360: Hands On Learning in Club Management w/ Kane Pappas FDU

Ever wondered what it takes to manage a prestigious private club? 
Join us as we spotlight Kane Pappas from Fairleigh Dickinson University, who opens up about the unique educational journeys available in club management. 
Kane shares how hands-on experiences and visits to elite clubs, supported by the Club Foundation and the New Jersey Club Managers Association, are integrated into the hospitality program to give students a taste of real-world operations. You'll gain insights into how these practical learning opportunities are shaping future leaders in the industry.

The episode doesn't just stop at academic experiences; it also highlights Kane’s fascinating 20-year career path rooted in hospitality and education. From discovering the vibrant field of hospitality and tourism management in 2004 to working at iconic venues like Giant Stadium and Meadowlands Racetrack with Aramark, Kane’s journey is a testament to the importance of hard work and authentic connections. Now, as an educator, Kane is passionate about mentoring students, helping them navigate their own professional journeys with invaluable industry insights.

We also tackle the evolving landscape of higher education in the wake of COVID-19. Hear firsthand how students and faculty adapted to online and hybrid learning models, overcoming initial struggles to find innovative solutions. And for a personal twist, discover Kane’s fervent love for classic cars. We explore her involvement with the Rad Collection car dealership and how she blends her automotive passion with her professional life. This episode is packed with stories and lessons that are sure to inspire both current students and seasoned industry veterans.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

There's just clubs everywhere. So we're very lucky. We're very, very lucky that geographically, where we're located and that we have developed so many relationships with for our students in the club management field. So each semester our students go on a field trip to a private club and this is something that the club foundation supports. We tie it into our lessons here at the university and within the club management chapter, but also within our hospitality program, and it's all about bringing the students to the clubs, showing them a day out what it's like to work at a club, what the environment is like, and for them to really see the industry and say, hey, I can see myself working here sometime. It may not be the club that we visit, because it's all geography, it's all where they live and where the opportunity is, but it's for them to see like, hey, this is something different. This is different from, maybe, the restaurant in my local town that I went to with mom and dad and maybe I'd love to work there one day. But no, hey, this is different, I can work here.

Speaker 1: 1:28

So every semester I've taken students on field trip and that's a big part of our program, and then we have different guest speakers that come in and then also what we do is with the New Jersey Club Managers Association. We attend many of their events and that gets the students out, gets them experiencing something different. Some of it could be in an event planning function or will help with registration. We do the food and wine experience. The students have a fundraiser at that event which helps us fundraise for world conference. So it's like one of the biggest parts of our program because of all of the activities included in it.

Speaker 2: 2:07

Hey everyone, welcome back to the Private Club Radio Show Podcast, the industry source for news, trends, updates and conversations all in the world of private golf and country clubs. Whether you are a veteran of the industry or brand new and trying to learn or just seeing what this industry is about, welcome, you're in the right place. This is the show where we go over any and all topics related to private golf and country clubs, and by those we mean city clubs, golf clubs, country clubs, athletic clubs, military, all the types of clubs, from food and beverage governance, hospitality management, leadership. We go over all the topics. We're like Baskin and Robbins we got so many flavors over here. This is a fun episode.

Speaker 2: 2:47

I chat with a friend of mine, kane Pappas, who is a faculty member and does so much over at Farley Dickinson University. A lot of you know her. If you don't, you have to, you have to, you have to, you have to. What a wonderful, wonderful person does so much for the industry, for the school, for the students and getting people, getting students, getting kids, getting people excited about private golf and country clubs. This episode we talk about the Utes, all about the Utes. We have a great chat. We talk about the challenges and opportunities faced by students in the industry right now. Talk a little bit about how the pandemic you know even though it's, you know talked about a lot. But we talk about what happened with the school. What was the school doing? A little bit during those times. That was a weird time for students, but really she does. And we talk about how they're, about bringing the students to the club, letting them experience, letting them get involved, get their hands dirty, let them experience what it's like to be at a club, because I think it's the best way to do it really. And we also find out about Kane's passion for cars. Her and her husband have a car dealership called the Rad Collection. We talk a little bit about that too. So we talk about personal stuff, we talk about professional stuff. It's a great episode. Kane's a ton of fun and I'm excited for her to be on the show. And before we get to the show, just a quick little thank you to our show partners.

