October 9, 2026
Professional Development
Three Days, Four Clubs: Get Powered Up at the Membership & Marketing Symposium
Get your club’s most pressing engagement, recruitment, retention, and waitlist management questions answered at CMAA’s Membership & Marketing Symposium.
Slated for November 1-3, in Washington, DC, the Symposium will feature sessions addressing:
- Building an engaging member experience;
- Identifying where AI can improve membership and marketing processes;
- Managing your club’s waitlist and expectations; and
- Breaking through the stereotypes of shifting demographics.
Gain insight, best practices, and real-life solutions, while visiting several iconic clubs, including Columbia Country Club, Cosmos Club, the Metropolitan Club, and the Sulgrave Club.
Don’t delay—October 9 is the last day to block your room at the Le Meridien Madison hotel.
Required Education for Your Club Board of Directors
CMAA’s next Governance & Leadership Symposium on November 19 offers accessible, collaborative, virtual education for your Board of Directors and club executive. Attend from anywhere with an Internet connection.
Past attendees highly rate these sessions. John Wilkening, CCM, shared “The Governance & Leadership Symposium should be required education for all incoming Board members as well as any club management profession.”
Explore important strategic governance topics built on the principles of:
- Informed Leadership
- Strategic Stewardship
- Empowered Management and Staff
- Compelling Member Experience
Your Board Members will leave this symposium more informed and equipped with key takeaways for improving club governance.
The Symposium is presented in partnership with KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE, a CMAA Executive Partner.
Registration ends November 17.
Membership and Member Benefits
Last Call for 2027 Renewals
Have you renewed your membership for 2027? If not, there is no time to waste. CMAA’s 2026 membership year ends on October 31, which is right around the corner. Renew your membership now so you do not incur any late fees.
Please proceed directly to the new online renewal service; have your email address and password ready. Please also be sure to verify your personal, club, and Chapter information. You can make any necessary changes by contacting CMAA National Headquarters.
Thank you and we look forward to celebrating CMAA’s centennial year with you!
Nominations Now Open for the CMAA Fellows Class of 2027
The CMAA Fellows Program recognizes members who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, service, and dedication to advancing the club management profession.
The Fellows Class of 2027 will help carry CMAA’s legacy of leadership into its second century. As such, Fellowship represents not only a recognition of past contributions, but a commitment to helping shape the future of the Association and the profession.
Nominations will be accepted through November 15. CMAA encourages members, colleagues, and current Fellows to nominate deserving eligible members who continue to inspire, lead, and serve.
Learn more and submit a nomination today. Thank you
The National Student Education Conference is Sold Out—Get on the Waitlist Today
We’ve reached capacity for the 2026 National Student Education Conference in Atlanta, GA. If you are still interested in attending, please send your name, member number, and school/university to Alanna Eckard to be added to the waitlist.
NSEC is made possible thanks to the support of The Club Foundation, the Chairman’s Fund, and CMAA’s Partnership Network.
Empower the Next Generation: Connect with Your Student Chapter Today
Senior Chapter Leaders and Student Chapter Liaison Managers—now is the time to reach out! We encourage all Student Chapter Liaison Managers to proactively contact their assigned Student Chapters, introduce themselves, and help assess their needs, event schedules, and support required for the upcoming academic year.
To keep lines of communication open and ensure your chapter stays connected with national resources, please confirm that your appointed Student Chapter Liaison Manager is officially listed when Student Chapters are submitting the Student Chapter Officer Form.
Get involved, assess your Chapter’s needs, and ensure your liaison information is up to date!
Willmoore H. Kendall Scholarships Awarded from The Club Foundation
In 2001, the Willmoore H. Kendall Scholarship Fund was established in memory of CMAA Past President Bill Kendall, CCM. The purpose of this scholarship is to provide tuition support to assistant managers and aspiring managers who are interested in pursuing the Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation.
The Club Foundation awards all scholarships based on the availability of funds and merit of application, and the Kendall Scholarship is arguably the most competitive. To best support awardees as they pursue and obtain the profession’s initial and most respected designation, The Club Foundation will cover the cost of all Business Management Institutes (BMI) needed to meet certification requirements, including the Certification Review Course and any related exam and petition fees.
Many congratulations to this year’s eight awardees:
- Brigeth Brookins, Assistant General Manager, Detroit Athletic Club, Detroit, MI
- Kendall Galat-Gonzalez, Director of Operations, Pine Canyon, Flagstaff, AZ
- Gavin Leon, Director of Racquets, Baltimore Country Club, Baltimore, MD
- Tatiana Lippold, Executive Assistant, Carolina Yacht Club, Charleston, SC
- Amy Lowe, Assistant General Manager of Member Experience, Woodstock Club, Indianapolis, IN
- Terry Scouras, Assistant General Manager, Maidstone Club, East Hampton, NY
- Tyler Tang, Director of Agronomy, The Club at Morningside, Rancho Mirage, CA
- Kalyn Williams, Clubhouse Manager, Milwaukee Country Club, River Hills, WI
Not only do these individuals demonstrate a high level of achievement in a pool of their peers, but they also received outstanding written recommendations and distinguished themselves by submitting exceptional applications.
These awards and scholarships are made possible by your support. If you haven’t renewed your CMAA membership yet, be sure to add a donation to your renewal. As a critical source of revenue for scholarships and grants, your participation is critical. We are deeply grateful to you for your support.
Interested in learning more about supporting the Foundation or more about scholarship and grants available through the Foundation? Contact us. The Club Foundation also supports a variety of legacy giving options, from charitable trusts, to bequests, to policy designations. If you’d like to learn more about these options, visit our giving webpage.
Features
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Featured Discussion: Member Chit Signatures and Disputed Charges |
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Resources
Submit Your Data by October 16 & Get the Financial and Operational Data You Need
Data gathering for the 2025 Finance & Operations Report is now underway, and we encourage you to support this important research through your club’s participation and get the data you need for informed decision making.
Club Benchmarking, a CMAA Executive Partner, powers CMAA’s annual surveys.
All CMAA members submitting complete 2025 fiscal-year-end data (year ending between July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026) prior to the October 16 deadline will receive:
- A complimentary copy of the 2025 Finance & Operations Report for their club
- An activation of a free Club Benchmarking Starter Account (for clubs not already subscribed to Club Benchmarking)
- An invitation to schedule a Benchmark Review session with a Club Benchmarking analyst to review your club’s individual results.
Confidentiality of all data is guaranteed. Data will only be presented in an aggregated format.
This invitation is being distributed to all CMAA members who are GM/CEO/COOs and CFO/Controllers. Please note: Only one submission is needed per club.
In addition to overseeing data gathering and analysis, the Club Benchmarking Data Management Team is committed to providing full support to assist you with your data submissions. You’ll find instructions at the link below.
Please submit your data by October 16.
Thank you in advance for your support! If you have any questions, please contact Amilcar Davy, CMAA's Director of Research, or Bryan LaBlue, Club Benchmarking’s Senior Director of Research and Innovation.
Trends and News
Building Momentum in the Motor City at the 2026 Leadership/Legislative Conference
Detroit brought the energy—and so did CMAA’s volunteer leaders. More than 200 current, sustaining, and aspiring leaders gathered at the Leadership/ Legislative Conference (LLC) from September 14-16 in Detroit, MI, including 50 first-time attendees. It was especially meaningful to begin the celebration of CMAA’s Centennial in Detroit as it is a place that holds an important place in CMAA’s history.
Attendees shared ideas, sharpened their leadership skills, and moved CMAA forward in real time. The three-day event ended with strategic roundtables designed to gather candid feedback, test emerging priorities, and identify the opportunities that matter most to attendees and stakeholders. The insights shared will help shape recommendations for CMAA’s Strategic Plan and ensure that our next steps reflect the collective experience, expertise, and aspirations of this community.
Attendees experienced an unforgettable Networking Event at “The Most Sought-After Experience in Detroit.” Our warmest congratulations and heartfelt thanks to Charles Johnson, CCM, CCE, Bri Brookins, and the exceptional team at the Detroit Athletic Club for hosting such a wonderful evening. Their thoughtful hospitality, dedication, and attention to every detail made the experience truly special and memorable for all.
Kudos to the Greater Michigan Chapter for their amazing hospitality and a wonderful taste of Michigan! Thank you for such a warm welcome and memorable experience for our LLC attendees.
Revisit the best of LLC with our Flickr Album!
The Centennial Pennant Has Arrived
Also, the CMAA Centennial Pennant was unveiled at the 2026 LLC. This pennant is more than a keepsake. It is a symbol of the people, places, and experiences that have shaped our Association's first 100 years and will carry us into the next century.
We invite members and Chapters to take the pennant on their journeys throughout the Centennial celebration. Bring it to your club, Chapter events, community activities, industry gatherings, or wherever CMAA connections are being made. Capture a photo, share the story behind it, and help us showcase the many ways CMAA members are making an impact across the profession.
Submit your photos and stories to goodnews@cmaa.org for a chance to be featured in Centennial communications and help create a lasting visual record of CMAA's 100th year.
The question is simple: Where will the Centennial Pennant go next?
