Honorees Announced for 2023 Excellence in Club Management® Awards!
 
 
 
 

The 2023 winners have been announced for the Excellence in Club Management® (ECM) Awards, which were established in 1997 by the McMahon Group, Inc., the St. Louis, Missouri-based private club consulting firm, and have been co-sponsored by the National Club Association (NCA) since 2018.
 

The annual awards are selected through nominations submitted on behalf of qualified candidates by other parties. Award recipients are selected solely on the basis of their achievements at the club they currently manage.

 

A Selection Committee comprised of a peer group of leading club managers conducts the judging for the ECM Awards. The Selection Committee for the 2023 Awards is chaired by Joseph Krenn, CCM, CCE, ECM, Chief Executive Officer & General Manager, Farmington Country Club, Charlottesville, Va.

 

A full listing of the Selection Committee, in addition to information on past winners and on how to nominate candidates for future years’ awards, can be found at the special website for the ECM Awards, www.clubmanageraward.com.
 
 

And Now, Let's Welcome the 2023 Excellence

 

in Club Management® Award Winners!

 
 
 
 
THE JAMES H. BREWER AWARD

(Country/Golf Clubs with 600 or More Full-Privilege Members)

 
 
Matt Lambert, CCM, CAM, ECM
General Manager/COO, The Country Club at Mirasol
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
 
 
 
 
 
Matt Lambert began his journey at The Country Club at Mirasol in 2003 as Clubhouse Manager, was promoted to General Manager/COO in 2005, and has been leading its operation ever since. Mirasol was first awarded Platinum Club of America status in 2009 and was rated at that time as the 16th-most respected residential country club and community in the United States. 
 
An Audubon-certified community with over 2,300 acres and 1,170 homes, Mirasol also boasts two championship golf courses, a 78,000-sq. ft. Grand Clubhouse, a 39,000-sq. ft. Esplanade (fitness center, spa, salon), 15 Har-Tru tennis courts, and an active aquatics complex. The club also features free-standing golf and tennis pro shops, and a family-friendly Sports Complex that includes a synthetic turf athletic field, basketball court, bocce, and four pickleball courts, with ten more on the way.
 
With over 2,500 members, The Country Club at Mirasol's 400-plus employees are focused on providing the Mirasol membership with the best experience possible by ensuring first-class amenities and attentive, personal service with a varied, relevant programming schedule to complete this active lifestyle. 
 
“Matt has wonderful attributes which are ideal for his position as General Manager/COO of Mirasol and is highly respected by his management team and staff,” wrote Bernard M. (Bob) Shapiro, President of the Mirasol Club & Association, Inc., in nominating him for Excellence in Club Management recognition. “He is well-liked and greatly appreciated by the membership. He is known for regularly touring the dining areas, talking to members and hearing their views on Mirasol matters. 
 
“In addition, he is at every Mirasol event, greeting members as they arrive and walking around talking to members before the event starts,” Shapiro adds. “He is the ultimate professional and a visionary who has led Mirasol from its inception to become a six-time Platinum Club of America (2009-current) that is recognized as a leading club in Southeast Florida. We are fortunate to have his tireless leadership as a professional who is always looking to improve the lives of those at Mirasol.”
 
 
 
 
THE MEAD GRADY AWARD

(Country/Golf Clubs with Fewer than 600 Full-Privilege Members)
 
 
Carmen Mauceri, CCM, ECM
General Manager, The Club at Mediterra
Naples, Florida
 
 
 
 
 
Carmen Mauceri has been the General Manager/COO of The Club at Mediterra for over 10 years and has an extensive background in the club and hospitality industry.
 

During his time at Mediterra, “Carmen has not only been instrumental in enhancing the physical amenities and member experience of the Club, but he has also transformed the team culture and dynamic” wrote Vincent C. Byrd, President of the Mediterra Board of Governors, in nominating him for Excellence in Club Management recognition. “His dedication and passion for creating an inclusive, team-centric environment has set a new standard for workplace culture within the club industry.”
 
