Message from the President
Bill Danola
Sometimes, perhaps too often, the unexpected happens. I thought that this year’s list of New Year’s resolutions would be no different than last year’s: the usual stuff-workout more, lose a few pounds, etc. I did not expect that at the top of my list would be finding a new General Manager. We wish Al and his wife the best in their move back to the desert, but it means we have to find another Al. We have a great team on our Search Committee. Kris Charton, Gary Macek, Tony Ratto, Gary Coburn, Dave Swanson and Ken Markstein have all generously agreed to serve on the committee. Hopefully I will not get in the way too much. I am very confident this team will find a candidate who will best serve the interests of our membership.
Management of the club is in good hands in the interim period. We have a very strong team in Shanon McCarthy, Juan Blanchard, Derek Lane and Tim Barrier. They will be reporting to the Board of Governors, and we will be more involved in working with them directly. Hopefully we can find a new General Manager fairly quickly, but I think you can feel comfortable in knowing that your club will continue to be well managed during the search period.
The course is doing what it does this time of year. The bermuda goes dormant, the fairways are soft and the greens are great. Winter ball is here. Things are definitely looking up in the dining room. Chef Joey and his team are in stride with good changes to the menu and very good execution. One of my obsessions for the menu is to have a great burger. I just think a club menu has to have this although I’m not sure my cardiologist agrees with me. Well, I think Chef Joey has delivered on this. Chef Joey is also full of surprises. Last night I had charred octopus salad. The flavors were amazing as was Chef Joey’s take on linguine with clams that I had at lunch. The upshot is that Chef Joey is doing a great job with the standbys but also puts a great deal of creativity on the menu. If you have not dined at the club lately please do so and let Chef Joey know about your experience. Chef Joey makes a habit of coming into the dining room to visit with you and is happy to hear from you. He wants to know what you liked and what you would like to see at the club. I think our kitchen is in good hands and look forward to seeing what Chef Joey has in store for us going forward.
I welcome your comments about the club so please don’t hesitate to give me your thoughts in the comment box below or when you see me at the club. I wish you all a Happy New Year.
Vaya Con Dios
Bill