2022 Conference Speakers are still being added.
Check back for the line up.
Christopher Wyles CCM, CCE, ECM General Manager, Bald Peak Colony Club Michelle F. Tanzer Chair, Global Club and Branded Residences, Nelson Mullins Alan Achatz President, Club Safety Solutions
18TH ANNUAL
NATIONAL CLUB CONFERENCE
MAY 15-17, 2022
CHARLESTON, S.C.
What Your Peers are Saying
“The NCA Conference is an event that I always try to get into my schedule. The quality of the clubs, managers, speakers, and planned activities are excellent, and it is a conference you don’t want to miss! The advocacy and information provided by NCA is valuable to me and my club throughout the year.”
“NCA is a tremendous resource to my club clients. They receive valuable insight and education on club governance and operational issues as well as critical information about legislative and governmental initiatives that impact all private clubs.”
“The NCA Conference was stellar! Cutting edge ideas and success stories from industry leaders were thought provoking … Highlights were Justice Kennedy in the Supreme Court chambers, David Rubenstein’s presentation, and the camaraderie and the hospitality offered at the various clubs!”
2022 Conference Speakers
2022 Conference Sponsors
Sponsorship Information
The National Club Conference provides a unique opportunity for companies to engage with key private club decision-makers seeking products, services, and resources to assist them in their work. This is a singular opportunity to connect with your current customers and identify new ones; gather useful data about new product ideas and industry trends, and gain a competitive edge.
For more information, please contact Katina Cavagnaro
at [email protected] or by phone at (202) 822-1291.
Learn More About Sponsorship Opportunities for 2022
Michael Bryan
Partner
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP.
Michael D. Bryan, is a Partner in the Charleston, SC office of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP. Mike focuses his practice on a wide variety of transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, licensing, and debt and equity offerings. He advises clients in the agricultural and industrial biotechnology, manufacturing, chemical, and healthcare industries. He also regularly advises clients on matters related to corporate governance, securities law compliance and reporting requirements, stock exchange rules, executive compensation, boards of directors, and compliance.
Henry DeLozier
PARTNER
GGA Partners
Henry B. DeLozier is a partner at GGA Partners, and one of the leading authorities on golf course asset development and financing. DeLozier joined GGA Partners after nine years as the vice president, Golf of Pulte Homes—the largest developer of golf course communities in the United States—where he developed 27 golf courses in 10 states and was responsible for the operation of more than 20 Pulte golf courses. He is recognized by Golf Inc. magazine as one of the “Most Influential People in Golf.” He is a past president of the board of directors for the National Golf Course Owners Association. He also serves on the Employers Advisory Council for the PGA of America. He is a frequent expert source to U.S. and international media on matters of golf-related resort and residential investment and development and social and economic trends affecting the golf business. DeLozier earned his B.A. in English from Oklahoma State University.
Bob Schmetterer
Past Chairman of the Board, Ocean Reef Club
Communications Chair, New York Yacht Club
Bob Schmetterer is a CEO, board director, author and creative consultant. He served as a director of the Ocean Reef Club for 10 years and a past Chairman of the board. He is currently is a Board Trustee and Communications Chair for the New York Yacht Club.
Previously he was Chairman and CEO of one of the largest global communications company Havas Worldwide and a founding partner and president of advertising agency Messner Vetere Berger McNamee Schmetterer.
His signature career clients included Volvo, Intel, Maxell, Perdue Chicken, NASDAQ, MCI and New Balance.
Advertising Age profiled him as “a creative visionary”, Business Week as a “mover and shaker” for bringing technology and marketing together and Campaign magazine wrote: “No one should underestimate Schmetterer’s determination to change the way we think about creative thinking.”
Dick Grasso
FORMER CHAIRMAN AND CEO
New York Stock Exchange
Dick Grasso, the founder of Gladiator Holdings, is the former chairman and chief executive officer of the New York Stock Exchange (1995-2002), guiding the Exchange to the most successful years in its 223-year history. During his tenure, the NYSE became the world’s most respected equities market, boosting its market share to 84% and setting annual records for new listings, IPOs and transfers. A champion of the small investor, Grasso brought unparalleled transparency to the marketplace. After the attacks of September 11, 2001, Grasso’s leadership was instrumental in the successful reopening of the U.S. equities markets.
