been designed for that purpose. You set up a system to accomplish certain things. Broadly based systems are designed to deal with any issue the business may face. These systems are multi-faceted because they involve many points of decision-making by a variety of participants. Each facet is designed to complement the others, leading the organization in the right direction. Over the years, clubs have developed best practices for managing their complex organizations. These are tried and true systems that have been proven successful under all types of crises. They can be summarized as COVID: C – Communicate effectively with all stakeholders O – Operating systems that provide a high level of satisfaction and value V – Vision for short and long-term success I – Idea analysis for effective investment of both financial and human capital D – Dedication and focus to succeed by the board and management team Pretty basic stuff, isn’t it? Well managed clubs with solid governance practices understand that member communication is a key to success no matter what the issue. These clubs have designed their operating systems to meet the needs of the members. They provide high value and satisfaction to all classes of members. They realize they are not in the golf, tennis, 38
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swimming, wellness, or food and beverage business, but know they are in the dues business. Dues revenue has a direct relationship to member satisfaction. Another basic principle of great clubs is always to be planning. Strategic plans detail a vision for the future and identify a path to get there. What’s the old saying, “if you don’t know where you’re going, any path will get you there.” Pretty logical, isn’t it? Unfortunately, not enough clubs have targeted strategic initiatives that will promote progress. Such initiatives will provide for the successful investment in facilities, products and services. All these operating system goals and objectives require dedication by all involved if they are going to generate the results you are looking for. So, what just happened? We realize that no matter the difficult issues we may face (hurricanes, fires, struggles within factions of the members, and yes, even viruses), we can fight them with sound and trusted business practices we already know will work. Yes, each crisis may have unique characteristics, but they are all dealt with logically using sound organizational practices that have served the club well over the years. Just guard against getting caught up in all the minutia and don’t be afraid to make a mistake. When you are dealing with the unknown, you must use your best guess based on a complete review of the available information. Winston Churchill once said, “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” He also said, “You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” Congrats to all those who have weathered the storm and those clubs who have everyone on the same wavelength as they approach the future. B R
“Can we fund capital projects and reserves easily?”
OVERHEARD IN YOUR BOARDROOM? YOU’RE NOT ALONE.
“Why would I want to pay for the new pool project? I haven’t been there in years…” “How do we keep up with the other clubs in town?” “How will our members respond to this dues increase or special assessment? How many might leave over this?” “We’re a smart group of rotating, part-time volunteers…are we the right people to be running this club?” “Should we go back to our bank, or test our members’ appetite to pay?” “What is our plan to keep up with attrition and to actually grow our membership?” “We should’ve gained a lot more members from our last renovation...what happened?” “What capital investments are needed in the coming years, and how will we pay for it?” “We’re having trouble finding people to run for the Board; our members just want to enjoy their club and not spend time in long Board meetings worrying about budgets, hamburger prices and new agronomic practices.”
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“Our last member-vote was contentious, should we risk bringing this up to our members?” “Is our total member bill (dues + assessments) overpriced?” “Why can’t we seem to attract younger families to join?”
KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE
CASE STUDY
KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE is an executive recruiting and consulting firm providing services to the private club industry. The company has offices in Cleveland, Denver, Jupiter, Naples, New York, Scottsdale and Washington D.C. For more information, please visit www.kkandw.com
KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE Continues Expansion J. G. Ted Gillary, CCM, CCE, ECM, CMAA Fellow Joins as a Consultant and Search Executive KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE, for nearly 25 years, has continued to methodically add the brightest and most accomplished industry executive talent to the team to better serve its clients and industry leaders. J.G.”Ted” Gillary, recently retired as CEO of the Detroit Athletic Club, brings a wealth of industry and community knowledge to KK&W. “Being from Michigan, I’ve known Ted for over 30 years and have watched what an impact he’s had in the industry, most specifically during his many years leading the Detroit Athletic Club,” explained KK&W partner Kurt D. Kuebler. “Ted’s vision, integrity, determination and drive, professionalism and results are at the very top of our industry. The innovative and collaborative approach he took to combine club and community partnerships as part of the city’s resurgence are models for others to emulate…and while doing so, he elevated his team to the top because of his sincere, interactive, mentoring and caring nature.” Partner Richard Kopplin added, “I have known Ted for many years and observed his very successful management career as it evolved. There is no doubt that he is the quintessential club general manager and he has guided many young managers through the years on how to build a successful career. I am very excited to have Ted join our KK&W team and I believe his expertise will serve our clients very well.” “What an exciting addition to our team,” injected partner Thomas B. Wallace III. “Ted is a continuation of our organic
growth as a firm, and he represents a hospitality leader in complete alignment with our core values. Ted had an extraordinary career as a general manager and community leader and he immediately adds an unbelievable amount of operational and strategic knowledge to an already strong KK&W Team. I am personally excited for him to use his passion for mentoring and developing relationships to add to the success of our clients, the professionals we place or help improve, and continue to strengthen the industry that we love.” Gillary comes to the KK&W team after a very successful 35 years of experience in leading private clubs. During that time, he built a reputation for effectively instilling performance excellence throughout club operations. He has extensive knowledge in strategic planning and has demonstrated how to align vision and strategy to build member loyalty and growth. The practices Ted implemented for employee engagement and quality processes were consistently recognized by awards from the Michigan Quality Council, Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, and the Detroit Free Press. Gillary was selected to join the 2019 Inaugural Class of Fellows, an honorary recognition program distinguishing those living CMAA members who epitomize the leadership, integrity, involvement, and contributions of club management professionals. In 2020, Gillary was awarded Lifetime Achievement for the Excellence in Club Management Awards, in 2017 he was named Detroit’s Executive of the Year, was a recipient of the Excellence In Club Management Award, and mentored three Rising Star Award recipients. BR
“I am thrilled to be a part of the KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE team! I have been impressed by the knowledge and integrity of their leadership from the first time I observed Dick Kopplin in his early years with Kopplin Search, Inc. to the growth of the firm with the addition of partners, first, Kurt Kuebler and then Tom Wallace.” J. G. Ted Gillary, CCM, CCE, ECM, CMAA Fellow Consulting and Search Executive Contact: ted@kkandw.com or M. (313) 220-6140 • Over 35 years experience in leading private clubs • Experience with serving 35 boards and presidents and engaging large and diverse employee groups gives Gillary a deep understanding of how to succeed in today’s challenging club environment. 40
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“We knew it would not be easy to replace a tenured Chef, but you all did such a terrific job in preparing us and the candidates for the process. We truly appreciated the communication that you provided and how you kept us up to date on each step. More impressive was the list of candidates that you selected for us to review. Our team was also thoroughly impressed with the research you did to prepare for the search.”
Mark D. Tunney, General Manager Union League Club of Chicago, IL
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GORDON WELCH For more information or a copy of BoardRoom Institute’s complete board assessment contact Gordon Welch at gordon@BoardRoomInstitute.com.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Committee Recall The global pandemic has had an interesting effect on many clubs. Club members have been staying home under self-quarantine while others have been playing golf. Numerous clubs have been closed or have had limited services. Clubs have been struggling to remain relevant to their membership and have been planning how to continue the member experience for this period and as the industry restores itself. Now, as clubs have reopened from the pandemic, some boards are overstepping their boundaries by giving committees more authority and with that, the ability to micromanage. I’ve had many calls from clubs, as well as general manager/COOs with committee challenges. The issue seems to be ad hoc committees that have been approved or requested by the board. However, some of these are “self-appointed” rouge committees. Clubs are getting used to a new normal and boards are concerned about membership numbers. While many clubs have seen an increase in membership others have had losses. Families are finding that the club or yacht club are now a stable, safe haven for their families. Across the nation, boat sales are skyrocketing, bike sales have tripled and vacation home sales are at a peak. International travel is near zero. Families are spending their money at home in the U.S. I digress. Clubs want to be everything they can be, at the local rate of opening with proper protocols in place. Some clubs are being overly aggressive trying to be everything to everyone! Your committees need to take a step back. If the paid senior staff (GM/COO) wants or needs assistance they will certainly ask for it. Your GM/ COO has an incredible network of professionals that share ideas and best practices. Committees are a vital component in the structure and organization of a private club. Committees typically operate to: • Perform responsibilities assigned by the board and/or the club’s bylaws • Provide input, guidance and advice to the board 42
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• Serve as feedback resource/sounding boards to club managers • Listen for suggestions and feedback, and act as a liaison between the members, the board and management. Types of committees: Two permanent types of committees – standing and ad hoc – assist with the club’s business affairs. Standing committees deal with on-going club activities. Ad hoc committees serve a special purpose function, usually focusing on a single issue. These committees exist only until the issue is resolved, after which time the board dissolves the committee. The key information regarding committees is that club’s committees provide input, guidance and advice to the board. This sentence does not say anything about working with the staff, guiding the staff or directing the staff. That’s a recipe for disaster. Committee size is affected by the committee’s responsibilities, but size also affects the committee’s effectiveness and decision-making. Often an increased size decreases a committee’s ability to function efficiently and effectively, because so many more voices and opinions must be heard, sometimes leading to a much more cumbersome decision-making process. A smaller committee, taking the club’s various ‘voices’ into consideration, is generally a more effective lean, mean decision-making machine, as it provides advice to the board of directors. Committee membership is often on a rotating term of one, two or three years. Committee meeting frequency depends on the agenda and priorities and ranges from once a month, to once quarterly, once a year, or as needed. With so much litigation occurring today, the appointment of a board member as committee chair ensures the flow of authority for decisions going from the board to the committees and back. ROGUE COMMITTEES Normally all committee actions require board approval. Basically, committees serve in an advisory role to the board and they function to help shape and support the club’s goals and objectives. They can be an incredibly positive force in the daily life of a private club, drawing on the expertise of club members, generating enthusiasm among club member’s club activities and providing prospective board members with a learning circle. Conversely, a rogue committee, out of control or without direction, can inflict damage, including the violation of club policies, overspending budgets, a lack of transparency and/or creating unrest among the club’s membership. It is sage advice to provide all committees with an in-depth orientation regarding club policies and bylaws, goals and objectives and specific tasks, just as it is for board member training and orientation. So, if your committees are out of control or overstepping their role, ask them to take a step back before they have a negative effect on staff morale. Keep your committees focused and making suggestions to the board. BR
BallenIsles Country Club Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
DISCOVER TROON PRIVÉ Y o u r c l u b . Y o u r c u lt u r e . o u r r e s o u r c e s .
No two private clubs are alike, and we want to help you keep it that way. Of course, that requires a different approach from other management companies. As Troon’s private club division, we don’t own or lease clubs—we’re a proven third-party professional services organization that provides best-in-class systems, processes and resources to the member-owned, self-managed private clubs we serve. To learn more about Troon Privé, contact the team at 480.606.1000, or visit TroonPrivé.com.
The Clubs at St. James Southport, North Carolina
Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club St. George, Utah
troon PrIVÉ Your members enjoy privileged access and preferred rates at over 300 clubs around the globe.
West Bay Club Estero, Florida
P r I VAt e c l u b s o F D I s t I n c t I o n | t r o o n P r I V É . c o M
ED DOYLE Ed Doyle is president of RealFood, a division of Troon Golf, L.L.C., and can be reached at eddoyle@ rfhsd.com, or (617) 876-2100
F&B COMMITTEE
Beyond the Four Walls Shifting the Perspectives
“Yes, you can eat the dinner I made for you, in your dining room, operators can design details of the experience – from the flatware the guests use to the centerpieces on the tables. The cooks and pajamas. And I’m okay with that.” servers can manage the cadence of courses and time at the table. This is how chefs and club professionals can But as we move beyond the four walls of the clubhouse, it can feel like shift their perspective as the industry adopts the experience is much less modulated and managed. Chefs often redigital-forward hospitality experiences. port they cannot control the experience once it leaves the dining room. Before the COVID-19 pandemic was an Food quality, temperature and plate presentation are widely known to everyday reality, private club members were be compromised with takeout and personal attention and service berating their food and beverage experiences comes more difficult to convey. at a higher importance than any other club As industry professionals, it’s time to leave that sentiment behind and amenity, including golf. Country clubs across actively embrace the idea of hospitality excellence beyond the perimthe nation were learning that to remain releeter of the property. It’s time to get comfortable with letting the memvant, they had to compete with the noteworthy bers control more of the experience, even if that might mean they are dining and drinking experiences being offered eating dinner in their pajamas. outside the club gates. As operators, it is time to start asking, “How do we build a digital hosNow, as the general consumer mindset shifts pitality experience that works in an environment where we have less in the age of social distancing, the country club control?” environment is being highly sought after, and Digital platforms allow for variations of an experience – they allow in many cases, is preferable to the downtown for self-selection by the end user. For example, with a tactile, hand-held restaurant scene. Herein lies the opportunity. menu, descriptions are typically limited and often a deeper story is left Today, many private clubs are reporting up to the server assigned to the table. With a digital menu, a member or higher-than-expected membership inquiries guest can choose how deeply to engage, digging into the story with “see and new member commitments. With golf more” or “click here” signals that create an opportunity for more storywidely considered safe and socially distanced telling around the experience. entertainment, consumers are directing disThe special halibut entrée is orally conveyed in a traditional hospiposable income to outdoor activities close to tality setting. Now, with a tap of the finger, the user can view a video home and easily accessible, especially those of the chef on the fish pier, selecting and receiving the catch of the that appeal to the whole family. day, creating new excitement around the full supply chain and that The National Golf Foundation reported on evening’s special. Google data indicates searches including the Forbes.com reported in early 2019 that “the biggest trend driving terms ‘golf balls’ and ‘golf clubs’ are both about change in the food and beverage industry right now is transparency.” 20 percent more popular right now than their Consumers want to know what ingredients are going into the end prodprevious five-year high marks. This indicates uct. From food labeling to nutrition menu descriptors, this trend has an increased purchase interest and behavior. been on the upward swing for some time. Now, in the COVID-19 enviAs interest in golf and subsequently private ronment, the demand for transparency is even more amplified. club memberships rise, so too does the need From increasing efficiencies in the kitchen to hosting online member for member engagement with other amenievents or elevating a quiet meal at home, digital engagement is the first ties, including dining. But with COVID-19 step in creating a richer hospitality experience that meets the new conchanging the way people engage with food sumer demands. and beverage, private clubs are being asked As the industry continues to embrace this notion, shifting the perto shift…yet again. spective on the topic may help us to connect in a more profound, perEngagement constantly occurs in an in-personal and sustainable way. B R son hospitality experience. In a traditional 44
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Northstar Club Management Software | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Priya Kumar
Shifting the Paradigm TARA ITI’S EMPLOYEE WEBSITE
Set in picturesque Mangawhai, New Zealand, on the shores of some of the best surfing in the world, Tara Iti is a private golf club that is currently ranked number two on Golf Digest’s ranking of the World’s Greatest Golf Courses. Tara Iti had recently completed its member website when club staff felt they needed a platform to share information with the club employees. The intent was to improve internal communication, make employees aware of the club’s history and culture, and highlight employee accomplishments. As Zoey Gruener, administration assistant, says, “It was a natural progression from developing a member website, to share information with members, to thinking about an employee website.” General Manager Matt Guzik contacted several club managers in the U.S. to ask them about their employee websites and found that very few clubs had employee websites, and none of them were integrated with the back office. Guzik then figured they could work within the same framework of the Northstar developed member website. This way, the employee website would be part of the club’s holistic software system and the club could utilize the learnings from developing the member website and apply it to the employee website. The employee and member websites share some common information like the Club Vision & Guiding Principles, Club Map, etc. but the other content is specific to employees like the employee directory, newsletter, caddy directory, employee forms, health and safety, etc. The employee website has been live since 2019 and during the ongoing pandemic, the employee website is being used to provide regular updates to the employees and keep them in the loop.
GENERAL MANAGER MATT GUZIK
Guzik shares about the overall experience, “It has been a journey with its highs and lows, but the Northstar system is the best system out there. Northstar’s potential and what it can offer is endless and this is not possible with a limited canned operational system. Northstar has limitless possibilities and from a managerial standpoint, the system continues to grow with your club requirements.” Gruener adds, “The beauty of the Northstar system is that it can be tailored to each individual club’s needs and priorities, be it reporting or an employee website. Additionally, with 46
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Northstar, we have real-time updates across the entire suite, which we cannot achieve with any other solution.” “Tara Iti has been a pleasure to work with and has been essential to increasing our global footprint,” says Northstar’s VP of International Sales, Andrew Bulloch. “Since we installed Northstar at Tara Iti, our international presence has increased 500 percent in large part due to the prestige that Tara Iti brings to our brand. I am grateful to Matt Guzik and his team’s hard work.” The employee website recently won accolades and Tara Iti has been contacted by several clubs to get more information about the employee website concept. However, Tara Iti is not one to rest on its laurels and is already exploring how to push the envelope with the Northstar Suite to develop new applications and features that will streamline operations and increase productivity. BR For more information about Northstar, please visit www. globalnorthstar.com or email info@globalnorthstar.com. Priya Kumar is the marketing director at Northstar and can be reached at priya.kumar@globalnorthstar.com
Clubessential | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Lynn Mangan, President
See What’s Ahead for Your Club
INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY ENABLES NEW PERSPECTIVES AND INCREASED ENGAGEMENT
For years club investments have centered on facilities and capital equipment. Over the last months, that conversation has broadened to include technology to create new processes that balance member safety with personal connections and member experiences. What hasn’t changed is the clubs’ desire to make smart investments and gain insights. Fortunately, when integrated across the club’s systems, new technology can increase member engagement and deliver insights to leadership. MUST-HAVE TECHNOLOGY: MOBILE
While the mobile revolution has been well underway, recent events accelerated adoption. Mobile technology, including new cloud-based mobile POS systems with increased speed and flexibility, are critical to delivering a safe and personalized experience that minimizes or eliminates contact. For example, clubs can offer contactless F&B orders and member check-ins from anywhere, making reservations, viewing upcoming events and paying their bills. In fact, clubs are growing operations in ways that weren’t possible before. For example, during COVID, we’ve seen F&B revenue from take-out orders increase 26-times for clubs utilizing mobile ordering solutions.
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1. PRIOR PERFORMANCE
The saying that you can’t improve what you can’t measure could be historically perplexing for clubs because data wasn’t available. Now it is. Setting baselines across the club enables leaders to track changes across time. 2. SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS
It’s possible that great performance in some areas could mask the underperformance in others. Looking at specific departments enables clubs to monitor changes and fine-tune performance. 3. GROUPS OF MEMBERS AND INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS
Probably the most exciting development for many clubs is increased information about member activity. From data-points like money spent, reservations, and check-ins, clubs can use predictive tools to determine member engagement to identify unengaged members, determine returns on investments, and more. 4. PEER-TO-PEER
These last months have produced an amazing amount of data. Use it to your benefit. If you don’t have a system that provides you the tools to do your job, find it because your members deserve it.
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- GREG GILG
General Manager Field Club of Omaha
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A NEW VANTAGE POINT FOR DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING
While clubs’ hands may have been forced to adopt mobile technology, applying this tech enables greater insight for future decisions. Mobile systems integrated throughout the club feed information from every member and staff touchpoint. With access to key metrics including revenue, sales, profit, engagement, attrition, utilization, and more, clubs can make accurate long-term strategic decisions. The result is a stronger balance sheet, engaged members, and empowered staff. Here are ways that clubs can use their newly-acquired information to plan their way forward.
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By comparing your club’s performance to other similar clubs, you gain insight into how you are doing on similar playing fields. Services like Club Benchmarking that compile club data can be invaluable in this regard. VAST HORIZONS
With these new capabilities, don’t lose sight of your main purpose: creating the best member experience possible. Ensure that you evaluate technology that provides members with an outstanding experience AND allows your staff to work efficiently. Technology won’t replace bad processes, just accelerate them. Information must be quick, accessible, and actionable so that your team can stay focused on the members, not reviewing data and reports. BR Learn more at www.clubessential.com/see-ahead Lynn Mangan is an experienced executive in the software and financial services industry with more than 20 years of experience delivering outstanding client retention, associate development, process improvement, and technology implementations.
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How do you personalize technology? That is the most important thing that we do.
“
- GREG GILG
General Manager Field Club of Omaha
Envision Your Best Possible Member Experience with Connected Data The new data-driven future of clubs starts with mobile and connects the club from member to member and the front of the house to the back office. Check out a unique webinar where Club Benchmarking Founder & Chief Innovator Ray Cronin and Clubessential President, Lynn Mangan discuss how clubs can lead their way forward.
