Wilson
2016 PGA OF AMERICA SPECIAL AWARDS PROGRAM BILL STRAUSBAUGH AWARD
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BILL STRAUSBAUGH AWARD CANDIDATE INFORMATIONAL PAGE NAME OF CANDIDATE: JEFFREY O. WILSON GOLF FACILITY/ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP: CATTA VERDERA COUNTRY CLUB 1111 Catta Verdera Lincoln California 95648 PGA MEMBER NUMBER: 10580916 EMAIL: [email protected] PHONE #: (916) 645-6745 MOBILE PHONE #: (916) 296-1437 NUMBER OF YEARS AT CURRENT FACILITY: 7 SECTION AFFILIATION: NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CURRENT PGA CLASSIFICATION: A-13 NUMBER OF YEARS A PGA MEMBER 26 YEARS PGA OF AMERICA NATIONAL OR SECTION AWARD(S) AND YEAR(S) RECEIVED NCPGA 2015 BILL STRAUSBAUGH AWARD AWARDS WON IN ADDITIONAL ORGINIZATIONS: ClubCorp 2008 AllStar Award, 2008 Silver Circle of Excellence, 2007 Bronze Circle of Excellence 2007 AllStar Award, 2006 Gold Circle of Excellence Turkey Creek Golf Club, 2006 Super Star Award, 2004 Elected as the Chairman of ClubCorps National Golf Committee, 2003 Super Star Award, 2002 Elected to ClubCorp National Golf Council 1999 ClubCorp Rookie Club of the Year Turkey Creek Golf Club Lincoln Ca 1995 ClubCorp Rookie club of the year Haile Plantation Gainesville Florida
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1. Describe your commitment and philosophy toward mentorship in the effort to assist PGA Professionals in their career pursuits: Throughout my career, especially the earliest years, I was very fortunate to have a variety of role models and mentors that helped guide me and supported my growth as a young PGA professional. The mentorship I received from my fellow PGA Professionals, as well as the PGA program helped shape me into the man I am today. I have learned to lead by example, be honest with people and have integrity in everything I do. My involvement with the PGA has also prepared me to develop professionals within my own circle of influence, by setting expectations, ensuring they were properly equipped and then evaluating their performance. Living by these guidelines have helped me become the best PGA professional that I could be myself. I also realized that the success of PGA professionals to come depends upon the standard I set for myself as their mentor or role model. Providing guidance to promising professionals has always been beneficial to me, because it has given me the reputation of being the “employer of choice”. What I mean by “employer of choice” is that I’ve always sought to create a working atmosphere at my facilities where employees feel like they have my support, both professionally and personally, as well as my guidance as a successful professional in the industry. I think Ed McGargill’s words say it best: “Jeff is an incredible teacher, coach, and mentor, always eager to share the skills, knowledge and expertise he has gained through so many years of industry experience. He has an exceptional ability to always listen first, completely hear out suggestions from others, obtaining the most information on a situation before weighing in. Jeff involves his staff in decisions and values the opinions and initiatives of others, rarely starting a conversation with given direction but instead a thought provoking question – “How can we…?”. Jeff is direct, honest, and thoughtful. He leads with humor and integrity and inspires his staff to grow and find their own path within the industry” -Ed McGargill, PGA General Manager, Coyote Moon Golf Course My efforts to develop and inspire my employees have allowed me to show talented individuals that if they were willing to work for me, I could show them a path to success in their career as a PGA Professional. One of my mentorship “mantras” has always been “Help people set and achieve their goals and they’ll help me achieve my goals”. I don’t believe this principle has let me down, in fact, I believe it’s one of the main reasons I was able to distinguish myself as a leader in the golf industry, as well as develop and elevate a network talented individuals that have the honesty, integrity and responsibility, necessary to represent the game of golf and uphold the image of the PGA Professional. As I advanced in my career and took more expansive leadership roles, it became self-evident that leading by example was crucial to my success and to the success of those around me. If I wasn’t willing to do the things that I was asking others to do, how could I possibly think they would want to do it themselves? For this reason, you’ll never see any of my employees walk by a piece of trash on the cartpath or in the parking lot, because they frequently see me bending over to pick up stray trash as I go about my day. Leading by example is a way to set expectations for my Professionals, which brings me to my “3 E’s” philosophy. As a leader, I make sure that my team is always aware of their expectations and equipped 1
properly to meet them. The final “E” is evaluation. My experience has taught me to give others the opportunity to problem solve independently when they’ve been given a clear goal and equipped properly. It helps build leadership skills and demonstrate their capability as a reliable independently motivated team member. When the expectations I set aren’t met, my priority is to find the “teachable moments” within the situations, and give feedback about performance. This mentorship and development focused attitude gives my team the confidence that they can always come to me with questions or concerns when they don’t feel equipped to tackle a problem alone. Another important aspect of my mentorship and management philosophy is an “open door” policy, which I have used to foster development of individuals within my organization, as well as within the PGA. Making myself available for open dialogue provides my team members and leaders an opportunity to bring forward questions, concerns, and participate in the decision making process. An open door also means I often field questions from colleagues and PGA professionals who are looking for advice on “the next step” in their career, or just need help solving a problem. I feel that my letters of recommendation and stories from other PGA Professionals reflect a career long commitment towards Mentorship, Professional Development and helping other PGA professionals achieve their career goals. 2. Describe how you have inspired and impacted fellow PGA Professionals within the area of employment through your leadership and commitment to the service of others: As part of my core leadership philosophy, I think it’s crucial to invest in people on a personal and organizational level. As I always say, if you help others set and achieve goals, they will help you achieve yours. For this reason, I’ve always considered the people in my organization as part of “My family”. I know that my legacy within the profession will be reflected by my actions every day, therefore providing a development-oriented atmosphere for my organization is a top priority. It’s important to me that my professionals know I’m invested in the welfare of their career, their families and their future. I’d like to take this opportunity to cite an excerpt from Ed McGargill’s letter of recommendation. I think his words speak the spirit of this question more than I could myself. “4 1/2 years ago, my daughter was born 14 weeks premature with several medical complications. Upon hearing the news, Jeff was immediately on the road, driving several hours to come and support our family, arriving before several of our immediate family members. He has continuously provided emotional support for our family, and always made sure I knew how important it was to put family first in life. Every time we speak, Jeff first asks about our family and how we are doing, before ever addressing any business. He motivates me to be a better father, better employee, and better man, and has motivated me to better support my staff in their lives as well. This situation is not unique to our family, Jeff is continuously engaging staff in their interests, and I am aware of many other situations in which Jeff has provided unique levels of support for other employees going through challenges in their lives. Inspiring a pay-it-forward mentality amongst those who have had the pleasure of working beside Jeff, it is without a doubt that his influential leadership style and passion for people is continuously being spread, fostering positive and supportive work environments within the industry, by those who have been touched by Jeff’s unique generosity”. -Ed McGargill, PGA General Manager, Coyote Moon Golf Course 2
I began working with Ryan Bills in 2009. At that point in his career he was the assistant golf professional at Catta Verdera Country club, where my office is located. Though Ryan was always a dedicated employee, I grew concerned over time that his progress as a PGA Professional was waning. Because of his skills and integrity, I took more and more time to emphasize to him the importance of his progress within the PGA. Eventually, Ryan’s skills grew to the point that he was a great candidate to take over as general manager of Apple Mountain. I was torn, but eventually decided he was still best for the job, with one stipulation. I insisted that Ryan complete his certification within a year of accepting his position as the General Manager of Apple Mountain. I’m proud to say that he will be elected to membership in May of this year. In addition to my inspirational impact and development efforts within the facilities I’ve managed, I’ve consistently taken formal and informal leadership roles in hiring decisions and employment. While at Clubcorp, as part of a hiring team I would review candidate resumes, conduct phone interviews, assessments, and ultimately present the top five candidates to General Managers and Human Resources Directors across the country. The most fulfilling part of my involvement in employment and hiring at ClubCorp was to see the efficacy of internal training programs like the Golf Star training program, which I helped develop as Chairman of ClubCorp’s National Golf Council. We frequently found ourselves looking at candidates that had completed a variety of our programs, and as a result, positioned themselves for success within Clubcorp and the industry as a whole. You’ll find that in each of the individual stories in question 3, I made a significant impact on their careers and inspired them to become professionals if they weren’t all ready. I’m proud that each of these individuals had continual growth in their careers under my mentorship. Under my leadership all of them became Head Professionals, Directors of Golf, General Managers and COO's. 3. List the ten (10) PGA Professionals with whom you have mentored, counseled, or advised; and describe your contribution upon their career and development as a PGA Professional and individual:
Jeremy Duda - General Manager, Woodland Hills CC (818) 468-5383 Jeremy Duda started working for me as a cart assistant in 1982. I promoted him to a golf shop assistant the following year. In 1984 Jeremy and I moved from Los Angeles area to Northern California to take over the management of Harding Park and Lincoln Park golf courses in San Francisco. In 1986 I promoted Jeremy to the head professional / manager position at Lincoln Park. Four years later he moved back to Southern California, where he was promoted to a general manager's position within ClubCorp. Since then, Jeremy has been the general manager at several high-end private golf clubs throughout California. He is currently the General Manager at Woodland Hill CC in Southern California. Jeremy and I have consulted with each other on every position change that he has made in the 32 years that we have known each other. I value him not only as a professional colleague, but as one of my best friends.
Paul Shorts - Golf Operations Manager, Catta Verdera Country Club (916) 501-3172 My management company took over the operations at Apple Mountain Golf Resort in 2010. Paul had been the current General Manager there for several years. As always, when you take over a new facility you need to evaluate the talent. Initially, Paul was a little apprehensive, but quickly warmed up to me after several productive meetings. Though Paul was a talented manager, he had lost his way in the PGA program. After working together to improve the operation, Paul began asking me questions about how important becoming a Class-A member would be to his career. I was happy to provide him with my 3
insight into the importance of membership, and after several years Paul agreed to get back into the program. I am happy to report that he will be elected to membership in 2016. As part of Paul’s development I recently moved him to Catta Verdera Country Club as golf operations manager to help him develop the skills needed to operate a private golf club. He is gaining experience in membership sales, high end food and beverage, banquets, and tournament operations. I have every reason to believe Paul will be extremely successful in the golf industry.
