Ed Rehkopf

  • Donor to Hospitality and Tourism Administration
  • Hospitality and Tourism Administration, NCCU

Ed Rehkopf - During a long career in independent hotels, a resort, and private clubs, Ed Rehkopf has faced many challenges and learned a great deal in the process. In every position, he had to overcome limited resources and economies of scale to create organizations and disciplines fostering high levels of service and performance. It is his desire to pass on his knowledge and lessons learned to new generation of hospitality leaders. Fulfilling that goal in recent years, he created a wide range of highly integrated resources covering all areas of private club operations available through a club industry website. While some materials are specific to private clubs, the great majority are just as applicable to other areas of the hospitality and service industries - hotels, resorts, restaurants, to name a few. Ed holds a Master of Professional Studies degree from Cornell University's School of Hospitality Management and earned his Bachelor of Science degree at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The following handful of endorsements from hospitality executives testify to the breadth, depth, and quality of his materials. “I can’t thank you enough for the wealth of info on the website! Everything I have seen so far has been valuable, professional, and timely. Thank you – we’ve needed something like this for a long time. I look forward to reading your blog each week! Keep up the fabulous work!” Karen Peterson, Clubhouse Manager, Inglewood Golf Club "I continue to be so very impressed with the rock-solid depth and breadth of expertise Ed brings to the hospitality industry. Frankly, there is not a stone his collection of resources have not turned over in making available very reliable input available to both those in their early career development and for seasoned professionals. I personally am amazed at the vastness of meaningful insights Ed continually provides. I've learned much from Ed – and suggest all hospitality related industry professionals can do the same." Michael Crandal, CNG. AUTHOR: Life's 10-Point Must System “We would like to get 5 more books and workbooks [Leadership on the Line and The Workbook]. Everyone is enjoying the book and now wants the managers under them to get started reading them too.” Renee Frost, HR Manager, Sea Oaks Beach and Tennis Club “I cannot tell you how valuable I have found the [accounting] policies and procedures manual. I was wondering if the Personnel policies manual is also available. We would be very interested in that one, too.” Deborah Brumitt, CPA, Controller, Hermitage Country Club “I just want to express my sincere thanks for these wonderful ideas you are sharing with us. As a general manager I feel ideas like this make all the difference in our services. Reading this was refreshing and an eye opener to look back and try to become more involved with staff and management. Magid D. Assaleh, General Manager, Willow Creek Golf &Country Club “Leadership on the Go – This material is spectacular!” Rob Duckett, General Manager, Mountaintop Golf and Lake Club "Thanks again for sharing the Values on the Go materials. I’m impressed (again!) with your work and we will certainly soon be using the Values of the Go document in conjunction with our continued leadership training." Paul K. Skelton, Certified Club Manager “I just got your book in the mail today. Your book has some powerful and profound examples of leadership which I would like to share with my friends and colleagues on LinkedIn. Kindly give me the green light so I can share your knowledge and wisdom in time.” Daniel K. Ovichegan, MBA, Director of Operations, The Crescent Club at Rosewood Crescent Hotel “I am quite familiar with your site and materials. They provide significant food for thought. Your Service-Based Leadership model is front and center every day. Thanks for keeping the ideas flowing.” Peter Eaton, General Manager, Olympic Hills Golf Club “I have to state – your Club Resources International is the best 'read' in the industry.” Robert D. Pahnke, Certified Club Manager

There are 63 included publications by Ed Rehkopf :

TitleDateViewsBrief Description
100 Plus Tips to Improve Your Club Operation 2010 392278 Introduction: Most of us recognize that our business is not rocket science. The basics of what we do are well-known to any club professional. What makes our jobs so challenging is the sheer volume of things that must be attended to daily in a detail ...
12 Human Resource Best Practices to Improve Your Operations 2021 48 Of all the potential minefields that managers and supervisors must walk through, the requirements of human resource management are by far the most fraught with peril. Based on federal and state law, they are the fantasy dreams of many lawyers hungeri...
12 Leadership Best Practices to Improve Your Operations 2021 44 It has been said that leadership is situational and that there is an optimum style of leadership forevery profession - from politician, to general, to doctor, to professor, to club manager. Theskills and abilities that make a person successful in one...
14 Finance and Accounting Best Practices to Improve Your Operations 2021 47 General managers should always conduct monthly reviews of operating statements withdepartment heads.In order to ensure that the club meets the financial objectives of its annual operating budget, it isimperative that all department heads monitor thei...
Accounting on the Go 2011 60 Introduction: Club operations face a challenging training burden if they are to deliver the high levels of service expected by their members. Yet with tight budgets how can managers meet their training obligations while controlling costs since every ...
