It’s that time again! The 2026 World Conference is just around the corner and in this episode, we’re chatting with our team members about registration, events and networking, education, and our NewBee activities. Kyle and Melissa will take you through the important things you need to know for the week, and they pick up some guest hosts along the way.

Access the Conference FAQs: https://www.cmaa.org/learn/meetings-and-events/conference/faqs/

Read blog from Skip Avery, CCM, CCE, CMAA Fellow: https://stonegrouparchitects.com/planting-seeds-for-success-making-the-most-of-your-cmaa-world-conference-experience/

City clubs face unique governance challenges, including balancing the needs of an increasingly diverse membership, managing complex urban operations, and navigating a tumultuous socio-political environment. On this episode, we’re joined by World Conference speaker and CMAA National Board Member, Charles Johnson, CCM, CCE, to preview his session on the best practices in city club governance, including strategic alignment and the relationship between management and volunteer leadership.

Catch Charles’ session at the 2026 World Conference & Club Business Expo on February 20, from 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Collaborations with celebrities, professional athletes, influencers, and media production companies can elevate your club's visibility and create powerful market momentum—but only if you've selected your partnerships well and negotiate carefully. On this episode, we’re joined by World Conference speakers Adam Rieck and Matthew Martin to preview their session on navigating celebrity, influencer, and media partnerships at your club.

Catch their session at the 2026 World Conference & Club Business Expo on February 20, from 1:45-2:45 p.m.

On this episode, we are thrilled to be talking to the 2025 Club Executive of the Year, Randy Ruder, CCM, CCE, CMAA Fellow. In November, Club Management magazine named Randy the 2025 Club Executive of the Year. He currently serves as the General Manager/Chief Operating Officer of Beach Point Club in Mamaroneck, NY. In this episode we get to know randy a bit better though the eyes of three of his mentees from across his career. We’re joined by Qian Yang, CCM, Batu Catalkaya, and Sam Lipp, to hear more about Randy’s impact and influence on their career paths.

In this episode, we dive in to talk about ethics and its impact on decision-making in the club industry. Researchers from Michigan State University have been exploring this topic for 35 years. The research was first undertaken in 1989, revisited in 2010, and again in 2024. In this research, club executives were asked to measure their responses to 15 ethical scenarios. We’re joined by Jeffrey A. Beck, Ph.D.; Raymond S. Schmidgall, Ph.D., CPA; and Richard A. Bruner CCM, CCE, with The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University to discuss this interesting research!

You can access the articles about this research in the November/December 2025 edition of Club Management magazine: https://www.club-mgmt.com/clubmanagement/library/item/2025november_december/4304808/

At your club, there are two individuals who share one goal but have differing responsibilities that might seem to be cross purposes at times, the Golf Professional and the Superintendent. These individuals and their teams are responsible for delivering an exceptional golf experience. How can club management professionals support these individuals and help them meet the mission? In this episode, we’re joined by Paul Levy, PGA, and Armen Suny, Search Executives with Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace, to share their insights into how all parties can grow in this existing gap.

Please join us in welcoming one of our newest CMAA team members, Haley Habosky! Haley is CMAA’s new Manager, Student Development and joined CMAA after a stint in the club world. She joins us in this episode to chat about her background and passions and what she is most looking forward to doing with CMAA. Please welcome Haley!

We are thrilled to welcome back to our podcast, our favorite cybersecurity experts at Pulsar Security, a CMAA Education Partner, for answers to our questions about current cybersecurity trends. Pulsar is a company whose mission extends to protect clubs and their members against malicious attacks. The company is a Veteran, privately owned business built on vision and trust, whose leadership has extensive military experience enabling it to think strategically and plan beyond the problems at hand. We are excited to welcome back the CEO and Founder of Pulsar Security, Patrick Hynds and Chief Technology Officer Duane Laflotte.

Please join us in welcoming one of our newest CMAA team members, Udokamma Ebulu! Udokamma (or Udo) is one of CMAA’s Staff Accountants – but that’s not his only interest. He’s truly a man of many talents and he joins us in this episode to chat about his background and passions and what he is most looking forward to doing with CMAA.

When you think about golf cars and personal transport vehicles, your first thought probably centers on transportation. But there is a lot more to consider – golf cars can improve the member experience, expand accessibility, enhance your service opportunities, and provide vital support for maintenance and other daily operations. In this episode of the podcast, we’re joined by Brad Schaufert, one of our partners at E-Z-GO, to talk about this important club component.

E-Z-GO is a globally renowned leader in the design and manufacture of golf cars and personal transport vehicles, known for its innovation in sustainable electric vehicles and powertrain technology.