Ryan Bills - General Manager, Apple Mountain Golf Resort (916) 622-5621 I first met Ryan when I started my management company at Catta Verdera Country Club. Ryan had been working as an assistant professional. Unfortunately he did not have a good role model to follow and had struggled in the PGA program so far. I spent several years watching and developing Ryan’s skills. After hiring a new director of golf, we worked together to support and encourage Ryan to finish the PGA Program and achieve membership. Last year I had the opportunity to promote Ryan into a general manager's position at Apple Mountain Golf Resort. I had one major requirement for Ryan and that was to complete the PGA program and become a Class-A member within a one year time frame. I am pleased to say that he should be elected to membership May 1st of this year. It was great to watch Ryan grow over the years. He got married and had a beautiful baby boy. I enjoy mentoring Ryan not only about work but family and life in general.
Ed McGargill - General Manager, Coyote Moon Golf Course (530) 412-3336 In 2010 I hired Ed to be the general manager of Coyote Moon in Truckee, where He had been the Head Golf Professional for the last five years. We have been diligently working together to develop his skills as a general manager ever since. Ed had already developed excellent customer service skills throughout his career as a golf professional. Together, we developed his skills in food & beverage, purchasing, budgeting, general accounting, and turf care. I am proud to say that Ed has done an amazing job as General Manager and I think he may be one of my best hires to date. Ed is also an incredibly dedicated father and husband. It’s been a true joy to see his family grow throughout our time working together.
Michael Sharp - Chief Operations Officer, CourseCo (530) 315-3064 Michael started working for a good friend and longtime employee of mine, Mike Ash, the manager of Teal Bend Golf Course. As Michael developed I knew he was going to be an asset to the golf industry. I later moved Michael over to Turkey Creek where I was able to start him in ClubCorp MID (manager in development) program. Michael was able to finish his four-year degree at Sacramento State while he finished the PGA program. He went on to work at Lincoln Hills and then for CourseCo Management. Michael had a brief stay with Billy Casper Management as the west coast vice president. Michael had the opportunity to return to CourseCo as the Chief Operations Officer where he is today. We have always discussed every move that he has made in the golf business since I moved him to Turkey Creek.
Robert Delgado - Director of Golf, Catta Verdera Country Club (916) 645-7200 In 2000, I hired Robert as the head golf professional at Turkey Creek Golf Course in Lincoln. After working with him for several years, Robert wanted to move to the Southern California desert to be closer to his young son. Working with ClubCorp, we were able to secure a head golf professional position for Robert at Mission Hills CC. After several years as head pro, the director of golf position opened at Indian Wells Country Club, which Robert accepted and continued his growth as a professional. In recent years, Robert has returned to Sacramento and is currently part of my team as the
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Director of Golf at Catta Verdera Country Club. Robert continues to grow as a professional and will soon move to being a general manager at a high end public or private course.
Brent Cohen - General Manager, Canterwood Golf and Country Club (530) 400-6482 Brent was working for my best friend Mike Ash at Teal Bend Golf Course. Through Mike's leadership, Brent received his class-A membership in the PGA. I had the opportunity to give Brent his first head professional positions at Empire Ranch golf course working for another longtime employee and friend, Bob Sommers. Brent grew as a professional and as a person in his role there for several years. Brent was given the opportunity to become the manager of Empire Ranch and eventually was promoted to being the general manager of two very busy golf courses in the greater Sacramento area. I enjoyed counselling Brent because he is a very talented young man. Brent wanted to become a general manager at a private course. He worked hard at becoming membership certified within ClubCorp. Brent is now the general manager at Canterwood Country Club and serves ClubCorp in a regional golf advisor role to ClubCorp’s Northern California properties. I have always been available for Brent and I am pleased that he followed his goal to become a general manager at a private club. Brent is a product of my group of professionals that I have mentored over my thirty years of being a golf professional.
Robert “Bob” Sommers - Retired (916) 768-1254 Robert Sommers started his career at the Chuck Corica Golf Complex as an assistant professional. After receiving his Class-A I promoted Robert to head golf professional at Paradise Valley Golf Club in 1994. I moved to Florida in 1995 to take over a small region of clubs for ClubCorp. In 1997 I found myself in need of a head professional at Haile Plantation in Gainesville. Robert accepted the job and moved to Florida. This private club gave him the opportunity to learn membership, and food and beverage. I was later promoted back to the west coast as a regional manager for ClubCorp’s public courses. One of my properties was Bear’s Best in Las Vegas a $7,000,000 a year operation with a very high-end experience. In 2002 I offered Robert the position and he accepted. Robert stayed there for 5 years and eventually met his beautiful wife. They now have three children and he has retired from the business focus on raising his family.
Rick Fansler - General Manager, Empire Ranch Golf Course (916) 817-8100 I first met Rick as a manager in development at ClubCorp. I was very fortunate that ClubCorp had just expanded my region to include Airways in Fresno California. I had an opening there for a pro manager. Since Rick was a “Manager in Development” and already a Class-A member of the PGA, he was a great fit for the position. I made an initial visit to the property and spent a few days with Rick. I walked the property with him several times over those two days looking at things that could be done differently and setting expectations for Rick. He responded well to my leadership and suggestions and we spent the next eight years working together to make Airways a better place. Even after I left ClubCorp Rick would call me to run ideas and issues past me. I am very happy to say that Rick is back working with me at Empire Ranch Golf Course in Folsom CA.
David Balbi – Owner, Balbi Golf (650) 595-2748 I met David (Mutton) Balbi at the Chuck Corica Golf complex where he was an entry level assistant. I moved him to Harding Park later that year, where he would eventually become a Class- A member of the PGA. I promoted him to the head golf professional position later that year. David was always interested in being the best teacher that he could be. He consistently challenged us to be on the cutting edge of teaching technology. Harding Park was such a busy property in those days that you could teach from sun up to sun down. David later went on to operate his own golf company that specializes in personal 5
instruction. David is also a past recipient of the NCPGA Teacher of the Year Award. I have always been proud of the direction that David took in his career and we still talk on a regular basis. 4. What is the most significant impact you have made on a fellow PGA Professional’s career to include how it allowed that individual to reach their aspired career goals:
Mike Ash - General Manager Oakmont Country Club (707) 592-9100 It was difficult for me to choose only one individual for this question. Eventually, I decided my lifelong relationship with Mike Ash Reflects both my professional and personal commitment toward my fellow PGA professionals. In addition to his outstanding character, Mike has been integral to the development of many young professionals himself, including Brent Cohen and Michael Sharp. Mike Ash and I began our professional relationship at Harding Park in 1986 when I hired him as an entry level assistant. As we got to know each other, we formed a friendship and often spent our free time golfing. It was at this time that Mike began his work as an apprentice. Together, we taught group clinics to adults and youths, and I also allowed him to audit my personal lessons to help hone his teaching skills. Because Harding Park was such a busy property, Mike and I had the opportunity to spend countless hours on the lesson tee together, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Mike would go on to earn his class- A membership, and thereafter showed promise as a professional. In my current position as regional manager, I saw it fit to promote him to a Pro Manager position at Tayman Park Golf Course in Healdsburg CA, a small 9 hole golf course. Mike continued honing his skills at Tayman Park until he accepted the Manager position at Eureka Municipal Golf courses, an 18 hole medium traffic public facility. I’m proud to say that Mike showed his capability in this role, and when a position opened at Rancho Solano, he was ready to move forward. Rancho Solano at this time, and to this day is a higher end, high traffic golf course, with over 60,000 rounds per year. The move to Rancho Solano was an important step for Mike and it showed me that he had the capability of running a high quality, high volume property. After working at Rancho Solano I gave Mike a challenging position at Teal Bend Golf Course, an 18 hole golf course with about 60,000 rounds a year. I felt that Mike was a talented and effective manager in terms of golf and property management, and would continue to excel in that regard. The challenge of the position was the large food and beverage operation that was in need of more direct leadership to reach both its revenue potential, and its appeal as an integral part of the club and surrounding community. Mike’s knowledge and ability within the food and beverage aspect of facilities grew by leaps and bounds as he worked hard to bring the operation up to the standards set by myself and the other facilities under my management umbrella. Mike surprised us all by leaving the golf business to become a police officer at the age of 41. Though I wasn’t looking forward to trying to replace him, I understood that this decision mattered to him very much. As his friend and mentor I couldn’t ask him to not follow his dream. Needless to say, this was a challenging moment as both a mentor and a friend. I remember the conversation that Mike and I had about whether he should try to become an officer or not. Although I knew Mike had a great future in the golf business, he is also truly one of the nicest people that walks the face of the earth; perhaps one of the reasons my wife and I made him the godfather to our children. Regardless of my concerns, I trusted my mentorship philosophy and told him to follow his passion. After his training was complete, I was proud to know that Mike would be serving California Communities with his jovial presence and helpful attitude. I will never forget the next time 6
