Miami Beach 2003: 76th World Conference on Club Management.

Set against the lush backdrop of tropical south Florida, the 76th Annual CMAA World Conference on Club Management & Exposition will once again provide a fun-filled week's worth of educational sessions, networking opportunities, and the chance to share management techniques with colleagues from across the club industry. This year's conference will be held at the Fontainebleau Hilton Resort and Towers in Miami Beach, FL.

A total of 5,000 attendees are expected this year, representing a broad spectrum of club managers, board members, and industry professionals. More than 700 companies will be on hand to exhibit their club-specific products and services, with a slate of industry experts from around the world on hand to present a wide variety of seminars.

Oren Harari, Ph.D, a popular speaker and author, will bring his perspectives on competitive advantage and organizational change to this year's conference. The Financial Times has cited Dr. Harari as one of the "Top 40 Business and Management Minds of the World." His latest book, "The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell," outlines 17 principles of leadership drawn from the Secretary of State's respected career. Harari currently sits on the board of directors for four companies and has spoken before such businesses as Dell Computer, Merck, 3M, IBM, Wal-Mart, and General Mills.

Kicking off the Opening Business Session on Monday, February 3, will be Keynote Speaker Pat Riley, president and coach of the Miami Heat basketball team. Riley has posted 50-plus win seasons in 16 seasons in the NBA--unprecedented for a head coach. Second on the all-time coaching victories list, Riley has also earned the title of "America's Greatest Motivational Speaker." He has been rated by Success Magazine as the "best in the field." Riley brings his philosophy of winning, leadership, mastery, change, and personal growth as well as an understanding of the shifting dynamics of a team with him to the CMAA Conference.

This year, 70 educational sessions will be offered to attendees in addition to eight pre-conference workshops. Attendees will have the opportunity to attend full-day workshops, as well as 90-minute sessions and roundtable discussions. Conference education programs are designed to allow managers to develop their skills and knowledge in the nine private club management competency areas: private club management; food and beverage; accounting and financial management in the private club; human and professional resources; building and facilities management; external and governmental influences; management; marketing; and sports and recreation. Workshops scheduled include:

* "Leadership of Latinos in a Club Organization" by Arturo Castro;

* "Implementing Effective Member-Survey Programs" by Dr. Larry Ross;

* "Club Taxation A-Z" by Mitchell L. Stump, CPA, PA;

* "Food & Wine Workshop" featuring South Florida's Chef Allen Susser;

* "Team Development" by Dick Kopplin;

* Accounting & Budgeting: A Numbers Perspective in Clubs" by Ray Schmidgall;

* "The Magic of Greenskeeping" by Gordon Witteveen and Michael Bavier;

* "Wine Workshop" by Master Sommelier Andrea Immer.

In addition to the golf tournament and awards luncheon, highlights of the conference will also include the following events:

The Opening Event--On the opening night of the conference, members and special guests will experience the flavor of South Florida at the ultimate beach party, featuring exotic Latin rhythyms and the tropical sounds of Key West.

Auctions--The Club Foundation will again be holding silent and live auctions during the conference. The auctions will feature trips, golfing packages, elegant china and linens, electronic equipment, romantic getaways for two, golf/sports equipment, educational conferences and books, and items for the club or home kitchen. Hundreds of bottles of wine as well as various wine-related items will also be open for bid. The proceeds from both auctions are used by The Club Foundation to support education and research initiatives and scholarship programs for club management professionals, academicians, and students.

The Closing Event--The final evening's social event will allow another opportunity to take advanage of the restaurants of the Miami area. Dessert will be served for attendees at the Fontainebleau Hilton Resort at 9 p.m.