Chapter Leader/Executive Symposium encourages networking, professional development

GCSAA affiliated chapters strengthen their leadership teams at the Chapter Leader/Executive Symposium

Thirty representatives from 25 affiliated chapters sharpened their leadership skills at the 2015 Chapter Leader/Executive Symposium, March 24-25 at GCSAA headquarters in Lawrence, Kan. This year, GCSAA President John J. O’Keefe, CGCS; Vice President Peter J. Grass, CGCS; and GCSAA’s newest board member, Kevin P. Breen, CGCS, participated in the first day of the program.

The symposium is funded in part by the Williams Leadership Endowment Fund through the Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG).

This annual event is limited to 25 chapters that send a volunteer leader and association staff member. The program is intended to strengthen each chapter’s leadership team, build on successes and learn new concepts and ideas to support chapter effectiveness. The attendees do this by participating in sessions focused on a broad segment of volunteer and association management topics with plenty of time to network with their peers from around the country. GCSAA staff also highlighted the various ways the national association can assist in chapter operations. In addition, the attendees broke off into separate groups focused on issues related to region and role.

O’Keefe welcomed the attendees to the event by highlighting GCSAA’s dedication to its mission and vision. He emphasized that the relationships GCSAA has with its chapters are critical to the overall success of the association. He went on to brief the attendees on the next steps with the member standards initiative.

J.D. Dockstader, chief business development officer, stressed the importance GCSAA staff place on the mission and vision of the association. They aren’t just words on paper; GCSAA uses them as a filter before moving forward with any initiative or program. Dockstader’s final words to the attendees were to say that GCSAA would be just a small part of the program – the participants should be prepared to learn from one another.

"8 Laws of Leadership," a two-hour presentation by Jack Litzelfelner, president of Jack Litz Consulting, was the keynote address. Litzelfelner engaged the group in an interactive session focusing not only on his laws of leadership, but also on what skills and attitudes go into being an effective leader.

The objectives included:

• Gain practical skills and knowledge to help you successfully lead your facility and your chapter
• Explore the challenges and changes impacting today’s association operating environment
• Build an ongoing professional network of peers and share best practices and innovative ideas
• Receive updates on programs and initiatives that are of interest to chapters from GCSAA

Discussion topics included:

• Virginia’s BMP Project with David Norman, executive director, Virginia GCSA
• Chapter executive and leader breakouts
• GCSAA Communications, Marketing and GCM
• GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador Program and Government Relations update
• Non-Profit Insurance Needs, Sue Courtney, Schifman, Remley and Associates

Thank you to these chapter representatives for participating in this year's symposium:

• Natalie Barker, Intermountain GCSA
• Katy Boggs and Jim Nedrow, Nebraska GCSA
• Ricky Border, West Virginia GCSA
• David Norman, Mid-Atlantic Association of GCS and Virginia GCSA
• Michael Bostian, Mid-Atlantic Association of GCS
• Carol Cloud, North Texas GCSA
• Rodney Crow, CGCS, South Texas GCSA
• Nicholas Cummins and Jeff Wendel, CGCS, Iowa GCSA
• Christopher Hayman and Carey Sandland, San Diego GCSA
• Donald E. Hearn, CGCS (Retired), GCSA of New England
• Julie Heston and David Stott, GCSA of Cape Cod
• Andrew Jones and Ethan Shamet, Heart of America GCSA
• Samantha Kriesch and Mitchell Miller, Calusa GCSA
• Gary Leeper and Joseph Putnam, Rocky Mountain GCSA
• Andrew Ramsey, Carolinas GCSA
• Tricia Roberts, Gulf Coast GCSA and Louisiana-Mississippi GCSA
• Simon Parkin, Gulf Coast GCSA
• Brook Sentell, Louisiana-Mississippi GCSA
• Lori Russell, Idaho GCSA, Inland Empire GCSA, Peaks & Prairies GCSA
• Wade Altschwager, Peaks & Prairies GCSA
• James Curdy, Inland Empire GCSA
• Gerald Flaherty, CGCS, Idaho GCSA
• Simone Youngblood, GCSA of Northern California