
Christian Clerc, AIA
Vice President of Club Consulting
Christian has been in the construction, architecture, and planning fields for over 20 years and has been involved in all aspects of McMahon services during his 10 years with the firm. He has drafted Master Plans, written strategic plans, and presented improvement projects to memberships. In addition to training and supporting new staff across several departments, Christian works closely with Club planners and leadership to develop innovative services that help clients in a rapidly changing world. He developed the survey benchmark by analyzing years of membership surveys, which now serve as a backbone to McMahon’s membership analysis and industry-wide assessments.
A respected industry voice, Christian is a featured speaker for the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) and the National Club Association (NCA), as well as a featured author in industry publications. He holds AIA membership and LEED AP BD+C credentials, further demonstrating his commitment to sustainable and innovative design practices.
Christian graduated with honors from the University of Dallas in Texas with a bachelor’s degree in physics, where he served as treasurer and social chairman of the men’s rugby club. He participated in undergraduate astronomy research in Wooster Ohio, Pitkin Colorado and at MIT’s Haystack observatory. After working in construction, he returned to school and graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis, earning two graduate degrees in Architecture and Urban Design. As Graduate Architecture Council treasurer, he established the first funding mechanism for the annual Year End Show (YES), showcasing recent graduates’ work. He presented façade research on phase change materials in Hong Kong China and façade adaptive reuse in Delft Netherlands. He is a registered architect in several states, most proudly in his home ‘Show-Me’ state of Missouri.
Christian’s professional achievements are rooted in his core values. His faith, wife Lauren, and their five children are at the heart of his life, fueling his pursuit of excellence in all spheres. This foundation drives his passion to create positive change at home and in the wider world. Christian and Lauren contribute to their church’s Marriage Enrichment ministry, and he has served on parish councils. His community engagement has extended to various professional organizations.
Posts by Christian Clerc, AIA
What’s the Best Way to Design a Master Plan?
Master planning is a strategic process that aligns conflicting goals, uncovers opportunities, and reimagines spaces to create cohesive and resilient environments, especially when progress stalls or priorities clash.
Read MoreStaff Housing Makes a Comeback
At member-owned clubs across the country, staff housing is making a comeback. From coastal resorts to mountain golf clubs, facilities that once phased out employee residences are building them again.
Read MoreInflation Pressures on Clubhouse Construction Projects in 2025
While inflation has moderated from pandemic peaks, rising material and labor costs continue to strain project budgets, forcing clubs to reconsider their capital-improvement strategies.
Read MoreThe Most Successful Way to Plan, Present and Approve Major Clubhouse Projects
McMahon has developed a planning process that gets the best projects identified, supported, presented and approved for clubs of all types, sizes and purposes.
Read MoreSetting the Stage for Unforgettable Live Events
Clubs have a great opportunity to use the full range of their facilities to counteract the artificial-intelligence era and provide members with experiences that are undeniably real and unique.
Read MoreThe Common-Sense Approach to Energy Management and Conservation for Private Clubs
Let’s look at the efficiency of our club buildings and facilities, as buildings across the world account for 60% of all energy consumed.
Read MoreStrategic Planning For Your Club is Not an Option, It is a Necessity
Today, memberships cross all social, religious, racial and economic lines. In effect, there is a club for everyone as our society becomes more diverse and unified.
Read MoreEnergy Self Assessment
Are you keeping up with market expectations for environmental practices and energy management? Take a moment to fill out our self-assessment tool.
Read MoreMembership Surveys Build Consensus On Most Difficult Club Issues
Clubs are one of the most democratic beasts on earth. A typical club can easily have 1,000 member/spouses each vying…
Read MoreCreating the Private Club Version of Topgolf
Transforming Your Golf Practice Range What takes a golf practice range and makes it a year-round, night-and-day golf entertainment center? A few little additions do the deed. Add a competitive game, some good food, a little libation and camaraderie among friends, and you have the private club version of Topgolf. In other words, create a…
Read MoreIncorporating the Topgolf Phenomena into Private Clubs
All we hear about today is the excitement Topgolf is creating in the golf world. In McMahon Group’s recent Pulse Survey completed by almost 350 club managers, 49% said they want to create a Topgolf experience at their club. However, it is important to note that true Topgolf is really much more about entertainment than…
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