The CMAA Certification Program

In many professions, a successful career is marked by an appropriate degree of professional development, verified by a credible certification program and recognized by both the public and one’s peers. The Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation has been the hallmark of professionalism in club management since 1965 and is the cornerstone of CMAA’s member recognition program. It is a valuable and widely-respected mark of a manager’s commitment to professional development and the club industry.

As with its education programs, CMAA’s recognition program is a dynamic, continuing process. It includes two levels of further recognition: CMAA’s prestigious Honor Society and the Master Club Manager (MCM) designation. Also, Certification Maintenance Requirement (CMR) ensures that managers continue to develop professionally. Under this program, CCMs will have five years in which to attain specified certification credits for recertification. Click here for additional information on the CMR. The entire program is under the jurisdiction of the Certification Committee with oversight provided by the Association’s Board of Directors. It is the committee’s responsibility to consider suggestions from the members and to ensure that the certification program adapts to the ever-changing club management environment.

A new designation, the Certified Chief Executive (CCE), was introduced in 2008.

Achieving Active Membership Status

1. Conversion from Provisional or Alumnus to Active membership status requires CMAA Provisional membership for at least one year and attainment of 15 or more CMAA Education credits. These credits may be earned through attendance at chapter and World Conference educational programs, CMAA workshops and BMI courses.
2. When both requirements have been met, a Provisional or Alumnus member will be automatically transferred to Active status, notified of the change and sent an updated membership card.
3. While National Headquarters staff will make every effort to maintain an accurate record of each member’s certification credits, it is the responsibility of the individual members to keep track of credits they have earned. Members should check with the Chapter Managing Director or Secretary and/or the National Headquarters to ensure that all credits earned are recorded. CMAA members who are registered on CMAA’s Web site can review their credit histories online.
4. In addition to being a prerequisite for certification, Active membership status also determines a member’s eligibility to vote in CMAA elections at both the chapter and national levels and to hold elective office.

Becoming Eligible to Take the CCM Exam

Requirements For Members who Joined CMAA Prior to January 1, 2008

Eligibility requirements include completion of one of the following certification tracks:

Attainment of a four-year hospitality degree from a college/university (150 Education credits):

•  Attendance at one CMAA World Conference (with attendance at a minimum of four education sessions — see Note 4)
• Active membership status in CMAA for a minimum of three years
• Successful completion of a minimum of two CMAA/CMI pre-approved workshops
• Successful completion of BMI III

            OR

Attainment of a four-year non-hospitality degree from a college/university (90 Education credits):

• Attendance at one CMAA World Conference (with attendance at a minimum of four education sessions — see Note 4)
• Active membership status in CMAA for a minimum of four years
• Successful completion of a minimum of four CMAA/CMI pre-approved workshops
• Successful completion of BMI II and BMI III

            OR

Less than a four-year degree or no degree attained:

• Attendance at one CMAA World Conference (with attendance at a minimum of four education sessions — see Note 4)
• Active membership status in CMAA for a minimum of five years
• Successful completion of a minimum of six CMAA/CMI pre-approved workshops
• Successful completion of BMI I, BMI II and BMI III (see Note 5)
  
  

  Members who joined CMAA prior to January 1, 2008, will have a six-year period in which they can meet the “old” CCM requirements. After the CCM exam given at the World Conference on Club Management in 2014, all members will be required to meet the “new” CCM requirements, regardless of when they joined CMAA.

Requirements for Members who Joined CMAA After January 1, 2008

Attainment of a four-year hospitality degree from a college/university (150 Education credits):

• Attendance at one CMAA World Conference (with attendance at a minimum of four education sessions – see Note 4)
• Active membership status in CMAA for a minimum of five years
• Successful completion of a minimum of two CMAA/CMI pre-approved workshops
• Successful completion of BMI II, BMI III and either BMI Golf Management or BMI Food & Beverage Management

Attainment of a four-year non-hospitality degree from a college or university (90 Education credits) or less than a four-year degree:

• Attendance at one CMAA World Conference (with attendance at a minimum of four education sessions – see Note 4)
• Active membership status in CMAA for a minimum of five years
• Successful completion of two CMAA/CMI pre-approved workshops
• Successful completion of BMI I, BMI II, BMI III and either BMI Golf Management or BMI Food & Beverage Management

NOTE 1: The 25 chapter/regional Education credit requirement is waived for CMAA international members (those not residing within an established chapter area). Only CMI Education credits may be substituted.

NOTE 2: Chapter Education credits in excess of the 25 required may be used to satisfy the Association Activity requirement provided they are not needed to satisfy the 200 Education credit requirement.

NOTE 3: The accrual of credits for club management experience ended as of March 31, 1991. Experience credits earned prior to that date and submitted before December 31, 1991, count toward the 300 total credit requirement for certification as well as the requirements for Honor Society and the MCM designation. They do not count toward the Education or Association Activity credit requirements for certification.

NOTE 4: Assistant managers who have completed all other CCM eligibility requirements and have been unable to attend one CMAA World Conference will be permitted to substitute 50 or more additional CMAA Education credits (CMI and/or Chapter) for attendance at a World Conference. Attendance at the Assistant Club Manager Conference or attendance at a World Conference as a student member does not satisfy the CMAA World Conference requirement.

