GCMA 2023 Conference: New Manager of the Year awards categories announced

16 June 2023

Along with a revamped judging process, three new categories have been added to the prestigious prizes, whose winners will be revealed at the GCMA 2023 Conference

The GCMA Manager of the Year Awards are the centrepiece of the second day of GCMA 2023 Conference, which is being held at Hinckley Island hotel, in Leicestershire, from November 12-14.

Two years ago at Wyboston Lakes, Bognor Regis’ general manager James Maclean claimed the Manager of the Year prize, while Lincoln’s Louis Booth was Newcomer of the Year and Seacroft were named Team of the Year.

This year’s edition will again reward the very best successes in our industry and we’re sure to hear some inspirational stories in the expanded awards.

In addition to the existing categories of Manager, Newcomer and Team of the Year, the 2023 awards will see three new categories, which are designed to acknowledge the breadth, variety and longevity of contributions to our industry:

Support Manager of the Year
Lifetime Achievement Award
Outstanding Contribution Award

The Support Manager of the Year is open to anybody in a second-in-command position and the Lifetime Achievement Award will recognise the outstanding management and leadership of an individual throughout their career and in particular their role as a golf club manager.

The GCMA Outstanding Contribution Award will recognise a member who has demonstrated and been recognised by the industry and association for going above and beyond with their involvement with other aspects of the industry, their colleagues or the GCMA itself.

As well as the new categories, the 2023 Manager of the Year awards will see a revamped judging process, designed to deliver an even more robust, comprehensive and consistent assessment than previous years.

GCMA CEO Tom Brooke said:

“We’re delighted to announce new Awards categories, which are designed to acknowledge team work, personal development and contribution to the GCMA community and the industry as a whole. I think this is a great step forward for us and provides us with a wonderful opportunity to celebrate not just the outstanding personal achievements that so many of our members demonstrate every day, but also some of the incredible work that goes on within the association as a whole and the many successes that our members have had throughout their careers in so many different ways.”

Details of the nomination process for the 2023 edition will be released soon, and nominations will open in July.

By GCMA Content Team

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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.

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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.