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        <title><![CDATA[Club Industry]]></title>
        <description>RSS of Club Industry</description>
        <pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2026 08:34:37 -0400</pubDate>
        <link>https://cmacontario.com</link>
                        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Building One Club: How Alignment Changed Our Culture]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Nicholas D&amp;#39;Ovidio
Interim General Manager at The Club at North Halton

At North Halton Golf &amp;amp; Country Club, culture transformation began with honest conversations and a shared commitment to delivering one seamless member experience. This blog explores how the club aligned its leadership, introduced the 3 Es&amp;mdash;Empathy, Energy, and Entertainment&amp;mdash;and established practical standards reinforced through daily behaviors. It also highlights how AI supports communication and operations, helping the team focus on what matters most: creating exceptional experiences for every member.
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2026-08-04</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Building-One-Club</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Building-One-Club</guid>
                    </item>
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            <title><![CDATA[Volunteer Spotlight: Nicholas D’Ovidio]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Nicholas D&amp;rsquo;Ovidio
CMAC Ontario Branch &amp;ndash; Board of Directors and Member Engagement Vice Chair
Interim&amp;nbsp;General Manager &amp;mdash; The Club at North Halton

Nicholas &amp;ldquo;Nick&amp;rdquo; D&amp;rsquo;Ovidio is a dedicated club management professional whose commitment to member engagement, professional growth, and service excellence has shaped his career and strengthened the clubs and communities he serves.
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2026-07-28</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/volunteer-Nick-D%E2%80%99Ovidio</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/volunteer-Nick-D%E2%80%99Ovidio</guid>
                    </item>
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            <title><![CDATA[Mid-Season Check-In: 7 Things Every Club Leader Should Review in July]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[The height of the golf season is the perfect time to pause and assess what&amp;#39;s working&amp;mdash;and where small improvements can make a big impact. From labour efficiency and member satisfaction to food &amp;amp; beverage performance, events, staff wellbeing, and operational processes, this mid-season check-in highlights seven key areas every club leadership team should review. Featuring insights from experienced club professionals across the industry, it&amp;#39;s designed to spark meaningful conversations that strengthen operations and enhance the member experience before the season comes to a close.
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2026-07-21</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Mid-Season-Check-In</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Mid-Season-Check-In</guid>
                    </item>
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            <title><![CDATA[Volunteer Spotlight: Lisa Brown, CCM]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Lisa Brown, CCM
CMAC Ontario Branch- Board of Directors and Professional Pathways Vice Chair
General Manager, St. Catharine&amp;#39;s Golf &amp;amp; Country Club

Lisa Brown, CCM, is a highly respected leader in the private club industry, bringing more than 20 years of professional experience and over 25 years of membership with the Club Management Association of Canada (CMAC). Her career has been shaped by progressive leadership roles at several of the Greater Toronto Area&amp;rsquo;s most prestigious clubs, including Oakdale Golf and Country Club and Rosedale Golf Club, where she developed a strong foundation in operational excellence, capital project delivery, and member service.
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2026-07-06</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/volunteer-Lisa-Brown</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/volunteer-Lisa-Brown</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Volunteer Spotlight: Jennifer Kennedy]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Jennifer Kennedy
CMAC Ontario Branch &amp;ndash; Board of Directors and Professional Development Chair
Athletics &amp;amp; Wellness Director, The Boulevard Club

Jennifer Kennedy is an experienced wellness and club operations leader whose vision and dedication elevate the role of athletic and wellness programming within private clubs &amp;mdash; enhancing member experiences and supporting professional growth across the club industry.
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2026-06-17</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Volunteer-Jennifer-Kennedy</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Volunteer-Jennifer-Kennedy</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Volunteer Spotlight: Rob Hickson]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Rob Hickson
CMAC Ontario Branch &amp;ndash; Board of Directors and Membership &amp;amp; Marketing Vice Chair
General Manager,&amp;nbsp;Lookout Point Country Club