Activity Leader Training Manual 2009 55 The purpose of this training manual is: to train you in the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to properly perform your duties; to instill in you a strong service ethic toward our members and your fellow workers; to provide you with the tools...
Annual Budgeting Disciplines: An Essential Element of Performance Management 2021 54 Budgeting is the act of establishing a plan for the financial performance of the club for thecoming operating year and broken down into monthly projections for both income andexpenses.The importance of a budget is that it allows the manager with bott...
Bag, Range and Cart Attendant Training 2009 52 The purpose of this training manual is:to train you in the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to properly perform your duties; to instill in you a strong service ethic toward our members and your fellow workers; to provide you with the tools ...
Basic Accounting and Financial Management for Club Managers 2021 54 Accounting, when taken in the totality of its purpose, disciplines, and jargon, can seem a bewildering thicket of confusion for the layman. Everything from Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, to debits and credits, to balance sheets seems desig...
Benchmarking Operations: The key to Understanding and Improving Your Club 2021 36 Imagine two professional baseball teams. One team measures every aspect of every player’sperformance – the number of at bats; number of hits, walks, and strikeouts; batting averagesagainst right- and left-handed pitchers; slugging averages; and field...
Beverage Cart Attendant Training Manual 2009 142 The purpose of this training manual is:to train you in the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to properly perform your duties; to imbue you with a strong service ethic toward our members and your fellow workers; to provide you with the tools ...
Beyond Oral History The Importance of a Club Operation Plan 2021 87 Establishing Standards:Ultimately, the governing board determines a private club’s standards for quality and service.The problem for board members, though, is that seldom do these individuals have the in-depthknowledge or experience of hospitality op...
The Case for a Food and Beverage Analyst 2021 49 Food service is an enterprise awash in variables, yet the end product – quality food and service– is the result of consistency of ingredients, preparation, and service, as well as the consistent application of a wide range of operational disciplines ...
Catering Server Training Manual 2009 62 The Catering Manager is responsible for properly and completely training you for your position.It is your responsibility: to diligently apply yourself to mastering the material presented in this manual, and; to notify the Catering Manager of any diff...
Club Benchmarking Resources 2011 71 Benchmarking, the act of measuring and analyzing operating performance, seeks to understand the patterns underlying a club’s operation. This handbook attempts to provide the rationale for and information on how you can establish an in-depth program o...
Club Opening Plan 2022 373040 Every club opening is the same and every club opening is different. The basic functions, organizational structure, facilities, and activities are similar in most golf or country clubs, but the size, design, construction, number of buildings, timing o...
The Club Operations Plan: A Legacy Contribution for Club Excellence 2021 50 A club operations plan is the fully integrated and detailed description of the organizationalstructure, systems, and processes that enable the multiple operating departments of the club todeliver a seamless, consistent, and high-quality private club ...
Club Safety Plan 2019 64 Occupational health and safety issues are important in any workplace. Lack of planning and neglect of safety concerns can result in serious injury, incapacitation, and death. Unfortunately, in our industry, lack of resources and limited management st...
Comprehensive Club Training Meeting the Promise of Quality and Service 2021 68 Comprehensive Club TrainingWhy is training so important in private clubs? The answers to this question are simple andcommonsensical:? Clubs are detail-intensive – there is much for managers and employees to learn, know,and do.? Service is people-inte...
Comprehensive Club Training: Meeting the Promise of Quality and Service 2021 58 Comprehensive Club TrainingWhy is training so important in private clubs? The answers to this question are simple andcommonsensical:Clubs are detail-intensive – there is much for managers and employees to learn, know,and do; Service is people-intensi...
Continual Process Improvement: An Essential Discipline of Successful Clubs 2021 41 We do not live in a static world and our ability to continually evolve our business, products, andservices to exceed the expectations of our members is critical to our success.Given the many details associated with managing a quality private club, it...
Controlling Payroll Cost Critical Disciplines for Club Profitability 2021 38 Controlling Payroll Cost - Critical Disciplines for Club ProfitabilityLabor Costs in Private ClubsClubs operate from early morning to late at night. For the convenience, safety, and security ofmembers, clubs are staffed day and night throughout the w...
Employee Development and Discipline on the Go 2011 39 One of the major motivations in creating the Employee Development and Discipline on the Go material is to provide managers with the disciplines and skills to get the most out of their human assets. The Employee Development and Discipline on the Go ma...
Employee Empowerment: Transforming Your Club's Service 2021 32 Employee Empowerment – Transforming Your Club’s Service Employee empowerment became a corporate buzzword in the Nineties and the consensus inthe business press was that it was a good thing. Many companies claim to empower their employees but claiming...