Writing in further support of his nomination, a club industry colleague, Joel Livingood, CCM, General Manager and CEO of Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn., wrote: “Carmen's impact on Mediterra is evident from the moment you arrive on the property; the quality of the facilities, attention to detail, and commitment to excellence are consistent with the finest hospitality experiences in the world. However, you see the real impact of his leadership in his team's energy, enthusiasm, and execution – it is evident they love working at Mediterra.”
 
 
 
 
THE MEL REX AWARD

(City, Athletic or Specialty (Non-Golf) Club)
 
 
Carol A. Bliss, CCM, ECM
General Manager/COO, Chilton Club
Boston, Massachusetts
 
 
 
 
 
Carol Bliss has been General Manager/COO of the Chilton Club since 2018, serving as the club’s first female General Manager in its more than 100-year history. The two most recent presidents of the Club, Nettie Houghton and Deborah Davis, wrote nomination letters in support of her consideration for Excellence in Club Management honors.
 

“I was on the General Manager Search Committee that selected Carol Bliss in 2018 and President of the Chilton Club Board during the first year of the pandemic,” Nettie Houghton wrote. “Once on board, [Carol] embraced the Chilton Club as if she had always been there. While respecting our history, traditions and culture, she simultaneously set about to establish standards of excellence and put best practices in place for the management of the club.
 
“The challenges presented by COVID and the shutdown of clubs across the country provided the opportunity for great leaders to emerge,” Houghton continued. “And Carol did just that. Her unique ability to see the big picture while attending to the myriad details was remarkable. She set new goals and priorities, and navigated the ever-changing COVID landscape, seamlessly adapting on a daily basis.”
 
After helping to steer the club through those challenges, Deborah Davis wrote in her nomination letter, Carol Bliss is now leading the Chilton Club’s advancement to new levels of excellence. “Carol’s ability to translate vision into reality and her oversight of our strategic efforts has resulted in our club’s renewed vigor and excitement, welcoming 98 new members in the past two years. Her understanding of our club’s unique identity, culture and traditions, and her awareness of contemporary issues beyond our club, enable her to bring insightful and strong leadership to our ability to meet our strategic goals.
 
Carol Bliss’ ECM nomination was also supported by letters from several industry colleagues, including:
  • Steven P. Cummings, CCM, CCE, ECM, General Manager, Harvard Club of Boston (Mel Rex Award - 2022)
  • Cynthia Enanoria, CCM, General Manager, Town and Country Club (San Francisco, Calif.)
  • Robert K. St. Francis, Jr., CCE, General Manager/COO, Sulgrave Club (Washington, D.C.)
  • Jennifer Gallagher, General Manager, The Acorn Club (Philadelphia, Pa.)
  • Meredith Waites, General Manager, The Union Club of Boston
 
 
 
 
THE JOHN FURLONG AWARD

(Canadian Clubs)
 
 
Trevor Noonan, CCM, CCE, ECM
Chief Operating Officer, Toronto Club
Ontario, Canada
 
 
 
 
 
The Toronto Club was founded in 1837 as Canada’s oldest private club and the third oldest in North America. A private business and social club, it is appreciated by its members as an oasis of understated elegance, refinement, good manners, civility and decorum. Membership in the club is by invitation and consists of many of Canada’s leading corporate executives across all industries, including accomplished professionals and leaders in business, academia, health care, the arts and impactful community services. The club is committed to a membership culture of inclusion, mutual respect, and equally valued contributions.
 
Trevor Noonan has nearly 28 years of club management experience and became the Toronto Club’s Chief Operating Officer in 2016. “Trevor began his tenure by effecting a very considerate and effective transition from the previous highly regarded Club Secretary, who had been in place for over 21 years and who many members regarded as ‘irreplaceable,’“ wrote Club President David F. Denison, O.C., In nominating him for Excellence in Club Management recognition. “He quickly won the confidence of members and staff with his strong and genuine style of leadership and professional competence, while honoring the traditions and past practices of his predecessor.
 
“ ‘Change’ and ‘New’ at any club can be difficult, let alone a club with 186 years of history,” Denison added. “Trevor has been very adept at making changes and introducing new programming, or as he calls them, ‘enhancements to the club’s programs and services.’ These initiatives have enhanced the value proposition of the club and have been accepted and embraced by its members.
 