Rob Hickson is an experienced club leader whose passion for member experience, strategic engagement, and professional service shines both in his club role and in his volunteer leadership within the CMAC Ontario Branch.
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2026-06-10</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/volunteer-Rob-hickson</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/volunteer-Rob-hickson</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Volunteer Spotlight: Hendrick van der Geld, CCM, PGA]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Hendrick van der Geld, CCM, PGA
CMAC Ontario Branch &amp;ndash; Vice President
Chief Operating Officer, The Club at North Halton

Hendrick van der Geld is a distinguished leader in the Canadian club industry, currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer at The Club at North Halton in Georgetown, Ontario. As both a Certified Club Manager (CCM) and a Class &amp;ldquo;A&amp;rdquo; PGA Professional, Hendrick bridges the gap between elite athletic programming and sophisticated business operations.
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2026-05-25</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/volunteer-spotlight-Hendrick</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/volunteer-spotlight-Hendrick</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Behind the Scenes with Lisa Noonan: The Engine Behind CMAC Ontario]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[In every strong professional community, there&amp;rsquo;s a steady force working behind the scenes&amp;mdash;connecting people, shaping ideas, and turning momentum into meaningful action. At the CMAC Ontario Branch, that force is Lisa Noonan.

While members often experience the polished results&amp;mdash;engaging events, valuable education sessions, and a growing network of peers&amp;mdash;the work that brings it all together is layered, intentional, and deeply collaborative. A day in Lisa&amp;rsquo;s world is less about routine and more about orchestration&amp;mdash;balancing strategy, creativity, and connection to keep the branch moving forward.
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2026-05-21</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Behind-the-Scenes-with-Lisa-Noonan</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Behind-the-Scenes-with-Lisa-Noonan</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Finding the Fairway: A Grounded Approach to Golf &amp; Club Management Job Prospecting]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Shaun Tyler, MBA, BComm, PGA of Canada Class &amp;quot;A&amp;quot;
Professor, Sport Management Program
Faculty of Business, Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning

With May marking Mental Health Awareness Month, it&amp;rsquo;s worth recognizing that a job search in the golf and club management industry requires both professional discipline and personal resilience. Seasonality, competitive roles, and the relationship-driven nature of the industry can intensify the pressure and really turn up the heat for those &amp;ldquo;go-getter&amp;rdquo; types. Finding the appropriate balance and recognizing the signs of burnout varies between us all and is certainly easier said than done, but approaching the process with efforts that both stabilize and emphasize mental wellness is critical to maintaining performance and keeping a positive outlook.
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2026-05-18</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Finding-the-Fairway</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Finding-the-Fairway</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Volunteer Spotlight: Alena Miatlushka]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Alena Miatlushka, MCATD
CMAC Ontario Branch &amp;ndash; Board of Directors and Professional Pathways Chair
Director of Human Resources, The Boulevard Club

Alena Miatlushka is a highly accomplished Human Resources professional with a rich international background spanning Europe, the Middle East, and North America. With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality sector, she has developed deep expertise in hotel pre-openings, brand repositioning, and the strategic management of HR and training functions. Alena has successfully led regional HR communities, playing a critical role in implementing global people initiatives that align with business goals and elevate organizational performance.
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2026-05-13</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/volunteer-Alena-Miatlushka</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/volunteer-Alena-Miatlushka</guid>
                    </item>
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            <title><![CDATA[Chronicles of Cork: No California? No Problem. Smart Wine Replacements at the LCBO]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Marcel Bregstein, CCM/Sommelier
Assistant General Manager, Toronto Hunt Club

It has been over a year and many of our favourite California, Oregon and Washington wines are still missing from LCBO shelves. If you&amp;rsquo;re struggling to replace the Cabs, Pinots and Chardonnays you used to love, the good news is that excellent alternatives exist &amp;mdash; often from the very regions where these grapes originally came from.
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2026-05-05</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Smart-Wine-Replacements</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Smart-Wine-Replacements</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[CCM Certification: Why It Matters — and How to Get There]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[For club management professionals, experience is essential &amp;mdash; but recognized professional credibility is what sets leaders apart.

