Name:  Barry Fritz

Club:  Chevy Chase Club

Description:  We are fortunate to have a very creative and innovative team here at Chevy Chase Club and the “Farmers Market” was a great example of that.  Because our membership has grown accustom to being “wowed” we are forever pressed into raising the bar over and over again.  This mind set is instilled into new staff members and it creates an environment of “always striving to do better than the last time”.  Never settle!

Implementation:  The culinary team designed the wheelbarrow and cooler idea.  After some trial and error, they discovered which containers worked best in the wheelbarrow and, after sealing the grill, realized they wouldn’t have to re-ice the “cooler” all night.  Chef Buchner invented the shelves and constructed them himself.  Total coast was less than $50. 

Name:  Eben Molloy, CCM

Club:  Farmington Country Club

Description:  Farmington’s Catering staff used a tropical oasis theme for the annual Men’s Member-Guest Golf Tournament awards cocktail reception.  The pool complex was transformed into a tropical evening for members and guests.

Implementation:  Dolphin balloons were attached to weights and placed around the pool to look like they were jumping out of the ocean.  Tropical centerpieces lit with blue lights adorned the tables.  To complete the theme, delicious tropical drinks were served.  Members came out to the party dressed in their flowered shirts.  The tropical theme was perfect for a hot day in June.  The celebration was a huge success and fun for all.

Name:  Nicole Halle

Club:  Country Club of Landfall

Description:  The wine club provides members with wine dinners and tastings as well as the opportunity to purchase wine at a discounted price.  It has significantly increased the use of our dining facilities.  The wine club is an excellent opportunity for members to join a group to meet new members, increase wine knowledge, and purchase wine.  The wine club has become a strong selling point for the club membership department as well.

Implementation:  The wine club concept was implemented several years ago as an added service for members.  It began with approximately 50 couples and has grown to more then 230.  Members enjoy the monthly wine dinners and tastings, and frequently bring guests to these events.  They also take full advantage of the discounted price of wine and make recurrent purchases.

Name:  Jennifer Mitchell

Club:  Country Club of Landfall

Description:  Inventive training and team building has increased tenure and the strength of the staff as a whole.

Implementation:  Each day we do a different training technique.  The members see how the staff is especially enthusiastic and knowledgeable and appreciate their dedication.

Name:  Eben Molloy, CCM

Club:  Farmington Country Club

Description:  Farmington crafted a cookie display to arrange cookies in a way that is easy to view and access, as well as sanitary.  Members are able to see and choose their selections without having to touch other cookies.

Implementation:  The display is made from a solid wood frame with plastic inserts fitting securely in the groves of the frame.  The cookies are placed upright and between the plastic inserts.  These inserts are removable and easy to clean.  The cookie display looks so good that Farmington members are consuming more cookies than ever before.  Additional displays are in production for use in banquet events.

Name:  Yvan Lampron

Club:  The Country Club of Virginia

Description:  Kids’ Cooking Class – We held cooking classes in our main kitchen beginning with children’s hands-on birthday parties, cake decorating, breakfast themes, after school snacks, and cooking for their parents.  These classes bring a lot of excitement for  youth programs and teaches them structure and creativity.

Name:  Stephen M. Downes

Club:  The Carnegie Abbey Club

Description:  The 50 Club is a great feature and taking point for the club.  Participation has also resulted in additional revenue and sales.  Once members get started they like to keep trying different Single Malts and learning more about the beverage.

Implementation:  Members love the collection, our bartenders always take new members or guests over to the display case and educate them on Whiskey.  It’s a fun program and a little different.

Name:  Paul M.G. Astbury

Club:  Ocean Reef Club

Description:  Menuopoly has enhanced the Food and Beverage staff’s success in providing a varied menu to the Club’s members and in educating servers with details of each menu offering.  Since the game provides an incentive for servers to sell all menu items, it also requires them to become somewhat of an expert on each.  Ultimately, servers are able to provide a better description of each menu offering to inquiring members.

Implementation:  A Menuopoly game board was posted at the main server station in the Clubhouse dining room.  IT lists every menu itme in no particular order.  The servers’ objective is to move around the board by selling each item directly in front of him/her.  If the server becomes stuck on one particular item for more than two days, he/she must return to the start.  Each server has three “get out of jail free” passes, which allows them to skip a particular item for the time being until the end of the game, at which point they must sell the item or return to the start.

Name:  Gary Collins

Club:  French Man’s Reserve Country Club

Description:  Increased revenue and covers on a slow Wednesday night.  The social interaction connects members to the Club and each other.

Implementation:  Posters, flyers, e-mail notice of event. 

Name:  Mark Maroon

Club:  The Kansas City Country Club

Description:  We offered complimentary coffee and liqueur beverages to show the members the many options available to them.  Because they were free, our members didn’t risk any money to try a new beverage and if they didn’t like it they could try something else.  If they did enjoy it, hopefully next time they would order one.

Implementation:  We researched coffee and liqueur recipes, typed them, framed them, and placed them in our busiest casual dining room.  We put air pots of coffee and the liqueurs at the end of the bar.  We had our bartender explain the promotion and the drinks as well as helping the members make their drinks.