Executive Leadership Archives | KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE

Same Model, Different Fit – Culture Decides Who Should Lead Your Club’s Finances

2026-Same-Model-Different-Fit-Culture-Decides-Who-Leads-Club-Finances

Picture two clubs, an hour apart. Same size, same kind of membership, similar budgets. One hires a finance leader who becomes indispensable within a year, a true partner in the room where decisions get made. The other hires someone equally credentialed who is gone in eighteen months, quietly frustrated, never quite fitting. Same model. Different result. Why?

Ask Club Benchmarking and the first half of the answer becomes clear. From a financial standpoint, clubs are far more alike than they are different. Ray Cronin’s Available Cash Model showed years ago that every club, regardless of size, geography, or “personality,” draws its operating cash from the same sources and spends it on the same handful of uses. Dues are unencumbered cash. Food and beverage, for all the energy it consumes in the boardroom, contributes less than ten percent of available cash at roughly seventy percent of clubs. The business model is common to every club.

So if the numbers are this consistent, why does a head of finance celebrated at one club so often struggle at the club down the road? The answer is almost never technical skill. It is culture and governance, and it is the most underestimated variable in any finance search.

When Governance Defines the Role
Whether the title is Controller, Director of Finance, or Chief Financial Officer, every club has someone leading finance and accounting. What differs is how much the club actually wants that person to lead. In a recent whitepaper I co-authored with the late Phil Newman of RSM and Ray Cronin, and in our CMAA World Conference work on hiring a true CFO, we made the point bluntly: not every club should hire one.

When a board prefers to run the club itself, setting the operational agenda and holding the strategic pen, it cannot also deploy a CFO at the top of their game. You cannot ask someone to think like an executive, then decline to seat them at the executive table. Clubs that govern strategically can make full use of a strategic finance leader. Clubs that govern operationally may be better served by a strong controller. Neither is wrong. What creates failure is the mismatch, hiring for one model while operating as the other.

Fit Runs Both Ways
Here is the part that matters most to you, the finance professional reading this. Because the financial mechanics are so consistent across clubs, the real question in any search is rarely “can this person do the work?” It is “will this person thrive in this culture?”, and that question has two sides.

Clubs evaluate you exhaustively. Evaluate them just as carefully. How mature is the governance? Does the board understand the difference between oversight and management? Is there stability in the GM seat, or a revolving door? A talented finance leader dropped into a culture that does not want strategic finance will not last, and that is not a failure of the individual. It is a failure of fit. Success at one club is not portable proof of success at the next.

What Happens When the Direction Shifts
Now the harder problem. Picture a board and a GM who decide they want an executive-level CFO. They make the hire, and for two years it works beautifully. Then the GM moves on. The incoming GM has never had a “real” CFO and does not see the value. Or a new board president arrives who does not grasp the return. Suddenly the person who was a perfect fit two years ago is a misfit, not because their performance changed, but because the culture around them did.

This is the quiet risk in every senior club hire. When boards turn over annually and the rationale for a role lives only in one departing leader’s head, even an excellent hire becomes vulnerable. Role clarity has to be documented, the value of the position made visible to each incoming board, and continuity treated as a governance responsibility, not a burden the employee carries alone.

So How Do We Attract and Keep Top Talent?
If the private club world wants to draw and keep high-caliber finance leaders, it must offer more than competitive compensation, though that matters. It must offer role stability, clear expectations, and genuine professional respect. That means defining the position honestly before the search begins, educating each new board on why the role exists and what it returns, and protecting the seat through leadership transitions so a strong leader is not quietly demoted by a change in personalities. It means treating finance professionals as the strategic partners we keep saying we want them to be.

The numbers across our industry are remarkably alike. The cultures are not. Until we recruit for that reality, and protect the people we hire into it, we will keep losing good leaders to the gap between what clubs say they want and how they choose to be run.

HFTP Clubs Online – June 2026

Michelle A. Riklan, ACRW, CPRW, CEIC, CJSS is a Career Strategist, Search & Consulting Executive at KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE (KK&W). KK&W is the leading executive search and consulting firm in the private club industry. Michelle can be reached at 833-KKW-HIRE (559-4473) ext. 717 and at michelle@kkandw.com.

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Same Model, Different Fit – Culture Decides Who Should Lead Your Club’s FinancesRoxanne2026-06-10T20:42:18+00:00

Momentum: The Most Powerful & Fragile Asset in Hospitality

In the private club industry, momentum is everything.