Employee Handbook 2009 49 Employee Handbook, while it cannot possibly contain all the information and details which you will be expected to know, it is a starting point in your training and a handy reference for your questions. This handbook is intended to be read, studied, a...
Expectations, Work Planning & Performance Reviews 2012 28 Performance ManagementRecognizing that a private club is a collection of diverse business enterprises, each with its own requirements, disciplines, and knowledge for success, general managers must rely on department heads to run their operations with...
Five Human Resource Best Practices for Private Clubs 2021 36 Hiring the Right PeopleThere is no more critical task for managers than hiring the right employees. As Jim Collins saysin his groundbreaking book, Good to Great, which delved into the reasons some companiesoutperform their competitors, that getting t...
Food Service in Private Clubs 2018 105 Competencies: Private Club Food & Beverage ManagementThis book spells out leadership and management skills, as well as best practices to professionally operate a private club food service operation.
Food Service Management on the Go 2011 59 Club operations face a challenging training burden if they are to deliver the high levels of service expected by their members. Yet with tight budgets how can managers meet their training obligations while controlling costs since every hour of traini...
Human Resources on the Go 2012 34 Private club operations face a challenging training burden if they are to deliver the high levels of service expected by their members. Yet with tight budgets how can managers meet their training obligations while controlling costs since every hour o...
Internal Control for Private Clubs 2019 50 Each club operation is unique in its size, number, and types of revenue-generating activities, staffing levels, methods of accepting payments, and other factors that will directly impact the design and makeup of its internal control plan. Likewise, p...
Leadership on the Go 2010 39 leadership, management, modules, operating, performance, club, club operations, training, customer service, programs
Leadership on the Line: A Guide for Front Line Supervisors, Business Owners, and Emerging Leaders 2006 63 Success in business comes from delivering the right product at the right price with the expected level of service. By conscientiously following and practicing the principles of leadership, by working to develop the traits of service-based leadership,...
Management Disciplines on the Go 2010 36 Club operations face a challenging training burden if they are to deliver the high levels of service expected by their members. Yet with tight budgets how can managers meet their training obligations while controlling costs since every hour of traini...
Managers' Handbook 2009 57 Welcome(From the Managers' Handbook):Welcome to the club! We are proud of our many accomplishments and our standing in the community – successes that could not have been achieved without the dedication, hard work, and professionalism of our managers ...
Member Relationship Management Plan: Romancing Your Members 2021 30 Member Relationship Management Plan: Consistently providing personalized service to members is the pinnacle and ultimate challenge of club service. Such service rests on the foundation of Service-Based Leadership,organizational structure and efficien...
Organization Values on the Go 2010 34 Introduction: Private club operations face a challenging training burden if they are to deliver the high levels of service expected by their members. Yet with tight budgets how can managers meet their training obligations while controlling costs sinc...
Organizational Values and Culture of Service 2021 35 Club Values:The following values are at the heart of all we do as individuals working for our members,guests, and co-workers. These values must become second nature to all – from the generalmanager who leads the club, to the managers and supervisors ...
Performance Management An Essential Discipline of Success 2021 40 Performance Management:Recognizing that a private club is a collection of diverse business enterprises, each with its ownrequirements, disciplines, and knowledge for success, general managers must rely on department heads (enterprise leaders) to run ...
Personal Productivity and Organization 2021 35 Personal Productivity and Organization: The following eight articles touch on matters of personal productivity and organization. It is fairto say that any club department will only be as organized and productive as its leader. Somepeople are well-org...
Power of Employee Empowerment 2009 45 INTRODUCTION: Employee empowerment became a corporate buzzword in the Nineties and the consensus in the business press was that it was a good thing. Many companies claimed to empower their employees but claiming to do so and doing it are two very dif...
Professional Development Readings in Leadership and Management 1 2021 80 Leadership: It all starts with leadership. Strong and stable leadership is the single most importantrequirement to successful club operations. While there are many styles of leadership suited toany industry or endeavor, experience over many years in ...
Professional Development Readings in Leadership and Management 3 2010 41 Onboarding Managers – An Often-Overlooked Best Practice: A long-recognized best practice is to develop an onboarding plan for your operation’s new hires. The purpose of such a plan is to ensure that new employees are welcomed to the enterprise, recei...
Professional Development Readings in Leadership and Management 4 2021 42 The Hierarchy of Service: In my book, Leadership on the Line: A Guide for Front Line Supervisors, Business Owners, andEmerging Leaders, I stress that leaders must serve the needs of their constituencies, but not allconstituent needs have equal weight...
