Founding Partners
Billy Sitton
Billy has a rich, 29-year background of professional management and executive leadership in golf operations. He most recently was a principal in Triumph Golf Management and was Vice President of Operations for Club Corp USA and Managing Director of Club Corp International, from 1996 until 2008. His senior management responsibilities at Club Corp (formerly CCA) included development, marketing, and operations oversight of facilities in Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Australia, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, California (daily fees), and Bear's Best in Atlanta and Las Vegas.
Billy has extensive experience in Mexico and Latin America. He lived in Mexico from 1988 through 1996 and served as Director of Golf for CCA-Mexico from 1992 through 1996. In 1996, Billy assumed the Managing Director position for all of Club Corp's international properties, concurrent with his domestic responsibilities. During this time, Billy was directly responsible for the development and operations of seven Mexican golf courses. He personally supervised construction of Cozumel Country Club and Vista Vallarta, with 36 holes of Nicklaus & Weiskopf Signature Design championship golf courses.
Billy first joined Club Corp in 1981 and worked his way through the organization, holding positions as assistant golf professional, head golf professional, superintendent of golf course maintenance, and club manager at various properties. He is a Class A member of the Professional Golfers Association of America. Billy has played professionally and has participated in a number of USGA and PGA TOUR events. He has negotiated, developed and staged the EMC2 World Cup @ Vista Vallarta (a World Golf Championship), The Blue Agave Golf Classic (a Champions Tour event) and currently hosts both the PinehurstR Pro Am and the Puerto Vallarta Pro Am.
Billy was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in Management and Finance from Hardin-Simmons University.
Michele Carroll
Michele Carroll brings over twenty-three years of golf and private club management experience. She has managed numerous types of clubs and employees from club to regional and national levels, and she has created hundreds of successful sales strategies for private country clubs, business clubs, and athletic clubs.
From 2000 to 2007, Michele served as Senior Vice President of Membership Marketing and Sales ClubCorp, Inc., with responsibility for the marketing and sales management of over 130 private clubs, achieving more than $500 million in gross revenues. During her sixteen year ClubCorp tenure, Michele held management positions of increasing responsibility, including Club Manager, Regional Director of Catering Sales, Regional Food & Beverage Operations, Regional Vice President of Membership Sales, and finally Corporate Senior Vice President Marketing and Sales.
Michele is an expert in creatively increasing revenue in all venues in the private club industry. Her approach strengthens relationships that collectively build teams to improve revenue performance. Michele also has exceptional skills in creating effective methods for broadening relationships with members, guests, and customers, resulting in significant improvement of member and guest retention for private clubs.
Prior to working for ClubCorp, Michele was the Club Manager for Arrowhead Country Club in Glendale, Arizona. She was responsible for the build out of a $12 million 36 hole Arnold Palmer golf course, clubhouse, and sports complex from the vision and marketing stage to full operation. Michele served as project manager for the project, which included a 27,000-sq. ft. sports center and a 36,000-sq. ft. clubhouse. She developed a cutting-edge themed golf development that provided an excellent marketing angle by promoting Arrowhead Country Club as something more than just a country club and golf course, but an inclusive family-centric lifestyle.
On numerous occasions she was an invited speaker for Boardroom Magazine's Professional Club Marketing Association. Michele was also asked to develop an advanced Membership Director's certification curriculum for the same Association. Through her training curriculum she has helped develop many high-performing sales professionals.
Mike Feild
Mike Feild has worked in the hospitality industry for more than 30 years. Originally from Miami, Florida Mike graduated from the University of Houston in 1981 and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. He spent several years working for the Sheraton Hotel in Downtown Houston and as a Kitchen Manager for TGI Friday’s before joining ClubCorp in 1985.
Working for ClubCorp for 25 years Mike held positions as Executive Chef, Food and Beverage Director, Club Manager, Regional Manager and Director of Operations for Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean with ClubCorp International.
He joined ClubCorp as the Executive Chef at Deerwood Golf Club in 1985. He worked as the Food and Beverage Director at Atascocita Country Club from 1987 until 1989. After completing the ClubCorp manager-training program he became the General Manager for the Tower Club in McAllen, Texas from 1989 until 1991 and then the General Manager of the Club at Cimarron from 1991 until 1994.
In 1994 Mike transferred to ClubCorp’s International division and partnered with Billy Sitton to oversee ClubCorp-Mexico and supervise five resort golf clubs in Mexico until 1996. In 1997 he took over as the Director of Operations with New Club Development and Club Opening responsibilities for several City Clubs in Panama, Ecuador and Venezuela until 1999. In 1999 he returned back to the United States to again partner with Billy Sitton on the construction and development of two new golf courses in Puerto Vallarta and Cozumel Mexico. Both properties were opened in 2001.
In 2006 Mike returned to club management to take on the challenge of revitalizing the Kingwood Country Club. 9 months later the construction and permit delays were resolved and the Water Park was finally completed and opened for the Members. The Grand Opening was held in the summer of 2007 and included an adult pool, family pool, slide pool, zero depth splash pad and a 500-foot lazy river in the new resort style Water Park. This complex is the first of its’ kind in the Private Club Industry. A year later Mike opened the 17,000 F2 Fitness Center which includes a 6,000 F2 cardio and workout room, Pilates studio, private exercise classroom, full service health spa, fitness and tennis retail shop, welcome desk, Kid’s Club and Café. Under Mike’s leadership the club has repositioned itself as a value-based family oriented private club with a vibrant and growing membership. The club has also increased operating revenue year after year and almost doubled Adjusted EBITDA over the last 4 years.
Mike brings a wealth of experience to both the Front of the House and Back of the House Private Club operations. He has a proven ability to organize and partner with member planning committees and associations. He also has strong experience implementing Membership growth and retention strategies.
Jim Hearn
Jim has an extensive 25-year background in real estate including business development, acquisitions/dispositions, sales, brokerage, research and venture capital. With over $3.5B of closed transactions, Jim has overseen every aspect of the real estate deal from conception to final disposition. Most recently, Jim has been a Partner and served on the Executive Partners Board of Hendricks & Partners, the nation’s largest private real estate company focused in the multi-family industry. From 1998 through 2009 Jim helped H & P expand its national platform from four offices in the west, to thirty-four offices across 18 states while emerging as one of the top multifamily firms in the industry. Prior to his tenure at H & P, Jim was a partner with Allied Realty Services from 1990-1997 and a partner with Eton Financial Group from 1985 through early 1990.
Jim’s primary directive will be to source new business opportunities and expand the firm’s capital sources. He brings a wealth of transactional knowledge and leadership skills to the team and is considered an expert at assessing the direction and accomplishment of the work flow process. An avid golfer and former 3X All-American tennis player provide the impetus for Jim’s competitive nature and drive to win in business and life.
Henslee & Huguely LLP - Business Solutions for Your Club Legal Issues.
Henslee & Huguely LLP is a legal consulting firm focusing on membership and other legal issues affecting private clubs and resorts. From our combined 53 years of experience in the golf and private club industries, Tom Henslee and Rand Huguely bring a unique, and "real world" perspective to legal matters. We pride ourselves on taking a pragmatic approach to club issues, seeking efficient solutions that will meet legal requirements as well as serve the business goals of our clients.
Scott Holtzman CPA, Golf Course Business and Real Estate Consultant
Michael Quimbey, Regulatory and Compliance Specialist
EMCUE Company, Inc. is an Environmental, Safety, Utility and Americans with Disability Act consulting firm specializing in the development and implementation of comprehensive solutions to meet the ever-changing regulatory and compliance demands specific to the service, hospitality and recreation communities.