Mike needed my advice. Mike called and said “Jeff, I need to talk with you”. “When?” I asked. Concern grew inside of me when I heard him say “Right now. I can only do this face to face”. I was nervous. An hour later Mike got to my office and sat down. I could tell something was wrong, and he told me “I need your advice” You see, Mike at this very moment had spent the last year on the streets of Richmond, one of the most dangerous cities in California. He told me he feared for his life and he was afraid of getting shot. He began to give me a more in-depth description of his daily work as a police officer in a challenging environment. As he described to me the amount of danger that him and his fellow officers were in on their daily patrols, It was no surprise to me that it was wearing on him. He finally explained to me that he feared for his life at this point, but refused to quit working and supporting his family. Out of sheer concern, I followed my instincts and told Mike to return to his captain, turn in his badge and gun and send me all of his bills and monthly expenses until he could find a position in the golf industry again. Although Mike did not quit right away as I had suggested, he continued for another month until he could bow out from the job with his sense of dignity intact. After serving as an officer, Mike returned to the golf business as the General Manager at Callippe Preserve Golf Course. Today, you will find Mike at Oakmont Country Club a 36-hole facility, proudly serving as General Manager. I have been Mike's mentor, confidant, and best friend now for 28 years. 5. Describe the most significant contribution you have made in assisting the PGA of America in meeting its purpose of elevating the standard of the professional golfers’ vocation and enhancing the economic well-being of the individual member: My career reflects a deep commitment to mentorship and development of the PGA professionals within my circles of influence, and significant contributions to educating professionals through workshops and seminars, as well as developing and implementing training programs that enhanced the skills and capability of PGA professionals nationwide. Though I’ve spent a lot of my time mentoring professionals face to face, I’ve always believed it’s important to provide resources and education to developing professionals who are looking to further their own career. As we all know, it’s not easy to be successful based on love of the game alone. Golf is also a business, and I’ve devoted much of my educational efforts toward helping fellow professionals succeed on the financial side of the game. I feel this emphasis has significantly improved the performance of the Professionals under my direct and indirect influence and therefore, opened doors to greater opportunities for them. After years with ClubCorp and distinguishing myself as a “financial guy”, I began giving presentations to my fellow professionals several times a year. My specialty was providing training and information on financial management and business concepts. These programs offered an integral way for current PGA professionals to improve their performance within our organization, as well as distinguish themselves as savvy Professionals. In 2007 I was elected as the chairman of ClubCorp’s National Golf Council. Under my Chairmanship, The National Golf Council developed and implemented the Golf Star Training program, which helped professionals learn and obtain certification in valuable industry standard tools and practices. Through this process I worked closely with Mark Murphy, the Vice President of Sale and Marketing for ClubCorp for many years. Together we developed content for the meetings and help direct the Council’s development efforts in effective direction. Mark is now the Managing Director at Palmer Advantage. He 7
can be reached at (714) 697-4066 as a reference for the the work I did with ClubCorp as chairman of the National Golf Council. Overall The Golf Star training program was an outstanding opportunity for us to promote the development of our golf professionals in a variety of ways, which increased their technical skillsets and conceptual understanding of our business practices. Certifications were offered in payroll time management, financial analysis, as well as effective budgeting and Golf specific product marketing and display. Ultimately, the Star training program was a great way for us to provide industry specific training and refine the skills of our PGA professionals and employees. As part of my work as a regional manager and internal hiring advisor with ClubCorp, I was able to see the direct effect of our national training programs on the upward mobility of the professionals working for ClubCorp. I feel my career-long efforts in regard to mentorship and education are my greatest contributions to the PGA in my career so far. I do however look forward to contributing to the PGA in a greater capacity when I seek election to the NCPGA Board of Directors in 2017. 6. Specific to the award elements of mentoring, employment, and club relations, describe your contributions to build and grow the image of the game of golf, the PGA professional, and the PGA of America: In my career, I’ve always known that the image of the game relies upon talented professionals that embody core characteristics like honesty integrity and responsibility. For this reason, much of my efforts to grow the image of the game have revolved around developing Professionals through mentorship and encouraging PGA membership as an important step to success. One of the defining characteristics of my career and an integral part of my success is striving to be the best PGA professional I can be, and taking time to invest in my team members. Many people have come to me asking, “What’s my next step Jeff, how do I go from being a head professional to a general manager?” How do I become a PGA Professional? How did you do it? I’m always humbled in situations like these, and do my best to provide the best guidance and feedback that I can. I guess you could say that I strive to be “The employer of choice”. I like the idea that people want to work for me because they know I’ll always reward hard work and integrity, as well as be a good role model and mentor for developing Professionals. My strong relationships throughout the country have led to frequent calls from other Professionals asking about people in my circles that may be looking for positions as well. Overall, I would say that my career is decorated with stories of successful PGA professionals that will define my “legacy” in this industry. In my different roles throughout my career, I’ve consistently represented the PGA by leading with honesty and integrity. As you’ll see in my letters of recommendation, whether it’s the board meeting at a country club or a city council meeting overseeing a leased municipal property, I’ve taken every effort to represent our profession to the highest standard, as well as set the same expectation for the professionals working at my facilities. In my role as a regional manager for ClubCorp I remained constantly aware that I represent the image of the PGA professional to municipalities, private club owners, member boards and customers. In dealing with public golf courses that are owned by municipalities or private owners, I’ve always been very receptive and available to ensure that their needs and vision are being met. Importantly, I’ve always made sure that those relationships hold strong by hiring PGA professionals that embody the core characteristics of honesty, integrity and responsibility. 8
This isn’t to say that I discount anyone for not being involved with the PGA, but it has led me to challenge talented employees like Paul Short by posing the question, “Why Aren’t you a PGA member”. I’ve always been proud to hire current PGA members, but when I encounter talented non-members of strong character, my instinct is to “bring them into the fold” and ensure that our professional organization, especially within the Northern California Section, is brimming with talented, honest PGA certified Professionals. 7. Describe your efforts at the Section and Chapter level in the endeavor to influence employment and/or club relations in a positive and significant manner: I have spent the majority of my career as a Regional Manager in the Northern California Section. As a regional manager, I’ve been responsible for the Golf Professionals and Apprentices at 14 private and public golf courses in Northern California alone, as well as others in Nevada, Texas, Florida, Georgia and Florida. In addition to advising colleagues throughout section on hiring and other topics, I also participated in a variety of professional seminars, panels and Q&A sessions to help educate and support fellow professionals in the industry. At the 2010 Annual NCPGA meeting I was invited to sit on the employment forum panel along with RJ Reynolds from the Pebble beach corporation, Steve Parker of TouchStone Golf Management and Ken Morton Sr. from Morton Golf. The topic of the panel was “How do you get your resume to the top of the stack”. My focus was explaining how employers look at employment history. I emphasized the importance of staying an adequate length at their jobs, what that means to a potential employer, as well as having both private and public club experience. Lastly, I hoped to impress upon them the value of working for people who have skills they hope to learn, and that who you work for matters. After we spoke on that panel, we were also invited to participate in an employment focused forum organized by Carol Pence. The panel included Gus Jones from Martis Camp, Ken Morton Sr., Executive Director of the NCPGA Chris Thomas, and myself. In 2014 I was invited to the Annual PGA Meeting at Silver Creek Valley Country Club and was asked to participate as a member of the professional panel. Our education seminar that day was named, “The Next step: Growing your worth and separating yourself from the pack”. I spoke about learning the value of being “financially literate”. I also impressed upon them the ways in which having honesty, integrity and responsibility are also useful ways to separate yourself from the pack and elevate the image of the PGA professional. Providing insight and support to the next generation of PGA professionals has always been a priority to me, and I hope it has helped perpetuate the values of integrity, honor and responsibility in the industry. 8. Describe how you have utilized your leadership skills specific to the award elements of mentorship, employment, and club relations at the Section and Chapter levels: Throughout my career I have been dedicated to taking leadership roles in many aspects of the industry. My career reflects a steady progression of leadership roles in regards to PGA Mentorship, Professional education, and Public and Private Club Relationship building. Most importantly, my career-long commitment to mentorship has built a network of highly skilled professionals that have become outstanding leaders in Northern California, where I currently work as COO of my company, Wilson Golf Management. Being a PGA Member for over 25 years has been an integral part of my success in this industry. I’m very proud to say I’ve represented the Profession with integrity and responsibility. As I’ve emphasized, my 9
proudest moments as a PGA member are seeing the success of Professionals that I’ve mentored and guided through their career. As you’ll see from my letters of recommendation and individual stories, my efforts have helped many Professionals advance their careers within our section and inspired them to develop and mentor the next generation of PGA Professionals. I think my leadership skills are best reflected by this cascading effect of positive influence on PGA professionals within our section and I’m proud to see just how long that list has become. While working for ClubCorp I was invited to be a member of ClubCorp's National Leadership Cabinet, an elite group of managers and regional managers. From 2000 – 2002 I worked as a cabinet member providing consultation and solutions to the owners and CEO of ClubCorp as they managed 150 properties and 20,000 employees worldwide. In 2007, I was elected as Chairman of ClubCorp’s National golf Council, where I oversaw the development and implementation of the Golf Star Training Program, a nationwide ClubCorp education and certification program. Through my career I’ve also taken leadership roles at a variety of private clubs to help ensure that the needs of members are being met. When I arrived at Haile Plantation in Gainesville Florida, the members were upset and felt like they had no “say” in the club policies. I immediately began reaching out to prominent members to motivate the formation of a governor’s board and begin creating more member oriented policies at the club. Similarly, when I arrived as the manager at Catta Verdera, the board’s wants and desires had gone neglected by the previous manager. Needless to say, there was a disgruntled atmosphere. My personal feeling was that if the members don’t participate in the decision making process, they won’t be happy with club policy. Therefore I set about working closely with the board and gaining their confidence. Over time, we have accomplished a variety of facility improvement goals like a 1500 square foot bar and 2500 square foot patio. Finally, I’d like to say that my role as a leader has culminated in the formation of my own management company, Wilson Golf Management. Because of the leadership skills that I demonstrated in the Northern California section, a golf course owner that I’ve worked closely with since 1999 urged me to begin my own company and take over management of his six properties. Though I was nervous to make such a big step, I had confidence in the individuals I had placed at my facilities, as well as those who would later come to work for Wilson Golf Management. Working in this capacity has given me an even greater ability to impact and positively influence the professionals within my organization and provide Golf professionals with meaningful opportunities within our section. 9. List PGA of America National and/or Section awards received and year received: 2015 NCPGA Bill Strausbaugh Award Recipient. 10. Other awards or special recognition from additional organizations: 2008 AllStar Award, 2008 Silver Circle of Excellence, 2007 Bronze Circle of Excellence 2007 AllStar Award, 2006 Gold Circle of Excellence Turkey Creek Golf Club, 2006 Super Star Award, 2004 Elected as the Chairman of ClubCorps National Golf Committee, 2003 Super Star Award, 2002 Elected to ClubCorp National Golf Council 1999 ClubCorp Rookie Club of the Year Turkey Creek Golf Club Lincoln Ca, 1995 ClubCorp Rookie club of the year Haile Plantation Gainesville Florida
