KemperSports

We are excited to share that KemperSports has been recognized as one of Crain's Chicago Business' 2024 Best Places to Work! This is a true testament to our family culture, our love for what we do and our commitment to creating opportunities that allow our team members to grow and succeed. Super grateful for everyone within the KemperSports family who helped us earn this recognition. Interested in a career with KemperSports? Visit kempersports.com/careers. #ThisIsKemperSports

?? KemperDestination of the Year: Lake of Isles Each year, Lake of Isles strives to invest in its two premier courses and the team that powers them, and 2024 was no exception. Notably, the team successfully completed a bunker renovation project, helping improve pace of play and make maintenance easier for their hardworking agronomy team. Lake of Isles also invested in their golf academy offerings and established key partnerships with leading player development programs such as Operation 36 Golf and PGA Jr. League, which helped the team successfully reach new players and families and improve access to its facility and playbook of programming. Most importantly, the team’s genuine care and thoughtfulness transfers directly over to how they treat their guests, ensuring each visit is memorable and enjoyable. Congratulations once again to the team at Lake of Isles, our 2024 KemperDestination of the Year! #ThisIsKemperSports

?? KemperGolf Course of the Year: Tidewater Golf Club Since joining the KemperSports family two and a half years ago, the Tidewater team has operated as a well-oiled machine and served as a shining example of effective team communication, collaboration and commitment. In 2024, Tidewater impressively increased rounds despite experiencing the worst weather months to begin and end the year, a testament to the team's hard work in delivering a premier golf experience. Led by a seasoned staff, the team relied on its local knowledge to strengthen key community partnerships and masterfully guided changes to their annual passholder program to improve its value and grow customer loyalty with this key group. The entire team has fully embraced our culture of TrueService and made it part of their daily vernacular, always being sure to listen and respond to feedback with the goal of enhancing the overall guest experience and maximize impact. Congratulations once again to the the entire Tidewater team, our 2024 KemperGolf Course of the Year! #ThisIsKemperSports

We are excited to announce a strategic partnership with Touchstone Golf, a premier golf management company with more than 40 golf properties across eight states! Built on a shared passion for the game of golf and delivering exceptional service and experiences to their members and guests, Touchstone Golf will operate as a division within KemperSports, and we are thrilled to welcome them to our team. Learn more: bit.ly/3DUol7y #ThisIsKemperSports

?? KemperSports Venue of the Year: AllGolf at CB Smith AllGolf enjoyed an incredible year of success in 2024, powered by innovative property enhancements and a commitment to community engagement that is second to none. The investment in Toptracer Range technology has paid dividends in the form of revenue growth and improved guest engagement. Significant gains were also seen in both membership sales and range bucket sales. AllGolf further enhanced the guest experience by relaunching its food and beverage operation and introduced a new order anywhere platform that will soon be rolled out across all future KemperSports Venues. Perhaps most impressive is the team's focus on community outreach and engagement. AllGolf's concerted effort to form a strong and fruitful partnership with First Tee - Broward has resulted in growing the program’s unique participants by 53 percent to become the largest First Tee program in the county, positively impacting 190 local youth. In addition, they’ve added a multitude of summer camp offerings and veteran’s programs and adopted a fun, social approach to hospitality, cementing its position in the community as a vibrant center for family entertainment. Congratulations to AllGolf at CB Smith Park, our 2024 KemperSports Venue of the Year! #ThisIsKemperSports x #PlayYourPassion

?? KemperClub of the Year: Lincolnshire Fields Country Club The team at Lincolnshire Fields' commitment to surpassing goals and delivering an exceptional member experience was evident throughout their outstanding performance last year. In addition to exceeding budgeted goals, other major highlights from 2024 include the completion of an extensive bunker renovation project, the continued growth of food and beverage as well as impressive membership growth. The team’s success was also reflected in the club’s Net Promoter Score, which ranked near the top of our KemperClubs portfolio. Taken directly from a recent member survey, “The staff is the best. They make everyone feel like family and are always there to go the extra mile when you need something.” The team embodies a service mindset and serves as a prime example of the power of TrueService. Please join us in congratulating the team at Lincolnshire Fields as our 2024 KemperClub of the Year! #ThisIsKemperSports

