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News Feature
The Importance of Agronomy
GSI Executive Search and GSI’s sister company Ethos Club and Leisure are committed to assisting clubs in the betterment of agronomics to ensure the best golf courses they can have for their members’ enjoyment. Over the past year, both companies have retained the very best in the agronomic field by having Mark Woodward (GSI Executive Search) and Shawn Emerson (Ethos Club and Leisure Consulting) on staff to assist clubs throughout our country maintain their golf courses while growing the best turf-grass possible. These two men are known in the golf industry for their innovative management plans and are highly skilled at creating a customized strategy to fit any club.

For the next three weeks, we will have a series of informative blog posts by these gentlemen addressing items of utmost importance to you and your club team. Please take a few minutes to read each post and reach out to them with any questions or needs you might have. 

  • July 14, 2022 “Great Hires Lead to Success”
  • July 21, 2022 “What’s Next?”
  • July 28, 2022 “There Might Just Be a Better Way (to Get Things Done)”

I hope you find these blogs educational and informative. Thanks for being there for us at GSI.

Please always remember, without you there is no us!!!!
Jay Salem
COO, GSI Executive Search
Human Resource Consultant 
GSI Executive Search
972-341-8143 Office
214-533-5165 Cell
Latest Blog
Great Hires Lead to Success

As a General Manager, one of your primary responsibilities is to develop the strongest team possible to assist you in running your golf club. This includes hiring the best possible candidate for each and every position at the club, but particularly for your leadership team. One of these key leadership positions is your golf course superintendent or director of agronomy, the person responsible for managing your golf course maintenance operation as well as course conditioning and agronomy.

There is so much that goes into being a good superintendent at golf clubs today. If you have the right person in this position, it can significantly reduce the responsibility of the general manager, allowing this person to take on a key role of helping to educate your membership on what is really happening out on the golf course, and more importantly, why it’s happening. In today’s world, at top golf clubs across the country it is estimated that the best superintendents and directors of agronomy spend only about 40% percent of their day related to resolving actual agronomy issues. The other 60% is dedicated to a myriad of other important issues that help enhance your club and relieve some of the communication burden between the membership and other staff members from the GM. The more educated everyone is, the more advocacy and support the club management receives.

Great superintendents and directors of agronomy are truly some of the most well-rounded employees at the club. They typically manage the largest budget and the largest staff and are responsible for the club’s largest asset -- the golf course itself. In many cases, they are well educated and can bring great value to the management team.
Mark J. Woodward CGCS, MBA
Principal, GSI Search Consultant
Head Agronomy Consultant
480-381-8831
Shawn Emerson
Agronomy Associate/Consultant
602-818-5818
Comprehensive Current Searches
July 14, 2022
At GSI Executive Search, we’re always adding new searches to our ever-expanding roster of private club clients. Please see below for the complete list of current searches. Click on candidate searches for further profile information and to apply.
Old Baldy Club
Saratoga, WY

Kuiko Golf and Beach Club
Kailua-Kona, HI

Executive Chef
Cedar Hammock Golf & Country Club
Naples, FL
More Info to come

Minnehaha Country Club
Sioux Falls, SD

Assistant General Manager
Orienta Beach Club
Mamaroneck, NY
More Info to come

Aurora Anguilla - D Richards Restaurant
Anguilla, British West Indies

Aurora Anguilla - D Richard's Restaurant
Anguilla, British West Indies

General Manager/COO
Dairymen's
Boulder Junction, WI
More Info to come

Vaquero Club
Westlake, TX

Island Country Club
Marco Island, FL

Sous Chef
Aurora Anguilla - D Richards Restaurant
Anguilla, British West Indies
More info to come

Assistant Controller
The Grove
Nashville, TN
More Info to come

The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch
Boerne, TX

Westlake Village, CA
Echo Lake Country Club
Westfield, NJ

Silo Ridge Field Club
Amenia, NY

St. Anthony Hall at the University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA

The Nassau Club of Princeton
Princeton, NJ

The Club at Olde Stone
Bowling Green, KY

The Club at Barefoot Beach
Bonita Beach, FL

Milwaukee Yacht Club
Milwaukee, WI

Corpus Christi Country Club
Corpus Christi, TX

Fairlawn Country Club
Akron, OH

Heritage Bay Golf & Country Club
Naples, FL

San Joaquin Country Club
Fresno, CA

Adirondack League Club
Old Forge, NY

Coleman Lake Club
Goodman, WI  

Westchester Country Club
Rye, NY

Seattle Yacht Club
Seattle, WA
Interested in placing a candidate search with GSI?
Contact one of our search consultants.
Scott McNett
Senior Principal
314-854-1321
Midwest United States
Ned Welc, CCM, CCE
Principal
440-796-7922
Florida / Ohio
Southeast United States
Terry Anglin, CCM, CCE, ECM
Principal
901-550-9338
West / Southwest United States
David J. Robinson, CCM
Principal
808-829-2508
Northern California / Hawaii
Northwest United States
Manny Gugliuzza, CCM, CCE
Principal
732-618-8665
Northeast United States
Richard A. Lareau, CCM, CCE, ECM
Principal
713-557-4287
Texas / Oklahoma / Kansas / Gulf States
Andrew Minnelli, USPTA, PTR, USRSA
Associate
310-740-4488
Racquet Sports / United States
Mark J. Woodward, CGCS, MBA
Principal
Head Agronomy Consultant
480-381-8831
Shawn Emerson
Agronomy Consultant
602-818-5818
Management Team
Bob Jones
President
972-341-8133 Office
Jay Salem
Chief Operating Officer
Human Resource Consultant 
972-341-8143 Office
214-533-5165 Cell
About GSI Executive Search:  

GSI Executive Search, an Ethos Club & Leisure Alliance company, is a full-service executive search firm serving the private club and hospitality industries throughout the U.S. The firm's hands-on, thorough, and results-oriented approach has led to successful placements for over 25+ years with more than 500 client clubs/organizations and over 900 search assignments.