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11. List PGA National, Section, or Chapter Officer positions or Boards you have held or served: Due to the demands of regional management and course development, as well as the time I’ve dedicated to charities, mentorship, and other golf organizations like the First Tee of Sacramento, I could not commit the time required to pursue any officer positions or serve on any PGA boards. As my youngest son will graduate university this year and my professional focus is more local, I’m proud to say that I’ll be pursuing an elected position on the Northern California board in 2017. 12. List PGA National, Section, or Chapter Committee on which you served as chair or member: As stated in #11, my career demands have not yet allowed me the privilege to serve. 13. In the effort serve The PGA, list up to five (5) of your most recent contributions (outside your fulltime position) to the golf industry-wide Growth of the Game effort; if volunteered, please note:
The First Tee of Greater Sacramento After my oldest son began participating in First Tee events, I began involving myself more directly with The First Tee of Greater Sacramento. After years of involvement in fundraising and organizing, I was invited to be the PGA representative on the Board of Directors for the First Tee of Greater Sacramento. My job as the PGA representative is to keep the board focused on growing the game of golf. I have personally raised over $50,000 for local programs that involve more than 2,000 participants annually by helping inner city children learn core values and the rules of the game. “Jeff has reached out to others in community on our behalf and shared from his heart about the great work our organization is doing for kids in our region. In the past few years, Jeff has been the number one fundraiser on our entire board during our annual campaign. Not only has he brought in much needed funds to the organization but he has been a role model to other board members and elevated the level of their engagement. Jeff has also engaged several of the golf industry vendors to offer financial support as well as other PGA professionals to offer golf donations to their facilities to benefit our program.” -Angie Dixon, Executive Director, The First Tee of Greater Sacramento, 2016
Golf Booster Club President In 2006 my son was a freshman at Woodcreek High School in Roseville, where he decided to try competitive golf. At the time, there were only nine spots available on the team, six starting players and Professional) I was curious to attend the tryouts. I was disappointed to see how many kids had to be cut due to the lack of resources. I decided to work with the coach to begin raising money to fund an extra coach, golf balls, proper team bags, and uniforms. In 2007 I took over as the president of the Golf Booster Club, a fundraising club for high school sports. Our club efforts helped the golf team grow from nine to thirty-five kids, as well as pay for uniforms, bags, range balls, travel expenses and a second, then third coach to compensate for the team size. We arranged group lessons for the junior varsity teams at no cost and made low cost private lessons available for the more experienced players. Additionally, I personally hosted a rules seminar for all players at the beginning of every season. Our varsity team thrived that next year, and I remained the booster club president for five years, with my wife as treasurer for four. I’d like to quote Brent Burkett, who I worked with extensively to achieve these goals. 11
“Jeff has done everything for our program not out of selfish gain but to give. He could have easily provided his two sons all the golf without doing anything for the team but he didn’t. He even continued to give to the golf program after his boys graduated. His generosity and service to our program are qualities that I hope to instill into my golfers.”-Brent Burkett, Varsity Boys Golf Coach, Woodcreek High School
Semper Fi Fund In coordination with my business partner over the last three years I’ve become involved with the Semper Fi Fund. In my role I coordinated donations of apparel for participants and staff, items for the auction and secured signature sponsors for their annual golf tournament fundraiser. I’ve also worked closely with Lt. Col. Green to help plan the event itself, which helped raise $140,000 last year.
Ride to walk In Lincoln, I helped the organization Ride to Walk hold multiple golf tournaments to raise funds for their program. I also provided them with equipment to help maintain their facilities and donated a golf cart to help the program director move around the property without spooking the horses. We also helped fix equipment that was broken for them at no charge. 14. In addition to any information provided from the questions above, please provide any additional information that may assist the PGA Special Awards Committee in evaluating you as a candidate for the Bill Strausbaugh Award; the additional information is limited to three (3) typewritten pages (double line spaced and 12 point font). The following are more individuals with similar stories to those above and have been influenced by me personally in their careers: Craig Riddle-GM, Bear’s Best Atlanta, James Stewart- Serrano Country Club Bill Pearse-Trempealeau Mountain Golf Club Nate Pomeroy- GM, Peach Tree Golf & CC Kelly Runkle- Head Professional Peach Tree Golf & CC Cabe Jones- Head Professional, Wente Golf Club Jason Harrington- Winchester Country Club Mark Vetovitz- Assistant, Catta Verdera Country Club Doug Hagen- GM, Hilands Golf Club Daryl Parenteau- Head Professional, Paradise Valley GC
Franklyn Richards - Director of Instruction Catta Verdera CC, British PGA (916) 206 -2406 I first met Franklyn Richards in Los Angeles in 1979 where he was the Director of Golf at Mountain Gate Country Club and hired me as a cart assistant. After moving to Northern California, I was excited to learn that he was also in the area. His presence made a lasting impression on me as a young professional and I was glad to hire him 20 years later as Director of instruction at several of my facilities. Franklyn has watched me develop as a professional myself, as well as mentor and guide others in the Northern California section for the last sixteen years.
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To Whom It May Concern,
I am proud to endorse Jeff Wilson’s nomination for the 2016 Bill Strausbaugh Award. A man of outstanding character, Jeff’s unparalleled commitment to his community, the welfare of his staff, and the growth of the industry make him an exceptional candidate for this award. I have had the pleasure of working for Jeff for the last 7 years as the PGA General Manager of Coyote Moon Golf Course in Truckee, California. An incredible mentor, Jeff’s extensive knowledge and expertise in the industry combined with his unique ability to inspire confidence, creativity, and innovation in his staff, has elevated the success of the courses he has managed and has built the foundation for both positive and productive work environments in which each person has a sense of pride and ownership in the operation. Throughout the time I have known him, Jeff has shown me the value of taking personal interests in each of your staff, engaging them and their interests, and in doing so getting the best out of that person. Past PGA of America President Will Mann described Bill Strausbaugh’s career as a “study in dedication to people as well as the love of the game itself”, a depiction of two qualities I believe best describe Jeff Wilson, and his impact on his community and the industry. Jeff’s love of the game reaches far and wide. With over 30 years of industry experience, Jeff has managed over 20 golf courses, led thousands of employees, worked with hundreds of vendors, and has given countless hours to the industry, and communities not only in which he has resided, but in which he has any industry ties as well. His dedications lie in growing the game through his commitment to Junior Golf, fostering partnerships with local organizations and foundations, and inspiring his staff to create strong and lasting community ties in their communities as well. Jeff sits on the board of First Tee Sacramento, and passionately dedicates his time and fundraising efforts towards them, the high school, and other junior golf groups. Jeff encouraged me to apply for and accept a position on The Board of Education in Truckee, and actively host junior golf programs through Coyote Moon, not only in supporting tournaments but in offering educational programs to help introduce young golfers to the game. Ask any other manager or golf professional who has worked with Jeff, and I am sure they will all give examples where Jeff actively encouraged them to pursue community involvement opportunities as well. Jeff’s unwavering dedication to his staff is second to none. Taking a genuine personal interest in everyone, and always putting the person first, Jeff has created a foundation for one of the most positive work environments I have ever been a part of. 4 1/2 years ago, my daughter was born 14 weeks premature with several medical complications. Upon hearing the news, Jeff was immediately on the road, driving several hours to come and support our family, arriving before several of our immediate family members. He has continuously provided emotional support for our family, and always made sure I knew how important it was to put family first in life. Every time we speak, Jeff first asks about our family and how we are doing, before ever addressing any business. He motivates me to be a better father, better employee, and better man, and has 5
motivated me to better support my staff in their lives as well. This situation is not unique to our family, Jeff is continuously engaging staff in their interests, and I am aware of many other situations in which Jeff has provided unique levels of support for other employees going through challenges in their lives. Inspiring a pay-it-forward mentality amongst those who have had the pleasure of working beside Jeff, it is without a doubt that his influential leadership style and passion for people is continuously being spread, fostering positive and supportive work environments within the industry, by those who have been touched by Jeff’s unique generosity. Jeff is an incredible teacher, coach, and mentor, always eager to share the skills, knowledge and expertise he has gained through so many years of industry experience. He has an exceptional ability to always listen first, completely hear out suggestions from others, obtaining the most information on a situation before weighing in. Jeff involves his staff in decisions and values the opinions and initiatives of others, rarely starting a conversation with given direction but instead a thought provoking question – “How can we…?”. Jeff is direct, honest, and thoughtful. He leads with humor and integrity and inspires his staff to grow and find their own path within the industry. Jeff is well respected by his colleagues and employees in all levels of the business, and it is not uncommon for a vendor or colleague to approach me to compliment or express their respect for him. He has mentored many great leaders, whose influences reach far and wide within the golf community, growing the game and industry in positive ways. While there much more to be said of great character and accomplishments of Jeff Wilson, it is his dedication to people and the industry that I believe makes him an ideal recipient of the Bill Strausbaugh Award. It is with great honor that I support his nomination for such a prestigious award. If I can provide further information or insight, please feel free to contact me at anytime.