Speaker 2: 4:27

We have Kennis Member Vetting. If you or your club is looking to enhance your member vetting process to fact-based member vetting. Really, I'm pretty sure they're the best in the industry at what they do and not every member's bad. We know all this, but it's about finding the ones that I mean. Look at some of the episodes we have on here. They find people's ghost accounts, people who put hate speech out there. You want these members people as members at your club? Hopefully not, and that's just one of the things. Most people are really good. But I mean, if you're going to do, if you're going to vet these people, if you're going to bring people into your world, into going to vet these people, if you're going to bring people into your world, into your tight knit community, you should do the best vetting there is. Head on over to membervettingcom. Set up a call with Paul Guaranteed going to be worth it.

Speaker 2: 5:11

We also have our friends Concert Golf Partners, boutique owner operators of private golf and country clubs nationwide. If you or your club is looking to do some recapitalization, have no more assessments, assessments, things of the past. Check out concertgolfpartnerscom. Set up a confidential phone call with Peter Nanula and see where it goes. Always worth the conversation.

Speaker 2: 5:36

And if you're looking at ways to get your club out there without advertising, you need to check out our friends Golf Life Navigators, who have the coolest platform. It's Zillow meets eHarmony. They link up golf enthusiasts, people who enjoy the club and golf space. They link them up with their dream club, their dream house. This algorithm does it all. It spits out the information, lets them know where their dream club is and if you would like to be on their platform, head on over to golflifenavigatorscom. As always with any of our show partners, mention you heard about them here or the reason why you're contacting is because of here. Tell them we sent you, they will hook you up and, as always shameless plug for myself If you or your club is looking for one of the most fun member events nights you are going to have, we have the Denny Corby experience Magic, mind reading, comedy, crowd work.

Speaker 2: 6:29

It is a blast. It's a whole evening experience, starting from the moment they get in for the event until they leave. It's a great time. Interested in learning more, head on over to DennyCorbycom and with that let's welcome Kane Pappas. You've been at Farley Dickinson for how long?

Speaker 1: 6:50

Gosh, I've been here for eight years, but approaching 20. I was a student here about 20 years ago. I started in the fall of 2004, and I've been lucky that I've been full circle. I've been connected to the university for 20 years.

Speaker 2: 7:06

And what got you started in. You know the hospitality, sports, tourism, like what got you into this whole world, what roped you in Kane?

Speaker 1: 7:18

You know from the student perspective long time ago the excitement of the industry. I'm from New Jersey, there's plenty of opportunity. I was a lost college student, like many of them that are out there, and I really didn't know that hospitality and tourism management was a major right. You go to college. You're like, oh, I'm excited to explore the world. And then you discover this fascinating industry. You're like, hey, I can work in an industry like that. I can work in an industry where I'm not in a cubicle, where I don't have to go to the office every day and I met really fantastic professors who led me into really awesome internships.

Speaker 1: 7:58

And that's where the story begins. I worked with Aramark, the food service management company, as an intern, which boosted a career for me, and upon not upon during that career, I came back to FDU to start my master's degree and then, upon finishing the master's degree, an opportunity opened up within the university and I jumped on it. I said I want to be a part of the university that gave me so much and give back to my students. So I started as an adjunct, worked as a staff member and then now I'm full-time faculty and it's an awesome journey here within higher ed.

Speaker 2: 8:38

What was your start at Aramark like what were some of your positions and things there?

Speaker 1: 8:44

So I was an intern, just like many of our students are now. I worked at the Meadowlands racetrack, not the new Meadowlands racetrack, the Meadowlands racetrack.

Speaker 2: 8:58

I'm old school. I'm sorry, you just saw my face go. Oh, like that.

Speaker 1: 9:02

Yeah, the Meadowlands racetrack was a fantastic experience and I give this advice to students is you have to build your own path. I started as a server. I saw an opportunity and I asked HR almost every day for a month or two for an internship opportunity and they created one, and I was a rotational intern with sports and entertainment within Aramark and then that led me to go over to Giant Stadium for football games. Once the summer ended, I worked at Giant Stadium, the original Giant.

Speaker 1: 9:33

Stadium also not MetLife, so it was fantastic to say that I was there for Giant Stadium and then you know being a fan, or yesterday graduation was at MetLife Stadium, so that's a big part of where we are being in northern New Jersey. And then, best job from there, I went to the PNC Bank Arts Center with Aramark, working in safety, so I was their safety manager. So my job was to make sure that every part of the like the pavilion, all of their stands, their beer stands, their main kitchens, their hot dog stands was compliant for the health department to come in and I worked with alcohol compliance, food safety, sanitation and I got to listen to the best concerts and be in like the most exciting environment and that really that was all during my senior year of college and then the summer after, and I was like I knew I was hooked in the industry so long ago, so long ago, but it it.

