From a Dream
to Reality
THE FIRST
25 YEARS
As CMAE celebrates its 25th anniversary, this publication offers an
opportunity to reflect on the people, passion and shared vision that have
shaped the Association into what it is today.
What began as an idea to strengthen club management through education,
professional development and collaboration has grown into a thriving
professional community, connecting club managers across Europe and beyond.
This milestone is a testament to the dedication of the many individuals who
have given their time, knowledge and energy to building CMAE over the past
quarter-century.
Our sincere thanks go to everyone who has contributed to this publication
by sharing their memories, experiences, photographs and reflections. Your
contributions have helped bring this history to life, capturing not only the
significant milestones and achievements, but also the personal stories,
friendships and collective efforts behind them.
Happy 25th
Anniversary, CMAE
We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to CMAE’s founders, past presidents,
board members, educators, staff, members, partners and volunteers, past
and present. Each has played a valuable role in shaping the Association,
advancing professional education and creating opportunities for generations
of club managers to learn, grow and succeed. The support of our colleagues
and partners, including those who have shared their expertise and experience
along the way, has been instrumental in this journey.
Most importantly, this anniversary is a celebration of the CMAE family. The
willingness to share knowledge, support fellow professionals and invest in the
future of club management remains at the heart of the Association and will
continue to guide its work in the years ahead.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey so far. We hope
this publication serves as a fitting tribute to the first 25 years of CMAE and
provides inspiration for the next chapter of its story.
Toby Johansson
CMAE CEO
Birth and
Early Years
01
25 Spectacular Years
ongratulations and happy 25th anniversary
to CMAE. You have surpassed my vision of
education and networking. In the late 1980s, Linda
(my wife and also a Past President of CMAA) and
I were invited to the international cocktail get-
together at the CMAA Conference every year, which
was attended primarily by managers from the
Gentleman’s Clubs of London and managers from
Australia.
In 1989, the CMAA Conference was held in Honolulu,
Hawaii at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel. CMAA
had its first International meeting there; I was the
Chairman.
In one of these international meetings, Aidan
O’Hara was introduced as the President of the Irish
Association of the Golf Course Superintendents
Association of Ireland.
During a break, I asked him why the club managers
of Ireland didn’t have an association? He told me
they did, and that Tony O’Neil and Paddy Maguire
were the President and Vice President. Linda and I
went to Ireland on vacation and met with them.
I owe them both, and Superintendents Aidan O’Hara
and Joe Bedford, a big thank you for helping me
start the vision, along with years of help from Helen
Fullen and Jerry Kilby.
Education is so important to all club
managers in the club business. The
BMI programs of CMAA’s Business
Management Institute were the start of
one avenue of education in the USA for
managers. Then BMI International started
with the first one at Royal Dornoch Golf
Club, then to London, Stockholm, Dublin,
St Andrews, etc.
It is just fantastic to see CMAE take its
education across Europe and the Middle
East, Spain, Dubai, etc. I was honored to be
invited to the 1st CMAE Board Meeting with
James Singerling, CCM, CEC in England.
I enjoy the CMAE emails on all the news and
especially the education happenings around
the world. I also am so proud of the beautiful
large vase that you presented me in 2008 for
the “promotion of international relationships
in the global club management industry.” It sits in
my study at our home.
I’m only sorry that Linda and I were not able to
attend the CMAE’s 25th anniversary celebration in
October, but we appreciate the invitation and send
our sincere congratulations on 25 spectacular years!
George Carroll
CMAA Past President
Thank
you, CMAE.
George Carroll CCE, CCM - CMAA Past President
Helen Fullen - first CEO of CMAE.
From Acorn to Oak Tree
Neil Jackson CMAE President 2001-2005
t is a privilege and a pleasure to contribute to this
publication by way of sharing a few memories of
the formation and early years of CMAE.
Prior to this, however, I would like to share just a
brief personal background as it reflects how I first
became involved with CMAA 40 years ago in 1986.
I entered club management after completing a five-
year engineering apprenticeship and seven years as
a design draughtsman with Vauxhall Motors, during
which time I represented the company at football
and cricket.
I was appointed to what was my “dream job,” as
Secretary of Vauxhall Motors’ Recreation Club in
1975.
Concurrently, I joined the Recreation Managers’
Association; the association represented secretaries
and managers of large employers. This subsequently
led to my appointment as their Chairman in 1986, and
the opportunity to attend CMAA’s world conference,
held that year in San Francisco.
