February 14, 2025
Professional Development
Access World Conference Session Handouts
We hope you found the education sessions at the 2025 CMAA World Conference and Business Expo insightful and valuable. From industry-leading experts to dynamic discussions on emerging trends, the sessions provided actionable strategies and fresh perspectives to enhance your professional growth.
To help continue the conversation once you're back at your club, some speakers have provided their presentations and/or handouts for attendees. Below or to the right of the session information in the Cvent app, you will be able to download any uploaded items. Look for a button labeled "Resources."
If a session did not include handouts but you’d like to connect with the speaker, please reach out to Michelle Carrington for contact information. Please note that general session speaker content and videos will not be available to attendees.
Thank you for joining us—we look forward to learning and growing together throughout the year and at the 2026 CMAA World Conference and Business Expo in Anaheim!
Membership and Member Benefits
2024 CMAA Annual Report: There’s No Place Like CMAA
The 2024 CMAA Annual Report is now available. The report showcases the unmatched sense of community, connection, and purpose that defines the Association. CMAA is a space where members find inspiration, solutions, and camaraderie, making it truly one of a kind.
The report highlights the Association’s developments in membership growth, certification and professional development, advocacy, member services, research, and partnership, along with detailed information from The Club Foundation. Paired with the audited financial statements, it includes summaries from the 2024 CMAA Chairman Joe Mendez, CCM, CCE, and President & CEO Jeff Morgan, FASAE, CAE.
Three Club Industry Leaders Selected for the 2025 Class of CMAA Fellows
Three club industry leaders have been inducted into CMAA 2025 class of Fellows. Created in 2019, the CMAA Fellows Program honors dynamic and active luminaries who embody the leadership, integrity, involvement, and contributions of excelling club management professionals. Each of these individuals has made a significant impact toward the betterment of the profession and CMAA throughout their active careers.
Announced and recognized at the Opening Business Session of the 2025 World Conference & Club Business Expo in Tampa, FL, the Class of 2025 inductees are:
Mark A. Bado, MCM, CCE, Mizner Country Club, Delray Beach, FL
Ernest LaRocca, Jr., CCM, CCE, Bay Waveland Yacht Club, Bay St. Louis, MS
Brett Morris, The Club at Admirals Cove, Jupiter, FL
The Fellows selection process includes a peer nomination; an in-depth application describing the individual's innovation, leadership, and commitment to the profession; interviews with the peer-comprised selection committee; and selection from among a group of highly qualified candidates.
Now in its seventh year, the CMAA Fellows community includes 43 distinguished individuals who serve as thought leaders, mentors, and champions of both the Association and the broader club industry. This lifetime honor recognizes their lasting contributions and leadership.
Learn more about CMAA’s Fellows program
Congratulations to the 2024 Wine Program Awards Recipients
The objective of the Wine Program Awards is to annually recognize the best club wine programs and laud CMAA member-managed clubs that establish and maintain fine wine programs for their membership. The awards are meant to be a hallmark of quality and assurance of an eminent wine program. A club that receives recognition should leverage its accomplishment when marketing the club’s food and beverage program to its membership.
Awards are given in the categories of Merit and Distinction. On the 100-point scale, an Award of Merit is achieved when a club scores between 80 and 89, and an Award of Distinction is achieved when a club scores a 90 or above.
Congratulations to our 2024 Wine Program Award recipients!
Club Foundation Recognitions at the Member & Chapter Awards Breakfast
What a great morning at this year’s Awards Breakfast! The Club Foundation takes great pleasure in giving away scholarships and grants to individuals and Chapters each year, and the Awards Breakfast honored all those recipients. Recipients of nine different Scholarship and Grant Program awards were showcased at the event.
We are so grateful to the dozen dedicated individuals who serve on the Club Foundation Allocation Committee and give many hours of their year to evaluate scholarship applications. It’s no small task!
During the event, it was also our distinct pleasure to honor Nicholas LaRocca who is rotating off the Board of Governors, having served for 10 years, and 3 years as Chairman of the Board. Thank you for your service and for making a difference for The Foundation.
