Young executive clubs greet new generation of members.
By Louis Marroquin
Illustrations by Dan Sipple
The local bar scene wasn’t cutting it for Brian Cook. As an up-and-coming wealth management adviser, the then-25-year-old was looking for more than a place for cocktails and casual conversation. He was looking for a venue where he could make business connections and build substantial relationships with energetic, like-minded individuals his own age. What surprised him was he found exactly what he was looking for at a private business club — an institution often reputed to be a haven for the more seasoned set. When he joined the Nashville City Club two years ago, he found that 10 percent of the club’s 1,500 members fell into his age bracket, dubbed the “young executives.” The only problem was there wasn’t a formal group to bring this pool of under-35-year-olds together. With such an untapped resource staring right at him, Cook put his forward thinking to work. He laid out a plan, with the help of the club’s member relations director, to put a youthful spin on the definition of the private club experience. Soon, younger members were flocking to his group’s Top Floor events, not only interacting with fellow young executives, but commingling with more established members.
James Carroll had a similar experience when he joined the Capital City Club in Raleigh, North Carolina, eight years ago at the age of 29. “Our club is very large, almost 3,000 members, and very few of them were my peers,” recalls Carroll, an investment broker. “It could be intimidating during social functions at the club if you looked younger and didn’t know many people.” So Carroll stepped up and helped form a young executives group at his club in 2000. “Now,” he says, “the young executives are the fastest-growing membership demographic within the Capital City Club, and younger members immediately have a group within the club to identify with.”
Stories like these are unfolding at clubs across the United States. As the faces of club members are getting younger, clubs are loosening their ties and working with motivated members to establish committees and clubs-within-a-club that embrace the newest generation of members — young, hip, technologically savvy, and eager to make their mark in their chosen professions. These groups of 20- and 30-somethings have a variety of names — from the standard Young Executives Club/Committee/Board to the ambiguous Club 30, Club 39, Club 48 (some reflecting an age delineation, others the floor on which the club resides) to the creative GenXecutives of Hawaii’s Plaza Club. But all of them have a common mission of providing social activities, leadership opportunities, and community and philanthropic involvement for the under-40 set.
“The Young Executive Committee gives our younger members a voice within the club, and brings a certain trendiness to the club’s already sophisticated atmosphere,” says Jennifer Burrows, member relations director at the Cardinal Club in Raleigh, North Carolina. “They bring in that wow factor.”
Suddenly the private club scene is lightening up, thanks to these young executives, and casino nights, masquerade balls, and pub crawls are becoming mainstays on social event calendars. But, although social interaction is an important element of these clubs-within-a-club, the primary motivation is not all fun and games. These businesspeople are forging what they hope will be lasting relationships in their communities and beyond.
“The Young Execs represent many different professions and we are all rising in our careers,” says Larry Gingrow, a 34-year-old attorney and member of Boston College Club in Massachusetts. “I fully expect that the social relationships we’re developing now are going to lead to business development opportunities in the future as more of us become principals in our companies and firms.”
MY, HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED
Adrienne Rapp, 27, knew only a handful of people when she moved to Cleveland following law school. But she quickly found a place to belong when she joined The Club at Key Center and got active in the Young Executives Committee. “It was a way to diversify and expand my social network,” she says.
As a lawyer at Ulmer & Berne LLP, Rapp soon discovered that the 9 to 5 workdays of days gone by had mutated into the 24/7 mentality of the modern era. “BlackBerries, PDAs, laptops, cell phones, and wireless Internet enable us to sneak off to the gym or grocery store, mid-afternoon, with less guilt. Should anyone need to reach us, they can,” Rapp says. “At the same time, the technology that frees us from our desks also expands our jobs’ intrusion on our lives. The lines between the workweek, workday, and weekend blur as our accessibility increases.”
Yes, times have changed for today’s young executives. There are more demands for their time and money, to be sure; but what other issues do the newest generation of businesspeople face?
• “I think most young professionals feel that they have to go through a ‘dues paying’ period in their careers before they can really break out. Not true,” says financial adviser Jeff Dargatz, 33, a member of Tower Club in Dallas. “You have the ability to be a real factor at a young age. You don’t have to have gray hair anymore to meet a need. Although,” he adds with a smile, “some gray wouldn’t hurt.”
