Employers who pay out severance to their employees run certain risks that need to be considered beforehand. Some employers have learned the hard way that severance agreements aren't always the best course of action. Last year, the University of Oregon received bad press when it was discovered that former head coach Mike Bellotti received a substantial payout upon his departure. 

More recently, the mayor of Cornelius, OR, was recalled by voters who were upset that his firing of a city manager cost the city more than$100,000 in severance payouts. Although these examples come from public employers who need to report their actions, private employers can still run into hot water when trying to sever employment relationships. more...

More than half of the population of the United States is more comfortable talking in smaller, more intimate groups than in front of larger crowds. As a club professional, you most likely are called upon at some point to deliver a speech in front of a group of people. You might have to give a presentation to a group of people whom you do not know. For most of us, even small, familiar audiences can make us nervous. Whether your speech is impromptu or thoroughly planned, make sure you have a main purpose. more...

National surveys continue to show that club dining operations represent the most popular member amenity (an important term in this discussion) offered by clubs. This should not be terribly surprising given the simple fact that more people eat than swing a golf club or tennis racket. Dining operations also,however, remain the most discussed, analyzed, scrutinized, criticized, re-analyzed, controversial and ultimately misunderstood elements of club operations. We therefore invite critics of the financial results of private club dining operations to step inside the circle of truth and understand why a private club is a very different animal from the steakhouse that made their buddy who owned it a millionaire! more...