Here are my remarks as the 2016 Commodore to the Members attending the Annual Meeting on December 14, 2016.
It is a privilege to be elected by the members of this great San Diego Yacht Club to take the helm as Commodore for 2016. My lovely wife Pam and I are committed to performing the duties this honor bestows and the responsibilities involved in adding to the Club’s reputation as a leader in yachting endeavors. These responsibilities range from maintaining fiscal discipline to viewing each member, guest and staff person as an individual. Over one hundred men and a woman have preceded me at this helm, and their cumulative wisdom has contributed to its magnificent heritage and ability to evolve successfully through changing times.
We have many to thank culminating in this honor, especially Susan and Jr. Staff Commodore John Laun for steering the Club through an outstanding, fun-filled year in 2015, and for being good friends. Their quiet, engaging style and steady, wise leadership have set the bar very high for those that follow. Let’s see: record-setting membership growth, superb financial results, La Cantina doors in the Club and Spinnaker Rooms, and an SDYC Lipton Cup victory. Less visible has been John’s “end game” in extending our Buffalo Beach lease and his leadership of our challenge to the Port of San Diego over revenue excluded from rent. These issues have a huge fiscal impact.
Commodore – thank you for an Outstanding, and Most Interesting Year!
Now look at the attractive lady and handsome gentlemen at the table beside me. All are wonderful individuals, but more important for our Club, they demonstrate the virtues of excellence needed as effective Board members; in addition to their Commitment, Hard Work and Dedication, they Plan Strategically, Respect Each Other’s Contributions, are Honest, Ethical and Fair; and Take Action to Achieve our Goals. (Are not these virtues on a plaque somewhere?)
In addition to talented and dedicated Board members and their spouses, we start 2016 with tremendous depth in our volunteer appointed officers, committee chairs, and committee members, all of whom are vital to a member-driven yacht club. All of our Appointed Officers are serving again in 2016. And with few exceptions, the committee chairs are continuing from 2015, or have been participants on their committees previously. Thanks to all our committee leaders for stepping up.
GM Terry Anglin is in his seventh year as our Club’s General Manager and has continuously contributed to our growth as an operationally sound, high service organization. During his time with us, he has developed and led a diversely talented group of managers and service staff. We benefit from some of the best in the yacht club business in our management leaders – and our Surfing Chef. I look forward to working with Terry and his team in the months ahead.
Thanks to all the Staff Commodores here tonight, especially for continuing to serve on key committees, as well as the Staff Commodore “institution”. I am especially in debt to those with whom I have served on this Board for the guidance and friendship they have provided - All American Bill Campbell, Woody Hunt, Kyle Clark, Chuck Hope - and a special thanks to S/C Chuck Sinks upon completion of his rotation through the chairs around the Board table. Chuck, we will miss your energy, insight, wit and thoroughness, as well as your passion about all things Port. But we know where to find you – out on the race course, usually at the head of the fleet.
One thing about great organizations is that they continuously build on their strengths, and another is that they embrace change to best serve their customers and grow their market dominance. San Diego Yacht Club’s strength in yachting-related endeavors is indisputable. Our heritage and focus on our core yachting values have propelled us to the forefront among yacht clubs world-wide, both for our yachting assets – our people, our facilities - and most importantly our understanding of how to sustain our exceptionalism.
We are a family club. Now, this is not just a nice thing to say, it is a cornerstone of producing some of the best sailors in the world and the best yachting experiences for our members and our guests. To prove the point, think of all the College, Olympic and World Championship sailors from the Club in the past 25 years, and you can find most of their parent’s names in the Club Roster.
Next, think of the magnitude of support by our members for our Junior Sailing Program as a measure of our leadership in youth sailing. Lastly, think about the goals that Commodore Laun set at this time last year to engage all the new, younger members who joined in 2014. Well, many more joined in 2015: and we now should involve them more in yachting. It’s our heritage, it’s who we are, it’s what we do best and it’s the way we teach our young sailors the “virtues of excellence” that serve them well throughout their lives. Plus, it’s the primary way we have fun around here.
Member involvement and increased yachting participation are my key themes for 2016. We are increasing communication about how our Club works and its opportunities to get involved in yachting. We will be using the Club’s talent and resources to have our sailors participate in more regional, national and international events. This will give our young sailors especially a chance to pursue their sport at higher levels. And, we will respond to all our member’s expectations by using our strengths – our heritage, values, assets and membership - to keep improving our yachting experiences. I welcome your participation as we continue on this heading in 2016.
Finally, we have a banner year of yachting events on the 2016 calendar, too numerous to mention all this evening. The headliners - NOOD, Yachting Cup, and Lipton Cup - will be joined by College Nationals which is in late May and early June. We’ll have young men and women from the top college sailing teams milling about our campus for shore side activities. Remember college? This will be more fun – no classes or grades.
I want to thank, again, my lovely and energetic wife, Pam, for all her support and her many contributions to our Club, especially our most recent Christmas Decorations, Children’s Christmas Party and planning a delightful upcoming New Year’s Eve Party. You have been exquisite!
San Diego Yacht Club is a special place. I look forward to seeing you here often!