Momentum influences nearly every aspect of club operations, from culture and member satisfaction to financial performance, employee morale, and confidence in leadership. It determines whether a club feels optimistic or exhausted, aligned or divided, progressive or stagnant.

Perhaps most importantly, momentum takes years to build and can be lost much faster than most leaders realize.

A club can spend years rebuilding trust, improving culture, strengthening governance, developing staff, and restoring financial stability. Yet one dysfunctional board year, one toxic leader, one divisive election cycle, or one poorly managed controversy can slow that progress surprisingly quickly.

Hospitality is, at its core, a people business, and private clubs are no exception. Momentum is closely tied to trust, leadership alignment, communication, and consistency. The best clubs understand this intuitively. Struggling clubs often underestimate it until the damage is already visible.

Real momentum is more than the enthusiasm that often follows a renovation announcement, strategic planning retreat, or major project. It develops when leadership, governance, staff, and members begin moving in the same direction with clarity and confidence. It happens when members genuinely believe the club is improving, employees feel respected and optimistic, and leadership consistently communicates competence, stability, and vision.

Once momentum begins, even difficult projects become easier because people start believing progress is possible. That belief becomes one of the most valuable assets a club can possess.

Unfortunately, most clubs inherit some level of friction. There may be historical baggage, deferred maintenance, governance inconsistency, political factions, financial strain, personality conflicts, or burnout within the staff and volunteer leadership structure. Unlike traditional businesses, clubs operate within communities built on relationships, traditions, and a deep sense of personal investment. That reality makes momentum both more important and more fragile.

Building momentum requires leaders to slowly earn trust over time. Trust is built through consistency, transparency, competence, communication, and follow-through. It grows when boards behave professionally, when executives lead with confidence and humility, and when members begin seeing visible progress rather than endless discussion.

The challenge is that trust is earned gradually, while frustration can take hold remarkably fast.

One of the greatest threats to club momentum is dysfunctional governance. A highly political or reactive board can derail years of progress through micromanagement, emotional decision-making, inconsistent priorities, public infighting, and operational interference. When boards drift from strategic oversight into reactive decision-making, the effects are felt throughout the organization.

Staff begin operating defensively rather than creatively. Executives become risk averse. Employees lose confidence in leadership stability. Members sense tension long before anyone openly acknowledges it. Strategic plans begin collecting dust while energy shifts toward internal conflict management instead of forward progress.

Even financially healthy clubs can lose momentum quickly if governance becomes unstable. After working with clubs across the industry, one pattern becomes clear: organizations rarely lose momentum because of a single event. More often, it fades gradually when alignment, trust, and discipline begin to erode.

The reverse is equally true. Well-aligned boards create confidence throughout the organization. They provide clarity, stability, and strategic continuity. They understand that their role is not to manage daily operations, but to protect the long-term health and mission of the club while empowering management to execute effectively.

The healthiest clubs recognize that volunteer leadership and paid leadership must operate in partnership. Boards should provide vision, stewardship, and strategic oversight. Management should provide execution, operational leadership, culture development, and service delivery. Momentum accelerates when those groups trust each other and remain aligned around the future of the club.

Momentum collapses when ego replaces stewardship. Progress becomes much harder when stewardship gives way to personal agendas.

Hospitality organizations cannot thrive when leadership is pulling in opposite directions. Members may not understand every governance issue or operational challenge, but they always sense instability. Employees certainly do. In hospitality, culture leaks through every interaction. It shows up in tone, energy, responsiveness, teamwork, and consistency.

Unlike many industries, hospitality cannot fake culture for long.

Most experienced club leaders can recognize positive momentum almost immediately when they walk through the door. Employees interact more naturally. Departments collaborate more effectively. Communication becomes more optimistic. Members become more forgiving because they feel progress occurring around them. Leaders speak with confidence instead of defensiveness. Even small operational problems feel manageable because the organization believes in its direction.

Conversely, clubs losing momentum often experience a slow emotional erosion before financial consequences fully appear. Complaints increase. Staff turnover rises. Gossip spreads. Decision-making slows down. Meetings become more political and less productive. People begin protecting themselves instead of protecting the club.

Hospitality is ultimately a people business, and people are heavily influenced by emotional momentum.