Speaker 1: 10:38

It led me to then have a career within Aramark. I worked in then higher education. I worked at St Thomas Aquinas College, the Juilliard School and Drew University in food service operations and then started at the university after nine years with the company. That's awesome.

Speaker 2: 10:57

Because you bring so much experience and a wealth of knowledge and you can show these students that there's, there's a way like this is this is this is something like this is what I did. You can do this too.

Speaker 1: 11:11

Thank you.

Speaker 1: 11:11

I think that's really important for students to see that that you can start anywhere and it's what you make of it, it's putting in your time right, it's it's being in an industry, working hard, making those connections without any of my connections and and saying like, hey, I want an internship and I'll do the next thing and, yeah, I'll work on that project.

Speaker 1: 11:31

I didn't get to the next part in my career without that, without being present. And I tell it to students all the time when they're, oh, the last semester before graduation and they're looking for a job and they're saying, hey, you know, I'm getting some interviews or I don't know what I want to do, and I say you know what you're going to land that job, you have to be present. You're not fully available yet. Keep planting that seed and all the cards will fall once you are fully available. Your goal right now is to cross that finish line right, to make it to that stage on graduation day, and then success will come after that Part of mentoring students and really walking them to graduation right. That's the goal, is to get them there.

Speaker 2: 12:13

Who were some of your mentors?

Speaker 1: 12:16

So I've had really fantastic mentors in my career, both within the university and outside of the university. One of my mentors I think of her often she was involved in CMA. She was a professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University and she took me under her wing as an undergraduate student and kept me going and led me to where I am today. And then I've had some really great leaders in the workplace, both with Aramark and then presently at Fairleigh Dickinson University, and I see their success by working hard and just always putting the university or the mission first, and then I like to follow that lead as well.

Speaker 2: 12:59

What were some of the lessons and takeaways that your leaders and mentors have taught you?

Speaker 1: 13:05

lessons and takeaways that your leaders and mentors have taught you. So some lessons, definitely being authentic, and that's something that I like to teach my students as well that it's okay to be on and you and be authentic both in the workplace and then in your personal life as well, and it's okay to share some of those passions, and that's something that I'm doing with my students as well. And that's where the cars come in. For example, we do not have automotive studies or motorsports studies in our curriculum. That's not part of our program but it's a passion of mine and I love sharing that with my students. And that's just being authentic. That's just saying like, hey, I'm a professor, but you know what, on the weekends I'm at a car show and if you want to come, you want to learn about cars, just give me a call.

Speaker 2: 13:56

Come along with me. Um, so you've been at the university a while, but you know, uh, full term, about eight years, which kind of to me now, like I'm just thinking from my point of view, that's like pre pandemic, toandemic, to now post-pandemic. What have you seen in terms of the students, maybe the engagement, the, you know the, what have you seen? You know the before and after? What's what's? What's that kind of been like?

Speaker 1: 14:15

That's been wild. So props to the class of 2024, because they started online, they finished high school and they started college online.

Speaker 2: 14:28

So hospitality, if anything too, which is a very in-person people thing. That's got to be very difficult to do online.

Speaker 1: 14:36

Very difficult. So, and that's we're not a fully online program, right, Like we're all about being out there.

Speaker 1: 14:41

We're all about being at the clubs, hotels, restaurants as much as we can and taking our students outside of the classroom, right, like we're all about being out there. We're all about being at the clubs, hotels, restaurants as much as we can and taking our students outside of the classroom, right. That's what we do in a hospitality and tourism management program. So pre-pandemic higher education wasn't challenged the way it was during the pandemic. So I would say business as usual.

Speaker 1: 15:00

Students came to college looking for a four-year experience, looking for on-campus life. They worked hard, they had part-time jobs, they were involved in clubs and activities, but they weren't pressured the same way as the challenges now of having to balance it all. So COVID, or working online, changed the student experience, where the students were studying online and everything was online. So they were relying on social media to communicate. They were having their classes on Zoom, they weren't meeting in the office with professors, they were just in this virtual world, which for some, they excelled, and they found activities outside of the university. Others were just very focused on the computer screen and I think they had a hard time adjusting to college when they came back or when they came on campus. Now that it's a couple of years later, we're back to in-person activities, field trips, and really emphasizing, like the importance of like being there, being present, being authentic and engaging with each other, because these students did lose quite a bit.

Speaker 2: 16:22

A couple of years, so how long before you and the school started doing field trips and picking back things up again? How was that into 22 at this point 21?