The first meeting of CMAE leaders.
At this conference a very small group of international
guests were hosted by President Bob Hedges and
Robert C. James, who later became CMAA President
in 2017.
Following this conference I was fortunate enough to
attend a further 15 CMAA world conferences. These
not only provided me with great experience but
also a huge understanding of the profession and so
many qualities, which I was able to implement when
launching my club’s new facility in 1995. At this point it
is important to reflect that in 2001 the European club
industry stood at historic crossroads. For decades
the management of golf, tennis, city and residential
clubs across the continent had been viewed through a
traditional, almost amateur lens and often treated as a
retirement post for ex-military officers or a secondary
role for aging sports professionals. Importantly there
was no unified educational standard, no pan-European
network and no formal professional recognition.
At a one-to-one breakfast meeting at the San Diego
conference in 2001 with CMAA CEO James B. “Jim”
Singerling, we agreed that the birth of CMAE would
be far from smooth. It would be defined by skepticism
and a traditional mindset within individual boards
and committees that did not understand the need for
managers’ education and deemed it an unnecessary
luxury. The geographic and cultural differences, each
with their own established cultures, legal frameworks
and languages under a single pan-European umbrella,
The acorn had
been planted.
were a diplomatic tightrope and convincing separate
disparate club associations to align under one banner
would require immense patience. Resources and
finance were also an issue. Operating strictly as a non-
profit in its infancy, CMAE had no capital. The initial
years relied entirely on the voluntary involvement of
its members who balanced full-time roles managing
clubs while simultaneously building the association’s
infrastructure from scratch.
For myself and others, becoming involved in the
formation of CMAE was born out of the stark realisation
that the European club industry was falling behind its
international peers, particularly in the United States
where CMAA had been providing structured education,
uniform
accounting
practices
and
professional
certifications since 1927. Europe remained highly
fragmented with individual countries having their
own micro associations but operating in silos. Modern
clubs were rapidly evolving into complex multi-million
pound commercial operations. The contemporary
manager needed to be far more than a welcoming
host. They needed to be experts in asset management,
strategic planning, employment law, food & beverage
and member retention strategies. I stepped forward
because I believed European managers deserved a
world-class education framework and an independent
global voice. CMAE needed not merely to be seen as
Peter Homberg and Neil Jackson at the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, London at BMI International, October 2008.
a structured and recognised education programme
aligning with CMAA and establishing an education
pathway to the CCM certificate. Geographically it
would become available across Europe and the Middle
East and CMAE would act as a pan-European umbrella
bringing together multiple national professional
associations for club secretaries and managers.
Initially there were difficulties in the development of
the education programme and aligning the content
with the already established CMAA education pathway.
Perhaps not surprisingly, CMAA came to the party
and the late Joe Perdue, CMAA Academic Advisor,
provided immense assistance in establishing the core
requirements for CMAE. In 2002, the inaugural AGM
of CMAE was held at the Vauxhall Motors Club with
Jim Singerling and George P. Carroll in attendance.
At the Miami Conference in 2003 a progress
presentation was made to the CMAA Board and
received approval. This followed in September 2003
when again CMAA showed their support by offering
financial assistance to underpin our development
and at the same time we obtained AIG and Marsh
sponsorship. CMAE was launched in Ireland and the
first BMI followed at Royal Dornoch in Scotland.
Many people have contributed over the 25 years of
our existence, not least of all the presidents who have
succeeded me and are featured in the following pages,
also board members and now a strong staff team.
They have all shown dedication, sound leadership and
the strong desire to continually raise our education
quality and provide opportunities for managers to
enhance their knowledge and professionalism in club
management.
a new club but as an indispensable forum for career
development that would safeguard the future of clubs
across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
No great association is built in isolation and leaders
on both sides of the Atlantic heavily influenced my
journey. One of my motivators was Jim Singerling.
Jim did not just manage CMAA; he championed a
global vision for the industry. He extended a hand of
friendship to the European contingent by offering the
blueprints of their Business Management Institute
world-class education framework and an independent
global voice. CMAE needed not merely to be seen as
a new club but as an indispensable forum for career
development that would safeguard the future of clubs
across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
No great association is built in isolation and leaders
on both sides of the Atlantic heavily influenced my
journey. One of my motivators was Jim Singerling.
