NCA Board of Directors - The National Club

NCA Board

About the National Club Association Board of Directors

Our board leaders represent the private club industry, including its general managers and chief operating officers, board leadership and key legal, financial and club services industry professionals. Their guidance and expertise, along with NCA’s professional staff, provide invaluable support to private yacht, athletic, city, golf and country clubs across the United States.

Officers

Nick Sidorakis, Director at the National Club Association

Chair

Nick Sidorakis, CCM

GM/COO, Southern Hills Country Club
Tulsa, Okla.

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Vice Chair

Malcolm MacColl

The Windsor Club
Vero Beach, Fla.

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Secretary

Rob Smith

The Country Club of Oxford
Oxford, Miss.

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Treasurer

Luke O’Boyle, CCM, CCE

GM/CEO, Chevy Chase Club
Chevy Chase, Md.

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Immediate Past Chair

Michael Bruni

Olympia Fields Country Club
Olympia Fields, Ill.

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Directors

Tom Bennison

Chief Development Officer, ClubCorp
Dallas, Texas

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Matthew Cary

National Democratic Club
Washington, D.C.

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Ken Donovan

President, Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club
Bedminster, N.J.

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Thomas A. Lenz, JD

Partner, Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo
Pasadena, Calif.

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Joel Livingood, CCM

GM/CEO, Interlachen Country Club
Edina, Minn.

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John Magill

National Republican Club of Capitol Hill
Washington, D.C.

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Michael McCarthy

GM/CEO, Addison Reserve Country Club
Delray Beach, Fla.

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Jeff McFadden, CCM, CCE, ECM

CEO, The Union League of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pa.

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Tim Muessle, CCM, CCE

COO, The Olympic Club
San Francisco, Calif.

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Christine R. Pooler, CCM, ECM

GM/COO, Oakland Hills Country Club
Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

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Michelle F. Tanzer, JD

Partner, Nelson Mullins
Boca Raton, Fla.

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Terra Waldron, CCM, CCE, ECM

Executive Director, Desert Mountain
Scottsdale, Ariz.

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Thomas B. Wallace, CCM, CCE, ECM

Partner, KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE
Cleveland, Ohio

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President & CEO

Joe Trauger

National Club Association
Washington, DC

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President & CEO

Joe Trauger

National Club Association
Washington, DC

Joe Trauger is NCA’s president & CEO.

Trauger joined NCA’s staff in 2019 from his role as principal and founder of Northfield Strategies, an advocacy consulting firm. Prior to Northfield, Trauger was senior vice president of policy and government relations at the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute and vice president of government relations at the National Association of Manufacturers. He has extensive experience on Capitol Hill, including senior positions for then House Majority Whip Roy Blunt, who is now in the Senate, and then House Majority Leader Dick Armey. Trauger also served on the staff of the late Senator Rod Grams (R-Minn.) and late Representative Sam Johnson (R-Texas).

With NCA, Trauger has spearheaded governmental outreach and advocacy while working closely with the association’s board to grow programs that include the ClubPAC political action committee. He also has first-hand experience within the community as a longtime member of multiple clubs and current board member and former president of Mount Vernon Country Club, Alexandria, Va.

Kevin P. Vitale, CCM

GM / COO, Baltusrol Golf Club Springfield, New Jersey

Kevin P. Vitale, CCM has served as the General Manager and COO of Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J., since 2003. Founded in 1895, Baltusrol boasts 36 championship holes of golf and has hosted the Men’s and Women’s U.S. Open Championships a combined nine times, the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships a combined six times, and most recently the club played host to the 87th PGA Championship in 2016. During Vitale’s tenure, the club has been chosen a Platinum Club of America four times, and in the most recent poll, the club was ranked number 16 in the United States.

Vitale formerly served as the General Manager and COO of the Hartford Golf Club in West Hartford, Conn., and the Crestview Country Club in Agawam, Mass. He attended Stonehill College in Easton, Mass., where he received his Bachelor of Arts in business.

Tom Wallace II, CCM, CCE, ECM

KOPPLIN, KUEBLER & WALLACE
Cleveland, Ohio

Tom Wallace II CCM, CCE, ECM, In 2014 Tom Wallace joined KOPPLIN & KUEBLER, a private club executive search and consulting as their newest executive. Wallace is primarily focused on GM/COO, director of golf, and golf course superintendent searches, as well as, operation assessments, team building, leadership development and general consulting. In 2016, Tom was named partner at the firm that now goes by KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE.

