Love Boat's cruiser ... Southern pride ... Golf getaways ... Techno-savvy leaders.
Edited by Louis Marroquin
WHAT’S UP WITH DOC?
Love, exciting and new — come aboard, we’re expecting you.” With the right music, you might remember those lines from The Love Boat, the TV series that enjoyed a 10-year run beginning in the mid-’70s and that helped popularize today’s burgeoning cruise industry. The show was just what the doctor ordered — Dr. Adam Bricker, that is, better known to his tennis buddies at Braemar Country Club in Tarzana, California, as Bernie Kopell. “The hardest thing was getting the part,” says Kopell, who today, at 74, still remembers love scenes between his woman-chasing-physician alter ego and the likes of Jill St. John, Juliet Prowse, and Loretta Swit. “The Love Boat was a gift,” he adds, noting that the show is still responsible for a lifestyle that includes wife Catrina, two young sons, and a continuing bond with such fellow cast members as Gavin MacLeod (Capt. Merrill Stubing) and Ted Lange (Isaac the bartender). But Kopell’s acting résumé doesn’t begin and end on that cruise liner. He is proudest of his title role in The Cutter, a 2005 film about an 83-year-old concentration camp survivor “who, still being pursued by his former camp commandant, ends up killing his Nazi adversary.” More recently, Kopell was in North Carolina for a key role in the play George Washington’s Boy, written in fact by former “bartender” Lange, and in Montreal for a role in a new Get Smart movie (Kopell played Siegfried in the original TV series). He also recently filmed a TV spot for a health care monitoring system, still capitalizing on his recognition as a “doctor.” Not that Kopell, who has developed a knack for massage, hasn’t done some healing of his own — as he did when he manipulated some pressure points to ease the headache of a young woman who knew he wasn’t a real physician. He just played one on TV. — Dave Orman
- Photography by Jeffrey Aaronson
IMAGE BOOSTERS
For Liza and Rick Looser, the decision to devote themselves to changing the image of their beloved state of Mississippi came from a conversation with a child. The Loosers, owners of the Cirlot Agency, a 22-year-old marketing, public relations, and corporate communications firm, have put their creative juices to work for “Mississippi, Believe It!” — a crisp, colorful, and compelling public service campaign aimed at ending negative labels that plague the Southern state. The pair, members of the University Club of Jackson, launched the pro bono effort in 2005 after Rick shared a plane ride with a 12-year-old private school-educated Connecticut boy. When the youngster discovered the geographic location of the businessman’s “funny accent,” he didn’t skip a beat to ask if his seatmate “still saw the KKK on the streets every day” and hated other races. This watershed moment led the pair to fight back with a Web site (www.mississippibelieveit.com) and a series of public service announcements designed to educate, evoke state pride, and spread a message of hope for youth that any dream can be achieved, Liza says. The movement humorously touts Mississippi’s role as the birthplace of the blues, and home of Pulitzer Prize winners, sports stars such as Brett Favre and Walter Payton, and more black elected officials than any other state in the country. With more than $300,000 of invested time and not a company logo in the campaign’s site, folks often ask the Loosers why they took this leap. “We did it because it needed doing,” Rick says. — Helen Bond
WHEREVER GOLF TAKES HIM
Bill Hogan learned about Wide World of Golf through his father, who frequently booked luxury golf vacations through the company. These days Hogan takes similar trips — as its president. “It seemed like a great way to combine my wanderlust with my love of golf,” says Hogan, who left his job as a systems analyst in 1988 to join the company. “I’ve never looked back.” As the baby boomers mature, active vacations have become increasingly popular. “We’ve grown by 10 to 15 percent every year for the last 10 years,” says Hogan, a member of the country club at Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas. “We are positioned to continue that rate of growth. People are no longer complacent to just tour a city — they want more activity in their travels. That’s not changing anytime soon.” Although the market is predominantly male, about a third of the trips are enjoyed by couples, and all-female luxury golf getaways have included fashion shows in Paris and shopping sprees in Hong Kong. “Golfers have more options than ever,” Hogan says. “Now people are starting to experience golf in new places like Dubai and South Africa. These days, you can golf pretty much anywhere in the world.” — Paula Felps
- Photography by Wyatt McSpadden
SECOND NATURE
