The CMAA Fellows Program recognizes dynamic and active luminaries who embody the leadership, integrity, involvement, and contributions of excelling club management professionals.
Selection as a CMAA Fellow distinguishes those members who are making a significant impact on the club management community through exemplary service, leadership, accomplishments, and major contributions to CMAA and the club management profession.
CMAA Fellows represent a diverse community of club managers and industry professionals who lend their knowledge and insight to the issues and opportunities facing the club management profession and industry. As a significant component of the leadership community within CMAA, Fellows are recognized as highly engaged individuals for their contributions to the profession. Further, CMAA Fellows are called to continued service and remain committed to sustaining their contributions, leadership, and service to the club management profession, and support of CMAA and its mission.
CMAA Fellows take an active role in CMAA’s mission as mentors, subject-matter experts, thought leaders, and club industry champions. As future-focused thinkers, CMAA Fellows collaborate with others in support of solutions to the ever-changing issues affecting the club management profession.
Program goals:
Open to CMAA Professional members in good standing with 10 or more years of membership; members will be active club managers at the time of application for CMAA Fellow.
Member nomination exceptions:
Nominations will be evaluated based on the following considerations:
Attributes/Characteristics of a CMAA Fellow
These Core Values distinguish a CMAA Fellow:
CMAA Fellows value the opportunity to serve the club management profession as well as the industry.
We do this by:
For Nominators to Fill Out
Nominate a CMAA member to the Fellows program by submitting the following:
Nominations were due November 1, 2024.
For Nominees to Fill Out
Thank you for your interest in the CMAA Fellows Program. Please review the following information to ensure that your application is complete and receives full consideration by the Fellows Selection Committee.
The CMAA Fellows Program follows a rigorous selection process overseen by the Fellows Selection Committee, which is composed of current CMAA Fellows and members in good standing. Once a nomination is reviewed and accepted, the nominee must complete an application profile; compose an essay; provide a curriculum vitae (CV); and request detailed support letters from three colleagues/peers.
The CV should document professional roles, leadership experience, and involvement with CMAA. The essay should capture the nominee’s perspective on how they plan to contribute to and give back to the CMAA community. Peer letters of endorsement should provide specific details and anecdotes that highlight the nominee’s positive and meaningful attributes, demonstrating why the writer believes the nominee would be an excellent CMAA Fellow.
The Fellows Selection Committee carefully reviews all applications. Finalists are invited to participate in individual interviews with committee members via Zoom. The Committee then makes its final selections, and the new CMAA Fellows are officially announced and honored at the annual World Conference and Club Business Expo.
A comprehensive Fellows application consists of the following:
A 750-word Essay that describes the following:
As a CMAA Fellow, what experiences, assets, and passion for the profession do you hope to share with the CMAA community? How will those contribute to the Association’s overall success?
Three (3) Letters of Support from colleagues/industry peers, limited to 500 words each, should be presented on club/company letterhead (not simply an email). Letters will be appended to complete the Nominee’s Fellows application package.
Please note: If more than the requested number of supporting letters are provided on behalf of the Nominee, only the first three (3) letters received will be considered by the Selection Committee.
Letters are due by December 10, 2024.
Email Letter as Attachment
or
Mail to:
Club Management Association of America
1733 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Attn: Fellows Selection Committee
Why does CMAA have a Fellows program?
CMAA values long-time volunteers and highly engaged members for their contributions to our shared profession. The CMAA Fellows Program honors individuals who are making a significant impact on the club management community through exemplary service and leadership, accomplishments, and/or other major contributions to CMAA and the club management profession.
CMAA Fellow is an honor bestowed upon less than one percent of CMAA’s membership. Upon selection, the term “CMAA Fellow” may be used by active Fellows, who remain CMAA members in good standing, to represent their status and increase the recognition/visibility of CMAA’s Fellows Program.
Who is eligible to be a CMAA Fellow?
Open to CMAA Professional members in good standing with 10 or more years of membership; members will be active club managers at the time of application for CMAA Fellow.
Are the CCM, CCE, and/or MCM designations and CMAA Fellows Program related?
The two programs serve different purposes. The Certified Club Manager, Certified Chief Executive, and Master Club Manager credentials are CMAA’s professional certifications. "CMAA Fellow" is an honorific distinction that may be used by those in good standing to represent their status as a Fellow of CMAA. Professional certifications, including the CCM, CCE, and MCM may be considered in the Fellows selection process.
What is the makeup of the CMAA Fellows Selection Committee?
The Fellows Selection Committee is comprised of current CMAA members representing national and chapter leaders, regions of the country, club types and sizes, and other member demographics. Members will be rotated off the committee to add other CMAA members and/or current Fellows. Selection Committee members are neither eligible to apply to be a CMAA Fellow while serving on the committee, nor until three years post committee service.
The Fellows program uses a process governed by the Selection Committee. Nominees (applicants) for CMAA Fellows must be peer nominated. The nominee must then submit detailed endorsement letters from three colleagues/peers, his or her résumé/curriculum vitae, and an essay. The curriculum vitae should document service and involvement with CMAA. The essay is designed to capture the nominee’s thinking on how to foster and give back to the CMAA community.
