Steven Thielke, Matthew Murray and Vijaykumar Raj have reaped the rewards of their hard work by gaining the coveted Certified Club Manager (CCM) accolade, the gold standard in club management certification globally.
Thielke, Chief Executive Officer at Malaysia’s TPC Kuala Lumpur, Murray, Managing Director of Singapore’s Champions Golf, and Raj, former Assistant General Manager of the American Club, Singapore, are among the first Asian-based individuals to achieve this notable milestone.
“We congratulate Steven, Matthew and Vijay on their outstanding achievement,” said Eric Lynge, Chief Executive Officer of the Asian Golf Industry Federation (AGIF). The AGIF is an International Associate partner of the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) and authorised to run Business Management Institute (BMI) programmes as well as Chapter and Association Education, which are part of the pathway to the CCM.
“Since we partnered with the CMAA in 2015, we have run nine BMI courses in the Asian region as well as provided various Chapter and Association credit opportunities via our Club Management Mini Summit and co-operative programmes with various national associations.
“The AGIF has brought more than 35 club professionals into the programme. In achieving CCM status, I’m sure that Steven, Matthew and Vijay have set the benchmark for their peers around the region. In the coming years, we look forward to seeing many more club managers from Asia following in their footsteps,” said Lynge.
The BMI is a professional development programme developed and launched by the CMAA in the early 1980s. Noting managers at all phases of their careers need instruction, education or inspiration, the concept of the ‘lifetime professional development programme’ was born.
The vision was realised as a multi campus-based programme that provides tangible career benchmarks by which managers can track their progress and strive for various levels of competency, including a respected certification.
The curriculum is based on 10 competency areas covering every aspect of a club manager’s job.
Thielke said: “Achieving the Club Management Association of America’s CCM gives me a sense of achievement and validation for the work that we do in the club business.
“Many managers do such wonderful work within the club business, but often they do so in isolation without the support, camaraderie and encouragement of like-minded industry professionals.
“Besides the incredible education platform, the CCM process also connects industry professionals from across the globe. I personally found this to be very valuable.”
Murray said: “The introduction of the BMI in Southeast Asia by the AGIF has been a tremendous initiative and provided an opportunity for all club general managers and future club general managers throughout the region.
“Initially, I didn’t know what to expect. However, on my journey, I learned that the BMI covered many areas of management with which I was unfamiliar. I now have a much better understanding of the total club management business.
“I will introduce many of the systems and concepts into my every day management and assist some of my senior management with their future BMI journeys.
“Over time, I believe being a Certified Club Manager will become a condition of employment for clubs in Southeast Asia. Therefore, the managers who achieve their CCM early will be at the forefront of future club management in the region.”
Raj said: “This has been an amazing journey to get here and achieve CCM status. The knowledge gained and friendships made are priceless.
“Every BMI programme I have been through has helped me in becoming a better leader, effective, efficient and stronger in all areas of club operations.
“My thanks to the CMAA and the AGIF for enabling us to attain our CCM certification and for making the BMI programmes available in Southeast Asia. To those with ambitions of becoming future leaders in club management, I’d encourage them to sign up for future courses.”
In the CMAA 2015 Compensation and Benefits Report, it was reported that the head of club’s compensation with CCM designation was 31% higher than a head of club’s compensation without CCM designation.
The BMI programmes are completely endorsed and empowered by the CMAA and is equivalent to what one can receive in the United States. The Business Management Institute courses are five-day, 40-hour, intensive sessions designed for managers with a desire to explore the basic elements of their profession in a comprehensive manner. The programme takes a tangible, hands-on approach to the subject matter.
The next AGIF-executed BMI course is to be held in Jakarta from August 26-30 and is attracting high-powered executives from prominent clubs in Indonesia and around Southeast Asia. The course is being presented by the AGIF, the CMAA and the Golf Club Managers Association of Indonesia (GCMAI).
Another AGIF-organised BMI course is planned to be held in Delhi, India in November.
Asian Golf Industry Federation (AGIF) www.agif.asia
Club Management Association of America (CMAA) https://www.cmaa.org/