Wallace’s club management career spans over twenty-five years in the private golf, country, and community club segments. Most recently, he served as the general manager and chief executive officer for The Club at Mediterra in Naples, Fla.

Prior to Mediterra, Wallace applied his leadership skills for a decade at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa., inspiring a new culture and bringing the quality of operations up to premiere status. He received the 2007 Excellence in Club Management Award as a top performing manager in the country.

Under his leadership, Oakmont hosted three major championships in a seven-year period, including the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open, 2007 U.S. Open and the 2003 U.S. Amateur. The 2007 U.S. Open Championship was regarded by the USGA as the “Gold Standard Open” for the modern era.

Prior to his tenure at Oakmont, Wallace served in various leadership roles at The Country Club in Pepper Pike, Ohio, for over a decade.

Tim Muessle, CCM, CCE

COO, The Olympic Club
San Francisco, Calif.

Tim Muessle, CCM, CCE, is chief operating officer of The Olympic Club in San Francisco, California. The Club boasts two unique campuses. The downtown city athletic club is one of the most well known and respected bastions of athletics and wellness in the country. The golf and tennis club along the Pacific Coast boasts a multi-U.S. Open pedigree and will host The USGA Women’s Open in 2021, The USGA Amateur in 2025, The PGA Championship in 2028, and The Ryder Cup in 2032.  

Prior to joining The Olympic Club, Muessle served as general manager of the Yale Club of New York City, the GM/COO of The Philadelphia Cricket Club, and several other clubs dating back to his humble roots as a pool waiter at Bethesda Country Club during his summer breaks from college. At The Philadelphia Cricket Club, he led the effort to double revenues in just 5 years. He oversaw a two campus master plan creation and execution. He also negotiated national championship agreements with the USGA, the PGA of America, and the PGA TOUR.  

He served on the Philadelphia and Vicinity Club Managers Association Board as a director, treasurer, vice president and president. He has also served on various committees for NCA and CMAA over his career. He has presented at national and regional club management conferences on several topics, including culture development, organization building, executive leadership, project management, and IT strategic and master planning.

Muessle graduated from Providence College with a BS in Business Administration. He has been an active supporter of the Make-a-Wish Foundation and FirstTee.

Michelle F. Tanzer, JD

Global Club and Branded Residences, Nelson Mullins
Boca Raton, Fla.

Michelle Tanzer is a partner at Nelson Mullins’ Global Club and Branded Residences Group and co-chair of the Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Team. Ms. Tanzer advises her developer, hotel operator, club, and community association clients with projects in the U.S. as well as the Caribbean, The Bahamas, Latin America, and Asia. Her primary focus is negotiating, structuring, and amending the governance documents as well as the consumer, licensing, marketing, and management agreements necessary for residential and resort communities, mixed-use projects, residence club and timeshare developments, and golf, marina, spa, fitness, tennis, and dining clubs.

Tanzer uses her global hospitality industry experience to guide her clients through complex substantive issues in the current legal and economic environment, as well as operational, business, and financial issues to be addressed through the life of the project. When working on development projects overseas, she helps achieve integration of western business and legal objectives within foreign jurisdictional frameworks by implementing innovative and creative solutions.

As a Florida Supreme Court qualified arbitrator, a certified circuit civil mediator, and one of four professionals selected by the American Arbitration Association for the National Golf Industry Panel, Tanzer serves as arbitrator or mediator to resolve a wide range of disputes. When assisting clients, she uses her dispute resolution experience to provide counsel with a view toward dispute avoidance. She has written and lectured extensively on the issues concerning residential, resort, and golf projects and authored the book “The Club Litigation Book – Keeping Clubs out of Court.”  

Secretary

Rob Smith

The Country Club of Oxford
Oxford, Miss.

Robert L. Smith, II is the managing director at Mercury, a leading public strategy firm. Previously he served as one of Venable’s top senior legislative advisors, representing and advising a diverse lobbying client base.

A veteran of Capitol Hill, Smith draws on his extensive experience to assist his clients in all aspects of federal advocacy. In addition to advocating for his clients before the legislative and executive branches, Smith often assists his clients with navigating requirements to, among other things, obtain federal funding or sell their products to federal agencies.

