Niagara University Student Chapter CMAA

College of Hospitality and Tourism Management PO Box 2012 Niagara University SPRING 2017 New York 14109 VOLUME 9, ISSUE 1

Phone: 716-286-8274 Fax: 716-286-8277 E-mail: [email protected]

Alexis Lecceadone President

Joanna Bellanti Vice President

Emily Himes Secretary

Terry Scouras Treasurer how to salsa dance

Faculty Advisor

Liaison Manager

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Book Club 2

3

4

President’s Ball 5

Heart & Soul Dinner 5

Summer Placements 6

President’s Report 7

Club of the Future 8

Millennials Discussion 8 P A G E 2 Pondering life’s lessons from The Traveler’s Gift by Jacob Carriero and Zach Sidorenko

On Wednesday, March 29th, the NU CMAA Student Chapter travelled to The Buffalo Club in Buffalo, NY. Mr. Timothy Muessle, CCM, CCE of the Philadelphia Cricket Club in Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania joined us to lead the student chapter in a discussion about a pro- fessional development book he hand- selected: The Traveler’s Gift by Andy An- drews, which outlines the journey of David Ponder. In the face of unrelenting life chal- lenges, David found himself in a car accident. In the aftermath of this moment, he escaped into a dream reality where he travelled across seven worlds to learn life lessons from histori- cally significant figures. Each figure provided a life lesson that is applicable to all people.

The characters included Harry Truman, King Solomon, Joshua Chamberlain, Christopher Columbus, Anne Frank, Abraham Lincoln, and Gabriel. The life lessons were “The buck stops here” (referring to taking destiny into your own hands), “I will seek wisdom”, “I am a person of action”, “I have a decided heart”, “Today I will choose to be happy”, “I will greet this day with a forgiving spirit”, and “I will persist without exception”. on events that tran- When the students were asked, which lesson was most important, the spired inside the club majority responded with Anne Frank’s lesson of happiness. In this sec- afteraaWilliamaaaMc- tion, it was surprising for David Ponder to be getting life advice from Kinley’s assassination. someone so young. She taught him that perspective is a major compo- The club even served nent to how your life progresses and that everyone has a lesson they as a stand-in White can learn from one another. Another question considered was, “What House during Presi- can you improve on?”. This caused the students to think about their dent McKinley’s term! lives and how they could improve themselves. The majority responded NU CMAA is very with Abraham Lincoln’s lesson on forgiveness. They said if they could grateful to Mr. learn to not be so hard on themselves, they would be so much happier. Muessle for making This is a lesson many people could apply in life. the trip and to the Buffalo Club for Mr. Muessle stimulated the conversation by asking the students who hosting the event. they would meet if they could meet any individual not outlined in this book. The students gave unique and thoughtful answers naming very influential characters in history. Some were as old as George Washing- ton, and as recent as Paul Walker, and even Dwayne Johnson. This dis- cussion was very interesting as both Mr. Muessle and the students shared how they could apply lessons from the book to real-life situa- tions. The ability to identify where you can improve yourself is essential to success in the hospitality industry and life itself.

After the book club discussion, Jim Fields, CCM, CCE (General Manager of the Buffalo Club) led the Club Management Class on a tour of the facility. On the tour, the students got to see the ins and outs of the his- toric club. This included the dining facilities, hotel portion of the club, fitness center, and the unique spa area. The tour also served as a histo- ry lesson for the student members. Mr. Fields enlightened the students P A G E 3 Club Management Class

Pictured above: Dennis Webber, General Manager of the Garret Club and students in the club management course.

