Dan Denehy and the team surrounding him at DENEHY 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 the best practices of today, but more importantly they have shown us how to innovate and create the best practices of tomorrow. It is only fitting that Dan is recognized for his lifetime achievement for his outstanding leadership. Congratulations to Dan and the CTP team for being the very best and bringing out the very best in us.

Jeffrey P. McFadden

Chief Executive Officer

The Union League of Philadelphia

Thank you, Dan and Carolyn, for shepherding our process to find a new General Manager at Talbot Country Club in Easton, Maryland.

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 General Manager candidates for us to interview. We enjoyed interviewing them all and were impressed with their credentials. Finally, after we selected our top choice, you helped guide us to an agreement with him to be our new GM.

During the whole process, our Search Committee was impressed and appreciative of the efforts of Carolyn Kepcher, who headed our search on behalf of CTP. We now look forward to introducing our new general manager to the club and to the community and supporting him in his leadership.

Thank you, Denehy Club Thinking Partners! We will look no further than Denehy CTP for any future needs we have at Talbot Country Club.

Steve Slack

Search Committee

Talbot Country Club 

We retained DENEHY Club Thinking Partners for our General Manager search and worked directly with Karen Alexander and Dan Denehy throughout the process. They developed a detailed position description after a thorough tour of our campus and meetings with our Board and senior management. They quickly picked up our needs and the culture of our Club. Within four weeks, they presented us with a slate of impressive candidates. Both Karen and Dan were instrumental in guiding our Search Committee, and coordinating and moderating the interviews from start to finish. We were delighted with the process and the selected candidate, and are looking forward to the next chapter for our Club. I highly recommend them for your next General Manager search.

Robert J. Gruendel

President

Burning Tree

I first learned about DENEHY Club Thinking Partners through your work 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.

I first learned about DENEHY Club Thinking Partners through your work 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 best suited Echo Lake. We then formed a search committee and retained 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 identified candidates for our GM role. Her approach, combined with the CTP 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  CTP and Carolyn to any club undertaking an executive search.

Glen DuMont

President

Echo Lake Country Club

As General Manager of Riverside Yacht Club, I had the pleasure of working with DENEHY Club Thinking Partners on two important leadership searches—our Controller and Clubhouse Manager positions. In both searches, they proved to be an exceptional partner from beginning to end.

What stood out most was the strength and depth of their network and candidate pool. They identified highly qualified candidates who not only had the necessary experience and credentials, but also understood the unique demands of working in a private club environment.

The screening process was thorough and thoughtful. We felt confident that candidates coming forward had already been carefully evaluated, which allowed us to focus our time and attention on individuals who were genuinely strong fits for the positions and for Riverside Yacht Club.

Most importantly, the searches were successful. We hired talented individuals who have become valuable members of our management team, and we believe the quality of the search process played a significant role in those outcomes.

I would highly recommend DENEHY Club Thinking Partners to any private club looking for a search partner. Their industry knowledge, extensive network, professionalism, communication, and commitment to finding the right fit made them a pleasure to work with. We would not hesitate to work with them again.

Gary Ashley

General Manager

Riverside Yacht Club

When we partnered with DENEHY Club Thinking Partners to recruit our Golf Course Superintendent, we expected a strong candidate slate. We didn’t expect to hire two exceptional professionals. The candidates’ quality was simply that impressive. CTP took the time to understand our operation, culture, and long-term goals, then delivered individuals who exceeded our expectations. Pat’s communication, industry knowledge, and search process were outstanding from start to finish. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome and would recommend DENEHY Club Thinking Partners to any club seeking top-tier leadership talent.

Todd Bohn

Director of Agronomy

Desert Mountain

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 the adjustments needed 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

When our Board began the search for a new General Manager, we knew this decision would shape the future of the Country Club of Scranton for years to come. After a careful evaluation, our committee selected DENEHY Club Thinking Partners to lead and manage the search, and that decision proved exactly right.

Dan Denehy and Karen Alexander led the search personally, spent time at our club, and interviewed our management team and the search committee. They assembled a broad list of highly qualified candidates and guided our committee through a comprehensive evaluation of each one—going well beyond resumes to help us understand each candidate’s fit with our club’s culture and our membership’s expectations. Their industry knowledge, candid guidance, and hands-on attention throughout the process gave our Board real confidence as we moved through the process.

Thanks to Dan, Karen, and their collaborative approach, we got our guy. We hired a General Manager we’re extremely confident will serve our club very well for years to come. I would recommend DENEHY Club Thinking Partners to any club board facing a similar search.

Brian Bell

President

Country Club of Scranton

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to DENEHY Club 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.

CTP 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