Ross Smith leads Harbor Shores staff as new general manager
NORTHBROOK, Ill., Mar. 27, 2013 – KemperSports, the most trusted name in golf, today announced the appointment of three leadership positions at Harbor Shores, a public Jack Nicklaus Signature Design golf course in Southwest Michigan and host of the 2014 Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid. Ross Smith has been appointed as the new general manager and director of golf, Brianne Schmidke has been named the new director of sales and communications and Lisa Morris has accepted the new food and beverage manager position.
“Ross Smith has been a big part of the Harbor Shores community since the beginning and he will do well in his new role,” said Steve Skinner, chief executive officer of KemperSports. “The addition of Brianne and Lisa to an already great staff prepares us for the upcoming golf season as we look to capitalize on the momentum and excitement from last year’s Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid.”
Smith previously served as director of golf and will continue this role while taking on the additional responsibilities of the general manager position.
“We’ve come a long way since the humble beginnings of breaking ground on the golf course and clubhouse,” said Ross Smith, KemperSports general manager of Harbor Shores. “I’m looking forward to our second year as a fully operational facility and I’ve never seen a staff more eager to make this a banner year. We hope to kick off the year soon and open the course to golfers in the next few weeks.”
Smith has more than 30 years’ experience in the golf industry, including previous positions as the director of golf for Sagamore Golf Club in Noblesville, Ind., another Jack Nicklaus Signature Design golf course, and head golf professional for South Bend Country Club in South Bend, Ind. Earlier in his career, Smith also held golf professional positions at Maysville Country Club in Maysville, Ky., and Lexington Country Club in Lexington, Ky.
KemperSports and Harbor Shores also welcome Brianne Schmidke as director of sales and communications and Lisa Morris as food and beverage manager for the club. Both hail from the Benton Harbor, Mich., community and have returned home to the Southwest Michigan area to further their careers.
Schmidke has a strong background in sales and marketing in the hospitality industry. Her previous experience managing events for the Whirlpool Corporation, including the 2012 Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, makes her a great fit for Harbor Shores.
Morris brings more than 15 years’ experience in the hospitality industry to the Harbor Shores team, previously serving in a senior leadership role with American Golf. During this time, Morris excelled in both golf and food and beverage roles working at a variety of golf courses managed by American Golf.
“Lisa brings unrivaled food and hospitality experience to the restaurant at Harbor Shores and Brianne is always committed to putting the customer first,” added Skinner. “Both have a unique perspective and understanding of the marketplace to promote the Harbor Shores community and lifestyle.”
As the Harbor Shores team prepares to re-open the golf course this spring, the restaurant, The Grille at Harbor Shores, is open to the public for lunch and dinner. Throughout March, the restaurant serves lunch from Monday-Saturday and dinner from Thursday-Saturday. The restaurant will be open daily in April with the commencement of the golf season. For more information or to book a tee time or reservation, please visit www.harborshoreslife.com.
KemperSports assisted in the design and development of Harbor Shores, along with Nicklaus Design, and manages golf course operations on behalf of Harbor Shores, a non-profit entity.
About KemperSports
Northbrook, Ill.-based KemperSports builds, owns and manages golf courses, resorts, athletic clubs and lodging venues across the U.S., Caribbean and Central America. The company’s award-winning portfolio includes nationally-ranked courses and tournament venues such as Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, named the No. 1 Golf Resort in North America by Golf Digest and GOLF Magazine; The Glen Club; Desert Willow Golf Resort; Harbor Shores, site of the 2012 and 2014 Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid; and Chambers Bay, host of the 2010 U.S. Amateur and the 2015 U.S. Open. For more information about KemperSports, please visit http://www.kempersports.com.
Join the KemperSports social media conversation at www.facebook.com/kempersports and www.twitter.com/kempersports.
About Harbor Shores
Harbor Shores, a non-profit entity, is Lake Michigan’s first beach and golf community. The golf course and restaurant are open to the public. Ideally located just 90 minutes from downtown Chicago, Harbor Shores is nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan in the city of Benton Harbor and is the host site of the 2012 and 2014 Senior PGA Championships presented by KitchenAid. With five breathtaking beaches, towering dunes and panoramic views of Lake Michigan’s bold blue waters, Harbor Shores is unlike any other community in Southwest Michigan. For more information, please visit www.harborshoreslife.com.
Contact:
Brianne Schmidke, Harbor Shores Megan Godfrey
KemperSports KemperLesnik
p: 269.208.2699 c: 708.214.4287
bschmidke@harborshoresgolf.com megan.godfrey@kemperlesnik.com