Grasso served as a Director of publicly-traded Computer Associates, and Home Depot.
Grasso also currently serves as vice-chairman of the Nassau County Police Crimestoppers. and serves on the Board of Wagner College. He also served as chairman of the Economic Club of New York, the YMCA of Greater New York, and Junior Achievement of New York, and vice chairman of the National Italian American Foundation, and the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. Among other philanthropic activities, Mr. Grasso has founded the American Dream Foundation, and has served on the boards of the New York City Police Foundation, New York State Troopers Foundation and the New York City Public Private Initiatives, among other organizations.
John C. Tolbert
Senior Vice President, Asset Management, BRE Hotels & Resorts
Founder, Revelation Consultancy, LLC
John C. Tolbert is senior vice president, asset management at BRE Hotels & Resorts, overseeing sales and marketing initiatives including the development of creative revenue driving opportunities across the full-service portfolio and founder at Revelation Consultancy, a global business consulting firm with emphasis on resort and residential real estate, private clubs and hospitality.
Prior to joining BRE Hotels & Resorts, Mr. Tolbert served as President and Managing Director of Boca Raton Resort & Club for more than four years, leading a team of more than 1,800 employees. During his tenure, Mr. Tolbert spear-headed the creation of the Yacht Club, a luxury boutique hotel experience within the larger resort, developed a world-class the fitness program by bringing in the likes of Orangetheory and celebrity trainers as well as introduced the Artist-in-Residence program. In 2018, Mr. Tolbert managed the sale of the Resort and Club, one of the largest hotel sales in South Florida in recent years.
Tolbert founded Revelation Consultancy, LLC, which plays a key role helping developers, owners, financial institutions and management companies make crucial decisions on vision, strategy, marketing, sales, operations and organization. Tolbert and his Consultancy are uniquely effective at providing short and long-term consultation at the top level and at providing a total solution from a tactical and implementation perspective.
Mr. Tolbert also serves on several business and community boards. He most recently was appointed to Governor DeSantis’ Re-open Florida taskforce to assist hospitality industry in the ongoing COVID recovery. Additionally, Mr. Tolbert sits on the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, Tourism Development Council of Palm Beach County, Boca Raton Historical Society, American Hotel & Lodging Association, Boca Raton Bowl, and Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, among others. He is an advisor to the boards of FAU Business School, Lynn University, and NSU Hospitality Programs. A highly sought after public speaker, he has spoken about topics from business leadership to hospitality excellence, at events including Gary Vaynerchuk’s Agent2121. He has been featured on CNBC, ESPN, Yahoo! Finance, and the popular Netflix series Stay Here, and has been profiled in magazines including Palm Beach Illustrated, Boca Raton Magazine, and more. In addition, Mr. Tolbert has been Hilton Worldwide’s “Luxury Leader of the Year,” Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce’s “Business Leader of the Year” and co-chair of numerous non-profit and charitable organizations.
Julius Rhodes
Founder
mpr Group
Throughout his 30+ year career in the consumer products, durable and consumer goods, and healthcare industries Julius Rhodes has helped myriad leaders, and organizations; “BRAND: YOU.” His extensive experience in public service, associations, several leading-edge Fortune 100 firms and as a business owner, author, and trusted advisor has allowed him to support various entities in times of transition and change. Julius believes “Invest in Your People, and Your Business Will Prosper.”
Based in Chicago, Illinois he is a much sought-after speaker, presenter, trainer and thought leader who has national exposure throughout the continental United States, and Hawaii, and he has facilitated sessions internationally in Canada, England Mexico, and Nigeria. His group interaction has been described as ‘approachable, relevant, and applicable.’ His mission is to ‘engage, support and inspire his partners through the application of practical and sustainable practices which create improved process efficiency, talent development, integration, and utilization.
He speaks to thousands annually at conferences, conventions, and on-site covering topics such as human resources, environmental, health and safety, leadership development, emotional intelligence, health and well-being, change, diversity, equity and inclusion, future trends, and positive disruption, among others.