Jim did not just manage CMAA; he championed a
global vision for the industry. He extended a hand of
friendship to the European contingent by offering the
blueprints of their Business Management Institute
programme and by welcoming European managers to
their world conferences. The personal bond between
Jim and myself became a cornerstone of CMAE’s
foundation and a strong relationship.
We came to an agreement that initially I would convene
a meeting with other UK invitees from the London
Club Secretaries Association, Scottish and Irish Golf
Associations and other interested parties back in the
UK. A steering committee convened and agreed that our
purpose would be to professionalise club management,
establish independent industry standards and deliver
I now look back with some pride and satisfaction that
as inaugural president I was initially able to contribute
to what is now an association, which has grown
in stature and that is acknowledged and revered
throughout Europe and beyond.
I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to
everyone who has been involved and contributed to
the growth of CMAE. I wish you all good health and
continued success. The acorn has now grown into a
strong and healthy oak tree that I am sure has great
longevity.
Kindest personal regards,
Neil Jackson
Inaugural President -
Club Management
Association of Europe
Today, CMAE stands
as a testament to the
foundation adopted by
the inaugural members
of the board because
they chose to become
involved over two
decades ago.
CMAE 25th Anniversary Reflections
My own journey with the Club Managers Association
of America (CMAA) began long before CMAE. In 1990,
I was given the extraordinary opportunity to become
Chief Executive Officer of CMAA, a position I would be
privileged to hold for the next 25 years. Throughout
those years, I became increasingly convinced of a
simple idea: club management is a profession, and
professionals need opportunities to learn from and
network with one another.
Education, certification, professional standards and
networking relationships became central to our work
at CMAA. While we worked to strengthen the role of
the club manager in the rapidly changing club industry,
we encouraged the development and implementation
of the General Manager/Chief Operating Officer
model. CMAA expanded our educational programs and
created opportunities for managers to become better
leaders of increasingly sophisticated organizations.
However, we also recognized something else. The
principles of professional club management did not
stop at America’s borders. Clubs may differ from
country to country, and their traditions, governance
Jim Singerling CCM CEC, Past CEO CMAA
structures and cultures will be uniquely their own.
But the challenges facing the people entrusted with
leading those clubs are remarkably similar.
Leadership,
finance,
governance,
membership,
hospitality, facilities, people and service are universal.
That belief took me around the world during my
years with CMAA, working with club management
professionals and emerging professional associations
in Europe, Asia, Australia, North Africa, South Africa
and elsewhere. And one of the most consequential of
those relationships began here in Scotland and Ireland.
In 2000, I had the opportunity to visit St Andrews
and address the conference of the Association of Golf
Club Secretaries. Conversations that began during
that period continued at the CMAA World Conference
in 2000, where several of us began discussing an
intriguing possibility: Could the professional education,
certification and fellowship that had become so
important to CMAA managers be developed within a
distinctly European organization?
There was enthusiasm, but there were also plenty of
wenty-five years is an important milestone for any organization. It provides an opportunity not simply to celebrate what has been accomplished,
but to remember why the journey began in the first place.
For me, the 25th anniversary of the Club Management Association of Europe (CMAE) is particularly meaningful. I had the privilege of witnessing CMAE’s
beginnings and playing a small role in helping an idea and vision shared among colleagues become an organization that has helped advance the profession
of club management throughout Europe and beyond.
questions. Europe was not America, nor should it try
to be. The objective was never to simply export CMAA
across the Atlantic. The opportunity was to share what
we had learned, support European club managers who
wanted to elevate their profession, and then allow
them to build an organization reflecting their own
clubs’ cultures and traditions. Those conversations
continued.
In 2001, the Club Managers Association of Europe
was born. Looking back 25 years later, perhaps the
most gratifying part of the CMAE story is not that
the original idea succeeded. It is how far succeeding
generations of club managers have taken it. CMAE
developed its own identity, leadership and educational
pathway. Its Management Development Program
created opportunities for managers throughout
Europe to advance their knowledge and careers; if
they accept an opportunity abroad, they will have built
a personal network of fellow professionals that will
travel with them.
The Certified Club Manager designation also became
increasingly known and accepted internationally as
10
a unique resource on any CV. European managers
developed networks that crossed national boundaries
and club traditions. Most importantly, CMAE became
theirs. That is ultimately how a professional association
should evolve.
During my 25 years as CEO of CMAA, I learned that
associations are not buildings, logos, conferences or
even programs. They are communities of people united
by a belief that their profession becomes stronger
when they share knowledge with one another. I often
believed that one of CMAA’s greatest strengths was
the willingness of successful club managers to help
the next generation become even better.
