Impressive Speakers On Tap For Annual Golf Summit On April 5
Frank Vain, president of the McMahon Group which provides services to country clubs, and Brad Steele, vice president of government relations and general counsel of the National Club Association, are the main speakers at the annual NJSGA Golf Summit, presented by Punzonè, which takes place Wednesday, April 5, 3 p.m., at the Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth.
In addition, Shannon Rouillard, Championship Director of the U.S. Women’s Open, which will be played this summer at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster and Peter Mele, Executive Director of The Presidents Cup, which takes place this fall at Liberty National G.C. in Jersey City, will be part of a panel discussion.
Rouillard and Mele will bring along the actual championship trophies from the U.S. Women’s Open (July 13-16) and the Presidents Cup (Sept. 28-Oct. 1).
The event is sponsored by Punzoné Organic Italy Vodka, which will also be present at future NJSGA hosted events throughout the year. Punzoné is the only organic vodka to win the coveted International five-star diamond award from the AAHS 4 years in a row, Punzoné represents vodka’s new standard. Uniquely crafted from organic wheat grown exclusively in the Piemonte region of Italy, Punzoné’s quality is truly unmatched.
The Golf Summit, conducted in collaboration with the New Jersey PGA Section, the New Jersey Club Managers Association, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of N.J., and the New Jersey Golf Course Owners Association, is considered the premier event in the state for networking and discussing hot-button topics among those in the golf industry.
The Golf Summit welcomes all members, officials and staff from any private or public golf facility in New Jersey, as well as members of golf-based associations in the state. Cost is $35.
“We are happy to have two accomplished professionals, leaders in their fields, as our main speakers in Frank Vain and Brad Steele,” said Kevin Purcell, NJSGA executive director. "Frank Vain is in consultation with many clubs and will impart his experiences. Brad Steele will share his ideas on what clubs should be concerned with in legislative and judicial areas..
“In 2017, we have two major golf events in New Jersey in the U.S. Women’s Open and the Presidents Cup and we are fortunate to have Shannon Rouillard and Peter Mele on hand to provide a preview of each event,” Purcell stated.
Vain's topic is “Trendwatch: Modern Lifestyles, Golf and Club Member Attraction.”“ Steele's topic is "Government Matters: 2017 Update.”
Presidents of New Jersey Allied Associations will be on hand in David Reasoner of the New Jersey PGA Section, Russ Harris of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of New Jersey, Albert Costantini of the New Jersey Club Managers Association, and Dave Wasenda of the New Jersey Golf Course Owners Association.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Frank Vain, is the President of the The McMahon Group. Vain provides consulting and planning services to private clubs throughout North America and Asia. Through use of specialized services including membership surveys, strategic planning, operational analysis and facility long range planning, Frank assists clubs in developing individualized strategies for their unique situations.
Vain joined McMahon Group in 1988 and has more than thirty-five years of experience in the management and development of hospitality properties including private clubs, athletic clubs, resorts and restaurants. Frank is a Past President of The Country Club of St. Albans, a 36-hole country club located in Missouri and he is the former owner of Concord Sports Club, a 1,700 member family athletic club in St. Louis. Frank was elected to the Board of the National Club Association in 2011 and was elected to the Executive Committee in 2016.
Vain is a native of Philadelphia and a graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He is a featured speaker at the annual Club Managers Association of America World Conference, National Club Association National and Regional Conferences, Major Golf Associations and at regional chapter meetings of club managers and leaders.
He has written numerous articles that have been published in Club Management, Club Director and BoardRoom magazines. Frank was named the Gary Player Club Educator of the Year for 2012 and 2015 by BoardRoom magazine. Frank is the co-author of McMahon's Club Trends®, a recognized industry benchmark on the trends and issues affecting private clubs.
Brad Steele, is VP of Government Relations and General Counsel for the National Club Association. As the NCA’s chief lawyer and lobbyist, Brad Steele brings a wealth of knowledge from the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government to the position of Vice President of Government Relations and General Counsel.
Brad earned his bachelor’s degree in government and politics from George Mason University where he graduated with highest distinction. He then began his time in government by working for the Vice President of the United States, for a Member of Congress and then as a senior staffer with a national political committee.
After many years in politics, Brad left DC to become an attorney. He studied law in England at Oxford University and he earned his degree from the University of Oklahoma.
Upon graduation, Brad opened his own law firm in Indiana where he practiced for over a decade. In addition to his private practice, Brad also served as a county, city and town attorney and as a judge of an Indiana court.
While in Indiana, Brad returned to the political arena as a candidate for the United States Congress and the Indiana State House of Representatives. His Congressional race pitted him against Mike Pence in the primary, where they became friends. In 2007, Brad joined the National Club Association and has served as the voice of the private club industry on Capitol Hill for the past decade.
Shannon Rouillard is Director of Championships for the USGA. Shannon joined the USGA in April 2010 as a Rules of Golf Associate assisting in the response to Rules of Golf and Amateur Status inquiries. In March 2011, she was promoted to Manager of Rules Inquiries where she oversaw the responses to all Rules of Golf inquiries. In January 2012, Shannon shifted her focus to conducting championships. She was appointed Director, U.S. Women’s Amateur and Curtis Cup Match. Starting this year, Shannon will expand her championship duties to include the U.S. Women’s Open and the newly created U.S. Senior Women’s Open (inaugural event in 2018). She has participated in 7 USGA Championships including the 1999 U.S. Women’s Open.
Peter Mele, Vice President & Executive Director, PGA TOUR. .Peter has been organizing professional golf tournaments since 1988. He was hired by the PGA TOUR in the fall of 1998 as Executive Director of The Northern Trust (formerly known as the Buick Classic and more recently as The Barclays) which is first of the four FedExCup Playoff tournaments. In 2015, Peter was promoted to Vice President and his duties were also expanded to include the 2017 Presidents Cup at Liberty National Golf Club. Prior to joining the PGA TOUR, Peter was Tournament Director for the Champions Tour event known as the BankBoston Classic located in Concord, Mass., from 1988-1998. During that time, Peter was a member of the Senior Tour Tournament Association Board of Directors and later served as its president.