Speaker 1: 16:34

21, I think we started doing a few things. We were doing some hybrid courses, which were very challenging, because there were some students that were living on campus and wanted that campus experience still. So we would come to campus to teach the classes for students who wanted to come, but it wasn't mandatory. So it would be weird because we would come to campus and then we'd see students living on campus, like in the cafeteria, taking the class when they should have been in the classroom, but you couldn't really do anything about it because we were like figuring it out.

Speaker 2: 17:12

Wait, it's just a weird time Wait. So instead of going to the class they would go to, they would still leave their room, just go someplace else to be in the class.

Speaker 1: 17:20

Yeah, they just wouldn't come to the classroom. It's just a really weird time that I don't think we're going to go back to in terms of, like, the flexibility that we were allowing because we just didn't know. You know what?

Speaker 2: 17:34

to do.

Speaker 1: 17:34

It was all like for me, like it's all about the student experience and putting that student first and no matter what the situation is. So if we had the opportunity to be on campus hybrid and one student showed up like I, was there for it. That's the goal is to impact that student. But it's not like that at all anymore.

Speaker 1: 17:53

So we're back to a regular environment, a pre-COVID environment, with the emphasis of experiential learning and having our students be at as many locations as possible and meet as many individuals that they can to expand their network or really to build their network. They're here. That's what college is all about. Right is to build that network and find the way. So I couldn't do it without all of my industry partners, because that's what we rely on to deliver the student experience.

Speaker 2: 18:27

Have you, has you in the school or maybe even the program, learn and adapted and now do things differently or change things for the better because of that scenario that you've? You know, had to now do different things but you now see that it's actually a little bit better or things work a little bit more smoothly. Is there anything like that that may have happened?

Speaker 1: 18:45

So, yeah, there were some positives in terms of higher education and online learning. We've absolutely learned how to teach online better engage with students online. So I'd say, before the pandemic, when we were forced to be online, there were classes that were online but we really didn't. We knew they existed but we didn't really embrace them the way that we do now, where students can have an excellent learning experience online, and it's all based on how the course is set up. So what we at Higher Education globally has learned is that you know, we can meet the student where they are in different ways, and that doesn't necessarily mean in the classroom. That classroom can still be assignment based, online and managed with deadlines that the students are learning.

Speaker 1: 19:32

I did have a course that I always taught in person and it was a lot of writing. But the in-person classes I thought were very important to meet with the student, to follow them through their journey of doing the research and preparing their final report. But that class I did move online to a fully asynchronous format which was just assignment-based. I gave the student, I assigned them a leader, I assigned them different topics and they conducted the research and I found that they really benefited from it by doing it on their own pace, by still meeting the deadlines, because the outcome was the same they learned what they needed to learn about different elements of leadership and the management and the manager that they were studying, and they are able to produce their paper.

Speaker 1: 20:23

It lost some of the human elements of being online and getting to know the student and being with them in like that mentorship way, but it absolutely met the deliverables of what they needed to accomplish. So in cases like that, that helps students in different parts of their school career meet them where they are. So we've had students working full time seeking to finish their degree and they could take classes like that and they're still having the same outcome, the same experience. And then for other students, it just gives them a little bit more flexibility where they can focus on this class as needed and then they're in class other times, because a lot of our students do work part-time, full-time and they're balancing so much. So online education has allowed us to be a little bit flexible in that case.

Speaker 2: 21:10

What's the market? I don't know if market's the right word, but what's the market? What's the climate like out there now? So, for the ones who just graduated, as compared to, let's just say, graduating in 2019, what's that? I was trying to think of four years, 2020, now they're graduating. So, thinking about it from that way, what maybe sort of challenges struggles are students maybe facing now that weren't as much of a struggle or anything maybe back in like 2019?

Speaker 1: 21:42

And yeah, so the job market is good for students, as it was in 2019. A lot of leads coming for them. So it's funny because you do mention 2019. So when we're studying specifically like hospitality and tourism numbers, we love to look at 2019 numbers and then current numbers, and that's our goal is to if we've surpassed 2019. So in 2019, you know, students are full college experience, prepared students for work and then they went on into their internships. We're absolutely seeing that now, in 2024, that students are completing their summer internships while in college and then they're walking out of graduation with either the job that they had their senior year or that job that they're planning on starting in a couple of weeks because they went through the final interviews during their last semester of senior year. So we're seeing that same trend, which is very positive, that our students are extremely employable. Hospitality is a high demand occupation and we're preparing our students for supervisory management careers within the hospitality industry.