Financial momentum is equally important. Financial strength is not created through one good budget year or one successful capital campaign. It is created through years of disciplined governance, operational consistency, and leadership alignment. Strong clubs reinvest consistently, fund reserves responsibly, avoid deferred maintenance, and make strategic decisions that balance current enjoyment with long-term sustainability.

Members are far more willing to support investment when they believe leadership is competent and the club is moving forward. Momentum creates confidence. Confidence supports investment. Investment improves the member experience. Improved experiences strengthen demand and reinforce financial stability.

That cycle becomes incredibly powerful over time.

However, one of the most underestimated risks in hospitality is the damage caused by a consistently negative or toxic individual. This may be a board member, committee chair, executive, department leader, or influential member. In club environments, toxic behavior spreads quickly because relationships and reputation matter so deeply.

One destructive personality can consume enormous organizational energy. They can undermine leadership credibility, divide boards, poison staff culture, discourage innovation, exhaust productive volunteers, and normalize negativity throughout the club. In many cases, clubs do not lose momentum because of external market forces. They lose momentum because internal dysfunction is allowed to grow unchecked.

Great clubs eventually learn that protecting culture is not optional.

Leadership in hospitality extends beyond operations. It also involves setting the tone for the organization. They determine whether the environment feels optimistic or fearful, aligned or fragmented, strategic or reactive.

The best leaders appreciate how fragile momentum can be. They know culture takes years to build and only moments to damage. They recognize that trust is difficult to earn and easy to lose. They also understand that lasting progress is usually the result of many small, consistent wins rather than one transformational moment.

A cleaner club. Better communication. A successful event. A strong hire. A respectful board meeting. A transparent financial update. A completed project. These moments may seem small individually, but together they shape belief in the future.

And belief in the future is what ultimately creates momentum.

The strongest clubs are rarely perfect. They simply develop cultures where people continue moving forward together. They create environments where governance remains disciplined, leadership remains aligned, and members feel confident in both the experience and the direction of the organization.

Momentum alone will not solve every problem a club faces. However, when a club has strong governance, aligned leadership, and confidence in its direction, even difficult obstacles become easier to overcome. Without that foundation, progress slows, confidence erodes, and problems often become bigger than they need to be.

Richard M. Kopplin, Kurt D. Kuebler and Thomas B. Wallace III are partners at KOPPLIN KEUBLER & WALLACE. Richard can be reached at dick@kkandw.com. Kurt can be reached at kurt@kkandw.com. Tom can be reached at tom@kkandw.com.

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Momentum: The Most Powerful & Fragile Asset in HospitalityRoxanne2026-06-08T19:33:30+00:00

A Seat at the Table Is Earned, Not Requested in Private Club Leadership

What do I need to do to be invited into the boardroom?

It is a fair question. It is also often the wrong focus.

I have heard this question often from early-career to mid-level professionals. Many are talented and progressing quickly. The desire to grow is not the issue. The misunderstanding lies in what it actually takes to be invited into the boardroom.

Because a seat at the table is not something you ask for. It is something you are trusted with. Trust, especially in private clubs, is earned over time, not declared in a moment.

Know the Room Before You Try to Enter It
Boardrooms in private clubs are not casual environments. They are composed of highly accomplished individuals. CEOs, founders, investors and senior executives who have spent decades making complex, high-stakes decisions. Many have built, led or sold companies. They understand risk, governance and accountability at a level that only experience provides.

When they evaluate a finance leader, they are not asking, “Are they smart?”

They are asking:

Can this person think at our level?
Can they exercise sound judgment under pressure?
Can they represent this organization with credibility, both inside and outside the room?

If the answer is unclear, the invitation does not come.

Technical Skills Are Expected. Judgment Is Evaluated.
Clean audits, accurate reporting, and GAAP compliance are not differentiators. They are the baseline. What separates those who are invited into the boardroom is something far less tangible and far more important: Judgment.

Judgment shows up in:

What you say and what you choose not to say
How you handle sensitive information
How you navigate gray areas, not just black-and-white rules
How you conduct yourself when no one is formally evaluating you

Because in reality, you are always being evaluated.

You Are Representing More Than Yourself
If you aspire to sit at the executive table, understand this clearly: You are not just an individual contributor. You are a representative of your club, your leadership team and your profession. That responsibility extends beyond the office.

How you present yourself matters
Executive presence includes how you dress, carry yourself and show up in professional environments. You do not have to lose your personality, but you do need to understand the expectations of the room you want to be in.