Professional Development: Readings in Leadership and Management 2 2021 51 Empowering Employees:Employee empowerment became a corporate buzzword in the Nineties and the consensus inthe business press was that it was a good thing. Many companies claimed to empower theiremployees but claiming to do so and doing it are two ver...
Professional Development: Readings in Leadership and Management 5 2021 49 The Cost of Chaos: Common wisdom tells us that quality costs more, but according to one of the foremost expertson quality this is not the case. W. Edwards Deming, statistician, professor, author, consultant, lecturer, a man who made significant contr...
Quality and Service In Private Clubs: What Every Manager Needs to Know 2021 51 Quality and Service in Private Clubs - What Every Manager Needs to Know:Here are eight thought-provoking articles that explore the full dimensions and challenges oforganizing your club to provide high levels of quality and service. Many of the organi...
Real Time Accounting - A Compelling Best Practice for Club Profitability 2021 37 Real Time Accounting – The Compelling Best Practice for Club Profitability:Most every month a familiar scene takes place in many clubs. The financial statements havebeen prepared and distributed to all stakeholders – the general manager, the departme...
Remarkable Service Infrastructure: An Overarching Plan for Club Excellence 2021 39 The Challenge:Private clubs face many challenges in delivering high levels of service to their members. Aswith any hospitality operation, clubs are detail-intensive and people-intensive. There are manymoving parts, literally thousands of details to b...
Report This - The Value of Reports in Club Operations 2021 37 Report This - The Value of Reports In Club Operations: For the general manager, regular reporting of key information from department heads is the best way to monitor departmental performance with the least investment of time. Instead of personally di...
Service on the Go 2011 68 Club operations face a challenging training burden if they are to deliver the high levels of service expected by their members. Yet with tight budgets how can managers meet their training obligations while controlling costs since every hour of traini...
Service Recovery: Are Your Service Apologies at Risk? 2021 42 Offense and defense are words of opposite meaning, yet often linked together. Their obviousmeaning is demonstrated on the football field. One team attacks an area defended by another,trying to reach the goal. The purpose of the defense is to stop the...
Service the Ritz Carlton Way 2021 48 The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company is a management company that operates properties worldwide for the Marriott hotel chain. They serve the international luxury market and are celebrated for their high service levels and attention to detail.
Service-Based Leadership - The Foundation of Successful Club Operations 2021 48 requirement to successful club operations. While there are many styles of leadership suited toany industry or endeavor, experience over many years in the service business makes it clearthat a service-based approach to leadership works best in the clu...
Service-Based Leadership - Knowing and Serving Your Constituencies 2021 65 Before you can effectively exercise your leadership skills, you must clearly recognize yourvarious constituencies – those groups who depend on you and for whom you must provide leadership and service. For most private club leadership positions this i...
Service-Based Leadership Transforms Your Operation 2010 66 Strong, stable, and consistent leadership is the single most important requirement for successful club operations. While there are many styles of leadership suited to any industry or endeavor, experience over many years makes it clear that a service-...
Suggesting Proprietary Liqueurs 2009 58 Liqueurs and Cordials: The terms cordial and liqueur are synonymous. Cordials are alcoholic beverages prepared by mixing and redistilling various spirits (brandy, whisky, rum, gin, or other spirits) with certain flavoring materials, such as fruits, f...
The Super Service Employee 2021 36 Such extraordinary individuals are worth their weight in gold. Not only do they serve with flairand expertise, but they sell, thereby increasing the average check, while making a distinctlyfavorable impression of competence and professionalism that b...
Tools to Beat Budget - Real Time Accounting 2009 34 Tools to Beat Budget is a program designed to help department heads monitor key elements of their budget by Real Time Accounting, a best practice for Performance Management. It requires department heads to monitor revenues and expenses on an ongoing ...
Training on the Go: A Powerful Training Aid for Busy Operations 2021 26 Why is training so important in private clubs? The answers to this basic question are simpleand commonsensical:• Clubs are detail-intensive - there is much for managers and employees to learn, know,and do.• Service is people-intensive - it takes a lo...
Two Best of the Best Practices for Private Clubs 2021 29 Every month the club’s board of directors, finance committee, general manager, and departmentheads receive copies of the operation’s financial statement made up of the balance sheet andoperating statement prepared by the controller. The intent is to ...
What I Expect from Our Club Management Team 2011 44 While the expectations and best practices described herein reflect my approach to managing a high performing private club, individual managers will need to evaluate and prioritize those that would best serve the needs of their operation. Regardless w...
Wow Factors: What Have You Done for Me Lately? 2021 26 How often have we in private clubs heard that from our members? Only a few creatures of inviolable habit like the “same ol’, same ol’,” yet that’s what many clubs serve up month after month, year in and year out. Why not try a different approach that...