Let's Talk Club Management

In this episode, we’re joined by Stephanie Gallo, Gallo’s Chief Marketing Officer. We talk balancing tradition with evolving consumer expectations, especially in clubs where members value both heritage and new experiences, the trends we are seeing in wine preferences right now, and how technology can be used to improve wine education, service, and storytelling for members. Gallo is a CMAA Alliance...

In May, a record number of CMAA representatives gathered in Washington, DC, to participate in the 18th Annual National Golf Day. In this episode, we’re joined by two of CMAA’s participants: Cameron Walker from NC State University Club in Raleigh, NC, and Christopher Storelli from Isleworth Golf & Country Club in Windermere, FL. Each shares their perspectives on participating in National Golf Day f...

In this episode, we’re joined again by Joe Krenn, CCM, CCE, to discuss the upcoming changes to the Certified Chief Executive (CCE) program and process. In this conversation, we cover what prompted CMAA to evolve the CCE requirements, what that revision process has looked like, and what members can expect from the new requirements.

On this episode of the podcast, we’re joined by Alan Achatz, CCM, CHE, to discuss some of the perennial safety issues clubs face. Alan is the founder of Club Safety Solutions, LLC, whose primary mission is bringing safety knowledge to businesses through managerial and line employee education sessions. As we learn in this conversation, safety is as much a part of club culture as anything else – and...

On this episode, we are thrilled to talk to CMAA’s 2026 Chair Janine Budzius, CCM, CCE. She shares her personal journey to and through clubs, her passion for mentoring, as well as her goals for the year ahead and what’s most important to her.

It’s that time again! The 2026 World Conference is just around the corner and in this episode, we’re chatting with our team members about registration, events and networking, education, and our NewBee activities. Kyle and Melissa will take you through the important things you need to know for the week, and they pick up some guest hosts along the way. Access the Conference FAQs: https://www.cmaa.or...

City clubs face unique governance challenges, including balancing the needs of an increasingly diverse membership, managing complex urban operations, and navigating a tumultuous socio-political environment. On this episode, we’re joined by World Conference speaker and CMAA National Board Member, Charles Johnson, CCM, CCE, to preview his session on the best practices in city club governance, includ...

Collaborations with celebrities, professional athletes, influencers, and media production companies can elevate your club's visibility and create powerful market momentum—but only if you've selected your partnerships well and negotiate carefully. On this episode, we’re joined by World Conference speakers Adam Rieck and Matthew Martin to preview their session on navigating celebrity, influencer, an...

On this episode, we are thrilled to be talking to the 2025 Club Executive of the Year, Randy Ruder, CCM, CCE, CMAA Fellow. In November, Club Management magazine named Randy the 2025 Club Executive of the Year. He currently serves as the General Manager/Chief Operating Officer of Beach Point Club in Mamaroneck, NY. In this episode we get to know randy a bit better though the eyes of three of his me...

In this episode, we dive in to talk about ethics and its impact on decision-making in the club industry. Researchers from Michigan State University have been exploring this topic for 35 years. The research was first undertaken in 1989, revisited in 2010, and again in 2024. In this research, club executives were asked to measure their responses to 15 ethical scenarios. We’re joined by Jeffrey A. Be...

At your club, there are two individuals who share one goal but have differing responsibilities that might seem to be cross purposes at times, the Golf Professional and the Superintendent. These individuals and their teams are responsible for delivering an exceptional golf experience. How can club management professionals support these individuals and help them meet the mission? In this episode, we...

Please join us in welcoming one of our newest CMAA team members, Haley Habosky! Haley is CMAA’s new Manager, Student Development and joined CMAA after a stint in the club world. She joins us in this episode to chat about her background and passions and what she is most looking forward to doing with CMAA. Please welcome Haley!

We are thrilled to welcome back to our podcast, our favorite cybersecurity experts at Pulsar Security, a CMAA Education Partner, for answers to our questions about current cybersecurity trends. Pulsar is a company whose mission extends to protect clubs and their members against malicious attacks. The company is a Veteran, privately owned business built on vision and trust, whose leadership has ext...