Participants in this year’s golf tournament were also celebrated at the Awards Breakfast. The players had a great time on February 4 at Westchase Golf Club. Thanks to all those at Westchase for taking such great care of all those participating. Special thanks to Army Veteran, Rob Kilmartin, Esq, MBA and President & Executive Director of Tee It Up For The Troops (TIUFTT), Tim Wegscheid for being a part of the event. Many, many thanks to all those individuals who volunteered to support the event as well!
First Place Foursome: Matt Conte, CordeValle Golf Club; Jeff Dekruif, CCM, Ford Field and River Club; Aaron Grant, CCM, Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club; and Kevin Kleinschmidt
Second Place Foursome: Jim Hankowski, CPA, Condon, O’Meara, McGinty & Donnelly; Jeff McFadden, CCM, CCE, Union League of Philadelphia; Matt O’Dell, Condon, O’Meara, McGinty & Donnelly; and J. Josh Paris, CCM, CCE, Old Town Club.
Winner of the Tempo Walk donated by Club Car: James Shafer, CCM, Los Altos Golf & Country Club
Closest to the Pin contest sponsored by Heritage Creations: Andrew Carroll, Hyannisport Club
Longest Drive contest sponsored by SNAP Wellness: Mike Dasbach, CCM, Butler National Golf Club
Thank you to all our sponsors:
Club Car (Raffle Sponsor)
Heritage Creations USA (Closest to the Pin Sponsor)
Iliac Golf (Tee Gift Sponsor)
PigOut Roasters (Reception Sponsor)
SNAP Wellness (Longest Drive Sponsor)
William Hill (Wine Sponsor)
The Bado Family (hole sponsor)
Cobalt Software (hole sponsor)
Fore Supply Co. (hole sponsor)
Gather Grills (hole sponsor)
Risk Strategies (hole sponsor)
Whoosh (hole sponsor)
Additionally, 185 people participated in the ClubLove 5K. Huge thanks to Title Sponsor, Cobalt Software, who truly makes a difference in our ability to provide scholarships and grants to CMAA members!
Men:
First Place: Logan Pearlman
Second Place: Carpiu Chereches
Third Place: Brian Baldwin
Women:
First Place: Stephanie Castro
Second Place: Alison Gasser
Third Place: Julissa Gamez-Gardea
Post-Conference Recap: A Memorable Experience for Student Members
The 2025 World Conference & Club Business Expo was an incredible success, offering CMAA Student Members the chance to connect, learn, and grow within the club management industry. From engaging in educational sessions to networking opportunities with industry professionals, students left with valuable insights and experiences to help shape their careers.
Congratulations to all students who received awards during Conference! If you are among the winners, be on the lookout for an email from Sumayah Arcusa, Manager of Student Development, with important details regarding your recognition. Keep an eye on your inbox so you don’t miss any next steps!
Throughout Conference, students participated in various activities designed to enhance their skills and industry knowledge. From interactive workshops to panel discussions with seasoned professionals, there was no shortage of learning experiences. Additionally, the student networking events provided an excellent platform to meet fellow aspiring club management professionals and build meaningful connections. For information on slide decks, presentations, and other information from this year’s speakers, be sure to check CMAA Connect and turn those real-time notifications on!
Features
 |
Featured Discussion: Wine Inventory |
 |
Featured Jobs: |
Resources
Is Your Club Starting a Capital Improvement Project?
The CMAA Capital Improvements Handbook serves as a comprehensive guide for club decision-makers embarking on capital improvement projects. By adopting a strategic and collaborative approach, engaging stakeholders, ensuring robust financial planning, and adhering to regulatory requirements, clubs can successfully navigate the complexities of capital improvements.
The Handbook delves into common pitfalls such as lack of strategy and leadership, unanticipated costs, and inexperienced project management. Emphasizing the necessity of time, patience, and strategic planning, this Handbook aims to equip club decision-makers with the knowledge required to make informed choices, ensuring each capital improvement project contributes to the club’s long-term success and reputation.
This extensive resource emphasizes the significance of building high-performing project management teams and engaging various stakeholders, including club members, throughout the journey.
Available exclusively to CMAA members, the Handbook was created from the best practices and procedures explored at CMAA's Capital Improvements Symposium and has been downloaded more than 600 times.