?? James R. Seeley General Manager of the Year: Hawthorn Woods Country Club's Joe Titus A longtime KemperSports general manager, Joe Titus is never afraid to get his hands dirty or lend a helping hand, earning him the respect and admiration of his peers in the way he treats others, trusts their expertise and empowers them to learn and grow in their own careers. A humble leader, Joe often jokes, “I'm just a golf pro,” though in reality he is a versatile and trusted industry operator that has proven to be an invaluable resource and mentor to other general managers across the KemperSports family. Under Joe's leadership, Hawthorn Woods has fostered a vibrant, welcoming and high-value club culture. Further, he guided Hawthorn Woods through tremendous growth and transformation, including a comprehensive bunker renovation, new pickle and paddleball courts and his personal favorite, bocce ball courts. While Joe has taken his talents to The Glen Club, we couldn't be more proud of the incredible impact he's had on Hawthorn Woods and the way he's served its membership. Congrats again, Joe! #ThisIsKemperSports

?? James S. Kemper Jr. Team Member of the Year: Portland Parks Golf Human Resources Manager Anna Holst (Bellware) Overseeing Colwood Golf Center, Eastmoreland Golf Course, Heron Lakes Golf Club and Rose City Golf Club, Anna embodies our core values of integrity, service and relationships. Her leadership has been huge for the greater team and has helped immensely during a period of great expansion and change. Anna played a pivotal part in owning Portland Parks Golf's onboarding guide, which has proven to be a win for the overall team member onboarding process and created new operational efficiencies and strengthened employee retention. Known to always be there for her teammates no matter the time and place, Anna is a champion of professional development and career growth and has developed crucial resources and training opportunities for her teammates to learn and excel. She is always willing to lend a helping hand, even if the task may fall outside of her role, underscoring her deep commitment to the success of her teammates, Portland Parks Golf and Kempersports as a whole. Please join us in congratulating Anna on being awarded our prestigious James S. Kemper Jr. Team Member of the Year Award! #ThisIsKemperSports

?? Emil Esposito Golf Professional of the Year: Holly Hills Country Club's Andrew Blockinger In two short years, Holly Hills Head Golf Professional Andrew Blockinger has transformed Holly Hills' golf program into a vibrant and inclusive cornerstone of the greater club community, completely revitalizing the golf offerings and building several programs from the ground up while also taking existing events and services to new heights. Notably, he's built a dynamic women's golf program comprised of tailored clinics, social outings and competitive events, fueling increased participation and greater engagement. He's also redefined what it means to be part of a true golf community, ensuring there's something for every member to enjoy and that golf is at the forefront of their overall club experience. According to his peers, he's had a bigger impact on Holly Hills than any head pro before him and truly exemplifies the values of this award's namesake, KemperSports and Illinois Section PGA Hall of Fame PGA Professional Emil Esposito, a man for whom golf is not simply a sport, but a way of life. Congratulations, Andrew! #ThisIsKemperSports

Kicking off this week's 2024 KSLC award winner highlights is Superintendent of the Year Jeff Gerdes of Bolingbrook Golf Club! A stalwart at Bolingbrook since it opened in 2002, Jeff has gained the reputation of being an exceptional and thoughtful leader who fosters collaboration and inspires others to bring their best to their job every day. Last year proved to be an incredibly memorable year for Bolingbrook, in large part thanks to Jeff's hard work and dedication to his craft. Not only did he keep the course in a condition to accommodate the most rounds in a single year, Jeff helped Bolingbrook successfully host LIV Golf's Individual Championship, earning the course high praise from players, fans and tournament organizers alike. His commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship is also noteworthy as he's led Bolingbrook to become certified in all four levels of our Green to a Tee Program, as well as earn certification as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary for Golf. Each year, there's fierce competition for our Superintendent of the Year Award as we are grateful to work with the very best in the business, and Jeff both represents the very best of golf industry professionals and KemperSports. #ThisIsKemperSports