A native Oklahoman, Smith is politically active and serves on the steering and finance committees for many federally elected officials. He is a member of Congressional Country Club in Maryland; Calusa Pines Golf Club in Florida; The Country Club of Oxford in Mississippi; Old Waverly Golf Club in Mississippi; and Southern Hills Country Club in Oklahoma.

John Magill

National Republican Club of Capitol Hill
Washington, D.C.

John Magill joined The Livingston Group as a consultant in 2014, offering his expertise in a wide range of issues. His skills include legal, legislative and policy analysis, project management and communications.

Previously, Magill served for eight years as the Executive Vice President of Government Relations for the Credit Union National Association, where he had been the chief lobbyist and legislative advocate for the nation’s largest credit union trade association.

A longtime veteran of Capitol Hill, John Magill is a former Chief of Staff to two Members of Congress: Wally Herger (R-CA) and G. William Whitehurst (R-VA). He also served as staff to Congressman J. Kenneth Robinson (R-VA). His activities with the Livingston Group include counsel to clients in the areas of financial services, taxes and trade.

Magill graduated from the College of Law at the University of Tennessee with a Juris Doctorate and also earned a bachelor’s degree degree from the University of Tennessee. He is admitted to the practice of law in Tennessee.

He has served on the Board of Governors and as Vice President of the Capitol Hill Club for 29 years before being elected President in 2020. He and his wife Susan reside in Alexandria, Va. and are the parents of two grown children. They are also members of the 116 Club, the Old Dominion Boat Club, the Belle Haven Country Club and the Lewes Yacht Club.

Chair

Nick Sidorakis, CCM

General Manager/COO, Southern Hills Country Club
Tulsa, Okla.

Nick Sidorakis, CCM has been the general manager and COO of Southern Hills Country Club, in Tulsa, Okla., for more than 22 years. Previously, Sidorakis worked for the Marriott Corporation in a variety of general management positions for nine years and owned and operated Sleepy Hollow Inn, a continental cuisine restaurant in Scotch Plains, N.J.

At Southern Hills Country Club, Sidorakis has overseen two major golf course renovations and a $22 million facility renovation project and is currently leading the club through another facility master plan, which will be presented to the membership in June 2017. Under his leadership, the club has hosted the 1995 and 1996 TOUR Championships, the 2001 U.S. Open, the 2007 PGA Championship and the 2009 U.S. Amateur Championship.

Sidorakis attended The University of Houston Hotel and Restaurant Management School and attended Florida State University’s Hotel and Restaurant Management School. He serves on the USGA Regional Affairs Committee and the NCA Government Relations Committee. Sidorakis is co-founder of The First Tee of Tulsa and The First Serve programs, and currently serves as president of The First Tee of Tulsa program and is chairman of the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame. He also served as a member of the board of the CMAA Kansas/Oklahoma Chapter and as its president.

Keith A. Pabian, JD

Founding Partner, Pabian Law
Framingham, Mass.

Keith Pabian is the founding partner of Pabian Law, LLC, a national immigration law firm focusing on assisting employers through the visa and immigration process. Pabian specializes in representing seasonal businesses from coast to coast in the hospitality industry. He and his team work with private clubs on H-2B seasonal visas, year-round visas, green card applications and other immigration matters.

Pabian regularly presents at national conferences, local chapter meetings and international webinars on immigration topics affecting the hospitality industry. He has received numerous awards for his success in providing solutions for employer’s most pressing staffing issues, including Boston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award and the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Up & Coming Lawyer Award.

Pabian and his firm are proud partners of Medical Legal Partnership-Boston (MLP), through which Pabian Law provides pro bono representation to Boston Medical Center and Dana Farber Cancer Institute patients and families on visa and immigration matters. He is also an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association (AILA).

Pabian is a graduate of Union College and Villanova University School of Law.

Treasurer

Luke O’Boyle, CCM, CCE

General Manager/Chief Executive Officer, Chevy Chase Club
Chevy Chase, Md.

Luke O’Boyle, CCM, CCE is the general manager and chief executive officer of Chevy Chase Club, in Chevy Chase, Md., a position he has held since 2004. Previously, O’Boyle held management positions at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Southampton, N.Y.; Greenville Country Club, Greenville, S.C.; Houston Country Club, Houston, Texas; and the Vicmead Hunt Club, Wilmington, Del.