Sincerely,
Edward McGargill PGA General Manager Coyote Moon Golf Course [email protected] (530) 412-3336
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BILL STRAUSBAUGH AWARD CANDIDATE INFORMATIONAL PAGE NAME OF CANDIDATE: JEFFREY O. WILSON GOLF FACILITY/ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP: CATTA VERDERA COUNTRY CLUB 1111 Catta Verdera Lincoln California 95648 PGA MEMBER NUMBER: 10580916 EMAIL: [email protected] PHONE #: (916) 645-6745 MOBILE PHONE #: (916) 296-1437 NUMBER OF YEARS AT CURRENT FACILITY: 7 SECTION AFFILIATION: NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CURRENT PGA CLASSIFICATION: A-13 NUMBER OF YEARS A PGA MEMBER 26 YEARS PGA OF AMERICA NATIONAL OR SECTION AWARD(S) AND YEAR(S) RECEIVED NCPGA 2015 BILL STRAUSBAUGH AWARD AWARDS WON IN ADDITIONAL ORGINIZATIONS: ClubCorp 2008 AllStar Award, 2008 Silver Circle of Excellence, 2007 Bronze Circle of Excellence 2007 AllStar Award, 2006 Gold Circle of Excellence Turkey Creek Golf Club, 2006 Super Star Award, 2004 Elected as the Chairman of ClubCorps National Golf Committee, 2003 Super Star Award, 2002 Elected to ClubCorp National Golf Council 1999 ClubCorp Rookie Club of the Year Turkey Creek Golf Club Lincoln Ca 1995 ClubCorp Rookie club of the year Haile Plantation Gainesville Florida
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1. Describe your commitment and philosophy toward mentorship in the effort to assist PGA Professionals in their career pursuits: Throughout my career, especially the earliest years, I was very fortunate to have a variety of role models and mentors that helped guide me and supported my growth as a young PGA professional. The mentorship I received from my fellow PGA Professionals, as well as the PGA program helped shape me into the man I am today. I have learned to lead by example, be honest with people and have integrity in everything I do. My involvement with the PGA has also prepared me to develop professionals within my own circle of influence, by setting expectations, ensuring they were properly equipped and then evaluating their performance. Living by these guidelines have helped me become the best PGA professional that I could be myself. I also realized that the success of PGA professionals to come depends upon the standard I set for myself as their mentor or role model. Providing guidance to promising professionals has always been beneficial to me, because it has given me the reputation of being the “employer of choice”. What I mean by “employer of choice” is that I’ve always sought to create a working atmosphere at my facilities where employees feel like they have my support, both professionally and personally, as well as my guidance as a successful professional in the industry. I think Ed McGargill’s words say it best: “Jeff is an incredible teacher, coach, and mentor, always eager to share the skills, knowledge and expertise he has gained through so many years of industry experience. He has an exceptional ability to always listen first, completely hear out suggestions from others, obtaining the most information on a situation before weighing in. Jeff involves his staff in decisions and values the opinions and initiatives of others, rarely starting a conversation with given direction but instead a thought provoking question – “How can we…?”. Jeff is direct, honest, and thoughtful. He leads with humor and integrity and inspires his staff to grow and find their own path within the industry” -Ed McGargill, PGA General Manager, Coyote Moon Golf Course My efforts to develop and inspire my employees have allowed me to show talented individuals that if they were willing to work for me, I could show them a path to success in their career as a PGA Professional. One of my mentorship “mantras” has always been “Help people set and achieve their goals and they’ll help me achieve my goals”. I don’t believe this principle has let me down, in fact, I believe it’s one of the main reasons I was able to distinguish myself as a leader in the golf industry, as well as develop and elevate a network talented individuals that have the honesty, integrity and responsibility, necessary to represent the game of golf and uphold the image of the PGA Professional. As I advanced in my career and took more expansive leadership roles, it became self-evident that leading by example was crucial to my success and to the success of those around me. If I wasn’t willing to do the things that I was asking others to do, how could I possibly think they would want to do it themselves? For this reason, you’ll never see any of my employees walk by a piece of trash on the cartpath or in the parking lot, because they frequently see me bending over to pick up stray trash as I go about my day. Leading by example is a way to set expectations for my Professionals, which brings me to my “3 E’s” philosophy. As a leader, I make sure that my team is always aware of their expectations and equipped 1
properly to meet them. The final “E” is evaluation. My experience has taught me to give others the opportunity to problem solve independently when they’ve been given a clear goal and equipped properly. It helps build leadership skills and demonstrate their capability as a reliable independently motivated team member. When the expectations I set aren’t met, my priority is to find the “teachable moments” within the situations, and give feedback about performance. This mentorship and development focused attitude gives my team the confidence that they can always come to me with questions or concerns when they don’t feel equipped to tackle a problem alone. Another important aspect of my mentorship and management philosophy is an “open door” policy, which I have used to foster development of individuals within my organization, as well as within the PGA. Making myself available for open dialogue provides my team members and leaders an opportunity to bring forward questions, concerns, and participate in the decision making process. An open door also means I often field questions from colleagues and PGA professionals who are looking for advice on “the next step” in their career, or just need help solving a problem. I feel that my letters of recommendation and stories from other PGA Professionals reflect a career long commitment towards Mentorship, Professional Development and helping other PGA professionals achieve their career goals. 2. Describe how you have inspired and impacted fellow PGA Professionals within the area of employment through your leadership and commitment to the service of others: As part of my core leadership philosophy, I think it’s crucial to invest in people on a personal and organizational level. As I always say, if you help others set and achieve goals, they will help you achieve yours. For this reason, I’ve always considered the people in my organization as part of “My family”. I know that my legacy within the profession will be reflected by my actions every day, therefore providing a development-oriented atmosphere for my organization is a top priority. It’s important to me that my professionals know I’m invested in the welfare of their career, their families and their future. I’d like to take this opportunity to cite an excerpt from Ed McGargill’s letter of recommendation. I think his words speak the spirit of this question more than I could myself. “4 1/2 years ago, my daughter was born 14 weeks premature with several medical complications. Upon hearing the news, Jeff was immediately on the road, driving several hours to come and support our family, arriving before several of our immediate family members. He has continuously provided emotional support for our family, and always made sure I knew how important it was to put family first in life. Every time we speak, Jeff first asks about our family and how we are doing, before ever addressing any business. He motivates me to be a better father, better employee, and better man, and has motivated me to better support my staff in their lives as well. This situation is not unique to our family, Jeff is continuously engaging staff in their interests, and I am aware of many other situations in which Jeff has provided unique levels of support for other employees going through challenges in their lives. Inspiring a pay-it-forward mentality amongst those who have had the pleasure of working beside Jeff, it is without a doubt that his influential leadership style and passion for people is continuously being spread, fostering positive and supportive work environments within the industry, by those who have been touched by Jeff’s unique generosity”. -Ed McGargill, PGA General Manager, Coyote Moon Golf Course 2
I began working with Ryan Bills in 2009. At that point in his career he was the assistant golf professional at Catta Verdera Country club, where my office is located. Though Ryan was always a dedicated employee, I grew concerned over time that his progress as a PGA Professional was waning. Because of his skills and integrity, I took more and more time to emphasize to him the importance of his progress within the PGA. Eventually, Ryan’s skills grew to the point that he was a great candidate to take over as general manager of Apple Mountain. I was torn, but eventually decided he was still best for the job, with one stipulation. I insisted that Ryan complete his certification within a year of accepting his position as the General Manager of Apple Mountain. I’m proud to say that he will be elected to membership in May of this year. In addition to my inspirational impact and development efforts within the facilities I’ve managed, I’ve consistently taken formal and informal leadership roles in hiring decisions and employment. While at Clubcorp, as part of a hiring team I would review candidate resumes, conduct phone interviews, assessments, and ultimately present the top five candidates to General Managers and Human Resources Directors across the country. The most fulfilling part of my involvement in employment and hiring at ClubCorp was to see the efficacy of internal training programs like the Golf Star training program, which I helped develop as Chairman of ClubCorp’s National Golf Council. We frequently found ourselves looking at candidates that had completed a variety of our programs, and as a result, positioned themselves for success within Clubcorp and the industry as a whole. You’ll find that in each of the individual stories in question 3, I made a significant impact on their careers and inspired them to become professionals if they weren’t all ready. I’m proud that each of these individuals had continual growth in their careers under my mentorship. Under my leadership all of them became Head Professionals, Directors of Golf, General Managers and COO's. 3. List the ten (10) PGA Professionals with whom you have mentored, counseled, or advised; and describe your contribution upon their career and development as a PGA Professional and individual:
Jeremy Duda - General Manager, Woodland Hills CC (818) 468-5383 Jeremy Duda started working for me as a cart assistant in 1982. I promoted him to a golf shop assistant the following year. In 1984 Jeremy and I moved from Los Angeles area to Northern California to take over the management of Harding Park and Lincoln Park golf courses in San Francisco. In 1986 I promoted Jeremy to the head professional / manager position at Lincoln Park. Four years later he moved back to Southern California, where he was promoted to a general manager's position within ClubCorp. Since then, Jeremy has been the general manager at several high-end private golf clubs throughout California. He is currently the General Manager at Woodland Hill CC in Southern California. Jeremy and I have consulted with each other on every position change that he has made in the 32 years that we have known each other. I value him not only as a professional colleague, but as one of my best friends.
Paul Shorts - Golf Operations Manager, Catta Verdera Country Club (916) 501-3172 My management company took over the operations at Apple Mountain Golf Resort in 2010. Paul had been the current General Manager there for several years. As always, when you take over a new facility you need to evaluate the talent. Initially, Paul was a little apprehensive, but quickly warmed up to me after several productive meetings. Though Paul was a talented manager, he had lost his way in the PGA program. After working together to improve the operation, Paul began asking me questions about how important becoming a Class-A member would be to his career. I was happy to provide him with my 3
insight into the importance of membership, and after several years Paul agreed to get back into the program. I am happy to report that he will be elected to membership in 2016. As part of Paul’s development I recently moved him to Catta Verdera Country Club as golf operations manager to help him develop the skills needed to operate a private golf club. He is gaining experience in membership sales, high end food and beverage, banquets, and tournament operations. I have every reason to believe Paul will be extremely successful in the golf industry.
