Dan Denehy and the team surrounding him at Club Thinking Partners are our go-to folks in the club industry. Whenever we need the best advice, guidance, or coaching about a complex problem or issue, we call Dan and the CTP team. They are the very best in the business. They have not only led us to implement today’s best practices, but more importantly, they have shown us how to innovate and create tomorrow’s best practices.

Jeffrey P. McFadden

Chief Executive Officer

The Union League of Philadelphia

Thank you for shepherding our process to find a new General Manager. From the very beginning, you brought your expertise to our search.  You came to our Club and community to determine our culture and character.  You interviewed the search committee and spent many hours at the Club with the staff to ascertain what was needed.  After reviewing our needs, you presented an excellent slate of candidates for us to consider for interviews.  We enjoyed interviewing all of them and were impressed with their credentials.  Finally, having selected our number choice, you helped guide us to an agreement to be our new GM. During the whole process, our Search Committee was impressed and appreciative of all the efforts. Thank you, CTP!  We will look no further than Denehy CTP for any future needs we have!

Steve Slack

President

Talbot Country Club  

I’ve had the privilege of working with DENEHY Club Thinking Partners on multiple occasions—first as a candidate, and more recently as a client. My appointment to the Country Club of Virginia was a defining moment in my career, and I owe that opportunity to the team at DENEHY. Their process was thorough and thoughtful, and I especially credit Karen for her persistence and insight. Although I was happily employed and not actively seeking a new role, Karen saw something in our early conversations that made her believe I was the right fit for CCV. Her deep understanding of the club’s legacy, culture, and standards ultimately compelled me to take a serious look. After agreeing to meet with Phil, the path forward became clear—and that was eight years ago. Throughout the process, my candidacy was handled with professionalism and care, and I remain proud to contribute to CCV’s continued evolution of excellence.

As a client in our recent search for a Director of Outlets, I knew the ideal candidate would likely be successful and fully engaged in their current role. Reflecting on my own experience being recruited when I wasn’t looking, I recognized the importance of DENEHY’s approach. The team was proactive, pragmatic, and thorough in understanding our needs and culture, and their candidate assessments were equally thoughtful. Ultimately, they delivered a slate of top-tier professionals, each fully capable of excelling in their respective roles.

I recommend DENEHY Club Thinking Partners without hesitation. Their work has had a meaningful impact on both my career and our club’s professional success.

Ryan Bender

Food and Beverage Director

The Country Club of Virginia

I first became aware of DENEHY Club Thinking Partners through their work in recruiting our Executive Chef. Following the presentation you and Carolyn gave at the MGA President’s Council meeting at Montclair Golf Club last October, my fellow Board member and I spoke with you both. We greatly appreciated your insights on club leadership and governance.

When our COO & Director of Golf accepted a new role late last year, we established a committee to review our organizational structure. Carolyn was one of the first people we contacted for insights and guidance—and she was invaluable. Ultimately, our committee determined that the General Manager model was the most suitable structure for Echo Lake. We then formed a search committee and retained DENEHY CTP to lead the search.

As Club President, I chaired the search committee and worked closely with Carolyn. I appreciated her professionalism and sense of urgency as we sought to identify candidates for our GM role. Her approach, combined with the DENEHY process, enabled us to move seamlessly from proposal to placement. She did an excellent job facilitating on-site interviews for our top candidates and offered valuable guidance as we evaluated our finalists.

Carolyn was instrumental in helping us extend an offer to our new General Manager and COO. The search committee, the Board, and I were all impressed by the efficiency and thoroughness of the process. From start to finish, it was comprehensive, timely, and successful. I wholeheartedly endorse DENEHY CTP and Carolyn to any club undertaking an executive search.

Glen DuMont

Club President

Echo Lake Country Club

Club Thinking Partners was the perfect partner for us in our search for a General Manager.  Dan and his team are incredibly knowledgeable in the private club industry and took the time to understand our club’s structure and culture, bringing us candidates they believed would best suit us.  They guided us through the search process, providing valuable guidance and insight that enabled us to find the perfect match.  We are thrilled with our new GM and wouldn’t be here without CTP!