Earning your CCM is more than completing courses. It&amp;rsquo;s a structured professional journey that validates your knowledge, leadership ability, and commitment to excellence in club management.
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2026-04-28</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/CCM-Certification-blog</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/CCM-Certification-blog</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[2026 Idea Fair Entries]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[At the 2026&amp;nbsp;Annual Meeting held April 8, 2026&amp;nbsp;at the Oakdale Golf &amp;amp;&amp;nbsp;Country Club we showcased our 4th&amp;nbsp;Annual Idea Fair. Check out the entries!
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2026-04-20</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/2026%20Idea%20Fair%20Entries</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/2026%20Idea%20Fair%20Entries</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Responsible Stewardship in the Age of AI]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[By: Clayton Elliot and Brad Milligan
Co-Founder and CEO
AceCall.ai





Private club leadership has always been about stewardship.

Stewardship of culture.
Stewardship of reputation.
Stewardship of capital.
Stewardship of people.

General Managers and COOs operate at the intersection of&amp;nbsp;governance, operations, and member expectations. You are expected to see around corners, not just manage what is directly in front of you.

In 2026, one of those corners is artificial intelligence.


]]></description>
            <pubDate>2026-04-14</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Age-of-AI</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Age-of-AI</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Rewriting the House Rules: Curling gets a Fresh Spin]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Rob Matheson
Membership and Curling Manager
Dundas Valley Golf and Curling Club

At Dundas Valley, we&amp;rsquo;ve really shifted how we think about curling. Sure, it&amp;rsquo;s still a sport &amp;mdash; but more than that, it&amp;rsquo;s a great excuse to bring people together. Around here, it&amp;rsquo;s just as much about who you&amp;rsquo;re playing with as what kind of shot you make.


]]></description>
            <pubDate>2025-06-27</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/membership-and-curling</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/membership-and-curling</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[From Sauté Pans to Spreadsheets: The Journey from Chef to Club Operations]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Nicholas D&amp;#39;Ovidio
Assistant General Manager
The Club at North Halton

Working in the kitchen gave me an invaluable &amp;#39;insider&amp;#39;s view&amp;#39; of the club. You&amp;#39;re at the heart of the action, privy to the daily rhythms and the nuances of member preferences. I heard their feedback, understood their routines, and learned what truly mattered to them. This knowledge, gained from the ground up, provided a unique advantage when I transitioned to a more member-facing role.&amp;nbsp;


]]></description>
            <pubDate>2025-05-21</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/career-change</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/career-change</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[2025 Idea Fair entries]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[At the 2025 Annual Meeting held April 2, 2025 at The Boulevard Club we showcased our 3rd Annual Idea Fair. Check out the entries!
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2025-04-30</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/2025%20Idea%20Fair%20Entries</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/2025%20Idea%20Fair%20Entries</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Prioritizing Health &amp; Wellness in Club Management: A Practical Guide for Busy Professionals]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Jennifer Kennedy
Fitness and Wellness Clinic Director
The Boulevard Club

As a club management professional, I understand how quickly the demands of the job can stack up&amp;mdash;whether it&amp;#39;s organizing events, managing staff, or ensuring that members have an exceptional experience. Your days are often filled with meetings, coordinating teams, and problem-solving on the fly. Amid this whirlwind of responsibilities, your own health and wellness can easily be sidelined. But maintaining your physical and mental well-being is not just important for your personal satisfaction&amp;mdash;it is also essential to your professional success.




]]></description>
            <pubDate>2025-04-15</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/health-wellness</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/health-wellness</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Governance and the importance of safe spaces in the club environment]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Hendrick van der Geld CCM
General Manager
The Club at North Halton

The concept of &amp;ldquo;safe spaces,&amp;rdquo; evokes different imagery for different folks.&amp;nbsp; Some immediately think of physical spaces and physical danger.&amp;nbsp; Some may think of safety in numbers and that may be physical or perhaps, the ability to build a consensus.&amp;nbsp; Still others may think of a safe place to share ideas without the threat of being judged.&amp;nbsp;Well, in the land of Private Clubs, there is another concept of safety, and it is in the context of the actual business structure and the governance model.&amp;nbsp;
]]></description>
            <pubDate>2025-03-31</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/governance-safe-spaces</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/governance-safe-spaces</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Chronicles of Cork - WSET]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Brynn Labbett
Clubhouse Manager
Toronto Golf&amp;nbsp;Club

After some challenges, self reflection, and eagerness to learn, Brynn Labbett, Clubhouse Manager at Toronto Golf Club recounts her reason for pursuing her WSET diploma. Brynn talks about the time commitment and career opportunities that allowed her to pursue a new knowledge base and what it has done for her.


