MARCH - APRIL 2022
HILLCREST HIGHLIGHTS
Hillcrest Highlights
Club Staff
John Schwichtenberg Assistant General Manager john@hillcrestcountryclub.com
Zach Tyson General Manager ztyson@hillcrestcountryclub.com
Joe Andersen
Executive Chef jandersen@hillcrestcountryclub.com
Emily Bergen
Mike Brown
Golf Director mbrown@hillcrestcountryclub.com
Events Coordinator ebergen@hillcrestcountryclub.com
Sonya Freese
Jeanette Keller Aquatics Director bk04745@windstream.net
Head Golf Professional sfreese@hillcrestcountryclub.com
Maria Mota
Racquet and Fitness Director mmota@hillcrestcountryclub.com
Joey Decker
Jessica Zimbelman
Office Manager jzimbelman@hillcrestcountryclub.com
Clubhouse Manager jdecker@hillcrestcountryclub.com
Connect With Us Clubhouse 402.489.7111
Pro Shop 402.489.8181
VISION STATEMENT We are the preferred private club for creating extraordinary experiences and memorable stories for families and guests.
/HillcrestCountryClub @hillcrestcclnk · @HillcrestCCGolf @hillcrestcclnk · @hcctennis
www.hillcrestcountryclub.com
Hillcrest Highlights
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Board of Directors Secretary President Vice President Past President Treasurer Treasurer
President
Bob Sundquist
Bryce Juedes Lynn Knuth
Pat Hodge
Vice President Zach Stivrins
Ryan Tenopir
Dale Mahlman
Dave Kirby
Secretary Bryce Juedes
Kyle Hershberger Joel Lonowski
Chad Shirk
Dan Griepentrog
Past President Chad Shirk
Larry Melichar
Nikki Sleddens
Doug Kunzman
Mark Ogle Jarrod Crouse Katie Wilson
Brad Dolson
Club Hours of Operation Dining Service Tuesday-Sunday 10:30 AM - 9:00 PM Monday Closed
Stag Bar Tuesday & Thursday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Wednesday & Friday 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Saturday & Sunday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday Closed*
*Open 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM if course is playable.
Pro Shop Tuesday-Sunday 8:00 AM - Dark Monday Closed* *Club service available at 11:30 AM, weather permitting.
Office Tuesday-Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM Saturday-Monday Closed PAGE 3
Jack Russell
Hillcrest Highlights
Dear Members, On behalf of our management team, we are happy to welcome you to the 2022 season!! We have been working diligently this off-season for a year which is set to be unlike any other. The past several years have been an exciting time to “join” Hillcrest and our focus has been to encourage our membership to share our traditions and the Hillcrest “Experience” with their friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. This growth mindset has produced great results and Hillcrest is now the preferred private club for over 600 families and continues to receive strong interest from prospective members in the surrounding communities. We continue to endeavor to exceed new member expectations while continuing the traditions our long-time members have come to know and love. With the health of our membership, we are able to shift our focus from one of member growth to one of member experience. It takes a dedicated and experienced staff to breathe life into our vision statement and traditions and to deliver on the member experience the families of Hillcrest have come to enjoy and expect. I would like to recognize the team that delivers that experience each and every day. Mike Brown, Director of Golf, 22 years at HCC Sonya Freese, Head Golf Professional, 4 years at HCC Brian Hellbusch, Grounds and Greens Superintendent, 24 years at HCC Joe Andersen, Executive Chef, 4 years at HCC Jessica Zimbelman, Office Manager, 23 years at HCC Jeanette Keller, Aquatics Director, 25 years at HCC Maria Mota, Racquets and Fitness Director, 1 year at HCC While we are happy to see the growth of serving 170 new families over the past 4 years. It is just as exciting to mention that over 60 families have called Hillcrest their home for more than 25 years. WE should all be proud of what we have been able to build over the past few years. That being said, the Board and management team are constantly monitoring our member counts and while we aren’t actively soliciting full golf members, we continue to entertain and encourage prospective members to join Hillcrest for our social membership experience. Being the preferred private club for so many families is extremely rewarding and with the continued development the future for Hillcrest is bright. Our membership is special in the fact that we have so many members who simply want what is best for our club. These members are willing to volunteer their time to serve on our Board and Committees. Full committee lists will be printed in future Highlights but please take a moment to thank these people who are leading the Committees for the 2022 season: Golf Committee Chair – Mark Ogle Board Liaison – Kyle Hershberger Grounds and Greens Committee Chair – Zach Stivrins Board Liaison – Dave Kirby Clubhouse Committee Chair – Katie Wilson Board Liaison – Kyle Hershberger
Aquatics, Racquets and Fitness Committee Chair - Nikki Sleddens Board Liaison – Mark Ogle Organization and Compliance Chair – Dan Griepentrog Board Liaison – Nikki Sleddens Budget and Planning Chair - Bob Sundquist Board Liaison – Dan Griepentrog
Vision Committee Chair – Zach Stivrins Board Liaison – Dan Griepentrog NEW COMMITTEE Employee Experience, Development and Recruitment Chair - Bryce Juedes Board Liaison – Jarrod Crouse
Continued...