Kathleen Schuster

President

Hop Meadow Country Club

Replacing a long-term, well-liked General Manager is a daunting task. However, DENEHY Club Thinking Partners transformed our challenge into a rewarding and educational experience that led to the recruitment of a new leader with the background and expertise to take our club to the next level. The firm guided us through a rigorous, focused process centered on cultural fit and long-term success. Their insights and deep understanding of club operations were invaluable, and their genuine interest in helping us succeed made them an exceptional partner. We would highly recommend DENEHY Club Thinking Partners for executive recruiting and will likely engage them again for strategic planning services.

Gary E. Davidson

Staff Commodore

Balboa Yacht Club

After a careful selection process, our club engaged DENEHY Club Thinking Partners to find our next General Manager. Over the past eight years, the club had grown significantly and recognized the need to evolve with that change. CTP helped us identify what adjustments were necessary for our next leader to succeed. The firm educated us on the marketplace, presented outstanding candidates, guided us through the interview process, and helped craft and deliver an offer to an exceptional finalist. With the support of CTP, led by Karen Alexander, we are more excited than ever about the future of Beacon Hill Country Club.

Rich White

President

Beacon Hill Country Club

The Denehy CTP team did its homework ahead of a challenging search and nailed it.  Our new GM has performed at the upper end of our expectations, and we are thrilled.

David Chandler

President

Point O’Woods Association

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the DENEHY Club and its Thinking Partners. Carolyn, who led our Executive Chef search, was exceptionally professional, organized, and thorough. She identified an impressive group of candidates and worked closely with our search committee to ensure we selected the best fit—someone who has already exceeded our expectations.

As promised, the entire process was completed within approximately two months, with every milestone met on time and communication remaining seamless throughout. This marks our second successful search with DENEHY in the past 18 months, having also partnered with the firm to identify and hire our current General Manager.

Russ Jellinek

Orienta Beach Club

President 

DENEHY Club Thinking Partners is, in my estimation, the unquestionable leader in the clubhouse among their peers. While there are several firms serving the private club industry, any similarity ends with the definition. The CTP team brings fresh market intelligence and practical, well-reasoned solutions to the many challenges faced by today’s fine clubs. We have engaged CTP for multiple executive searches, including Assistant General Manager, Controller, and General Manager, as well as a comprehensive review and overhaul of our club’s bylaws. Because we sought the opposite of a “cookie-cutter” consultancy and wanted to be challenged, we also partnered with CTP to develop and test new board policies and best practices club-wide. Any organization that values efficiency, effectiveness, and relevance will find exceptional value in working with Dan and his talented team.

Kevin Daniel Lalumiere

General Manager / Chief Operating Officer

Country Club of New Canaan

Dan was tasked with identifying top talent for our 80-member private resort club in the Caribbean. He delivered a Managing Director who embodied exactly what we had hoped for in terms of experience and fit. Most impressive, however, was how Dan and his team responded when that placement ultimately didn’t work out. He remained fully committed to finding a solution, applying the lessons learned from our prior experience to ensure long-term success. His tenacity and dedication in serving a truly unique club in an even more unique location were outstanding.

Thor Lundgren

President and Search Chairman 

Tryall Club

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Dan Denehy and his team were superb! As a full-service firm, DENEHY Club Thinking Partners took the time to understand our key issues and guided our club leadership through some tough but necessary decisions. While conducting a successful national search, they also quickly placed a top-tier interim General Manager to maintain stability. Dan stayed ahead of every step and over-delivered. The result was the recruitment of exceptional local talent—a perfect fit for our club and members.

Julie Harron

President

Woman’s Athletic Club of Chicago

Working with Pat Finlen on our Superintendent search was an absolute pleasure. Our committee thoroughly enjoyed the process—Pat brought deep expertise in agronomy and club culture, paired with professionalism and consistency at every step. He was dependable, highly responsive, and never pushy—just a steady, trusted advisor who truly understands what it takes to make a successful Superintendent hire. His background as a Superintendent and past President of the national GCSAA gave him instant credibility with our committee, board, and candidates alike. His thoughtful approach made a lasting impact, and we’re deeply grateful for his guidance throughout.

Bill Jankowski

General Manager

Columbia Country Club

It was just about a year ago that our club formed a General Manager Search Committee, knowing that our beloved GM would be moving on. Jack was with us for nine years, which we now understand is quite a record. He would be a tough act to follow!