What you share matters
Social media is not private. It is searchable, shareable and permanent. Board members, search committees and peers look. Anything you put in writing, texts, emails, messages or images can be forwarded, screenshotted and shared beyond your intended audience. Once it is out there, it is no longer within your control.

Sound judgment includes understanding that your digital footprint is part of your professional reputation.

What you say in public settings matters
Industry events, conferences and open forums are professional environments where impressions are formed quickly and often last longer than intended. The most respected leaders in this industry understand this intuitively. They do not turn it on when they walk into a board meeting. They live it consistently.

You Are Always Being Evaluated
A seat at the table is not determined in a board meeting. It is determined long before you ever enter the room.

Leaders are paying attention to:

How you communicate in group settings
How you handle yourself in public forums and industry events
What you share and engage with on social media
How you present yourself professionally
Whether your behavior reflects sound judgment and discretion

Credibility is not situational. It is cumulative.

If your goal is to be trusted in the boardroom, understand this: Your judgment is being assessed every day, in every setting, whether you realize it or not.

Executive Presence Is Quiet, Not Announced
Executive presence is often misunderstood as confidence or polish. In reality, it is demonstrated through consistency over time.

It shows up in:

Preparation that is thoughtful and thorough
Communication that is clear, concise and grounded
Composure when challenged
Confidence without arrogance

It is reflected not only in how you speak, but in the quality of what you put in front of leadership. Your financials, your reports, and your presentations all signal your level of professionalism and care. Nothing goes unnoticed.

Reading the Room Is Non-Negotiable
One of the fastest ways to lose credibility at the executive level is the inability to read the room. This is not a soft skill. It is a leadership requirement. It means understanding:

The dynamics between board members
The emotional temperature of a conversation
When to go deeper and when to stay high-level
When to push and when to pause

The most effective CFOs do not just present information. They manage the moment.

Experience Builds Credibility
Ambition is not the issue. Misalignment between ambition and readiness is.

Three to five years of experience can build a strong foundation. It does not typically build the depth required to:

Navigate board-level governance
Manage politically sensitive discussions
Balance financial discipline with member expectations
Lead through disagreement and uncertainty

That level of responsibility requires exposure, pattern recognition and time. There is no shortcut.

If You Want a Seat at the Table, Do This Instead
Shift your focus from access to readiness:

Expand beyond accounting into strategy, forecasting and capital planning
Build operational understanding so your insights are grounded in reality
Develop communication skills that influence decisions, not just report results
Seek exposure to leadership conversations and observe before you lead
Learn from experienced executives, how they think, communicate and respond

Most importantly: Do the work long before you ask for the seat.

Final Thought
A seat at the table is not granted because you want it. It is not granted because you ask for it. It is granted when the people already sitting there trust, without hesitation, that you belong. If you are not in the room yet, the answer is not access. The answer is readiness.

HFTP Clubs Online – May 2026

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A Seat at the Table Is Earned, Not Requested in Private Club LeadershipRoxanne2026-05-28T19:58:15+00:00

Asking for Help is a Leadership Superpower

Some of the greatest leadership moments in a private club career don’t happen in a boardroom presentation or a flawless member event. They happen in the quiet, courageous instant when a leader looks at a member, a teammate, or a mentor and says, “I need your help.” That moment of vulnerability is not a crack in the armor. It is the armor.

We have spent the better part of three decades watching leaders build remarkable clubs and extraordinary careers. And the ones who endure, the ones whose teams run through walls for them, the ones whose members feel genuinely seen…they all share one trait in common. They know how to ask for help.

Vulnerability Builds Trust Faster Than Expertise

Reflecting on nearly thirty years of working with leadership in some of the finest private clubs in this country, a pattern has repeated itself so consistently that it can no longer be considered a hunch. The leaders who build the deepest loyalty (from their staff, from their boards, from their members) are not the ones who project the most confidence. They are the ones who are most comfortable not having all the answers.

We recognize that it is a counterintuitive thing to say in an industry that prizes polish and precision. We are in the business of delivering exceptional experiences, and there is a natural temptation to believe that means appearing to have everything figured out. But, time and time again, the moment a leader sits across from a key member or a department head and says, “I need your perspective on this,” something shifts in the room. Trust deepens. People lean in. The relationship becomes real.

Thinking about admired club industry leaders and icons, they are not all the most decorated or the most credentialed, but they are the most honest. They know what they do well, where they need help, and have the self-awareness and the security to act on both. That combination is not a weakness. It is the foundation upon which every great club culture is built.

