Private club features first Greg Norman Signature Golf Course in metro Los Angeles
CHINO HILLS, Calif., Oct 2, 2007 – KemperSports today announced Mike Connaughton as membership director of the newly opened Vellano Country Club, a Greg Norman Signature Golf Course located 35 miles from downtown Los Angeles in picturesque Chino Hills, Calif. In this role, Connaughton will be responsible for developing strategies and implementing programs to grow and support Vellano’s blossoming membership.
Connaughton has several years of private club sales and membership experience under his belt, including work in the Southern California market. Prior to Vellano Country Club, he served as director of sales and revenue for Marbella Country Club in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., ranked among Golf Digest’s "Top Five New Private Clubs" when it opened in 1990. Before that, he was director of membership at Braemar Country Club in Tarzana, Calif.Connaughton, a graduate of Indiana University, is an active member of the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA).
"Mike’s successful track record in sales, marketing and membership, coupled with his ability to develop long-term relationships will prove instrumental in establishing Vellano Country Club as one of Southern California’s marquee lifestyle clubs," said KemperSports Vice President Mark Hoesing.
Vellano Country Club marks the arrival of Greg Norman’s first golf course in the greater Los Angeles area. The 18-hole design, winding its way through breathtaking Southern California landscapes, blends naturally with the area’s rich, rolling topography. Dramatic elevation changes along with lakes and waterfalls highlight both the front and back sides. Multiple tees, a practice range and putting green also enhance the golf experience.
Complementing Greg Norman’s masterpiece will be a beautifully appointed 35,000-square-foot clubhouse, offering dining and banquet facilities, a members grille and lounge, men’s and women’s locker rooms, swimming and complete fitness facilities. The clubhouse is currently scheduled for a late 2008 opening. The 600-acre private country club community comprises just 205 custom and estate homes on generously sized, elevated home sites, complete with panoramic city, golf course and mountain views.
For more information on Vellano Country Club, visit http://www.experiencevellano.com. Contact Mike Connaughton at membership@experiencevellano.com for membership information and Lorri Moody at lorri@experiencevellano.com for custom home site information.
About KemperSports
Northbrook, Ill.-based KemperSports operates golf facilities as well as athletic clubs, lodging venues and major sporting events, including nationally ranked courses and tournament venues such as Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Dorado Beach Resort & Club, The Glen Club, Gillette Ridge, Harding Park,Chambers Bay and Desert Willow. Affiliate KemperSports Marketing & Communications, a sports marketing, events and public relations agency, has produced and managed major national and international events and communications programs, including the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational college basketball tournament and numerous PGA TOUR events. For more information, visit http://www.kempersports.com.
Editor’s note
For high-resolution photos of Mike Connaughton and Vellano Country Club, contact Amy Spittle.
Contact:
Amy Spittle
Regional Sales & Marketing Director, KemperSports
847.612.0897, aspittle@kempersports.com