Julius lists as his greatest accomplishment the over 30-year marriage to his wife Linda, and their two adult children, Jerome, and Lauren. He is the youngest of four children born to the 68-year marriage of Marzet and Pete Rhodes and his firm the mpr group is a tribute to them. In his free time Julius enjoys cooking, bike-riding, enjoying Chicago’s lakefront and getting up a few shots on the basketball court.
Tom Gartland
AUTHOR
Senior Advisor AEA Investors
Tom Gartland is the executive chairman of SGLT, a global logistics company. He is known as a compassionate, strategic and inspiring leader with nearly three decades of sales and leadership experience, who helped transform the culture of a Fortune 500 company into an engaged, collaborative, top-performing organization that experienced unprecedented growth. As former president of Avis Budget Group North America (2008 to 2014), his responsibilities included the management of more than 20,000 employees across 5,000 locations, and overseeing more than 350,000 vehicles that accounted for more than $5 billion in revenue every year. Gartland is currently a member of the board of directors of Xenia Hotels and ABM. He is also a senior advisor to a private equity firm founded by the Rockefeller and Mellon families. Gartland is the author of the book, “Lead with Heart: Transform Your Business Through Personal Connection,” which focuses on his message that business is personal and that by opening ourselves up and truly caring about each other, we can transform organizations. Gartland received his bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Thomas.
Roger Warren
President
Kiawah Island Golf Resort
Roger Warren, president of Kiawah Island Golf Resort, was elected to serve as the 34th president of The PGA of America from 2004-06 and is a member of the PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame.
At Kiawah Island, Warren oversees Kiawah Island Golf Resort, an operation that includes the Forbes Travel Guide Five Star and AAA Five Diamond-rated hotel, The Sanctuary; 500 villas and homes; five golf courses; twenty-two tennis courts; twelve restaurants and 1400 employees. The resort’s Ocean Course hosted the 2012 and 2021 PGA Championship.
Warren came to Kiawah in 2003 as the resort’s Director of Golf before assuming the President’s duties in 2005. Formerly General Manager and Director of Golf at Seven Bridges Golf Club in Woodridge, Ill., Warren has been a PGA member since May 1990. He quickly moved up the ranks of the PGA’s Illinois PGA section as its Secretary from 1992-94, vice president from 1995-96 and president from 1997-98. He was named the 1998 Illinois PGA Golf Professional of the Year.
Certified as a PGA Master Professional in General Management, Warren was a member of the Golf Professional Training Program (GPTP) faculty for three years. In 1996, he served on the task force that developed CareerLinks, The PGA of America’s job identification service. Warren’s golf shop at Seven Bridges Golf Course in Woodridge, Ill., was named one of “America’s 100 Best Golf Shops” in 1991, ‘96, ‘97, ‘98 and ‘99 by Golf Shop Operations magazine. He was named the Illinois PGA Section’s Merchandiser of the Year for Public Facilities in 1992.
Nationally, he has served on The PGA’s task force on governance and was elected to two-year terms as secretary of The PGA of America in 2000; vice president in 2002; president in 2004; and honorary president in 2006.
A native of Galesburg, Ill., Warren graduated from Western Illinois University in 1972, with a degree in education. He earned his master’s degree in 1981 from Northern Illinois University. From 1973-86, he worked for the Dundee (Ill.) School System and in the summer at The Village Links of Glen Ellyn.
Warren and his wife, Mary, have a son, Michael.
Shep Murray
CO-FOUNDER
Vineyard Vines
Shep & Ian Murray are CEOs and founders of vineyard vines and brothers who grew up in Connecticut and spent every summer on Martha’s Vineyard. As youth, they played in various bands, recorded albums, started assorted small businesses and would combine earnings to buy the “best old boat” they could find to head out on the water and escape life from time to time. In the late nineties, both were unhappy at their respective Manhattan jobs, so they decided to trade in business suits for bathing suits by selling ties. Before quitting their jobs, they leased cars and signed up for credit cards to start their new business. Their first 800 ties hit the market in 1998 and sold out in the first week. Continued success allowed them to grow quickly, expand, hire staff, and open stores across the country. Today, they work from a brand-new office, sell more items than ties, have a new golf team, and are the official style of the Kentucky Derby.
