ARCIS GOLF - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Regional Vice President of Operations
Alex Evans is a Regional Vice President of Operations for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he is responsible for the daily operations oversight and management of a region of clubs. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Alex was a GM for Invited and a Regional Vice President for Fore Golf. Alex is an alum of University Of Illinois.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Managing Director, Western Region
Andy Crosson is the Managing Director, Western Region at Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he focuses on sourcing and negotiating acquisitions. Prior to joining Arcis, Mr. Crosson spent 25 years as a Founding Partner and Executive Vice President at several notable golf investment firms, completing more than $700 million of investments. Mr. Crosson holds a BS from the University of Utah.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Sales
- VP, Sales
Anthony Austin is Vice President, Sales for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he directs the sales culture and initiatives for Membership, Private Event and Tournament Sales in the West region. Prior to this role, Anthony served as Regional Sales Director at Arcis for the East region.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Talent
- SVP, Talent Operations
April Miller is Senior Vice President of Talent for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, she is responsible for the development and deployment of corporate human resources, including talent acquisition and management, training and leadership development, HRIS systems, labor relations, benefits and compensation administration. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, April served as Corporate Human Resources for KSL Resorts, HR Director for Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa, and HR Director for La Quinta Resort & Club. April holds a BS from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
Austin Jones is a Senior Associate, responsible for supporting the strategic initiatives and investments of Arcis. Prior to joining Arcis, Austin was an Associate at Beowulf Energy, a private energy infrastructure firm in New York. While at Beowulf, Austin was responsible for evaluating, executing and monitoring investments and special projects within new energies and technology. Previously, Austin served as a Surface Warfare Officer in the United States Navy aboard several large combatants in a variety of senior leadership positions. Austin holds a B.S. in Economics from the United States Naval Academy, where he was captain of the men's tennis team.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Director of Sales Optimization & Special Projects
- Corporate Director, Sales Optimization
Beatriz Lopez is Corporate Director of Sales Optimization & Special Projects for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, she is focused on improving the systems and process for the Arcis Sales organization. She also leads projects associated with sales improvements and new acquisitions. Prior to this role, Beatriz was a Regional Sales Director for Arcis Golf. Beatriz holds a BS in Business Administration from John Carroll University.
Blake Walker - CEO, Chairman, Founder
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Chairman
- Founder
- Member of the LEADERSHIP TEAM
- of ARCIS GOLF NAMED HOSPITALITY ENTREPRENEUR of the YEAR® 2018 AWARD WINNER in SOUTHWEST REGION by EY
Blake Walker is the Founder, Chair, and CEO of Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he has led all phases of the firm's strategy, development, and operation since inception. Prior to founding Arcis Golf, he served as both the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of several global private equity-backed leisure firms, where he led the creation and transformation of a broad range of operational and acquisition strategies. Blake is a board member of the Young Presidents' Organization and a former EY Entrepreneur of the Year winner. He holds a BA from Southern Methodist University and currently serves as an Advisory Board member at the SMU Cox School of Business.
Dallas, Texas June 27, 2018 - Blake Walker, CEO of Dallas-based Arcis Golf, has been named by EY as the Entrepreneur of The Year® 2018 award winner in the hospitality category for the Southwest region. Walker, an innovator who is reimagining the club lifestyle experience, has developed Arcis Golf from a small start-up five years ago to the second largest fee simple owner-operator of full-service lifestyle private and daily fee golf clubs in the United States.
The award recognizes entrepreneurs who excel in areas such as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Walker joins the ranks of mold-breaking entrepreneurs and past honorees whose ingenuity and discipline have driven their companies' successes and transformed their industries, including Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google, Howard Schultz of Starbucks, Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn, Hamdi Ulukaya of Chobani, and James Park of Fitbit.
"Being recognized by EY is an honor for Arcis Golf and our nearly 4,000 team members around the country who are dedicated to creating extraordinary experiences for our members and guests," said Walker. "This is a direct reflection of the commitment of Arcis Golf's transformational leadership team, as we continue to approach the club business from an entirely new perspective."