WATCH NOW AT clubessential.com/see-ahead
Clubessential’s Essential Suite Mobile POS
Mobile App
Mobile Ordering
Payments
Website
Reporting
Check-In Kiosk
Reservations
clubsystems group | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Mike McCleary, Vice President, Sales & Services
Experience for a Time of Adversity In the 40 years that clubsystems group has had the privilege of working with the finest clubs in the country, the past 12 months might have been the most unexpected and unpredictable. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced clubs to evolve and adapt, often in different ways, from one day to the next, to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for both club members and staff At CSG, we take pride in our longstanding tenure in the industry. The experience of our staff and management put us in a position to help our client partners meet the new set of challenges they have faced and continue to face. As a technology provider, we are receiving client requests that we never have before, and that creates an opportunity - it is in times of adversity that we can learn, help and grow as individuals and as a company. Like the clubs we serve, the roadmap that we were planning to follow entering 2020 had to slightly change course so that we could respond to new and more immediate needs. I’m proud of our team. We not only met the new challenge head-on, but we were able to keep heading in the direction of our 2020 goals: the release of two new applications that will enhance our product offering and more importantly, benefit our clients. The food and beverage department of almost every modern club has embraced technology to better run their business. The Point of Sale is the bridge between the front and back of house, connecting members, service staff, kitchen staff and even accounting office staff. CSG has developed a new bridge, a revamped Point of Sale with features that will help clubs better serve their members. Member purchase history will be more readily available for repeat purchases. The user interface has been redesigned for easier customization and organization. A new dynamic menu design allows item setup and changes to be automatically reflected on multiple menus to re-
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duce tedious menu maintenance. Sales items can even be configured and sold in different sales areas with customized pricing and prep options per location. Food and beverage and all club departments rely first and foremost on their staff. In 2020 we made it a priority to redevelop and improve our in-house payroll solution. The new system creates efficiency and increases accuracy through several enhancements. Tax tables are automatically updated and included in product release downloads. Clubs can file taxes electronically with state and federal agencies. The Report Generator has also been improved so that clubs can better export employee, pay and time record details, including 50 customizable fields to track additional details. Integration has also been improved for importing employee hours from timekeeping, and gratuities from the tip distribution module. These improvements create real benefits to clubs, saving time and keeping finances accurate. In addition to the new payroll solution, CSG has partnered with CSI Paysystems to help clubs automate their account payable process. CSI Paysystems works with participating vendors to set up automatic payments through virtual, onetime, credit cards that generate reward rebates for the club. This process results in less effort required to make payments to vendors and generates new passive revenue. Clubs can also take relief in the improved security provided through payment authorizations by a club’s board or management and the minimized risk of check fraud. This year, maybe more than ever, is a good time to reduce the manual effort of the accounts payable process, all while earning new revenue to increase the health of your club. Right now, health is our focus. The health of our clients, their members, their families and loved ones is first and foremost on our priority list. We want to help our clients run their clubs as well as possible so they can come through these challenging times. The clubsystems group team strives to provide best in business customer service, as we have for the last 40 years. We relish the opportunity to learn more, help more and grow more as individuals and as a company with all of you. BR
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
A Better Way For Members To Pay After 40 years of providing software systems and services to the private club industry, I tend to think that the questions I still have probably do not have answers - or the answers I have received will not change regardless of how much I do not like them. Although you now know our company as ClubTec, when I started it in 1980, we were known as ClubCard. It was a private club accounts receivable processing company that allowed clubs to monetize member dues and charges the same day they were incurred. It was akin to being a commercial credit card except it was customized for each club and its members, and of course, was only accepted at the club to which the member belonged.
Nonetheless, along came the enormous perks of airline miles and bonus points that a commercial bank cardholder could convert into free trips and hotel nights as well as great merchandise, just by charging on their bank cards. When that happened, many members began asking their clubs to charge their monthly statement balance onto their bankcards. Due to the excessive merchant fees the clubs were charged, without being able to pass on those fees, most of them denied the members’ requests. Fast forward to 2018 and 2019, those great pre-pandemic years. State-by-state, the laws on surcharging began to change, which allowed clubs to accept credit cards and pass on all of the merchant
With the enormous perks of airline miles and bonus points that could convert into free trips, hotel nights and great merchandise just by charging on their bank cards, many members asked their clubs to charge their monthly statement balance. Due to excessive merchant fees the clubs were charged, without being able to pass on those fees, most of them denied the members’ requests. Fast forward to 2018 and 2019, the narrative became “If you want to get the miles and points from your club charges and dues, we will pass on our merchant fees to you.” The biggest winner in all of this is the club’s cash flow. You can now monetize daily charges and monthly dues as they are incurred. Now the question becomes, “How do I process these charges to be sure the member pays the merchant fees?” Although ClubCard was doing very well, its growth stalled because many clubs felt that paying a processing and funding fee was an unnecessary expense. I was often told that members paid their monthly statements within 30 days without the club paying any fees, so ClubCard fees were hard to justify. However, I was frequently asked if we could add a processing fee on to the member’s statements, a process known as surcharging. Unfortunately, in those days, surcharging was not legal in almost every state…so not an option.
fees to the member. The narrative became something to the effect of, “If you want to get the miles and points from your club charges and dues, we will just pass on our merchant fees to you.” The biggest winner in all of this is the club’s cash flow. You can now monetize daily charges and monthly dues as they are incurred. Now the question becomes, “How do I process these charges to be sure the member pays the merchant fees?” Great question and one that I am happy to answer as I guide you to the end of the article. At ClubTec, we have programmed our POS software to automatically add a fee to an F&B ticket if a member or guest chooses to pay with a bank card. That same fee can be added to those members who have chosen to store a credit card with the club to pay their club balance automatically. We are also working with our merchant processor to add that fee to payments made online, allowing the members to get all their credit card perks while the club gets immediate payment for the members’ balances due. If that is not WIN-WIN, I don’t know what is! B R For more information about ClubTec, please contact Don Williams at 800-800-5506 or dwilliams@clubtec.com. You can also visit our website, www.clubtec.com..
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ClubTec Has Led Clubs With Unsurpassed Service And Customer Satisfaction For Over 40 Years And Today We Are Leading Clubs Through These Unique Times
Brunch is served outside on the patio Saturday & Sunday! Or if you prefer carryout, Chef Edmonds can package everything for carryout or curbside pick-up. Place your order on the website. We look forward to seeing you soon! Stay Safe!
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ClubTec and WebTec have the technology tools clubs need to prepare for the new normal. Change happens and we’ve seen it all!
www.clubtec.com • www.clubtec.com/webtec • 800.800.5506
FOOD-TRAK | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Bill Schwartz
How Olympia Fields Country Club Handled F&B For the BMW Championship We would like to congratulate long time FOOD-TRAK client Olympia Fields Country Club (OFCC), who recently played host to the 2020 BMW Championship golf tournament. This highly visible, and by all accounts successful event was watched by more than 2.4 million viewers. However, it was much different from previous large tournaments since no fans were present this year. With a drastically smaller F&B demand (~400 per day versus ~40,000), accurate procurement and preparation was even more essential since volume purchasing price reductions and other advantages of high throughput were not available. Their FOOD-TRAK system played an integral role in getting all aspects of F&B ready for this important, high profile event. The preparation for any tournament begins within the purchasing department. Each outlet at OFCC requisitions goods from the central storeroom for the event. It is up to the purchasing department to
determine what items are on hand and what needs to be ordered to fulfill those requisitions. OFCC purchasing team uses barcode scanning to quickly and accurately determine what needs to be ordered. “The FOODTRAK Mobile Partner handheld scanners save us a tremendous amount of time,” Eric Hurley, purchasing manager for OFCC states. Items that need to be ordered are quickly added to a shopping list directly on the device and ready to be converted into a PO for the vendor. Since 2012, OFCC has also utilized the FOOD-TRAK Mobile Partner scanners to convert outlet requisitions to transfers from their central storeroom where vendor deliveries arrive. Capturing this requisition data from the outlet and converting them to transfers using mobile computing allows them to be more productive as it reduces redundancy and paperwork. Monthly inventories take one-third the time they used to take with this technology as well, and their accounting department can generate Inventory Extension and Cost of Goods Reports immediately. Prior to using handheld scanners, everything was done on paper, and according to Hurley, “It was a hassle and took longer to get reports for month-end.” Today, Hurley and his entire team have instant access to the reports that keep them informed while maintaining tight control over spending. Reports such as the Purchase Recap, Price Exception, Sales, and the graphical,
Olympia Fields Country Club will continue to operate at the highest level of service for its members and national events. Behind the scenes, SCI is proud to support OFCC’s efforts to keep F&B costs low, maintain tight control over inventory and use valuable reports to ensure they can address issues before they become costly. business intelligence-based Spend Analytics, all provide timely, crucial information to make informed decisions. The Analytic Reports are used to help keep OFCC operating efficiently. Olympia Fields Country Club will continue to operate at the highest level of service for its members and national events. Behind the scenes, SCI is proud to support OFCC’s efforts to keep F&B costs low, maintain tight control over inventory and use valuable reports to ensure they can address issues before they become costly. B R 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 54
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THE MOST AWARDED
0 198
2020
F&B MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN THE CLUB INDUSTRY
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO GET FOOD COSTS UNDER TIGHT CONTROL The world has changed dramatically since March, and the way we do F&B has changed with it. With volumes down, costs need to be carefully monitored. Tight control is essential to survival.
Use the FOOD-TRAKÂŽ System to: u Maximize cash flow using ranked inventory level overstock reports u Monitor raw material price fluctuations with price history comparison reports u Find the best pricing with bid comparison reports u Quickly react to falling menu profit margins with Red Flag reports u Control waste, spoilage and portioning-related usage variances with ranked Management Summary reports u Reduce labor costs with multi-function mobile scanning and interfaces to vendors, POS and club accounting systems Plus many more tools to help vaccinate your organization from the many ripple effects of the virus. Our purpose and passion has been to help foodservice operators get as close to their ideal food and beverage costs as possible. We built the system, the implementation, training processes and the team of career professionals to help our clients do just that.
Contact our club account managers to get started! 800.553.2438 | WWW.FOODTRAK.COM
Jonas Club Management | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Joe Oswald, President
MemberInsights During Times of Uncertainty While we’ve all had to deal with new challenges in 2020, there are bright spots in our industry. Clubs haven’t escaped the difficulties of 2020, but in this time of uncertainty, clubs are being seen as a refuge from the storm of the outside world. Members are largely remaining committed, and many clubs have even seen an increase in new memberships this year. When we closed our office doors in March and sent all of our employees home to begin working remotely, we could only imagine what was happening on-site at our client sites around the world. As we all made the transition to our new work environments and we checked in with our clients, it became clear that we needed to adapt our offerings to meet our primary commitment to the industry - Helping Clubs Thrive. Thanks to a lot of idea sharing with our clients and the hard work of our team, we began making announcements in late March regarding the various initiatives we were launching. First, as the demand for clubs to expand and evolve their food service options for takeout, we made our online and mobile ordering platform available at no cost and followed quickly with initiatives to help our clients harness the power of their digital tools. Starting with webinars focusing on how clubs could utilize existing booking applications to manage capacity and physical distancing, we focused much of our effort on showcasing how clubs could optimize the use of their websites and mobile apps to facilitate better communication. Finally, we made MemberInsight, our online member survey platform, available at no cost to any club who felt a desire to better collect and analyze club-wide feedback. Now, with six months of experience in dealing with the challenges of 2020, we continuously look for ways to assist clubs with their evolving needs. Our core focus remains on soliciting ideas, responding to requirements, and anticipating our clients’ ever-evolving needs. Here are three ways: 56
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INNOVATING EXISTING TECHNOLOGY
The continued development of our online ordering platform has allowed it to grow from a simple food ordering app to a full-service pickup and delivery system for your food and retail operations. Likewise, we are expanding on the capabilities of additional applications such as Activity Tracking and even the Point of Sale to better meet the needs of your club. Our Activity Tracking application now enables you to track and report on member utilization of club facilities, providing you with a detailed accounting of who was on-site at your club and when. In the case of Point of Sale, our system already allows you to track and display member preferences, allergies, order history and more, but soon you will be able to provide your service staff with a detailed reservation breakdown 24 hours before service, so they can arrive at the club prepared to elevate your levels of service.
Unlike any time in the past, members have been forced to adopt new patterns of behavior. Physical distancing, the need for reservations in all areas of the club, and limiting some of their social interactions, to name a few. More than ever, it is important to pay close attention to what the data is telling you. This is why we have worked closely with GGA Partners to develop a series of predictive dashboards in our MetricsFirst platform that give you an eye into what the data is saying. PROVIDING DETAILED MEMBER DATA ANALYSIS
Unlike any time in the past, members have been forced to adopt new patterns of behavior. Physical distancing, the need for reservations in all areas of the club, and limiting some of their social interactions, to name a few. More than ever, it is important to pay close attention to what the data is telling you. This is why we have worked closely with GGA Partners to develop a series of predictive dashboards in our MetricsFirst platform that give you an eye into what the data is saying. In one of the most important instances, we compare multiple data points to provide you with a member by member risk score, allowing you to focus your engagement efforts where they most count. SOLICITING MEMBER FEEDBACK
With new service standards in place this year, it is more important than ever to better understand the member service experience. With MemberInsight, continuous automated service surveys allow you to collect feedback, analyze it with an easy to understand metrics and empower your team to engage your members with a better understanding of their needs and overall satisfaction. While we continue to deal with the challenges of 2020, you can count on Jonas Club Software to continue our investment not only in our own products and services but also in the industry we love. B R
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MembersFirst | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Ryan Maione, President
Innovation and a Creative Content Strategy Make Manchester Country Club Stand Out, Before and During COVID-19 MEMBERSFIRST HELPED THIS NEW ENGLAND AREA CLUB IMPLEMENT A MOBILE-FIRST STRATEGY, EMPHASIZING CONCISE WEB CONTENT, TEE TIME RESERVATIONS, AND AN ONLINE GROCERY STORE. Manchester Country Club, a long-tenured partner of MembersFirst, continuously transforms its online presence in new ways, setting a very high standard within the club industry. The club has worked with MembersFirst most recently on an award-winning redesign of the club website, optimizing it for mobile, refining content, and adding relevant integrations. The website is successfully delivering leads for memberships, weddings, and corporate events while at the same time becoming the primary way members make reservations for club activities. Located in Bedford, NH, MCC has been named one of the best golf clubs in the state. A part of the expansive network of Troon-managed clubs around the world, the club has been bringing people together for golf, weddings, corporate and special events, and a culinary experience that includes ingredients from its own gardens. Catherine McNamara, director of marketing and communications, recognized a need to refresh the digital experience to mimic the club’s on-site experience. This would be executed by a fresh, clean and modern mobile-friendly design that featured standout images and concise copy to tell the club’s story to drive more leads for memberships and events. For the members, it was important to enhance their online experience with the redesign as well, by providing a streamlined experience with online tee times, event registrations, and a mobile app. WEB CONTENT OVERHAUL
The first step was enhancing the site for mobile devices, as more than half of the visitors were coming to the website on their phones. McNamara worked with MembersFirst 58
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to create a fresh look and feel for both members and potential event organizers. Written descriptions and content were reduced and rewritten in short, impactful headlines with concise paragraphs and calls-to-action. Manchester Country Club’s previous director of sales and marketing Joelle Creamer tag-teamed the project with McNamara, and since launching, the site has increased lead generation for membership and events. Professional photography plays a more integral role on the new site to highlight club life and showcase special events. The new photography now helps drive the story of a special event at MCC, enticing prospective wedding and event planners to reach out for more information. Taking this a step further, McNamara and MembersFirst intelligently integrated the club’s Pinterest boards directly in the club website to showcase their weddings and provide a resource for planning inspirations. For wedding prospects that contact the club for more details, a wedding microsite was also shared with them, hidden from public view. This microsite features tools designed to help with planning: timeline guides, resource documents, FAQs, and inspiration. “A website is often someone’s first impression of a business, and it’s important to get it right; we’ve had several prospects share that they chose MCC because of their online experience with our brand. And I always encourage people in my network to make the switch to MembersFirst,” shared McNamara. TEE TIME RESERVATIONS
Traditionally MCC had difficulty getting insight into how busy the course would be on a given day and who would be coming to play. The introduction of the tee sheet, or as the club refers to it as the Golf Scheduler, was to provide a snapshot of what was happening on the course on a day-to-day basis. It included links to any events, tournaments and leagues and also provided non-participant course access information. With COVID-19 restrictions and the early introduction of the Golf Scheduler, the mandatory tee times became a seamless integration for the club and its members. There hasn’t been a single complaint from members about making tee time reservations, and that is a testament to the easy-to-use system and how well the golf department has shown members how to use the platform. ONLINE GROCERY STORE ORDERING
COVID-19 also forced the mandatory closure of dining at the club, but that didn’t stop MCC from providing members with food and beverage options. After receiving MembersFirst’s newsletter showing how website forms could be created to set up an online ordering process, the club saw the idea on a Friday and had a solution ready by Tuesday. The club added an Online Grocery Store, and it was a hit. They utilized the online form to “open up their pantry” to the membership, providing digital orders and curbside pickup. B R
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MemberText | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Justin Baer, CEO
Email Ain’t What it Used To Be When 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. 60
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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 3 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.
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ClubPay | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Scott Taylor, Vice-President, Account Management
ClubPay Helps Clubs Navigate the CARES Act Club payroll is one of the most vital tasks for your business. It can take up a significant portion of the administrative staff’s time every pay period. The liability and risk involved trying to keep up-to-date with the ever-changing rules and regulations also puts an immense burden on your staff. In addition to compliance, changes to the law can also benefit a club through tax credits, loan programs and deferrals. It is not always realistic to expect staff to know the finer details of the constantly changing law. The time, effort, and risk has led many clubs to outsource their payroll process to the experts at ClubPay. This year the CARES Act was passed into law and is a highly technical bill that has many provisions. The Employee Retention Tax Credit, Payroll Tax Deposit Deferral, Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Industry Disaster Loan have all been introduced in the wake of COVID-19. These programs could be available to your club and reduce some of the hardships that have fallen on clubs that were forced to close. As a ClubPay client, we help you navigate through the complexities
and take advantage of the programs that are in place. ClubPay is aware that this information is changing rapidly, and we do our best to keep our clients informed. In addition to mitigating risk, working with ClubPay reduces the time it takes to onboard new employees, make changes to their status and keep their data accurate. Manually processing paperwork is time-consuming, hard to revise and often inaccurate. Electronic submission of new hire data auto-populates multiple forms and allows protected access to the required staff members. Employees enter data once, HR approves, and then archives the new hire information for automated transfer to payroll processing in ClubPay’s integrated Payroll & HR system. Outsourcing does not mean that you lose control over the HR and payroll process. You maintain unlimited access to monitor your club’s performance and make proactive decisions. ClubPay also supports advanced interfaces into your club management system to facilitate property-wide control and comprehensive financial reporting. This past year has been unlike any other. As certified HR professionals and club industry experts, ClubPay is in a unique position to assist the needs of the club industry, help our clients meet the new challenges posed during 2020, and continue to offer the industry’s best payroll and HR solutions. B R ClubPay is the 2019 Payroll Program of the Year - Boardroom Magazine Excellence in Achievement Awards
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From pre-hire to retire, ClubPay streamlines operations with a custom suite of outsourced Payroll and HR solutions to meet your club management needs.
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BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020
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.
• 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); 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
www.cctechplan.com |
contact: noel@cctechplan.com
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CSR Privacy Solutions | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Robb Smyth, Vice President
Is Your Club at RISK of a Data Breach? Is your club at RISK of a data breach? Members’ information is a high-value target for hackers. Appropriate actions need to be in place to protect this information. Think it can’t happen to your club, or your club is too small? Think again! Loss of personal information occurs every day and everywhere without regard to an organization’s size or location. What would your club do? Who would you call? Most clubs think the IT service provider or inhouse IT director is the person to call when this happens. They are not the right person to call. Usually, they are not educated on how to handle a data breach properly. “So why should I care?” That’s a great question. Simply stated, the ramifications of a data breach are tremendous; first and foremost, civil and criminal penalties, reputational risk and the loss of your members’ confidence. Reasons enough?? We all know that member acquisition and retention is the lifeblood of every club. There’s no reason you should risk it, and did you know it’s also the law? Most people don’t. Clubs MUST comply with the data privacy laws and regulations from where your members are primary residents, not where your club is located. Regulations like NY SHIELD Act, CCPA, GDPR, COPPA, the Communications Act, FCRA, FERPA, GLBA,
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HIPPA, and regulations in all 50 states. Would your club be prepared to provide a defensible position to possible litigations? The better question is: Wouldn’t a phone call to the experts be easier? What are the necessary steps in determining if your club is in regulatory compliance? The best solution is to utilize an ongoing online integrated approach. Logging ongoing activities is a significant factor. It’s automated and does not require daily intervention. Without significant logs, you have no defensible position. Visit https://csrcyberprivacy.com/boardroom/ to learn more. B R CSR Privacy Solutions has helped clubs and businesses be compliant with data and privacy regulations for over 20 years. Please contact Robb Smyth, VP of product and operations at rsmyth@csrps.com or (772) 232-7575.
BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE | Paisano Performance Partners By John Finley, CCM, Managing Partner
Case Study at The Bonita Bay Club BONITA BAY CLUB
Peggy Taylor, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the director of human resources and oversees the hiring, on-boarding and performance management for a staff of over 300 employees at The Bonita Bay Club in Florida. This premier club offers members five golf courses and extensive club facilities on two campuses. To deliver on their service promise, Taylor and the Bonita Bay management team rely on HR technology to ensure a consistent on-boarding message and to drive performance. The technology; Paisano Performance Partners Team Builder orientation program and Performance++ performance management software. Both programs are internet based to provide convenient access for the entire management team. At The Bonita Bay Club, the decision to move to an internet based performance management system improved access and process. “An internet based process allows multiple supervisors and the HR department to analyze any performance review at any time. Managers are able to add notes, which can be reflected on later when conducting the performance review, preventing the halo or recency effect,” Taylor explained. With over 300 performance reviews to manage each year and a staff of ONE in the HR Department, Taylor can speak first-hand to the process benefits of the new system. “The greatest benefits we have noticed are speed and convenience. Managers have everything in one place. They are able to stop and start the process at any time. The
reminders feature allows managers to set it and forget it,” said Taylor. Another significant benefit identified by Taylor and her team is the flexibility that technology like Performance++ provides. “We love the ability to tweak the process each year to continue to improve. We already have some ideas for some changes we want to make to enhance for our next review period.” Unlike a traditional process, Performance++ was designed for fine tuning down to the job title level to ensure you are measuring what you manage. Large or small, if your club is seeking to improve your performance management you should consider HR technology like Team Builder and Performance++ by Paisano Performance Partners. B R John Finley, CCM is the managing partner at Paisano Performance Partners. John can be reached at 214 794-5913 or jfinley@ paisanoperformance.com to learn more about how clubs are utilizing technology to improve their HR process.