Ryan Bills - General Manager, Apple Mountain Golf Resort (916) 622-5621 I first met Ryan when I started my management company at Catta Verdera Country Club. Ryan had been working as an assistant professional. Unfortunately he did not have a good role model to follow and had struggled in the PGA program so far. I spent several years watching and developing Ryan’s skills. After hiring a new director of golf, we worked together to support and encourage Ryan to finish the PGA Program and achieve membership. Last year I had the opportunity to promote Ryan into a general manager's position at Apple Mountain Golf Resort. I had one major requirement for Ryan and that was to complete the PGA program and become a Class-A member within a one year time frame. I am pleased to say that he should be elected to membership May 1st of this year. It was great to watch Ryan grow over the years. He got married and had a beautiful baby boy. I enjoy mentoring Ryan not only about work but family and life in general.
Ed McGargill - General Manager, Coyote Moon Golf Course (530) 412-3336 In 2010 I hired Ed to be the general manager of Coyote Moon in Truckee, where He had been the Head Golf Professional for the last five years. We have been diligently working together to develop his skills as a general manager ever since. Ed had already developed excellent customer service skills throughout his career as a golf professional. Together, we developed his skills in food & beverage, purchasing, budgeting, general accounting, and turf care. I am proud to say that Ed has done an amazing job as General Manager and I think he may be one of my best hires to date. Ed is also an incredibly dedicated father and husband. It’s been a true joy to see his family grow throughout our time working together.
Michael Sharp - Chief Operations Officer, CourseCo (530) 315-3064 Michael started working for a good friend and longtime employee of mine, Mike Ash, the manager of Teal Bend Golf Course. As Michael developed I knew he was going to be an asset to the golf industry. I later moved Michael over to Turkey Creek where I was able to start him in ClubCorp MID (manager in development) program. Michael was able to finish his four-year degree at Sacramento State while he finished the PGA program. He went on to work at Lincoln Hills and then for CourseCo Management. Michael had a brief stay with Billy Casper Management as the west coast vice president. Michael had the opportunity to return to CourseCo as the Chief Operations Officer where he is today. We have always discussed every move that he has made in the golf business since I moved him to Turkey Creek.
Robert Delgado - Director of Golf, Catta Verdera Country Club (916) 645-7200 In 2000, I hired Robert as the head golf professional at Turkey Creek Golf Course in Lincoln. After working with him for several years, Robert wanted to move to the Southern California desert to be closer to his young son. Working with ClubCorp, we were able to secure a head golf professional position for Robert at Mission Hills CC. After several years as head pro, the director of golf position opened at Indian Wells Country Club, which Robert accepted and continued his growth as a professional. In recent years, Robert has returned to Sacramento and is currently part of my team as the
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Director of Golf at Catta Verdera Country Club. Robert continues to grow as a professional and will soon move to being a general manager at a high end public or private course.
Brent Cohen - General Manager, Canterwood Golf and Country Club (530) 400-6482 Brent was working for my best friend Mike Ash at Teal Bend Golf Course. Through Mike's leadership, Brent received his class-A membership in the PGA. I had the opportunity to give Brent his first head professional positions at Empire Ranch golf course working for another longtime employee and friend, Bob Sommers. Brent grew as a professional and as a person in his role there for several years. Brent was given the opportunity to become the manager of Empire Ranch and eventually was promoted to being the general manager of two very busy golf courses in the greater Sacramento area. I enjoyed counselling Brent because he is a very talented young man. Brent wanted to become a general manager at a private course. He worked hard at becoming membership certified within ClubCorp. Brent is now the general manager at Canterwood Country Club and serves ClubCorp in a regional golf advisor role to ClubCorp’s Northern California properties. I have always been available for Brent and I am pleased that he followed his goal to become a general manager at a private club. Brent is a product of my group of professionals that I have mentored over my thirty years of being a golf professional.
Robert “Bob” Sommers - Retired (916) 768-1254 Robert Sommers started his career at the Chuck Corica Golf Complex as an assistant professional. After receiving his Class-A I promoted Robert to head golf professional at Paradise Valley Golf Club in 1994. I moved to Florida in 1995 to take over a small region of clubs for ClubCorp. In 1997 I found myself in need of a head professional at Haile Plantation in Gainesville. Robert accepted the job and moved to Florida. This private club gave him the opportunity to learn membership, and food and beverage. I was later promoted back to the west coast as a regional manager for ClubCorp’s public courses. One of my properties was Bear’s Best in Las Vegas a $7,000,000 a year operation with a very high-end experience. In 2002 I offered Robert the position and he accepted. Robert stayed there for 5 years and eventually met his beautiful wife. They now have three children and he has retired from the business focus on raising his family.
Rick Fansler - General Manager, Empire Ranch Golf Course (916) 817-8100 I first met Rick as a manager in development at ClubCorp. I was very fortunate that ClubCorp had just expanded my region to include Airways in Fresno California. I had an opening there for a pro manager. Since Rick was a “Manager in Development” and already a Class-A member of the PGA, he was a great fit for the position. I made an initial visit to the property and spent a few days with Rick. I walked the property with him several times over those two days looking at things that could be done differently and setting expectations for Rick. He responded well to my leadership and suggestions and we spent the next eight years working together to make Airways a better place. Even after I left ClubCorp Rick would call me to run ideas and issues past me. I am very happy to say that Rick is back working with me at Empire Ranch Golf Course in Folsom CA.
David Balbi – Owner, Balbi Golf (650) 595-2748 I met David (Mutton) Balbi at the Chuck Corica Golf complex where he was an entry level assistant. I moved him to Harding Park later that year, where he would eventually become a Class- A member of the PGA. I promoted him to the head golf professional position later that year. David was always interested in being the best teacher that he could be. He consistently challenged us to be on the cutting edge of teaching technology. Harding Park was such a busy property in those days that you could teach from sun up to sun down. David later went on to operate his own golf company that specializes in personal 5
instruction. David is also a past recipient of the NCPGA Teacher of the Year Award. I have always been proud of the direction that David took in his career and we still talk on a regular basis. 4. What is the most significant impact you have made on a fellow PGA Professional’s career to include how it allowed that individual to reach their aspired career goals:
Mike Ash - General Manager Oakmont Country Club (707) 592-9100 It was difficult for me to choose only one individual for this question. Eventually, I decided my lifelong relationship with Mike Ash Reflects both my professional and personal commitment toward my fellow PGA professionals. In addition to his outstanding character, Mike has been integral to the development of many young professionals himself, including Brent Cohen and Michael Sharp. Mike Ash and I began our professional relationship at Harding Park in 1986 when I hired him as an entry level assistant. As we got to know each other, we formed a friendship and often spent our free time golfing. It was at this time that Mike began his work as an apprentice. Together, we taught group clinics to adults and youths, and I also allowed him to audit my personal lessons to help hone his teaching skills. Because Harding Park was such a busy property, Mike and I had the opportunity to spend countless hours on the lesson tee together, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Mike would go on to earn his class- A membership, and thereafter showed promise as a professional. In my current position as regional manager, I saw it fit to promote him to a Pro Manager position at Tayman Park Golf Course in Healdsburg CA, a small 9 hole golf course. Mike continued honing his skills at Tayman Park until he accepted the Manager position at Eureka Municipal Golf courses, an 18 hole medium traffic public facility. I’m proud to say that Mike showed his capability in this role, and when a position opened at Rancho Solano, he was ready to move forward. Rancho Solano at this time, and to this day is a higher end, high traffic golf course, with over 60,000 rounds per year. The move to Rancho Solano was an important step for Mike and it showed me that he had the capability of running a high quality, high volume property. After working at Rancho Solano I gave Mike a challenging position at Teal Bend Golf Course, an 18 hole golf course with about 60,000 rounds a year. I felt that Mike was a talented and effective manager in terms of golf and property management, and would continue to excel in that regard. The challenge of the position was the large food and beverage operation that was in need of more direct leadership to reach both its revenue potential, and its appeal as an integral part of the club and surrounding community. Mike’s knowledge and ability within the food and beverage aspect of facilities grew by leaps and bounds as he worked hard to bring the operation up to the standards set by myself and the other facilities under my management umbrella. Mike surprised us all by leaving the golf business to become a police officer at the age of 41. Though I wasn’t looking forward to trying to replace him, I understood that this decision mattered to him very much. As his friend and mentor I couldn’t ask him to not follow his dream. Needless to say, this was a challenging moment as both a mentor and a friend. I remember the conversation that Mike and I had about whether he should try to become an officer or not. Although I knew Mike had a great future in the golf business, he is also truly one of the nicest people that walks the face of the earth; perhaps one of the reasons my wife and I made him the godfather to our children. Regardless of my concerns, I trusted my mentorship philosophy and told him to follow his passion. After his training was complete, I was proud to know that Mike would be serving California Communities with his jovial presence and helpful attitude. I will never forget the next time 6