Speaker 1: 22:44

And then, if you speak about what happens with the class of 2020 and 2021, it was very frightening. They didn't know what to do because our industry was so strongly impacted. However, tying it into club management, those years, the clubs were excelling. Everyone wanted to be active right as a member of their club. They were going to their club instead of going on vacations because they weren't traveling, and our students which they still are, but we're absolutely thriving we're students in 2020, 2021, 2022 were easily and this is for club management across the board were seeing plenty of job opportunities in the club management field, where the other fields were crashing, so that was something that we were thankful. We are thankful for is that club management really thrived in terms of internship and job opportunities throughout the pandemic, which is years ago. It feels like years ago, right, it's old news, but also not.

Speaker 2: 23:45

It's so strange right now. I think right now is that pivot point, I think, once we get to 25, then it's like oh, okay now, yeah now it's still like all that four years um. So now, speaking of clubs and cmaa, how long have you been uh associated with the, you know, inside of this sort of world?

Speaker 1: 24:06

yeah, I've been the faculty advisor for six years. It's been a really fun. I've seen so many students go into club management and remain in club management and I've really gained a lot of great professional contacts, relationships within the club management industry, which I appreciate greatly and it's a big part of our program at the university as club management.

Speaker 2: 24:36

How so.

Speaker 1: 24:38

So we're fortunate in New Jersey, where we are, that there are so many clubs nearby.

Speaker 1: 24:45

There's just clubs everywhere. So we're very lucky. We're very, very lucky that geographically, where we're located and that we have developed so many relationships with for our students in the club management field. So each semester our students go on a field trip to a private club and this is something that the club foundation supports. We tie it into our lessons here at the university within the club management chapter, but also within our hospitality program, and it's all about bringing the students to the clubs, showing them a day out what it's like to work at a club, what the environment is like, and for them to really see the industry and say, hey, I can see myself working here sometime. It may not be the club that we visit, because it's all geography, it's all where they live and where the opportunity is, but it's for them to see like, hey, this is something different. This is different from, maybe, the restaurant in my local town that I went to with mom and dad and maybe I'd love to work there one day. But no, hey, this is different, I can work here.

Speaker 1: 26:13

So every semester I've taken students on field trip and that's a big part of our program, and then we have different guest speakers that come in and then also, what we do is with the New Jersey Club Managers Association. We attend many of their events and that gets the students out, gets them experiencing something different. Some of it could be in an event planning function or will help with registration. We do the food and wine experience. The students have a fundraiser at that event which helps us fundraise for World Conference. So it's like one of the biggest parts of our program because of all of the activities included in it.

Speaker 2: 26:52

Funtivities, funtivities.

Speaker 1: 26:54

Funtivities. Yes, it's the fun major. That's what I tell people. We're the fun major on campus because of what we do.

Speaker 2: 27:01

Clubs are adult playgrounds. Like how do you not have fun at your club? People go there to golf, pickleball, tenant, like you name it. Like all the sports, all the fun, it's events, it's dinner drinks, like it's the best of the best. It's it's an adult playground.

Speaker 1: 27:16

It's it's a more absolutely, that's a good one, but it absolutely is. And I think the students, time after time, they see that. So we'll bring them. You know, I can say, like, calendar year-wise, we'll start with the golf outing. For most of them it's the first time they're ever on a golf course. We're not actually golfing, we help with the registration, we help with the prizes, we spot hole-in-ones. So the students will be on a golf cart, they're out on the green, they're spotting the hole-in-ones and they're just experiencing something different that they didn't either see in their hotel internship or the restaurant internship. And they go like, hey, this is really cool, like, maybe I can do this someday, work in the club, and then we'll go. We progress throughout the season, so then we'll. In the fall we have the food and wine experience. So we receive donations. Our students and I, we run around receiving these donations and then we um, we have the fundraiser, we, we sell the product at the event and we utilize that for our world conference travel.

Speaker 1: 28:16

But that has students A traveling to a club, often to pick up a donation, which is a challenge for some of them. Right, I'm like, hey, this is what you have to do, you have to go and say hello, like it's prepping them they're 18 year olds Like it's just prepping them to do something. That was like, fine for us to go pick something up. Um, and then come to the event and be on time, dress in your professional attire because you're at an event with professionals. They're like, okay, what can I wear? You know they'll like, ask me, like, is this okay, is this club attire? So it's prepping them, prepping them. You know these are, these are the rules.

Speaker 1: 28:47

I guess you can wear this. No, you, yes, you can wear this. No, you can't wear that. No, jeans, like things like that that they have to learn what to do. And then it builds and we'll have different guest speakers that come in and then we'll attend. So the lucky students who they earn points based on their involvement within the club management chapter, they get to go to the world conference. So that's something that we love, it's a treat, they've earned it. So the students who work in a club attend many of these events, are involved in the chapter, they earn their points and then the points turn into your spot to earn a spot to conference. So they have to work for it and that's how we get them to World Conference that's got to be so amazing to be in.