Your Members Are a Resource, Not An Audience

One of the great untapped assets in private club leadership sits in plain sight every single day. It is the membership itself. Private club members are not passive consumers waiting to be served. In a member-owned club, they are co-owners of the organization you have been entrusted to run. They are lawyers, financiers, builders, strategists, physicians, and executives who have chosen to invest their time, their money, and their identity in this community.

And yet, club leaders too often treat the membership as an audience rather than a resource. They communicate at their members rather than with them. They plan for their members rather than alongside them. And when challenges arise (operational, financial, cultural) they retreat into their own expertise rather than inviting the extraordinary human capital sitting right across from them at the next committee meeting.

We have witnessed what happens when a General Manager walks into a room and says, genuinely and without a hidden agenda, that they would value the perspective of the people in it. The energy changes. Members, when engaged as owners, bring their professional networks, their decades of experience, and their deep affection for the club to bear on the challenge at hand. That is not a soft benefit. That is a competitive advantage.

Asking for help from your members is not a concession. It is a signal that you understand what kind of organization this is, and that you are wise enough to lead it accordingly. A General Manager who treats their membership as a partner will always have more resources, more insight, and more goodwill than the one who goes it alone.

The Bravest Word in Leadership Is “Help”

Somewhere along the way in private club leadership, asking for help became perceived as being less talented or less experienced, but in reality, it has just made things harder than they need to be.

It’s understandable how this has come to fruition. Leadership in the private club world carries enormous visibility. The expectations are high, the stakeholders are invested, and the culture of excellence can sometimes create unspoken pressure to appear as though you are always in command. But there is a cost to that performance that most leaders underestimate. It costs trust. It costs talent. It costs the kind of culture where the people around you feel safe enough to bring their best thinking to the table.

Some of the greatest professional moments we have witnessed – when a difficult problem found an elegant solution, when a team came together in a way that was genuinely moving – happened precisely because someone in the room was willing to say they needed help. That act of vulnerability did not diminish anyone. It elevated everyone. It gave people permission to contribute fully, and it signaled that the goal was more important than the ego.

The private club industry is navigating real headwinds right now: generational shifts in membership, staffing challenges that require genuine creativity, and governance pressures that demand more collaboration than ever before. The leaders who will build clubs that endure are not the ones who perform certainty in the face of complexity. They are the ones who have the courage to ask, the wisdom to listen, and the humility to act on what they hear. Asking for help is not the moment a leader shows weakness. It is the moment they show what kind of leader they truly are.

Club + Resort Business – May 2026

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Asking for Help is a Leadership SuperpowerRoxanne2026-06-08T19:28:35+00:00

Watch Your Language: The Words That Cost Private Clubs Their Best Employees

In hospitality, we spend a great deal of time training our teams to speak with members and guests. We coach tone, refine phrasing, and focus on delivering the right experience.

There is another conversation happening every day that deserves the same attention.

It is how leaders speak to their teams.

The language used internally can shape culture faster than any training program. It determines whether employees feel respected and supported or start looking elsewhere.

Today, they are looking.

According to Gallup, 51 percent of U.S. employees are actively looking for a new job. In hospitality, turnover rates often range between 70 – 80 percent and annually.

Retention is not just about pay or benefits. It is about daily experience. That experience is shaped by leadership.

The Language Leaders Miss
Most leaders are not trying to frustrate their teams. They are focused on standards, efficiency and results.

Intent does not always match impact. Over time, patterns in language send clear messages:

You are on your own.
Your input is not valued.
Your growth is not a priority.

Once that message is felt, disengagement follows.

What Leaders Should Keep in Mind
Strong leaders do not just focus on what needs to be done. They are equally aware of how their words are received and if they are understood.

They understand that language is not simply communication. It is leadership in action.

Effective leaders are intentional about communicating TRUST:

Tone: The same message can build confidence or create tension. Tone determines which one it becomes.
Respect: Every interaction should reinforce that the individual matters, not just the outcome.
Unambiguity: Clear expectations eliminate frustration. Vague direction creates it.
Steadiness: Unpredictable communication erodes trust. Steadiness builds it.
Thoughtfulness: Rushed or dismissive language signals that people are not a priority. Thoughtful communication signals that they are.

Why It Matters
Leadership behavior remains one of the primary reasons employees leave. People stay where they feel valued. They leave where they feel dismissed. Language is one of the clearest signals of that difference.

