Chapter Digest
August 2026
News for CMAA Leaders
In this issue:
Featured Strategy
Kickstart the Year: Fueling the Future of Club Management!
As students kick off a brand-new academic year, it’s the perfect time to strengthen engagement across our network. Be sure to reach out and connect with your local Student Chapters and nearby unaffiliated student members as they head back to campus. Your mentorship, guidance, and support play a crucial role in shaping the next generation of club industry leaders!
Student Chapter Kick Off Resources:
Help your Student Chapters hit the ground running this school year with these essential links and updates:
- Educational Resources:
- Contemporary Club Management Textbook (4th Edition): Ensure students have access to the textbook on private club operations.
- Leadership & Roles:
- Student Chapter Officer Positions & Responsibilities: Learn about leadership expectations and structural roles within a Student Chapter.
- Student Chapter Liaison Manager: The Liaison Manager acts as the bridge between the senior/local Chapter and the Student Chapter. They provide mentorship, facilitate networking opportunities, assist with event coordination, and ensure students stay connected with broader industry events.
- Recruitment & Engagement:
- Request Back-to-School Recruiting Swag: Help Student Chapters recruit new members on campus by requesting official promotional materials and swag.
- Compliance & Chapter Health:
- Student Chapter Officer Report Form: All Student Chapters must complete and submit this required form annually to update current student officer contact details with National.
- Maintaining a Healthy Student Chapter Charter: Local chapters should regularly check in with their Student Chapters to assist with membership retention, assist in officer transitions, and verify active charter compliance for the academic year.
Looking for contact details for unaffiliated student members? Since some students attend schools without an established Student Chapter, staying in touch is key to helping them build their network in the area. Reach out directly to your local Managing Director to get connected!
Chapter Idea Fair
Enter your innovative Chapter ideas in the 2026 Chapter Idea Fair to be held in conjunction with the Leadership/Legislative Conference, September 14-16, in Detroit, MI. Entries are submitted electronically, and no printing or shipping is necessary! In addition to first place winners in all categories, overall prizes will be awarded for the “Best in Show” and the “Most Transferable Idea.” Please submit all entries by August 26.
Chapter Spotlight
The Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee Chapters co-hosted the Southeastern Tri-Chapter Conference from July 19-21 in Chattanooga, TN. Attendees enjoyed adventures that took place beyond the traditional classroom.
We want to hear what your Chapter is doing! Recently hold a fundraiser? Exciting event? Share your Chapter good news via email to goodnews@cmaa.org and you could be featured in an upcoming edition!
- August 26: Last Day to Submit Your Innovations in the Chapter Idea Fair
- August 28: Last Day to Register & Book Your Hotel for the 2026 Leadership/Legislative Conference
- September 10: Nominations Due for 2026 Club Executive of the Year
- Through September 14: Countdown to the Leadership/Legislative Conference and the Official Start of the Centennial Celebration
- October 31: 2027 CMAA Membership Renewals Due
- Ongoing: Submit Your Chapter Photos and Announcements to goodnews@cmaa.org
New Member Totals
The New Member Recruitment Contest provides encouragement for CMAA Chapters to increase, maintain, and preserve their membership. This annual contest awards grants to Chapters (in size categories small, medium and large) that surpass, achieve, or are closest to reaching their set membership recruitment goals.
Chapter Management Resources
Managing Directors
The Chapter Transfer process is simple and easy! Do you know of a member on the move? Please direct them to the Chapter Transfer form.
Chairs
Advocacy/Legislative Chair: House of Representatives Approves Sunshine Protection Act
In July, the House of Representatives approved the Sunshine Protection Act (HR139/S29). This legislation was first introduced in 2025 and would make Daylight Savings Time (DST) the new permanent standard time. It would end the semiannual clock adjustments—springing forward one hour each March and falling back one hour each November. The immediate outlook for adoption before the end of the year is unclear. However, the current administration has voiced support for the change.
Career Services Chair: Retired, But Still Want to Stay in the Game?
Consider joining the Interim Management Service List. This resource is designed to assist clubs that need immediate temporary management assistance. This list contains the names and qualifications of those CMAA members who wish to and are available to fulfill the various interim management positions.
This list is for current CMAA members who are on Continuation Status and/or current Retired-Professional members who wish to stay in the industry on a part-time basis.
The Club Foundation Liaison: Inaugural University of South Carolina Scholarship Announced
The Club Foundation is proud to announce the inaugural recipients of the University of South Carolina Scholarship, a program established in 2026 to support current students and alumni of the University of South Carolina who are pursuing careers in club management.
Initiated by generous donors of The Tree Farm, a golf club located just outside of Aiken, SC, this scholarship fund was inspired by the value of connections between higher education and the club management profession, and the success that comes to students and emerging leaders when clubs and educational institutions coalesce. Congratulations to this year’s awardees, the first of many to follow:
- Nico Degabrielle, University of South Carolina
- Christian Emenecker, Food & Beverage Manager in Development, Charlotte Country Club
For more information, please visit the Club Foundation website
Communications/Public Relations Chair: 2026 Club Executive of the Year Nominations Due September 10
Annually, CMAA’s Club Management magazine honors a high-performing club management professional who exemplifies excellence in leadership with the Club Executive of the Year Award. Created more than 40 years ago as the Club Manager of the Year Award, today the distinction specifically recognizes top-level executives whose sustained contributions have significantly impacted their clubs, community, and the broader profession.
Help us honor an extraordinary club management professional who raises the bar in club management and within the CMAA community. CMAA welcomes and encourages nominations from diverse backgrounds and work experiences.
Please help spread the word to your Chapter members and clubs! The full criteria, nomination packet requirements, judging process, and notification information available online. All nomination materials must be received by September 10.
Membership Chair: August New Members Receive Education-Only Badge for World Conference
All members that join in the month of August receive a complimentary Education-Only badge for an upcoming World Conference on Club Management and Club Business Expo. Please let prospective members know about this great incentive!
Professional Development Chair: Advance Your Certification Goals at the 2026 Mid-Management Conference
Are you a club management professional working toward your Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation? Do you aspire to grow in your career? Join CMAA in St. Louis, MO, October 18-21, for education designed especially for those who are not serving in the general manager/chief operating officer role.
The 2026 Mid-Management Conference (MMC)'s education is focused on developing new skills, broadening horizons, and advancing career and certification goals. For more than 30 years, MMC has offered rising club management professionals an opportunity to grow and develop their own leadership abilities. 2025 is no different.
Attend and explore sessions on leadership, building presence, and much more.
Wine Society Chapter Representative: What’s Happening in the Wine Society?
As we look ahead to another busy fall for the CMAA Wine Society, we want to make sure you don't miss the opportunities coming your way. From upcoming deadlines and educational webinars, there is plenty to add to your calendar. Look at the important dates below to make sure you don’t miss a thing—we look forward to connecting with you throughout the year!
- Tuesday, August 18, 2:00 p.m. ET: Webinar: Maze Rowe: The 3 Kings of Italy
- Monday, September 14: Deadline for Wine Program Award entries
- Tuesday, September 22, 2:00 p.m. ET: Webinar: A Journey Through Burgundy with Maison Louis Latour
- Tuesday, October 6:Deadline for Warren Arseneaux Scholarship applications
- Tuesday, October 27, 2:00 p.m. ET: Webinar: Barolo vs. Brunello: A Comparative Exploration of Italy’s Most Iconic Wines