Prominent Club Managers Association of America members Jeffrey Kreafle and Larry Ross will present the programme at the upcoming Business Management Institute (BMI) course in Singapore.
Kreafle, General Manager at Congressional Country Club, and Ross, PHD, Florida Southern University, have confirmed their participation at the Asian Golf Industry Federation [AGIF] organised event from April 5-9 at Orchid Country Club.
Kreafle will remain in Singapore to lend his expertise to the 11th Asian Club Managers Conference.
Eric Lynge, the AGIF’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming Jeffrey and Larry to Singapore and thank the CMAA for securing their services.
“Jeffrey and Larry will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to what promises to be a landmark occasion for the club management industry in Asia.”
The AGIF entered into an historic agreement with the CMAA last August that enables the AGIF to utilise the CMAA’s acclaimed BMI curriculum to deliver similar face-to-face classroom learning to club managers across the Asian region.
Lynge said: “The aim of this partnership with the CMAA is to ensure that the worldwide standard of club manager education is maintained, and tailor approve classroom courses for successful delivery in our territory.
“Such a link is long overdue and will be welcomed not only by established club managers around Asia but also those who harbour ambitions of carving themselves a career in club management.”
CMAA’s curriculum materials will be used by the AGIF for the betterment of club management in the territory and with its full range of members and educational programmes throughout the territory to deliver curriculum that will lead to a Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation.
The BMI Asia Pacific will be the functional name of the AGIF-run CMAA education programmes and the AGIF will work with approved CMAA education staff member to develop five, five-day educational programmes – BMI I, BMI II, BMI III & BMI Food and Beverage and BMI Golf Management – that cover all 10 management competency areas as defined by CMAA’s Certification and Club Management Institute [CMI] Committees.
Jeff Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of the CMAA, said: “Since 1927, the Club Managers Association of America has been committed to advancing the profession of club management by fulfilling the educational and related needs of its members. CMAA provides its members with the necessary expertise to deliver an exceptional club experience.
“We are excited to embark on this relationship with the Asian Golf Industry Federation and look forward to making a positive contribution to club managers in Asia.”
Dr Ross is the Anne and Bill France Distinguished Professor of Business in the Barney Barnett School of Business & Free Enterprise. He received both his MBA and Ph.D. in marketing from the J. Mack Robinson School of Business at Georgia State University.
His teaching interests are in the areas of marketing, hospitality and strategic planning. He has authored two books; one focused on marketing research and the other focused on strategic planning.
Dr Ross works extensively as a facilitator in the area of strategic planning for a diverse range of clients and he is a popular speaker, frequently invited to give presentations and seminars.
Kreafle, meanwhile, became Congressional’s new General Manager last April. Before that he was General Manager of Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis for six years.
In Bellerive, he directed the club’s hosting of the 2013 Senior PGA Championship, which gave it the distinction of becoming only the third course to host all four men’s rotating major championships in the US (the US Open, the Senior US Open, the PGA Championship and the Senior PGA Championship).
Kreafle, who writes a regular management column for Club & Resort Business, also led Bellerive’s successful application to host the 100th PGA Championship in 2018.
Wee Peng Siong, a Board Member of the AGIF and a CCM graduate, said: “I had the benefit of going through this programme when I was setting out in my career and the experience and certification I gained have proved invaluable.
“To those who are involved in club management and who are seeking to develop their careers I would highly recommend taking the time to attend one of the forthcoming BMI courses.”
For details on registration for the Singapore BMI 1 please contact PK Ong at pk.ong@agif.asia
Asian Golf Industry Federation www.agif.asia