In the last year, Jim Mahoney spent 40 days in Antarctica photographing penguins, three weeks in the Dominican Republic chasing humpback whales, a month in Alaska in search of brown bear cubs, nearly a month in Botswana looking for cheetahs, and 10 days in the Arctic “shooting” polar bears. The member of the Governors Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, whose work has appeared in American Photo, National Wildlife, Outdoor Photographer, and on Hallmark cards, always returns to his “day job” as a broker with Merrill Lynch. “I love being outside, and this gives me a great balance in life,” he says, admitting a satellite phone is key. His photography secret: patience and the willingness to brave brutal conditions. “When you hit it just right, it’s absolutely magical.” — Mary Sue Lawrence
CHARITY DOLL
Marie Pizano-Firtik is the perfect party doll — she knows how to make good deeds look like pure fun. Last year, the veteran event planner co-founded Design Dolls of Memphis, a volunteer organization in Tennessee that helps nonprofits raise awareness and put together fundraising events. To date, Design Dolls has helped local and national charities raise $12,000 for women’s and children’s causes. The organization plans to expand to Chicago, New York, and Destin, Florida. “This is a way I can use my talents, knowledge, and business to give back to the community and have fun, all at the same time,” explains the mother of two and member of the Crescent Club in Memphis. “I hope I’m showing my kids a fun way to be charitable and making them aware of some of these horrible issues.” Pizano-Firtik recently co-founded another charity: the Tiara Tea Society is a private tea-party club with membership dues that go directly to charity. “We hope to raise $10,000 for medical bills for a little girl who was kidnapped, abused, and shot,” Pizano-Firtik says. “We spend our entire adult lives getting over things that happened to us as children — why not make a child’s life a happier journey?” — Mary Sue Lawrence
-Photography by Murray Riss
AFFORDABLE ENERGY
Frank Clark’s primary business focus is simple: Provide customers with reliable and always-improving service at an affordable price. It’s a considerable undertaking. Clark is chairman and CEO of ComEd, a unit of Chicago-based electric utility Exelon Corp., which serves 5.2 million customers. ComEd has endured some major challenges in the last decade, including a 10-year rate freeze and increased competition in the market, because of state restructuring. But Clark says the restructuring caused ComEd to become more efficient and responsive, and the company now offers cost-saving options for customers affected by higher electricity rates that recently went into effect. “We are constantly looking for ways to improve how we serve our customers,” says the member of Chicago’s Metropolitan Club. Clark started his career at the utility company in 1966, working his way up through corporate policy, support, and line functions. Along the way, he has become involved in numerous civic and charitable causes, including Metropolitan Family Services, where he serves as chairman of the board of directors. He’s happy, he says, to give back. “I am here today because I received help from many people,” he says, “so the most satisfying part of my job is being able to identify and develop others.” — Janet Mefferd
LET THEM EAT KAKE
Charles Pizzi is in the midst of reviving a snack-cake icon. Tasty Baking Company, maker of Philadelphia’s much- loved Tastykake pies, cupcakes, and doughnuts, was founded in 1914, but faced increasing competition as more national snack companies started moving into the Mid-Atlantic area, Pizzi says. “What we’re trying to do is move this company by reinventing itself,” explains Pizzi, a member of the Pyramid Club in Philadelphia. Four years ago, he brought in new board members and managers and implemented a transformation plan that he expects will keep Tastykake growing into the next century. “When the founders started the company, they wanted a piece of cake that was as good as what mother makes but was on the go,” he says. “Now what we’re trying to do is move it to a wellness platform.” While keeping classic favorites, including Peanut Butter Kandy Kakes and Butterscotch Krimpets, Tasty Baking Company now also offers sugar-free products. In addition, it has a new technology plan in place and has expanded into New England and Florida. “There was a lot of emotion around this brand,” Pizzi explains, noting that Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison is even known to eat Krimpets before he plays a game. “We’re very excited about the future.” — Janet Mefferd
- Photography by Bob Krist
BEST FACE FORWARD