Knowledge was not
something to protect.
It was something to
pass along.
CMAE embraced that same spirit. The relationship
between CMAA and CMAE also demonstrated
something important about our profession: we have
far more to learn from one another than geography
might suggest. An American manager can learn from
the traditions of a centuries-old Scottish golf club. A
European manager can benefit from management
practices developed at an American country club. A
city club in London, a golf club in Spain and a private
club in the United States may operate in different
environments.
However,
each
depends
upon
capable
leaders
committed to their members, employees, their
institutions as well as the communities in which they
exist.
Professionalism
has
no
border.
Neither
does
friendship. And perhaps that is what I remember most
fondly from those years. Programs and certifications
mattered enormously, but behind every initiative were
relationships — conversations over dinner, discussions
at conferences, visits to clubs and friendships formed
among people who shared a passion for this profession.
Twenty-five years later, seeing CMAE thriving is
enormously gratifying. Those of us involved in its
beginnings could help open a door, but it was the club
managers of Europe who chose to walk through it.
They built the organization, expanded its educational
programs, developed new leaders and created the
professional community we celebrate today.
As CMAE marks its 25th anniversary, I hope its
members take pride not only in how far the Association
has come, but also in the responsibility that comes
with that success.
Every generation inherits a profession from the one
before it. And then it has an obligation to leave that
profession stronger for the generation that follows.
That belief guided much of my 25 years at CMAA and
I see that same belief reflected in CMAE today.
From conversations in St Andrews and at the
CMAA World Conference a quarter-century ago
came an idea. From that idea came an association.
And from that association came thousands of
relationships, educational experiences, careers
and friendships that none of us could possibly
have imagined at the beginning. It has been one
of the great privileges of my professional life to
have played a part in that journey.
Congratulations
to
the
Club
Management
Association of Europe on 25 remarkable years.
The next one is yours to write.
James B. Singerling
CCM CEC, Past CEO CMAA
11
The first
quarter-century
is worth
celebrating.
12
Reflecting on CMAE
I
first attended a CMAA World Conference, as
Neil Jackson’s Vice-Chairman of the Recreation
Managers Association (RMA) in San Francisco in
1996, when I was General Manager of the Pfizer
Sports & Social Club in Kent. The RMA had a large
membership of company sports & social clubs. Neil
met me on the first day of the World Conference
and explained that I was expected to attend the
Presidents’ Evening Reception for all overseas
guests and a morning breakfast reception.
As it was my first conference, I started my
attendance at the important Lectures (and every
year afterwards!) I was spotted by the then CMAA
President who told me I was the first RMA Chairman
they had seen at Lectures. Of course, I had been able
to persuade my Company (Pfizer Ltd) to pay my
travel expenses, including hotels, from their training
budget. In return I wrote a report each year with
a minimum of 6 ideas picked up at the American
conference, which could be used at the Pfizer Social
Club, which I had been running since 1989.
By now I had taken over from Neil as the RMA
Chairman for a 3-year term; this ensured I was
invited each year by CMAA to World Conference. It
was at one of these subsequent World Conferences
(I attended 18 in total) that I met Richard Smith, the
Secretary of the Boodles Club in London, who came
each year with a sizeable group of London Club
Managers. We discussed how strange it was that
the only place we met was in America! I introduced
Neil to Richard and subsequently during discussions
Nigel Cartwright CMAE Education Policy Board Chairman
there we came up with the idea of forming a European-wide Association starting with the London & Home
Counties Clubs, plus Golf, Yachting and Sports Clubs, plus the many Company Sports and Social Clubs - the Club
Managers Association of Europe.
We had our initial meetings in one of the London Clubs’ facilities. The initial group comprised Neil as informal
Chair, Richard Smith for the London Clubs, John Davies from the Association of Golf Club Secretaries, Tony King
from the Prudential Sports Club and me. I used to take some minutes. We each paid an annual membership fee
of £100 (which I paid personally). Neil was very friendly with Jim Singerling, CEO of CMAA, and persuaded him
to help provide and fund Secretarial & Admin support for our new organisation. Jim’s choice was Helen Fullen,
who lived in Ireland, and so the CMAE was born.
At this stage of our existence, we understood the importance of education and training for our members.
We had seen the success that CMAA had with their BMI education and membership, but trying to find a UK
Delegates attending the first MDP Course at the
University of Stirling, Scotland in November 2011.