NOTE 5: The BMI I requirement is waived for managers who have earned an Associate degree in a hospitality course of study from an accredited college or university, successfully completed the Air Force Basic Club Managers Course or have completed the ClubCorp Star University program.

Starting the Certification Process

How to apply for certification:

1. File the Certification Petition Form provided by CMAA together with the non-refundable petition fee of $75. A Certification Petition is included in each CMAA Yearbook and can be found on here.
2. Members need not have completed all of the eligibility requirements before submitting a petition, but should be reasonably close to completing all of the requirements before petitioning.
3. Members claiming Education credits for college education must include an official final college transcript (not a copy of the degree or diploma) with the petition unless a transcript has previously been submitted to CMAA National Headquarters.
4. The petition is reviewed at the National Headquarters to ensure eligibility requirements have been met.
5. The applicant will be notified by mail of approval or disapproval of the petition. If approved, the candidate is notified of the cost, date, time and procedure to follow for taking the examination.

Paying the Exam Fees

A non-refundable $75 administrative fee is required to file the petition. If eligible to sit for the exam, an additional $195 registration fee will be charged to cover the cost of the exam. For members who have to take the exam more than once, there will be a $150 charge for each retest. These fees are subject to change at the discretion of the CMAA Board of Directors.

Preparing for the Exam

For CCM candidates desiring an in-depth review of the ten competency areas of club management, the Certification Review Course is offered twice a year. This concentrated five-day course is given at Georgia State University in Atlanta each November and during the five days immediately before each World Conference on Club Management at the Conference site. At both locations, the CCM exam is given on the day following completion of the course.

Candidates choosing not to take the Certification Review Course may have the exam administered by a proctor at a college or university near the individual’s home or club. Suggestions for making arrangements for a proctored exam are included with each candidate’s response to his or her Certification Petition.

Taking the Exam

The final requirement for certification is to pass the CCM exam. To pass the exam requires an overall score of 70 percent or higher, with a score of 50 percent or higher on each of the 10 parts of the exam. The exam consists of 400 objective questions covering the following ten competency areas: Club Governance, Food & Beverage Management, Accounting & Financial Management, Human & Professional Resources, Leadership, Membership & Marketing, Golf, Sports & Recreation Management, External & Governmental Influences, Facilities Management and Interpersonal Skills. Candidates who do not pass the exam on the first attempt are limited to two attempts in any 12-month period.

Subsequent Recognitions

Certification Maintenance Requirement

All CCM designations are awarded for a period of five years. All CCMs, except those in Retired membership status, will be required to earn at least 120 certification credits during their five-year certification period to maintain their CCM designations. At least half of the 120 credits must be CMAA Education credits. CCMs meeting these requirements will maintain their designation for another five-year period.

Honor Society

Membership in CMAA’s Honor Society is open to club managers who meet the following criteria:

• Achievement of 400 additional credits beyond certification with a minimum of 150 credits from CMAA/CMI-endorsed education programs;
• Active membership status for a minimum of nine years; and
• Successful completion of BMI IV or BMI V.

Certified Chief Executive (CCE)

The Certified Chief Executive designation was developed to recognize those managers who have shown the ability to successfully serve as the most senior manager in a club. The CCM designation is still the “hallmark of professionalism” within the club industry. The CCE designation is meant to augment the CCM designation, not replace it.

In order to qualify for the CCE designation, members must:

• Be an Active status member of CMAA;
• Have achieved the CCM designation;
• Have obtained Honor Society status;
• Have successfully completed BMI IV and BMI V;
• Have served as the top executive in a club (i.e., GM, COO, CEO) for a minimum of five years (can be from multiple clubs);
• Submit the CCE Petition Form to CMAA;
• Submit a current résumé documenting their previous positions;
• Submit a notarized CCE Verification Form from their current club president verifying that they have served as the top executive for at least five years (if a member has not been at their current club as the chief executive for five years, a notarized CCE Verification Form is required from their previous club(s) to verify the five-year period); and
• A $75 administrative fee must be included with the CCE Petition. This fee covers the administration and recognition of the CCE designation.

Master Club Manager® (MCM)

The Master Club Manager (MCM) designation is a certification and recognition program for a special group of professionals who have made extraordinary and long-lasting contributions to the club industry.

The MCM designation is awarded to club managers who meet the following criteria:

• Attainment of CCM designation and Honor Society membership;
• Achievement of 200 additional credits beyond Honor Society with a minimum of 100 credits from  CMAA/CMI-endorsed education programs;
• Active membership status for a minimum of 11 years;
• Successful completion of BMI IV and BMI V;
• Successful completion of Master Club Manager Profile and Monograph; and
• CMAA World Conference educational presentation based on Monograph.

Additional information about the MCM designation is available from the Education Department or on the CMAA Web site at www.cmaa.org/prodev/mcm.

Exam Dates

Scheduled dates for the CCM examination vary from year to year. As a general rule, the exam will be given during the World Conference (at the Conference site and locally) on the first Monday in May and August and in November after completion of the last BMI III course for the year. The following exam dates have been scheduled for 2008-2009:

*Note: To set up a local proctored exam on this date, please contact your local college or approved university.