]]></description>
            <pubDate>2025-03-15</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/WSET-Diploma</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/WSET-Diploma</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Club Benchmarking Survey Results]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Chris Barron, CCM
Chief Executive Officer
Club Benchmarking

In September of 2024, Club Benchmarking sent out a brief survey to General Managers at clubs across North America soliciting information on their 2025 budget plans for operating and capital dues.&amp;nbsp;In addition to this information, we also sought the status of the club&amp;rsquo;s current initiation fee and waiting lists. As a subset of that report, the information below is exclusively represented by the 49 clubs in Ontario that participated in the survey.&amp;nbsp;


]]></description>
            <pubDate>2025-02-28</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/club-benchmarking</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/club-benchmarking</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Visually Driven World]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Joseph Cuan
Communications Coordinator
Scarboro Golf &amp;amp; Country Club

In today&amp;#39;s visually driven world, graphics design can be a game-changer for anyone. Whether in marketing, human resources, or administration, a good grasp of graphics design can help you create compelling presentations, reports, and social media content. Graphic design is not just about making your documents look fancy; it is about communication and delivering your message clearly.


]]></description>
            <pubDate>2025-02-15</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/visually-driven-world</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/visually-driven-world</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Community Partnerships]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Emily Anderson
Marketing Manager
St. Catharines Golf and Country Club

In the evolving landscape of membership engagement, finding innovative solutions to fulfill all of your membership&amp;rsquo;s wishes can be a challenge. When we face obstacles in our business, it is always good to look at how others have fixed similar issues, however, we can also include these businesses in our own solutions. Community partnerships can help by bridging the gap in your membership offerings or providing personal fulfillment to your membership through volunteer opportunities. Through this article, you will find how one Club in the Niagara Region connects with the community to offer more to their membership and help grow the game of golf through community partnerships.




]]></description>
            <pubDate>2025-01-30</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Community-Partnerships</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Community-Partnerships</guid>
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            <title><![CDATA[Chronicles of Cork]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Marcel Bregstein&amp;nbsp;CCM/Sommelier&amp;nbsp;
Assistant General Manager
The Toronto Hunt

On the right-bank of the Rh&amp;ocirc;ne is Cornas, located on the right bank of the Rh&amp;ocirc;ne River and perched on the eastern slopes of the Massif Central, is a distinguished appellation celebrated for its exceptional red wines made exclusively from Syrah grapes. The name &amp;quot;Cornas,&amp;quot; derived from ancient Celtic, means &amp;quot;burnt earth,&amp;quot; aptly reflecting the region&amp;rsquo;s rugged, sun-drenched terroir.




]]></description>
            <pubDate>2025-01-15</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Rhone-Valley</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/Rhone-Valley</guid>
                    </item>
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            <title><![CDATA[Workplace Safety: WSIB Excellence Program]]></title>
            <description><![CDATA[Nicholas D&amp;rsquo;Ovidio
Assistant General Manager
The Club at North Halton

When it comes to workplace safety, our Club learned that a little effort goes a long way and when that work is guided by the WSIB Excellence program, the results can be astounding. The management team, with some initial energy and intention and later some determination, teamed up with the Joint Health and Safety Committee, to turn The Club at North Halton into a workplace with enhanced safety, efficiency, and productivity, with a touch of fun along the way.




]]></description>
            <pubDate>2025-01-02</pubDate>
            <link>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/WSIB-Excellence</link>
            <guid>https://cmacontario.com/blog/the-leaderboard/WSIB-Excellence</guid>
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