John Tecklenburg
Mayor
City of Charleston
Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg spent much of his career as a businessman and entrepreneur–a family legacy that began with the opening of his great-great-grandfather’s corner grocery store at St. Phillip and Wentworth streets in 1867. Mayor Tecklenburg founded Southern Oil Company in 1978, which he successfully owned and operated for nearly 20 years. Upon selling the business, he was appointed to serve as Director of Economic Development for the City of Charleston, where he helped lead the revitalization of Upper King Street.
Mayor Tecklenburg holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Georgetown University in Washington, DC and also attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston where he pursued his lifelong passion for music and jazz. Since becoming mayor in 2016, Mayor Tecklenburg has been committed to improving citizens’ quality of life and making Charleston a city of opportunity for all.
Among his efforts to improve city-wide livability, Mayor Tecklenburg has paid particular attention to flooding and drainage relief, appointing the city’s first-ever Chief Resilience Officer, and beginning the process of implementing the City of Charleston Flooding & Sea Level Rise Strategy, which outlines actions designed to make the city more resilient to effects of increased disasters and changing weather.
Mayor Tecklenburg has also led initiatives to address housing affordability and homelessness in Charleston. These have included the closing of Tent City, a sprawling homeless encampment that had developed in our North Central neighborhood, and the formation of the Mayors’ Commission on Homelessness and Affordable Housing, which works to develop a long-term regional approach to these challenges.
In addition, he has championed Plan West Ashley, the largest, most comprehensive renewal and revitalization effort in our city’s history. Modeled after the successful Downtown Revitalization Commission of the 1970s and 1980s, the West Ashley Revitalization Commission is working directly with citizens to implement Plan West Ashley, which will guide the area’s development for years to come.
Mayor Tecklenburg and his wife Sandy are the proud parents of five grown children – Melissa, Suzanne, Paula, Joseph and John Henry. They reside in the Old Windermere section of West Ashley.
Keith Wandell
Ret. President/CEO
Harley-Davidson
Keith Wandell is a business executive with a background in operations, general management and leadership development. Keith graduated from Ohio University – BBA in 1972 and The University of Dayton – MBA in 1979.
Keith held positions in areas of increasing responsibility from 1972 through 1987 at Sheller-Globe Corp. as well as Farley Industries. In 1988, Keith joined Johnson Controls, Inc. as a plant manager within the JCI Battery Group. In 1991 Keith was promoted to V.P of Operations for the Battery Group and was subsequently promoted to President of the JCI Battery Group in 1995. During Keith’s tenure the Battery Group evolved from a North American “centric” business to a global business. Revenues grew from $2.5B to over $5B
In 2003 Keith was promoted to the position of President/Automotive Group of JCI a $20B entity. The JCI Automotive Group supplied complete sets and interior components to every major automobile company globally.
Keith was promoted in early 2007 to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Johnson Controls, Inc., responsible for the three operating companies globally with revenues in excess of $40B.
In early 2009 Keith was recruited to the position of President and CEO of Harley-Davidson, Inc. In 2011 he was made Chairman of the Board in addition to his duties as President and CEO. Keith led a turnaround of HD coming out of the 2008-2009 financial crisis, achieving record profitability of the company and creation of $13.5B of shareholder value in a period five years. In addition to restructuring the manufacturing footprint and rationalizing the dealer network, he led the restructuring of the product development process and introduced the Harley-Davidson electric motorcycle (LiveWire) in 2012. Keith retired from Harley-Davidson, Inc May 1, 2015.
Additionally, Keith currently serves on the Board of Dover Corporation since 2015 as well as Dana Corporation since 2008. He served as Non- Executive Chairman of Dana Corporation from 2014-2020 and currently is the Independent Lead Director. He served on the Board of Constellation Brands from 2011-2019 and Chairman of the Board of Exide Technologies from 2015-2019.