Every interaction matters. How you correct, respond, and guide matters. Over time, those moments define the experience of working with you.

A Leadership Reminder
Simon Sinek said, “Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.”

That care is demonstrated in everyday conversations.

If we expect our teams to be intentional in how they speak to members, leaders must hold themselves to that same standard. The language used every day shapes how people experience the workplace and whether they choose to stay. In an environment where retention depends on trust and respect, the most effective leaders understand that their words carry weight and that it is their responsibility to “Watch Your Language.”

THE BOARDROOM Magazine – May 2026

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Watch Your Language: The Words That Cost Private Clubs Their Best EmployeesRoxanne2026-05-19T21:15:47+00:00

Becoming an Employer of Choice

Strong employee relations are essential to organizational health, forming the foundation of successful clubs. Team members are the ones who build the processes, develop the strategies and execute the initiatives. While members are tremendously important in the private club model, the employees bring the member experience to life while sustaining the club’s facilities and amenities. They shape the culture, deliver the service and uphold the standards that define the club’s brand and reputation. When employees are engaged, aligned and supported, their energy and pride radiate throughout the organization, creating an environment where members feel valued and connected.

One of the most critical and often overlooked aspects of private clubs is their employer brand and reputation. This reputation is not the reason a prospective member should join the club, it is the reason the best chef in the state should want to work for the club. An employer brand profoundly impacts an organization’s ability to attract, motivate and keep talented employees.

Human Capital
Every private club aspires to be the club of choice for members and prospective members, standing out within its competitive set and region. Yet, how many clubs focus the same energy and resources on being an employer of choice? Capital is often spent distinguishing the member experience, but the investment in recruiting, developing and keeping the club’s most significant asset, human capital, is frequently insufficient.

For private clubs, prioritizing staff is non-negotiable. Charles Johnson, executive manager/CEO at the Detroit Athletic Club, understands well the importance of being an employer of choice in the region. “It requires constant attention and intention, and in today’s competitive landscape, perhaps more time and resources than ever before. There is no silver bullet solution, so being an employer of choice requires a wide variety of strategies,” he says.

Perception
Becoming an employer of choice begins with your current staff’s perception of your organization:

Do they enjoy working at your club?
Do they feel valued and appreciated?
Do job seekers in the community aspire to work at your club?
Do employees speak highly of their job and employer?

Addressing these questions honestly is the first step in elevating your employer brand. When workers enjoy their jobs, are proud to be employees and speak highly of your club, they tell others. Not only does this provide positive word-of-mouth marketing in your area, it also leads to higher employee satisfaction, reduced turnover and an enhanced ability to deliver consistent member experiences.

Core Principles
Clubs that are recognized as great places to work often embody characteristics that align with the “Six Cs”:

Culture. One culture everyone believes in.
Communication. Open, clear, and concise in every direction.
Clarity. There is no doubt about who you are as an organization and where you want to go.
Collegiality. Sincere interest in one another on the team.
Cultivation. Be a teaching organization and develop growth plans for your teammates.
Challenge. Inspire your team to grow by setting meaningful and achievable challenges.

These core principles set the foundation for becoming an employer of choice. Once they are in place, secondary building blocks such as competitive pay, benefits, and work-life balance become more impactful.

For The Oaks Club in Osprey, Fla., becoming an employer of choice has been a four-year strategic priority designed to ensure the club consistently attracts and retains top-quality management and staff who deliver exceptional member experiences. This goal has been achieved by focusing on competitive compensation and benefits, robust training and career development, a positive and supportive workplace culture, and meaningful employee programs and incentives.

Holly Farrell, general manager/COO of The Oaks Club, says, “The club took significant steps to strengthen its position as an employer of choice by increasing its investment in employee benefits. The club now pays 100% health, dental, and vision insurance premiums for all full-time employees, which was a major strategic decision to support retention and well-being. Additionally, we established an employee emergency council to provide financial assistance to employees facing unexpected hardships such as weather-related or personal emergencies.”

In 2026, the club will continue to prioritize employee recognition, professional development and work-life balance, as the effort has been well worth it. The club is currently 97% staffed with exceptionally low turnover rates. Participation in staff meetings, events, and training sessions, many of which are voluntary, remains high, which reflects strong employee engagement.

“The most telling measure of success comes directly from our employees: when asked, they consistently express pride in working at The Oaks Club and have an appreciation for the culture and leadership that make it such a special place to work,” explains Farrell.

