The Century Club of Syracuse | Syracuse, New York 
General Manager

About the Club

In 1866, the Onondaga Club was founded as the first social club organized in Syracuse as an association for literary and recreational purposes.  In a few weeks, the membership grew to 100 strong. This select group of community leaders and professionals charted a new path in 1876 to form The Century Club. In 1900, another social Club – the Syracuse Club which encouraged the theater and arts – merged with The Century Club to become The Century Club of Syracuse. The present clubhouse was built as a residence in 1842 by Major Moses Dewitt Burnett, a prominent Syracuse businessman. It was occupied as his residence which rivaled the city’s best homes. In 1881, the residence was acquired by The Century Club for its clubhouse.  There have been many additions and renovations since then with the intent to maintain its historical significance, for example, during Prohibition a bank of lockers was added to the barroom and keys were provided to each member. These lockers can be seen today.

The Century Club has had many local, state and national names associated with the Club as either members or guests including President Andrew Johnson, General Ulysses S. Grant, Admiral David Farragut, General George A. Custer, Secretary of State William Seward of Auburn, President Herbert Hoover and a number of United States Senators and Congressman. The list of prominent businessmen is also impressive and include Dr. Willis Carrier of Carrier Corporation, James Pass of Syracuse China, Huntington Crouse of Crouse-Hinds Corporation, Frederick R. Hazard of Solvay Process, and Herbert H. Franklin of Franklin Air-Cooled Automobile.  Other well-known members from The Century Club include published authors including Edward Noyes Westcott, Forbes Heermans, Harold Macgrath and Timothy J. Green just to name a few.  There are also several Club members that have served on New York State’s highest court, the Court of Appeals either as Chief Judge or Associate Judge and three others that have also occupied the New York State governor’s mansion.

Today, the Club is made up of prominent businessmen, women and professionals from the greater Syracuse area and provides a collegial social environment for the 430+ members and their families. In addition to providing excellence in the dining experience, the Club offers unique opportunities to entertain guests and to be entertained while also proudly maintaining the Club’s history and tradition.

The Club offers multiple dining room and banquet options ranging from the small Canal Room that seats 12, to the new (2019) Terrace Room that seats up to 30 with a new outdoor patio, to the all-purpose Century Room that seats 80.  Members that prefer jacket and tie will be comfortable in the Major Burnett Room while other more casual dining is available in the Terrace Room. The full Clubhouse has been utilized on occasion for parties of more than 350.  Members that enjoy fine wine, can enjoy wine by the bottle sold at cost for their à la carte dining pleasure.

The Club is open year-round (including most holidays) from Monday through Saturday for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  During the summer season of Memorial Day through Labor Day, they are closed on Saturdays in addition to Sundays.

About the Position
The General Manager is responsible for managing all operations of The Century Club of Syracuse with the direction and policies established by the Board of Governors.  This includes management and control of all functions of the Club including administrative and compliance, contracts, facilities, financial reporting, organizational and personnel. The selected General Manager is succeeding a beloved General Manager of 29 years. S/he will endeavor to ensure the continued culture of the Club and ultimately be the custodian of the culture while maintaining its significance as a vibrant part of the Syracuse community as it has been for 130 years.  The next General Manager will focus on maintaining the high touch member service environment for which the club is well known, be forward thinking as to serving the needs of the membership and be a collaborative partner with the Board, bring creative ideas for future events and programming in order to attract a diverse community of future members, manage and maintain a historical building and will further enhance the Club’s community profile.

Compensation: The Club will offer a competitive compensation plan, along with standard benefits.

About the Ideal Candidate
Qualified candidates will have a professional career “track record” of employment stability with progressively responsible Food and Beverage Management positions ideally leading up to an Assistant General Manager or General Manager role in a successful private Club. Experience with excellent food and beverage operations and services, historical facilities, membership marketing and building and maintaining a strong Reciprocal Club List and those relationships is preferred.  The successful candidate will be a true compassionate leader, creative, and have the gravitas and sophistication to further the excellence of The Century Club of Syracuse to follow a long tenured and highly respected General Manager.

A four-year college degree is preferred.

Apply for This Position
Interested candidates can apply directly to DENEHY Club Thinking Partners by completing the Club Management Candidate Profile Form and submitting a compelling cover letter and resume for consideration.  If you have questions or would like to recommend a candidate, please contact Kirk Reese  or Karen Alexander at Kirk@denehyctp.com and/or Karen@denehyctp.com.