Cal Thomas
Syndicated Columnist and Pundit
Cal Thomas is a syndicated columnist, political pundit, author and radio commentator. His column has appeared in hundreds of newspapers since he began writing it more than 35 years ago. He is also a veteran of TV and radio news. Cal worked for the Fox News Channel for 19 years and with NBC News and KPRC-TV in Houston. He began his journalism career at 16 years old.
Joe Trauger
VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
National Club Association
Joe Trauger is NCA’s Vice President of Government Relations, organizing NCA’s lobbying activities and ClubPAC, NCA’s political action committee.
As an experienced government relations professional with numerous legislative and regulatory successes on Capitol Hill, Joe brings extensive experience and respect as an association lobbyist with tremendous knowledge of the issues facing clubs today. . Joe has a unique perspective into the private club industry as he is entering his second year as president of Mount Vernon Country Club in Alexandria, Va., an NCA member club.”
He previously was principal and founder of Northfield Strategies, an advocacy consulting firm. Prior to Northfield, Joe was senior vice president of policy and government relations at the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute, and vice president of government relations at the National Association of Manufacturers. His Capitol Hill experience includes positions as senior policy advisor for then House Majority Whip Roy Blunt; policy advisor for then House Majority Leader Dick Armey; senior legislative assistant for former Congressman Sam Johnson; and legislative assistant for former Senator Rod Grams.
Joe is a competitive golfer, frequently playing in (and winning) charity and purse tournaments, and modestly boasts a single-digit handicap.
Jim Newsome
PRESIDENT & CEO
South Carolina Ports Authority
Jim Newsome is the president and chief executive officer of the South Carolina Ports Authority in Charleston, South Carolina. He assumed that role on September 1, 2009 and is only the fifth leader in the history of the port. With twelve years in his position, he is also currently the longest serving leader of a major container port in the United States.
Prior to his current position, Mr. Newsome had an extensive career in the ocean container shipping industry. He served from 2008-2009 as President – Region Americas with Hapag-Lloyd AG. Prior to that he served as Senior Vice President – Area Southeast from 1997-2008. Prior to 2008, he held numerous positions at Strachan Shipping Company (1977-1987) and Nedlloyd Lines (1987-1997). Mr. Newsome was the first American to assume the top roles in the United States for both Hapag-Lloyd and Nedlloyd Lines.
Mr. Newsome received a BS in Transportation and Logistics in 1976 and an MBA in Transportation and Logistics in 1977 from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN. He was the top graduate in the College of Business Administration for Winter Quarter, 1976. He was named the Outstanding Alumnus in Transportation and Logistics in 1992.
Mr. Newsome has received several awards and honors, to include: Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey’s International Maritime Hall of Fame (2021), University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Global Supply Chain Institute Distinguished Service Award (2020), Outstanding Manufacturing Lifetime Service Award (2020), Roger Milliken Defender of Manufacturing Award (2020), DC Velocity Logistics Rainmaker (2019), University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award (2018), Agriculture Transportation Coalition, Person of the Year (2016), South Carolina Public Servant of the Year, South Carolina Chamber of Commerce (2014), Doctor of Humane Letters, The College of Charleston (2014), and Connie Award, The Containerization and Intermodal Institute (2010).
He is involved in numerous organizations within the University of Tennessee, to include College of Business Administration Dean’s Advisory Council and the Global Supply Chain Institute Executive Advisory Board. He is also on boards with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), American Heart Association, Southeast Region, and American Heart Association, Lowcountry Heart Walk, and Trident United Way, Tocqueville Society.
Mr. Newsome is a native of Savannah, Georgia. He has been married for 36 years (wife Kathy) and has two children and two grandchildren. His daughter, Rachel (35), is a school counselor in Jackson, Mississippi. His son, Matt (30), is a doctor doing his residency in urology at UK Healthcare in Lexington, Kentucky.
Kwame Christian
DIRECTOR
American Negotiation Institute
Kwame Christian, Esq., M.A. is the Director of the American Negotiation Institute where he conducts negotiation and conflict management workshops around the country. As an attorney and mediator with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology, a Master of Public Policy, and a Juris Doctorate (Law Degree), Kwame brings a unique multidisciplinary approach to making difficult conversations easier. In addition to his role with the American Negotiation Institute, Kwame also serves as a professor at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, the top ranked dispute resolution program in the country, and Otterbein University’s MBA program.