Mike needed my advice. Mike called and said “Jeff, I need to talk with you”. “When?” I asked. Concern grew inside of me when I heard him say “Right now. I can only do this face to face”. I was nervous. An hour later Mike got to my office and sat down. I could tell something was wrong, and he told me “I need your advice” You see, Mike at this very moment had spent the last year on the streets of Richmond, one of the most dangerous cities in California. He told me he feared for his life and he was afraid of getting shot. He began to give me a more in-depth description of his daily work as a police officer in a challenging environment. As he described to me the amount of danger that him and his fellow officers were in on their daily patrols, It was no surprise to me that it was wearing on him. He finally explained to me that he feared for his life at this point, but refused to quit working and supporting his family. Out of sheer concern, I followed my instincts and told Mike to return to his captain, turn in his badge and gun and send me all of his bills and monthly expenses until he could find a position in the golf industry again. Although Mike did not quit right away as I had suggested, he continued for another month until he could bow out from the job with his sense of dignity intact. After serving as an officer, Mike returned to the golf business as the General Manager at Callippe Preserve Golf Course. Today, you will find Mike at Oakmont Country Club a 36-hole facility, proudly serving as General Manager. I have been Mike's mentor, confidant, and best friend now for 28 years. 5. Describe the most significant contribution you have made in assisting the PGA of America in meeting its purpose of elevating the standard of the professional golfers’ vocation and enhancing the economic well-being of the individual member: My career reflects a deep commitment to mentorship and development of the PGA professionals within my circles of influence, and significant contributions to educating professionals through workshops and seminars, as well as developing and implementing training programs that enhanced the skills and capability of PGA professionals nationwide. Though I’ve spent a lot of my time mentoring professionals face to face, I’ve always believed it’s important to provide resources and education to developing professionals who are looking to further their own career. As we all know, it’s not easy to be successful based on love of the game alone. Golf is also a business, and I’ve devoted much of my educational efforts toward helping fellow professionals succeed on the financial side of the game. I feel this emphasis has significantly improved the performance of the Professionals under my direct and indirect influence and therefore, opened doors to greater opportunities for them. After years with ClubCorp and distinguishing myself as a “financial guy”, I began giving presentations to my fellow professionals several times a year. My specialty was providing training and information on financial management and business concepts. These programs offered an integral way for current PGA professionals to improve their performance within our organization, as well as distinguish themselves as savvy Professionals. In 2007 I was elected as the chairman of ClubCorp’s National Golf Council. Under my Chairmanship, The National Golf Council developed and implemented the Golf Star Training program, which helped professionals learn and obtain certification in valuable industry standard tools and practices. Through this process I worked closely with Mark Murphy, the Vice President of Sale and Marketing for ClubCorp for many years. Together we developed content for the meetings and help direct the Council’s development efforts in effective direction. Mark is now the Managing Director at Palmer Advantage. He 7
can be reached at (714) 697-4066 as a reference for the the work I did with ClubCorp as chairman of the National Golf Council. Overall The Golf Star training program was an outstanding opportunity for us to promote the development of our golf professionals in a variety of ways, which increased their technical skillsets and conceptual understanding of our business practices. Certifications were offered in payroll time management, financial analysis, as well as effective budgeting and Golf specific product marketing and display. Ultimately, the Star training program was a great way for us to provide industry specific training and refine the skills of our PGA professionals and employees. As part of my work as a regional manager and internal hiring advisor with ClubCorp, I was able to see the direct effect of our national training programs on the upward mobility of the professionals working for ClubCorp. I feel my career-long efforts in regard to mentorship and education are my greatest contributions to the PGA in my career so far. I do however look forward to contributing to the PGA in a greater capacity when I seek election to the NCPGA Board of Directors in 2017. 6. Specific to the award elements of mentoring, employment, and club relations, describe your contributions to build and grow the image of the game of golf, the PGA professional, and the PGA of America: In my career, I’ve always known that the image of the game relies upon talented professionals that embody core characteristics like honesty integrity and responsibility. For this reason, much of my efforts to grow the image of the game have revolved around developing Professionals through mentorship and encouraging PGA membership as an important step to success. One of the defining characteristics of my career and an integral part of my success is striving to be the best PGA professional I can be, and taking time to invest in my team members. Many people have come to me asking, “What’s my next step Jeff, how do I go from being a head professional to a general manager?” How do I become a PGA Professional? How did you do it? I’m always humbled in situations like these, and do my best to provide the best guidance and feedback that I can. I guess you could say that I strive to be “The employer of choice”. I like the idea that people want to work for me because they know I’ll always reward hard work and integrity, as well as be a good role model and mentor for developing Professionals. My strong relationships throughout the country have led to frequent calls from other Professionals asking about people in my circles that may be looking for positions as well. Overall, I would say that my career is decorated with stories of successful PGA professionals that will define my “legacy” in this industry. In my different roles throughout my career, I’ve consistently represented the PGA by leading with honesty and integrity. As you’ll see in my letters of recommendation, whether it’s the board meeting at a country club or a city council meeting overseeing a leased municipal property, I’ve taken every effort to represent our profession to the highest standard, as well as set the same expectation for the professionals working at my facilities. In my role as a regional manager for ClubCorp I remained constantly aware that I represent the image of the PGA professional to municipalities, private club owners, member boards and customers. In dealing with public golf courses that are owned by municipalities or private owners, I’ve always been very receptive and available to ensure that their needs and vision are being met. Importantly, I’ve always made sure that those relationships hold strong by hiring PGA professionals that embody the core characteristics of honesty, integrity and responsibility. 8
This isn’t to say that I discount anyone for not being involved with the PGA, but it has led me to challenge talented employees like Paul Short by posing the question, “Why Aren’t you a PGA member”. I’ve always been proud to hire current PGA members, but when I encounter talented non-members of strong character, my instinct is to “bring them into the fold” and ensure that our professional organization, especially within the Northern California Section, is brimming with talented, honest PGA certified Professionals. 7. Describe your efforts at the Section and Chapter level in the endeavor to influence employment and/or club relations in a positive and significant manner: I have spent the majority of my career as a Regional Manager in the Northern California Section. As a regional manager, I’ve been responsible for the Golf Professionals and Apprentices at 14 private and public golf courses in Northern California alone, as well as others in Nevada, Texas, Florida, Georgia and Florida. In addition to advising colleagues throughout section on hiring and other topics, I also participated in a variety of professional seminars, panels and Q&A sessions to help educate and support fellow professionals in the industry. At the 2010 Annual NCPGA meeting I was invited to sit on the employment forum panel along with RJ Reynolds from the Pebble beach corporation, Steve Parker of TouchStone Golf Management and Ken Morton Sr. from Morton Golf. The topic of the panel was “How do you get your resume to the top of the stack”. My focus was explaining how employers look at employment history. I emphasized the importance of staying an adequate length at their jobs, what that means to a potential employer, as well as having both private and public club experience. Lastly, I hoped to impress upon them the value of working for people who have skills they hope to learn, and that who you work for matters. After we spoke on that panel, we were also invited to participate in an employment focused forum organized by Carol Pence. The panel included Gus Jones from Martis Camp, Ken Morton Sr., Executive Director of the NCPGA Chris Thomas, and myself. In 2014 I was invited to the Annual PGA Meeting at Silver Creek Valley Country Club and was asked to participate as a member of the professional panel. Our education seminar that day was named, “The Next step: Growing your worth and separating yourself from the pack”. I spoke about learning the value of being “financially literate”. I also impressed upon them the ways in which having honesty, integrity and responsibility are also useful ways to separate yourself from the pack and elevate the image of the PGA professional. Providing insight and support to the next generation of PGA professionals has always been a priority to me, and I hope it has helped perpetuate the values of integrity, honor and responsibility in the industry. 8. Describe how you have utilized your leadership skills specific to the award elements of mentorship, employment, and club relations at the Section and Chapter levels: Throughout my career I have been dedicated to taking leadership roles in many aspects of the industry. My career reflects a steady progression of leadership roles in regards to PGA Mentorship, Professional education, and Public and Private Club Relationship building. Most importantly, my career-long commitment to mentorship has built a network of highly skilled professionals that have become outstanding leaders in Northern California, where I currently work as COO of my company, Wilson Golf Management. Being a PGA Member for over 25 years has been an integral part of my success in this industry. I’m very proud to say I’ve represented the Profession with integrity and responsibility. As I’ve emphasized, my 9
proudest moments as a PGA member are seeing the success of Professionals that I’ve mentored and guided through their career. As you’ll see from my letters of recommendation and individual stories, my efforts have helped many Professionals advance their careers within our section and inspired them to develop and mentor the next generation of PGA Professionals. I think my leadership skills are best reflected by this cascading effect of positive influence on PGA professionals within our section and I’m proud to see just how long that list has become. While working for ClubCorp I was invited to be a member of ClubCorp's National Leadership Cabinet, an elite group of managers and regional managers. From 2000 – 2002 I worked as a cabinet member providing consultation and solutions to the owners and CEO of ClubCorp as they managed 150 properties and 20,000 employees worldwide. In 2007, I was elected as Chairman of ClubCorp’s National golf Council, where I oversaw the development and implementation of the Golf Star Training Program, a nationwide ClubCorp education and certification program. Through my career I’ve also taken leadership roles at a variety of private clubs to help ensure that the needs of members are being met. When I arrived at Haile Plantation in Gainesville Florida, the members were upset and felt like they had no “say” in the club policies. I immediately began reaching out to prominent members to motivate the formation of a governor’s board and begin creating more member oriented policies at the club. Similarly, when I arrived as the manager at Catta Verdera, the board’s wants and desires had gone neglected by the previous manager. Needless to say, there was a disgruntled atmosphere. My personal feeling was that if the members don’t participate in the decision making process, they won’t be happy with club policy. Therefore I set about working closely with the board and gaining their confidence. Over time, we have accomplished a variety of facility improvement goals like a 1500 square foot bar and 2500 square foot patio. Finally, I’d like to say that my role as a leader has culminated in the formation of my own management company, Wilson Golf Management. Because of the leadership skills that I demonstrated in the Northern California section, a golf course owner that I’ve worked closely with since 1999 urged me to begin my own company and take over management of his six properties. Though I was nervous to make such a big step, I had confidence in the individuals I had placed at my facilities, as well as those who would later come to work for Wilson Golf Management. Working in this capacity has given me an even greater ability to impact and positively influence the professionals within my organization and provide Golf professionals with meaningful opportunities within our section. 9. List PGA of America National and/or Section awards received and year received: 2015 NCPGA Bill Strausbaugh Award Recipient. 10. Other awards or special recognition from additional organizations: 2008 AllStar Award, 2008 Silver Circle of Excellence, 2007 Bronze Circle of Excellence 2007 AllStar Award, 2006 Gold Circle of Excellence Turkey Creek Golf Club, 2006 Super Star Award, 2004 Elected as the Chairman of ClubCorps National Golf Committee, 2003 Super Star Award, 2002 Elected to ClubCorp National Golf Council 1999 ClubCorp Rookie Club of the Year Turkey Creek Golf Club Lincoln Ca, 1995 ClubCorp Rookie club of the year Haile Plantation Gainesville Florida