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Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS) | BOARDROOM TECHNOLOGY FEATURE By Melissa Peterson, myDirectVote Account Manager
Remove Election Monkey Business With Online Voting Established in 1923, Edina Country Club (ECC) is a private country club located in Edina, MN. ECC’s mission is to be a premier country club providing diverse recreational opportunities for members and their families in a wholesome, enjoyable, family-oriented, and consistently high-quality manner. In the past, an election committee made up of member volunteers ran and oversaw ECC’s election process. As this group of members got older, they passed the reigns over to club staff. The challenge with their election was similar to what many private clubs deal with; the amount of time and energy it takes to run a paper-based election process. Additionally, they searched for a more efficient way for young and engaged members to connect with ECC through voting. When myDirectVote® was introduced as a solution, ECC was immediately interested. The staff had been looking for a way to rid themselves of some of the general monkey business, so to speak, associated with a paper election: designing paper ballots, printing, stuffing the envelopes, mailing, calling in a group of members to act as an election committee, etc. ECC has been pleased with the switch over to the online voting system. The number one goal for the election is ensuring a smooth process for the members – and myDirectVote delivered. Member participation was just as good if not better than in the past, and the election ran smoothly.
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“My number one goal for the election is ensuring a smooth process for my members – and myDirectVote® delivered.” Kim Delaney, Director Business Operations & Finance Edina Country Club A number of members commented that they enjoyed the rich features associated with the online biographies built into the ballot. These members felt they got to know the candidates better by seeing the candidate’s name, biographical info, and picture all in the same spot. And that is what Edina Country Club wants – continually improving the ECC experience for members and connecting with them through voting. 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.
“As a private club, our members and guests expect the same caliber of Five-Star service that Forbes Travel Guide offers. Forbes Travel Guide worked with our leadership team to create custom standards, tailored training, and quality assessments which have been implemented throughout the club. We value our partnership with Forbes Travel Guide and look forward to continuing to raise the bar at The Union League of Philadelphia.” Jeffrey P. McFadden
Chief Executive Officer/General Manager The Union League of Philadelphia
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CHRISTOPHER CECIL Christopher Cecil is tax manager, RSM US of West Palm Beach, FL. He can be reached via email: Chris.Cecil@rsmus.com
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Tax Guidance Issued for Private Clubs Over the past few months, private clubs have not been immune to the turmoil as the world has been turned upside down. Across the country there are empty clubhouses, locker rooms, pro shops and dining facilities. Club boards, general managers, and financial officers are dealing with loans, tax credits, employee retention, cash flow, and an overall sense of uncertainty. With so many issues facing club management, it was easy to miss the fact than on April 23, 2020, the IRS released proposed regulations (REG106864-18) under section 512(a)(6) which provided long-awaited guidance on unrelated business income that will likely impact most exempt private clubs. SEPARATE TRADES OR BUSINESS GUIDANCE
In 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act added a provision that requires exempt organizations (including tax-exempt clubs) with more than one trade or business to calculate unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) separately for each trade or business. The separate trade or business activity provision became law when the TCJA was signed; however, the law did not provide guidance on what constitutes a separate trade or business. Previous guidance released with Notice 2018-67 allowed exempt clubs to use the 6-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. Exempt private clubs generally fall under the 713910 NAICS code, which includes operating golf courses, dining facilities, and other recreational facilities that are known as country clubs. By that standard, this encompassed many of a club’s activities, which at the time, gave the exempt clubs a position to not separate each amenity as a different trade or business for UBTI purposes. However, all this changes with the proposed regulations. These regulations expanded on the idea of using NAICS codes for separating trades or businesses. Unfortunately, the proposed guidance was not welcomed news for social clubs organized under 501(c)(7). The Treasury Department and the IRS concluded that the use of NAICS 2-digit codes would result in a broader identification of trades and businesses, which would lessen implementation costs and mitigate the administrative burden on exempt organizations. Switching from a 6-digit code to a broader 2-digit code does initially seem advantageous; however, the proposed regulations specifically give guidance for social clubs. A social club described in section 501(c)(7) would not be able to use the NAICS 2-digit code for arts, entertainment, and recreation (71), which includes golf courses and country clubs, to identify all its unrelated trades or businesses. The IRS concluded that while an exempt club’s purpose may fall under the NAICS code (71), the separate unrelated trades or businesses conducted are more appropriately described by other codes. In the case of a 68
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typical golf and country club, there might be three unrelated trades or businesses: pro shop sales under code (45), food and beverage service under (72), and green fees under (71). Under the proposed regulations, this club would need to separately calculate taxable income or loss for each trade or business. INVESTMENT INCOME GUIDANCE
In a bit of good news, the proposed regulations state that an exempt organization’s investment activities can be treated as a single trade or business. This means that exempt clubs may include interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, capital gains or losses from investments, and rent from real property in one calculation. Under previous law, investment activity, rental activity, and capital gains and losses from investment would all have separate calculations. Rent from real property has specific rules and that not all rental income falls under this category; it is important to speak with your tax advisor about different rental income streams. ALLOCATION OF EXPENSES TO UBTI OR NON-MEMBER INCOME
This proposed guidance was thought to finally close the loop on what methods are permissible for allocating expenses to UBTI or non-member income. However, it appears the IRS has chosen to delay opining on this in the proposed regulations. The only guidance the proposed regulations did offer was that the “unadjusted gross-to-gross” method was not a reasonable method. We recommend speaking with your tax advisor to discuss the nuances of the club’s expense allocation to ensure it is not using the unadjusted gross-to-gross allocation. BR
DAVID W. LACEY David is a two-tenure member of the board of governors at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. He is frequent contributor to BoardRoom magazine and can be reached at: dlacey@bmtc.com.
HR COMMITTEE
Turning Part-Time Employees Into a Staffing Plus Private clubs often rely on part-time employees for additional staffing needs. Placement of part-timers at a club varies, but they tend to be assigned to food and beverage, facilities operations as housekeepers, caddies, etc. Too often part-time employees are overlooked when making decisions about new permanent hires. What actions by club management could reduce, even eliminate, their being overlooked? Actions that turn part-time employees into a staffing plus include: • Viewing part-time as “tryout” employment. • Rotating part-timers so they learn about the club. • Investing in professional development at the club. 1) Viewing part-time as “tryout” employment: Normally part-time has a timeline of a “start” date and an “end” date for employment. Another view is part-time is a “tryout“or a rehearsal for potential future permanent employment. If the current employment is a rehearsal or “tryout” for the future, then the part-timer should be assigned to a manager who will offer specific, concrete feedback about performance successes or shortfalls. Management interest in the success of a part-timer begins with an effective feedback cycle and leads to matching the part-timer’s interests and capabilities with the club’s operating needs. With a change in management outlook, you begin to view the part-timer as an important source of new hires that are already familiar with the operating priorities of your club and are performing to achieve them in their current role. 2) Rotating part-timers to accelerate their learning: Quite often a parttimer is hired to address a specific need of importance to the club. That is a real and practical benefit. It is worth considering a rotational plan in which the part-timer moves from one department to another with a need. Rotating can be inefficient because the learning curve can be steep for one department versus another one. However, the rotation can occur with departments that are aligned. For example, an effective server has the same core skills, whether a part-timer is assigned to food or beverage operations. Food and beverage are aligned at a club and a part-timer can be effective in both operations. This rotational plan pays off for a part-timer because the employee helps expand their knowledge of food and matching food options with beverage choices, especially when wine is proposed. In effect, the part-timers are learning by doing and their learning – more knowledge about food and beverage options – tends to create a better member experience. From the member’s point of view the server has knowledge that makes their dining experience more pleasurable.
3) Investing in professional development: Today more than ever before, cohorts between 25-38-year olds have as a critical motivational driver – “getting better at their craft.” It is expected that by the end of 2020, this group will make up 40 percent of a club’s workforce. That fact should lead a club to implement professional development actions that enable a part-timer to contribute more. Almost 80 percent of PD actions, reported in Gallup surveys at all different types of organizations, occur at the work site. One effective PD action is for the part-timer to shadow a server who is judged by club management as very effective. By shadowing the best performer or contributor, the part-timer learns the best path forward to server effectiveness. Shadowing eliminates “trial and error” a very dated learning method. Adopting one or more of these tactics will help turn a part-timer into staffing plus. These tactics will reduce the expense of hiring and will convince a parttimer that your club is a very good place to work as a permanent employee. All three tactics are within the direct control of operating club management. Therefore, they can be readily implemented. Try them – it can be a plus for you and your club! B R
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RICHARD KOPPLIN
KURT D. KUEBLER
THOMAS B. WALLACE III
BOARDROOM BASICS AND BEYOND
Now More Than Ever Best Practices for Private Clubs
For many years the KK&W team has been fortunate to discuss with private club board members around the county the importance of what we have termed “best practices for private clubs.” Now more than ever, as we emerge from a devastating pandemic, those practices will ensure the success and, in some cases, the survival of private clubs. Perhaps the most important best practice that we see clubs engage is the focus on “data-driven” decision making. Thankfully, the days of the board making decisions based on anecdotal evidence or reacting to the last comment they heard from a member before entering the boardroom are coming to a close.
One of the most common best practices in successful private clubs is the focus on strategic thinking and planning. A typical strategic planning session can include an initial all-day meeting, preferably at a location other than the club, where a facilitator can focus the board and key senior managers on the key issues that need prioritization. The objective of this meeting is to develop an action plan with specific tactics and timelines along with the assignment of who is responsible for completion. An integral part of this action plan is a capital reserve study, which helps in developing capital planning. Further, this and other sessions must focus on the balance sheet more than a typical P & L discussion that dominates most
A perspicacious general manager/CE will ensure that each new board and committee member receives a thorough orientation that will include meeting every department manager and touring their respective departments to understand how they function and operate. Not only will the new board and committee members review all of the physical assets of the club, but they will also gain a very good perspective on how each department manager leads their employee teams. Many club general managers have turned to different groups and organizations to provide data-driven information on a variety of topics. Taking the emotional and agenda-driven decision-making out of the boardroom is critical while moving to the future and our next ‘new normal.’ Another best practice continuing to emerge is the educational partnership of the general manager/chief executive with the board of directors. This kind of collaborative education will continue to provide private clubs with the strategic thinking necessary to meet current and future member needs. The key recognition that volunteer leaders MUST be aligned with paid leaders is critical. It has allowed high performing clubs to escape from the ‘each year a new agenda’ mindset that has prevailed in dysfunctional clubs. 70
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dysfunctional boardrooms. Few clubs have been able to perpetuate themselves or drive reinvestment capital on the results of operations, but that is where most of the discussion centers itself. Educating boards, committees and senior staff on the importance of a capital plan and members’ equity enhancement is critical for the sustained future success of clubs. In the end, a successful plan has to include making the membership and senior team aware of its priorities, goals and accountabilities. Educating and communicating to those groups is critical; it cannot be viewed as “the president’s agenda” or “the GM’s plan” or such. Members have to see it as “our plan” and therefore need to understand how it was crafted, why it was crafted and what it is expected to result in achieving.
Most successful clubs and those excelling in the future will be ones who have placed great emphasis on “educating” every possible constituency, as often as reasonable, on the why of what is being done, as much as the ‘what.’ Too often that extra step of education is missed and a big opportunity to gain support and buy-in is also missed. A general manager/chief executive typically leads successful clubs, with the corresponding authority that goes with the title, and boards have realized the benefits of this best practice. As more clubs recognize the importance of executive leadership continuity, it has become more evident to board members, many of whom use this business model that is common in their own companies. Volunteers are harder to find. Members need to prioritize their own work and families first. Well-intended, but non-club industry educated volunteer operational direction rarely works over a sustained time period. We’re all busier now than we’ve ever been. To expect a volunteer to do ‘heavy lifting’ to ‘run’ a committee or a department just isn’t practical or advisable. Hiring professionals, giving them clear direction and support, and getting out of their way (but still evaluating performance metrics) is going to separate the successful from the dysfunctional in the future. Supporting this effort is an emerging best practice in private clubs whereby the department managers chair club committees with an assigned board member acting in an advisory role. While a board member will serve on the committee, the responsibility of preparing the agenda, conducting the meeting and writing the minutes are all done by the department manager. Since each department manager is closest to the issues in their respective departments, it is logical for them to present the issues to the liaison board member for inclusion on the agenda. Why would anyone think that a volunteer board member would have the expertise about food and beverage, golf course agronomy, golf event programming, racket sports, or fitness and swimming pool issues? These are areas that the respective department managers engage with every day. It’s the focus of their expertise. A best practice that continues to gain advocates in private clubs is the nomination of the same number of candidates for the same number of open board seats. The days of the “popularity contests” are rapidly coming to a close as more and more clubs understand the importance of “recruiting” the talent they need to provide counsel and advice to the general manager/CE. The evolution of this practice
• Focus on strategic thinking and planning • Educate every constituency possible • Department head chair club committees • Be an employer of choice • Ensure a board and committee orientation process is now the norm rather than the exception and allows for a private club to ensure consistency and stability in its club governance. Another and possibly the most important best practice is addressing the human capital side of the business. Talent recruitment, retention and development is an issue nearly every club is attempting to address in the industry. Some have figured it out, usually starting with ensuring that there is a sincere and palpable “culture” of engagement, support and caring for the team, developing their skills and ensuring that they have the tools and training to do the work expected. The club industry, during the coronavirus crisis, has an opportunity to set itself apart of the rest of the hospitality world…typically, clubs offer more stability, benefits, work/life balance opportunities, etc., than do most restaurants, resorts and hotels. But, those unfamiliar with the club world often look at it with misconceptions, not understanding the strong relationships and satisfaction that working in this industry can bring. The best practice of considering human capital and making sure there is a plan that is fully executed to truly be an “employer of choice” within your community will be critical! A very thorough new board and committee member orientation process is a final best practice common in successful private clubs. Most clubs typically experience the rotation of about a third of the board each year and often about the same percentage of committee members. A perspicacious general manager/CE will ensure that each new board and committee member receives a thorough orientation that will include meeting every department manager and touring their respective departments to understand how they function and operate. Not only will the new board and committee members review all of the physical assets of the club, but they will also gain a very good perspective on how each department manager leads their employee teams. As the private club world emerges from a very challenging few months, these best practices will continue to be the hallmark of successful clubs. Many of these have stood the test of time and all of them provide excellent guidance for the relevant and sustainable private clubs, now and in the future. 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 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 | BOARDROOM
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BoardRoom magazine Recognizes the Private Club Presidents of the Year By Meghan Thibault Now in its 12th 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 24 presidents for 2019. 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 74 & 75. To view all the Distinguished Club Presidents from the past 12 years, please visit: www.boardroommagazine.com/presidents.html
TOP PRIVATE CLUB PRESIDENTS SPONSORS
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WHO IS YOUR CHOICE AS THE TOP PRIVATE CLUB BOARD PRESIDENT? Remove Sample Name Many people and companies Remove associated with the private club industry are given Sample Club due recognition for their accomplishments, and now BOARDROOM magazine is focusing on selection and recognition of the Club President of the Year.
BOARDROOM magazine, through a nomination and selection process, will honor 20 board president finalists worldwide and one prestigious Club President of the Year Award.
TOP BOARD PRESIDENT SELECTION PROCESS The top 20 private club board president finalists will be selected by a BOARDROOM magazine committee comprised of industry experts and sponsors, who can make an expert judgment, who have an understanding of the industry, the structure of the board of directors, and the role and responsibilities of a club’s board of directors. A third party accounting firm will audit results. Pictured L-R: Thomas B. Wallace, III, partner at Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace; 2019 Top Private Club President recipient Alexis Bove, Waynesborough Country Club; Joe Furko, GM at Waynesborough Country Club
ENTRY AND DEADLINE Visit www.boardroommagazine.com to download the criteria and application form. Entries must be submitted no later than Friday, October 30, 2020. For further information contact John Fornaro (949) 376-8889 ext. 1 or johnf@apcd.com
ADRIAN SAKASHITA | PRESIDENT, HACIENDA GOLF CLUB | LA HABRA HEIGHTS, CALIFORNIA The club’s vision statement of ‘pride in belonging’ underpins the alignment of the club’s members, board and staff. When Sakashita interacts with the club’s team, he usually begins by asking, “How’s your business running?” According to Sakashita, “You cannot create ‘pride in belonging’ in your membership without it first being embodied into the operation. “Member experience has improved under Sakashita’s leadership because of an empowered management able to cultivate an entrepreneurial operating culture. “The board is accountable, but management is responsible,” according to Sakashita’s guidance. Clear delineation between governance and operations has enabled Hacienda’s ADRIAN SAKASHITA, PRESIDENT RUSSELL SYLTE, GM leadership team to extend decision-making authority deeper into its chain of Adrian Sakashita has made an impact at Hacienda command. The club’s long-range planning and finance committees provide a Golf Club. He introduced a membership recruitment check-and-balance in managing the club’s strategic plan. strategy that resulted in 60 new proprietary mem“As Hacienda’s general manager, I’ve been supported by three terrific presibers within two years. The increased revenue has dents since my arrival nearly four years ago,” said GM Russell Sylte. “It has felt provided the means to solve a decade-old issue, fa- as though President Sakashita has simply been a team member and mentor to cilitating the restructuring of the club’s capital bud- our entire leadership team. We’ve grown professionally and personally under his get and fixing its balance sheet. These contributions oversight. As our president, he will be missed upon the ending of his term.” will rank amongst the most important to benefit Sakashita has amassed over 30 years of executive leadership, ranging from Hacienda in the past 100 years. start-ups through acquisition, as managing partner in a tier-one consultancy “I was fortunate to have an exceptional preand in private equity. Today he remains an active investor and advisor for firms, decessor, and a very capable board during my both domestically and internationally. B R tenure,” said Sakashita humbly. “What we accomplished began well before my term.”
ALBON O. HEAD, JR. | PRESIDENT, THE FORT WORTH CLUB | FORT WORTH, TEXAS proved strategic plan. Each president for the past 15 years has taken an active role in reviewing the strategic goals and objectives of the club to make sure they are relevant, and their results are measurable. Under Head’s leadership, the club completed a $4 million renovation to its athletic center and introduced comprehensive group exercise programs and wellness services. The club has also developed the Davey O’Brien Sports Lounge, providing members a casual amenity to complement the club’s more formal dining options. “President Head has spent a lifetime providing leadership in the Fort Worth community,” said Littlejohn, who noted that as a hub for business activities in Fort ALBON O. HEAD, JR., PRESIDENT WALTER LITTLEJOHN, GM Worth, the club’s foundations continue to offer business benefits of membership. “He is disciplined and focused and builds consensus and support on the Albon Head, Jr. took the reins as The Fort board through in-depth discussions. Most importantly, as a leader, he conducts Worth Club was concluding the implementation of a strategic plan and master plan of capital im- board meetings so that the interests of the club are protected and decisions are goal-oriented and not agenda-driven,” Littlejohn concluded. provements that would lead the club into 2020. Head takes input from individual board members, committee chairs, manageHead played an active role in keeping the ment and demonstrates great respect for the staff. The Fort Worth Club board board focused on the plan’s completion and has governs and provides financial oversight. Board meetings are both efficient and since formed a task force to develop the club’s effective under Head’s direction. next strategic plan and related capital requireAlbon Head, Jr. has practiced in federal and state courts and several other juments in the years ahead. risdictions since 1971, and has experience in business litigation, contract disputes, Fort Worth Club General Manager Walter Littlejohn serves as the board’s thought partner and real estate conflicts, eminent domain and condemnation, pipeline and right-ofway litigation, as well as railroad litigation. B R is responsible for implementing the board-ap74
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GORDON ROBERTS | PRESIDENT, RIVER CREST COUNTRY CLUB | FORT WORTH, TEXAS
GORDON ROBERTS, PRESIDENT
EDUARDO MORENO, GM
Gordon Roberts’ most significant achievement throughout his tenure as River Crest Country Club’s president has been to execute the club’s long-range plan as set forth by the club’s board and LRP committee. He’s worked closely with the board, LRP committee and club management, as well as with architects, space planners and specialized consultants. He has successfully set pieces of the strategic plan into action, including some important deferred maintenance projects to the club’s campus, main clubhouse, golf shop, fitness center, tennis facility and aquatics center. Roberts has also spent significant time analyzing and modeling membership scenarios, working
with consultant Kathy O’Neal, the membership committee, the board and management to address enhancements and key desires identified by members over the past several years. Many of these projects have been facilitated by the club’s golf, tennis, house and aquatics/fitness committees. During Roberts’ presidency, he has championed and led the expansion and updates of a new ladies’ card room, the installation of a TrackMan Range, the conversion of two hard courts to clay courts and the resurfacing of the club’s pickleball courts. General manager Eduardo Moreno describes Roberts as a humble servant leader. “I knew from the first meeting with our new president that he would continue the tradition of servant leadership that his predecessors began so many years ago. His first questions all centered around what I, as GM, wanted his assistance to accomplish during his term.” Roberts remains highly focused on the future, engaging the club’s long-range planning committee and keeping the board focused on vision and strategy. His focus is not only on membership experience, but on the employee experience as well. The River Crest board has focused on allowing the general manager and club staff to run the club based on the policies and vision set forth by the club’s board, without micromanagement. The board has concentrated its energy on the member experience and moving the club forward. Rather than following other clubs, River Crest is looking to the future and identifying what will keep the club relevant to its membership. Roberts served as vice president–business development of the general partner of Jetta Permian, LP, and as senior vice president of Jetta Operating Company. He graduated from Texas Christian University with a Bachelor’s degree in geology and economics. He lives in Fort Worth with his wife Kelley and their two sons, Houston and Parker. B R
LLOYD S. ROTHOUSE | PRESIDENT, COLLETON RIVER CLUB | BLUFFTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
LLOYD S. ROTHOUSE, PRESIDENT
TIM BAKELS, GM
During Dr. Lloyd Rothouse’s tenure, Colleton River Club negotiated the purchase of over 100 developer properties, bringing the club’s future under the control of the club’s members and initiating a community revitalization. Colleton brought in a developer, prioritized the need to upgrade and add non-golf amenities, and laid the groundwork for the establishment of a dedicated real estate office, a builder program. The club added membership options. “These initiatives will allow the club to reach its
vision and mission to be among the finest residential neighborhoods anywhere,” explained Rothouse. “It will lead to increased real estate values and, at the same time, enhance member satisfaction and attract new members.” Dr. Rothouse worked hard to improve dialogue with the membership and maximize board credibility. He delivered monthly ‘President’s Messages’ via email and held frequent, focused, informal gatherings with members to inform and educate, as well as receive ideas, hear concerns and respond with appropriate modifications to the club’s strategic initiatives. “President Rothouse has been an effective communicator, and his ability to deliver open, transparent communication to the membership has had an immeasurable impact on Board and member relations, fostering trust and building alliances,” said Colleton general manager Tim Bakels. Dr. Rothouse reinforced the importance of having a coordinated, single point of accountability in a strong GM/COO and sound governance during a time when lifestyles are changing, and management is being asked to be more responsive to a diverse set of programs and activities and growth. Colleton River Club’s leadership is dedicated to the growth and retention of membership and making the club more relevant to its members’ daily experiences. Dr. Rothouse, a retired physician, served in the U.S. Army at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia. As medical director of a hospital lab, he learned the importance of diplomacy and customer service while developing his communication skills working with clinical caregivers. B R
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TODD DUFEK
LOCKER ROOM COMMITTEE
Todd Dufek is the president of the Locker Room Managers Association (named the “2009 Association of the Year” by BoardRoom magazine) with about 160 member clubs nationwide (www.yourlrma. com). Todd created the Ultimate Locker Room Staff Training System (ULRSTS), founded the Institute of Locker Room Management (ILRM) and is the locker room manager at The Country Club at DC Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona. Would you like a FREE 6 MONTH MEMBERSHIP in the LRMA for your locker room staff? Contact Todd at yourlrma1999@gmail.com.