The first challenge for our committee was to retain the best search firm – a firm we could trust to understand our club, its needs, its particular culture, and its loyal staff and membership. We interviewed many firms, but we chose Denehy because we believed you and your colleague understood our needs. As our point person, Karen, you invested your valuable time, energy, knowledge, and experience to know us so that you could fully represent our club in the highly competitive marketplace. We did not want a firm that had all the answers or used a cookie-cutter approach. We achieved that goal through your selection.

Now, after only a few months on the job as our new GM, Roger has already established himself as a solid leader with a wealth of experience that will surely make our great club even better. Our members – perhaps our toughest audience – have been impressed by his demeanor, knowledge, and skill. He is a true leader who is helping our staff and managers grow, which was one of our committee’s primary objectives.

The success of this recruitment can be attributed to your firm’s vast experience, its outstanding reputation, and its commitment to partnering with our club’s search committee. Our committee was determined to work together to advance that partnership by ensuring that you had the necessary tools and access to our club, allowing you to get to know us well enough to find the right person for our next chapter. Your experience and candid communications guided us through the process to achieve the ultimate goal! Thank you!

Debby Brink

President

Weekapaug Golf Club

Working with DENEHY Club Thinking Partners was made easy due to their responsive communication, recruitment experience, and insight into the club industry. They helped me find my current General Manager role, and I entrusted them with an integral search for our Executive Chef. We met several excellent candidates and were very happy with both the process and the outcome. I highly recommend working with them.

Daniel Brown

General Manager

Bailey’s Beach Club

I had the pleasure of working with Carolyn Kepcher when searching for a new General Manager for the Hay Harbor Club on Fishers Island. Carolyn’s vast experience provided my search committee and me with the guidance we needed, as most of us were new to the process. Carolyn was highly organized, accessible, and responsive. She tailored the process to the unique challenges of our club—being located on an island—and accommodated the search committee’s locations and schedules. She kept us on track and focused during the interview process. Offering value-added feedback and perceptive evaluations of each candidate, she truly went above and beyond in helping us find the perfect match. I would not hesitate to call upon her again. Carolyn made an otherwise stressful process incredibly easy to navigate, ultimately leading to a successful outcome.

Lolly Dwinell

President

Hay Harbor Club

Working with Pat Finlen of DENEHY Club Thinking Partners on our search for a Golf Course Superintendent was an outstanding experience from start to finish. Pat’s deep knowledge of agronomy, his understanding of club culture, and his methodical yet personal approach to the search process were truly exceptional.

He took the time to understand the unique needs and expectations of El Caballero Country Club and presented a slate of high-caliber candidates—each well-qualified and thoughtfully aligned with our club’s vision. The result speaks for itself: our new Superintendent has been an incredible addition to El Cab, bringing both expertise and leadership that have elevated our golf course conditions and overall member experience.

Pat’s guidance, professionalism, and commitment to excellence made all the difference. We couldn’t be more pleased with the process or the outcome.

Phil Lopez, PGA

General Manager

El Caballero Country Club

We have partnered with DENEHY Club Thinking Partners on several key department head searches, including Director of Catering, Director of Golf, Chief Financial Officer, and, most recently, Director of Hospitality, Food & Beverage.

While we routinely explore options with other national search firms, we consistently find that Dan Denehy and his team demonstrate the strongest understanding of what it takes to identify successful candidates in the Metropolitan area. Their deep connections within the hotel industry are especially valuable, as I prioritize candidates with a strong hospitality foundation—professionals who are well-trained within corporate structures, understand systems and procedures, and uphold high operational standards.

DENEHY stands out for its ability to attract strong local talent without relying on excessive or overly scripted screening processes. Dan is personally invested in every search, remaining engaged from initiation through to the final hire. I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Vice Presidents Karen Alexander and Barbara McAuliffe, both of whom are highly professional, responsive, and attuned to the cultural nuances of our club. They make it a priority to ensure candidates are not only qualified but also a strong cultural fit.

Beyond recruitment, Dan has proven to be a trusted advisor on all matters related to the club industry, as has Bob James, whom I had the privilege of working with from 2001 to 2006. I highly recommend DENEHY Club Thinking Partners for your most important searches and consulting needs.

William T. Minard

General Manager & Chief Operating Officer

Scarsdale Golf Club