Speaker 2: 29:32

I can't imagine being 18, 19 and just starting to learn about clubs and all of a sudden now you're in Vegas with 4,000 plus other club professionals, just like, oh, this is cause I think you know it's one thing to learn about it in school and go to a club and see a speaker, but to be around 4,000, not like you know what some events might have two 300 max, you know, and that's like a lot but to go and have thousands of people, that's gotta be so eyeopening.

Speaker 1: 30:01

It is nothing beats the opening ceremony at World Conference. Nothing, we were there.

Speaker 2: 30:05

Do you ever have students that show up and go? I think I'm out like. This is not for me.

Speaker 1: 30:11

No, I've been pretty lucky with my group of students because they've earned that spot, so they've worked hard for it. They know me, I know them, but it's really a hook for a lot of them. I've had students go multiple times as a student and they can't wait to go now as a full-time club manager. They're waiting for that opportunity. Maybe it'll be this year, maybe it'll be next year. You know that that's depending on their schedule at work and how that works. And then I have a lot of students who go and then they're like I just love this and I know this is for me. So this year I had three students that attend. They're working in clubs this summer and that's what it's all about. It's about bringing them. Bringing them to the industry, right, showing them the industry, and then them saying like yeah, that's it, because they're getting a lot of offers thrown at them, a lot right, everyone needs interns, everyone needs good employees. That's what we're seeing. So they're like I have yeah, if you go to conference and don't leave with some opportunity.

Speaker 2: 31:07

There's something wrong. Like you were in your room, you were purposely not doing anything if you left, cause even the managers. When you just see the a student badge or you see the group, like people are just like attracted to them. It's like, oh, like just the energy, the connections. It's. You know people want to help, they want to be a part and um, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 31:26

Yeah, it's an, it's an amazing. It is such an amazing industry. I'm so thankful for the club management association of America and what they've built and that we're a part of it, because it absolutely compliments what we do at the university and like there's just nothing like it. It's, it's fantastic. And talk about the CCMs. Did you know the New Jersey club managers association just had five CCMs? Five of our managers just just last week received their CCM.

Speaker 2: 31:52

Yo Jersey's killing it.

Speaker 1: 31:54

Yeah, yeah, and all of those managers all of them have hosted a field trip For us in the past, you know, six years.

Speaker 2: 32:04

So if you want your CCM host a field trip, I think that's it.

Speaker 1: 32:08

I think that's it. I'm hosting up to you, just host it.

Speaker 2: 32:14

And they'll just sign it off to you. You're, you're just in.

Speaker 1: 32:18

That just shows the engagement that the managers have, that they're so invested in the students and the student education, and they're so the the club managers themselves are so invested in the students and the student education and they're so the club managers themselves are so invested in their own education, what they went through to receive their CCM years of the BMIs and going through in their study sessions and what they've done to accomplish it. I'm I am so proud of them for what they've done.

Speaker 2: 32:42

It's so much work.

Speaker 1: 32:44

See more.

Speaker 2: 32:44

so much work, and it's nice that they recognize the students and the work and the good ones, and it's smart not to, because if you see good talent, you're like hey, if I can get them in here, it makes my job a lot easier too. Yeah, uh, so it just helps the whole thing. Now you're uh, let's go back. Uh, cars, cars. How long have you been in, like, how long have you been in? Like, how long have you have you always loved cars? Like, what's tell me about cars?

Speaker 1: 33:10

Always, Always loved cars.

Speaker 2: 33:12

Classic cars, exotic cars, all cars.

Speaker 1: 33:15

Race cars, classic cars. So since I was born let's just put it that way I'm always part of the car culture. Six weeks old was my first race. That's when my mother told me.

Speaker 2: 33:25

She said I took you.

Speaker 1: 33:26

I'm always part of the car culture. Six weeks old was my first race. My mother told me. She said I took you. I was born in April and I think in May. She took me to the races when they started. So I grew up always being around motorsports, loved it. I've always loved the industry. I do not race cars. I've never raced a car. I've also never worked in a club. So there you go just what.

Speaker 1: 33:47

I love both cane's a sham guys, we're right never raced a car but, um, I've always been around cars. So race cars and then classic cars. Uh, the fun fact, my first car was a 1984 monte carlo ss. Oh snap, it was. Is super cool still. It's rad now. It's rad because rad is the the car movement of the 80s and 90s cars. All cars that are from 1999 and older are classic, most people probably didn't know that.