From 2011 to 2014, O’Boyle served on the Club Management Association of America’s national board of directors. In 2020, he was one of eight industry professionals recognized as a CMAA Fellow, an honorary recognition program distinguishing those living CMAA members who epitomize the leadership, integrity, involvement and contributions of club management professionals.

O’Boyle is a graduate of Widener University. He has served as an advisory board member for the hospitality management programs at Widener University and James Madison University. He is a frequent guest lecturer in the field of private club management, and in 2016 he was recognized by the Hospitality Business Management Program at the University of Delaware as their 2016 Champion of Club Education.

O’Boyle has worked at NCA member clubs throughout his career. He has served as an NCA regional representative and has participated in NCA’s efforts at National Golf Day.

Michael McCarthy

CEO/General Manager, Addison Reserve Country Club
Delray Beach, Fla.

Michael McCarthy is CEO and general manager of Addison Reserve Country Club in Delray Beach, Fla. He has been credited with turning around the club, which now boasts both the Platinum Club and Distinguished Club Award distinctions. In 2006, McCarthy received the Excellence in Club Management Award, and in 2009, he earned the highest recognition being named 24th Club Executive of the Year by the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) for his success in redesigning the management structure of Addison Reserve. Previously, McCarthy served as COO of BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., for eight years.

He has specialized in club governance, promoting standards for club management. He is a guest lecturer at Florida Atlantic University, University of Central Florida and CMAA, and a contributor to BoardRoom Magazine, Club + Resort Business and Club Director.

McCarthy has been involved with the CMAA since 1997, where he has held successive leadership positions and national committee roles, serving as a director on the CMAA board from 2011 to 2015. Since 2003, he has served on the Florida Chapter board and was president in 2007.

McCarthy is also involved with the Palm Beach County Special Olympics, SOS Children’s Village, Tee It Up For the Troops and Toys for Tots. Most near and dear to his heart, though, is being the vice chairman of the Seminole Region Charity Golf Tournament, which has raised more than $7 million for local children’s charities in Palm Beach County.

Joel Livingood, CCM

GM, Interlachen Country Club
Edina, Minn.

Joel Livingood is the general manager and chief executive officer of Interlachen Country Club in Edina, MN. He is responsible for leading Interlachen’s strategy, operations, and 350 team members. Since joining Interlachen in 2017, Joel has led a multi-million dollar improvement of the Club’s performance and overseen nearly $50 million of capital improvements.

He served as general manager of North Oaks Golf Club in St. Paul, MN, from 2014 – 2017. He also served as general manager of Oxbow Country Club in Fargo, ND, where he led the development and implementation of a $35 million master plan.

Joel currently serves on the board of directors for the National Club Association. In addition, he is a Certified Club Manager and maintains an active role in the Club Management Association of America. Joel earned his bachelor’s degree from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota in 2011.

Matthew Cary

National Democratic Club
Washington, D.C.

Matthew Cary was appointed Director of the District of Columbia Office of Veterans Affairs by Mayor Vincent C. Gray in April 2011. During his four years in office, he initiated several new programs for D.C. Veterans and their families, including the Furniture Donation program, D.C. Veterans and Spouse License Plate program, The VALOR financial literacy program and Christmas Holiday Toy and Clothing Event for D.C. Military & Veteran Family children.

Cary was instrumental in helping a senior staff member become accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a certified Claims Officer to prepare and present D.C. Veterans disability claims to the VA. Since 2011, DCOVA has broken ground on four affordable transitional and permanent veterans housing projects. He also

developed strong partnerships with the Student Veterans of America national organization; student/veteran campus chapters of American University, George Washington University, Georgetown University, Howard University, UDC and Catholic University; Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA); Vietnam Veterans of America and numerous other veterans service organizations. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve during the Vietnam War and served six years in a Combat Engineer Unit and the 354th Civil Affairs Unit.

Cary was a founding member and first President of Veterans and Military Families for Progress (VMFP), a
21st century 501(c)4 volunteer non- profit, non-partisan, tax-exempt national veteran service organization. Through his leadership, VMFP was successful in helping to get 51 bills for veterans and their families through the 110th & 111th Congresses and signed into law.