Inside the Capital Improvements hub in the CMAA Connect Best Practices Handbook Library, you can download the Handbook and access the podcast series featuring real life insights and conversations with the Handbook contributors.
Attend World Conference? Complete the Survey
The online World Conference survey is now available. Please share your thoughts on your World Conference experience so we can ensure that this event meets your needs.
Submit Your Data: Club Leaders’ Perspective Survey
To help understand the trends and issues impacting our industry, we need your help completing the 2025 Club Leader's Perspective survey.
This year's survey, conducted in partnership with GGA Partners, focuses on generational differences and creating value for members, along with a review of governance practices with clubs.
All survey participants will be invited to attend an exclusive webinar to preview the results and will have access to a detailed report of the findings.
As always, the survey will be confidential, and only trends and summary data will be shared in the report. Thank you in advance for your participation in this important ongoing initiative!
If you have any questions, please contact Amilcar Davy, CMAA's Director of Research, at 703-739-9500 or Dr. Eric Brey, Director at GGA Partners, at 715-505-7716.
Trends and News
Your Feedback is Needed: Potential Impacts of Changes to Daylight-Saving Time
The American Golf Industry Coalition (AGIC) is exploring the potential impact of permanent Daylight-Saving Time (DST) or Standard Time (ST) on the golf industry. The US Congress is considering the Sunshine Act, which would make DST permanent, while the new Administration has explored adopting permanent ST. These decisions could have lasting effects on the industry, influencing course operations, maintenance, and revenue.
DST extends evening daylight, potentially increasing revenue by allowing more tee times but delaying morning maintenance due to darkness. This shift may also complicate employee scheduling. On the other hand, ST provides earlier morning light, benefiting maintenance crews, but reduces evening play, potentially limiting revenue and flexibility for working golfers.
AGIC is gathering industry feedback to advocate for policies that best support golf businesses and communities. Members are encouraged to participate in the survey by February 28 to help shape advocacy efforts and ensure their interests are represented in these policy discussions.
CMAA Announces 2025 Board of Directors
The Club Management Association of America announces its official 2025 election results. Voting was conducted online in advance of and on site at the 2025 World Conference & Club Business Expo in Tampa, FL; the election results were announced at the Closing Business Session.
Congratulations to the 2025 Officers and Directors!
The 2025 CMAA Board officers are:
- Chair Richard LaRocca, CCM, CCE, General Manager/Chief Operating Officer, St. Clair Country Club, Upper St. Clair, PA
- Vice Chair Janine Budzius, CCM, CCE, General Manager/Chief Operating Officer, Houston Country Club, Houston, TX
- Secretary–Treasurer Joseph Krenn, CCM, CCE, General Manager/Chief Operating Officer, Farmington Country Club, Charlottesville, VA
- Immediate Past Chair Joe Mendez, CCM, CCE, General Manager, Avalon Yacht Club, Avalon, NJ
Four club management professionals were newly elected or re-elected as Directors:
- Judy Higgins, CCM, CCE, General Manager, Valley Lo Club, Glenview, IL, re-elected to a three-year term
- Rob Oosterhuis, CCM, CCE, PGA, CAM, General Manager/COO, Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, Boca Raton, FL, elected to a three-year term
- J. Josh Paris, CCM, CCE, General Manager, Old Town Club, Winston-Salem, NC, elected to a three-year term
- James Reisig, CCM, CCE, Chief Operating Officer, The Tokeneke Club, Darien, CT, elected to a one-year term
The following Directors will continue their service on the 2025 CMAA Board:
- Haissam Baityeh, CCM, CCE, Chief Operating Officer, Washington Golf & Country Club, Arlington, VA
- Jeff Isbell, CCM, General Manager, Renaissance, Haverhill, MA
- Charles Johnson, CCM, Executive Manager/CEO, Detroit Athletic Club, Detroit, MI
- Casey Newman, CCM, General Manager/Chief Operating Officer, Lakeside Country Club, Houston, TX
- Kimberly Clark Warren, CCM, General Manager/Chief Operating Officer, Saucon Valley Country Club, Bethlehem, PA
In addition to electing new National Board members, CMAA members approved by 94 percent a national bylaw proposition updating the titles of volunteer leaders to use 'Chair' instead of 'Chairman,' reflecting a commitment to modern leadership practices.