Pictured above: Jill Suchora, Member- ship Service Director at Park Country Club. P A G E 4

by Matthew Nossavage and Casey Iadresin by the Club Foundation. This scholarship is for anyone actively seeking a From February 7th through the 11th, the Niagara University CMAA Student Chapter traveled to sunny Orlando, Florida. The 90th World The conference host- Conference on Club ed a Career Showcase Management and for students, in which Club Business Expo a variety of clubs from was held at Mar- around the country riott’s Orlando were represented. For World Center. This some students, this five day conference was the perfect op- is incredibly benefi- portunity to network and secure intern- cial to students ships or full-time posi- interested in enter- tions after graduation. ing into the private The student chapter club industry. NU also attended a very CMAA was able to special event while at bring all 20 available members of the chapter. On the first day of conference, the pre- the conference we attended the Student Networking event, sentation of two Mas- where we were able to meet and network with students from the ter Club Manager other chapters. On Wednesday, February 8th, NU CMAA was designations, to two again named a winner in a Club of the Future category, Social Media. very deserving managers. Mr. Carlos Cook Jr., CCM, CCE and Mr. Mac- Donald Niven, CCM, CCE. Both presented their Master Cub Manager Zach Recckio, Faith Moenich, Emily Lovejoy and Terry Scouras created a monographs. This was a great session and congratulations to these new truly amazing concept and subsequently delivered an even greater MCMs. presentation for this competition. On Wednesday morning CMAA named the Niagara University CMAA Student Chapter, Medium Size category Student Chapter of the

Throughout the week members had the chance to sit in on various edu- cation sessions, ranging from student-focused sessions to manager- focused education. Student session topics included a time management session called “Two Clocks and a Timeline” presented by Mr. Robert J. Gusella, CCM, CCE from Belle Haven Country Club in Virginia; Ms. Alex- andra Sarris from Congressional Country Club presented a session that engaged students in the topic of “How Well Do You Know Yourself?” A session with key life lessons called “Mapping Your Leadership” was presented by Timothy J. Ward, CCM from .

Thanks to some incredible weather, well organized education, and great networking opportunities, students were afforded an overall amazing time in Orlando. They are looking forward to attending the next World Conference in San Francisco, Califor- nia. Until then we will be working hard to earn an unprecedent- ed ninth Student Chapter of the Year award!

President’s Ball and P A G E 5 Club Manager of the Year Dinner

By: Alexis ment. In order to be nominated for the scholarship, candidates must Lecceadone have completed their freshman year in a school offering Hospitality 2017 started off Management and rank in the upper 30% of their respective class, have as a busy year a strong desire to study in the field of Hospitality Management, have for the NU impressed sponsors with an outstanding personal character, and have a CMAA Student definite need for financial assistance. NU CMAA is honored to have had Chapter as well two of their members selected as the prime candidates of this scholar- as the NYS ship. This was a night filled with professional recognition, warm regards CMAA Chapter. and wishes, and enjoyment for the members of the New York State On Sunday, Jan- CMAA Chapter and the leadership of the Niagara University CMAA Stu- th dent Chapter. uary 15 , the officers joined Two months later on Saturday, March 11th, Dr. Frye and President Alexis Dr. Frye and Lecceadone attended the Club Manager of the Year Dinner at Monroe Matthew Nos- Golf Club in Rochester, NY. Here, the New York State and Central New savage and attended the President’s Ball at Park Country Club where York CMAA Chapters came together to honor Egan Willard, the general Michael Smith, CCM, general manager of of Roches- manager of the Adirondack League Club. Egan Willard was presented a ter, was honored for his term of presidency. Club managers from the Manager of the Year jacket as well as many kind words from different NYS Chapter attended this event to recognize and award Michael Smith for the incredible work he has put into growing the chapter and putting managers, his club president, and family members. The Adirondack forth his best effort to make it better. This evening also dedicated time League Club is a unique club that has experienced continued success to recognize NU CMAA students, Alexis Lecceadone and Matthew Nos- due to Mr. Willard and his management team up in Old Forge, New savage as recipients of the New York State CMAA Student Scholarships. York. This was a night of celebration, recognition, and honor for Mr. The purpose of this scholarship is to provide financial support each year Willard, his staff, and his family. for (2) students who are studying in the field of Hospitality Manage- Helping others at the Heart, Love & Soul volunteer dinner by Moriah Veer and Danielle Garcia P A G E 6 Niagara University CMAA Student Chapter Placements for Summer ‘17