• Customer service rep Leslie Bermudez, 30, a member of the Fairlane Club in Dearborn, Michigan, says: A lot of times we run into people not wanting to communicate. Nowadays people are moving on to e-mails, but the personal level needs to still be there. We need to keep that communication open and not move completely to voice mail or e-mail.”
• “The marketplace is flooded with information and messaging,” offers entrepreneur Brian Wheeler, 32, a member of the City Club of Washington in D.C. “It is harder to get our messages out and it now takes more effort to stay current.”
• CPA and attorney Amy Takahashi, 33, a member of Honolulu’s Plaza Club, believes they are confronted with how to balance work, family, and community. “This was an issue that may have affected more women in the past,” she says, “but now it affects both women and men equally.”
• And MagnetBank vice president Amanda Metcalfe, a member of Raleigh’s Cardinal Club, says: “People have to be a little more versatile today. Now people get into a job and take a look at the future very quickly, and look at opportunities for advancement.”
Whatever the concerns facing young executive members, they have found a common ground among their peers at their clubs. At monthly meetings and mixers, mentoring luncheons and roundtable discussions with distinguished members of the club and/or community, and casual evening gatherings at the club, these members are developing a network based first on friendship and trust.
“The young executives tend to try harder to help each other because we’re all young business leaders who face the same challenges,” says 30-year-old investment banker Jeremy Tartack, a member of Philadelphia’s Pyramid Club. “When I encounter a challenging situation, I know that there’s someone else on the committee who has encountered a similar situation and I can talk to that person.”
COMMUNITY SERVICE
The young executives groups are about more than just looking out for one another, though. The bigger picture includes the community at large. The majority of these clubs and committees focus at least one annual event on a charitable cause, be it the Boys & Girls Clubs, the SPCA, or a local charity.
Nashville City Club’s Young Executive Committee presents a mentoring event in which they advise and answer questions for the high-school-aged children of the club’s more seasoned members. The Pyramid Club’s young execs have started a separate philanthropic entity called the Pinnacle Group, which, Tartack says, “provides additional leadership opportunities for club members, exposes members to the inner workings of the philanthropic process, and demonstrates that philanthropy is accessible to young executives and doesn’t require vast resources.” One of the most successful ongoing events presented by a club’s young executives group is the annual black-tie gala at the Capital City Club in Raleigh called the “Big Bad Ball.” In its fifth year, this extravaganza of food, music, auction, and entertainment, raised more than $135,000 for Hospice of Wake County.
Key Center’s Rapp says: “People are more passionate about attending and participating in events when they know a good cause will benefit.”
In other words, it’s good business … something that young executives are well aware of. So while these clubs-within-a-club are great for building relationships and for having a group to unwind with after a long day of work, they are also stepping-stones to greater business opportunities.
“I have received more qualified referrals and new clients from the Young Executives Society than any of the other three boards I currently sit on,” explains real estate adviser Misty Moore, 30, a member of the University Club Atop Symphony Towers in San Diego. “My YES colleagues are bright, driven, thoughtful, and well-connected.”
Honolulu’s Takahashi, who opened her own CPA and law practice two years ago, agrees. “The friendships that I have made with other members have led to a steady stream of referrals,” she says. “My business has grown so much in the past two years that I am now working more than I expected to — and more than I want to.”
FULL CIRCLE
As the awareness of young executive groups increases, younger members are having their voices heard more and more at clubs. Established members welcome their fresh ideas and the vibrancy of the events these groups present. Many young executives, such as Nashville’s Cook, also serve on the clubs’ Ambassador’s Councils and Boards of Governors. Symphony Towers member Justin Frisco believes his young executives group is “a crucial link between the older demographic of the private clubs and the younger prospective members.”
Though the groups are designated by age, the events presented by the young executives are inclusive to members across the board. “We welcome anybody who wants to participate in the activities we do,” says Cardinal Club’s Metcalfe. “We wouldn’t kick anybody out who wants to be a part of something.”
And at the end of the day — make that at the end of a long, long day — that’s what the young executives groups are all about: bringing people together. As the Pyramid Club’s Tartack observes: “When the right people come together and implement a plan, great things can happen.”