Locker Room Lessons Learned from the Pandemic All of us in the private club business can agree on one thing: the pandemic is the single, most significant event to hit the club industry. It has given us an unprecedented opportunity to learn from it and to apply some of its lessons to our locker rooms. By the way, these lessons apply mainly to those clubs whose locker rooms were closed for several weeks while members were allowed to continue to play the golf courses. Some of them are: Members realized the importance of shoe care: At many clubs, the locker rooms were shut down for several weeks. As a result, members lost access to shoe services. But with the courses still open and with little else to do, many of them played four to five times per week instead of usual one or two.
“Social distancing” of some amenities allowed staff to continue to make them available despite the threat of COVID-19. To stop the spread of the virus, certain amenities had to be spread out or “socially distanced.” For example, putting out a bowl full of hard candy is a terrible idea for obvious reasons. But the sweets can be placed on a table or alcove and spaced several inches apart. This arrangement allows members to enjoy the treats and stay safe from infection at the same time. When a crisis upsets the operation of a club’s locker rooms, staffers have adjusted on the fly. The pandemic is the worst societal crisis most of us have ever known. It has required drastic changes overnight in the way we operate. Staff members have adjusted accordingly.
Providing personalized service, such as having a member’s favorite drink waiting for him after a round, should happen regularly. In other words, a worldwide crisis should not be required so that staff provides the best possible service. It should be a day-to-day occurrence. They soon realized just how much their golf shoes suffered without regular care. Some clubs might have taken the service for granted before the pandemic, but that is likely no longer the case. Elimination of standard amenities provided the opportunity for even better, more personalized service: Many clubs had to pull all of their typical amenities (shaving cream, deodorant, etc.) out of the locker room bathrooms as prevention against the spread of the coronavirus, leaving behind only soap dispensers, paper towels and toilet paper. This has allowed the locker room staff the opportunity to provide even better, more personalized service. They did so, for example, by putting shaving cream and razors in each member’s locker each day. Imagine how terrific it made members feel when staff surprised them by placing products in their lockers that allowed them to continue their grooming habits amid this chaos). 76
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There have been timeless lessons from the pandemic including: • Improvement in customer service and amenities is an ongoing process, not something that happens just during a pandemic • Fear of spreading the virus forced locker room staffers to make huge changes in nearly all of the amenities offered to members. For example, many clubs now offer single-use packets of Bayer, Advil, Tylenol, Claritin, sunscreen etc. and • Whether we are in the middle of a pandemic or not, we should always be looking for better products that are more convenient, easier to use and that save our clubs money. And finally, providing personalized service, such as having a member’s favorite drink waiting for him after a round, should happen regularly. In other words, a worldwide crisis should not be required so that staff provides the best possible service. It should be a day-to-day occurrence. BR
BRUCE BARILLA 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
LOCKER ROOM COMMITTEE
Are Employees Being Trained to Talk Like Robots? Often, to keep a five-star rating or become a five-star property, employees are being trained so that they are beginning to sound more like robots, rather than genuinely sincere individuals. Required verbiage “How may I assist you?” “Is there anything else I may do to further assist you?” This greeting and closing salutation was required and the guest’s last name was to be used three times in the same conversation when I worked at The Greenbrier. I tried to say and do such, but it just didn’t seem nor sound natural. For years it was common practice to ask, “May I help you?” Then one day the word “assist” was substituted and the word “help” was deemed inappropriate, as if negative while “assist” was positive. Instead of asking how I might “further assist” you, I tried to sound normal by simply asking: “Is there anything else I may do for you?” “Do you need anything?” “Are you all set?” “Everything good?” Perhaps somewhat slangish but it’s what makes employees from different areas of our country unique. Born and raised in Chicago’s south side, I tried very hard to pronounce my words when working at da Greenbrier (oops, …The Greenbrier) and say, “these, them and those” rather than “dese, dem and dose.” Hardly a day went by when a guest would politely say, “You’re not from around here, are you?” My main concern was that I might be talking to the secret shopper and would be marked off for not using the required verbiage. TRUE STORIES
Some true stories stand out while working as a spa locker room attendant at The Greenbrier. Mr. Hewitt has been coming to The Greenbrier Spa for years. He always requests Stephanie as his massage therapist. While Mr. Hewitt is in the relaxation room anticipating his appointment, Stephanie comes in, greets him with a big smile, arms outstretched and excitingly says, “Mr. Hewitt!” He sees Stephanie, gets up from the lounge chair boldly proclaiming, “Stephanie!” and they share a friendly hug.
It should be really easy to understand why so many guests will return to the same destination year after year when guest/employee relationships develop such as that between Mr. Hewitt and Stephanie. Jacky had 35 year’s experience as a massage therapist. He’s respected with some well-known clientele. After Jacky finishes the service, he walks the guest back to me. Now Jacky is supposed to say, “Is there anything else I may do to further assist you?” Instead, he sincerely says, “Now, if you need anything else, just holler.” Definitely not the required closing salutation, but as down-home as one can be. In my opinion, better than sounding like a robot and another reason why guests requested Jacky. MEMORABLE MOMENT
The most impressed I’ve ever been with an employee/ guest relationship is the day West Virginia Governor Gaston Caperton came into the golf locker room. All four of us attendants were working that day. Don, the head man (retired after 52 years), had some standard “one-liners” that made everyone laugh. When asked why he stayed so long at The Greenbrier, Don would say, “Couldn’t make enough money to get out of town.” When U.S. Congressman Nick Rahall asked Don how he was doing, he’d reply: “Haven’t been in jail yet this year.” One day when West Virginia Governor Gaston Caperton came to play golf, he greeted Carl, James and me by our first names. However, when he spoke to Don, the governor respectfully said, “Hello, Mr. Crump.” Don politely answered back, “Hello, Governor.” Real service-oriented individuals already have this intrinsic value instilled in their DNA and from upbringing. Caring for others remains a virtue that cannot be forced, but service standards and methods can be taught. It’s not so much the words we say, as it is the meaning of what we say. B R
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MICHAEL MUELLER
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Michael Mueller, PGA is a career consultant serving the Carolinas Section. He can be reached at (919) 552-3781 or mmueller@pgahq.com.
The Role of Technology in Managing Labor Assets Technology has become ubiquitous in the club industry during the past decade. Advances such as online tee times and reservations, password-protected members-only websites and clubbranded smartphone apps have allowed traditional private clubs to blend tradition and technology seamlessly. While early adopted advancements generally provided additional services and convenience to members, clubs should now leverage technology to enhance back end processes that are often overlooked. While large employers can often find a return on investment in human capital management (HCM) software applications, many smaller employers are left searching for ways to technology while controlling costs. Because mistakes involved in hiring, training and evaluating talent are both costly and time consuming, those processes seem ripe for technological advances and automation. Luckily, many free or low-cost options exist that can enhance processes that have become antiquated, such as: • Advertising job openings – In addition to posting the position on the PGA.org Job Board, it’s important to remember that many job seekers are active on social media. Research shows that 70 percent of job seekers use their mobile devices when job searching. If your facility already has a large social media following, you may simply be able to post an opening. If not, money spent on a focused social media ad may yield the quality applicants you are looking for. As an example, the PGA Career Services LinkedIn account serves as a vehicle to promote positions in the industry. • Application process – Removing barriers for job seekers is a simple way to attract more talent. Do interested applicants need to visit your facility to complete a paper application, or can they apply online? If so, are they required to create a username and password, or can they simply provide basic information and upload a resume. PGA Career Services uses online forms that allow applicants to quickly provide the necessary information (custom for each job) and upload their resume. The form, to improve efficiency and communication, also sends automated confirmation emails to applicants while storing all information and resumes in one place. • Interviewing – The disruption caused by COVID-19 has made video calls and interviews more acceptable than 78
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ever before. While this is an excellent start, using technology to create meaningful enhancements to the interview process should be the goal. For example, online scheduling software allows candidates to choose available interview slots from a live calendar, eliminating the need for back and forth emails or phone calls. Also, online forms or shared spreadsheets allow interviewers to assess and grade applicants, automating both the process of calculating candidate scores and storage of a historical record for the search. • Onboarding and training – The process of assimilating new employees to your team should be more than an endless workflow of HR forms, followed by an introduction to basic job functions. Instead, it should provide an interactive experience that educates new employees about club history, expectations, and workplace culture. Learning management systems (LMS) provide an efficient and affordable solution. These systems can be tailored to include policies and procedures manuals, videos from the general manager or other key management staff, quizzes to test learning, and interactive forms to capture employee goals or allow them to ask questions. These training “courses” can also be position-specific, with different content for different roles within your organization. To be clear, videos and online learning cannot replace hands-on training. Still, it can undoubtedly enhance the onboarding process by providing a base level of knowledge in an easy to digest format. • Evaluation – Does your talent evaluation process still involve paper review forms and a one-on-one meeting with a supervisor? From a data collection viewpoint, that process is inefficient, while from a management viewpoint, it’s also ineffective. Instead, consider using custom online forms to conduct 360 reviews of employees by collecting evaluations from multiple people, including peers, subordinates and customers. In addition to providing a clearer picture of performance, the online forms track completed evaluations, aggregate data and comments, and provide a long-term storage solution for the data. Because technology will continue its rapid pace of transformation, club leaders must embrace relevant technologies to support their mission. This starts with deploying technology that improves both the effectiveness and efficiency of their greatest asset, their employees. BR
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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The PGA Coach Forges Connections and Relationships SPECIAL TO BOARDROOM
Human connection is arguably more important than it’s ever been, because we’re now getting a taste of what it’s like to go without it. Our most basic human need is the need to belong. The PGA Coach is responsible for human connection at a golf facility, forging close connections and relationships that ultimately keep members engaged. The best way to understand the passion behind their profession is to tell the true stories of our coaches who are creating a measurable impact on their facilities. PGA of America President, Suzy Whaley speaks to the value of PGA Coaches when saying, “Our PGA coaches go through 800 hours of education to become a PGA Professional. Their understanding of developing relationships with consumers extends beyond skill acquisition as PGA Coaches because they are also experts in delivering welcoming, fun, and memorable experiences for all at their facilities.” Building engaged relationships is a fundamental role of the PGA Coach. “Our goal as PGA Professionals is to invite all to the game, coach to performance goals, provide joy throughout their customer interactions, and partner alongside every player whether brand new or an expert in their golf journeys so their golf facility is a place they see as their community,” said Whaley. Golfers are much more than a single transaction that occurs at a cash register, and facilities understand the need to keep them engaged consistently. “The director of instruction in many facilities is the most valuable employee on-site,” said PGA of America Chief Membership Officer, John Easterbrook Jr., PGA. “At private clubs, the lifeline is members and member engagement. The DOI is responsible for helping develop members’ games and growing the connections to the club by introducing the game to new players. The more satisfied and connected members are to golf, the more likely the members will stay members and bring new members into their club. 80
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“There are many different compensation models for the DOI’s. Some clubs have traditional methods of paying these coaches and teachers, and others have developed revenue tracking models. The more people enjoy something, the more they use it. DOI’s are the connective tissue to usage and the golf courses. These individuals are critically important to the overall satisfaction of core golfers and the introduction of new golfers. A great instruction program connects the entire family to a facility.” The question that remains is, how much effort do facilities put into understanding why their customers play the game? “So many today have been influenced by a parent or spouse - someone close to them or in their family - who encouraged their growth and helped them along the learning curve,” said Trillium Rose, Director of Instruction at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, MD. “But for those who don’t have someone to help them along, it’s really hard, and that’s where a great coach comes in. Not just a golf professional who knows how to play golf, but someone who really understands how to work with an array of different ability levels and across the entire spectrum of skills. “A good coach is so valuable as a shepherd for those who play because they are experienced and trained in helping people stay in the game, feel comfortable with what they are doing to get better and improve their play. All these things increase golf participation,” he added. If a PGA Professional is aligned with the goals of the club – that is to say, reduced attrition, increased spend and new membership – they hold the power of human connection and relationship building to accomplish all of these things. “PGA Coaches add not only to the bottom line but also to the future of a club. I have had numerous occasions where I am giving lessons to a social member and they start to enjoy the game so much that they upgrade their membership to full golf membership,” said Director of Instruction, Brian Jones of the Kenwood Country Club in Cincinnati, OH.
“Yes, I am getting paid for the lessons, but I am also selling the club at the same time. In terms of the value for the future of the club, giving lessons to golf members, their grandchildren (who might have parents who are not members yet), friends of members (who are thinking about joining the club) breeds a welcoming and fun environment that they want to be a part of.” A connected PGA Professional can understand members on an individual level, tailor coaching and programming and communications to their needs and keep them engaged at the club. “Face it, when people enjoy having fun at the game of golf and seeing inviting faces, the success of your club can be endless. That is just the tip of the iceberg to the value PGA Coaches bring to a facility,” said Jones. When facilities are aligned, coaching can thrive and develop growth opportunities at the club level, but also
actively participate in growing the game of golf through relationships with members. “We’ve seen even more dramatic increases in top and bottom-line growth when the facility can align around seven basic tenets with coaching as the key deliverable,” according to Senior Director of Sport Development at the PGA of America, Mike O’Donnell. “Those are GM understanding, a coaching program that is aligned to the goals of the club, job descriptions and compensation that are aligned to the key outcomes desired, active change leadership, an engagement calendar that features compelling content, ongoing professional development, and good and timely measurement and reporting.” “The PGA of America is aligning around those core tenets to better serve you and help you create those results at your facility.” B R
Lesson Program Clarification JOHN G. FORNARO, PUBLISHER BOARDROOM MAGAZINE
Editor’s note: In our July/August BoardRoom, Nancy Levenburg, a long-time contributor to BoardRoom penned the article: Free Golf Lessons? Free for Whom? She based her article on comments attributed to Mitchell Stump, author of the Club Tax Newsletter, who suggested private clubs should be offering free golf lessons to their members, as a perk associated with a club membership. BoardRoom publisher John Fornaro first suggested this program to Mitchell Stump in 2008. Based on what he said at that time, and in light of Nancy’s article, Fornaro is providing clarification of the program as initially outlined. Nancy Levenburg has been a great contributor to BoardRoom magazine. We appreciate her comments very much. In the July/August issue she wrote about FREE Golf lessons. I believe some of the information doesn’t apply to the private club industry and since I’m the one who told Mitchel Stump back in 2008 about free golf lessons to members, I would like to clarify the program. Average pay of a head golf professional: In Nancy’s article, the average pay of a head golf professional, referenced from PAYSCALE.COM , is between $31,000 to $75,000. Many public golf courses, municipal golf courses, par three courses and driving range head professional were most likely included in this survey. Private clubs pay their head professional much more than others. My 2017 BoardRoom Distinguished Club survey, showed the average salary of head golf professional at over $94,000 year, with a range of $78,000 to $148,000. This did not include golf lessons. Free golf lessons. Back in 2008, as a part owner of a private country club in California, I decided to hire experienced golf instructors to teach. I paid them $60,000, plus a $10,000 bonus every year the average index of a member went down one stroke. So because some of the members index dropped two strokes a couple of years
running, I paid the professionals $60,000 plus $20,000 in bonuses to teach only. At my club the average index was 19.8. In 2012 it dropped to 15.5. A lower index meant people were playing better golf and they would most likely stay as members. It was a retention goal. These instructors provided free golf lessons to my members five days a week, five hours a day. The remaining hours they could teach non-members, many of whom later became members. My director of golf and head professional both quit last month. They left the golf industry. A combination of stress, from managing members during the COVID-19 crisis, long hours, and they could no longer financially support their family. Both of these men loved the club, loved being part of the PGA and loved golf. Over the next year, we will be working with the PGA regarding the evolution of the golf professional. Those ideas will be published in BoardRoom magazine. I believe strongly, the vast majority of private clubs aren’t utilizing their golf professional talents. They are the key to increasing member usage and retention. Sadly, many golf professional can’t afford to live in the cities they work. This is a critical issue. Clubs will need to be more creative regarding their golf professionals’ compensation or over time, they will lose them. John G. Fornaro SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 | BOARDROOM
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LISA CARROLL
HOUSE COMMITTEE
Lisa Carroll, SHRM-SCP is search executive, Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace. She can be reached at (561) 596-1123 or via email: lisa@kkandw.com www.kkandw.com
The Power of the Member/Employee Relationship “I cannot explain the relationship that we have with club members to a restaurant chef. You have to live it to really understand the importance and impact of it.” - Adam Minicucci, executive chef and F&B director, Country Club of North Carolina. As we continue to weather the COVID-19 storm, I am reminded of a heart-warming story that highlights the integral relationship between club members and employees that is unique to the private club world. This article tells the story of a bond between a club executive chef and a warm and generous member who had a passion for food. The story also highlights the importance of providing employees with the tools they need to perform their jobs (which is common sense but not common practice!). I met Katie Bolt in Pinehurst when we conducted the executive chef search for the Country Club of North Carolina in 2013. At the time she was a board member of the club and chair of the House Committee. As a result of that search, we placed Chef Adam Minicucci, who has prospered at the club ever since. After an impressive career as executive director of the National Council of Community Hospitals and then pursuing a second career in art as a sales associate for Sotheby’s and Washington Fine Properties, Ms. Bolt moved to Pinehurst in 2007. She became a member of the Country Club of North Carolina where she eventually served two terms as a board member. She met Chef Minicucci during his interview at the club on August 13, 2013 and took him out for dinner later that evening to discuss the board’s vision for the club’s culinary future. They forged a bond through their mutual respect for the culinary program at the Inn at Little Washington and their love of food and hospitality. When I saw Chef Minicucci at the CMAA World Conference earlier this year, he told me about his relationship with Ms. Bolt and the impact she had on the staff and culinary operations. You see, last year, Ms. Bolt contributed funds earmarked explicitly for much-needed kitchen renovations, as well as several specialized pieces of equipment that were “game changers” for the staff. According to Minicucci, “Katie spent every day at the club. She was part of its fabric and she cared deeply for the staff and how they were treated. The club is each member’s ‘home away from home’- an extension of their living room - and 82
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she wanted every member to treat staff like family, with dignity and respect. She also wanted to provide the culinary team with the tools to make a difference. What she didn’t realize is that her contribution not only had a major impact on the quality of the service and efficiency of culinary operations, but she also affected the career of every member of the culinary team. They are getting invaluable experience using state-of-the-art equipment, which attracts new employees and makes their skills more marketable.” When Ms. Bolt could no longer visit the club during the final weeks of her illness, Minicucci visited her. She shared updates, the renovation plans and the equipment they were planning to purchase so Ms. Bolt could feel a part of the process and understand the impact of her legacy. The club purchased new combi ovens for the a la carte and banquet lines, a tilt skillet, a blast chiller, new ice maker and ice crusher machines, ice cream machine, and stainless steel tables on casters that featured storing drawers and drop-down heat lamps. The storing drawers are especially popular with team members - each drawer is assigned to a staff member! New reach-ins and lowboy refrigerators were installed, and an existing walk-in was gutted and completely reconstructed. Modular, non-corrosive metro shelves were purchased to make cleaning and refiguration a snap. They even installed a new prep sink - one that is level and drains properly! The renovations provided the tools to deliver outstanding service as well as a proud and grateful staff. The team, to express its gratitude and a reminder of Ms. Bolt’s generosity, erected a plaque in the kitchen with her picture and a quote that she said once to Minicucci: “We are cut from the same cloth; we love to make people happy which makes us good at what we do.” Sadly, Katie Bolt passed away in May 2019, but the culinary team thinks of her every day when they see her plaque in the kitchen and meet in front of it for line ups and before significant events. And, at the end of every meeting, each team member touches that plaque, reminding me of “clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.” As a testament to their relationship, Minicucci, speaking at Ms. Bolt’s memorial service, shared poignant as well as funny stories of her friendship, shared vision and generosity. Ms. Bolt was most excited about how her contribution could make a difference, making sure it included every-
thing that the culinary team would need to be successful. She wanted to ensure they had the tools they needed to exceed member expectations. Every club can take a page out of that book - you cannot expect hospitality staff to exceed expectations if you don’t give them the tools they need to do the job effectively and efficiently. The Country Club of North Carolina is currently undergoing a $3M renovation of the dining rooms, including the expansion of outdoor dining. Thanks to Ms. Bolt’s generosity, the kitchen is already equipped to produce the quality and volume needed when the member dining venues reopen. Now more than ever, club members and staff rely on each other for understanding, flexibility, patience, and safety. Especially now, we need to treat each other like family - with dignity and respect. We also need to ensure that the staff (our family) have the tools they need to perform their jobs at the highest level and be proud of where they work. Ms. Bolt’s obituary stated, “Katie will always be remembered as a warm, caring and loving daughter, sister and friend. She graced all those who knew her with her wit, wisdom, generosity, kindness and wicked sense of humor.” Her relationship with Chef Minicucci and the culinary staff, as well as her impact with the entire CCNC’s team, not only made a difference, it made all the difference. Visit bit.ly/ccnc-kitchen-tour for a video tour of the Country Club of North Carolina’s kitchen renovation highlights. B R
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RITA CRAIG Rita B. Craig, CSP, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, president of Top Tier Leadership is a leadership consultant, trainer and keynote speaker. She can be reached at (561) 775-3396. www. TopTierLeadership.com
WELLNESS COMMITTEE
