Richard M. Kopplin, CMAA Fellow, Partner

Dick started KOPPLIN SEARCH, INC. in 1996 following a 35-year career as a general manager and vice president for nationally recognized clubs, like Castle Pines in Castle Rock, CO, Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, AZ and PGA WEST in La Quinta, CA. His goal was to provide private clubs with an exemplary level of service in matching executive level candidates with private clubs and their culture through a more informed, researched, and educated process.

Dick also began a tradition for the Firm wherein a core foundation to its success is in its commitment to professional development, not only for its own Team, but more importantly for the industry and managers as a whole. In that vein, Dick has been one of the highest rated presenters at the CMAA World Conference on Club Management consistently since 2000. Drawing upon the hundreds of interviews, boardrooms and board retreats he has conducted, Dick is a sought-after keynote speaker on executive leadership, team development and the critically important “Board Dynamics/Model Clubs” program he developed many years ago to help boards and managers better identify and execute their roles and responsibilities in a successful and consistent manner.

Since that time, the firm has conducted over 1000 search assignments for many of the finest member-owned, developer-owned, golf, country, community-based, yacht, city, and athletic clubs in the country and worldwide.

Dick is the recipient of The BoardRoom Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 and 2018.

Email: dick@kkandw.com

Phone: (833) KKW-HIRE, ext. 702

Resources & Insights from Dick…

Sometimes the best laid plans end up being just that…plans! And what happens after that often is serendipitous.

Serendipity often takes us on a path we’ve never considered but a path that often leads to a passion. In a nutshell, that describes the long, illustrious career of Dick Kopplin, a mainstay of the private club industry…

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Congratulations to KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE’S founder, Mr. Richard M. Kopplin, who was inducted as a CMAA Fellow at the Club Management Association of America’s virtual World Conference and Club Business Expo, March 8-12, 2021. Dick is one of six club industry leaders who was selected for the 2021 class of Fellows.

Created in 2019, the CMAA Fellows Program is an honorary recognition program distinguishing CMAA members who epitomize the leadership, integrity, involvement, and contributions of club management professionals. Each of these individuals has made a significant impact toward the betterment of the profession and CMAA throughout their active careers…

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Richard Kopplin Inducted into the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame

Richard Kopplin has been recognized for his career dedicated to the betterment of the private club industry and one of five new inductees to the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame held recently at the Induction Ceremony hosted at Paradise Valley Country Club.

Following a 35-year career as a general manager and vice president for nationally recognized clubs, Kopplin started Kopplin Search, Inc. over 23 years ago with the objective of assisting clubs in their search for skilled, competent staff. Today he leads KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE, a dynamic firm with a focus on executive searches, industry education and consulting…

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It was one of the best clubs I have ever visited and five miles away was one of the worst clubs I have ever visited. With appreciation and thanks to Charles Dickens, one of my favorite authors, I want to engage his syntax to tell you a story of physically similar yet philosophically very contrasting clubs…

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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…

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For decades, capital improvement conversations at private clubs revolved around the same familiar priorities: renovating the grillroom, upgrading the golf course, expanding the fitness center, and modernizing the pool complex. Member-facing amenities dominated the capital plan, while back-of-house facilities and employee spaces were treated as an afterthought, functional at best, forgotten at worst…

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In the private club industry today, “strategic leadership” has become a dominant theme. Boards want master plans, long-range plans and future-focused thinking. Managers are pushed to operate like CEOs who are continuously elevating the business side of the club. While all of that is important, none of it matters if the day to-day operation isn’t functioning effectively…

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After working in the private club industry for over 54 years, I have watched technology evolve and deliver many wonderful benefits that improve our business and personal lives. But I am concerned that too much technology is beginning to erode the quality of our business relationships and, even more importantly, our personal and family relationships…

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After nearly three decades of observing boards in action, one thing is clear: high-performing board members don’t just attend meetings, they drive progress. They’re aligned, strategic, and accountable to the club’s mission and to one another…

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One of my favorite authors, Bob Proctor, defines praxis as the alignment of behaviors with beliefs. I have observed that the best private club boards and their general managers are committed to praxis as they govern and manage their clubs. I am convinced that is why they are successful.

I have also observed that clubs facing internal issues and problems often lack praxis. When actual practices don’t match stated beliefs, a disconnect is evident in even some of the most recognized clubs in the country…

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In my “Board Dynamics/Model Clubs” seminar, I ask for a volunteer board member with a golf handicap of 20 or higher to raise their hand. I then select this volunteer as my “golf student,” and I make the following wager to the rest of the board members.

“I will bet anyone in this room one hundred dollars (and I toss my money clip with at least that amount to another board member to verify and hold) that I can have Joe, my golf student volunteer, my 20 handicapper, hitting to the pin on the 18th hole from 75 yards, with more accuracy than
Rory Mcllroy. Any of you in this room can take Rory by wagering your hundred dollars against my golfer, Joe, and we will take Rory and Joe out to the 18th hole at the same time…”

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Have you ever thought about which committee in your club has the most power and influence? The answer may surprise you, but I truly believe it is the small group of individuals whose only function is to select the slate of nominees destined to become the future leaders of the club. Usually this is an “ad-hoc” committee, appointed once a year with the singular objective of presenting appropriate candidates for election to the board…

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A club president recently asked me about common practices I observe on my club visits that I would correct if I had the power. I told him about three typical behaviors I call the “myths of good club governance.”

The first is that the board needs to have an “executive session” at the end of every board meeting without the general manager. A bad practice, a terrible idea and unsustainable in the long run if the club wants professional management…

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Private clubs have a long history of upholding tradition, where discretion and diplomacy often took precedence over direct confrontation of behavioral issues. However, changing cultural norms, heightened member expectations, and legal pressures are prompting clubs to take a firmer stance when members misbehave. Three primary drivers are behind this shift…

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Legend has it that in the early 1900s, Andrew Carnegie, the founder of Carnegie Steel Corporation and arguably one of the first billionaires in the United States in today’s dollars, was interviewed by a newspaper reporter who said, “Mr. Carnegie, I understand you pay the president of your company a substantial amount of money.

Can you share with me how much compensation you give Mr. Schwab?” Charles Schwab became president of Carnegie Steel Corporation in 1897 at age 35…

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Executive sessions are an important element in board governance; however, they can cause challenges if not used sparingly. Executive sessions allow directors to discuss sensitive matters candidly and privately, which has value in certain situations. Yet, holding these sessions without the general manager or chief operating officer present can have unintended negative consequences that undermine effective governance. While there are valid reasons to exclude the GM/COO from certain discussions, doing so regularly or without a clear purpose can lead to numerous challenges with numerous negative ramifications…

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