These days, Dr. Jeffrey Kenkel’s patients are just as likely to find him in a shopping mall as in a medical center. That’s because Kenkel, a member of Las Colinas Country Club near Dallas, has taken a bold new approach to his practice. “The reality is, 85 percent of what we do is cosmetic medicine, and we knew we could do that in a setting that is less intimidating than a traditional clinic,” says Kenkel, vice chairman of plastic surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center. So the medical center teamed up with the 60-year-old Georgette Klinger spa chain and opened the Klinger Cosmedical Center at Dallas’ NorthPark Center in July 2006. Now patients can take a break from shopping and get quick treatments ranging from injectables (like Restylane and Botox) to hair removal and laser therapies from medical professionals. Skin-care products also are offered. Although men are warming up to the idea, the clientele is still 90 percent female, and Botox remains the No. 1 request. “This is the way of the future,” Kenkel says. “We had a good opportunity to set the bar high, and we did. The nicest thing is, we brought convenience to our patients without sacrificing the quality of our medical procedures.” — Paula Felps
- Photography by Lisa Means
CHAMPION SWIMMERS
After enjoying its so-called “Decade of Dominance,” the Barracudas swim team at Canyon Creek Country Club near Dallas entered its second decade of victory this past summer. The 150-person team, composed of boys and girls ages 5 to 17, continues breaking league records after clinching its 11th Dallas Amateur Swimming Association League title. “It’s a combination of a dedicated coaching staff, committed parents, and an exceptional group of kids,” says coach Tom Radam, who took the reins from longtime coach B.J. Antes last year. “And, it’s a fun club.” To offset the rigors of the seven-week-long competitive season, which includes training five days a week and weekly swim meets, the Barracudas enjoy a social outing after every competition. “It’s not all work,” Radam says. “If you ask the team what they remember most about the season, it probably won’t be about swimming. I think that’s one of the keys to our success.” — Paula Felps
ON THE RIGHT TRAXX
Frank DeBenedetti has the golf world in the palm of his hand. GolfTraxx, a venture he started in 2005 as a sideline to his regular job as a computer technologist, allows customers to download distances (in yards or meters) on specific golf course holes directly to their PDA devices. Choosing from an online database of more than 21,000 mapped courses (www.golftraxx.com), customers can obtain distances to the front, middle, and back of each green; get the distance of each shot played; and create user-defined waypoints on each hole, such as sand traps or water hazards. As a member of Crow Canyon Country Club in Danville, California, DeBenedetti has mapped distances for many courses in the ClubCorp family of clubs. He also has courses mapped in 15 countries. Obtaining the distances has been a community effort. “Individuals contribute courses to our database in exchange for free licenses,” he says. Using Google Earth and other mapping systems, customers provide distances, which are then verified by DeBenedetti before being made available for download. “Since we know it works, we continue to let people provide information and we watch the database grow,” he says. — Louis Marroquin
- Photography by Ed Caldwell
HEALTHY GLOW
Ye-Vetta Wilson-Worst’s new business is a thing of beauty. After nine successful years in pharmaceutical and biotech sales, the Town Point Club member from Norfolk, Virginia, was ready to strike out on her own. When she saw an article on body oils in a health magazine, Wilson-Worst knew she had found her business idea. “I wanted something that would be enjoyable, but also would be something that could start immediately,” she says. “My dad’s a chemist, and he said that with the help of a cosmetic chemist, I could do this on my own.” That idea blossomed into J’esprit Corp., a cosmetics company whose first product, Oui J’esprit Skin Conditioner, hit the market in 2006. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, ceramides, and essential oils, the product found a warm reception that has included attention from Black Enterprise and Global Cosmetic Industry magazines. Next, she’ll unveil a men’s line, and more products are waiting in the wings. “People are trying to fight the effects of sun, aging, and not drinking enough water,” she says. “We’ve developed a product to do that. I wanted to create something that would help people, and this does.” — Paula Felps
- Photography by Keith Lanpher
BEAUTIFYING DETROIT
Two members lead the way in improving life in Motor City
BUILDING A LEGACY