The Wonderful World of Wellness That’s not easy to determine for all plans since most wellness data Wellness: The state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate comes from large companies. But though the majority of United States companies are small businesses employing fewer than 10 people, half of effort. them sponsor some form of wellness activity, from preventing illness to It’s a wonderful goal. But is encouraging managing chronic conditions such as heart disease or diabetes. the health and happiness of employees Since most small businesses are not self-insured, they share their health through wellness programs worth the insurance costs with a pool of small employers. Wellness programs that investment, especially for small and medilower health costs can provide savings that are shared by other employum-sized organizations? ees in the pool. In short, does it pay off? Considering the win-win possibility that encouraging healthy living reduces Some studies say yes, that improving company costs, it’s no surprise that organizations of all sizes are climbing on workers’ health makes them more likely to the wellness wagon. But health is even more important in a small organization come to work regularly and be more producwhere the absence of one or two employees can make a big difference, espetive. They tend to exercise, eat nutritiously, cially if the programs are about more than physical health. see a doctor less often and follow plans to For groups large or small who want to begin a wellness program or evalhelp them stop smoking or lose weight. uate an existing one, experts offer some advice: The potential return on investment is that • What’s right for your employees is key. Since you know them best, health risks and costs will be contained and fashion a program that speaks to their and maybe their families’ needs. there will be less short and long-term disRemember that the best approach is not to threaten participation but exability and absenteeism. cite with the opportunities. Wellness programs vary, but more and • Begin with some basics, like the number of calories and fat in many more include ways to effectively combat products, especially fast-food products. Put those facts in a small guide and deal with stress. This not only makes they can use to make good decisions when shopping. If you have vending for happier, well-adjusted employees, it machines that offer junk foods, replace them with tastier, healthier fare. saves money by encouraging them to stay • Offer personal assessments of employees’ health risks. Workers who with their organization. In a study by Towers discover such factors are more likely to seek guidance in ways of lowering Watson and the National Business Group on them. It needn’t cost a lot and documenting individual risks shows more Health, 42 percent of employees reported clearly the importance of healthy living. leaving a job because of stressful workplace • Purchase pedometers. They’re a low-cost way for employees to meaconditions. Another plan, the Cleveland sure their progress. Consider a competition among those using them. Clinic Bravo program, helps employees set • When possible, include resources that support all aspects of well-bemeasurable goals, track their progress and ing – physical, social, emotional and financial. A cultural approach to wellcome to work healthy. ness helps employees feel their best and bring their most authentic selves The bottom line is that a significant mato work. jority of employers believe in wellness ini• Make sure the program involves everyone, including top leadership. As tiatives, but there’s no one-size-fits-all plan. in most endeavors, achievement starts at the top, with strong leadership. For some companies, physical health is the Increasingly, large employers nationwide are banking on wellness promain factor. Others also emphasize mental grams. According to a survey by the National Business Group on Health, and emotional health. To encourage parthey were expected to pay about $3.6 million on wellness programs in ticipation, some companies offer financial 2019. While there are fewer numbers for small and medium-sized compaincentives, such as reducing workers’ health nies, it’s likely many are following suit. plan premiums. Others help fund health They’re focusing on the many long- and short-term benefits of adopting a savings accounts. healthy lifestyle, and well they should. It’s something money can’t buy. BR So how successful are they? 84
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DAVID HAMILTON David B. Hamilton is vice president, business solutions, leisure segment, entegra Procurement Services. He can be reached at (813) 528-3669 or via email: davidb.hamilton@entegraps.com Follow entegra Procurement Services on LinkedIn
TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
Are You Using Technology Or Is Technology Using You? When your coffee machine can exchange information with your Google calendar, which then texts your Apple watch to let you know your espresso is ready, it’s easy to get caught up in all the latest high-tech gadgets. There are over 26 billion internet-connected devices available in the marketplace today. This can become overwhelming when looking into software platforms and technological solutions for your club operations. Finding and using the software and technology that will be the most useful to your operation should be part of your overall procurement strategy. In the COVID age, mitigating the rising costs of doing business includes having technology that protects your physical systems, gives you the data you need to do your job more effectively and does not alienate your members or staff. I recently had the opportunity to host an entegra webinar discussion about preparing for disasters. Our panelists
included representatives from two of our entegra-contracted suppliers, Sprint/T-Mobile (maker of not only cellular phones and services, but also systems-monitoring technology), PowerPlus (maker of power generation systems) and our vice president of safety. Much of our conversation revolved around the importance of having automated ways to monitor key systems in a food service operation that can save lives as well as protect investments. For instance, Sprint has technology that will send your chef a message if the power goes out to your refrigerators or freezers after hours. These technologies may require investment, but there are also added-value technologies through the companies with which you may already do business. For instance, we provide the entegra Purchasing iQ Platform to our clients free of charge. This software SEE TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE | 113
CONTEXT
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NANCY BERKLEY
NANCY’S CORNER
Nancy Berkley is an expert on women’s golf and junior girls golf in the U.S. Nancy is a member of the World Golf Foundation Women’s Committee, and a member of the National Golf Foundation. She shares news about women’s golf – along with her opinions on www.nancyberkleygolf.com. Nancy has served on the governing boards of two golf clubs and currently is on the green committee at Frenchman’s Creek Beach & Country Club. She is a contributing writer for LPGA publications.
Use Distance Learning Technology To Benefit Your Community The term “distance learning” wasn’t very common ests of our members with local organizations that needed volunteer until the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools and assistance. (We were not asking for financial contributions because Frenchman’s Creek has a well-established, member-supported charhome computers replaced classrooms. itable foundation.) We presented our proposal for the volunteer When offices closed, employees began working match program to the club’s board of directors six years ago. It was from home and the use of technology has beapproved. come even more important. But a few in the golf Over the past years, over 100 members of Frenchman’s Creek have industry had been thinking ahead. volunteered in local elementary, junior high and high schools as well In 2014, the LPGA and GOLFZON, a leading golf as agencies such as the American Red Cross, the Literacy Coalition simulator corporation based in Korea, announced and homeless shelters. a marketing partnership, and earlier this year in And then the Coronavirus arrived in Florida! Schools closed. real time, two LPGA players from the Republic Agency offices closed. Our Frenchman’s members want to stay safe in of Korea competed on a GOLFZON simulator in our community and not visit outside agencies. Luckily, we landed on Korea against two players from the United Stated a solution that the schools and agencies welcome. We are using video on a GOLFZON simulator in Florida. technology to record panel discussions with our members about The tournament – the LPGA Match Play Chaldifferent careers and topics that we are sharing with local schools. lenge – was played from the two locations on siWe will prepare students for interviews with distance-learning promultaneous screens of the famous Black Course grams using Google Meet and Zoom, instead of personal face-to-face at Bethpage State Park, New York. The U.S. team coaching. won with the prize money donated by GOLFZON Our golf courses will also become distance learning classrooms as to a COVID-19 cause. part of “The First Green” STEM program of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (the GCSAA). www.lpga.com/news/2020/golfzon-lpga-matchplay-challenge. See the website www.thefirstgreen.org/about-first-green/ This example of “distance competition” using simulators is the tip of the iceberg. I’m going to take you back to the volunteer match program at my club, Frenchman’s Creek Beach and Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Seven years ago as new members of Frenchman’s Creek, my husband and I went to one of our club’s restaurants for dinner. We spotted a couple at a table for four and asked if we could join them. What a coincidence, they were new members also! Our dinner conversation progressed, the four of us learned that our lives were not just about golf. We all had backgrounds in charitable organizations. In about an hour, we quickly landed on establishing a volunteer program for our club’s members. We would match the skills and inter86
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One problem for The First Green has been the cost of transporting students from schools to a golf course. Nick Kearns, director of green & grounds at The Oaks Club in Osprey, FL – a member of the Distinguished Clubs – is lucky. He hosts The First Green at a local golf course conveniently next to a school. Using distance learning technology, we are preparing videos here at Frenchman’s Creek with Wes Dillard, Frenchman’s Creek director of golf course management, as he and his staff explain the science of water management, how to calculate green speed and much more. See “20 Quick Field Trip Ideas” on the First Green website. We thought distance learning would be a barrier to our volunteer match program. Instead, distance learning allows us to share the skills of more of our members with more schools and organizations in our community. It’s a win-win in tough times. 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
Ideas to Help Push Sustainability Course superintendents and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) have been concerned about environmental issues for a long time. GCSAA has been at the forefront of the golf course industry to help figure out solutions to environmental issues like golf course water usage, pesticide use, wildlife habitat, ground water contamination and many others. This doesn’t mean we can’t do more to protect our environment and educate the members, guests and others on what golf courses do to enhance the world we live in. Superintendents should take every opportunity to improve their footprint on the environment. Here are several ideas that superintendents and others in the industries are doing to help push the green initiative. • Joining the “Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program” (ACSP). This program is directed at golf courses to help them identify and support all the existing wildlife and vegetation on the golf courses by understanding how everything coexists. The program encourages education of the members, guests and the community to understand the vital role the golf course plays in the environment and in their community. ACSP understands how the course has to be financially sound and works with the golf courses to support the overall plan to provide a win, win, win (golf course, environment and community). ACSP helps increase the awareness and sets a plan in place to continue managing the environmental-friendly open space while allowing an enjoyable experience for the members and guest on the golf course. • Recycling program. You may be doing this already but to what extent? Do you know what waste you can recycle? Do you have the right bins with easy to read signage on them? Are they in the right areas (i.e. high traffic areas)? Do you request recycle containers from your vendors’ products? All of these can help improve your environmental footprint and go a long way in reducing waste. • Composting organic waste. This takes a bigger effort but can help with producing materials for landscape beds and even divot mix. How can you convert your property to a zero-waste golf facility? Start with auditing your entire facility to understand your waste stream and figure out what all can be re-cycled, re-used or eliminated. There are ways to compost that can be efficient while creating by-products that are useful to the golf course operation. Start with a good audit to understand the waste stream at your facility. • Conducting an irrigation audit on your system. This should be done yearly on different areas to ensure your entire irrigation system is functioning properly. This also helps identify areas that need upgrading to reduce water use. These audits are excellent resources to help understand if it’s time for putting in a more efficient system and where you can maximize irrigation upgrades. • Turf reduction programs. This sounds easy but is usually controversial as all members or guests may not understand the benefit and/or what the work will look like when completed. When reducing frequently mowed turf areas, it’s important to develop a plan to make sure the areas that lose turf are turned into native or landscape areas 88
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that fit the golf course and have the same benefit as intended (i.e. less water usage, maintenance, etc.). These areas will require maintenance to establish and should have fewer inputs as they mature. • Conducting energy audits on your facility. These audits can help identify areas of change, like changing light fixtures to more efficient LED lighting. There are programs in place with government and power providers to help you do this not only in the maintenance facility, but throughout all buildings at the course. Adding solar panels to help reduce electrical use is becoming more and more popular with excellent benefits back to the golf course. • Using bio-controls to control pest. Algae eating fish in ponds and lakes can control aquatic weeds (i.e. white amurs, tilapia, etc.). Planting disease resistant varieties of grasses helps reduce use of pesticides. • Producing healthier turf to fight back pests. A lot of pests get the upper hand on turf when it is weak or stressed. By allowing managing the turf for health in stress times makes a difference in how that plant handles the pest. Higher cutting heights, fewer mowing frequencies, rolling instead of mowing, managing correct moisture levels (use of moisture meters) and proper cultural practices (aerification, topdressing) can help make the plant healthier and better able to fight the pest. This is a sound part of integrated pest management (IPM). • Electric or hybrid equipment. Look at changing to newer electric or hybrid equipment when the time comes around. Don’t be afraid to reduce your environmental footprint on your golf course and let people know what you are doing to help the environment. Communicate your efforts throughout your club and your community. B R
DAVE DOHERTY Dave Doherty is president/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
GREEN COMMITTEE
Have We Lost Our Ability to Think? The industry is starting to change to a new breed of commonsense thinkers when considering what it takes to maintain our golf greens at a level that we only wished for in the past but seldom attained. In most cases, we were unable to maintain once we did obtain that high level. A golf course superintendent in upstate NY phoned recently to say that his new green had a 20 percent loss of turf and the cause had been diagnosed as “Pythium Root Dysfunction.” The superintendent then phoned Dr. Lane Tredway at North Carolina State University, the industry’s leading expert when it comes to this disease, who recommended building up the nutrient and water holding of the green. The superintendent asked for my thoughts on what would be the best way to achieve this increase in CEC [nutrient holding] and water retention. My recommendation? Aerify as deeply as possible and inject an 80/20 of sand and an inorganic amendment into the aerification holes. The inorganic amendment would provide the nutrient and water holding 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 too high of an organic matter in the top one to two inches of the greens was the leading cause of turf failure in sand-based 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 by giving us this naturally-produced ma-
terial – 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 caused green failures. With this limited thinking, we as an industry started to back off adding organic matter into our new green mixes, resulting in an insufficient amount of food and water being available to our plants.
Three years into my research at ISTRC, I found that too high of an organic matter in the top one to two inches of the greens was the leading cause of turf failure in sand-based greens. This deposit of organic matter is a natural part of the aging process of the turf. Dr. Tredway recommends that mixes contain at least 15 percent organic matter by volume. I couldn’t agree more. When Texas A & M, under the guidance of DR. Marvin Ferguson in the early to mid-1950s, wrote the USGA specifications for new green construction and published in 1960, they had a category called water or moisture holding. This, one factor of the utmost importance in today’s world of new grasses and low mowing heights has been ignored by many in our industry. 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 had been under attack from the members for something that’s the result of things done before he arrived at the course. I hope that the management team can hold off the membership until the greens turn around, as this superintendent is one of the really good ones in our industry. He has not lost his ability to think and use commonsense. BR
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JASON KOENIGSFELD
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Jason Koenigsfeld, Ph.D., is the senior vice president of professional development for the Club Management Association of America. For more information on CMAA’s competencies, visit www.cmaa.org/ ProfessionalDevelopment.aspx.
New Competencies for 2020 and Beyond Since 1927, professional development and education have been the center of the mission of the Club Management Association of America (CMAA). CMAA’s curriculum is based on competency areas covering every aspect of a club management professional’s job and responsibilities. These professional competencies represent the skills and knowledge that are highly valued and required for success in the club management career path. CMAA regularly reviews and updates its competencies to ensure its educational programming meets the needs of club management professionals, the clubs that they manage and the greater club industry. After completing extensive qualitative and quantitative research with current club management professionals over 18 months, the efforts culminated in the announcement of a new competency and the addition of new facets to two existing competencies announced in June. Information technology is the newest competency. In today’s environment, club management professionals must devise ways to integrate technology into the club, which enhances the member experience from managing reservation systems, member data and other outreach applications. In the development of a technology strategy, club management professionals must analyze the most effective methods to manage the club’s back office system selection, point of sale management and optimization, management of club servers, website management, digital applications, facility safety and security systems, back-up and recovery systems, and integration of systems. This strategy includes consideration of hiring IT professionals or vetting and selecting outsourcing services. Technology has always been encompassed in the other 10 competency areas. The move to its own competency ensures a focus on the requisite knowledge of system design and an analytical approach. The pace of change with technology makes these efforts challenging, along with the concerns of planning to maintain and upgrade these systems and resources in capital and operational financial planning. Data analytics has been added to the competency encompassing accounting and finance. Data analytics are at the heart of decision-making processes across the club. Club management professionals must be able to collect and analyze applicable data and understand its implications across the club operation. Data is an integral part of club strategy, used to measure current performance and progress toward strategic goals.
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Data analytics also was threaded throughout the other 10 competencies but rated higher on relevance and frequency, promoting it to the competency level. Finally, wellness has been added to the category of golf, sports, recreation and wellness, reflecting the vast expansion of club amenities and offerings in the wellness arena. In this version of the competency study, the requisite skills have been streamlined to apply to each club recreational amenity rather than specifically to each sport. The study has found the management of club amenities equally important, and this change allows managers to apply the practices of managing recreational amenities across many disciplines and apply their knowledge to their current property. The other requisite competencies are: • Leadership • Interpersonal Skills • Club governance • External and governmental influences • Human and professional resources • Membership and marketing • Food and beverage • Facilities management CMAA’s professional development team will introduce the changes in the competency areas into the Business Management Institute (BMI) curriculum and other educational programming. Once adequately addressed within the BMI curriculum, the update will be reflected in the Certified Club Manager (CCM) exam. Adequate notice will be provided to the CMAA membership before that change is implemented. BR
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BORIS FETBROYT Boris Fetbroyt, USPTA, PTR, CTPS, is director of tennis, The Country Club of Fairfax, Fairfax, VA. He can be reached at (240) 413-0614 www.ccfairfax.org
RACQUET COMMITTEE
Taking Advantage During Uncertain Times
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Just keeping your general racquets memAs directors of racquets, we are facing a challenge that we’ve never really bership up to date with reopenings and new gone through before. COVID-19 has put lots of uncertainty regarding the fuprogram offerings goes a long way in staying ture of our clubs and jobs. engaged. As a racquets director, your staff looks It’s genuinely testing our leadership skills and also has given us someto you for guidance during times of uncertainty. thing we don’t usually have to often in the private club industry – time. Sit down with your staff and go over their short Great racquet industry leaders will use this time wisely to come out of and long-term goals, because that’s the key to this situation with an even more robust racquets program. So, I’m listing not only their success but also how it also aligns some important practices to come out of this pandemic even stronger with the success of your racquets’ program. and making the proper adjustments moving forward. The USPTA, PTR, CMAA and USTA are providing free educational seminars for profesREVISIT YOUR BUSINESS PLAN sional development and the USTA announced a There is no question in the future, times will be different, a time of financial relief package for racquet professionals unknowns. As racquet directors, we’re not sure how our membership will and clubs that have struggled during these react once the courts are fully open. We must assume some members will uncertain times. Making sure your racquet probe very eager to come back while others will be very hesitant. fessionals are aware of all these resources is a Regardless we need to be prepared with an adjusted business plan. great way to show them you care about their Some important fundamentals of your business plan to revisit are your future and well-being. executive summary, meaning your whats, whys and hows, and eventually what outcome you are looking for. SELF-IMPROVEMENT Where do you see your racquets program today, in six months and Everything starts with you! Your team is as only next year? Staffing also needs to be revisited. When your courts are as good as their leader. During a time of uncerreopened, how many racquet professionals will be needed? Financials tainty and some unexpected free time, this is a need to be adjusted because program revenue will likely be lower than great way to focus on your self-improvement. budgeted or, at most places zeroed out completely. One of the most critiThink about some of the things you would cal aspects of your business plan that needs to be revisited is your target have loved to focus on during your normal opmarket analysis, which is usually done by a SWOT analysis. erating times, but where you just didn’t have the time for it. It could be anything from taking an SWOT ANALYSIS online course or doing a personal SWOT analyOne of the most important components of your business plan to revisit sis to see where you need improvement. is your current/past offerings and how they are affected in the future What are your strengths? Multi-tasking? Time because of COVID-19. A SWOT analysis of your offerings will help you remanagement? Stress management? Coaching? evaluate your racquets program and make the proper adjustments needed. What are your weaknesses? Leadership? PreSome important components to look at when doing your SWOT analsenting? Assertiveness? What are your threats? ysis are adult group instruction such as cardio tennis, ladies’ and men’s Growing competition? Financial constraints? clinics, along with adult camps. Another important component of your How about some possible opportunities? Are racquet offerings to review is league play, such as Interclub, USTA and training programs available? Job opportunities? other various leagues where a strong social gathering takes place. Career advancement? How will junior clinics and junior camps be handled during the reopenThese are all great ways for self-improvement. ing? A full SWOT analysis will help you be fully prepared for the future Learning never stops and our industry continues with proper offerings during times of uncertainty. to change, first we were a tennis industry, then we are a racquets industry and now we are a LEADERSHIP racquets industry coming out of a pandemic. As a director of racquets, there isn’t a better time to really show your The second you stop learning and self-improvleadership skills to your staff and membership. Keeping your membering, your team and program will start to flatten. ship engaged through video tips, Facebook live strategy video sessions, Remember success is not owned, it’s leased and tennis trivia through Zoom video conferencing. rent is due every day! Stay safe everyone! BR BOARDROOM | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020
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ROBERT SERECI Robert A Sereci, CCM is GM/COO of Medinah Country Club, located in Medinah, IL. He can be reached at (630) 438-6825, or via email: rsereci@medinahcc.org
ON THE FRONTLINES
The Downfall of Perfectionism Last year, while interviewing an individual for a senior position, I asked the candidate to share with me one of his weaknesses. I’d hardly finished posing my question when he replied with a smile, “I tend to be a perfectionist.” I wasn’t surprised, as I have heard this response often. I’m convinced that most of the candidates who respond this way are not really perfectionists but provide this answer because they think it’s a clever strategy to signal a “negative” characteristic to your prospective employer. But they hope it will be interpreted as a positive. Some genuinely may be perfectionists. So, what’s the fascination with perfectionism? Is this a trait a club manager appreciates and looks for in candidates? I sincerely hope not. There’s no doubt benefits can be derived from quality standards in any workplace. And studies do show that individuals with perfectionist tendencies can be more engaged, work longer hours and are typically self-motivated. But what isn’t mentioned often enough is the perils that come with working for, or with, a perfectionist.
trait they said they wanted and had included in their job description and had mentioned multiple times during my initial interview. However, while I was dazzling them with my index finger magic trick, what they didn’t know is that I was hiding what I didn’t know. Vulnerability was not a skill I acknowledged or one I chose to use at that point in my career. No manager I knew ever openly shared their true weaknesses, so I felt I needed cover. STIFLES INNOVATION
Many perfectionists try to avoid failure at all costs. As a result, innovation rarely takes flight. Given their high standards, they are likely to shoot down ideas of other team members or delay project execution until they feel it is flawless. Perfectionists tend to be overly worried that their work is not quite right, nor good enough. They can harbor a deep-seated belief that they will lose respect from others if their work is not good enough. In private clubs, an industry where out-of-the-box thinking is almost non-existent, these tendencies don’t help to drive innovation.
