ENGLISH SUMMARY
Non-Commercial Partnership “Private Clubs Alliance of Russia” -
Was founded in 2006. Our mission is to inculcate club management standards in Russia, increase investor’s interest in private club industry and share club managers' experience through annual conferences, seminars and social networking.
Three Club Management Conferences were organized by Private Clubs Alliance (2007 and 2008 –at Le Meridien Moscow Country Club, Moscow; 2009 – at Yacht-club Terijoki (St Petersburg, including participation of CEO of Club Managers Association of Europe).
The meeting with leadership of Club Manager’s Association of America was organized in St Petersburg in October 2009. Since 2010, at least 3 quarterly seminars are organized each year for Alliance members and guests.
One of the main goals of Alliance is to launch the Benchmarking Education Program for Club Managers, which is called BMI RUSSIA. See the information about BMI RUSSIA below.
BRIEF MARKET OVERVIEW
- Private Clubs Alliance database includes more than 100 Clubs
(NOT all of their managers are members of Alliance)
- There are less than 30 Golf Clubs all over the Russia (most of the Clubs are fitness (athletic), yacht, equestrian, tennis clubs and resorts);
- Economic downturn stopped a lot of projects, but now development industry recovers from crisis;
- Many of high-level Clubs are situated in Moscow region;
- Mean club manager’s age is 30-40.
Sergey Medvednikov, Private Clubs Alliance managing director:
Has 9 years experience in club business (golf, equestrian sports, yachting) author of “Private Club: organization, management, development” book – first ever book on private club industry on Russian (2006), Sergey had passed US BMI III (COO/GM Concept) at Michigan State Univerity in 2010. Participant at three World Conferences on Club Management (2008, 2010, 2011).
“After Private Clubs Alliance formation in 2006, we were first club managers from Russia, who contacted Club Managers Association of America and Europe, proposing cooperation. Later we became the first Russian delegates on World Club Management Conference in US (Orlando, FL) and in Europe (London).
Because of Alliance work, two club managers from Russia (including myself, and Sergey Gorbov, GM of Don Golf & Country Club) had a chance to study Club Management programs in US. In 2009, I had a chance to show my native city of St Petersburg to CMAA top-management team, including CMAA CEO Mr. James Singerling, 2009 CMAA President Michael Leemhuis, Jason Koenigsfeld (for many of them it was their first visit to Russia).
The main goal for us is to break ice between those, who involved in Russian private clubs industry...start professional communication, just like European and American managers, who use their Association for professional development and education. The problem is that many of managers are not really devoted to private clubs or hospitality industry, and that's why they do not want to "invest" into their professional development.
Another problem is that some managers / developers from Moscow region (which is a key region for Private Clubs) do not want to communicate or collaborate, because of... a kind of "egocentrism". Anyway, those who participated in our Conferences or seminars (Don Golf & Country Club, GolfStream Kiev Golf Club, Terijoki Yacht-Club, Moscow Helicopters Owners Club, The Family Club of Rostov, etc.), or involved us as consultants, still in touch with us, appreciating our work”.
BMI RUSSIA
a Joint Education Program
of Club Manager’s Association of America
and Private Clubs Alliance of Russia.
Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) –
Professional Association for managers of membership clubs. With close to 7,000 members across all classifications, our manager members run more than 3,000 country, golf, city, athletic, faculty, yacht, town and military clubs.
CMAA was founded in 1927. Now it is the World’s most influential club management organization, which has its own professional certification and education programme (conducted together with US Universities), holds the World Conference on Club Management, organizes variety of other education activities and publishes wide choice of books for club management professionals.
BMI - The Business Management Institute: The Core of the Lifetime Professional Development Program
In the early 1980s, CMAA’s leaders saw the need for a formal academic program for club industry professionals. Taking into consideration that managers at all phases of their careers need instruction, education or inspiration, the concept of the “lifetime professional development program” was born and nurtured. The vision was realized as a multi-campus-based program that provides tangible career benchmarks by which managers can track their progress and strive for various levels of competency, including a respected certification.
