Michelle Riklan 2025

Michelle A. Riklan, ACRW, CPRW, CEIC, CJSS

Career Strategist, Search & Consulting Executive

Michelle is no stranger to the hospitality industry as she worked her way through college gaining significant exposure to front of house restaurant operations. She started her professional career in corporate human resource management as a generalist, then specializing in employment, employee relations, and training and development at Fortune 1000/500 companies. Breaking out on her own, she built a successful career management firm that specialized in personal career marketing, outplacement, and soft skills training. For more than 25 years, Michelle has leveraged her skills as a Human Resources Executive, Executive Recruiter, Career Marketing Strategist, Trainer, and Speaker to serve individuals and companies across multiple industries.

Michelle was introduced to the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) many years ago and was their resume writer for more than eight years, offering her time during annual conferences to assist their members and students. She has worked with hundreds of managers in the industry, helping them to refine their skills and presentation of credentials, and continues to offer these services as a member of the KK&W team. She has been a speaker at several CMAA conferences and is a requested speaker for chapter education meetings. Over the years, Michelle assisted and built strong relationships with many industry professionals. The opportunity to work with so many amazing individuals is how her passion for the Club industry grew and what prompted her desire to dive in deeper and do more.

Michelle understands that each club and each individual is unique and has different needs. She listens carefully, and approaches each search, training, workshop, coaching, and consulting assignment with this in mind to exceed clients’ expectations.

Michelle has a master’s degree in Speech and Interpersonal Communication, is an Academy Certified Resume Writer, Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Employment Interview Consultant, Certified Job Search Strategist, and a Certified DiSC Trainer.

Michelle is a member of Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), Hospitality Finance and Technology Professionals (HFTP), American Culinary Federation (ACF), Association of Talent Development (ATD, formerly ASTD), Career Directors International (CDI), Career Thought Leaders PARW/CC, and the National Resume Writer’s Association (NRWA).

Email: michelle@kkandw.com

Phone: (833) KKW-HIRE, ext. 717

LinkedIn

Resources & Insights from Michelle…

Most of this column has been about the words we choose. The phrases that slip out, the framing that reveals what we actually think, the language that lands differently than we intend. This time I want to look at the other side of it. Not the words we say, but the ones we never get around to saying, and the messages we send without speaking at all…

Read More

The role of the chief financial officer has never been more consequential, or more misunderstood. As private clubs face increasing complexity in operations, capital planning and member expectations, the demand for financial leadership that extends well beyond the balance sheet has never been greater…

Read More

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?

Read More

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…

Read More

Labor is the single largest operating expense at most private clubs, and turnover is one of the most expensive line items on the P&L. Wage-and-hour exposure is one of the fastest growing sources of legal costs in the hospitality industry. Each of these is a finance issue. Each of them ultimately traces back to a single org chart decision that many clubs make once and never revisit: to whom does the senior Human Resources leader report?

Read More

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…

Read More

In the hospitality industry, where service is personal and relationships run deep, communication is everything. Words don’t just deliver messages—they shape tone, convey respect (or lack thereof), and either build or erode trust. Both what you say *and* how you say it leave lasting impressions…

Read More

There are times in many clubs when the financial reality collides with emotion. Perhaps the numbers are saying one thing, while the room feels something very different. The conversation may be about dues increases or a capital assessment. Maybe the discussion is about a long-anticipated project that needs to be delayed. The numbers may be right, and the strategy may make sense, but the room itself is heightened with a sense of anxiety, and it feels anything but cool and calm…

Read More

One of the most persistent challenges in private club governance is the often unspoken assumption that clubs should operate like corporations. They do not. Private clubs exist to deliver value and experience to their members, and amenities such as food and beverage, golf, aquatics, and racquets are not profit centers. They are part of the value members pay for through dues. Yet despite this fundamental difference, boardroom conversations often drift back toward corporate thinking…