Cary holds a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in urban management and urban planning from American University and a bachelor’s degree in social science from St. Bonaventure University. He was elected Treasurer of the National Democratic Club in 2014 and serves on the boards of directors of Veterans and Military Families for Progress, and Sports Management Associates. He was also inducted into the D.C. Men’s Adult and Senior Amateur Baseball League Hall of Fame in 2008. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Dana.

Thomas A. Lenz, JD

Partner, Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo
Pasadena, Calif.

Thomas Lenz is a partner at Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo where he heads the firm’s traditional labor practice, working with employers in all major industries across California and the West. He brings practical experience to advice, training and representation of employers in unfair labor practice cases, representation election cases, union organizing campaigns including corporate campaigns and salting, collective bargaining, picketing, strikes, and related litigation. Lenz was named to the “Top One Hundred Labor Attorneys in the United States” by Labor Relations Institute, Inc.

Before joining the firm Lenz practiced law with National Labor Relations Board where he investigated claims against employers and unions. He regularly presents seminars, speaks to classes, and is frequently consulted by the media for interviews and quotes on labor and employment topics. He is active in LERA and ABA Committees and is a contributing author to labor law treatise, “The Developing Labor Law.”

Lenz received his undergraduate degree from Marquette University and his law degree from the Louisiana State University Law Center. Lenz studied in Spain during college (Universidad Complutense de Madrid) and in France during law school (Universite d’Aix-en-Provence). 

Tom Bennison

Chief Development Officer, ClubCorp
Dallas, Texas

Tom Bennison, an experienced and successful dealmaker in the private club and golf industries, has consummated more than 100 acquisitions, leases, joint ventures and management contracts for ClubCorp USA, Inc., and prior to that for Club Development Interests where he was a partner for ten years. In 2011 he sourced investment capital, which led to the formation of Fore Golf Partners. Bennison has completed deals with organizations such as The Nicklaus Companies, The Hyatt Corporation, ClubLink Corporation, Pulte Homes, Shea Homes, The Tower Company, AEW, Kettler & Company, Corcoran & Jennison, Sequoia Golf, Stratford Golf, Traditional Golf, the PGA Tour and the Hugh Bacroft Trust.

Tom Bennison

Chief Development Officer, ClubCorp

Tom Bennison is senior vice president business development for ClubCorp USA, Inc. During the past 30 years, he has consummated more than 100 acquisitions, leases, joint ventures and management contracts for ClubCorp USA, Inc., and prior to that for Club Development Interests where he was a partner for 10 years.

In 2011, Bennison sourced investment capital, which led to the formation of Fore Golf Partners. One of the most successful dealmakers in the private club and golf industry, Bennison has completed deals with organizations such as The Nicklaus Companies, The Hyatt Corporation, ClubLink Corporation, Pulte Homes, Shea Homes, The Tower Company, AEW, Kettler & Company, Corcoran & Jennison, Sequoia Golf, Stratford Golf, Traditional Golf, the PGA Tour and the Hugh Bancroft Trust.

Bennison is a member of the Recreational Development Council Gold Flight of The Urban Land Institute, a member of the National Golf Foundation and a member of the National Golf Course Owners Association. He earned a liberal arts and science degree from Richland College and studied economics and finance at The University of Texas at Dallas.

Ted M. Benn, JD

Partner, Thompson & Knight LLP
Dallas, Texas

Ted M. Benn is a partner at Thompson & Knight LLP and a member of the Real Estate and Banking practice. He counsels clients on a wide variety of real estate, corporate, and general business matters, including mergers, stock and asset acquisitions and divestitures, partnerships and joint ventures, debt and equity financings, lease transactions, management and consulting arrangements, and real estate developments. His diverse practice has resulted in the representation of clients of all sizes in both domestic and international transactions. He has significant experience in the hospitality, golf and private club industries and is a frequent author and speaker on private club-related matters.

Benn sits on the Executive Committee of the Board of Downtown Dallas and serves as Treasurer. He is a member of the American and Dallas Bar Associations. He was named a Texas Super Lawyer® by Thomson Reuters in 2010-2015 and as one of the Best Lawyers in America® by Woodward/White Inc. in 2012-2016, and Who’s Who Legal: Energy by Law Research Business Limited in 2014-2015. Prior to rejoining Thompson & Knight, Benn served as in-house counsel for ClubCorp, Inc.

