KemperSports Announces Annual Company Award Winners

(NORTHBROOK, Ill.) – KemperSports, the most trusted name in golf, announced its 2012 award winners during the company’s annual KemperSports Leadership Conference at The Glen Club in Glenview, Ill. The KemperSports Leadership Conference, a company tradition for more than 20 years, brings together the KemperSports executive team, general managers, company guests and key-note speakers for a three-day educational conference.

Steve Skinner, chief executive officer, and Josh Lesnik, president, hosted the annual event and distributed company awards to three properties and eight deserving staffers that have demonstrated leadership, exceptional customer service and outstanding accomplishments during the past year.

In addition to naming the annual award winners for outstanding performance in 2012, KemperSports also celebrated its recent Club Management Company of the Year award from The BoardRoom magazine, an honor that it received for providing a high-level of customer-service at all of its managed golf facilities.  

“The past year has been one of great success for our company and our staff members,” said Steve Skinner, chief executive officer of KemperSports. “Our staff has always been extremely focused on providing the highest level of customer service for all of our guests, and we’re proud to acknowledge this year’s award winners for their outstanding contributions to the company, to their clients, to their colleagues and to their communities.”

The James R. Seeley General Manager of the Year award, named after former KemperSports executive vice president Jim Seeley, was awarded to Scott Heyn from Black Gold Golf Club in Yorba Linda, Calif. Heyn, a true innovator in the golf industry, launched a number of new revenue generating programs at Black Gold Golf Club in the last year, leading his team to reach new heights. A seven-year KemperSports staffer, Heyn is continuously finding ways to integrate new technology into his marketing plans to improve sales, attract new customers and increase revenue at Black Gold Golf Club.

The 2012 Facility of the Year award was presented to the conference host, The Glen Club, for its overall financial performance and increased member and guest satisfaction. General Manager Don Crowe and his entire staff epitomize the KemperSports True ServiceTM customer service program and used this approach to substantially grow membership over the past few years and capture new business for the club.

The complete list of the 2012 KemperSports award winners is listed below.

KemperSports Leadership Conference Awards
* Facility of the Year – The Glen Club, Glenview, Ill.
* Retailer of the Year – Shoal Creek Golf Course, Kansas City, Mo.
* James R. Seeley General Manager of the Year – Scott Heyn, Black Gold Golf Club, Yorba Linda, Calif.
* James S. Kemper Staffer of the Year – Jodie Anderson, The Governors Club, Brentwood, Tenn.
* Emil Esposito Golf Professional of the Year – Scott Bailey, The Governors Club, Brentwood, Tenn.
* Salesperson of the Year – Krystal Ruddy, The Bridges Golf Club, San Ramon, Calif.
* Hospitality Professional of the Year – Doug Sperry, Ridge Creek Dinuba Golf Club, Dinuba, Calif.
* Golf Course Superintendent of the Year – Brad Fry, Harbor Shores, Benton Harbor, Mich.
* Green to a Tee Award – The Crossings at Carlsbad, Carlsbad, Calif.
* Mady Lesnik Home Office Staffer of the Year – Nick Rankin
* Excellence in Agency Service – Cybil Rose, KemperLesnik

For more information about KemperSports, and a complete list of its managed properties, visit www.kempersorts.com.

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