George Jackson is more than the CEO and president of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. (DEGC), a nonprofit devoted to the city’s economic development. He’s also the single dad of three young men, and that makes his work “to turn Detroit back into the world-class city it used to be” all the more meaningful. He will be leaving the legacy of a healthier, prettier hometown for his kids, grandkids, and beyond. “This was all once industrial, a dirty city,” says Jackson, a member of Detroit’s Renaissance Club. Currently in the works are a new RiverWalk, condos, and national retail shops — quite impressive for a city that was historically never residential. Existing buildings are being converted into restaurants, bars, and lofts. And the RiverWalk will keep the family in mind with the inclusion of an elaborate carousel depicting native species of the Detroit area, as well as mythical characters. The reinvention of the historic Book-Cadillac building as a Westin hotel plus condos required 23 layers of financing, Jackson says. And the DEGC is intent on more of the same. “The transformation that began with the 2006 Super Bowl will continue,” Jackson promises. The DEGC aims to grow the revitalization beyond the retail centers of the city, and has earmarked six neighborhoods on which to focus its efforts. “People want choices. We can have a nice downtown and livable neighborhoods around it,” Jackson says. — Mary Sue Lawrence
- Photography by Santa Fabio
ON THE RIVERFRONT
For Faye Nelson, the river that runs through Detroit is a symbol of hope. As president and CEO of the nonprofit Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, formed in 2003, Nelson is the caretaker of the $300 million effort to clean up and transform nearly six miles of waterfront land adjacent to the river. Industrial land, parking lots, and abandoned cement silos are making way for the RiverWalk, as well as parks, a bike path, pedestrian green space, and a harbor and dock for vessels in an economic revitalization that could change the face of Nelson’s native city and the way Detroiters live, work, and play. The Detroit International Riverfront project, which is 80 percent complete, is gaining synergistic support with residential and retail development from outside investors, among them athletes-turned-businessmen Jerome Bettis and Dave Bing, says Nelson, who, along with the Conservancy’s co-chair and General Motors executive Matt Cullen, is appropriately a Renaissance Club member. “It is quite an honor to be part of a team of individuals passionately committed to the renaissance of this community,” says Nelson, also giving credit to her “guiding star” and husband, Albert Taylor Nelson Jr., a lawyer and native Detroiter. “To be able to play a small role in bringing this community back is something, I think, that is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” — Helen Bond
SPORTS & MUSIC CONNECTION
The Nashville entertainment scene lures more than country crooners; it’s a hot ticket for tone-deaf linebackers and center fielders who can’t carry a tune, too. And that’s just what Scott Ramsey, executive director of the Nashville Sports Council and Gaylord Hotel’s Music City Bowl, aims for every day. In the last decade, Ramsey has helped bring more than 80 sporting events to Nashville’s Sommet Center (formerly Gaylord Entertainment Center), from figure skating championships and national gymnastics competitions to NCAA basketball and national girls’ softball playoffs to golf events and plenty of collegiate competitions. Not to mention one of the nonprofit Council’s biggest successes: the annual, postseason NCAA Music City Bowl, broadcast nationally on ESPN and drawing crowds of more than 50,000. “There’s a natural synergy between music and sports,” explains Ramsey, a member of Bluegrass Yacht & Country Club. “They’re both in the entertainment fields, which is a real advantage when we’re recruiting. The participants, fans, media — they all enjoy coming here.” With an economic impact of more than $250 million over the last 10 years, it seems athletic events in Nashville are certainly hitting the high notes. Ramsey says the center will continue to host a wide variety of events. “We’re going to continue to go for the big events — as many as we can run, as well as we can run them.” — Mary Sue Lawrence
- Photography by Dean Dixon
reMember
It seems the young Jones posse is still tearing it up on golf courses across the country. When we first met this league-of-their-own five years ago [“Clubs & Members,” March/April 2002], the foursome was already casting quite a presence on local and regional golf, with baby brother Joseph in tow. All five are now well on their way to becoming standout golfers, smoothing their swings (often en masse) at their home base of Oakmont Country Club near Dallas. Now 17, Josh is a two-time American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) All-American, nationally ranked a top 20 junior by Golfweek magazine, and a member of the West Canon Cup team. A three-time Texas Junior Golf Tour (TJGT) Player of the Year, he’ll play for Louisiana State University in 2008. Sara, now 15, joins him as a regional player on the AJGA and a regular on the TJGT. She’s also an accomplished pianist and already is being recruited by colleges for her finesse on the links. Matthew, 13, continues to compete locally and regionally, with his sights set on playing for the Air Force Academy. Johnny, now 11, also has won numerous tournaments. “He’s the most athletic, and could be our most talented kid,” hints dad David. And Joseph, now 7, played his first junior golf tournament last summer and came in second. “We’ve come a long way,” David says. “Golf has really helped them in so many ways.” — Mary Sue Lawrence
