Organization
The Pendennis Club was founded by Thomas Wilson Todd, Levi Bloom, John Smith Noyes and William Whits Hite who, along with sixteen others, hosted a preliminary meeting in Mr. Todd's office in Louisville City Hall on June 28, 1881. Two additional meetings took place in the Club's first home in a building on the SW corner of 4th and Walnut Streets, which is the site of the present Seelbach Hilton Hotel.
The Club's first president was Major John Montgomery Wright, a graduate of West Point, a Union veteran of the Civil War and later a clerk of the US Supreme Court. The members decided to name the Club after Major Arthur Pendennis from William Makepeace Thackeray's History of Pendennis: His Fortunes and Misfortunes, His Friends and His Greatest Enemy (pub 1850).
Arthur Pendennis's crest, as described in the novel, and the motto nec tenui penna – "nor on weak wing" – were adopted for the Club. The crest was later rendered and placed on bottles of Kentucky Bourbon which were sold to the members.
Today, the Club is at the center of Louisville's rich history, where it has thrived for nearly 150 years. Steeped in tradition and sophistication, the Club has been a sanctuary for the city's most influential individuals. With its stately architecture, opulent interiors and a captivating sense of nostalgia, it's a place where the past meets the present.
Club Amenities
The current 80,000-square-foot clubhouse was designed to be "one of the finest club buildings in the country" and was unveiled in December of 1928, one block from the original clubhouse. This spectacular building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Club offers high quality Food and Beverage operations, which includes regular lunch and dinner service, banquets and catering and conference/meeting services. In addition, the Club offers billiards in the main grill, a full athletic department and workout facility, locker rooms and two international singles squash courts. Additional amenities and services include a steam room, sauna, massage and barber.
The Club's gross dollar volume is $2.4M with dues and minimums totaling over $1.0M. Food and Beverage revenue is $1.2M. There are 361 dues paying members with an average age of 59, plus an additional 10 Honorary members.
There are 14 members on the Board of Directors and 11 committees including Entertainment, Standards and Inspections, Food and Beverage, Membership, Library and Archives, Podium, Pendennis Historical Foundation, Athletic Department, Billiards, Long Range Planning and Finance.
The Club has a staff of 35, 13 of whom are part-time.
The Club is open for Food and Beverage Monday through Friday and currently serves dinner Wednesday through Friday. The Club is completely closed on Sunday. Each summer, there is a one-to two-week shutdown period for maintenance.
Position Overview
The General Manager reports to the Club's President and Board of Directors and is responsible for the day-to-day operations and the long-range growth/stability of the Club. The primary goal is to deliver value to members by operating the Club through excellence, which includes monitoring the quality of staff, services and amenities to ensure member satisfaction. Current and creative Food and Beverage experience is going to be heavily considered in securing this position and in the success of the Club. Membership marketing will be a focus also.
Operational excellence includes making membership attractive by delivering in the following areas: implementing sound fiscal policy, disciplined budgeting, effective staff management, solid operating practices, customer service, Food and Beverage offerings, maintaining an attractive athletic program and ongoing facilities management.
Responsibilities
- Operations: The GM oversees all Club operations, including amenities, staff and activities, ensuring exceptional service delivery. The GM establishes service standards and leads key managers and staff. As the "face of the Club," the GM ensures goals are met in line with Board objectives.
- Member Service: The GM promotes the Club to members and their families, addresses member issues promptly and reports significant matters to the Board. Growing membership over time in collaboration with the Board is a key objective.
- Personnel: The GM is responsible for the recruitment, supervision and evaluation of staff, in coordination with department heads. Compensation and benefits must align with the budget and Board directives.
- Financials: The GM prepares the annual and capital budgets, working with the Finance Committee Chair and Controller for Board approval.
- Food & Beverage: A strong emphasis is placed on providing high-quality F&B offerings at attractive prices while meeting budget goals. The GM ensures service standards through continuous training and feedback.
- Banquet & Catering: Maximize banquet operations to increase facility utilization and profitability through member-referred events.
- Athletics: Maintain facilities for squash and general fitness, and work with the squash professional to support the program.
- Facilities Maintenance: Ensure the historic building and facilities are well-maintained and clean, managing both in-house and external resources.
Competencies
- Emphasize a "member first" service culture that ensures member patronage and maximizes the use of the Club's facilities.
- Set the pace for all employees and to actively promote a positive and safe work environment where teamwork and cooperation are emphasized.
- Challenge member assumptions about what is possible in product and service, working closely with the chef and staff.
- Be a presence at the Club and interact with members daily; actively soliciting opinions and input as to the Club's facilities and services. Visibility and accessibility are paramount.
- A strong sense of service with proven staff development and training skills.
- An outgoing and friendly personality with a high potential to identify with and embrace the Club's unique culture.
- Highly energetic; a self-starter with a "hands-on" approach to management.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all staff. Teamwork is the foundation of the Club's success.
- Ability to resolve common problems and challenges regularly with high judgment.
- Determines the best method to achieve goals and maintains the flexibility to ensure effective delivery of work. Continuously delivers high-quality results and is resilient in the face of obstacles.
- Fosters a collaborative team spirit. Actively helps and supports others. Deals with conflict in a positive manner.
- Understands all the key departments and functions and how they work collectively to achieve larger goals. Provides advice, information and direction to others to support the achievement of team and/or department goals.
- Recommends optimal approaches to address critical issues in the immediate and medium-term.
- An intelligent and articulate individual who can relate to people at all levels of an organization and possesses excellent written and oral communication skills. Must be able to communicate policies, procedures, regulations, reports, etc., to staff, members and guests.
- Provides exceptional member service and uses prompt and responsive follow-through. Ask questions to identify members' needs and/or expectations. Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints.
- Able to work in a rapidly changing work environment. Must be able to adapt to changes, manage competing demands and deal with frequent changes, delays or unexpected events.
- Remain open to others' ideas and exhibit a willingness to try new things.
- Ability to envision the Club's future and continually come up with ways to improve the entire member experience.
Requirements
- A degree in Hospitality Management or equivalent.
- A minimum of five years in a management position in a club, hotel, resort, or other hospitality organization.
- Experience with budgeting and financial management.
- A record of stability and upward movement.
- A person of exceptional character – motivated, energetic, friendly and dedicated to the profession and your community.
- Involvement in CMAA or other applicable professional associations which demonstrates continued learning and awareness of industry best practices.
- Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation is not required but would evidence many of the above requirements.
- The ability to operate a computer to enter, retrieve or modify data utilizing Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, email, internet and other software programs at a high level of proficiency. Strong working knowledge of Microsoft suite.
- Impeccable and verifiable references. All candidates will be subject to a thorough background check.
Competitive Compensation
- Competitive compensation/salary and an annual performance bonus
- Healthcare, Medical, Dental and Life Insurance
- Paid time off and work/life balance
- Participation in the Club's Simple IRA plan with club match
- Professional dues, educational allowance expenses, and other expenses per the annual budget
- Relocation assistance (if from outside the area)
To be considered for this outstanding opportunity all cover letters and resumes should be received as quickly as possible but no later than November 20, 2024. All information received will be kept in the strictness of confidence.
Professionals who meet or exceed the established criteria are encouraged to send a compelling cover letter addressed to GSI Executive Search outlining their qualifications, experience, interests, and why The Pendennis Club and Louisville, KY will be beneficial for you, your family, and your career along with their resume to:
GSI Executive Search has been serving the private club industry for thirty years, providing a wide range of executive search and placement services. In addition to GM searches that have been performed recently, GSI consultants have done over 100 GM searches around the US in the last two years.