As leaders, we are entrusted with the livelihood of the people who look to us to learn, grow and who rely on us financially. If this is our most important responsibility, then should we not allocate most of our focus and energy on people, rather than unattainable standards? At the end of the day, I realized that a dust-free surface or a straight sconce wasn’t going to have a material impact on the lives of my employees or the service my members expected and deserved. PERFECTIONIST IMPOSTERS
For many of my early years, I’m not proud of the fact that I used perfectionism as a ploy to mask my insecurity and lack of experience. At the time, because I lacked the required food and beverage experience required to manage a club, I deflected by walking around my club sliding my index finger over every surface, followed by careful examination of the contents, all in the timely view of employees, or better yet, board members. And it worked, for a while. I so enjoyed the looks on their faces as they raised their eyebrows and whispered something like, “He is good.” Why shouldn’t they be impressed? I was emulating the very
A TENDENCY TO OVERINVEST
Because of their own high personal demands and self-expectations, perfectionists run the risk of underestimating other people, overworking themselves and not relying on outside resources in order to control the outcome to meet their own excessively high standards. They run the risk of spending too much time and resources perfecting select work or projects while neglecting other equally important demands, or worse, neglecting their relationships with their staff. Striving for perfection is not overly beneficial for employees.
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M. KENT JOHNSON M. Kent Johnson, CCM is general manager/COO, Baltimore Country Club. He can be reached at (410) 554-8002 or via email: kjohnson@bcc1898.com
ON THE FRONTLINES
Culture and Hospitality Eat in the Cafeteria
Not everyone will agree with the values I correlate with a successful internal culture. I have come to find, through years of trial and error, that the way we treat our teams, how we talk to our teams, and how we care for our teams will lead to the conclusion that it’s always about the people. Growing up, I was a terribly behaved child and an even worse teen. My actions resulted in many mandatory absences from school for various malfeasances. This unscheduled time off meant I had to go work with my father, who ran a large construction company.
When I began my tenure at my last club, and now Baltimore Country Club, I introduced myself to my teams the same way. I expressed my preference to be on a firstname basis with everyone. I asked that as I navigate and learn the club and my role, that they not only be patient and respect the position but also allow me the opportunity to earn their respect. I wanted my teams to understand I was genuine and real. I needed everyone to know I was going to ask a lot of them, but that I was going to give my best with them. I wanted to show I cared about them as people, and that I was as invested in their success as much as I was in the club’s.
Staff meals are the most important meal you serve. Dine with your team and talk with them. Make sure they are on this journey with you. Be human, humble and appreciative. Know your success comes from your ability to inspire and lead your team to their futures, even if their time with you is only a stepping stone to somewhere greater. One day I had to accompany him to a job site where the company was building a hospital. For the duration of our commute, I listened to how one of the subcontractors wasn’t meeting the standard of expectation and how the overall schedule was at risk as a result. All I could think about was how my dad was going to handle the situation and how badly I felt for the guy, because in my limited experience as his son, I wasn’t expecting it to be a pleasant interaction! At the job site, my father approached the subcontractor, and he did the opposite of what I was expecting. He projected a calm demeanor, was courteous, kind, and carried himself with dignity and respect. The entire interaction ended with the subcontractor thanking my father! I couldn’t and didn’t understand for a long time what I’d witnessed. It took years for me to learn the hard lesson that it isn’t about the message, but the delivery that matters. I learned many valuable lessons from my father about humility and how to care for others.
We must understand as leaders and are no different than those we lead. Those we lead best represent us and should be the true measure of our success. IMPACTING RELATIONSHIPS
Everything starts with vocabulary. How you phrase simple statements can have a huge impact on your relationships with your team and, subsequently, how others view and treat them. When introducing a team member to a colleague, always keep in mind that every member works with you, not for you. This is not about today’s reality where everyone gets a trophy. It’s about kindness, humility and decency while holding them supremely accountable for their actions and adherence to your standards, expectations and beliefs. Make sure you are engaging with every member of your team regularly to thank and appreciate them for what they do. ➤ SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 | BOARDROOM
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from Frontlines - Sereci | 94
There can be significant costs for employees, clubs, and boards. While seemingly counterintuitive, we might be better off with going for good enough, instead of expecting employees to be, or to produce, the very best. EMPLOYEE MORALE
Yes, perfectionists strive to produce the highest quality work and they also have higher levels of motivation and conscientiousness than non-perfectionists. However, they are also more likely to set inflexible, and often set excessively high standards for the rest of the team and their employees. Have you ever worked for a perfectionist? It’s not so pleasant! Studies have found that perfectionists have higher levels of stress, burnout and anxiety and, as a result, create an equally stressful environment for their employees. The overwhelming percentage of club employees are on hourly wages, working very hard to provide for their families. They care deeply for one another and want to do their best for their club and its members. In my experience, I have come to recognize that their best may not be my best, and that’s okay. The key to delivering consistent and superior member satisfaction is to create and implement a service model that most, and not just a few, employees can deliver. Developing a service culture on the backs of a handful of perfectionists or overachievers is not realistic nor sustainable. So, is there a need for perfectionists? Absolutely! CONTEXT MATTERS
In 2019, just days before my open-heart surgery, my surgeon called me and apologetically asked if there was from Frontlines - Johnson | 95
Celebrate your team’s accomplishments, both personally and professionally. Ensure you share comments from members, both positive and constructive. Be present for your team members and available when they need you. I’d even go so far as to say that if they speak a different language than you, make an effort to learn it! The principles of building a strong internal culture are not difficult, but it takes humility. You must be willing to be transparent with your teams to build trust and make an honest effort to lead from the heart. It requires a team of leaders who are committed to your vision, not because you tell them to be, but because they believe in it. You must be willing to hold people accountable and have the courage for change when it needs to be made. If you can’t change the people, change the people, but do so graciously because others are watching. Your team must 96
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any way I could get our grounds superintendent to give him some turf advice. He said the grass in his backyard was unhealthy and looked very bad. Our brand-new superintendent agreed. We met my surgeon at his house and he walked us through his enormous back yard covered in dense, dark green grass. As we were walking up, Steve leaned over to me and whispered, “This turf is in good shape. Tell me again, what is his concern?” As I was about to reply, we stopped and the doctor pointed at a small patch of discolored. “You see?” he said. “This is what I am talking about. What do you think is the problem?” Steve replied, “Actually, there is no problem; you have some native turf that’s growing with a different shade of green. Does this bother you?” The doctor replied as he looked at me, “I am very particular. I suspect this is good news for Robert, who is going under my knife in two days. I tend to be a perfectionist.” It makes perfect sense for a cardiothoracic surgeon to be a perfectionist about his skills. And he was right. I am thankful for that today, as that surgery went very well. But, for most of us, perfectionism can be a detriment. As leaders, we are entrusted with the livelihood of the people who look to us to learn, grow and who rely on us financially. If this is our most important responsibility, then should we not allocate most of our focus and energy on people, rather than unattainable standards? At the end of the day, I realized that a dust-free surface or a straight sconce wasn’t going to have a material impact on the lives of my employees or the service my members expected and deserved. Ultimately, as my experience grew, I knew that is wasn’t how I wanted to be remembered. BR
not only know but feel that you believe in them. You must encourage everyone to take risks, so they can grow personally and professionally. Your team must understand that failure is okay, as long as we continue to move forward. “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” –Winston Churchill. Finally, the value of eating in the cafeteria cannot be overlooked. It’s not dissimilar from a party in your home where guests often gather in the kitchen – so goes the staff cafeteria. Feed your team well. Staff meals are the most important meal you serve. Dine with your team and talk with them. Make sure they are on this journey with you. Be human, humble and appreciative. Know your success comes from your ability to inspire and lead your team to their futures, even if their time with you is only a stepping stone to somewhere greater. Thanks, Dad! B R
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BILL SCHWARTZ
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Bill Schwartz is the founder and CEO of System Concepts, Inc. (SCI). Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, SCI specializes in F&B procurement and inventory management and is the developer of the FOOD-TRAK Food and Beverage Management System. Bill can be reached at (480) 951-8011 or bills@foodtrak.com.
Cash on the Shelves?
Maximize Cash Flow with the Days Left Method The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way business is done in many ways – especially in the club foodservice world. Significant or complete reduction in banquet business, reduced capacity of dining rooms and bars via social distancing and other related side effects have reduced food and beverage revenues by as much as 50 percent in some clubs. While this situation is unprecedented, it’s never a bad idea to operate with as little waste, spoilage, theft or portioning issues as possible. Perhaps the pandemic will provide an incentive to refocus on cost control, which happens to be my specialty! If someone asked me what one thing would have the greatest impact on cost control, I’d probably choose to implement the days left method. The method itself is fairly simple, but the ripple effects are significant and touch almost every aspect of cost control in foodservice. It can be stated simply by saying the goal of days left implementation is to have only enough inventory of each item used in the F&B operation to get to the next delivery of that item. To determine how many days are left on the shelf, we need to know our average daily usage. For example, if we use 10 cans per day and we have 30 cans on the shelf, we have three days left. If we get shipments every three days, we have exactly as much as we need, but if we get shipments every two days, we have 10 more than what we need. Since this is the BoardRoom magazine technology issue, we look down on all things manual and think about how an automated system can help us. The system needs a few things to perform the calculations and complete the report: 1. Data to calculate average daily usage – this would be a beginning inventory, purchases, transfers and ending inventory 2. Delivery frequency 3. Average cost over the period. These are all things F&B management systems would have but might be more difficult with spreadsheets from a manual entry labor cost standpoint. With this data, the system can produce a report showing the overstock levels of all items in inventory.
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Taking it a step further, it can rank the overstock by dollar value, so you can easily see where the most excess cash on the shelf is sitting. The drawback? This data is most relevant right after a physical inventory is taken, which may beg the question – how often are you willing to count? Technology to the rescue again with handheld scanners! Inventory times are vastly reduced, allowing you to take inventory more frequently. By the way, there is a direct correlation between the frequency of inventory and food cost. As inventory frequency increases, food cost decreases. Once the overstock offenders are identified, steps can be taken to reduce the levels. These include adding specials to the menu that use the item, by offering them as raw materials to members or staff at sale prices, or by finding other creative ways to reduce the levels and certainly by refraining from ordering more until the levels are appropriate. Another interesting idea is to order less than full cases if you end up with too much excess when you order in case lots. Besides maximizing cash flow, sometimes paying slightly more to split cases results in savings in ways you may not expect. For example, less can spoil if it goes unused. Less will be wasted or over portioned if staff is aware the supply is very limited. In all cases, less inventory is better than more inventory. In a perfect world, there would be no inventory. Vendors would just hand you what you need as you need it! This approach is called “just in time inventory” and most manufacturers favor it over keeping inventory. While that may not be possible, I’ve worked with many operators who have found ways to increase the frequency of deliveries with less volume per delivery. They have found that paying more for delivery and split cases is still less than the cost of waste, spoilage and theft. Everything is fresher as well – which many chefs believe is a critical advantage. Find what works for you. If you master the concept of keeping days left to a minimum, you’ll find yourself with maximized cash flow now AND down the road – when some form of normalcy reappears! B R
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INNOVATIVE
IDEAS
Cheers to the years!
Remembering Your Most Dedicated Members Working towards what will be. This is how many private clubs think about their membership. What’s next? How can we attract new members? But this thinking leaves the loyal behind. The Country Club of Lincoln has taken steps to remember those who have dedicated so much of their lives to their club. Roxanne Filby, director of member relations at the Lincoln, Nebraska club, identified the bias towards young and incoming members and decided to find a way to honor those who helped get the club to where it is now. “We didn’t want to lose sight of those people who have been members for decades.” A luncheon is held every fall to honor long time members who have been at the club for over 20 years. Attendees receive a lapel pin encrusted with a gem for every decade they’ve called the club home. Longterm members who regularly attend include Sally and Jack Campbell and Midge Irvin. The Campbell’s are both 91 years old, have been married for 70 years and have been members for 69 after joining in 1952, making them the oldest living couple at the club. Mrs. Campbell says she loves the event because it’s “always nice to be remembered for being old.”
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For her, the event is a treat she looks forward to, a time to get together with old friends she made while a member. This sort of reaction is what drives Filby to keep the event going. “I’m fortunate to be able to belong,” Campbell says while reminiscing on her years as a member. The Campbells aren’t the only ones who find joy in being remembered. Midge Irvin, 89 years old, became a member with her late husband in 1956. Before that, she grew up at the club while her father was a member. He became a member during the second world war in 1942 or 43 as Irvin recalls. “I’ve been privileged to have that wonderful country club in my life all that time,” said Irvin. She has seen many changes throughout the years. When she was a little girl it was mostly a golf club. As a woman she took her own children to what was becoming a bustling country club. She recalled sneaking sandwiches in with the other mothers as the club food was too expensive and the board only allowed club-purchased food on the property. Both Campbell and Irvin hold so many memories of their years at the club and represent the history, growth and change. By acknowledging and remembering those who have dedicated so much of their lives to the club, the membership and community grow stronger. Filby hopes to find a special way to celebrate the seventh year of the event this fall to allow for the continued sharing of stories, enriching the club as it continues to expand. 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
Growing Without Getting Any Bigger
City Clubs Use Limited Space to Increase Revenue The New York Athletic Club resides in a 24-story building overlooking Central Park in Manhattan. Being confined in a singular building, though large, means limited space for expansion. This also means the club has to be efficient in using all the space available. Daniel Perez, assistant general manager, held a membership survey to see if club members were using their spaces as best they could be, and if they weren’t, what did the members actually want. Both the female and male members, in a survey, identified a golf center as a top priority, although a grab n’ go snack service was also high on the list. This worked as a wakeup call, because Perez had heard golf was fading out. “I feel like it’s the total opposite,” said Perez. “I think golf continues to grow in our younger demographic now, where before the demographic was a lot older.” After months of negotiations, the golf center replaced the American squash courts. Since making the switch, the club has seen the space utilized much more than it was previously, with the younger members getting increasingly excited as the center continues to improve.
One member had been advocating for a golf center for the past six years of his 62 years as a member at the club. Richard Cini said this project has been an excellent example of members working closely with the club to create and achieve something valuable to the membership. “During the planning and the construction and now the operation of the center, I feel very fortunate to be able to continually provide input and contribute.” The center was only open for two short months before the COVID-19 pandemic shut it down, but the anticipation is high for it to reopen shortly. When it does open, a golf professional will be waiting to give lessons, by reservation, on the simulators, playing on one of the over 100 pre- loaded courses available. Renovating the squash courts into a golf center cost the club around $250,000 but has the potential for multiple revenue streams. Not only does the center have the simulators and a pro, but it includes a grab n’ go service as requested and a full-service catering option. Perez said, “It’s not about golf clubs, it’s about being innovative and creative, to be able to expose your membership to everything you can possibly do.” BR
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INNOVATIVE
IDEAS
Ready, Aim, Fire!
A Friendly Battle Finds New Jersey It’s not every day you see a war at a country club. It’s even less common to see a cohort of 60 children running around with the guns. No worries though, the bullets are foam and the guns are Nerf. Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, New Jersey, set up a fun day for families with young children that included a one-hour long, capture-the-flag style Nerf battle. Usually the family programming is centered around arts and crafts, attracting more girls than boys. Jamie Cerino wanted to do something that would be more inclusive and appeal to more young boys. Cerino borrowed the idea to have a Nerf battle after her nine-year-old nephew hosted a Nerf-themed birthday party. The club provided the foam ammunition, the kids supplied the guns. Don’t worry, Cerino made sure it was an accessible event by having about 10 guns on-site for those that forgot or didn’t own one. The event wouldn’t have been successful without the creative work by the grounds crew to make it both fun and memorable for the participants. The crew used objects they had found on the club’s property to create an interactive pool-side battle ground.
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The arena was made up of old palettes, empty kegs and old lockers. Cargo nets were tossed over everything. The kids, mostly between the ages of seven and 10, used the barrels as temporary cover before running out to save their teammates or make a play for the flag. The reaction was nothing but positive, saying she hopes to be able to put the event onto next summer’s activity schedule. “We learned a couple things from our first one,” said Cerino. “We definitely need a designated referee to manage the teams and game.” Not only did the kids get a great battle and a DJ accompanied day at the pool, they also received small goodie bags filled with bullets and goggles, a bandana in their team color, some toys and a color corresponding Gatorade. This was a huge success and truly achieved Cerino’s goal of having an activity that the boys would join and enjoy. And to her surprise, the girls reacted with the same level of excitement. Only time will tell if they will need an even larger battle ground in the future. My guess? They will. BR
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
A New Way to Hire Working backwards. What do we need? How can we find it? This sort of thinking inspired Ryan Bender to redo the hiring process at the Country Club of Virginia. Bender, the food and beverage director for the Richmond, Virginia club, noticed while hiring a front-of-house manager, it can be easy to find a person for a job, but they aren’t always the person. “By the time someone gets to be a manager in their career, they’re pretty good at answering interview questions,” said Bender. “They kind of know what you want to hear and tailor their responses that way.” The traditional process lets candidates tell you what they can do. Bender created a six-step practical test that lets them show you. First, he identified the most important qualities, experiences and knowledge needed for the job. After that, he worked to narrow it down, asking himself which of those are most important. “You learn way more about the candidate’s potential successes or potential shortcomings from the test than you do the interview.”
During Bender’s test, candidates must audit a menu for errors, respond to a member complaint, draft an action plan to resolve a service issue, take a leadership test through a case study on humility, lead a mock training session and point out the potential problems in a given room set up. Even though this process takes a little longer, Bender said, “there’s way more lost when you put the wrong person in the position as opposed to taking another two weeks to find the right one.” Since adopting what he calls ‘practicals’, the club has had every hire meet the mark. He recommends everyone take a second to go through the exercise, identifying the most important parts of the job and narrowing it down to the top five or six. When evaluating candidates this way, he said you’ll be surprised at how well people do or don’t do. For the Country Club of Virginia, the process has proven itself. Now, one question remains... What are your top five? B R
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MIKE PHELPS Mike Phelps is principal and co-founder of Pipeline, a brand marketing agency specializing in private clubs and communities. Learn more at www.pipeline.agency
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
Low Tech Is at a New High For the past two decades, we have all been discovering how email, websites, social media, search engines, CRM and all the latest technology can make marketing more effective. Although clubs have tended to be slower in adopting technology, we’ve caught up quickly in recent years – especially when it comes to marketing. But you don’t have to look back too far to recall a time when most clubs questioned the need for a website, or a Facebook page, or even an email address. These were far simpler times. Awareness was created via word of mouth, fax machines were cutting edge and marketing was decidedly low-tech, consisting mostly of printed (and mailed) collaterals. Interestingly, this analog approach to marketing is making a big comeback. Well, except for the fax machine (if you haven’t already, it’s officially time to take your fax number off your email signature). To be sure, print marketing was never really dead. Print catalog mailings have been steadily increasing since 2015 and consumers are surprisingly enthusiastic about receiving them. Response rates from catalogs have increased by 170 percent from 2004 to 2018. The effects are not just confined to digital laggards who do not go online – in fact, there’s evidence that Millennials are particularly interested in catalogs they receive in the mail.