He is the author of the Amazon Best Seller, Nobody Will Play With Me: How to Find Confidence in Conflict. Kwame also hosts the top negotiation podcast in the world, Negotiate Anything. The show has been downloaded over 1,000,000 times and has listeners in 183 different countries. His TEDx Talk, Finding Confidence in Conflict, was the most popular TED Talk on the topic of conflict of 2017.
Henry DeLozier
PARTNER
Global Golf Partners
Henry B. DeLozier is a partner at Global Golf Partners, and one of the leading authorities on golf course asset development and financing. DeLozier joined Global Golf Partners after nine years as the vice president, Golf of Pulte Homes—the largest developer of golf course communities in the United States—where he developed 27 golf courses in 10 states and was responsible for the operation of more than 20 Pulte golf courses. He is recognized by Golf Inc. magazine as one of the “Most Influential People in Golf.” He is a past president of the board of directors for the National Golf Course Owners Association. He also serves on the Employers Advisory Council for the PGA of America. He is a frequent expert source to U.S. and international media on matters of golf-related resort and residential investment and development and social and economic trends affecting the golf business. DeLozier earned his B.A. in English from Oklahoma State University.
Tom Gartland
AUTHOR
Senior Advisor AEA Investors
Tom Gartland is the executive chairman of SGLT, a global logistics company. He is known as a compassionate, strategic and inspiring leader with nearly three decades of sales and leadership experience, who helped transform the culture of a Fortune 500 company into an engaged, collaborative, top-performing organization that experienced unprecedented growth. As former president of Avis Budget Group North America (2008 to 2014), his responsibilities included the management of more than 20,000 employees across 5,000 locations, and overseeing more than 350,000 vehicles that accounted for more than $5 billion in revenue every year. Gartland is currently a member of the board of directors of Xenia Hotels and ABM. He is also a senior advisor to a private equity firm founded by the Rockefeller and Mellon families. Gartland is the author of the book, “Lead with Heart: Transform Your Business Through Personal Connection,” which focuses on his message that business is personal and that by opening ourselves up and truly caring about each other, we can transform organizations. Gartland received his bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Thomas.
Chris Singleton
INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER
Chris Singleton Foundation
Overcoming the Unthinkable
It’s no secret that we all go through adversity. In this keynote speech Chris shares his keys to: Survive, Pivot, Adapt and Thrive (S.P.A.T) through all of life’s obstacles. Chris knows first hand how to overcome the unthinkable with a mindset of resilience and understanding that we may not be able to choose what happens to us, but we can always control our responses. Chris’ response in the aftermath of his mother being murdered while he was in college led him to be drafted by the Chicago Cubs and now being one of the most booked professional speakers under the age of 30.
Chris Singleton is a former professional athlete drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2017. Following the loss of his mother in a racially motivated mass shooting (in the 2015 Mother Emanuel Church Tragedy in Charleston), Chris has now become an inspirational speaker and best-selling author who has shared his message of unity and racial reconciliation with clients such as: Microsoft, Biogen, Houston Texans, Washington Wizards, etc. He shares with over 50 organizations and over 30,000 students annually and resides with his spouse Mariana and his sons CJ and Caden in Charleston, SC.
Ian Murray
CO-FOUNDER
Vineyard Vines
Shep & Ian Murray are CEOs and founders of vineyard vines and brothers who grew up in Connecticut and spent every summer on Martha’s Vineyard. As youth, they played in various bands, recorded albums, started assorted small businesses and would combine earnings to buy the “best old boat” they could find to head out on the water and escape life from time to time. In the late nineties, both were unhappy at their respective Manhattan jobs, so they decided to trade in business suits for bathing suits by selling ties. Before quitting their jobs, they leased cars and signed up for credit cards to start their new business. Their first 800 ties hit the market in 1998 and sold out in the first week. Continued success allowed them to grow quickly, expand, hire staff, and open stores across the country. Today, they work from a brand-new office, sell more items than ties, have a new golf team, and are the official style of the Kentucky Derby.