- Photography by Jon Neuschwander for Quad/Photo
EDUCATION ENGINEER
Our children may live in the era of the Xbox and iPod, but these days they are more interested in buying the latest technology than in knowing how it works. Geoffrey C. Orsak, the dean of the School of Engineering at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, is on a mission to attract techno-savvy teens to engineering careers. The U.S. economy, which is losing competitive ground in an increasingly global marketplace, depends on it, says Orsak, a member of Brookhaven Country Club. “We are at a breaking point in the United States,” Orsak says. “We can still fix this problem if we take our educational problem seriously and emphasize engineering and technology at a younger age.” Orsak, who has run SMU’s engineering school since 2004, practices what he preaches. An engineering education leader, he’s created nationally recognized high school and middle school programs designed to excite students about engineering. And with good reason. Engineering degree-holders are six times more likely to head up a Fortune 500 company today than executives with a business diploma, he explains. “Finding students who have natural leadership and can withstand the rigors of engineering is the key to the country’s future,” Orsak says. — Helen Bond
DREAM CATCHER
As a mentor for children on Chicago’s south side, Donovan Robertson saw a disturbing trend. “I’d ask them what their goals were, and they’d tell me what their dreams were,” explains Robertson, a member of the Mid-America Club. “I realized that there is a huge gap between having dreams and developing the goals to make those dreams a reality.” Robertson bridged the gap with 8 Simple Steps to Catch Your Dreams, a book he published this year and already has put to work in mentoring programs with children. Although it was inspired by children, the self-help workbook is not limited to that audience. “This works for everyone, whether you’re 10 or 100,” Robertson says. “It doesn’t matter what you desire and dream of — the steps are always the same to make it happen.” The most important of the steps, he says, is to have mentors. “There’s so much you can learn and so many mistakes you can avoid if you have a good mentor.” Robertson points out that he didn’t create these concepts; he simply packaged them together to help others learn to utilize this way of thinking. “I’m just giving people the tools to make success a process instead of happenstance.” — Paula Felps
- Photography by Andy Goodwin
CONFECTION CONFESSIONS
For nearly a dozen years, Frances Barkley pawned her diamond earrings every Thanksgiving. “It must be baking time,” the pawnshop owner would quip. As the owner of Tennessee T-Cakes, a specialty bakery and online shop, Barkley needed the cash to pay extra bakers during her busiest season. But that was before Barkley’s bite-sized T-cakes got the thumbs-up from Oprah’s best friend Gayle King during a “Best Cake in America Revealed” segment last year on Winfrey’s talk show. Since then, Barkley’s confections, created from an old-fashioned recipe and reinvented into her original, chocolate truffle, key lime, and lemon flavors, have been selling like, well, hot cakes. A member of Nashville City Club, Barkley had been trying for years to get Oprah to take note of her sweet creations. She got her big break when she happened to send a box to King around the time she was preparing for the “Best Cake” show. “She told me she prefers cake with icing and wasn’t tempted to eat my T-cakes until she smelled them,” Barkley says. Since the Oprah segment, Barkley has been featured in People magazine and on several Food Network shows, including Road Tasted. And never once has she had to appear without her diamonds. .” — Mary Sue Lawrence
- Photography by Dean Dixon
THIS AND THAT
