Lights flashed on the three phone lines in the Peachtree Tower offices of the Atlanta Society. Without hesitation, manager Judy Slater started dialing on her cell phone. She and concierge Rebecca Hix juggled the barrage of incoming phone calls on the unseasonably mild, late autumn day, confirming tee times for members.

Tee times. Dinner reservations. Theater and sports tickets. Members-only parties and other events. Travel packages. Golf outings and tournaments. Connecting members. VIP access and special deals. Associate Club privileges. More. It’s all in a day’s work to provide what Slater describes as a "first-class experience." As she explains, when you fly first class, you expect something extra. When members pay extra for Society benefits, the goal is to exceed their expectations.

The Society idea is simple: Local private clubs in selected metropolitan areas have affiliated with each other to add value and options to an individual member’s scope of privileges. The local membership concept, developed by ClubCorp in the mid-1980s, now includes 21 Societies that stretch from Washington, D.C., to Hawaii, more than 350 affiliated clubs, and nearly 40,000 members. In a sprawling city like Atlanta, Society members who work downtown and live in the suburbs have the best of all worlds with access to 15 area clubs. Plus, the "Society Select" benefit — introduced in mid-2004 — provides one invitation per month per membership for a complimentary lunch, dinner entrée, Sunday brunch, "cart fee golf," or other special offer at a Society club other than a member’s home club.

Ernie Anaya, a member of Buckhead Club, chairs the Board of Governors of the Atlanta Society. A technology business consultant with EMC Corp., Anaya enjoys the convenience and exclusive access the Society offers. He and his wife lead busy lives and don’t have the time to "chase tickets." He also likes the opportunity to meet people across Atlanta, to "do the golf thing" when he wants, and to mingle with chefs at the Society’s Epicurean Club signature events. But the "key" attraction, Anaya says, is that every club within the Society treats him like he’s at his home club. "They really pamper you," he adds.

Slater notes that the 17-year-old Atlanta Society wields a lot of buying power in the local marketplace. When the PGA Tour brought its Tour Championship to East Lake Golf Club in November, Slater not only negotiated for tickets for Society members but also access to the tournament’s corporate hospitality. When Emeril’s Atlanta opened in the Buckhead area, the Society’s Epicurean Club members were among the first to be invited for a "taste of New Orleans" at the celebrity chef’s new restaurant. And late last year, 50 members and guests received complimentary passes to Atlanta’s AmericasMart for their holiday shopping.

Anaya says the Society helps him to keep up with what is happening in Atlanta.

Chuck Papageorgiou, a Society member from Ravinia Club & Spa, agrees. The president of CreditLogistics, the business process services division of CompuCredit Corp., says he got involved in the Society for very practical reasons. He has access to a variety of clubs where he can entertain clients, and the Society provides a "gathering place." On the social side, he says there are good events and he occasionally buys theater tickets — he knows the seats will be the best. About Slater, he notes, "She dreams up some great stuff. She keeps it fresh."

More important, Papageorgiou has experienced another side of the Society — its ability to be a force to give back to the community. Papageorgiou has long been involved as a supporter and volunteer with Georgia’s Camp Sunshine, which provides programs for children with cancer. He suggested the organization as the Atlanta Society’s charity of choice for 2005 — and the board concurred. In September, the Atlanta Society partnered with the One Ninety One Club and Chef Marvin Woods (star of the Home Plate television show on Turner South) to present an evening of cooking demonstrations, food samplings, wine tastings, cookbook sales, and silent auction bidding that raised $17,600 for Camp Sunshine.

"Imagine the Possibilities" is the title of a promotional DVD that Slater uses to present the Atlanta Society to new club and new member prospects. And imagining the possibilities is pretty much how she defines her role as she celebrates 10 years managing the Atlanta Society. "I love what I do," Slater says. And obviously, so do her members.

SOCIETIES
Atlanta Society
Atlanta
Judy Slater, manager
www.atlantasociety.com

Austin Society of Texas Clubs
Austin-San Antonio, Texas
Debbie Pepper, exec. director
San Antonio Branch
Jennifer Price, manager
www.austinsociety.com

Capital Society
Washington, D.C.
Yvette Johnson, manager
www.capitalsociety.com

Charlotte Society
Charlotte, North Carolina
Jennifer Smith, manager
www.charlottesociety.com

Chicago Society
Chicago
Daniella Ramirez, manager
www.chicago-society.com

Compass Society of Southern California
Los Angeles
Sheryl Sellers, manager
www.compass-society.com

Compass Society
San Francisco
L.T. Beaton, manager
www.compass-society.com

Dallas Fort Worth Society
Dallas
Bob Trout, manager
www.dfwsociety.com

Detroit Society
Detroit
Carolyn Ciungan, manager
www.detroitsociety.com

Houston Society
Houston
Ann Crawford, manager
www.houstonsociety.com

Indianapolis Society
Indianapolis
Debi Hash, manager
317.263.5006

Island Society
Honolulu
Ann Vasconcellos, manager
www.islandsociety.com

Jacksonville Society
Jacksonville, Florida
Laura Mathewson, manager
www.jacksonvillesociety.com

North Coast Society
Cleveland
Cindy Socha, manager
www.northcoastsociety.com

Pittsburgh Society
Sewickley, Pennsylvania
Erin Smith, manager
www.keystonesociety.com

Puget Sound Society
Seattle
Rebecca McBrearty, manager
www.pugetsoundsociety.com

River Society
Dayton, Ohio
Trish Turkette, manager
www.riversociety.com

Society of the Palm Beaches
West Palm Beach, Florida
Dave Riscigno, manager
www.societypalmbeach.com

South Coast Society
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Dave Riscigno, manager
www.southcoastsociety.com

Tampa Bay Society
Clearwater, Florida
Anne Gibaldi, manager
www.tampabay-society.com

Triangle Society
Raleigh
Jennifer Smith, manager
www.trianglesociety.com