Chris Crocker is Chief Marketing Officer at Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he is responsible for marketing strategy, execution, and culture. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Chris spent 12 years in management consulting and advisory roles and 14 years in corporate leadership positions within the Communication, Internet and Hospitality industries. He is active in the golf industry, serving on the ClubsHELP Foundation advisory board and the We Are Golf coalition's executive roundtable, as well as in a variety of non-profit leadership capacities within the Dallas community. Chris holds a BBA from Southern Methodist University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Food & Beverage
David Giarmona is Senior Vice President of Food & Beverage for Arcis Golf. In this role, he ensures the delivery of exceptional food, drinks and dining experiences across all clubs in the portfolio. Prior to joining Arcis, he held Regional Director, General Manager and Executive Chef positions at Pegasus Golf, Toll Brothers, and ClubCorp. David is a classically trained French chef with degrees from California Culinary Academy and Culinary Institute of America.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Managing Director, Eastern Region
David Lampe is the Managing Director, Eastern Region at Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he is responsible for underwriting potential debt and equity investments, asset management, and deal sourcing. Prior to joining Arcis, Mr. Lampe was a Vice President with several large golf and leisure organizations specializing in underwriting new acquisition opportunities and capital projects. Mr. Lampe holds a B.B.A. and a B.A. from Southern Methodist University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Operations
- SVP, Operations
David Syvertson is a Senior Vice President of Operations for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he is responsible for the daily operations oversight and management of a region of clubs. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, David was a Regional Manager for Lowe's. David holds a BEd from Minnesota State University.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Agronomy
Dean Miller is Vice President of Agronomy for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he oversees agronomy operations for all private clubs. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Dean served as Director of Agronomy at PGA WEST after serving as Superintendent of the property's Arnold Palmer and Greg Norman courses, host to multiple PGA Tour events. Dean holds a BS from Nicholls State University and an Agronomy degree from Rutgers University
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Construction
Ed Easley is Senior Vice President, Construction for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he is oversees golf course construction projects for the portfolio. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Ed served as SVP Construction for Eagle Golf as well as Senior Golf Course Architect and Construction Manager where he was responsible for all aspects of golf course construction on projects across the globe. Ed studied Turfgrass Science at Oklahoma State University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Operations for Daily Fee
- SVP, Operations
Jeff Levine is Senior Vice President of Operations for Daily Fee and Resort Clubs for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he is responsible for the oversight and management of operations of Daily Fee and Resort Clubs. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Jeff served as Senior Vice President of Daily Fee and Resort Operations for Arnold Palmer Golf Management. He was a senior member of the leadership team and led golf operations at Disney resorts. Jeff is an alum of Seminole State College
Job Titles:
- Regional Vice President of Operations
Jeff Raffelson is a Regional Vice President of Operations for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he is responsible for the daily operations oversight and management of a region of clubs. Prior to his current role, Jeff served as Regional Manager for Arcis Golf, Eagle Golf and American Golf.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Accounting
Jennifer Sawyer is Vice President, Accounting for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, she oversees corporate and field Accounting functions for the portfolio. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Jennifer held Accounting roles with Eagle Golf Company. Jennifer holds a BS in Accounting from University of North Texas.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Information Technology
- SVP, IT
Jesse is Senior Vice President, Information Technology for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he oversees Systems and Technology for the portfolio. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Jesse served as IT Director for Eagle Golf and lead infrastructure at APW Wyott. Jesse holds a BS in Computer Science from Texas A&M.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Accounting
Jim Besch is Senior Vice President, Accounting for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he oversees Accounting, Accounts Payable and Investor Reporting functions for the portfolio. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Jim served as VP of Accounting for Mitra QSR and Zoe's Kitchen in addition to a regional role at ClubCorp. Jim holds a BS and MS in Accounting from University of Texas at Austin and is a registered CPA.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Director, Health & Wellness
Josh Biard is the Corporate Director, Health & Wellness for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he is responsible for the oversight of all Health & Wellness initiatives and partnering with the fitness and activities teams in the field. Prior to accepting this new position at Arcis, Josh served as the Director of Fitness at Four Seasons Resorts.
Juan Rodriguez is Regional Sales Director for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he directs the sales culture and initiatives for Membership, Private Event and Tournament Sales in the East region. Prior to this role, Juan was a Sales Director for Arcis Golf.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Sales
- VP, Sales
Julie Lunde is Vice President, Sales for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, she directs the sales culture and initiatives for Membership in the Central Region and Private Event and Tournaments across the Arcis portfolio. Prior to this role, Julie served as Vice President of Sales for Invited.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis
Kevin Power is Senior Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he oversees Budgeting, Forecasting, Financial Planning and Analysis for the portfolio. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Kevin held a variety of Accounting and Finance roles at ClubCorp leading up to Director of Finance. Kevin holds a BA in Business from Berea College.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Director, National Merchandising
- National Merchandise Director
Linda Garland is National Merchandise Director for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, she oversees merchandise and retail operations across the portfolio. Prior to joining Arcis Linda held multi-site Retail and Merchandise roles for Eagle Golf and Eagle Ridge Resort. Linda has a BA from Loras College
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Member Relations
Lindsay Foster is Vice President, Member Relations for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, she is responsible for the implementation of membership programming and content strategies to deliver unrivaled lifestyle experiences to our members. Prior to joining Arcis, Lindsay held Member Relations and Membership Sales leadership roles at ClubCorp. Lindsay holds a BA in Communications from the University of Colorado, where she played on the women's golf team.
