(St Andrews, Scotland – October 30, 2008) Eight leading club managers have been awarded a new internationally recognised professional qualification, the Club Managers Association of Europe (CMAE) has announced.
The new European version of the Certified Club Manager (CCM) qualification, for more than 40 years the most important benchmark for senior club managers in North America, was awarded to senior managers from England, Scotland, Ireland and Sweden, following two days of rigorous examinations at The Lansdowne Club in London in October.
The successful candidates – John McCormack (Castle Golf Club, Dublin, Ireland); Patrick Bradshaw (Blainroe Golf Club, Wicklow, Ireland); Donal Flinn (Druids Glen Golf Resort, Wicklow, Ireland); Kevin Fish (Edinburgh Leisure, Edinburgh, Scotland); David Balden (Caledonian Club, London, England); Alasdair Curbbun (Brooks’s Club, London, England); Jerry Kilby (CEO, Club Managers Association of Europe) and Jimmy Grön (Kalmar Golf Club, Kalmar, Sweden) – are the first in Europe to benefit from the CCM qualification, designed to recognise the highest levels of professional competency, enabling managers to develop their careers at home and abroad. Three further candidates failed the exam, but will have the opportunity to re-sit the 200-question multiple choice and case study papers in March 2009.
“This is a tough examination,” said Nigel Cartwright, CMAE Education Policy Board Chairman. “Club managers who gain CCM status set themselves apart as the best in the business so we congratulate these eight individuals on their outstanding achievement.”
“We have already seen advertisements for club manager positions in the UK media and The Irish Times stating that CMAE members are preferred, or that CCM is a prerequisite. These are the early signs that the club industry in Europe is already recognising the value of this qualification and the high standards of the individuals who gain CCM status.”
CCM examinations will take place twice a year, with March 30 and October 15 already announced as the two exam dates for 2009. CCM is open to all experienced managers with specified levels of professional experience. Candidates undertake a two-day review and examination that focuses on ten key club management disciplines, including financial, leadership, facility, and food and beverage management.
The new European CCM is available to more than 3,500 managers in 18 countries thanks to the signing of affiliation agreements with club manager associations across Europe.
Nigel Cartwright added: “CCM is well on the way to becoming the single most important benchmark for club managers globally and I would encourage all club managers to consider taking the qualification and registering on the CMAE website.”
For more information about CCM and to download the registration form, visit: http://www.cmaeurope.org
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