13
I wish everyone every success for the next 25 years.
Nigel Cartwright
CMAE - Education Policy
Board Chairman
academic establishment to support our ideas for
education was difficult. We tried Westminster
College originally but they pulled out when trying
to link our education ideas to existing qualifications.
Finally, John Duncan found Elmwood College in
Scotland that was willing to support us.
It was around 2007 that I was asked, by our new CEO,
Jerry Kilby, to head an Education Policy Board to try and
translate the American BMI courses into a professional
education pathway, entitled MDP (Management
Development Programme) for our European members.
As Head of the Education Committee I was honoured
to work closely with a sub-committee which included
the legendary educator Joe Perdue who had devised
the BMI pathway to the American CCM (Certified Club
Manager). We were guided by Joe as we examined the
BMI programme, which led CMAA members through to
their renowned and respected Certified Club Manager
(CCM) certification examination of 400 questions
around club management and administration.
After CMAE President and Jerry Kilby returned from
a meeting with the CMAA in New York in September
2007 at which they had negotiated the CMAE’s right
to allow European club managers to apply for this
prestigious status, we started preparing for our
first CCM examination in October the following
year. Together with Joe Perdue and Paul Miller from
Elmwood College, I went through the exam paper to
ensure it had an English version, a Swedish version,
plus a Scottish and Irish version. I spent a lot of very
late nights trying to ensure it was fit and professional-
looking for the candidates. Eleven CMAE members sat
the exam in October 2008 and eight passed at this
first attempt.
Subsequently I headed the London & Home Counties
Region of CMAE in Education Matters, with Kevin Fish
following me as Chair of the CMAE’s Education Policy
Board after 5 years. Jerry, Kevin and I had previously
got together to look at transferring the exam to a
completely European perspective.
The three of us took all the learning outcomes for BMI
1 and 2 and 3, and then made sure they matched the
learning outcomes from the presenters for our MDP
1, 2 and 3 courses and their exams. Jerry went about
recruiting educators with the appropriate skills and
experience for all ten competencies, and we were very
fortunate that Kevin was then given free time by his
boss, Andy Salmon at Scottish Golf to rewrite the
exams and put together a Case Study to replace half of
the multiple-choice questions.
I had met Sharon Reekie (who worked for Elmwood
College at the time) and she was the natural choice to
provide all our CCM exam entries, maintenance and
records, and we were delighted to transfer Sharon
to our staff when she was made redundant due to
education cuts in Scotland.
I retired from Pfizer in 2006 and from my subsequent
employment on the staff of a local secondary school in
Margate, but I still remain as CMAE Compliance Officer.
And together with Sharon I also check members’ files
to ensure they are as required from their original
education records required to take or maintain their
CCM status.
It’s been a wonderful 25 years since it all started in
April 2001, and I am very proud to have been able to
play a small (but hopefully significant) part in the
Association’s development during that time.
14
Memories of the Foundation of CMAE & Past 25 Years
John Duncan CCM, CMAE President 2005-2007
Motivation
or promotion and professional reasons, I
undertook education courses throughout my 27
years military service. In addition to my MA, I became
a Fellow of the British Institute of Management now
the Chartered Institute of Management. Even with
these educational qualifications I felt insecure in the
early years of managing Royal Dornoch Golf Club and
I looked for courses relating to club management.
The AGCS (now GCMA) offered some help but no
structured program. The Scottish Region AGCS
hosted the Association’s Millenium Conference in St
Andrews. As Captain of the Scottish Region I spent
some time with Jim Singerling who was speaking
at the conference. CMAA had for some time invited
a representative of AGCS to attend the World
Conference and Jim Singerling kindly extended that
invitation to me as an official delegate. At the 2001
Conference in San Diego I met not just American but
club managers from around the world. My eyes were
opened to a structured educational program whose
benefits were clearly evident in the professional
abilities of managers pursuing its educational path.
Conception and Birth
At the conference I met Neil Jackson, Paul Varney, John
Robson and several other delegates from English golf,
recreational and city clubs. We were all like-minded
that such a professional career path was needed in
Europe. When I returned from the USA I received along
with those named above and others (whose names I
apologise for not quoting) an invitation from Neil to
attend a meeting to discuss how we might fill the
vacuum in club manager educational provision and
create a path giving them a professional qualifications
akin to that of accountants or lawyers. At this meeting
the concept of CMAE was conceived.