Benn attended Mankato State University for his undergraduate studies and earned his law degree at Baylor Law School, where he was lead articles editor for the Baylor Law Review.

Ken Donovan

President, Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club
Bedminster, N.J.

Ken Donovan is the president and a trustee of Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, N.J. Fiddler’s Elbow, a 54-hole private club located about 40 miles west of New York City, is recognized as a Distinguished Club by Boardroom Magazine, and multiple time Club of the Year by the NJPGA.

Donovan literally grew up in the club business. His father, Ray, and a partner founded Fiddler’s Elbow in 1965. Ken has been directly involved in the club’s management for the past 30 years. Donovan, along with his sister, brother and two sons, direct the management of the club. He is a member of the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) and was recognized as a Distinguished Club President by Boardroom Magazine. An ardent supporter of inner-city education, Donovan was a founding board member of JerseyCan and currently is a member of the board of trustees of the Tri-County Scholarship Fund along with his wife, Kris. He received his BA in economics from Fairfield University, in Fairfield, Conn., and his MBA in financial management from Pace University, in New York City.

Immediate Past Chairman

Malcolm MacColl

President, McMahon Group

Frank J. Vain, President of McMahon Group, Inc., in St. Louis, provides consulting and planning services to private clubs throughout North America and Asia. Through use of specialized services including membership surveys, strategic planning, operational analysis and facility long-range planning, Vain assists clubs in developing individualized strategies for their unique situations.

Vain joined McMahon Group, Inc., in 1988 and has more than 30 years of experience in the management and development of hospitality properties including private clubs, athletic clubs, resorts and restaurants. He is a former partner in Concord Sports Club and past president of The Country Club of St. Albans.

Vain is a native of Philadelphia and a graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, Pa. He is a featured speaker at regional chapter meetings of club managers and at college hotel/restaurant management departments. He has written numerous articles that have been published in Club Director and Club Management magazines. Since its inception in 1991, Vain has researched and produced McMahon’s Club Trends®, now a joint project with NCA, and a recognized industry benchmark on the trends and issues affecting private clubs.

Vice Chair

Malcolm MacColl

The Windsor Club
Vero Beach, Fla.

Malcolm MacColl is a retired financial services executive. He was a partner at Brown Investment Advisory, the chairman & CEO of Crosswind Investments LLC, and the Co-CEO of Essex Investment Management, all in the Boston area. He began his career at First Boston Corporation (now Credit Suisse).

MacColl is a member of The Country Club, Brookline, Mass.; The Bald Peak Colony Club, Moultonborough, New Hampshire; RedStick Golf Club, Vero Beach, Fla. and Windsor Club, Vero Beach, Fla.

Immediate Past Chair

Michael Bruni

Olympia Fields Country Club
Olympia Fields, Ill.

Mike Bruni is a partner with HPS in Chicago, Ill. For more than 20 years, Bruni has provided consulting services for Chicago-based nonprofits and has partnered with more than 200 clients on fundraising initiatives, annual fund development, improving productivity of current development operations and volunteer board leadership. He’s helped clients raise more than $600 million dollars, primarily in the areas of health care, education and social service. In addition to fundraising, Bruni provides counsel to organizations on strategic initiatives, board development, executive coaching and recruiting and public affairs.

Bruni’s group continues to significantly impact Chicago nonprofits, facilitating multi-million-dollar capital campaigns and helping with succession planning for nonprofit executives. Currently, Bruni serves as a volunteer with numerous community organizations and serves on the board of directors for the Community Memorial Foundation in Hinsdale, Ill., Olympia Fields Country Club, is a director with the Western Golf Association/Evans Scholars Foundation, and serves on the finance committee at St. Francis Xavier in LaGrange, Ill.

Christine R. Pooler, CCM, ECM

GM/COO, Oakland Hills Country Club
Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Christine R. Pooler, CCM, ECM, is General Manager/Chief Operating Officer at Oakland Hills Country Club. Previously, she served as the General Manager of Indian Creek Country Club in Indian Creek, Fla., from September 2018 to November 2020, Director of Club Operations at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. from November 2016 to September 2018, General Manager of Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa., from January 2007 to November 2016.  She has worked in the club industry since 1994 and previously served the members of Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Del., The Country Club of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y., and Vineyards Country Club in Naples, Fla. 