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Today more than ever, print has become a relevant tool for lifestyle brands since the visual experience is a large part of marketing. Print is an effective medium because it’s something we can hold, touch and remember. Trends indicate that more luxury and lifestyle brands targeting affluent customers will be integrating printed brand content in conjunction with digital to push an elevated brand message across both channels. The strategy is to spark interest using highly targeted digital marketing then follow up with printed brand content. According to a February 2020 Harvard Business Review study, sales and inquiry lifts using this strategy almost doubled those from email follow up alone. That’s why many brands, retailers and leisure services such as vacations and cruise lines, are investing heavily in print. Even pure-online retailers that prided themselves in creating efficient and digitized experiences such as Wayfair, Bonobos, Birchbox, and Amazon are now printing catalogs. Consider high-end furniture retailer Restoration Hardware (now RH). Around 2010, RH’s price points were similar to Pottery Barn’s and Crate & Barrel’s and they were on the brink of bankruptcy. They introduced the now-famous “Source Books” – beautiful, thick, glossy catalogs costing them millions to print and ship (before design and photography) as part of a brand strategy designed to project abundance and turn the heads of wealthy customers. And it worked. While there have been bumps along the way, sales since then have increased dramatically, and in July 2020, RH’s stock price hit an all-time high. Similar to how RH’s Source Books showcases products, Pipeline’s version (which we call a Lookbook) showcases a complete lifestyle. For clubs, the Lookbook should be the next best thing to physically being there and should provide an immersive look into life at the club. It’s not meant to read like a book (cover to cover) but rather flipped through like a big, beautiful magazine… such as Condé Nast Traveler or Wine Spectator, which provide a more relaxed and luxurious way to explore upscale products. There’s no pric-
ing. It’s meant to create an experience that can be recalled, not a complete education. Here’s where it gets really interesting for clubs. There is a lot of science behind how physical media tends to outperform digital in a number of areas that relate to how you would want a prospective membership audience to experience a luxury lifestyle brand (review time, stimulation, recall, confidence, desirability and perceived value): Lifestyle marketing is different in the way it approaches the audience, both creatively and strategically. High production value is important, visuals should elicit emotion and the copywriting should be simple and concise. Of equal importance, the printed piece itself should impute the quality of your club’s brand. To have an impact that lasts longer than a typical brochure, it should be substantial, both in terms of paper quality and number of pages (at least 40 pages). The hope is that the breadth and richness of the piece will keep people from chucking it into the trash after a quick flip through. Essentially, you should feel guilty throwing it out. The real power of print is how it increases the vividness of a product by enhancing the consumer’s ability to visualize and imagine product usage experiences. Vividness is highly influential in consumer behavior as it can increase consumer involvement and joy in the purchasing process, ultimately influencing preferences and prompting larger purchases. Vividness is especially important for products and services that are purchased for fun, enjoyment and pleasure and contain richer experiential aspects. Sound familiar? What’s old is new again, and in this case, new and old can work together in innovative and powerful ways. A unique print offering can help your club stand out and rise above the noise. It can also be used as a source of pride for members and a touchpoint they can easily share among their friends and circles of influence. After all, you can’t put a website on your coffee table. If you’d like to see a few club Lookbook examples, shoot me an email at mike@ pipeline.agency (sorry, no faxes). B R
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AJ REDETZKE AJ Redetzke is vice president, marketing, Creative Golf Marketing. He can be reached at (800) 526-8794 or via email: AJ@creativegolfmarketing.com
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
Automate Your Marketing to Make the Most of Your Leads In any sales environment, leads can be a controversial topic – specifically, the quality of the leads. I think back to a scene from the classic movie, Glengarry Glen Ross, where Alec Baldwin and Jack Lemmon get into an argument over leads after Lemmon’s character states, “The leads are weak.” Baldwin’s retort? Lemmon isn’t a good salesman, ultimately leading to an all-time great line, “Coffee is for closers.” I’ve heard the same sentiments in the private club industry. But let’s be clear, the quality of a lead cannot be judged by their response to your first communication to them. The expectation should not be that every lead (prospective member) should show up with a check in hand after your first communication. This audience is people who have expressed interest in your club. However, depending on how the lead was generated, they may not have many strong relationships at or familiarity with the club. They need to be nurtured through the sales process, which takes much longer than most people suspect. We’ve found through surveys of our clients that over 50 percent of new members take more than a year to ultimately join a club. Automated email campaigns are an ideal way for you to systematically introduce the lifestyle and brand of your club to any leads generated through your various marketing channels. While the concept of an automated email campaign may seem daunting at first, you may already have the tools at your club to execute an automated email campaign. Both Constant Contact and Mailchimp have this functionality built into their software. When building an automated email campaign, there are three main things to determine: Messaging, content and timing. MESSAGING When researching clubs, we usually find that a message sent inquiring about membership at a club is responded to by telling me about the application process, or put another way, how to join the club. This includes things like initiation fees, dues, how many sponsors I need and how long the process takes. While that information is relevant, it shouldn’t be the focus of your automated email campaign. Instead, you should tell the story of the many benefits associated with membership at your club. Every club has a different story of why people join, but if you can split that story into several smaller parts, you’ve got the beginning of your campaign. CONTENT Developing the actual content is probably the most overwhelming aspect of an automated email campaign. We like to use a combination of copy, imagery and videos to switch up the format of each communication. 106
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If you’re having trouble determining why people join your club, reach out to your members and ask for help! Record their testimonials and use them in one of your emails. We’ve found that using videos featuring both staff and members, as well as broader videos showcasing events, have the greatest effect. Remember, don’t put this all on one person. An elephant is eaten one bite at a time and if you can give small pieces of the content generation assignment to different staff members, you’re more likely to get the result you want. It’s also important that each email message have a call to action of some nature. It simply may be just to schedule a tour of the club. Other times it may be to take advantage of a complimentary meal or round of golf, but each message should be designed to produce action on behalf of the recipient. TIMING This is going to be partially dependent on the time of year. If you generate a lead in the spring, you probably want a shorter campaign of 60-90 days designed to try to close the lead before the summer season is over. In a campaign of this length, you may want to communicate as often as every seven to 10 days. If the leads arrive in your inbox in the fall, you may want to design a longer campaign that culminates in the spring, just in time to join the club at the optimum time. In a longer campaign, you can decrease the frequency of emails, perhaps sending a message every 15-20 days. In a longer campaign, you may need to generate more content to produce enough messages, but decreasing the frequency will help to alleviate this issue. Using technology to automate your lead nurturing process frees up your staff to do things that can’t be automated, like giving tours or filling out the necessary paperwork to join the club. These things are a much better use of time than manually typing and sending a series of emails to all the leads in your sales funnel. Now, go enjoy that cup of coffee, you closer! B R
EXCELLENCE IN ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS DEADLINE 10/30/2020
FOR CALL &
ENTRIES The BOARDROOM magazine is now accepting entries for its 2020 “Excellence in Achievement” Awards. The awards recognize both vendors and educators for their impact, achievements and contributions to the club industry. All award entries and nominations must provide supporting materials to be reviewed by an independent panel of industry experts representing various aspects of course and club operations. Winners are selected for overall excellence in their respective fields, innovation, vision for future growth and continued impact on private club operations. Winners in each category will be featured in an issue of The BOARDROOM magazine in 2021. For more information, call (949) 376-8889 or email John Fornaro at johnf@apcd.com or visit www.BoardRoommagazine.com.
Category:______________________________________________________________ Company:_______________________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone:____________________________________ Fax:____________________________________ E-mail:________________________________________________________ Nominating (if different from above):____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Include the following supporting materials: 1) A one-page explanation of why the product/service/company deserves to win its category in 2020, 2) media kits, 3) press releases, 4) testimonials and 5) marketing materials. Mail entry form, supporting materials and $50 processing fee per entry to: The BoardRoom magazine “2020 Excellence in Achievement Awards” PO Box 9455, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 or FedEx to 1100 South Coast Highway, Suite 309, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
CATEGORIES MAY INCLUDE: Course Architect (new course), Course Architect (renovation), Course Contractor/Developer, Irrigation Company, Course Equipment Manufacturer, Course Maintenance Company, Golf Cart Company, Turf Maintenance, Fertilizer, Clubhouse Architect, Clubhouse Builder, Clubhouse Interior Design (subcategories such as pro shop, dining room, outdoor space, wellness, fitness, etc.), Master Planning, Fitness Consultant, Fitness Equipment, Furniture Manufacturer, Outdoor Furniture, Outdoor Cooking, Kitchen Equipment Manufacturer, Food & Beverage, Banquet Equipment, Pro Shop Interior Design, Menus, Amenities Provider, Apparel Provider, Clubhouse Signage, Tennis, Lockers, Club Service, Event Equipment, Construction, Executive and/or Department Search, Finance, Insurance, Law, Strategic Planning, Tax Consultant, Payroll, Research & Data,Software Developer, Technology Product, Website, Communications, Mobile Technology, Social Media, Online Reservations, Advertising, Marketing or PR, Membership Marketing, Photographer, Private Club Marketing, Lifetime Achievement, Jim Singerling Leadership, BoardRoom magazine Dedication, International Leadership, Gary Player Educator, The Jay DiePietro Vendor, Apparel Company, Association Program, Association, Club Management Company, Consultant Company, Club Services Association, Developer, New Product, Purchasing Services Group, Research and Data, Real Estate and Winery. If your category isn’t listed, or you have questions, please contact John Fornaro at (949) 376-8889.
ROSIE SLOCUM
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
Rosie Slocum, MCMP, is director of membership & marketing, BallenIsles Country Club, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Rosie can be reached via email: rslocum@ballenisles.org www.ballenisles.org www.facebook.com/ballenislescountryclub https://instagram.com/ballenislescountryclub
Value Proposition - It’s a Real Thing! Everyone in the club industry is experiencing a new normal. Trying to get creative with marketing efforts to keep your club relevant in today’s world is likely at the top of the list. A value proposition is a real thing. Exploring it will bring forward those standards, which set you aside from everyone else. It’s not just the services or products you promise to provide potential members but more of the components that solve the wants and needs your competition cannot provide, or how and why you do them better. What makes you unique is your value proposition and without it, prospects will not have a reason to choose you over the club down the street. This is identifying and examining, in detail, a list of exclusive benefits you offer, describing what makes them valuable, connecting the benefits to prospects and differentiating yourself as the preferred provider. It’s much like a mission statement but not to be confused with a catchphrase, tagline, or a marketing position statement, which are also very important to developing your brand. There are many reasons to join a club, but there are primary benefits in which a prospect is most interested. To help determine what that might be, think in terms of the eight human instincts, “Life Force 8” by Drew Eric Whitman. These are the things that are hard-wired in all of us and we want more than anything else. 1. Survival, enjoyment of life, life extension 2. Enjoyment of food and beverages 3. Freedom from fear, pain and danger 4. Companionship 5. Comfortable living conditions 6. To be superior, winning, keeping up with the Jones 7. Care and protection of loved ones 8. Social approval An effective value proposition includes ease of understanding, communicates specific end-user results, an explanation of how it is different or better and can be read and understood in five to 30 seconds. The equation is cost versus benefit equals a prospect’s motivation. The foundation of a value proposition starts with a short, attention-grabbing headline featuring the final benefit you’re proposing, followed by a subheading describing what is offered to whom and why then include a shortlist of features. Finally, add an eye-catching image or a short video to compliment your message. Although there are many strategies to develop value propositions, the most effective is explaining the value of services and products. 108
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Other approaches might include competitive research, testing various media, target market research to know your audience and explaining to an ideal prospect why you are the better choice over the competition. You can test your value proposition with a real audience once it is complete, tweaking it along the way as your offering or market conditions change. Value propositions are often seen on primary pages of websites and various advertising in both digital and print. Here’s a look at several that have effectively captured their offering. Constant Contact is an email marketing tool. Their value proposition indicates you can work a lot smarter with help creating branded emails, building a website and selling products from a single platform. Work smarter, not harder: Create branded emails, build a website, sell products and make it easy for people to find you – all from a single platform. Enter email address. Sign up for free. No risk. No credit required. Weebly is an internet web-building tool. Their value proposition is simple, making it clear that a beautiful website starts with an easy-to-use interface that consists of drag and drop. It implies that there’s no faster or easier way to build a free website to grow your business. “Build a free website that grows with your business.” Get access to customizable webpage designs and useful tools to build your website and grow your ideal business. Easily create a free website to help you get discovered and grow your customer base in style. Start today with our powerful free website builder. • Get going • Get online • Get selling • Get growing Taking extra steps to set yourself aside from everyone else is worth the time, effort and cost if it means you are capturing a greater portion of the market share. B R
GREGG PATTERSON Gregg Patterson is president of Tribal Magic and can be reached via email: GJPAir@aol.com
TRIBAL MAGIC
Translating Great Ideas and Winning Tactics Into Muscle Memory NEEDING MUSCLE Every manager has done, is doing or will do The Rant and The Rage. “I spent lots of time and the big bucks training the team. We figured out what good is. We hired a service guru to deliver the message. I gave a two-hour pep talk. We put up posters. We gave awards. The team got sharp and did stuff right. Then doing stuff right stopped getting done. AAARRRGGGHHH!!! All that money. All that time. All that educating. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!” “We Who Manage” hear your angst and feel your pain because your team ain’t got muscle memory. Muscle memory, when what needs doing gets done, and done RIGHT, every time, all the time, without thinking. Automatic. Reflexive. Great athletes have muscle memory. In basketball, a spinning fade-away jump shot from the three-point line. No thought involved. Automatic. In tennis, racing cross court, hitting a winning “down the line” backhand. No thought involved. Automatic. In golf, teeing off, hitting it straight, putting perfectly. No thought involved. Automatic. Great clubs have muscle memory. In great clubs with a strong culture, staff and members know The Way We Do Things Here and they expect those things to get done RIGHT, consistently, day in and day out. They know it because they’ve seen it, done it, pondered it and believe in it. A member arrives and they expect the staff to wave, to smile, to speak and to call them by name. No thought involved. Automatic. A staffer has a birthday and they expect to get a handwritten note from the G.M. with a little spiff included. No thought involved. Automatic. Because it’s your club’s culture. It’s The Way You Do Things Here. It’s muscle memory… NEEDING – GOTTA’ DO’S The muscle memory journey starts with a philosophy, a series of Gotta Do’s needed to create the type of muscles the team’s gotta’ have to do stuff right. Written down. On the wall. Repeated. Discussed. Memorized. Followed. Consider these Muscle Memory Gotta Do’s Do it for the team. Muscle memory is about lots more than “doing” stuff the right way, automatically, every time. It’s about creating team and generating The Buzz that comes from doing the muscle memory journey, together. People who learn together, work together and reflect together do the stuff that 112
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needs doing---better. and those who “muscle up” together, stay together longer. Know the stuff that needs doing. Identify and document the stuff you want done – the behaviors and the outcomes you’re looking for. Know the muscles needed to do the stuff that needs doing. Document the behaviors, personalities and procedures needed to do the stuff that needs doing. Know who’s right for doing the stuff that needs doing. Every club defines “the stuff that needs doing” differently. One club wants laughter, another stiff upper lip. The right people need to be chosen who have the potential to deliver the stuff that needs doing in a specific club culture. Develop those who have potential. Potential needs cultivation because “the way it’s done here” is undoubtedly different from “the way it was done there.” Alignment is necessary. Development’s needed. Do lots, lots. Lots is needed to make muscle memory happen. Lots of talk, lots of showing, lots of practice, lots of quizzing, lots of reflecting, lots of doing, lots of reflecting and lots of repeating are going to be needed. The team has to accept and embrace the muscle memory Reality, that there are no shortcuts because LOTS is needed to make DEEP muscles happen. Put in the time. Surface muscles grow fast but DEEP muscles grow slow. The team and the management need to appreciate that the muscle memory journey is a long, slow and unending journey. Everyone’s got to put in the minutes, the hours, the days, the weeks and the years to make deep muscles happen. Do chalk time. Classroom work’s needed – theory and explanation have to be discussed in a structured, learning focused setting. Do machine time. Practice is critical. Repetition creates muscle and practice makes perfect. One and Done don’t get it done. Do game time. Once the muscles have been made, they need to be used. Game time makes Gym Time meaningful. Do film time. Every “game” is a learning experience if it’s looked at closely, torn apart, examined and discussed. Doing demands debrief. Do routine. A schedule is required to make sure that chalk time, machine time and film time get done. It needs to be known, accepted and followed. Routines are the foundation of competence. Use trainers. Properly trained trainers are needed to deliver muscle memory consistently and effectively.
Speak up and listen. The best teachers are teammates who know “how it’s done here” and are “in the trenches”, elbow to elbow with others who are doing what needs to get done. Those who know need to speak up to affirm the good and to correct the bad--and those who don’t know needs to listen. Change the routine when change is needed. The workout routine can always be improved. Keep looking for better and accept when better has been found. Then change what needs improving. Make it memorable. Education and training can be a bore. It needn’t be. Inject variety, humor and fun into the workout experience. Create good memories and muscles will get memorized. Celebrate when muscles get made. When exercise gets done right and when game time gets done right, acknowledge, reward and celebrate that right got done. Affirm the good and let them know you care. Purge wrong way thinking. “We don’t do that here” and “we’ve never done it that way” or “that will never work” are muscle memories that need to be purged. Toxins like these need to be sweated out with more chalk time, machine time, game time and film time. Avoid the shrinkers. One-off training and muscles will shrink. Staff turnover and muscles will shrink. Allow wrong behavior and muscles will shrink. Indifference at the top and muscles will shrink. Let cynicism flourish and muscles will shrink. Muscles that aren’t used will shrink. Lose the leader who believes in muscle memory and muscles will shrink. Allow bad examples to proliferate and muscles will shrink. Fail to practice and muscles will shrink. If people stop believing muscles will shrink. Every muscle memory journey starts with the gotta do’s, the guiding principles that are the road map for doing what needs to be done. Identify your gotta do’s. Post them. Live them.
from Technology Committee | 85
platform combines tools for cost savings, reporting of purchasing data, matching product opportunities and manufacturer information all in one easy-to-navigate website. The data identify potential savings opportunities of thousands of dollars per week or more, depending on volume, and works with the combined technology of the client’s local distribution house, as well as our internal data systems for an overview of an operation’s spending habits. As you consider your technology needs, keep in mind that more is not always better. Today, there is a greater demand for a contactless environment, but too much digital interaction may make things more confusing instead of easier for your customers. Take time to understand your customers’ behavior and comfort with technology before implementing new applications. If implemented correctly, you can use digital interaction to improve efficiency without sacrificing service quality and customer experience. The least glamourous technology often is what benefits your operation the most. Also, by investing in appropriate technology, you provide your staff with the tools they need to keep your operation safe and profitable. This helps them to do their best during these times when they may need extra help more than ever. B R
START MUSCLING
Accept the need for muscle memory. Know your culture and the muscles you’ll need to do culture right. Start with the road map, the gotta do’s of muscle memory. Build the system that translate gotta do principles into tactics for doing. And…enjoy the journey!!! BR SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 | BOARDROOM
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from Cover Story | 24
“So, everything we do has environmental impacts that go beyond a single use,” Easter explained. Beehives: The club’s general manager, John Crean and Easter also took on the challenge of what is generally the most difficult thing to keep on a golf course…bees! “We started with two hives four years ago and then decided to see how many we could implant,” offered Easter. Today the club, with beekeeper Sierra Malnove, has 27 hives on 36 holes, which produce about 1,200 pounds of ‘treatment-free honey’ each year. “We jar the honey and give it to our members.” And for Malnove, beekeeping has expanded. “We couldn’t do it without her and now Sierra manages beehives on 14 courses,” Easter said. Glyphosate: The club also faced a challenge from its members…stop all use of glyphosate (Roundup). “After trying many options, we found Eco Might…a naturally organic alternative that worked with extremely better results,” Easter injected. “Not only does it translocate through the plant and kill it, but we also see a pre-emergent effect of up to two months. That is a huge saving in labor and extremely healthier for the environment, and it’s also safer and friendlier to all of our members.” Wildflowers: During the most recent renovation on the new course, Easter and his group worked with irrigation designer David Reagon and Rainbird Florida golf manager Jeff Hiday to design and manufacture an effective irrigation system. With the installation of the Rain Bird integrated control system, the club has reduced its water and power by 40 percent. “With the new irrigation design, we took 13 acres out of irrigation land and turned them into wildflower areas that are maintenance-free zones. Not only are they maintenance-free, but they also provide food and safety to bees and butterflies. In these 13 acres are three gardens for the monarch butterfly,” Easter exclaimed. Water: Next for Broken Sound is Bio-Boost, a system that will be solar powered, circulating the irrigation water and adding oxygen to the irrigation water. “We irrigate the most when our lakes are at the lowest levels,” explained Easter. “We normally irrigate with water with very high sodium and bicarbonate levels. With BioBoost we circulate and add oxygen in the water consistently to the entire profile of the lake. It’s all solar powered so we don’t need permits for power. It’s the next level in managing quality water in turf management and keeping our black layer to a minimum.”