Job Titles:
- Director, Inclusion & Equity
Linnet Carty is Director, Inclusion & Equity. In this capacity, she provides leadership on the design and implementation of programs and policies, to include areas of equity, inclusion and belonging. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Linnet served as the Global Inclusion & Diversity Leader at PGA of America. Linnet serves as a member on several boards, including the Major League Sports Diversity & Inclusion Sports Consortium and the Women in Golf Foundation. She holds a BA from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from Western New England University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Sales
- SVP, Sales
Michael Graham is Senior Vice President, Sales for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he is responsible for sales strategy, execution, operations and culture. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Michael served as Vice President Strategic Accounts, Encore Global. Michael holds a BSS in Criminology from University of Windsor.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Member of the LEADERSHIP TEAM
Narinder Sahai is Chief Financial Officer at Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he oversees finance, accounting, investor relations, risk management, tax, and treasury. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Narinder served as Chief Financial Officer for the nation's first technology-based omnichannel powersports platform and as Head of Finance at Amazon Web Services. He has also held leadership and investor relations positions at Target Hospitality Corporation, TechniFMC, and Delphi Corporation. Narinder completed his Bachelor's Degree in Electronics and Electrical Engineering at Thapar University, earned an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and is a CFA Charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Digital & Technology
Pat Damer is Vice President of Digital & Technology for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he directs the strategy and execution of traditional and digital marketing campaigns to support revenue activities across the portfolio. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Pat held a variety of roles in the club and hospitality industry including Regional Sales Director, General Manager, Portfolio Asset Manager and Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Pat is a Class A PGA Member and holds a BS from Michigan State University.
Job Titles:
- Regional Vice President of Operations
Paul Nash is Regional Vice President of Operations for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he is responsible for the daily operations oversight and management of a region of clubs. Prior to his current role, Paul held various Managing Director roles for Global Link Hospitality Advisors and St. Regis resorts.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives
Phil Kim is Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, and supports the CEO in the identification, development, and execution of projects and investments to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and strategic position of Arcis. Before joining Arcis, Phil served as a Vice President in Morgan Stanley's Real Estate Investment Banking group in New York. Phil graduated from the University of Southern California and received his MBA from Columbia Business School.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Director, Membership Sales
Rebecca Venzone is Corporate Director, Membership Sales for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, she will focus on sales growth strategies. Prior to this role, Rebecca was responsible for the coaching, training, onboarding and development of West and North regional sales teams for Invited.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Asset Management
Rich Thompson is the Executive Vice President, Asset Management at Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he is responsible for overseeing the performance and financial reporting of assets held in the portfolio. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Rich spent nearly 20 years in various finance and accounting roles across the golf, leisure, and public accounting industries specializing in financial reporting and analysis, corporate controllership, and audit. Rich holds a BS in Accounting from the University of North Texas and is a registered CPA.
Job Titles:
- Regional Vice President of Operations
Rick Winland is Regional Vice President of Operations at Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he is responsible for the daily operations oversight and management of a region of clubs. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Rick served as the Vice President of Operations for Invited. He also worked for the Department of Defense, where he was responsible for the operation of Enlisted and Officer Clubs at military bases globally. Rick holds a BBA in Finance from York College of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Air University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Operations for Private Clubs
- SVP, Operations
Rob Larkin is Senior Vice President of Operations for Private Clubs for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he is responsible for the oversight and management of the daily operations of a region of clubs. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Rob served as Vice President of Asset Management for Arcis Equity, a Senior Regional Manager at ClubCorp and Vice President at Pegasus Golf. Rob is an alum of Moorpark College in California.
Job Titles:
- Chief Human Resources Officer
Ron Massey is Chief Human Resources Officer for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he is responsible for the development and deployment of human resources, including talent acquisition, talent management, employee engagement, acquisition integration, organizational design and human capital strategy. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Ron delivered innovative HR solutions that positively impacted the employee proposition and business metrics for high-growth start-ups and large, global organizations in the software, financial services, and retail industries. Additionally, he previously led all human resource functions for British Telecom Americas, as well as spent time in the United Kingdom where he lead strategic change at both BT Group and Capital One. Ron holds a BBA from James Madison University and completed the Advanced HR Executive Program at University of Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Agronomy
Scott Carrier is Senior Vice President of Agronomy for Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he oversees agronomy operations across the portfolio. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Scott served as Vice President of Agronomy for CourseCo, Director of Maintenance for Eagle Golf, and Regional Superintendent for Eagle Golf. Scott is an alum of Emporia State University and holds an Agronomy degree from Penn State.
Scott Siddons is General Counsel at Arcis Golf. In this capacity, he serves as General Counsel, and oversees human resources. Prior to joining Arcis Golf, Scott was President, General Counsel and majority shareholder for a national energy services company as well as a Partner in two Dallas law firms. He has over 25 years of legal experience, an AV-rated lawyer and admitted to practice law in the State of Texas and in several Federal District Courts. Scott holds a BBA (cum laude) and MBA (honors) from Southern Methodist University and a JD from The University of Texas-Austin.