Key Challenges to Becoming an Employer of Choice
A significant challenge with today’s workforce is the generational dynamics and differing values of the multiple generations working together. Baby boomers, generation X, and millennials each approach work and life differently:

Boomers value company loyalty and commitment.
Gen Xers prioritize loyalty to people over companies.
Millennials are loyal to visions, causes, or purposes.

While these different priorities may seem complex, the good news is that when the Six Cs are implemented effectively, they resonate across generational lines.

Technology has amplified the voice of employees through platforms like Glassdoor, Facebook, and LinkedIn. A positive workplace culture can enhance your online reputation, while negative reviews and comments can be detrimental. Staying ahead requires proactive engagement, reputation management and a constant focus on the culture of the organization.

A lack of board and member understanding can be a significant challenge. Everyone at the club must recognize and prioritize the employee experience because it affects the culture of the club and, ultimately, the member experience. Creating a workplace where employees feel valued and inspired isn’t solely the responsibility of management. It requires shared commitment of the board, members, and leadership alike. When all stakeholders recognize that the employee experience directly influences the member experience, the culture of the club strengthens from within. Boards/memberships that prioritize investing in employees and ensure members are respectful and appreciative build an environment where people are proud to work. Ultimately, becoming an employer of choice is a collective effort. One that depends on everyone understanding that the club’s greatest asset is its people.

Colin O’Hanlon, COO of Martis Camp Club, confirms his club’s employer of choice status is a collaborative effort. “Our membership recognizes that our ambassadors are the heart of the club, and it is their passion and professionalism that define the member experience our community enjoys,” he says. “Operating in a remote, seasonal resort town presents real challenges in attracting and retaining top talent, which makes our culture all the more important. We know that being an employer of choice begins with creating an environment where people feel seen, supported, and inspired. Through leadership development, meaningful recognition programs, and a culture that fosters collaboration and belonging, we’ve helped our team thrive, and in turn, elevated the member experience.”

Steps to Becoming an Employer of Choice

Workplace Culture
Foster an inclusive, respectful and collaborative environment for all. Hold members accountable for the code of conduct and do not tolerate violations.
Celebrate team achievements and provide regular feedback.
Encourage employees to contribute ideas and solutions.
Competitive Compensation and Benefits
Benchmark compensation annually against industry standards.
Offer innovative benefits, including wellness programs and flexible schedules.
Create transparent career advancement pathways.
Leadership and Management Excellence
Train managers to be empathetic and effective leaders.
Conduct regular performance and engagement surveys.
Prioritize employee well-being in decision-making.
Professional Development
Personalize career development plans for each employee.
Invest in industry certifications and ongoing education for employees of all levels.
Build internal leadership development programs.
Employer Branding and Recruitment
Showcase the club’s values and culture through marketing. Invest in photos and videos and share them with your membership as well.
Leverage social media to highlight employee success stories and share why your club is a great place to work.
Streamline recruitment processes to enhance the candidate experience.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
Implement comprehensive DEI training programs.
Ensure hiring practices are equitable and inclusive.
Celebrate cultural diversity through events and initiatives.
Engagement and Feedback
Conduct regular employee satisfaction surveys.
Act on feedback to address concerns promptly and improve operations.
Recognize team contributions consistently and meaningfully.
Measuring Success and Key Performance Indicators
Employee satisfaction scores.
Retention and turnover rates.
Time-to-hire metrics.
Positive reviews on online platforms like Glassdoor.
Net Promoter Score.

The Journey
Becoming an employer of choice is not an overnight achievement but a purposeful journey that requires strategy, commitment, and care. Detroit Athletic Club’s Johnson adds, “I believe one of the most important things towards being an employer of choice is cultivating a culture and understanding of being a mission-driven organization. The ability to communicate and connect every employee, at every level, that the work they do is meaningful and important to a greater cause, is both difficult and necessary.”

By prioritizing the growth and well-being of employees, and recognizing that this responsibility is shared among members, boards, and leaders alike, private clubs can cultivate workplaces where employees truly thrive with a sense of purpose and belonging. Achieving employer-of-choice status requires intentional leadership. Leaders who model empathy, communicate a clear mission, and build trust at every level. When that alignment is reached, clubs don’t just operate effectively, they lead the industry by example.

Club Director – Winter 2026

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Becoming an Employer of ChoiceRoxanne2026-05-05T19:31:29+00:00

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