Please join us in welcoming one of our newest CMAA team members, Udokamma Ebulu! Udokamma (or Udo) is one of CMAA’s Staff Accountants – but that’s not his only interest. He’s truly a man of many talents and he joins us in this episode to chat about his background and passions and what he is most looking forward to doing with CMAA.

When you think about golf cars and personal transport vehicles, your first thought probably centers on transportation. But there is a lot more to consider – golf cars can improve the member experience, expand accessibility, enhance your service opportunities, and provide vital support for maintenance and other daily operations. In this episode of the podcast, we’re joined by Brad Schaufert, one of...

Each summer, hospitality students have the opportunity to intern at some of the most impressive clubs around the country. In this episode, we chat with Kelsey Burke, about what her internship experience was like. Kelsey is a CMAA Student Member and interned at Myers Park Country Club in Charlotte, NC. Kelsey shared what she learned and some of her advice for future interns. We talked a lot about t...

You may have seen the social media trend where individuals are asked to try to identify different voices. We’ve seen it with supervisors, teachers, coaches, among others. And it’s now made it to the club industry. Melissa was recently catching up with members on LinkedIn and caught a cool take from Grace Mwirigi, CCM, the Assistant Manager at Northmoor Country Club in Highland Park, IL. Beyond cre...

Each summer, hospitality students have the opportunity to intern at some of the most impressive clubs around the country. We wanted to hear what that experience was like, so we invited Alexa Esquivel, a CMAA student member and intern at Houston Country Club, to the podcast to share more about her experience, what she learned, and her advice for future interns. We talked a lot about having courage...

On July 4, HR 1, the 2025 tax legislation was signed into law. The measure features the extension of several expiring tax cuts passed in 2017 and new tax reductions including new federal tax exemptions for qualifying tip and overtime income. There’s a lot to unpack here for clubs. In this episode, we’re joined by Brad Steele, a longtime collaborator, to talk more about what this means for the club...

In this episode, we sit down with Tyler Bloom and Rachel Ridgeway, SHRM-CP, of Bloom Golf Partners to discuss Bloom Golf’s 2025 Workforce Trends Study. Released earlier this year, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of the current landscape, uncovering the expectations of workers in the golf industry, their views on career opportunities, and their thoughts on the key factors influencing t...

In June, GGA Partners and CMAA released the 2025 Club Leaders Perspective Report, a report that benchmarks operational data and examines current trends across a wide spectrum of private club facilities. On this episode of the podcast, we dive into that report and other research with Michael Gregory from GGA Partners. Access the full report on CMAA Connect: https://connect.cmaa.org/viewdocument/gga...

It’s never a bad time of year to take time to review your club’s policies and procedures. They are essential for managing effectively and making sound decisions for your members, employees, and volunteer board members. What are these policies and what are the best practices for implementation? Let’s find out! In this episode, we are diving into the article “Seven Essential Policies for Your Privat...

It is Hurricane season for our members on the Atlantic coast, running from June 1 to November 30. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts an above-normal 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. It’s the perfect time to talk about disaster preparedness specifically when it comes to communications. Marc Ray, MCM, CCE, CHAE, is an expert in this area and we are so glad to have the...

We are thrilled to welcome back to our podcast, our favorite cyber security experts at Pulsar Security, a CMAA Alliance Partner, for answers to our questions. Pulsar Security is a cybersecurity company whose mission extends to protect clubs and their members against malicious attacks. The company is a Veteran, privately owned business built on vision and trust, whose leadership has extensive milit...

In this episode, we’re joined by our 2025 Shark Tank competition winners: Molly Passow and Katherine Foerg from Niagara University. Their entry, Schedule Genie, uses Artificial Intelligence to assist in schedule coordination and management. You can view their whole presentation at World Conference (along with the other finalists’ presentations) on CMAA’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY...