September 12, 2025
Professional Development
Lean into Leadership at the Mid-Management Conference
Time is running out to register and book your hotel for the 2025 Mid-Management Conference (MMC) in Nashville, TN. Join CMAA October 19-22 for education 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.
Discover sessions designed to enhance Attend and explore sessions on your personal brand, expand your network, and sharpen your expertise in club governance.
Explore inspiring sessions such as:
- Navigating the Transition to Leadership
- Performance, Image, and Exposure
- Leadership Strategies for Overcoming Adversity
- And much more!
How to Read Your Credit History
One of the most frequently asked questions CMAA receives is “where do I find my credit history and what exactly am I looking at?” If you want to monitor your eligibility status but aren’t sure how the numbers add up to get those 300 credits you need to take the Certified Club Manager (CCM) exam, here’s a breakdown.
Club Management Institute (CMI) Credits: These are credits that members earn from attending World Conference, Leadership/Legislative Conference, Mid-Management Conference, Business Management Institute (BMI) and workshops.
Chapter Education Credits: Any education that’s taken at the Chapter level belongs in this category. Chapter workshops, however, are not listed in this category as chapter workshops fall under CMI credits.
Other Education Credits: Other Education is any education that is not hosted by CMAA or a CMAA Chapter. Allied Association Education would fall under this category as well as your college education.
Association Activity (AA) Credits: Association Activity Credits are awarded to members for their on-going participation in the association. Managers must earn a minimum of 50 AA credits to become eligible to take the CCM exam.
Now that you know how to read your credits; you also need to know how they add up to give you the 300 total credits:
- You must have a total of 200 Education Credits to take the CCM exam. A minimum of 100 credits must come from CMAA [CMI or Chapter] education, at least 25 of which must be earned at the Chapter level.
- 50 must be Association Activity Credits.
- 50 additional credits can come from Other Education.
Please contact Sonya Peterbark or Brian Watkins if you have questions about certification or your credit history.
Membership and Member Benefits
Announcing the 2026 CMAA Secretary-Treasurer and Board of Director Slate
The CMAA Board of Directors has elected Casey Newman, CCM, the General Manager/COO of Lakeside Country Club in Houston, TX, to serve as the 2026 CMAA Secretary-Treasurer. She was elected by the Board during its May meeting. Her term will commence following the 2026 World Conference.
Newman first joined CMAA in 2004 as a member of the Florida State University Student Chapter. Newman earned her Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Administration from the College of Business at Florida State University in 2006. She became a Professional member in 2007 and earned her CCM designation in 2014.
Newman is a second-generation club manager and was the first non-General Manager to be elected to the CMAA Board of Directors in 2021. She was reelected to her second three-year term in 2024.
Congratulations Casey!
2026 Board of Director Candidates
The CMAA Nominating Committee led by Immediate Past Chair Joe Mendez, CCM, CCE, has conducted its due diligence based on the strategic needs of the Association and presents the following slate of candidates for election to the 2026 National Board of Directors.
For general elections to the National Board of Directors, there are three, three-year terms, and one, one-year term available for 2026.
The slated candidates are:
Haissam Baityeh, CCM, CCE*
Washington Golf & Country Club
Arlington, VA
Kent Johnson, CCM, CCE
Baltimore Country Club
Baltimore, MD
James Reisig, CCM, CCE*
The University Club
New York, NY
Kimberly Clark Warren, CCM*
Saucon Valley Country Club
Bethlehem, PA
*Denotes Incumbent
Voting Information
Each candidate will deliver a two-minute presentation at the upcoming 2025 Leadership/Legislative Conference. These presentations, along with their candidate platforms and résumés, will be available on this site when voting opens.
Online voting will open in December and continue through the start of CMAA’s World Conference and Club Business Expo, taking place February 17-21, 2026, in Anaheim, CA. On-site voting will be available.
Your participation is vital. Every eligible voter is strongly encouraged to cast their vote to ensure your voice helps shape the future of the Association. Thank you!
Thank You, The Club Foundation Allocation Committee
Among all the incredible volunteers and committees that keep The Club Foundation humming, critical members of the Club Foundation Allocation Committee (CFAC) quietly support the heart of our mission. They work behind the scenes, but their impact is tremendous. Their role is to carefully review and evaluate scholarship applications throughout the application season.
CFAC members are anonymous. This allows them to focus on the details of each application, dedicating themselves fully to the success of the Foundation’s mission. They don’t do this for recognition; they do it for the importance of the task and they apply tremendous integrity to their work.
With an increasing number of applicants and two new scholarship programs this year, they are busier than ever. They know the importance of their work and volunteer with dedication and heart.
We are incredibly grateful to every single amazing member of this committee! You will likely never learn their names, so we hope you will send out a virtual cheer of thanks or observe a quiet moment of gratitude for these consummate industry professionals.
Thank you CFAC! Your generosity, expertise, and love for the mission shines loudly, in an otherwise quiet role. Thank you for all that you do!
Upcoming Deadlines:
Here are the key scholarship and grant opportunities available during the remainder of 2025:
- Warren Arseneaux Scholarship – Due Date: October 1
- DeLozier Family Scholarship – Due Date: October 1
- James B. Singerling Scholarship – Due Date: October 1
- Willmoore H. Kendall Scholarship – Due Date: November 1 for submission to CF
- LaRocca Family Executive Scholarship – Due Date: November 1
- Chapter Workshop Grant – Due Date: December 15
If you have questions regarding this campaign or any other Foundation work, please complete our contact form or call us directly at 703-299-4284.
Have You Managed the Same Club for 25 Years?
Have you been in a management position at your club for 25 or more consecutive years? If so, we would first like to commend you on the dedication and hard work that you have committed to the industry. Secondly, we would like to extend our invitation to you to be a member of CMAA’s 25-Year Club.
Membership in the 25-Year Club is open to “any member of CMAA who shall have been the manager of the same bona fide club for 25 consecutive years.” Managers are invited to become members upon receipt of statements of eligibility from their clubs. There are no dues or admission fees; the purpose of the club is to promote special relations among its members.
With more than 80 current members, we look forward to welcoming even more inductees. New members to the 25-Year Club are recognized at each World Conference. If you meet the eligibility requirements, please contact Erica Benjamin for further information.
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Resources
Cybersecurity Staff Training Courses Now Available on CMAA’s Club Resource Center
CMAA’s Club Resource Center (CRC) course line-up now has five new cybersecurity training courses for you and your staff. They include:
- Cybersecurity Overview
- Workplace Security Basics 2.0
- Cybersecurity - Staying Safe Online 3.0
- Social Engineering 2.0
- Introduction to Ransomware 2.0
The CRC subscription brings you a broad scope of online interactive training courses for all your club’s staff. Contact Bob Gould for a full CRC course list or more information.
Trends and News
Treasury Department Defines Tipped Occupations
As required by Congress in HR1, the Big Beautiful Bill, the Treasury Department has published its preliminary list of eligible tipped occupations. The final comprehensive list will be published by October 2; although it is not expected to differ significantly from the preliminary list.
The Treasury Department designated 68 positions that will be eligible for exemption from federal taxation on tip income. There are many of interest to the club industry.