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Hacienda Golf Club has also benefited from a comprehensive assessment through the Vivid Leaf program. “We are pleased to have Vivid Leaf’s sustainability certification report in hand,” explained Hacienda’s general manager Russell Sylte. “Although several state-of-the-art sustainability practices are in place already such as an EMS system, airflow regulators, native climate-adaptive grasses and staged refrigeration units, recommendations such as free hot water, composter, AmpAgronomy, cooking oil/frying filtering and recycling are just a few samplings on our fall/spring agenda to complete the certification process, ” he added. No question, the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down the club’s process with Vivid Leaf. But sustainability also has a much wider meaning for GM Sylte…and that’s a sustainable culture and the mindfulness certification program for Hacienda department heads. (See Mindfulness Leads to a Sustainable Culture on page 26.) “We see sustainability as a result of a culture such as ours that thrives in education and adaptability. One of my favorite ways to measure my leadership style is to ask this question. How do I measure myself? “Answer: I measure myself by the people who measure themselves by me. Answers to this question such as, ‘We feel empowered, creative and take ownership in our departments’, are a sure sign of a sustainable culture,” Sylte added. Yes, private clubs have come a long way in developing and encouraging sustainability programs. “Broken Sound, Hacienda and Venice GCC have inspired our user community with ideas, initiatives and policies that address the wasting of resources and energy, proper recycling and reducing trash, “ von Ruexleben said. “We do firmly believe that sustainability and resiliency are moving targets (meaning new concepts, new ideas, new technology become available all the time), but have been ‘solved’ if you collect, aggregate and prioritize (an ongoing task) what clubs, resorts and hotels (and their leadership) around the world are already doing. “Once curated and presented in an easy-to-understand manner, any club can become efficient, even without large capital backing (see Venice Golf & Country Club),” emphasized von Ruexleben. “That’s what we have been doing, and that so excites me. Not just driven by the Millennials, the public perception of how important sustainable practices are, is developing quickly and is presenting many opportunities for private clubs to build a brand that’s relevant and attractive for all generations,” he concluded. B R
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“Mindfulness encompasses the concept of ‘Seeking to Understand.’ We incorporate this concept into our daily decision making by doing two things. First, practice meditation regularly as time allows, either weekly in our training classes or privately at our desks or during breaks. This small exercise allows us to clear our minds and be more receptive to constant stimuli. “Secondly, we often invert the question and seek unintended consequences. These are just two examples of how we integrate mindful training into our daily actions,” Sylte said. What created the impetus for Sylte to engage Mindful “U”? “Upon completing an anonymous 360-degree personal evaluation, my team told me they wanted more structured leadership training than what I was providing. Soon after, Rick and Craig contacted me, and the timing and subject matter has been a perfect fit for us. “For each team member, it has meant something different. However, the commonality has been the cross-benefit of improving both work and home atmospheres,” he explained. And how does Hacienda take advantage of mindful sustainability for club members? “It can be considered retention training. In other words, a more empathetic team is bound to take greater initiative and follow through. Empathy, initiative and follow through are all key components of mindfulness and these fundamentals certainly strengthen the compelling experience of why a member feels connected to their club. We listen, care and act, in that order,” Sylte stressed.
“Sustainability within Hacienda’s culture does two things. First, the environment is enhanced by a ‘vibe’ or ‘spirit’ of enthusiasm by the team to serve. This enthusiasm is contagious with all employees and you can’t help but ask, ‘What’s in the sauce here?’ “Secondly, as a proprietary club, members expect more than the traditional private for-profit model. Our commitment to growing ourselves both personally and professionally spills over into our attitudes and energy in serving our membership. Our vision, Pride in Belonging, is not only for our members but for the staff too. “The result is continued recommendation of membership to the club from our current members, as well as a continued recommendation of employment from our current staff,” Sylte added. “I remember a quote by Phil Knight, ‘To study the self is to forget the self,’” Sylte opined. “As a tenured executive, I have found that when growing myself, or helping another grow, it always begins with this quote. “When unable to leave the ego behind, it’s difficult to climb the next step on the leadership ladder. What mindfulness gives my team and me is this awareness, as well as the tools to ask ourselves, once the ego has been left at the door. My team members are growing with these new tools, and more importantly, I see them correct quickly when defaulting to an old way. “As the noun definition of sustainability states, ‘The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level,’ I can assure you that this training and use of resources in our people may be the most important of any resources that we expend in creating a member and staff experience that’s fun and professional,” Sylte concluded. B R
HACIENDA GOLF CLUB STAFF (PICTURED HOLDING CERTIFICATES) WITH MINDFUL “U” LEADERS CRAIG MARSHALL (FAR LEFT) AND RICK LADENDORF (FAR RIGHT)
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GOLF POPULAR Rhett Evans, CEO of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, suggests “the events of 2020 have had a significant impact on food and beverage and event revenue. At the same time golf has been extremely popular as it served as a refuge for many who longed to be outside. “As we head toward 2021 with food and beverage and event restrictions still in place, clubs can take advantage of the upticks in rounds played. Now is the time to leverage the current popularity of golf to make up for revenue shortfalls in other areas. Make adjustments that are in alignment with the current level of play as course conditions are time and time again cited as the number one factor in player satisfaction,” Evans added. “Clubs have had to react to the ever-changing set of circumstances. If there has been any silver lining to the current situation, members have become very appreciative of the safety and community they enjoy at their clubs,” expressed Joe Oswald, president of Jonas Club Software. “Our recommendation is to utilize digital scheduling systems for members to book facilities to manage capacity limits and maintain a record of who has been on site, and when. “This new reliance on technology may prove to be foreign to members who have traditionally enjoyed a ‘walk-up’ type of arrangement in the past. To be as accommodating as possible to this new reality members are faced with, scheduling systems should be offered for tablets, desktop computers and most importantly smartphones. “It’s always our recommendation that clubs provide technology orientations for any members who are new to utilizing such digital tools, but member orientation and adoption is more vital now than ever,” Oswald added. “Boards and management teams also need to find ways to drive value for members when they’re not at the club. Many clubs have established online ordering for curbside pick-up, which offers a great benefit to members who may not have the time to cook, but also cannot be present at the club. This concept has been extended even further to offer online ordering of more than just club F&B – including groceries, wine, sports merchandise and more. “Boards should also be taking time to reflect on their overall business model,” Oswald stressed. “In this year where there has been no externally generated revenue (banquets, 116
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events etc.) has the business suffered? If it hasn’t, does the membership want to continue to limit these types of events? “Boards need to do all they can to understand what the membership attrition may look like heading into the new year. There is no substitute for informal face-to-face conversations as a way to survey the membership, but in this time of uncertainty, it’s our recommendation to dive into the data and see what it says. “Examining the numerous data points around member behavior over the course of the year can be an early indicator of members at risk. Also, boards should consider utilizing technology to conduct ongoing surveys as a way to better understand member satisfaction over time,” Oswald commented. BOARD ORIENTATION CRITICAL Still, the governance and chain of command issues are critical for clubs, says Gordon Welch, President of the Association of Private Club Directors. “As clubs move through the budget process, there will be many unknowns for 2021 and 2022. Will there be a need to shut down again; will new members maintain usage in the club; what will food and beverage look like? These are just a few of the questions but the biggest question is this: What is the member experience going to be? Will it be enough to maintain your membership levels? It must be safe, secure and over-the-top!” Welch added. “This is going to take some focus on the chain of command and the governance model of the club. This is crucial,” Welch asserted. “Boards must make a commitment to the club to better the organization. This includes a commitment to the membership, a commitment to the GM / COO and a commitment to the staff. But my concern is that the commitment turns into micromanagement,” he warned. All of which helps explain the value and importance of an annual organized board orientation process, and as has happened during COVID-19, private clubs are using online programs more and more to keep in touch with their members. “The importance of an organized orientation program is to create a shared playbook that everyone understands and will use,” expressed Welch, who heads up BoardRoom Institute, BoardRoom’s online board orientation program. “Board orientation is a process to thoughtfully provide board members with the precise information they need regarding their roles in the organization. To have a great board, clubs need board members who are engaged, inspired and understand how to help. This is true for long-standing board members as well as new,” Welch added. “Board orientations are about alignment, social connection, operational oversight, policy insight, facilitated discussion and stimulation. Board orientations are critical to the governance process…now more than ever,” explained Gregg Patterson, president of Tribal Magic. “The coronavirus has changed the way orientations are delivered, altered the focus of what needs discussing and has, in the process of dealing with the madness, dramatized the critical importance of the orientation experience. “This year’s board orientation should have begun years ago! Before selection for the board of directors, a member has already (or SHOULD have!!!) served on various committees and has already (or SHOULD have!!!) experienced many governance orientations. The basics of club governance have already been explained, repeatedly. The clubhouse and grounds have already been toured, repeatedly. The governance manual has been digested, repeatedly. The all-club strategic issues and the detailed committee centric issues have already been discussed, repeatedly,” Patterson added. “The manager and supervisors have been debriefed, repeatedly. Because of all those committee level orientations, the board orientation can breeze through the fundamentals of governance and operations quickly, giving time for important policy issues the board needs to address in the coming year. If the committee orientations are done correctly, a quick review of governance and operations is all that’s needed during the virus orientation,” Patterson intoned.
“To get the most out of a high-quality board orientation, board members should do ‘classroom time’ in advance to better understand what they need to do to prepare for a high octane, highly productive board orientation. No better place to ‘do classroom’ than BoardRoom Institute’s board orientation module. A bit of classroom time will make board members informed consumers with ‘right expectations’ for the orientation experience,” Patterson said. “Getting together during the virus is critical. Seeing and hearing the people you’ll be governing with is ultra-important because relationships matter when it comes to board dynamics. That said, conference calls are a non-starter because there’s no ‘seeing’ involved. Meeting via ZOOM or in-person both work, although live and socially distanced, is the absolute best way of connecting and reflecting,” he added. The importance of an organized board orientation program is “critical and more important this year than ever,” stressed PBMares’ Reilly. “The board has a fiduciary responsibility to ensure the viability and survivability of the club and be willing to do what is necessary to keep this going, making sure that management is on top of all the issues. It’s more important that boards are instructed on the importance of fact-based decision-making and not allow politics, rumors or pushback from members to overrule the proper operation of the club. “Most club meetings should be online, and the BoardRoom Institute has a detailed program that can be reviewed in segments which address most issues that will be faced by a club at this time,” Reilly added. “An effective board orientation program promotes consistency and continuity concerning the club’s efforts,” injected the GCSAA’s CEO Evans. “Leadership should have a clear understanding of the club’s goals and the best way to achieve them. An organized orientation program can temper expectations of new board members and reinforce the strategic direction of the club. Little forward progress will be made if every year a new board comes on and has a new set of plans and priorities. “Board members are busy and serving on the board should not be a full-time job. Online orientation gives board members a convenient and self-paced way to understand expectations and the club’s strategic trajectory. Online accessibility also provides each board member the flexibility to participate when and where they choose,” Evans added. ClubInsight’s Coyne agrees that “orientation is a crucial ingredient to consistent and organized governance. “Because Covid-19 has created additional risks as well as concerns and difficulties in operation, orientation becomes an even greater responsibility. There must be a common voice,” Coyne expressed. “Incoming board and committee members likely have little of the educational process of dealing with the crisis strategy as did their predecessors. Very simply, there’s never been a time that confidence has been more important. The easiest way to have members and staff lose confidence is mixed messaging. It’s all hands-on deck.
“Consistency, accuracy in what is most important and standards that have been developed over hundreds of clubs are among what’s important with an online board orientation. Re-invention is hardly a worthy pathway for a volunteer leader. By having simple and easyto-use videos and workbooks, like Boardroom Institute, the foundation of responsibility can be laid down before the incoming volunteer is oriented to the budgets or strategy of the respective club. It saves time and redundancy for everyone,” Coyne added. STRONG GOVERNANCE KEY Strong governance also bodes well for the future. “Clubs with a strong governance foundation have members who think of themselves as owners intent on passing the club to the next generation in better condition than it was found,” emphasized Club Benchmarking’s Butler. “Governance in those clubs flows in a continuous cycle of setting and meeting a forward-looking vision in increments of five years or so at a time and that consistent March toward the next vision is the glue that binds one board, one president to the next. The direction and pace of that March are passed on through the orientation process,” he added. “Club Benchmarking is a founding member of the Club Leadership Alliance along with Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace and McMahon Group. The three firms share an ambitious but achievable vision for the club industry, which is the transformation of the club leadership model through widespread understanding and adoption of the proven best practices that lead to sustained club success. “Board education, including the adoption of a mandatory orientation process is a best practice. The need to strengthen club gover-
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nance is urgent and educational consistency is key. That bodes well for digital programming, which can be widely distributed even under the current restrictions on travel and gatherings. “Historically, board orientations have occurred in person within the limitations of a handful of qualified industry providers to meet the demand one club at a time. While there are aspects of orientation that are always best in person, access to a high-quality digital curriculum can be beneficial for clubs that might otherwise forgo adoption of an orientation requirement for new board and committee members,” Butler added. “Boardroom Institute offers an online orientation that board members can view at their leisure. Videos can be sent out in an orientation process that everyone will appreciate,” outlined APCD’s Gordon Welch. “Especially during the pandemic, GMs and clubs appreciate having this opportunity/option. Board members can review the critical information on their own time and pace, in the comfort of their home or office.” Some of the benefits include: • Interactive education conducted by leading industry experts. • Boardroom Institute focuses on collaborative governance • Boardroom Institute eliminates micromanagement • Minimizes board member liability and nurtures tax-exempt status • Boardroom Institute tracks individual comprehension and course completion • It creates a shared playbook. “Informed board members are productive board members. During the virus, policy decisions are more important than ever – for the present and the future. An orientation done right creates and strengthens relationships, energizes the board and provides the knowledge foundation needed to make good policy decisions in the coming months and years,” suggested Tribal Magic’s Patterson. “There may be a tendency to overlook the importance of club governance issues right now. While some boards are meeting more regularly, it’s important to focus on the subject of those meetings and not to allow frivolous issues to be raised,” Reilly cautioned. “Don’t allow the initial reaction to COVID relative to usage and retention lull you into a false sense of security. Be alert to what your members’ concerns are,” intoned Coyne. “Do a crisis management survey and probe their issues. Do the same for staff members. Thinking you know what members or staff are feeling is dangerous. The members we generally hear from are those that have either a love or hate relationship and 80 percent of your members in the middle of that mix. Stay alert. This is uncharted water,” he stressed. “In these challenging times, it’s more important than ever that club leaders insist on accurate relevant data to inform the decision-making process,” expressed Club Benchmarking’s Butler. “Fulfillment of a board member’s fiduciary duty demands it and the future of their clubs depends on it. Additionally, club leaders should reflect on recent times as inspiration for developing a comprehensive communications plan. This crisis exposed the dangers of working without a plan when clubs were thrust into periods where communication was their only remaining connection to the membership,” he concluded.
The board members should also understand the challenges they face. Homeowners associations are similar to a private equity club. The board members are elected from within the ownership; they are owners of an a asset they oversee. They are also the customers and oversee themselves. This structure is set up full of land mines, such as conflict of interest, nepotism and biased decisions. An understanding of this structure ahead of time can help the board make better decisions. The board should also be well informed about the private club industry. What challenges are other similar clubs facing? What were their solutions? The board should also have a clear understanding of the economics of their club and the community. It’s easy to vote in higher dues, but is the board being responsible for future members or even current members affordability. Remember, a $100 dues increase is actually $200, because the $100 is after-tax dollars. The board should be reviewing all exit surveys. Why did members leave? Board members must clearly understand their roles. The general manager runs the clubs. The board’s role is to develop a strategic plan and oversee management executing the plan. The board also should be involved in recruiting new members and overseeing usage and retention. The board has a very limited role. Determining mission and purpose, selecting and evaluating the COO/GM, ensuring effective planning, monitoring programs and services, building a competent board, ensuring legal and ethical integrity and enhancing the clubs history and community relations. Over the last 12 years, we at Boardroom magazine, and the best industry experts, have designed and built the only online board member education process specific to private 501(c)7 clubs. With a minimal investment, you and your board with be educated by the best lawyers, CPAs and industry-specific club experts. Boardroom Institute is valuable and even more so invaluable now. Boardroom Institute is for your board and committees. Educate and inform your board members now to ensure reduced micromanagement from the board and an effective, efficient club operation. At least, that’s the way I see it. BR John G. Fornaro, publisher
PUBLISHER’S FINAL THOUGHTS First, I believe board members should be informed about the difference between a for-profit corporation, a 501(c)3 and a 501(c)7 corporation. Many board members assume they understand board dynamics. After all, they most likely served on a for-profit board or many charity non-profit boards {501(c)3}. The vast majority of private clubs are 501(c)7 and much different than charity boards or for-profits boards. A clear understanding of the differCall Gordon Welch, president of BoardRoom Institute ence helps execute the club’s mission and the board members most likely will for an online presentation. He’s available at (918) make better decisions that line up to a 501(c)7 corporation. 914-9050. 118
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(954) 614-1505 | XHIBTZ1@XHIBTZ.COM | WWW.XHIBTZ.COM BOARDROOM MAGAZINE ADVERTISING INDEX ACCP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Addison Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Ambassador Uniform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 BoardRoom Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 BoardRoom Club President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 C2 Limited Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Castor Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 CC Tech Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Chambers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 ClubDesign Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Clubessential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48-49 ClubInsights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 ClubLife Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 ClubPay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 clubsystems group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50-51 ClubTec/Webtec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52-53 Clubwise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 ConcertGolf Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Corby Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Creative Golf Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 CSR Privacy Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Denehy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Distinguished Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109, 110 & 111 Emersa Waterbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Ethos Club & Leisure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Eustis Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 FOOD-TRAK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54-55 Forbes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 GCSAA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Golf Maintenance Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Golf Property Analysts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Golf Business Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 GSI Executive Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 High End Uniforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Hilda Allen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 HINT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Jonas Club Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56-57 KE Camps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 40 & 41 Lichten Architects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 MAI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 McMahon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
MembersFirst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58-59 MemberText . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60-61 NanaWall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Newstation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Northstar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 & 124 Paisano Performance Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Peacock + Lewis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 PGA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 PHX Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 RCS Hospitality Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Rogers McCagg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 RSM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Salsbury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Sanitary Hygiene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Sports Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 St. Timothy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Strategic Club Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Troon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 USPTA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Vivid Leaf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
BOARDROOM MAGAZINE COUNTRY CLUB INDEX Tim Bakels, GM, Colleton River Club, Bluffton, SC Ryan Bender, food and beverage director, Country Club of Virginia, Richmond, VA Nancy Berkley, green committee and marketing committee, Frenchman’s Creek Beach & Country Club, Palm Beach Gardens, FL Sally and Jack Campbell, members, Country Club of Lincoln, Lincoln, NE Jamie Cerino, Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, NJ Richard Cini, member, New York Athletic Club, New York, NY John Crean, GM, Broken Sound Club, Boca Raton, FL Shannon Easter, dir. of golf maintenance & sustainability, Broken Sound Club, Boca Raton, FL Boris Fetbroyt, USPTA, PTR, CTPS, is director of tennis, The Country Club of Fairfax, Fairfax, VA Roxanne Filby, director of member relations, Country Club of Lincoln, Lincoln, NE Jonathan Goglia, head golf professional, Hacienda Golf Club, La Habra Heights, CA Albon O. Head, Jr., president, The Fort Worth Club, Fort Worth, TX
Midge Irvin, member, Country Club of Lincoln, Lincoln, NE Brian Jones, director of instruction, Kenwood Country Club on Cincinnati, OH Dr. Bonnie Knutson, the Country Club of Lansing and the Michigan Athletic Club Nancy Levenburg, member, Spring Lake Country Club, Spring Lake, MI Walter Littlejohn, general manager, The Fort Worth Club, Fort Worth, TX Eduardo Moreno, general manager, River Crest Country Club, Fort Worth, TX Carina Najera, controller, Hacienda Golf Club, La Habra Heights, CA Daniel Perez, assistant general manager, New York Athletic Club, New York, NY Gordon Roberts, president, River Crest Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas Trillium Rose, director of instruction, Woodmont Country Club, Rockville, MD. Lloyd S. Rothouse, president, Colleton River Club, Bluffton, South CA Adrian Sakashita, president, Hacienda Golf Club, La Habra Heights, CA Russell Sylte, general manager, Hacienda Golf Club, La Habra Heights, CA
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Karen Alexander Senior Consultant
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Robert James Vice President
Craig Martin Vice President
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C E L E B R A T I N G 24 Y E A R S O F E D U C A T I N G T H E P R I V A T E C L U B I N D U S T R Y ISSUE 291
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VOLUME XXIV SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
Vo l um e X X IV, S eptem ber / Oc t o be r 2 0 2 0
MINDFULNESS LEADS TO A SUSTAINABLE CULTURE | 26 10 | PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE
80 | PGA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
THE YEAR OF THE CORONAVIRUS WHAT SHOULD BE THE FOCUS OF PRIVATE CLUB BOARDS?
THE PGA COACH FORGES CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
20 | COVER STORY
COUNTRY CLUB OF LINCOLN, NY ATHLETIC CLUB, CANOE BROOK COUNTRY CLUB
100-103 | INNOVATIVE IDEAS
SUSTAINABILITY...THE TIME HAS COME
Clubessential
ClubPay
clubsystems group
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Country Club Technology Partners
CSR Privacy Solutions
FOOD-TRAK
Jonas Club Software
MembersFirst
MemberText
Northstar
Paisano Performance Partners
Survey & Ballot Systems
BOARDROOM MAGAZINE TECHNOLOGY FEATURE | PAGES 46-66 HACIENDA GOLF CLUB STAFF PICTURED L-R BACK ROW: MIGUEL NAJERA, NICKO LIAUW, RAFAEL MARTINEZ, ALEX VILLAGOMEZ, DAVID SUTTON. FOURTH ROW: EVELYN HARRIS, JONATHAN GOGLIA. THIRD ROW: CARINA NAJERA, NAOMI MARINCA. SECOND ROW: KRISTAL CANALES. FRONT ROW: HACIENDA GOLF CLUB GENERAL MANAGER RUSSELL SYLTE, TJ JACINTO