Educational Sessions
Join Us at NCA Club Leaders
November 1-2, 2026 | The Club at Carlton Woods, The Woodlands, Texas
Sunday, November 1
7:30 pm: Welcome Remarks by:
CEO & General Manager
The Club at Carlton Woods
Followed by:
Keynote Speaker: Gerry Hunsicker
MLB Executive and Former General Manager, Houston Astros
Monday, November 2
8:45 am: Opening Remarks By:
Jeff Bennett
President, Bald Peak Colony Club; Club Pelican Bay; Brae Burn Country Club; Managing Partner, Muddy Water Holdings
9:00 am: Great Boards Are Built, Not Elected
Partner
KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE
Session Description: Clubs that govern well don't leave leadership to chance. They identify, develop and prepare their volunteer leaders long before anyone takes a seat at the board table — and when they do, those leaders know exactly what the role requires. Learn how to create and implement a leadership development strategy that equips volunteer leaders to govern effectively from day one.
10:00 am: Data-Driven, Fact-Based Governance and Stewardship
Founder & Chief Innovator
Club Benchmarking
Session Description: Join Club Benchmarking Founder Ray Cronin for an insightful discussion on the challenge posed to the volunteer leadership of every club resulting from the cottage industry nature of the member-owned club. This session will address the demonstrated relationship between governance, successful outcomes over time and leveraging data, fact and process; it will also focus on how leading clubs are balancing member expectations, operational performance, long-term capital planning, a shift to strategic governance and the all important source of debate and conflict in every club—the cost of belonging. Attendees will gain practical insights into strategic stewardship and governance and applying known key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter to every club.
11:00 am: A Fireside Chat: From the Boardroom to the Links: A Conversation with Paul Sarvadi
Author, Chairman and CEO
Insperity
Insperity Chairman, CEO and co-founder Paul Sarvadi joins NCA Club Leaders Chair Jeff Bennett for a fireside chat exploring what private club boards can learn from the governance of a publicly traded company. Drawing on his corporate leadership experience, Sarvadi will discuss board-management alignment, accountability and keeping long-term strategy at the center of board decisions. He will also share lessons from helping build Scotland’s Renaissance Club from the ground up and its evolution into the host of the Genesis Scottish Open.
Moderator: Jeff Bennett
President, Bald Peak Colony Club; Club Pelican Bay; Brae Burn Country Club; Managing Partner, Muddy Water Holdings
Join us for NCA Club Leaders, where shared learning, insightful discussions and lasting relationships inspire stronger clubs and more effective leadership.