A Message from your General Manager
Zach Tyson
Hillcrest Highlights
Along with the great leadership of our committees and club I am happy to announce the three most recent additions to our management team. I am excited about what each of them will bring to the table to help us deliver the extraordinary experiences our club is built upon. John Swichtenberg, Assistant General Manager, will begin his adventure this March. John joins us from Texas where he was the General Manager at a private club and resort. He brings a great deal of experience in sales, leadership and hospitality management. Emily Bergen, Events Coordinator, began in November and has been doing an excellent job in planning events for members and guests. Emily has been an Events Coordinator for a high-end resort hotel in Utah as well as the College of Business at UNL. Logan Betka, Assistant Superintendent, is joining our team and helping lead our Grounds and Greens Department. He has wonderful experience as the Superintendent at Friend Country Club. One of the main tenants of our club's vision statement is the following: To continually foster the growth and development of our staff and to grow our team from within whenever possible. We are proud to continue that tradition and recognize two of our own who are helping us grow. Joey Decker, Clubhouse Manager, has grown into this position and comes with over 8 years of experience in different areas of our club. He was a familiar face at the Knolls for over a decade and Allstate for 30 years. He will be an excellent steward of our Vision and deliver the experience each of you deserves. Gage Hadfield, Restaurant and Service Manager, began this last fall working on developing our beverage program, improving our service level in the restaurant. Gage has been a familiar face within our clubhouse for the past 5 years as a server and bartender To welcome these great new members of our staff as well as celebrate being part of our amazing club we invite you to join us at our Welcome, Open House on Friday, March 11th at 5:30 pm to have fun drinks, great food and shake the hand of our newest staff members. I am happy and honored to be leading this team of amazing individuals and dedicated Committee members with the goal of improving the membership experience. We believe that OUR team will have a great 2022 season. As always, please feel free to contact me at 402.489.7111 with any concerns or questions. Sincerely, Zach Tyson General Manager
A Message from your General Manager
Zach Tyson
Hillcrest Highlights
Greetings Members! Maria Mota, Racquet & Fitness Director, here. I hope everyone is off to a fantastic start this year. We are thrilled to offer you more events as 2022 unfolds. I will be facilitating all sorts of activities ranging from classes, themed events, races, tennis and pickleball tournaments, junior tennis classes, group tennis classes, private lessons, private and group training, and more! As someone who despises sitting still, I want to share my passion for exercise with everyone at Hillcrest. Make sure to scroll down to the “Tennis and Fitness” section of your Hillcrest emails to stay up to date on all our events. Let’s look at some of the fun things coming your way over the next couple of months: February Have you heard? We’re doing a 300 min of Fitness challenge all month long. It’s not too late to get in your 300 mins, email mmota@hillcrestcountryclub.com for more details. Valentine’s Day Couples Yoga on 2/13 at 11am in the Ballroom. RSVP now! Middle School Fitness Camp for kids in 6th-8th grade from 2/23-2/25. A great introduction to gym safety and protocols. Keep an eye out for more information soon. Mopac Trail Group Run 2/29– more information soon. March 40 Days of Running March Fitness Challenge Golf Seminar focusing on maintenance and strength training to facilitate your golf game. Pickleball Expo Saint Patrick’s Day Dash April Junior Spring Tennis Finale Group Run for 40 Days of Running March Challenge Mopac Trail Group Bike Ride The Murph Challenge Prep Course As these events get closer, expect to find