8 minute read
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
A GROWING PASSION
Debbie Fitzgerald marks silver anniversary of bringing color to the course
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND FOUNDER JOHN MCCONNELL CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER CHRISTIAN ANASTASIADIS COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FAITH INMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ALLISON EVANS PATRICK GOMMEL DIANE JACKSON JOHN JETER BRAD KING JOHN MAGINNES STEPHANIE TROTTER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS JOHN GILLOOLY/WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP MEGAN KIME PHOTOGRAPHY MICCICHE PHOTOGRAPHY IVY REYNOLDS/BUTLER UNIVERSITY PUBLISHED BY
COMMUNITY JOURNALS PUBLISHING GROUP
581 PERRY AVENUE Caption TK GREENVILLE, SC 29611 864.679.1200 PRESIDENT MARK B. JOHNSTON GENERAL MANAGER SUSAN SCHWARTZKOPF DESIGN DIRECTOR KRISTY ADAIR MANAGING EDITOR DIANE JACKSON
Serving up Success CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND FOUNDER JOHN MCCONNELL CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER CHRISTIAN ANASTASIADIS MAGAZINE SALES & MEMBERSHIP SERVICES mcconnellgolf.com ASSISTANT
KASEY OLIVE
William Noblitt has big plans COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR for Providence Country Club CASEY GRIFFITH CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
MEREDITH DONAHUE CHAD FLOWERS
WILLIAM NOBLITT KNOWS TENNIS. EARNING ALL-ACC HONORS BRAD KING
during his time at N.C. State University, the record-holder is considered JOHN MAGINNES one of the greatest tennis players in school history. But beyond his MATT MCCONNELL talents as a player, he understands the needs of his members and has ANNA PLYLER ambitious goals for his tennis program. MIKE PURKEY In his current role at Providence, Noblitt oversees the club’s 14 tennis LAUREN THEDIECK courts, including 12 clay courts, and the pro shop. His largest duty however is tennis instruction, at which he indeed excels. The thrill of com- CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER petition was certainly a factor in his success as a collegiate athlete and CHIP HENDERSON that same competitive spirit now helps him teach and inspire others. Noblitt’s favorite part of his job? Doing what he loves every day. “I get to go to work and share my knowledge and passion for a sport that has been a part of my life since I was six years old,” he says. “I love seeing members improve and always hope to instill that same lifelong love of the sport.” An average day for Noblitt is a full one. He spends the majority of his time on the courts. In the morning, he’s busy with private lessons, PUBLISHED BY cardio tennis clinics, and ladies’ team clinics. In the afternoon, he’s DESTINATION CREATIVE GROUP working with junior players through private lessons and clinics. 5710 W. GATE CITY BLVD., STE. 237 Looking back on his first year at Providence, two events stand out. In GREENSBORO, NC 27407 2018, the Make-A-Wish Pro-Am fundraiser and Alex’s Lemonade Stand 336.601.1271 Foundation’s Ladies Member/Guest were held at PCC. Noblitt was fortunate to work alongside members for these events, enjoying a fun PRESIDENT day of tennis while raising funds and awareness for important causes. STEVE MITCHEM steve.mitchem@icloud.com Looking ahead, Noblitt has big plans for the future of PCC’s thriving tennis program. EDITOR “My goal is to create a fun, enjoyable atmosphere where people MARTHA-PAGE ALTHAUS want to come out and play, and participate in what we have going on,” DESIGN DIRECTOR he says. “The junior program in particular is something I want to build. LYNN GIANINY I believe that with the facilities we have and the staff in place, we could COPY EDITOR have one of the best junior programs around.” LANCE ELKO A vision for program enhancements, coupled with the addition of PHOTO: MACKENZIE KING new clinic offerings, social events, and tournaments, is a recipe for the continued success and growth of the tennis program at Providence. Heading into his second year at the club, Noblitt serves up a winning program with no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
Caption TK
THE SEED FOR Debbie Fitzgerald’s career was planted early.
“Oh, I’ve been growing things since I was knee-high to a bullfrog,” says Fitzgerald, who was raised on a tobacco farm in the tiny town of Bailey, North Carolina. “Tobacco was our cash crop, but we also grew corn, cotton, soybeans, plus a huge family garden.”