“The Executive Committee, Committee of Management, members and employees of the club would universally agree that it has been an eventful six years since Trevor Noonan arrived at the Toronto Club,” Denison concluded. “He has proven to be the right leader for our club as it embraces the changes entailed by its new strategic plan while also preserving its important traditions. His commitment, energy and leadership have had a very positive impact on the club and contributed to its expanded membership ranks, member usage and satisfaction.” 
 
 
 
 
THE RISING STAR AWARD

(Assistant Manager)
 
 
Margaux Beuscher, ECM
Assistant General Manager, Sulgrave Club
Washington, D.C.
 
 
 
 
 
Margaux Beuscher became the Sulgrave Club’s Club House Manager in 2019 and became its Assistant General Manager in 2023. “Since arriving, she has taken the reins and capably led our team to new heights,” wrote General Manager/COO Robert K. St. Francis, Jr., CCE, in nominating her for the Excellence in Club Management Awards’ “Rising Star” recognition.
 
“Margaux's organizational and motivational skills are unrivaled,” St. Francis continued. “She has led by example through challenging times from day one. The transitions that Sulgrave has been through during her tenure are remarkable and like nothing the club has experienced in its 90-year history.
 
“As the pandemic approached, she led our effort to ‘get small,’ ” St. Francis wrote. “The club thrived throughout this time in ways that were not imaginable and a great deal of this can be attributed to Margaux's tenacity and drive.
 
“Coming out of the pandemic and ramping things back up to full-scale operations has been every bit as challenging as what we experienced in the earliest stages of the pandemic, and she capably got our organization back up and running at full speed with aplomb,” St. Francis added. “Her ability to recruit, hire, train, and oversee our operation has propelled us to a place where members regularly thank us for not having missed a beat during these most tumultuous times.
 
“Margaux's earnest integrity is both motivating and refreshing,” St. Francis said. “She is a woman of character who leads selflessly while simultaneously raising a young family. Her efforts to create a better work-life balance for her colleagues is appreciated by the team. She is a trustworthy visionary whose potential is limitless. Without a doubt, Margaux is a ‘Rising Star’ in our industry!”
 
 
 
LIFETIME EXCELLENCE AWARD
 
 
David Chag, CCM, ECM
Former General Manager, The Country Club
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LIFETIME EXCELLENCE AWARD
 
 
Thomas Bertani, CCM, CCE, ECM
Former General Manager, The Racquet Club
St. Louis, Missouri
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The 2023 ECM winners will be honored at a ceremony and dinner, sponsored by KOPPLIN KEUBLER & WALLACE, that will be held at the University Club of Chicago on May 8, 2023 in conjunction with the National Club Conference held by the NCA. The winners will also be featured in a panel discussion on best practices in the private club industry and keys to their personal career success, moderated by Frank Vain, President, McMahon Group, that will be held on May 9 as part of the National Club Conference’s educational agenda.

 

Registration information for the National Club Conference can be found at nationalclubconference.org.

 

Ceremonies will also be held for the 2023 ECM winners at their individual clubs throughout 2023, and they will also be featured in issues of the NCA’s Club Director magazine throughout 2023.

 

McMahon Group is a full-service, private club consulting firm dedicated to serving clubs in all aspects of their planning, clubhouse, golf and membership needs. The firm’s extensive and diverse experience includes service to country, golf, city, dining, athletic, yacht, university, military and gated community clubs. mcmahongroup.com
 
 
 
The National Club Association (NCA) has been the advocate for the private club industry in Washington, D.C., for more than 60 years. As the voice of private clubs on Capitol Hill, NCA ensures that club concerns are forefront when legislative and regulatory issues affecting the industry are being decided. In addition, NCA provides club leaders an outstanding array of resources on club industry trends, governance best practices, legal and operational matters and ways to strengthen club leadership. nationalclub.org.
 
 
 
Thank You to the 2023 Excellence in Club 
Management® Award Dinner Sponsor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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