Rick Reilly
SPORT WRITER, CONTRIBUTING ESSAYIST
ESPN, ABC Sports, Sports Illustrated
Rick Reilly is a screenwriter, book author, keynote speaker and member of the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame. He was voted National Sportswriter of the Year 11 times over a career that began in 1979. He is the author of 13 books, including “Meet My Sister … And Other Things I Probably Shouldn’t Have Said,” a collection of his best columns written at ESPN, with postscript updates of each column at the bottom and “Who’s Your Caddy?” (Doubleday), about Reilly caddying for everyone from Jack Nicklaus to Donald Trump to a $50,000-a-hole gambler. It rose to No. 3 on the New York Times bestseller list. His most recent book, “Commander-in-Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump,” is an uproarious indictment of President Donald Trump. It was #6 with a bullet in its first week on The New York Times bestseller list. For two years, he was the host of ESPN’s Homecoming with Rick Reilly, a one-hour interview show.
On June 10, 2014, he wrote his final column as a sportswriter. The next year, he produced his last TV piece for ESPN. He now writes sitcoms, screenplays, and books in Hollywood. He currently has two movies in development. Reilly won the 2009 Damon Runyon Award for Outstanding Contributions to Journalism. Reilly is the founder of the anti-malaria effort, “Nothing But Nets,” which has raised more than $60 million to provide mosquito nets for children in Africa where 2,000 children die every day of the disease—a partnership with the United Nations Foundation—with every dollar goes to buying the nets.
Joe Trauger
VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
National Club Association
Joe Trauger is NCA’s Vice President of Government Relations, organizing NCA’s lobbying activities and ClubPAC, NCA’s political action committee.
As an experienced government relations professional with numerous legislative and regulatory successes on Capitol Hill, Joe brings extensive experience and respect as an association lobbyist with tremendous knowledge of the issues facing clubs today. . Joe has a unique perspective into the private club industry as he is entering his second year as president of Mount Vernon Country Club in Alexandria, Va., an NCA member club.”
He previously was principal and founder of Northfield Strategies, an advocacy consulting firm. Prior to Northfield, Joe was senior vice president of policy and government relations at the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute, and vice president of government relations at the National Association of Manufacturers. His Capitol Hill experience includes positions as senior policy advisor for then House Majority Whip Roy Blunt; policy advisor for then House Majority Leader Dick Armey; senior legislative assistant for former Congressman Sam Johnson; and legislative assistant for former Senator Rod Grams.
Joe is a competitive golfer, frequently playing in (and winning) charity and purse tournaments, and modestly boasts a single-digit handicap.
Richard Weinsten
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, MEMBERSHIP & MARKETING
Ocean Reef Club
Richard Weinstein is senior vice president of membership and marketing at Ocean Reef Club (ORC). Weinstein is responsible for the membership experience and the journey from prospective member to ORC’s unique way of life for generations of members and their families. Weinstein focuses on building the Ocean Reef Club brand and revenue development through conference sales and membership development. Prior to Ocean Reef Club, he was trustee at The Incentive Research Foundation at MCI, and vice president of corporate sales for Carnival Corporation (Carnival Cruise lines and Carnival Hotels and Resorts) Prior to that, he was responsible for Carnival’s Crystal Palace—an 800-room golf and casino resort in the Bahamas—and was part of turn-around team to enable Carnival Corporation to sell the property. He earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing and economics from University of South Florida.
Eric Maddox
Interrogator / Author of "Capturing Saddam"
Upon graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 1994, Eric Maddox joined the U.S. Army as an infantry paratrooper for the 82nd Airborne Division. After spending three years as a paratrooper, jumpmaster and a qualified ranger, Eric reenlisted as an interrogator and Chinese Mandarin linguist. Since 9/11, Eric has conducted over 2,700 interrogations while deploying eight times in support of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) to include multiple tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, South America, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
In 2003, while assigned to a special operations task force in Tikrit, Eric conducted over 300 interrogations and collected the intelligence which directly led to the capture of Saddam Hussein. As a result, he was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Director’s Award and the National Intelligence Medal of Achievement. After being hired as a civilian with the Department of Defense, Eric continued to help fight the Global War on Terror (GWOT) until 2014. In May 2015, he earned his MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and is now a private consultant and negotiator and lives in his hometown of Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Eric is also the author of Mission: Black List No. 1 (Harper Collins, 2008), which he wrote with the permission of the Department of Defense.
