The Marker’s Club – Interview with Michael Broussard, President and CEO

“You may not have heard much about our club in the past few months – that’s because we are evolving from a theme-based club – golf specifically – into a more sports-oriented, family club. We are becoming a new hybrid, taking the best of both root systems, and becoming something more interesting and popular also,” said Michael Broussard, president of The Marker’s Club.

“We started out being a non-equity, theme-based destination club with high fees, assuming everyone who loves golf would flock to our club, pay the membership and be happy. The reality was that we were limiting our scope by not having family members as involved as the golfers were. Sure, the golfers were having a great time, but what about the kids? The wives? Maybe they didn’t golf.. then what? These questions made us rethink the fabric of the club, and we made some positive changes that have had very positive consequences.

A major positive change is that we are working toward becoming a premiere lifestyle and sports club, not just for golfers. We are becoming involved in sport fishing, as well as starting a tennis academy. Another change is that we moved our corporate headquarters to Scottsdale, and yet another is we are working with Flight Options to provide a new charter jet club for our members.”

But that’s not all that’s new: The Marker’s has become a club associated with philanthropy, sponsoring golf and celebrity golf tournaments whose proceeds go to charities. Most recently, The Markers Club is partnering with the Forever Young Foundation to become a major sponsor of the Steve Young/Jerry Rice Bay Area Classic held on Wednesday, October 21st 2009 at The Cordevalle Golf Club in San Martin, California. Funds raised by the event will go to benefit the Forever Young Foundation. This Foundation was established in 1993 to support community projects and non-profit organizations effectively serving the therapeutic and academic needs of seriously ill and underprivileged children.

The Club has also announced a partnership with the Phoenix Children’s Hospital to become a sponsor for the 11th Annual Phoenix Children’s Hospital Golf Tournament. Held on Friday November 20th at the McCormack Ranch Golf Club, this annual golf tournament has become one of the premier charity golf tournaments in Arizona. Over the past ten years, the tournament has raised more than 2.3 million in funding to support the medical care provided at the Hospital.

“Of course, the consequences of taking these new roads was the acquisition of many more members at lower price points - $25,000 for individuals, $35,000 for corporate memberships,” Michael continues. They are also part of the Private Club Network, associated with 200 private country clubs – so that each member has privileged access to these clubs as well as Markers.

“We wanted to take all the risk out of becoming a member. We can’t tolerate the drama that has been associated with destination clubs recently! We have a policy that if you want to leave the club you can LEAVE the club, not 3 in one out, no interminable resignation lists! The other thing we hope to do in the near future is to become a publicly traded company. We feel that the Marker’s Club has the DNA to do this, as our members are happy, and they refer others. We believe the best companies are member referral based - not hard sales based. To that end, we are growing quietly and slowly, becoming known for our good works, and good times."