BEST ADVICE
We asked some young executives to share words of wisdom they picked up from mentors, as well as some they figured out themselves along the way to success.
“Never compromise your integrity: It’s a small world and an even smaller business community.” — Amy Takahashi, 33, Plaza Club, Honolulu
“We have a generation that thinks that society owes them everything, but you actually have to work hard to get to the level these kids think they need to be at right when they get out of high school. My advice: Work hard and get your education, because nothing comes easy.” — Leslie Bermudez, 30, Fairlane Club, Dearborn, Michigan
“You can be a real factor NOW! Have a goal and map out a plan to achieve it … and work smarter and harder than the next guy.” — Jeff Dargatz, 33, Tower Club, Dallas
“To have credibility, you must set the example. … Take all of the blame and none of the credit. Your bosses and peers already know who did what.” — James Carroll, 37, Capital City Club, Raleigh, North Carolina
“Failure makes you stronger than success.” — Misty Moore, 30, University Club Atop
Symphony Towers, San Diego
“You only need three things to do any job effectively: knowledge, capability, and credibility.” — Brian Wheeler, 32, City Club of Washington, D.C.
“Build time into your schedule for social and business networking. By keeping your head down and working constantly, you may miss making those key connections that are going to provide you with business opportunities in the future.” — Larry Gingrow, 34, Boston College Club, Boston
“Take the initiative to meet and develop relationships with community and business leaders.” — William Klopfer Jr., 29, Capital Club, Columbus, Ohio
“Know what you’re good at, and certainly what you’re not good at. … Get involved as quickly as you can and with the right people.” — Brian Cook, 27, Nashville City Club, Nashville, Tennessee
FOLLOW THE LEADER
One Minute Manager author Ken Blanchard addresses today’s young executives.
Noted leadership trainer and author Ken Blanchard took a few minutes from promoting his most recent book, Leading at a Higher Level, to answer a few questions for Private Clubs about today’s business environment. Here is an excerpt from what the member of the University Club Atop Symphony Towers in San Diego had to say.
What misperceptions, if any, do young people have about the business world when starting their careers?
Today’s young people don’t have any misconceptions about business. They understand it too well. They have watched their parents kill themselves, ruin their marriages over work only to be downsized or cast aside. They no longer think that the reason to be in business is to make money. They truly believe that profit is the applause you get for taking care of your customers and creating a motivating environment for your people. They think that you ought to serve customers well, but people need balance in their life. Too much work and not enough play makes Johnny a dull person and ruins his whole life.
When you talk to young executives at your seminars and speaking engagements, what issues are most on their minds?
They are really interested in how to lead at a higher level. They think that integrity pays. They have become disillusioned by all of the self-serving leadership they have observed, where all the money, recognition, power, and status moves them up the hierarchy away from the people who serve the customers and the customers themselves. They are interested in how they can serve, not be served. I find more and more of them believe that their business is about taking care of their customers and their people.
What are the new challenges for young executives today?
The biggest strategy for any executive today is how to get their values and beliefs in leading at a higher level up the hierarchy so they can have an impact on their present business. Many of them are excited about becoming entrepreneurs so they can control their own destiny. Fewer and fewer are looking to join large corporations where they find the sledding slow in terms of impacting the hierarchy.
Has the definition of success changed for the young executive?
I think the young people today are interested in building success and significance. Bob Buford, who wrote Halftime, argued that most people who are successful in their middle years go into the locker room and are trying to decide what they want to do for the second half of their lives. He contends that most of them want to move from success to significance, from focusing on money, recognition, and power and status to generosity, service, and developing loving relationships. They want to make a difference. With the young people today, they don’t want to wait until they have been successful to focus on significance. Their big question is how do you do it all at the same time — how can you be successful, earn a good living, get recognized for your efforts, and get some status in your field while being generous, serving, and loving.
How can young executives best equip themselves for getting ahead in today’s business environment?
I think they need to study leadership, particularly leading at a higher level to servant leadership. As I’ve looked at most of the MBA programs around the country, they seem to focus on training consultants for financial analysts. Very little is talked about leadership. Everyone is a leader in some point of their lives and leading at a higher level means that you are focused on the greater good. I think more and more of these young people need to know how to accomplish goals while having a significant impact on customers, people, and communities around them.