For Christine, embracing the club’s culture is a priority as well as improving member service and educating staff on the importance of productivity. While at Merion, the club implemented a four-year strategic plan that included: the building of a new state-of-the-art and environmentally-friendly green maintenance operations building and a new golf learning center; the renovation of the historic Grille Room, practice range tee and short game practice area; and the construction of a new halfway house on the historic East Course. Capital dollars were also spent to improve additional areas, including the renovation of the clubhouse library and living room, employee locker rooms and an employee break room. Christine coordinated the hosting of the 2009 Walker Cup Matches and oversaw preparations for the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion.

Christine has been a guest lecturer for university-based hospitality programs at the University of Delaware and has served as a board member of Philadelphia and Vicinity Chapter of the CMAA. Christine serves on both the NCA and NCA Foundation boards and is co-chair of the Membership Committee.

Terra S. H. Waldron, CCM, CCE, ECM

Executive Director, Desert Mountain
Scottsdale, Ariz.

Terra S.H. Waldron, CCM, CCE, ECM, is executive director of Desert Mountain HOA in Scottsdale, Ariz. She has 35 years of experience in the private club industry.

Previously, she served as COO of Greensboro Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., and, prior to that, chief operating officer and vice president of Desert Highlands Association in Scottsdale, Ariz., from 2006-2018. Desert Highlands, a Platinum Club since 1997, also received America’s Healthiest Club award. Waldron also served as General Manager and COO at Dataw Island in S.C.; Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.; Country Club of Charleston in S.C.; Cedar Point Club in Suffolk, Va.; and the Engineers’ Club in Richmond, Va.

Her passion for the club industry has led her to participation on many national industry committees. As a result of her experiences, Waldron has been requested to make numerous presentations for such groups as CMAA, USGA, the Johnson and Wales University campus, the Kiwanis Club and the Optimist’s Club. Waldron has also authored articles for leading industry publications, including Club Director, The BoardRoom and Club Management.

Waldron, who was listed by Forbes as one of America’s most influential women in the Western U.S. in 2015, was awarded the 2015 Excellence in Club Management Mead Grady Award co-sponsored by Club & Resort Business and McMahon Group. In 2016, the Club Managers Association of America named her the Club Executive of the Year. She was selected for CMAA’s inaugural class of 2019 Fellows in recognition of her leadership, integrity, involvement and contributions of club management professionals.

Jeff McFadden, CCM, CCE, ECM

CEO, The Union League of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pa.

Jeff McFadden, CCM, CCE, ECM, is the Chief Executive Officer of The Union League of Philadelphia. Jeff grew up at the Jersey Shore working in hospitality since he was 12. In 1990 he graduated with honors from Cornell’s School of Hotel Management and has managed the Cosmos Club, The University Club of Denver, and has been leading The Union League of Philadelphia since 1998.

Since his arrival in Philadelphia Jeff has led a total revitalization of The Union League, growing receipts from $6 million to over $70 million annually. The Union League has been peer ranked as the #1 Platinum City Club in America since 2012. The Union League has also grown from 1,700 to over 4,500 members over the last 20 years.

The League now has some of the finest facilities in the country with multi locations throughout the Delaware Valley, including the highest rated dining experience in Philadelphia, 224 sleeping rooms, consisting of a center city Inn, golf cottages, a suburban meeting hub, and golf suites. The League has built a cigar bar, private wine cellar, interactive demonstration kitchen bar, and has acquired and rebuilt three full-service country clubs with 81 holes of golf. Also in the League’s portfolio are two private boutique member-only dining restaurants.

Jeff has received many industry honors and is actively involved in leadership with the National Club Association Foundation, Club Management Association of America, Platinum Clubs of America, the Philadelphia Police Foundation, Roman Catholic High School, the Kimmel Center, Wing’s Field, Mid-Atlantic Employers’ Council, Cornell University’s Society of Hotelmen, Angel Flight East, Avenue of the Arts, Inc., Boy Scouts of America, Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, Gulph Creek Hotels, and the Pennsylvania Aero Club.

Jeff is a private instrument rated pilot and an avid average golfer. He lives in Blue Bell, Pa., with his wife and their two children.