The Selection Committee reviews all applications and if applicable final candidates are invited for individual interviews with multiple committee members.
If a candidate is not chosen by the Selection Committee to move forward, he/she may be nominated again.
How many CMAA Fellows will be selected annually?
The first class of CMAA Fellows included 10 individuals. Future Fellows class sizes will depend on selection criteria guidelines as well as the number of qualified applicants received annually. Once honored, the distinction of CMAA Fellow is a lifetime recognition as long as he/she remains a member in good standing (distinction may be rescinded for ethical and/or criminal violations).
When and how are CMAA Fellows recognized?
The application and interview process for CMAA Fellow candidates begins in the fall of the given year. CMAA announces each class of Fellows at the annual World Conference and presents inductees with a memento there at a designated event.
CMAA Fellows are expected to continue to be high-level contributors to the Association. Individually, Fellows serve as authors, speakers, mentors, volunteer leaders, supporters, and advocates of the club management profession as well as Club Foundation contributors. They participate in strategic conversations, which may result in future CMAA educational programming and/or articles in CMAA-related publications. Currently, CMAA Fellows are convening in self-designated groups as active mentors, community engagers, and thought leaders.
CMAA Fellows may consider completing service projects as a group. In the future, Fellows may attend an annual retreat designed to strengthen professional relationships and address key issues surrounding the club industry.
William E. Langley, CCM, CCE, Boynton Beach, FL
Kristen LaCount, CCM, Chestnut Hill, MA
Randy Ruder, CCM, CCE, Mamaroneck, NY
Lawrence J. Avery, CCM, CCE, Middleton, WI
Robert J. Crifasi, CCM, CCE, CPA, New Orleans, LA
Todd D. Marsh, CCM, CCE, Lake Forest, IL
Michael McCarthy, Delray Beach, FL
David A. Sheppard, CCM, Atlanta, GA
Cindy A. Williams, CCM, Rumson, NJ
Damon J. DiOrio, CCM, CCE, Desert Mountain Club, Scottsdale, AZ
Robert J. Gusella, CCM, CCE, The Clubs at Houston Oaks, Hockley, TX
Kurt D. Kuebler, CCM, Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace, Jupiter, FL
Jesse K. Thorpe, CCM, CCE, Palm Coast, FL
Albert Antonez, CCM, CCE, Club at Las Campanas, Santa Fe, NM
Haissam Baityeh, CCM, CCE, Country Club of Spartanburg, Spartanburg, SC
Rick Bayliss, CCM, CCE, Lost Tree Club, N. Palm Beach, FL
LuAnn Giovannelli, CCM, CAM, Bay Colony, Naples, FL
Paula Kelly, CCM, CCE, Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, PA
Dick Kopplin, Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace, Scottsdale, AZ
Christian W. Coulter, CCM, McMahon Group, Mirror Lake, NH
Thomas M. DeLozier, CCM, CCE, Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, NC
Anthony D'Errico, CCM, CCE, Quail West Foundation, Naples, FL
Matthew C. Guzik, CCM, CCE, Tara Iti Golf Club, Te Arai, New Zealand
Robert C. Josey, CCM, CCE, The Country Club, Pepper Pike, OH
Luke A. O'Boyle, CCM, CCE, Chevy Chase Club, Chevy Chase, MD
John M. Schultz, Sr., CCM, CCE, Carmel Country Club, Charlotte, NC
David H. Voorhees, CCM, CCE, Big Canyon Country Club, Newport Beach, CA
Joseph F. Basso, MCM, CCE, Birmingham Country Club, West Bloomfield, MI
Kevin E. Carroll, CCM, CCE, Bath & Tennis Club, Palm Beach, FL
Jay DiPietro, CCM, Delray Beach, FL
J.G. Ted Gillary, CCM, CCE, Detroit Athletic Club, Detroit, MI
Philip R. Kiester, Country Club of Virginia, Richmond, VA
Pasquale J. LaRocca, CCM, CCE, Lake Merced Golf Club, Daly City, CA
Michael G. Leemhuis, CCM, CCE, PGA, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Donna Otis, CCM, CCE, The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego, CA
Terra S.H. Waldron, CCM, CCE, Greensboro Country Club, Greensboro, NC
Burton Ward, CCM, CCE, Century Country Club, Purchase, NY
(From Left to Right: Bobby Crifasi, 2018 CMAA President, Joseph F. Basso, MCM, CCE, Kevin E. Carroll, CCM, CCE, J.G. Ted Gillary, CCM, CCE, Philip R. Kiester, Pasquale J. LaRocca, CCM, CCE, Michael G. Leemhuis, CCM, CCE, Donna Otis, CCM, CCE, CCE, Burton Ward, CCM, CCE, and Todd Marsh, 2019 Fellows Selection Committee Chairman. Not Pictured: Jay DiPietro, CCM, and Terra S.H. Waldron, CCM, CCE)
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