IN THE SUMMER OF 2010, my family had just purchased a home in Alexandria, Virginia, and we were looking forward to our third child’s arrival. In short: We were busy. The last thing on our minds was how to spend our free time.
Thus, my first experiences at Belle Haven Country Club, which was just a few minutes away from where we were moving—mostly came about by chance. My wife and I had several friends who were members so we began frequenting the club often as guests. The welcoming atmosphere and top-notch facilities, especially for golf and tennis, made our eventful decision to join the club an easy one.
My wife grew up in Atlanta where she and her family are members of Cherokee Town and Country Club. The stories she told of her childhood experiences playing golf, tennis and swimming during the long summer days at Cherokee resonated with me. Growing up in Wyoming, I didn’t experience that lifestyle but I wanted it for my family.
Early on, our kids were the most active club members, taking quickly to the Sharks Swim Team, and spending summers at golf, swimming and tennis camps. Not be to outdone, my wife joined the tennis team and played with the women’s nine hole golf group.
As for myself, I was a very typical member during the first two years: I played golf about once or twice a month, exercised regularly at the fitness center, and enjoyed the occasional dip in the pool with my kids.
Then, in 2012, I was asked if I was interested in serving on the club’s board. I declined the offer, feeling that I hadn’t been a member for a long enough time.
Just a year later, I was approached again to be considered for a board position. Having just started a new job, as the head of government affairs for BMW Group’s D.C., office, I was initially hesitant. However, I eventually decided to seize the chance, knowing that there may never be a “perfect” time to serve the club.
After passing through an initial “listen and learn” mode, I had been asked to be the House and Entertainment Committee’s chairman. The Nominating Committee learned of my former career as a catering company manager so they wanted to put my experiences to work for the club. However, with the departure of one of my fellow board members, I was quickly reassigned to the Pool Committee. The politics around the operations of the pool were nothing that I had ever experienced, even as a seasoned government affairs executive. The issues were varied. Swim team governance, cleanliness, lifeguard training, safety and general upkeep and maintenance were all hot-button topics. The pool is one of the most important and attractive amenities at the club, so it was critical that everything ran smoothly.
Year two was a very different experience as I was chosen to be the vice president by the president himself. I was honored by his selection and equally surprised to learn that the vice president assumes the presidency if the board so chooses. And they did!
Even though it has only been six months since I assumed the presidency, the board and club management have made great strides and changes for the better. New membership categories have been the hallmark of these first months, with many exciting changes to come in the year’s second half, helping the club provide the best possible club experience for our members and their families. If my family is any indication, the club is doing a tremendous job. CD
First Person is a new column written by club members and directors about what makes clubs special. Send your 600-word submissions and photos to Cindy Vizza at [email protected].