Frank Vain
President
Mr. Vain provides consulting and planning services to private clubs throughout North America and Asia. Through use of specialized services including membership surveys, strategic planning, operational analysis and facility long range planning, Frank assists clubs in developing individualized strategies for their unique situations.
Mr. Vain joined McMahon Group in 1988 and has more than forty years of experience in the management and development of hospitality properties including private clubs, athletic clubs, resorts and restaurants. Frank is a Past President of The Country Club of St. Albans, an 800-member, 36-hole country club located in Missouri and he is the former owner of Concord Sports Club, a 1,700-member family athletic club in St. Louis. Frank was elected to the Board of the National Club Association in 2011 and served as Chairman in 2018-19.
Mr. Vain is a native of Philadelphia and a graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He is a featured speaker at the annual Club Managers Association of America World Conference, National Club Association National and Regional Conferences, Major Golf Associations and at regional chapter meetings of club managers and leaders.
He has written numerous articles that have been published in Club Management, Club Director andBoardRoom magazines. Frank was named the Gary Player Club Educator of the Year for 2012 and 2015 by BoardRoom magazine. He is the co-author of McMahon’s Club Trends®, a recognized industry benchmark on the trends and issues affecting private clubs.
Posts by Frank Vain
Traveling Without Leaving Home
The past couple of months has been a major lifestyle adjustment, amazing technology has allowed us to virtually travel the country and meet with literally thousands of club leaders during the Great Cessation.
Read MoreFavorite – And Safe – Place Dining
The covid-19 pandemic layers on another challenge for clubs, but it also presents a tremendous opportunity. Clubs could be one of the first places members are willing to go when economies open – provided they are both safe and favored. This will require well-defined and rigorously enforced safety protocols along with reinvention.
Read MorePLANNING IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY – Club Leadership in a Covid-19 World
The pandemic is sure to change a lot of things about the service industry, and clubs will not be exempt. Our clubs stand to be one of the first beneficiaries of the gradual awakening of economic activity.
Read MoreOperating in a COVID World
No one knows how long this is going to last, but the biggest question we will soon face is “where do we go from here?”
Read MoreDon’t Be So Reserved In Your Planning
Reserve Studies play a role in capital planning, but they are not a replacement for a strategic facility improvement plan.
Read MoreThe Continued Success of Country Club of Detroit
This wonderful club has emerged from the challenging economic environment of Southeast Michigan.
Read MoreIt’s the Members Experience That Counts
Private clubs are currently doing a much better job of running their money and understanding the key metrics in their business model.
Read MoreRefresh Before You Reinvest in Your Club
When McMahon Group was spawned from McMahon Architects some 36 years ago, the initial intention was to provide architectural services for clubs looking to renovate their facilities.
Read MorePlanning That Results in Private Club Excellence
One of the chief promises of club membership is access to a special set of facilities and programs…
Read MoreStrategic Planning: An Essential Element of the Board-Manager Partnership
Boards of directors at private clubs are often criticized for micro-management. Whatever the definition of that may be, they clearly spend a lot of their time on operational issues instead of the types of high-level strategic challenges that constitute “governance”. Club managers are regularly criticized, and often dismissed, because the board feels they are not…
Read MoreThe Best Offense Wins
“The best defense is a good offense” is an old adage you’ll frequently hear during Sunday afternoon football telecasts. The original source for the quote is unknown, but it is more often attributed to George Washington than Bill Belichick. Projecting an aura of strength was one of Washington’s key principles as his ragtag Continental Army…
Read MoreUnity Within the Community
There are clubs and then there are gated community clubs. The similarities between the two are obvious, but they are also starkly different entities. While almost all country and specialty sports clubs draw members from nearby, it is essential that clubs located within gated developments draw support from all residents. First, a club set behind…
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