Class Name Summer Placement Position Previous Clubs Standing

Chrystallyn Combs Freshman Roaring Gap Club F&B Intern

Benjamin DiCarlo Freshman Rolling Rock Club F&B Intern

Zachary Farkas Freshman Park Country Club Golf Intern Park Country Club

Casey Iadresin Freshman Park Country Club F&B Intern

Zachary Sidorenko Freshman Rochester Yacht Club F&B Intern

F&B Management Saturn Club Natalie Castillo Sophomore Shoreacres Golf Club Intern Evanston Golf Club

Amanda Cullinan-Spinelli Sophomore The Country Club (OH) Catering Supervisor Chevy Chase Club

Danielle Garcia Sophomore The Country Club at Mirasol F&B Intern

Buffalo Club Ashley James Sophomore F&B Supervisor The Country Club (OH)

Emily Lovejoy Sophomore New York Athletic Club F&B Intern Saturn Club

Zachary Recckio Sophomore New York Athletic Club F&B Supervisor Chevy Chase Club

Jacob Carriero Junior New York Athletic Club F&B Supervisor Fenway Golf Club

Matthew Nossavage Buffalo Club Joe Perdue and NYS CMAA Junior Catering Supervisor Columbia Country Club (MD) Scholarship Recipient Baltimore Country club

New York Athletic Club Jennifer Viterise Junior The Kirtland Country Club Catering Supervisor Buffalo Launch Club Rolling Rock Club Michael Baum Senior* New York Athletic Club Fitness Trainer New York Athletic Club

Faith Moenich Senior The Country Club (OH) F&B Supervisor The Country Club (OH)

The Barchetta Excelsior Work Abroad Moriah Veer Senior Rolling Rock Club Como, Italy Internship

Terry Scouras Treasurer Columbia Country Club (MD) F&B Supervisor New York Athletic Club

The Union League Club of New Guest Services New York Athletic Club Emily Himes Secretary* York City Manager Adirondack League Club Chevy Chase Club Joanna Bellanti Vice President Columbia Country Club (MD) F&B Supervisor Saturn Club Rochester Yacht Club

Alexis Lecceadone Buffalo Club Joe Perdue and NYS CMAA President* The Country Club (OH) Catering Coordinator New York Athletic Club Scholarship Recipient The Country Club (OH)

Note: * Denotes student is a graduating/graduated senior and “Summer Placement” represents student’s final placement upon graduation. P A G E 7 President’s Report

The 2016-2017 academic year for the Niagara University CMAA Student Chapter was yet another busy year full of success and further development. As this newsletter demonstrates, along with our website and various forms of social media, this year was stocked with incredible education, networking, and professional development for our member- ship. We traveled to Philadelphia, PA for the National Student Educational Conference and to Orlando, FL for the World Conference on Club Management. We managed to bring every one of our available members to both confer- ences, ensuring a large contingent from Niagara University CMAA. Furthermore, our student chapter won Student Chapter of the Year for the eighth year in a row, awarded at World Conference. I would like to now take a moment to share more about our success that has occurred this past academic year:

