Reflections on My First CMAC Conference

“We are deeply embedded in a web of relationships.”— David Suzuki

Conferences are about building relationships and the annual CMAC Conference in October 2024 held in Kelowna set out with the theme “A Sustainable Future Through Natural Connections.”

That said, it is not easy as a new participant to attend a conference and enter an existing network of relationships. 

Before I tell you about the conference, let me start by saying that joining CMAC this year and deciding to go full out by also attending the conference in October was the best decision of 2024. Suzanne Godbehere, CEO of CMAC and her team welcome every new member and make building relationships and becoming embedded into the CMAC network easy. An excellent onboarding process gives everyone the optimal member experiences.   

The location and venue of the conference in Kelowna were magnificent. My first time in Kelowna, I was in awe of the beauty of the lake, the sky and the mountains. All participants stayed at the Delta Okanagan, where the conference was held. In the spirit of jumping in fully, I attended the pre-conference workshop by Club Benchmarking, which was very informative and allowed me to ease into the social interactions with a smaller group, already making connections and meeting people. 

The same evening, prior to the start of the actual conference, CMAC had organized a “Newbee Reception” for all the first-time conference participants and new CMAC members.  It was attended by about 35 of us and we were greeted by the CMAC team, many of the CMAC Board members as well as several long-standing members of CMAC. I had already met some new CMAC members virtually at the onboarding call a month prior and we connected in person at the Newbee reception. The smaller reception made the transition to the general reception that followed right after easy.  

The next three days were jam-packed with workshops, roundtable discussions, the AGM, awards ceremony, panel discussions and social gatherings, including a visit to O’Rourke Family Estate Winery, Predator Ridge Golf Club and an optional visit to Mission Hill Winery.  Since it was my first conference, I decided to attend every single session. What better opening speaker than David Suzuki, who kicked off the conference, relentless and unwavering in his message. As a nature enthusiast and conservation volunteer, it was a huge bonus for me to meet this iconic Canadian in person. David Suzuki reminded us that “we are embedded in the natural world” and that we carry “reciprocal responsibility,” as “all things exist within a context.” Since one of the three pillars of the CMAC’s strategic framework is sustainability, there is an immediate opportunity and need to expand that view of sustainability beyond the clubs’ wellbeing and prosperity to the framework and web of the natural world clubs operate within.

The following “Intergenerational Panel – Working Together through the Ages” moderated by the legendary Jim Hope was humorous, informative and interactive. With a playful opening, where the panelists poked fun at generational stereotypes, the audience was pulled into a great discussion and an active Q & A session. The morning was rounded out by the Awards Ceremony Luncheon, hugely inspiring thanks to the dedication of the award recipients to the mission and vision of CMAC and their roles as club leaders. It was clear that CMAC members have formed a “web of relationships” and people are very supportive and eager to help each other.

After the luncheon it was time to leave for O’Rourke Family Estate, an impressive family undertaking overlooking the Okanagan Valley, with parts still under construction.  We were taken on a tour through the facilities, which included a walk through a tunnel built into the rock, leading us to the winetasting hall. The evening ended with a reception at Predator Ridge with delicious food, amazing hospitality, views over the hills and as if especially arranged for CMAC, a full rainbow over the sky.

The next two days were a combination of informative sessions related to the club industry held by Club Benchmarking, GGA Partners and a session on AI to more thought-provoking topics. This included a very personal presentation held by Fire Chief Jason Brolund, who led his team through the worst fires that threatened Kelowna last year and the talk by CMAA Chair Joe Mendez on Mental Health. He openly shared how he battled and overcame an addiction, which now makes him a stronger leader by showing up fully and authentically. Joe encouraged us to do the same in whichever role we hold. There were many other interesting sessions with insightful takeaways, not to mention many profound table discussions that followed the sessions. 

My key take aways in addition to the learnings were the connections and budding friendships, including the support from many leaders, many of whom were other female club leaders. People are just a phone call away for questions or advice. 

A big shout out and thank you to the CMAC team for working tirelessly in the background to make the conference run smoothly, so participants could enjoy and connect.

I will close now with the promise to pay the kindness and warm welcome forward. If you are a “newbee”, you can count on me as a friend at the conference in Windsor in November 2025 and I will meet you there. If you have attended the conference many times, let’s connect and strengthen the “web of relationships.”

* Photos credit Ken Hagen

Cecilia Gibbons is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in private clubs and luxury hospitality including international roles with Four Seasons Hotels. She has a strong background in strategic management, operational excellence, and creating member-focused experiences. Having recently completed a global Executive MBA with Kellogg-Schulich, Cecilia balances her professional expertise with board involvement and thought leadership, contributing to the evolution of private club management and not-for-profit organizations. Her passion lies in fostering exceptional environments where teams, members, and communities thrive. Cecilia loves to spend time with her husband, two teenagers and friends or you can find her hiking the beautiful trails of Ontario.