The School has a long connection with the service functions of the United States military.  During World War II, many students and graduates found themselves involved in mass feeding operations and club management, gaining experience for their civilian careers in the hospitality industry.  But it 1976, the U.S. Air Force club managers began coming to campus for executive education.
.

2003 U.S. Air Force Advanced Club Management Participants and Instructors  Row 1: Charles Mullins, Margaret Bonner, Alicia O�Neil, Bonnie Knutson, and Ron Cichy.  Row 2: Jack Ninemeier, Ray Schmidgall, Kristen St. Marie, Mandy Carter, Joe Childs, and Alfonzo Southerland. Row 3: Daniel LaBatte, Patricia  Reichenbach, Jim Nichols, Alan Sparling, John Myrick, and Alphonso Urolia.  Row 4: Charles Thomas, Andrew Furman, Michael Kasavana, and Bill Donohue.

�In today�s world,� he said, �knowledge is being developed so quickly and change is happening so consistently that we must find ways to regenerate ourselves, to ensure that we remain relevant and on the cutting edge.  Professional and executive education programs like the one you will be attending over the next two weeks have become increasingly critical in continuing our educational journey and maintaining our relevance to our key constituents.  I encourage you to take advantage of this great opportunity to learn from some of the world�s leaders in Hospitality Business.� 

With Dr. Ron Cichy (BA �72, MBA �77) and Dr. Jack Ninemeier as the academic directors, the program included an impressive roster of professors with lofty goals for each participant.  �Our focus will be primarily strategic, with some operational and tactical components,� Dr. Cichy told the group.  �We hope that you will adapt, modify, and put into play some of the things you learn in order to improve your club�s operations.� 

According to surveys taken before the sessions began, the club managers had also set some goals.  They hoped to be able to gain new ideas for internal controls and planning; they were looking for ways to bridge the gap between �civilian� ways of doing things and military; and they wanted to learn ways to provide effective staff assistance, value for membership dues, and customer service.  They were also anxious to learn training and communication techniques.  In essence, these club managers, recommended for participation by their supervisors, left their operations for two weeks to improve themselves and their clubs and to stay on top of overall industry trends and practices, despite their unique military situations. 

Indeed, with university professors teaching experienced professionals, this program combines theory and higher-level thinking and relevance to real-world work situations, which sets it apart from others like it.  Coordinated by Ms. Kristin St. Marie, this year�s faculty included Drs. Cichy and Ninemeier, as well as Dr. Michael Kasavana, Dr. Bonnie Knutson, Dr. Ray Schmidgall, Chef Robert Nelson and Ms. Theda Rudd, all from The School of Hospitality Business at MSU.  In addition, sessions were led by Dr. Bill Donohue, professor in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences; Richard Bruner, general manager of The University Club of MSU, and Scott Stromer, food and beverage director of The University Club. 

As the two weeks drew to a conclusion, it appeared that the participants believed their goals were met.  Joe Childs, general manager of the Hap Arnold Club in Moreno Valley, CA, is an experienced club manager.  Yet he knows that �training is ongoing, because the industry always keeps going.�  He appreciated the opportunity to �co-mingle with the civilian community, and to look at some of their techniques.�  He found particular value in Dr. Ninemeier�s session on �Training Methods and Procedures in Private Clubs,� and Dr. Cichy�s �Teamwork and Leadership Dynamics,� noting that they reminded him employees with vision, who are given training, responsibility and clear expectations, are the ones most valuable to your operation.  �I remember being told that if we give them the tools, our employees will be �shining stars, not falling stars.�  That makes a lot of sense,� Joe said, �because whether you�re in engineering or hospitality, you�re still in the �people� business.�

Al Sparling runs two clubs in Minneapolis and St. Paul, one off base and one on.  He oversees 55 total employees who serve 2300 members.  Al has been involved in each branch of the armed services, but he believes that the Air Force has the best reputation for club management.  He speculated that the reason is the Air Force commitment to training.  As the oldest (or should we say wisest?) member of the group, Al has been to many training programs throughout his career, but he highly recommended the one at MSU.  When asked what he might implement in his own clubs, Al responded, �Most of it!�  He has found, he says, that all the subjects, from culinary to technology, are relevant and revealing.  �Last Thursday�s session on finding your vision and setting goals really spoke to me,� Al said.  �But I will also really use Dr. Kasavana�s information on web page design in the Technology Lab.  It�s easier than it looks!� 

Coming to a large, Big Ten university after many years away from books and tests can be intimidating.  Patricia Reichenbach, club manager of The Pope Club, on Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina, admitted to being a little nervous at first.  However, once she arrived and met her fellow club managers and interacted with the faculty, her fears were dispelled.  �This was more intense than my basic training programs, where we focused on accounting, forms, Air Force menu programs and the like,� she said.  �But I will definitely use what I learned with Dr. Donohue in his �Effective Communication and Negotiation Strategies� session.  Dr. Knutson�s marketing ideas were great, too.  After all, I�m always looking for better ways to train and market.� 

Though many managers have high retention rates for their own employees, they seem to be faced with constant change in leadership on the base and membership in the club.  In addition, many face an aging and diminishing membership population, since current soldiers have so many more options in restaurants and clubs than did a previous generation.  They also share the same challenges civilian club managers face.  This is what makes a professional development program like this so important, according to Charles Mullins, business operations specialist at the Air Force Services Agency which sponsors the program at MSU.    �These club managers have already had numerous training and learning opportunities.  But this one builds on their knowledge base and gives them a broader picture of the whole,� he claims.  �When they�re here, they share their goals, ideas and friendships, too, all of which enhances the potential to improve their clubs.  They do implement what they learn here.  I�ve seen it as I visit their clubs.� 

Al Southerland, club manager for both The Club and Sidney�s at the Brooks City-Base in San Antonio, TX, would agree.  �There is a lot to take back to our clubs.  For each category of employee I have, I want to use part of what I learned in the session on training.  I like the �Gung-Ho� concept.  It really energizes you,� he enthused.  He said he�ll also take back some of the cooking techniques taught by Chef Nelson to his own chefs. 

But Al also said that in his club, as in any other club, things can become routine.  Sometimes you need to be reminded that �we�re here for the customers, not ourselves.�  The overall program is just that:  a necessary reminder and energizer, an idea-builder and customized club improvement plan.  In fact, Al maintained that while this particular Air Force program is intended for mid-level club managers, one just like it should be geared to levels higher than that.  �I would encourage any club manager to get involved in this.  But flight chiefs should be encouraged, too!�
If the program participants are believers, so are the program professors and administrators.  �This is a model for professional development programs.  The 14 participants have 305 total years of experience, but are ready to go to the next level.  We�ll help them do that,� explained professor Jack Ninemeier.  Dr. Cichy added, �They�re just great people.  We really bond with them.� 

While most Spartans know that it�s hard to beat two summer weeks on the banks of the Red Cedar, it�s nice to know that others agree.  The School salutes the Air Force club managers and look forward to many years of working together.