• 13 Members returned to NU after successfully as well as our website at www.nucmaa.org. Visit completing an internship in Summer 2016. us online or add us on our multiple forms of social • 9 New members joined our chapter over the media to learn about the upcoming events for our course of the academic year. chapter. • 15 Members attended the Great Lakes Regional • We supported the Genesee Valley Club at their Conference in Rochester, NY during October 2016. annual Clam Bake, a large-scale event. • 19 Members attended the National Student Educa- • We donated over 60 toys to the Christmas Toy tion Conference in Philadelphia, PA during Novem- Drive and volunteered our time at the Country ber 2016. Club of Buffalo’s Halloween Fest, the Park Country • 20 Members attended the CMAA World Confer- Club’s Halloween Party, and the Heart and Soul ence and Business Expo in Orlando, FL during Fundraiser Dinner. February 2017. • 2 Members received both the Joe Perdue Scholar- • We continue to update our student chapter Face- ship and the New York State CMAA Student Schol- book, Twitter, and Instagram social media outlets, arship. Alexis Lecceadone Alongside the New York State CMAA Chapter, we participated in the following educational events: N.U. CMAA President • Park Country Club, November 2, 2016. “The DOL Fair Labor Standards Act…AKA The Final Rule” • Webinar, January 24, 2017. “Capital Planning & Preventative Maintenance What’s a Work Order Have To Do With It?” • Webinar, February 28, 2017. “How to Develop Your Most Valuable Asset and Lead Your Staff” • Orchard Park Country Club, March 30, 2017. “Millennials and Clubs” • Monroe Golf Club, April 27, 2017. “Understanding the Motivations of Millennials”

We toured the following clubs: Acorn Club Garret Club Orchard Park Country Club Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Club Genesee Valley Club Park Country Club The Buffalo Club Irondequoit Country Club Philadelphia Cricket Club Transit Valley Country Club Buffalo Launch Club Lockport Town & Country Club Rochester Yacht Club The Union League of Philadelphia Country Club of Philadelphia Saturn Club Wilmington Country Club Country Club of Rochester We continued to work concessions at all of the Niagara University men’s basketball athletic events, which allowed us to fund our educational opportunities.

We hosted our “Hot Havana Nights” fundraiser dinner at Transit Valley Country Club, where we honored Mr. Thomas Merrick, CCM, as he goes into retirement.

Every member of NU CMAA has been certified in CPR/AED and trained in TIPS training for the responsible sale and service of alcohol.

The internship opportunities and direct placements within CMAA provide us with superlative education and learning experiences within the club industry. Without the assistance and support from the NYS CMAA Chapter and friends of the Niagara University Student Chapter, these opportunities would not be possible.

On behalf of the entire student chapter, I would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their generous contribution to our success throughout the years:

 Dr. Kurt Stahura, Dean of the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Niagara University  Dr. William Frye, CMAA faculty advisor and Associate Professor  Mr. Timothy Minahan, CCM, CCE, Chief Operating Officer, Country Club of Buffalo, Senior Chapter Liaison Manager  All the managers and their respective clubs in the New York State Chapter of CMAA  Our friends in the Central New York Chapter of CMAA  Those clubs and managers across the nation that have provided us employment for after graduation, summer internships, part-time employment, and their ongoing support.

 Niagara University’s College of Hospitality and Tourism Management’s Faculty and Staff  The Alumni of the Niagara University CMAA Student Chapter  The Niagara University Athletics Department  The Club Foundation of CMAA  Kyle Jennings, CMAA Manager of Student Development  Our parents and family members

As you can see, this year was another incredible year with many great opportunities for our student members. We will continue to uphold our level of professional- ism and club development as well as maintain our goal: To continue being the best student chapter in CMAA. We strive for 100% participation, 100% placement, and require 100% commitment throughout the year. Without the support from all of the friends of Niagara University’s CMAA Student Chapter, we would not be where we are. So we thank you for your guidance and support!

Respectfully, Alexis Lecceadone N.U. CMAA President

Non-Profit Organization US Postage PAID Niagara University Permit #1 CMAA Student Chapter Niagara University College of Hospitality and Tourism Management New York 14109 PO Box 2012 Niagara University, NY 14109

We are pleased to share with you the newsletter of the Niagara University CMAA Student Chapter. This newsletter is published twice annually: Fall and Spring semesters. It is designed to keep our family and friends, club managers and our internship partners updated about our ongoing commitment to the club industry. Undoubtedly, you will find that we are one busy student organization!

Club of the Future 2017 NYS CMAA education at Yields Winning Idea Orchard Park Country Club

by Zach Recckio and Faith Moenich Pictured above: Club consultant Bill McMahon, Jr. of the McMahon Group discussed the relationship between millennials and country clubs.