Colt Mackenzie McNair to sponsor the GCMA Newcomer of the Year award

07 July 2017

Leading executive recruitment specialist Colt Mackenzie McNair (CMM) has expanded its partnership with the Golf Club Managers’ Association to include sponsorship of the GCMA’s Newcomer of the Year award for 2017.

With an emphasis on the discovery and development of new talent in the industry, the agreement builds on CMM’s continued support of the association’s Young Managers Group.

The Newcomer category, which is part of the prestigious GCMA Golf Club Management Awards, was introduced for the first time in 2015, with Alex Woodward from Boyce Hill taking home the prize. Nominees for the category must only have been in post for up to two years, and in their first golf club management role. The award will be presented at the GCMA Conference on 13 November at Mercedes-Benz World in Weybridge.

CMM is a specialist executive search firm providing recruitment solutions to golf clubs through a dedicated club management service. CMM’s dedicated team draws on years of experience in recruitment and the golf club industry, resulting in a unique, client-driven and proven service.

“Through the support of the GCMA, Young Managers Group and now the Newcomer of the Year, CMM is fully vested in the development of candidates and future leaders in club management,” explained CMM Director Richard Wood. “As the golf industry in the UK continues to evolve, golf clubs now need to look towards a modern general manager who displays contemporary competencies. The Newcomer of the Year is an important award, recognising all of the new talents that are leading from the front.”

As part of the partnership, CMM Director Richard Wood (left) will be part of the judging panel, bringing a wealth of industry expertise. CMM will also support a series of meetings for the Young Managers Group, which brings together the new generation of golf club managers to discuss the industry.

“CMM are known for providing quality recruitment services, ensuring that the right candidate is found to fit with a club’s strategic plan” said GCMA chief executive Bob Williams. “As a membership association, it’s essential for us to know that our members are getting the opportunities that they deserve, and that clubs are being well run. As we place increasing emphasis on the professional development of our members, it makes sense for us to be working closely with an organisation that rewards that development.”

Nominations for the Club Management Awards, which also feature Manager and Team of the Year categories, can be submitted until July 31, and anyone can put a candidate forward. Once the rigorous process of narrowing down the nominations has been completed, the judging panel will be involved in site visits to shortlisted candidates, before leaving experienced GCMA staff to complete the judging with a final interview.

This year’s winner will be announced at the 2017 GCMA Conference on 13 November, at Mercedes-Benz World.

For more information about the GCMA Golf Club Management Awards, visit gcma.org.uk/awards. | For more information about Colt Mackenzie McNair visit www.coltmm.com.

By Mike Hyde

More from Your Community

GCMA Teams Up with 59Club as an Official Education Partner

5 Dec 2025By Mark Shanley

Press Release The Golf Club Managers Association (GCMA) is delighted…

Announcing the Winners of the 2025 Women in Golf Awards

4 Dec 2025By Mark Shanley

The Women in Golf Awards announced its 2025 winners at…

‘Governance is key’ — David Holmes

3 Dec 2025By GCMA Content Team

Drawing on over two decades of experience, David Holmes shares…

John Steele

John Steele is a former professional athlete, sports coach, Olympic Leader and is the Executive Director of Sport at Loughborough University. He has been Chief Executive across a range of sectors. Drawing on leadership experience of nine different Olympic and Paralympic Games (including the amazing events at the Rio Games), John reflects on the lessons from this unique period in British sport and relays his fascinating views on creating high performing teams.

Indeed, inspired from PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, by the most successful performance ever for Team GB, he has a whole host of new business and leadership insights into how this was brilliant performance was achieved and how it can translate back into your organisation.

John moved into the corporate world, before he enjoyed an outstanding career as a professional rugby player achieving international honours. After his playing career, he turned his hand to coaching and achieved the highest accolade for a British club coach by winning the European Cup with Northampton Saints. He then became Executive Director on the Saints Board during a period of unprecedented growth, and served on the England Rugby Board during the successful world cup campaign of 2003. It was no surprise that John’s talents were called upon to drive through a change and modernisation programme as CEO of the Rugby Football Union – a challenge that became controversial and ended in his departure from the post after only a year, but with his dignity and professional pride intact.

Headhunted by UK Sport, John took up post as CEO the day before London won the 2012 Olympic bid – and this promising start was sustained as he embarked on developing the UK’s high performance sport system, which he led for a six-year period of unprecedented success through the Beijing and London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Post-London 2012, with the Olympic legacy in place and an obligation to continue inspiring a generation, John took up his post as Group Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust. He has also succeeded Steve Cram as Chairman of the English Institute of Sport, an organisation described as ‘the team behind the team’, which delivers a range of performance impacting solutions to over 40 Olympic and Paralympic sports and some non-Olympic sports.

This will close in 0 seconds

Dr Jo Salter MBE

Dr Jo Salter MBE is famed for becoming the first female fast jet pilot, having flown the Panavia Tornado ground attack aircraft during her services in the Royal Air Force. Joining the RAF aged 18, Jo has since taken Air Cadets into the skies as part of Air Experience Flights, become the Director of Global Transformative Leadership for PWC, and most recently become a Global Advisory of GenAI for PwC.

Jo has piloted flights in the Air Cadets Air Experience Flights and inspired countless budding armed service members to pioneer a male-dominated sector, having been the leader of an all-male squadron. Since leaving the military behind, Jo has established a strong business career working in roles such as Head of Technical Services for NetConnect, European Operations Manager for Automated Power Exchange and Managing Director of Saltin Ltd.

Having developed first-class expertise in leadership, analytical thinking and performing under pressure, Jo is now a highly sought-after public speaker to share stories from her time in the skies.

Jo is a passionate Trustee of The Royal Air Force Club and an Ambassador of the Global Angels charity, an organisation that gives communities around the world access to clean water, education, healthcare and encourages female and youth empowerment. Jo has also authored two books, titled Energy: 52 Ways to Fire Up Your Life and Become an Energy Angel and Energize: Spring Clean Your Mind and Body to Get Your Bounce Back Today and Every Day.

In recognition of her achievements throughout her career, Jo has also been named as one of the 50 Most Inspiring Women in the World by Harpers & Queen. She is now working as the Director of Global Transformation Leadership at PWC, after working in other roles such as Director of Risk Technology Strategy, Director Chief of Staff to Head of Technology & Investments and the Director of People & Organisations.

In 2022, Jo was invited personally by Tom Cruise to attend the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick. Most recently, Jo received an honorary doctorate of Arts from Bournemouth University.