Neil chaired through 2 years a foundation group
leading to the Club Managers Association of Europe
(CMAE) being officially launched in 2003 and he
became the first CMAE President. His rapport with
Jim Singerland was a valuable asset in these early
days. The support of CMAA was fundamental in our
initial steps. Throughout all his time with CMAA, Jim
Singerling was always encouraging and supportive.
Without his help and direction I doubt whether CMAE
could ever have grown to what we are today.
Initially we approached several colleges to see whether
they would deliver to club managers the courses we
wanted. We found that all just offered to tweak their
existing management courses and did not appreciate
the nuances of being a club manager. We thus went
ahead with the help of educational material given
to us by CMAA to construct a pathway modelled on
the CMAA structure modified to apply to European
conditions.
The Club Foundation gave us a grant and we employed
Helen Fullen as our administrator. She had good
knowledge of the US club industry and wanted back
to live in Ireland. Her work in the initial years cannot
be praised enough. Partly due to her being in Ireland
the Irish club managers who had just started a golf
management course based in Dornoch, I hosted at
Royal Dornoch Golf Club the first European Business
Management International Conference in 2003. The
majority of the 50 attending were American managers,
but there was a good contingent from GB and Ireland.
Several CMAA board members attended including Jim
Singerlng, Mike Leemhuis, George and Linda Carroll.
Joe Perdue was a key figure. He with Gregg Patterson
and several presenters from the USA made sure that
the educational content was first class. My wife and I
hosted at our home a dinner party for the CMAA and
CMAE Board members and all presenters.
I still recall Gregg sitting at a large round table in my
kitchen surrounded by managers eagerly debating
a variety of topics. I also lent Gregg my bicycle and
when not presenting he was out exploring the local
area. Golf over the Championship Course RDGC was
part of the program. I was playing with Jim Singerling,
Mike Leemhuis and Neil Jackson when Ian Fraser the
Principal of the Dornoch Campus of the University
came down from his house overlooking the 3rd fairway
with a tray bearing a dram for all of us. I had chosen
the menu for the conference dinner and one of the
courses was crepes ecossaise with a whisky sauce.
I did not reveal until after dinner when everyone
said had enjoyed the course, that the crepes were
15
stuffed with haggis. George and Linda Carroll stayed
at the Royal Golf Hotel next to the clubhouse. The
hotel bar had a wall of many single malt whiskies.
The barman Cameron, as Linda was about to depart
home, presented her with a book describing Scottish
whiskies in which he had annotated the many she had
tasted.
CMAE Scottish Region Formed
In April 2004, a Meeting was convened at Gleneagles
to gauge whether the club industry in Scotland had
any interest in supporting ‘Continued Professional
Development’. A positive response was made by
those attending which included representatives of
the St Andrews Links Trust, Scottish Golf Union,
PGA Scottish Region, Tourism, secretaries of several
prestigious clubs and academics from Elmwood
College and the North Highland College
The inaugural CMAE Scottish Board Meeting was
held on 23rd June 2004 at St Andrews Links Trust.
The first CMAE Scottish Board Chairman was Niall
Flanagan, Golf Services Manager, St Andrews Links
Trust. The initial aims were to market the Management
Development Programme (MDP) as established by the
Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) to
the Scottish club industry. It was also confirmed at
this meeting that the St Andrews Links Trust would
assist with the management of the CMAA ‘Business
Management Institute Programme. The support of the
Links Trust helped raise CMAE’s profile in Scotland.
The first 3 Presidents of CMAE – Neil Jackson, John
McCormack and John Duncan happy to receive a
recognition award for our association from CMAA.
16
BMI International in St Andrews and Donation to
Keepers of the Green
In 2005, Alan MacGregor CEO, the St Andrews Trust with CMAE managed the BMI
at the Fairmont Hotel. The Conference dinner started with a presentation on the
life of Old Tom Morris by David Joy dressed as Old Tom. Both the CMAA and CMAE
members agreed that the conference would raise some money for the Keeper of
the Green Charity.
The Charity was set up as the first ever golfing tribute to Old Tom Morris and its
aim is to provide powered mobility. Sir Michael Bonnallack, former Secretary of the
Royal and Ancient Golf Club presented the first wheelchair in 1996.
It had been anticipated that the main source of revenue would, at the final dinner,
be an auction of several attractive golf items which had been donated. However
expectations were far exceeded when an amazing total of almost £41,000 was
raised by voluntary donations from conference sponsors Jonas Computers, Toro
and from the regional Chapters of CMAA. Everyone at dinner was unstintingly
generous and the Keepers of the Green were almost lost for words to express their
gratitude.