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11. List PGA National, Section, or Chapter Officer positions or Boards you have held or served: Due to the demands of regional management and course development, as well as the time I’ve dedicated to charities, mentorship, and other golf organizations like the First Tee of Sacramento, I could not commit the time required to pursue any officer positions or serve on any PGA boards. As my youngest son will graduate university this year and my professional focus is more local, I’m proud to say that I’ll be pursuing an elected position on the Northern California board in 2017. 12. List PGA National, Section, or Chapter Committee on which you served as chair or member: As stated in #11, my career demands have not yet allowed me the privilege to serve. 13. In the effort serve The PGA, list up to five (5) of your most recent contributions (outside your fulltime position) to the golf industry-wide Growth of the Game effort; if volunteered, please note:
The First Tee of Greater Sacramento After my oldest son began participating in First Tee events, I began involving myself more directly with The First Tee of Greater Sacramento. After years of involvement in fundraising and organizing, I was invited to be the PGA representative on the Board of Directors for the First Tee of Greater Sacramento. My job as the PGA representative is to keep the board focused on growing the game of golf. I have personally raised over $50,000 for local programs that involve more than 2,000 participants annually by helping inner city children learn core values and the rules of the game. “Jeff has reached out to others in community on our behalf and shared from his heart about the great work our organization is doing for kids in our region. In the past few years, Jeff has been the number one fundraiser on our entire board during our annual campaign. Not only has he brought in much needed funds to the organization but he has been a role model to other board members and elevated the level of their engagement. Jeff has also engaged several of the golf industry vendors to offer financial support as well as other PGA professionals to offer golf donations to their facilities to benefit our program.” -Angie Dixon, Executive Director, The First Tee of Greater Sacramento, 2016
Golf Booster Club President In 2006 my son was a freshman at Woodcreek High School in Roseville, where he decided to try competitive golf. At the time, there were only nine spots available on the team, six starting players and Professional) I was curious to attend the tryouts. I was disappointed to see how many kids had to be cut due to the lack of resources. I decided to work with the coach to begin raising money to fund an extra coach, golf balls, proper team bags, and uniforms. In 2007 I took over as the president of the Golf Booster Club, a fundraising club for high school sports. Our club efforts helped the golf team grow from nine to thirty-five kids, as well as pay for uniforms, bags, range balls, travel expenses and a second, then third coach to compensate for the team size. We arranged group lessons for the junior varsity teams at no cost and made low cost private lessons available for the more experienced players. Additionally, I personally hosted a rules seminar for all players at the beginning of every season. Our varsity team thrived that next year, and I remained the booster club president for five years, with my wife as treasurer for four. I’d like to quote Brent Burkett, who I worked with extensively to achieve these goals. 11
“Jeff has done everything for our program not out of selfish gain but to give. He could have easily provided his two sons all the golf without doing anything for the team but he didn’t. He even continued to give to the golf program after his boys graduated. His generosity and service to our program are qualities that I hope to instill into my golfers.”-Brent Burkett, Varsity Boys Golf Coach, Woodcreek High School
Semper Fi Fund In coordination with my business partner over the last three years I’ve become involved with the Semper Fi Fund. In my role I coordinated donations of apparel for participants and staff, items for the auction and secured signature sponsors for their annual golf tournament fundraiser. I’ve also worked closely with Lt. Col. Green to help plan the event itself, which helped raise $140,000 last year.
Ride to walk In Lincoln, I helped the organization Ride to Walk hold multiple golf tournaments to raise funds for their program. I also provided them with equipment to help maintain their facilities and donated a golf cart to help the program director move around the property without spooking the horses. We also helped fix equipment that was broken for them at no charge. 14. In addition to any information provided from the questions above, please provide any additional information that may assist the PGA Special Awards Committee in evaluating you as a candidate for the Bill Strausbaugh Award; the additional information is limited to three (3) typewritten pages (double line spaced and 12 point font). The following are more individuals with similar stories to those above and have been influenced by me personally in their careers: Craig Riddle-GM, Bear’s Best Atlanta, James Stewart- Serrano Country Club Bill Pearse-Trempealeau Mountain Golf Club Nate Pomeroy- GM, Peach Tree Golf & CC Kelly Runkle- Head Professional Peach Tree Golf & CC Cabe Jones- Head Professional, Wente Golf Club Jason Harrington- Winchester Country Club Mark Vetovitz- Assistant, Catta Verdera Country Club Doug Hagen- GM, Hilands Golf Club Daryl Parenteau- Head Professional, Paradise Valley GC
Franklyn Richards - Director of Instruction Catta Verdera CC, British PGA (916) 206 -2406 I first met Franklyn Richards in Los Angeles in 1979 where he was the Director of Golf at Mountain Gate Country Club and hired me as a cart assistant. After moving to Northern California, I was excited to learn that he was also in the area. His presence made a lasting impression on me as a young professional and I was glad to hire him 20 years later as Director of instruction at several of my facilities. Franklyn has watched me develop as a professional myself, as well as mentor and guide others in the Northern California section for the last sixteen years.
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To Whom It May Concern,
I am proud to endorse Jeff Wilson’s nomination for the 2016 Bill Strausbaugh Award. A man of outstanding character, Jeff’s unparalleled commitment to his community, the welfare of his staff, and the growth of the industry make him an exceptional candidate for this award. I have had the pleasure of working for Jeff for the last 7 years as the PGA General Manager of Coyote Moon Golf Course in Truckee, California. An incredible mentor, Jeff’s extensive knowledge and expertise in the industry combined with his unique ability to inspire confidence, creativity, and innovation in his staff, has elevated the success of the courses he has managed and has built the foundation for both positive and productive work environments in which each person has a sense of pride and ownership in the operation. Throughout the time I have known him, Jeff has shown me the value of taking personal interests in each of your staff, engaging them and their interests, and in doing so getting the best out of that person. Past PGA of America President Will Mann described Bill Strausbaugh’s career as a “study in dedication to people as well as the love of the game itself”, a depiction of two qualities I believe best describe Jeff Wilson, and his impact on his community and the industry. Jeff’s love of the game reaches far and wide. With over 30 years of industry experience, Jeff has managed over 20 golf courses, led thousands of employees, worked with hundreds of vendors, and has given countless hours to the industry, and communities not only in which he has resided, but in which he has any industry ties as well. His dedications lie in growing the game through his commitment to Junior Golf, fostering partnerships with local organizations and foundations, and inspiring his staff to create strong and lasting community ties in their communities as well. Jeff sits on the board of First Tee Sacramento, and passionately dedicates his time and fundraising efforts towards them, the high school, and other junior golf groups. Jeff encouraged me to apply for and accept a position on The Board of Education in Truckee, and actively host junior golf programs through Coyote Moon, not only in supporting tournaments but in offering educational programs to help introduce young golfers to the game. Ask any other manager or golf professional who has worked with Jeff, and I am sure they will all give examples where Jeff actively encouraged them to pursue community involvement opportunities as well. Jeff’s unwavering dedication to his staff is second to none. Taking a genuine personal interest in everyone, and always putting the person first, Jeff has created a foundation for one of the most positive work environments I have ever been a part of. 4 1/2 years ago, my daughter was born 14 weeks premature with several medical complications. Upon hearing the news, Jeff was immediately on the road, driving several hours to come and support our family, arriving before several of our immediate family members. He has continuously provided emotional support for our family, and always made sure I knew how important it was to put family first in life. Every time we speak, Jeff first asks about our family and how we are doing, before ever addressing any business. He motivates me to be a better father, better employee, and better man, and has 5
motivated me to better support my staff in their lives as well. This situation is not unique to our family, Jeff is continuously engaging staff in their interests, and I am aware of many other situations in which Jeff has provided unique levels of support for other employees going through challenges in their lives. Inspiring a pay-it-forward mentality amongst those who have had the pleasure of working beside Jeff, it is without a doubt that his influential leadership style and passion for people is continuously being spread, fostering positive and supportive work environments within the industry, by those who have been touched by Jeff’s unique generosity. Jeff is an incredible teacher, coach, and mentor, always eager to share the skills, knowledge and expertise he has gained through so many years of industry experience. He has an exceptional ability to always listen first, completely hear out suggestions from others, obtaining the most information on a situation before weighing in. Jeff involves his staff in decisions and values the opinions and initiatives of others, rarely starting a conversation with given direction but instead a thought provoking question – “How can we…?”. Jeff is direct, honest, and thoughtful. He leads with humor and integrity and inspires his staff to grow and find their own path within the industry. Jeff is well respected by his colleagues and employees in all levels of the business, and it is not uncommon for a vendor or colleague to approach me to compliment or express their respect for him. He has mentored many great leaders, whose influences reach far and wide within the golf community, growing the game and industry in positive ways. While there much more to be said of great character and accomplishments of Jeff Wilson, it is his dedication to people and the industry that I believe makes him an ideal recipient of the Bill Strausbaugh Award. It is with great honor that I support his nomination for such a prestigious award. If I can provide further information or insight, please feel free to contact me at anytime.
Sincerely,
Edward McGargill PGA General Manager Coyote Moon Golf Course [email protected] (530) 412-3336
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