more information on social media and our email campaigns. If you would like to create your own fitness groups, tennis groups, pickleball groups, or are interested in any private sessions, please contact me at mmota@hillcrestcountryclub.com. I look forward to seeing you all at these events. I cannot believe it has been a whole year since I joined the Hillcrest Family. As we’ve all journeyed through these trying times, working at Hillcrest has provided me with sanity and joy. I cannot wait to continue to serve you all and to improve upon the successes of this past year. I want to express my gratitude to all of you for showing me such warmth and hospitality in 2021. Cheers to many more adventures to come! Sincerely, Maria Mota– Racquet & Fitness Director
A M e s s a g e f r o m t h e R a c q u e t & F i t n e s s D i r e c t o r Maria
Mota
Hillcrest Highlights
Dear Members, 2022 is upon us, and we are ready to get back to the game we all love! Here is a look at what’s coming up at the start of this season: Beginning in March, new merchandise arriving daily in the golf shop. Please stop out and see the fine offerings and enjoy our member pricing. We have fitting events scheduled, beginning with Callaway on April 14 and Ping on April 21. Members will be able to schedule an appointment for a fitting by calling the golf shop or see the ad in this edition of the highlights for more details. Our full vendor Demo Day will be held on May 1 from 2 pm – 6 pm. This is a fun way to try golf’s finest equipment from all our great vendors: Callaway, Cleveland/Srixon, Cobra, Mizuno, Ping, Titleist, and Tour Edge. Whether it be fitting you for a new set of irons and wedges or upgrading your driver and fairway woods, your golf professionals are here to help you with all your equipment needs this season. With our fitting carts and our new Foresight GC Quad Launch Monitor, we will help you to find more distance, accuracy, and enjoyment. Tuesday Evenings Ladies Golf League will have a new starting time along with new formats, and best of all, more $$$ to play for. Please see the details on our Ladies Golf page in the highlights. We are excited to announce two new events for our adult golf members: Stars and Stripes Classic: Sunday, July 3rd This event will have a combined format of Scramble and Shamble. Start thinking about your team formation now. We will be taking signups for men’s foursomes, women’s foursomes, or mixed teams. Two-for-Two: September 23rd - 24th This event will be a two-day tournament. Format: Twosomes playing 18 Hole of Net Best Ball and 18 holes of True Alternate Shot. Teams may sign up as Member/Member or Member/Guest twosomes. This will be open to men and women golf members. More details for this event will be provided at a later date. Please look forward to these upcoming April/May events: (Details will be provided in this addition of the highlights) The Eliminator 2022 (Play begins following the bracket reveal on March 30) Junior vs. Senior Challenge: April 3 Solheim Cup (Women’s Member/Member Tournament): May 21st – 22nd The “Bunny” (Men’s Member/Member Tournament): May 27th – 28th Please look for more announcements as the season gets underway. I look forward to seeing you out on the golf course! Sincerely, Mike Brown – Director of Golf
A Message from the Golf Director
Mike Brown
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Save The Date !
Sunday May 8th - Mother's Day Buffet Wednesday, May 25th - Savor the Summer Party Friday, May 27th - Opening Day of the Pool Sunday, June 19th - Father's Day Cardboard Boat Race Thursday, June 23rd - 2022 Celebrity Invitational Begins Monday, July 4th - Independence Day Celebration Monday, September 5th - Labor Day Celebration Sunday, October 23rd - Halloween Extravaganza Thursday, November 24th - Thanksgiving Buffet Saturday, December 31st - New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball Please Note the Following Outside Events: April 10-11 Nebraska Wesleyan Spring Invite - Modified Access to the Golf Course PAGE 14
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