Speaker 1: 34:22

Oh God, 1999 was 25 years ago, so they're classic cars. So it's interesting to see the car culture evolving, changing. When we think of a classic car you probably think of a 57 Chevy or those Corvette memes of the C4, c5s and the gentlemen out there in their car clubs. But you know that's part of car culture but it's changing. There's so much that's out there within the terms of the 80s and 90s and even the 2000s cars, but 1999 and older is a classic car. So I've been in the car industry, not professionally working, but in it my whole life, from having classic cars as a first time driver yeah, first time driver with a classic car, that's just the way it rolled and having that as many milestones in my life. That car went to prom, cars at my wedding, cars going to be with me at my grand opening for my business, and you know it's a staple of what I do is classic cars. So I do have a business and a car used car dealership where I'm looking to build that brand of classic cars, the new classic car, to build that brand of classic cars, the new classic car. But I see so much in the automotive event space. There are so many local car shows, major car shows, motorsport events, auto shows. That I love it. I want to study it more and see where the future goes with that because it's event management, it's just focused on automotive.

Speaker 1: 36:11

There are a few car clubs. I'm very interested in them as well. Some of my New Jersey club manager friends know that when I see them, like hey, do you know any car clubs, can you share any information with me? Just because, like I, I'm fascinated by it. There's housing, there's clubs with apartments being built or housing developments being built in the car space, and some of them have racetracks Um, I haven't been, I'm just researching it and seeing, um. And then there's just classic car clubs of enthusiasts who are part of a private club with dining amenities um, out there, um. And then there's motorsports clubs and these are private clubs. I just touching the surface. I'd love to explore it more as I see as like a niche opportunity to marry my two interests of club management and classic cars. So that's, that's the car story that I have.

Speaker 2: 37:02

So when? When's the dealership going to open that I?

Speaker 1: 37:05

have. So when? When's the dealership going to open? So, um, our ribbon cutting is next week. It's May 21st. Is our ribbon cutting? We, um, we're a licensed dealer in New York state and it took us over six months to get our license. So, um, we opened up in the fall. But because I'm I'm professor, I work full time, there was no way we could have the event and the ribbon cutting until the semester was over. So I said, okay, one week after graduation we got this, we can do it. So that's going to be the celebration.

Speaker 1: 37:35

My husband does run the business full time. I, I support in the background, with you know, all of the business operations revenue management, inventory management and marketing. But he's there every day. I'm here every day on campus and he's there. But on the weekends you can find us at a car show or a race. We're either at an NASCAR race, a local race or a car show. There's so much on the automotive side. It's interesting how our paths are crossing.

Speaker 1: 38:01

So I'm a member of the Pocono Raceway Fan Council, which had to apply, for I was so nervous that I wasn't going to be accepted, but I, I'm in, I love it and it's all about building that motorsports brand. So Dover, the Dover race was a couple of weeks ago. I had people I had FDU alumni calling me hey, are you gonna be at the Dover race? I was like, yeah, of course. So okay, we'll meet up. Like that, we'll meet up Like that's what it's all about. It's building that brand and it's like open to anyone like, hey, you're going to be there, I'll be there. I'll give you a tip let's hang out, show your rounds. It's building that brand that I'm doing the same thing for Pocono. It's just come, enjoy, enjoy the sport.

Speaker 2: 38:50

It's just one of the best experiences out there. Nothing like it the wind, the sound, the feeling, the sun like I'm all in it. I've done a few gigs for, uh, bm, bmw, I have a bmw, so I've done a couple like track days, like it is just, oh, my goodness, it is so much fun, uh me, my brother did one last summer, was it it? I don't even know what we took around the tracks One of those GT3s you just rip. Hold on. What was the event? In Georgia, the Savoy Automotive Museum.

Speaker 1: 39:19

Savoy Automotive Museum.

Speaker 2: 39:20

I don't know it but there's Really. Yeah, I'll send you some In a message. I'll send you some in a in a message. I'll send you some videos. And all it was. It was uh, I mean you name it there was just a whole room of just porsches from like. But I think it just constantly changes and it's evolving and moving, and it was just one of those that happened to be just a giant car show outside too. So um yeah, like it's such a big part of American culture.

Speaker 1: 39:52

Savoy auto museum. Um yeah, I can't.

Speaker 2: 39:56

I said a Porsche, it's a little no, that's a, that's a old like uh, what was this? It was an old Benz.

Speaker 1: 40:03

Oh, I love that One of like the, the long body is looking like an old ben's.

