Letter From Don Emery

The heart and soul of the company ”is creativity and innovation.

— BOB IGER, Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company

Dear Grey Oaks Members,

Disney has been known as an innovator since its beginning. The same is true for the top clubs which rely heavily on innovation. The Grey Oaks Board of Directors asked the club leadership team to constantly look for ways to innovate to help maintain and advance the Club’s market position. This year, as a response, the team put together a plan called A New Leaf which focuses on presenting new ideas and upgrading the Member Experience.

Every season, we ask our department heads to think about innovation in the following two distinct ways:

• Sustaining innovation: Sustaining innovation enhances Grey Oaks’ processes and technologies to improve the experience for the Members. We do this to keep abreast with what is happening at other clubs and in different industries. An example of sustaining innovation can be found in our expansion of the pickleball facilities or in the addition of new technology for ordering food and drinks at the pool.

• Disruptive innovation: To the team, this is the most fun part of innovation. It means we are looking ahead and helping the Club create new concepts to provide the Members with cutting edge experiences not found at other clubs. An example of disruptive innovation is the recent installation of InRange technology at our Golf Performance Center, and in the past, the commitment of leadership and the Members to build the Wellness Center and Pool Café, years ahead of that trend in the industry.

I have found the most successful clubs incorporate both types of innovation into their plans and strategies. Innovation helps Grey Oaks stay ahead of the curve and grow. We become more adaptable. Innovation fosters growth which enhances the value of membership. It separates Grey Oaks from our competition.

In this issue of the LIVING magazine, we celebrate some of the creativity and innovations which help us maintain Grey Oaks as the preeminent club in SW Florida.