BMI I – Club Management – was launched at Georgia State University in 1988. There are now multiple programs held at the most renowned hospitality schools in the country, including Georgia State University; California Polytechnic University at Pomona; Michigan State University; Cornell University; the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV); and the Culinary Institute of America.
Target audience of BMI RUSSIA:
This Education programme is intended for owners, general managers, marketing and business development managers, which are interested in foundation and development of club organizations – from professional associations to private clubs, resorts and club hotels. Also it could be a part of specialization program for Hospitality School students.
The Program could be a point of special interest for managers, who work in the following areas:
- Business and sports private clubs;
- Development companies;
- Professional associations, based on membership;
- Resorts and hotels;
- Diversified holdings, which have one of the aforesaid organizations.
As a result, participants will learn:
- How to use professional instruments of club management;
- How to develop / improve club or resort organizational structure;
- How to build a referral system;
- To understand peculiarities of club or resort departments functioning;
- How to make a choice of required internal club documents and data carriers.
Peculiarities of the Program:
- The only program in Russia, that gives an exclusive opportunity to get credits for professional certification (Certified Club Manager);
- Participation of Jason Koenigsfeld, PhD, Senior Vice-President, Professional Development, CMAA;
- Program is based on American and European experience on club and resort management, including World Conferences on club management;
- Use of case studies and materials, which do not have Russian translation besides this programme;
- Use of interactive methods of education: panel discussions and roundtables
Daily Program schedule
Day 1
Introduction; History of the Private Clubs / Resort Industry (US, Jason Koenigsfeld)
First steps of Club / Resort concept development (Rus, Sergei Medvednikov)
Day 2
Financial models of the Club or Resort functioning + Case Study
(US, Jason Koenigsfeld, Rus / Anna Lebedeva)
Day 3
Membership marketing and internal club documents (Rus, Sergei Medvednikov)
Day 4
Standards of service in club / resort / hotel (US, Jason Koenigsfeld / Rus, Anna Lebedeva)
Day 5
Specialization (guest day in St Petersburg clubs) All 3 Tutors guide the Tour
(Potential visits – Yacht-club, Tennis complex, Resort, City Club, Equestrian Club).
ABOUT BMI RUSSIA TUTORS:
Jason P. Koenigsfeld, Ph.D., CHE, is the Senior Vice President of Professional Development of Club Managers Association of America. In 2003, Jason graduated from the University of Nevada Las Vegas with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Hotel Administration. After graduation, he moved to Vero Beach, FL where he was employed at John’s Island Club. While at John’s Island Club, he worked in every department of the club’s operation learning all facets of a major private club. Jason also worked at Cherokee Town and Country Club in Atlanta, GA as well as Green Gables Country Club in Denver, CO.
While working full-time in 2004 at John’s Island Club, Jason enrolled in Auburn University’s distance education program to pursue a Master of Science degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. He then moved to Auburn where he taught the “Introduction to Hospitality Management” course and served as a graduate teaching and research assistant for the program director. While at Auburn, Jason also taught the “Perspectives in Hospitality Management” course at Georgia State University as a part- time instructor. Jason received his Master of Science degree in 2005 and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in 2007 from Auburn University. His doctorate dissertation titled, “Developing an Industry Specific Managerial Competency Model for Private Club Managers in the United States Based on Important and Frequently Used Management Competencies” helps establish the basis for club management professional development and certification programs in the United States as well as internationally.
Jason is a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE) through the American Hotel and Lodging Association. Jason has conducted education sessions on management competencies for the Club Managers Association of Southern Africa (CMASA), the China Club Managers and for CMAA. Jason is a member of the International Council of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (CHRIE) and the Club Managers Association of Southern Africa (CMASA).
- Anna Lebedeva, ex-general manager of Terijoki Yacht Club, candidate of science, professional consultant, Private Clubs Alliance board member, co-owner of Marina construction company.