Speaker 2: 40:05

oh I love that one like the. The long body is looking like a old rolls a little bit okay, it's, I can't see it on my end. I know I have a weird but no, that's super cool.

Speaker 1: 40:14

I haven't been there. I try to travel to auto museums when I can and car shows when I can in the area. Like I'll go, I'll go anywhere. The best one I went to was at hendrix motorsport in charlotte, carolina, because I'm like that kind of fan, and my husband took his Trans Am. We drove it down there and led to many other connections, which is what it's all about. And so, like speaking of me from being in higher education and I know there's different parts of the country that have a stronger focus on automotive or motorsport management I'm like so passionate about it and I wish I could do something here in the Northeast, whether it be a class, a training program, something to do with automotive tourism, because what you just mentioned, you went to Georgia, you went to an automotive museum. That is automotive heritage tourism, that's traveling and doing something automotive related and that I'm I'm seeking an opportunity to to do that and I'd love to do it, you know, within my current role at the university, in just automotive heritage tourism.

Speaker 2: 41:22

It's just and what I love about the cars and same with, like you know, I do magic, so it's just, and what I love about the cars and same with, like you know, I do magic. So it's just like little, like nichey things that just bring people together of different walks of lives, doesn't matter age, race, gender, color, doesn't matter what. But like I just remember, like at this car show, just standing next to wild cars with people and chatting with people who I would probably never talk with otherwise, um, but just because we're, like you know, shooting the shit over like yo, can you believe whether it's a car we agree with, disagree with, like it's just amazing, the conversation just a quick little, like you know, then you see that person later and it's like I don't know, it just creates these moments, these funny bonds of random people coming together.

Speaker 1: 42:04

It's random people coming together. At that Hendrix show that I went to, I met someone and it turns out he's in event technology and we were talking and he's like, oh, here's my card I'd love to present to your students, called him in, he zoomed in, he presented about what he does within the event space and he's in the event industry. He's managing the platforms of events, he's doing registrations, he's hosting those big virtual or hybrid conferences. I met him at a car show in North Carolina and I didn't spill the beans, I was like he was going through the presentation. At the end he's like hey, do your students know how we connected? I was like no. I was like, oh, tell them the story.

Speaker 2: 42:46

We were both under a hood of a car, looking at the engine, checking out the spark plugs and next thing we knew there was a spark in our conversation which led us here. No, that is so cool. My dad has a 68 Vette pace car but we don't think it's a real pace car. We think we got bamboozled a little bit but uh, it's still a fun, fun thing to drive around and so slow, but it's so much fun, like I think it's all about how you feel being in it and having that opportunity and a nice sunny day.

Speaker 1: 43:23

Take your family for a ride, share that.

Speaker 2: 43:26

And what's neat is there's a lot of car, a lot of clubs I see that host their own cars and coffees and their own car meetups, and you know everybody comes and brings their cars, which I always think is super cool. Just, you know one way to bring members of clubs together, together, together as well. So, um yeah, absolutely. Um, thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate you coming on.

Speaker 1: 43:48

Very thankful for the club management industry.

Speaker 1: 43:53

No, no, just I'm very thankful for the club management industry and what they've done for our students, and now alumni are happily working in the industry and it's just. It's that journey. That's what it's all about is. They came here as a student not knowing what they want to do. They met someone in club management, they received an opportunity and they're on a successful path and I'm very thankful for that, because that's what my role is is to accompany that student along their work experience journey and help them cross that finish line. And then now I'm their biggest cheerleader still and keep in touch with them.

Speaker 2: 44:29

So I'm thankful for the opportunity within the clubs.

Speaker 2: 44:32

Oh, that's amazing and I love seeing you know, just through LinkedIn and chatting with people as well, how people come into the club industry. So, like you know, sometimes people in hospitality they might be in clubs for years and then find hotel or something else, or they find their way back to a club because they did some club stuff, maybe in college, and then they went off to hotels and they're like, hey, you know, I think clubs are a way and just how it all kind of circles back and they find their way and you being able to use and learn and take their different experiences and bring them in and, uh, use them for, use their powers for good, but, um, thank you so much for coming on. I really, really appreciate it.

Speaker 1: 45:06

Thank you, my pleasure.

Speaker 2: 45:07

Hope you all enjoyed that. I know I did. If you're interested in learning more, connect with Kane over on LinkedIn. If you're enjoying the content like share, subscribe means the absolute world and cost you nothing. If you haven't done yet, sign up for our newsletter, stay up to date on all of our episodes and content coming out and over to privateclubradiocom slash newsletter, and I'll also send you my top three episodes I've done so far. That's this episode. Until next time, catch you all. Flip it a flip.