Read More

Not only has the CFO role evolved in the private club industry, but more and more financial leaders are exploring a career path toward a head of club role and are being tapped by their boards as actual or potential successors. As the role has expanded into a deeply strategic partner to the general manager and the board, and as clubs have grown more complex, so have the expectations placed on their leadership teams. The result — a natural evolution: more CFOs are becoming strong candidates for the general manager (GM) or GM/chief operating officer (GM/COO) role…

Read More

In the private club industry, the responsibilities of the Chief Financial Officer continue to expand as clubs face increasingly complex operational and strategic demands. While the evolution of this role isn’t brand-new, it’s certainly not a long-established shift either. What has become clear is that clubs now need CFOs who contribute far beyond traditional financial oversight…

Read More

During a recent visit to Desert Highlands Golf and Country Club, I facilitated a presentation and public speaking workshop titled “Step Up and Speak Out.” As part of the program, participants were given a tour of the property, led by CFO Nick Gerstner. What struck me most was not only his grasp of the financial aspects but also his profound knowledge of every area of the club. He was familiar with history, the evolution of facilities, the details of current operations, and the plans for future projects. He spoke about renovations, kitchens, golf course maintenance, member amenities, and back-of-house operations with authority and insight…

Read More

In the private club industry, where member satisfaction is the ultimate priority, the role of Chief Financial Officer is evolving. Today’s CFO is expected to serve as a strategic leader, someone who contributes far beyond the balance sheet, shaping culture, fostering collaboration, and championing professional development across departments. They are no longer confined to traditional financial oversight—they’re helping to build the future of the club…

Read More

Picture this: It’s the monthly Finance Committee meeting. The room is packed—some members scanning printed reports, others waiting for the bottom line. The CFO steps up, clicks to a slide full of numbers, and begins reading from a spreadsheet. Within minutes, attention starts to drift. The data may be accurate, but the message is lost.

Now, imagine a different approach. The CFO opens with a simple graphic, highlighting one key trend and tying it to a real operational impact, explaining what it means for the club today and what the team is doing next. Heads nod, questions follow, and decisions come more easily. The financials haven’t changed, but the delivery has…

Read More

This year, HFTP held it’s first Club CFO Think Tank ahead of the 2025 Club Summit which featured an engaging discussion on the prevalent issue of inconsistency within the private club industry regarding financial titles, responsibilities, and compensation…

Read More

Picture this: It’s the monthly Finance Committee meeting. The room is packed—some members scanning printed reports, others waiting for the bottom line. The CFO steps up, clicks to a slide full of numbers, and begins reading from a spreadsheet. Within minutes, attention starts to drift. The data may be accurate, but the message is lost.

Now, imagine a different approach. The CFO opens with a simple graphic, highlighting one key trend and tying it to a real operational impact, explaining what it means for the club today and what the team is doing next. Heads nod, questions follow, and decisions come more easily. The financials haven’t changed, but the delivery has…

Read More

For member-owned private clubs with a capped membership, the ability to fund capital improvements becomes an exercise in strategy, foresight, and creativity. With no option to grow dues revenue through new members, clubs must look inward, toward more thoughtful planning and stronger financial leadership. That’s where the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) plays a pivotal role…

Read More

Based on the 2024 World Conference session, “Desperate to be Micro-Managed by Your Treasurer? Don’t Hire a True CFO” – Controller, Director of Finance, Chief Financial Officer – these labels all describe the head of finance in a club. What capabilities should be expected in the person managing finance and accounting in a club? It requires finance skills, business acumen, and executive presence. What should you be seeking in a great financial partner?

In this episode, we’re joined by Michelle Riklan, ACRW, CPRW, CEIC, CJSS of KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE and Philip Newman of RSM. These two cover what the key capabilities and expectations are for someone in the role of a Head Finance Leader at a club and really dive in to what characteristics one should be looking for when hiring a CFO.

Career strategist and search executive, Michelle Riklan, offers advice on crafting a professional resume and LinkedIn profile that highlights your attributes, creatively communicates value and puts you top of mind.

Private Club Radio – The Perfect Resume with Michelle Riklan, KK&W
Michelle Riklan shares advice on how to write the perfect resume and how to make yourself the most appealing candidate you can be for your next club employer. 10/8/2019