I was pleased to be a member of a CMAE contingent attending the Open at Royal
Liverpool the following year at which 15 mobility wheel chairs were presented to
the Keepers of the Green knowing these would make a real difference to the lives of
the 15 individuals receiving them.
Personal Memories of Attending World Conference
My attendance at World conference was not supported by RDGC, in fact one captain
asked why did I expect to gain by going back a second time. At my own expense and
using my annual vacation my wife we enjoyed 10-11 World Conferences. They were
always enjoyable and worthwhile. I visited parts of the USA that otherwise I may
not have seen, San Diego, Miami, Orlando, New Orleans, San Antonio, Anaheim. We
always extended our time in America and through invitations from American Club
Managers and RDGC members we played some great courses in California and
Florida. CMAA was generous giving invitations to international delegates and Kathi
Driggs always extended a friendly welcome and looked after our administration
needs impeccably.
Board members and other American managers also extended a warm welcome
and several remain personal friends. My wife and I were invited to the conference
dinner, which at early conferences was a “black tie” affair. The dinners became more
casual. I was sorry to see the change but this did not detract from our enjoyment
of the social networking events at every conference organised by the local CMAA
Chapter. Not packing my kilt saved weight in my airline baggage and left room for
more shopping.
At the World Conference in Orlando in 2008 the Florida Chapter invited the Irish
and UK delegates to a Superbowl party at one of the Orlando hotels. Their hospitably
was most generous. On the bus home, led by the Irish, a sing-song commenced to
the dismay of some American managers. The sing song recommenced in the hotel
until management asked, a little after midnight, that we quieten down. We did this
gladly as our repertoire was exhausted, as were we.
Royal Reception
In May 2008 I was privilege to attend a reception for the British Hospitality Industry
at Buckingham Palace. The invitation I understand was through the London City
Clubs and I was asked as Past President CMAE to attend with Mark Anderson of
the Lansdowne Club and Peter Owen of the RAF Club. The Royal Party was the
Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Earl of Wessex and The Duke of Kent. It was a
memorable evening, but it did mean I had to decline an invitation to play Augusta.
New Generation of Club Managers
Since retiring from RDGC I have for many years been on the Education Policy Board
and, as a part of that, Chairman of the Certification. With Paul Miller of Elmwood
College I was co-author of the early case studies used in the CCM exam These
have subsequently been replaced by some written by the St Andrews Management
Centre.
Over several past years I have been asked by our Director of Education to review
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the marking of the case studies by the Centre. I am greatly impressed by the quality
of the answers to the new case studies.
It is clear that the syllabus of the CCM has greater depth and width than when
I gained my CCM. The bar has been raised, but the managers in post today have
responded well.
Concluding Comments
I am proud of being a founding member and Past President. Over the past 25 years,
I have taken much satisfaction from having been part of a team that has produced
professional education and qualifications for club managers, which have been
generally recognised and appreciated throughout the club industry. From starting
in the UK and Ireland CMAE is now truly European with strong representation in
several countries.
I have always enjoyed the friendship from those that I have worked with - too many
to mention - but thank you all.
It was a joy to collaborate with people who all shared to same objective of creating
the best CMAE that was possible at any moment in time. We have been blessed
that many leading industry figures have been willing to become presenters at our
seminars and share their knowledge and skills and they deserve our thanks.
As I approach a milestone birthday next March, I feel that my third retirement is
close. I know that CMAE will continue to move onwards and upwards and I wish
this generation and future generations of club managers every success.
John Duncan
CCM, Past President
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Development
and Growth
02
19
My CMAE Journey
y involvement with the Club Management
Association of Europe began in 2001, following
an invitation from Helen Fullen to meet in Dublin
with a group of fellow club managers. What attracted
me immediately was the prospect of relevant, credible
education designed specifically for our profession.
Just as importantly, CMAE offered the opportunity
to learn alongside managers who understood the
distinctive challenges of leading member-owned
clubs. That combination of practical development and
professional fellowship has remained at the heart of
my CMAE journey ever since.
Building a Professional Community
In Ireland, we formed an energetic group of
managers who were determined to understand the
club business more deeply and to raise professional
standards. The country already had a dynamic and
committed managers’ association, and influential
figures such as Michael Walsh, Patrick Bradshaw,
Ray Mooney and Gay Nolan helped create an
environment
in
which
ideas,
experience
and
encouragement were freely shared. Many Irish
managers have since contributed positively to
CMAE, and it is particularly gratifying that more
than 20 managers from Ireland have now achieved
the Certified Club Manager designation.
