Job Opportunities

GENERAL MANAGER – MEMPHIS HUNT & POLO CLUB by the Master Club Advisors

THE CLUB

The Memphis Hunt and Polo Club was organized in 1923 by the charter members R.L. Jurden, Hugh Fontaine, William B. Chapman, Sam P. Walter and Homer K. Jones. In the fall of 1924, the club leased a clubhouse located two miles south of Park Avenue on the west side of West Cherry Road. The facility consisted of a Tudor style house, X-shaped horse stable, two clay tennis courts and a polo field. The initial membership was sixty members, and the activities included polo, tennis and skeet shooting. The club flourished with its reputation for fine dining and an active social calendar. In 1930, the leased property was purchased by the club.

On a Sunday night in July of 1952, the clubhouse caught fire and burned to the ground. While the fire department responded, the building could not be saved as the nearest water hydrant was over a half-mile away. Fortunately, the staff members sleeping in the clubhouse were able to escape. The cause of the fire was never determined, although faulty electrical wiring was suspected.

The new facility was completed and formally opened with a membership dinner on January 29, 1955. That evening much conversation was about the massive oak mantel over the taproom fireplace which was carved by renowned woodworker, Leo Barthol. The mantle’s enigmatic Latin phrase translates as “Yo, Bacchus’s greatest crime is to destroy all worries.” Although there was no polo field on the Shady Grove site, the membership enjoyed a magnificent neoclassical style brick clubhouse, four clay tennis courts, access to a fishing lake and a swimming pool with bath house and snack bar.

As the club prospered, it developed a prominent reputation for the quality of its food and dining service. In 1985, an indoor tennis facility containing two courts was built on the north side of the property. In 1990, the original bath house and snack bar on the west side of the pool area was torn down to make way for a new pool house and a reconfiguration of the swimming pool. The new pool house was designed by architect John Millard with completion in May of 1991. The membership opened the facility with a poolside dinner reception. In October of 1999, construction of a new wine cellar was begun with John Millard again serving as architect. The handsome room was completed and dedicated at the Board of Directors dinner on September 28, 2000. Today the Club maintains a great culture within the membership that makes the Polo Club a great social gathering at any time.

THE POSITION

Reports to the President and accountable to the Board of Directors, the General Manager will have complete authority for implementing club operations in accordance with policies and plans as articulated by the Board. The General Manager will be accountable for the full operational and fiscal leadership of the club, including all facilities, staff and member relations. The candidate should be someone with an outgoing personality who can relate to all ages of the membership.

The General Manager should have an appreciation for Memphis Hunt & Polo Club’s traditions and personalized club operations. This individual should have a passion for quality and excellence in everything related to the club with an ‘eye for detail’ and the ability to maintain an impeccable clubhouse. A primary objective is to create an excellent club experience for members and their guests.

The General Manager will manage in a “hands on” manner, using common sense and courtesy. He or she works directly with staff to provide the membership with a variety of high-quality food and beverage choices so that the club remains a dining destination consistent with the club’s tradition. The Manager should be focused on membership needs. He should be a self-starter and reflect an enthusiasm for the Club and its activities.

Specifically the General Manager will be responsible for the following:

1. Overall responsibility and accountability for all club operations.
2. Creating an excellent club experience for members and their guests.
3. Providing a variety of high-quality food and beverage choices so that the club remains a dining destination consistent with the club’s tradition.
4. Recommending to the Board sound fiscal policies and controls and overseeing the implementation of such.
5. Working with Board appointed committees in preparing Committee operating and capital budgets for submission to the Board for approval.
6. Fiscal management of the Board approved budgets and assuring the club obtains the quality and quantity of products and services as purchased. And more ……

THE PERSON

Required Experience: The successful candidate should have experience in the private club field as a general manager, club manager or as the number one assistant at a premier club. The candidate should have unimpeachable integrity, be willing to accept new ideas and have a passion for the club and its mission. An undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university is preferable as is a degree from a leading hospitality institution and/or a certification by the Club Managers Association of America.

Abilities: The successful candidate should:

1. Work with enthusiasm and be passionate about the position.
2. Be highly visible to both the membership and the staff and quickly learn members’ names and greet them appropriately.
3. Be a good listener who responds positively to input.
4. Have the knowledge and experience necessary to lead an outstanding food and beverage operation of the highest caliber.
5. Have the skill and patience to successfully serve and work with a range of personalities.
6. Understand all of the club’s fiscal operations and have the ability to create and control budgets and projects. And more ……

 Other Qualifications:

The successful candidate must have a passion to manage and be capable of creating and implementing successful club utilization programs that involve and are supported by the membership. This position needs an executive with integrity who is a leader with a take-charge attitude who can anticipate potential issues and works with a sense of urgency in finding solutions.

CHALLENGES

In this case the old cliché is true: the challenges are truly opportunities for a general manager to make his/her mark. The club desires professional operational leadership to direct a ‘small but willing staff’ and help articulate and implement a vision for the Club’s future.

In summary the candidate will focus on the following.

• Improving communications with the members and staff.
• Understand that members have different priorities in their use of the club. Work to make the club a place for enjoyment for all members.
• Help to attract a younger membership by balancing programing to include family-focused events as well.
• Understand that member private events are important to the financial well-being of the Club. However, over-committing club may be to the detriment of member’s at large. The General Manager should employ reason and make usage decisions in a rationalistic manner.
• Focus on service improvement with improved training and follow up.
• Modernize order/billing system; evaluate tipping system.
• Work with the Chef to keep the food quality high and interesting.

COMPENSATION:  The successful candidate can anticipate a compensation package that is commensurate with experience and performance.

Contact Bill Schulz, MCM in strict confidence if there is a personal interest on your part – or if you wish to recommend a suitably qualified candidate for this unique opportunity. Bill may be reached at 713-252-2753 or email bill@masterclubadvisors.com