January 31, 2025
Professional Development
Volunteer at World Conference: Introduce a Speaker
Are you ready to start your adventure at the 2025 CMAA World Conference?
This year's event features over sixty engaging education sessions with 50 percent new speakers. Each session will be introduced by volunteers, a role crucial to our program's success. And that’s where we need you!
Interested in volunteering? It's simple! Visit our Volunteer page, browse the sessions you plan to attend, and click on the "Click Here to Reserve" link next to your chosen session. You'll receive a confirmation email with the session details—date, time, and room location. Please consider introducing one or more sessions.
When on site, visit the Member Services Pavilion 15 minutes before your session. Our Education Department team will provide you with a brief script. A team member will also be available near the session room to assist you.
If you have any questions, signed up by mistake, or need to cancel, please contact Michelle Carrington.
Thank you for volunteering! We look forward to seeing you in Tampa!
Membership and Member Benefits
Supporting our Southern California Club Community
CMAA and The Club Foundation extend their support to all those affected by the Southern California wildfires. To aid in recovery efforts, both organizations have pledged $10,000 each to assist the Golden State Chapter in helping individuals in the club community rebuild their homes and lives. CMAA members can join the effort and contribute directly using the established fund.
Do You Need to Transfer Chapters?
Have you recently moved to a new club within a new Chapter boundary and need to transfer Chapters? If so, we have some good news for you! The Chapter Transfer process is now all online! Simply fill out the online form and when you submit it, it will go to the correct Chapter and National contacts who will begin processing your transfer.
Support The Club Foundation at World Conference
We are so grateful for all those of you who donated in 2024. There are many ways to support The Club Foundation and at the CMAA World Conference & Business Expo, we have several activities that herald the Foundation’s mission to support CMAA members with scholarships and grants. We hope you will join the joy of celebrating the work that the Foundation does each year:
- Club Foundation Golf Tournament—The golf tournament that The Foundation presents each year takes place on February 3 and is sold out. It is a great and cherished event that provides an opportunity for players to connect with colleagues, new and old, for a rewarding day on the course, raising critical funds to drive the mission.
- ClubLove 5k, Title Sponsor Cobalt Software—The ClubLove 5K takes place the morning of February 8 and is open to all runners and walkers who want to begin their day with movement before the start of Conference activities. The route is along the scenic Bayshore Boulevard and Hillsborough Bay. To add the 5K to your registration, go to your registration confirmation email, click on modify registration, and then click through the registration screens to add the 5K.
- Member and Chapter Awards Breakfast, Presented in Partnership with Club Car—Join us at the annual Member and Chapter Awards Breakfast where we celebrate the 2024 scholarship recipients. You can also add the Awards Breakfast to your registration by going to your registration confirmation email, clicking on modify registration, and then clicking through the registration screens to purchase a ticket.
Don’t forget to add The Club Foundation to your New Year’s Resolutions, to give to others in need. Here are some ways:
- Make a one-time donation to the Foundation on our website to make a difference right now.
- Give a recurring/monthly donation to the Foundation on our website to fuel scholarships and grants throughout the coming year.
- Join the Legacy Society: Explore ways to fund the future of our industry, with planned gifts including contributions from your stock account, IRA, life insurance, or trusts.
Thank you to all those who have donated so far this year! Thank you for making a difference for others through The Club Foundation.
For Students: New Student Member Recruitment Contest
The clock is ticking on the New Student Member Recruitment Contest! With just two months left until the April 30 deadline, it’s time for Student Chapters to rally and reach 100 percent of their recruitment goal. Goals are calculated by taking the average of new members over the past three years and increasing it by 5 percent. You can see your recruitment goals on the CMAA Website.
Chapters that hit or exceed their target will earn two complimentary registrations for the 2026 CMAA World Conference. Don’t let this opportunity slip away—make these final months count and finish strong!
Cast Your CMAA Vote!