My own involvement deepened when I joined the
CMAE Board. In 2007, I was honoured to become the
association’s third President, serving until 2009. The
position brought significant responsibility, but it also
John McCormack CCM - CMAE President 2007-2009
provided a remarkable opportunity
to help shape a growing European
organisation.
Those years reinforced a lesson
that has guided me throughout
my career: lasting progress is
rarely the work of one individual.
It comes from committed people
agreeing on a worthwhile goal
and then doing the patient,
collaborative work needed to
achieve it.
Bringing the CCM Programme to
Europe
One of the defining achievements of my presidency
was helping to develop the Certified Club Manager
programme for CMAE. On the European side, I
worked closely with Jerry Kilby and many other
colleagues. Our partners from the Club Management
Association of America included Joe Perdue, Jim
Singerling and Jason Koeningsfeld.
The agreement that brought the CCM programme
to Europe represented much more than the
introduction of a qualification; it established a
shared benchmark for knowledge, leadership and
professional commitment across the club industry.
I was delighted to be among the first group of
European managers to achieve the CCM designation,
alongside David Balden, Patrick Bradshaw, Alastair
Curbbun, Kevin Fish, Donal Flinn, Jimmy Grön and
Jerry Kilby. We were proud of the achievement, but
we also understood that we were helping to open a
pathway for others. In the years since, many talented
professionals have followed. CMAE announced in
2026 that more than 100 managers across Europe
and the Middle East now hold the designation - an
important milestone and evidence of the profession’s
growing commitment to structured development.
Expanding CMAE’s European
Reach
Another major priority was to broaden the number of
national associations participating under the CMAE
banner and to secure stronger representation on
Six of the first eight CCMs in Europe receive their
certificates from Nigel Cartwright at the Royal
Automobile Club, Pall Mall, London in October 2008.
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the Board from across Europe. Greater diversity of
geography and experience made the organisation more
relevant and resilient. It ensured that CMAE was not
simply an extension of one or two established markets,
but a genuinely European professional community
capable of learning from different club cultures,
governance models and operating environments.
As President, I was also proud to represent CMAE
internationally. I became the first non-American
member invited to speak at both the CMAA Leadership
Conference in New York and the World Conference.
CMAE also received an award from CMAA at World
Conference, a welcome recognition of the progress
being made in Europe. These occasions mattered
because they demonstrated that European club
managers had an increasingly confident voice within
a global profession, while still benefiting from the
generosity and experience of our international
colleagues.
Education That Changes Careers
Education was always the engine of our progress.
We hosted many memorable sessions, including an
international BMI programme in London. During one
exceptional week, I even had the opportunity to speak
at the Houses of Parliament. Yet the real value of these
programmes was not found in impressive venues. It
was found in the practical conversations between
managers: discussions about finance, governance,
service, people, operations and the demands of leading
clubs through change.
For all in club management, the education pathway to
CCM provided access to first-class, relevant learning
that made us better managers. It also created a
network of colleagues around the world.
Club management can be a demanding and, at times,
isolated role; having trusted peers with whom to test
an idea or share a challenge is invaluable. The power of
that network should never be underestimated.
Qualifications matter, but so do the relationships,
confidence and professional curiosity developed along
the way.
Looking to the Next 25 Years
CMAE
continues
to
expand
in
membership,
education and professional recognition. Itsstructured
development pathway now serves managers across
Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, while the
CCM remains a globally recognised benchmark of
excellence.
That growth is a credit to the staff, volunteers,
educators, partners and managers who continue to
give their time and expertise for the benefit of the
wider profession. Associations prosper when members
do more than join: they participate, contribute and
help the next generation succeed.
When I look back, what has been achieved over the
past quarter-century is astonishing. CMAE has helped
club management become more connected, more
confident and more professional.
I am proud to have played a part, but even more
grateful for the friendships, experiences and lessons
the association has given me.
The next 25 years will bring new pressures,
technologies and expectations, yet the fundamentals
will remain familiar:
Keep learning,
share knowledge
generously, uphold
high standards and
place people at the
centre of leadership.
If CMAE continues
to live by those
principles, its greatest
achievements may
still lie ahead.
John McCormack
CCM, Past President