Don Peebles
Founder, Chairman and CEO
The Peebles Corporation
Recognized as one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the nation, Don Peebles is founder, chairman and CEO of The Peebles Corporation, one of the country’s few privately held national real estate investment and development companies. Mr. Peebles engages in practices of Affirmative Development™ with a multi-billion dollar portfolio of projects in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Charlotte, Miami, and Los Angeles.
Mr. Peebles is also the author of top-selling books, “The Peebles Principles” and “The Peebles Path to Real Estate Wealth,” a regular guest host on CNN, CNBC and FOX and a highly sought-after speaker who has addressed educational, business and professional audiences across the United States.
Mr. Peebles is a passionate proponent of mentoring programs that expose youth to the value of entrepreneurship, as well as an active political supporter and fundraiser for local, state and federal campaigns of both major parties. He serves as Ambassador to the University of Southern California, on the Board of Directors of YMCA of Greater New York and on the Business Roundtable of Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez.
Previously, he has served on the National Finance Committee of President Barack Obama, on the Board of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau and is the former Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
Henry DeLozier
Partner
Global Golf Advisors
Henry DeLozier is considered one of the leading authorities on golf course asset development and financing. Henry is recognized within the golf industry for his uncommon understanding of golf and residential properties. He is known as a no-nonsense profit producer, an innovative marketer and an advocate of exceptional customer service. His career history reflects new concept introductions and numerous successful business turnarounds.
Henry joined GGA in 2008 after nine years as the Vice President – Golf of Pulte Homes, the largest developer of golf course communities in the U.S. While at Pulte Homes, Henry developed 27 golf courses in 10 states. During his tenure, Pulte Homes became the largest developer of golf communities and of golf courses in the U.S. with more than $500 million in developed golf assets. In addition, he was responsible for the operation of more than 20 Pulte golf courses.
Henry has been recognized by Golf Inc. magazine as one of the “Most Influential People in Golf”. He is a Past President of the Board of Directors of the National Golf Course Owners Association and serves on the Employers Advisory Council for the PGA of America.
A “go to” resource on matters of golf-related resort and residential investment and development, Henry is often asked by U.S. and international media to comment on social and economic trends affecting the golf business.
Henry earned his B in English from Oklahoma State University.
Ambassador Mick Mulvaney
Co-Founder of Exegis Capital and Former White House Chief of Staff
Michael “Mick” Mulvaney is the former director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and a former acting White House chief of staff for former President Donald Trump. Mulvaney served as the official director of the OMB from February 2017 to July 2020, though he dedicated all of his time to his chief of staff duties from January 2019 to March 2020. Mulvaney officially left the Office of Management and Budget on July 20, 2020.
Mulvaney also served as the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from November 2017 to December 2018. He is a former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives serving South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District from 2010 to 2017.
Mulvaney is familiar with the private club community as he is a former board member and president of Carmel Country Club in Charlotte, N.C.
Mulvaney graduated from Charlotte Catholic High School. He then earned his B.S.F.S. in international commerce and finance from Georgetown University in 1989. He went on to receive his J.D. from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 1992. He then received training in owner and president’s management from Harvard Business School in 2006.
Curtis Dubay
Lead Economist
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Curtis Dubay is the lead economist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Prior to that he served as senior economist at the American Bankers Association and research fellow in tax and economic policy at The Heritage Foundation. He has also worked at the accounting firm PwC and the Tax Foundation. Dubay has researched and published on a wide range of tax and economic issues. He is frequently quoted by the press and has appeared regularly in the media, including on CNBC, Fox News, Fox Business, MSNBC, CNN and C-SPAN. He has testified before Congress and was cited in newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and Politico. Dubay received his master’s degree in economics from the University of Connecticut and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond. He resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife and three sons.