Voting is a key privilege of CMAA Professional membership, empowering you to shape the Association’s future. The 2025 CMAA Election ballot features a strong slate of candidates and a national Bylaw proposition updating the titling of CMAA’s volunteer leaders. Here’s what you need to know:
Meet the Candidates
The Nominating Committee has slated the following candidates for National Director:
- Judy Higgins, CCM, CCE*, Valley Lo Golf Club, Glenview, IL
- Rob Oosterhuis, CCM, CCE, PGA, Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, Boca Raton, FL
- Josh Paris, CCM, CCE, Old Town Club, Winston-Salem, NC
- James Reisig, CCM, CCE, The Tokeneke Club, Darien, CT
*Denotes incumbent.
Candidates will address members at the 2025 World Conference & Club Business Expo in Tampa, FL. There are four open Board positions: three for three-year terms and one for a one-year term. The candidate with the fewest votes will receive the one-year term. Candidate profiles are available online.
Voting Eligibility
To vote, you must:
- Be a Professional, Alumnus, Continuation, Retired-Professional, or eligible Honorary member.
- Be a member in good standing (2025 national dues are paid in full).
Your membership type is listed on your digital card, valid through October 31.
How to Vote
- Online Voting: Request a Voting Authorization and cast your vote online by February 4, at 5:00 p.m. ET.
- On-site Voting: Visit voting kiosks at the World Conference in Tampa on February 7–9.
Results
Election results, including the Bylaw proposition outcome, will be announced on February 9, at the Closing Business Session and posted on the CMAA website.
Cast your online vote today or see you at the polls in Tampa!
Features
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Featured Discussion: Executive Team Performance Reviews |
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Resources
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.
The deadline to complete the survey is February 13.
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.
New Cybersecurity Staff Training Courses Now Available on CMAA’s Club Resource Center
CMAA’s Club Resource Center (CRC) course line-up now has five new cybersecurity training courses for you and your staff. They include:
- Cybersecurity Overview
- Workplace Security Basics 2.0
- Cybersecurity - Staying Safe Online 3.0
- Social Engineering 2.0
- Introduction to Ransomware 2.0
The CRC subscription brings you a broad scope of online interactive training courses for all your club’s staff. Contact Bob Gould for a full CRC course list or more information.
Trends and News
CMAA Joins Community Impact Coalition
CMAA is working to prepare for possible tax challenges as Congress’s priorities shift to addressing expiring tax cuts and identifying new revenue sources, potentially targeting non-profits. Members of Congress, their staff, and key influencers in Washington have turned their attention to a variety of potential resources that could be tapped for tax revenue in 2025 to fund priorities, including the resources of the entire 501(c) community. Concerns are rising that tax-exempt organizations may be at risk with some calling for a 21 percent corporate tax rate on all net, non-donation income.
CMAA has joined the coalition organized by the American Society of Association, the Community Impact Coalition. The Coalition is committed to ensuring lawmakers understand the value of 501(c) organizations and advocating against proposals that would eliminate their tax-exempt status.
First Half, Supplemental FY2025 H-2B Visas Exhausted
As of January 7, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received enough petitions to exhaust the supplemental 20,716 visas earmarked for returning workers for start dates in the first half of FY2025. Clubs can still petition for the 20,000 visas earmarked for individuals from Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, or Honduras.
Save the Date for National Golf Day, May 1
It’s time to advocate for our industry! More than 200 industry professionals will head to Capitol Hill this May to advocate for the industry and educate lawmakers in Washington, DC. National Golf Day serves as the pinnacle advocacy event of the year for the American Golf Industry Coalition, formerly known as We Are Golf.
The 17th annual National Golf Day will take place on Thursday, May 1, with advocacy training and education on April 30, and volunteer opportunities available on May 2. There is no cost to register.
Join CMAA’s Advocacy Committee in this important opportunity to make your voice heard on issues impacting our industry, including potential non-profit taxation.
We are seeking to have representation from every state represented in CMAA.
Registration will open soon!
For additional questions, please contact Melissa Low, CAE, CMAA’s Vice President, Communications & Advocacy.