The chores were hard, but the childhood was happy, she says, “and Serving up Success here I am now, still growing things.” “Here” is Raleigh Country Club, where Fitzgerald has worked as a horticulturist for the past 25 years. The line from cash crops on the farm to colorful creations on the golf course wasn’t straight, but it ultimately planted CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND FOUNDER JOHN MCCONNELL CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER CHRISTIAN ANASTASIADIS MAGAZINE SALES & MEMBERSHIP SERVICES ASSISTANT mcconnellgolf.com her in a place she adores. KASEY OLIVE
“I took a lot of different paths,” the William Noblitt has big plans COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR 69-year-old says. “My greatest interest for Providence Country Club CASEY GRIFFITH is art. I love color — I love working with CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
MEREDITH DONAHUE
color and texture and shapes — and CHAD FLOWERS that is what drew me into the plant world, which is different than farm life, WILLIAM NOBLITT KNOWS TENNIS. EARNING ALL-ACC HONORS during his time at N.C. State University, the record-holder is considered one of the greatest tennis players in school history. But beyond his BRAD KING JOHN MAGINNES MATT MCCONNELL but the same principles apply.” talents as a player, he understands the needs of his members and has ANNA PLYLER
One twist in the road included a ambitious goals for his tennis program. In his current role at Providence, Noblitt oversees the club’s 14 tennis MIKE PURKEY LAUREN THEDIECK couple of gigs as a backup singer in a courts, including 12 clay courts, and the pro shop. His largest duty howrock ’n’ roll band. “We weren’t famous,” ever is tennis instruction, at which he indeed excels. The thrill of competition was certainly a factor in his success as a collegiate athlete and CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER CHIP HENDERSON says Fitzgerald with a laugh. “But oh that same competitive spirit now helps him teach and inspire others. my, we had a lot of fun!” Noblitt’s favorite part of his job? Doing what he loves every day. “I get to go to work and share my knowledge and passion for a sport
Today, she still sings while working a that has been a part of my life since I was six years old,” he says. “I love job she describes as a true passion. seeing members improve and always hope to instill that same lifelong
Fitzgerald designs, installs and love of the sport.” An average day for Noblitt is a full one. He spends the majority of maintains the decorative beds on the his time on the courts. In the morning, he’s busy with private lessons, PUBLISHED BY cardio tennis clinics, and ladies’ team clinics. In the afternoon, he’s working with junior players through private lessons and clinics. golf courses and around the clubhouses DESTINATION CREATIVE GROUP 5710 W. GATE CITY BLVD., STE at several McConnell Golf properties. Looking back on his first year at Providence, two events stand out. In GREENSBORO, NC 27407 2018, the Make-A-Wish Pro-Am fundraiser and Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation’s Ladies Member/Guest were held at PCC. Noblitt was Her home base is Raleigh Country Club, 336.601.1271 and she spends a couple of days per fortunate to work alongside members for these events, enjoying a fun PRESIDENT week at The Country Club at Wakefield day of tennis while raising funds and awareness for important causes. STEVE MITCHEM steve.mitchem@icloud.com Plantation. She does seasonal design Looking ahead, Noblitt has big plans for the future of PCC’s thriving tennis program. EDITOR work at Brook Valley Country Club and “My goal is to create a fun, enjoyable atmosphere where people MARTHA-PAGE ALTHAUS Treyburn Country Club as well as the want to come out and play, and participate in what we have going on,” he says. “The junior program in particular is something I want to build. DESIGN DIRECTOR LYNN GIANINY family residence of John McConnell, I believe that with the facilities we have and the staff in place, we could COPY EDITOR PHOTO: MACKENZIE KING President/CEO of McConnell Golf. “We have our hands full all the time. We are a busy crowd,” she says, crediting the beautiful results to a crew she calls “family” and expressing have one of the best junior programs around.” A vision for program enhancements, coupled with the addition of new clinic offerings, social events, and tournaments, is a recipe for the continued success and growth of the tennis program at Providence. Heading into his second year at the club, Noblitt serves up a winning program with no sign of slowing down anytime soon. LANCE ELKO delight at the opportunity to be endlessly creative. “With plants, there “My job is providing visual diversity and designing a beautiful environment for members to enjoy.” are so many possibilities and I’m always excited about trying new things, mixing it up, keeping it fresh.” Fitzgerald pours her artist’s heart into horticultural design. “I find it so gratifying to work with really pretty plant material. My job is providing visual diversity and designing a beautiful environment for members to enjoy.” Off the job, Fitzgerald spends a lot of her free time … growing things. “My garden is beautiful — I cannot have enough plants at my house,” she says. “I make sure to surround myself with beauty.” When she isn’t playing in the dirt, her other hobbies include painting and drawing. Despite a quarter-century working on golf courses, she doesn’t play. “I can hit the ball hard — but I can’t aim it,” the left-handed horticulturist confesses. Fitzgerald and her husband Patrick have one son and a soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Jack and Maegan, as well as an 8-year-old collie-lab mix named Murphy. Reflecting on her silver anniversary with McConnell Golf, Fitzgerald says she does plan to retire — eventually — but for now, “I still wake up excited to go to work … and working outside, in the fresh air and sunshine, keeps me young.” When the day does come, though, her vision of the ideal retirement includes volunteering with Habitat for Humanity to build decks and porches and, of course, install beautiful landscaping. “It’s so important that people have a lovely, peaceful place to live,” she says.