To say Paul Ramkissoon is “a little busy” is like saying the Internet “has a few Web sites.” A member of the Governors Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, the 31-year-old isn’t just COO of Cynfyn Solutions, a successful Web design firm; he also is president and CEO of two more thriving businesses. “It goes back to having a lot of different interests,” he explains. “I can’t just be involved in one thing. Some people like to invest in stocks and diversify them. I take that same approach to businesses.” In 2002, he launched MAQ Sports, a wholesale distributor of cricket merchandise, growing it into the largest company of its kind in the Americas. Two years later, he joined Cynfyn Solutions, and within a year his dealings with diverse, affluent customers led him to create Consult PR, a consulting firm that focuses on tactical and strategic business planning. “I like being in the middle of what’s happening,” he says. “I’m just like that. I’m high-energy. It comes naturally to me.” It also made him one of three finalists for the Palm Beaches Small Business Person of the Year. “I like creating things,” he explains. “It’s just something that’s innate to me.” — Paula Felps
- Photography by Michael Price
DELAYED RECOGNITION
When Vincent Roby was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1945, the only thing on his mind was going home for Christmas. “I’d spent 11 months in a California hospital,” says Roby, a member of April Sound Country Club near Houston. “I wanted to get home.” Roby joined the Army at age 17, landing in the 40th Infantry Division of the 108 Battalion, Company G. Three years later, his division participated in the invasion and liberation of the Philippines. Roby was shot four times in the leg and stomach. “When I was getting discharged, my Purple Heart [medal] wasn’t on my paperwork,” he says. “They said to come back after Christmas and they’d straighten it out.” Instead, Roby went home to Texas. In 2005, he decided it was time to correct his military records, and submitted the required paperwork along with telegrams, letters, and newspaper clippings documenting his service and injury. The military corrected the records, and in May 2006 he received his Purple Heart — along with the Bronze Star and seven other medals. “It’s nice to have them,” he says. “I didn’t know I’d won all those medals. I was busy. I was fighting for my country.” — Paula Felps
- Photography by Pam Francis
SHORT TAKES
Capital City Club member Jessica Jacobs wears the crown of Miss North Carolina. Next stop, the Miss America pageant in January. In May 2007, Jessica, a lifelong Tar Heel fan and UNC-CH Journalism school alum, finished her first year as a graduate student of organizational communication at North Carolina State University where she is a full-tuition scholar and public speaking instructor. She also founded the “Read to Me” literacy program in Davidson and Randolph counties and plans to develop the program throughout North Carolina. As Miss North Carolina, Jacobs is also an ambassador and fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network. .… Actor Chace Crawford, a Gleneagles Country Club member featured in the March/April 2007 “Clubs & Members,” stars in the new CW series Gossip Girl. … NASCAR racer Kasey Kahne talks racing with members at a gathering at L.A.’s City Club on Bunker Hill. … The gophers — uh, golfers — are out in force as Canyon Gate Country Club in Vegas mixes golf, memorable movie moments, and fun at its annual Caddyshack-inspired tournament. … Food fight! Four Chicago Society chefs battle it out for a “Metal Chefs” competition at the Mid-America Club, with Chicago Mercantile Exchange executive chef Jesus Garcia emerging victorious for a second year. Society manager Daniella Ramirez says, “This event first began at the 410 Club in Chicago with Jim Wisniewski [now of the Nashville City Club] in 2005. Jim set the bar for this challenging member-favorite competition. I learned the ropes from him and worked hard to make it happen this year all the while keeping the tradition alive and full of fun during the transition to the Mid-America Club. It was a huge success!” … Ally McBeal’s favorite songstress Vonda Shepard brings her distinctive vocals to Center Club Costa Mesa for a special South Coast Supper Club event. … City officials love Dallas’ Tower Club: Mayor Ronald Jones of the suburb of Garland and Mayor John Harper of Rowlett are both members. … Canadian members Elaine Weeks and Chris Edwards of Detroit’s Renaissance Club win the Gold Independent Book Publishers Award for the 2006 edition of Best of The Times Magazine. The book features hundreds of stories and more than 1,000 photos celebrating the city of Windsor and the area’s rich history. Weeks and Edwards own Walkerville Publishing. … Brookhaven Country Club junior golfers Jordan Spieth, Key Young, and Austin Beck take the top three spots in the boys championship division of the Starburst Junior Golf Classic in Texas. … Good Causes: South Carolina’s Harbour Club raises more than $25,000 for Charleston firefighters after nine firemen lost their lives in a furniture store fire. After the tragedy, the club received an overwhelming response from its members and employee partners wanting to help and a fundraising drive quickly ensued. … And Walnut Creek Country Club’s Bam Slam tennis tournament and auction donates more than $11,000 for junior diabetes research. …