Long-time GCSA of Northern California (GCSANC) executive director Barb Mikel retired Oct. 31, following 24 years of loyal and distinguished service to the association.
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| Congrats on 24 great years Barb and best of luck in the future! |
For those of us lucky enough to know and work with Barb, we will miss her humor, work ethic, honesty and organization that she brought to GCSANC. Personally, she was nothing but welcoming and supportive from day one of my employment with GCSAA and made my transition to working with chapters that much easier. She provided guidance and insight into how a successful chapter is run and I will always be thankful for her assistance.
As one of the longest serving executive directors of a GCSAA-affiliated chapter, I sat down with Barb to talk about the past, what made her successful and her plans for the future:
· Having managed a successful chapter for 24
years, what advice would you give to a young chapter executive who may be
taking on this responsibility for the first time?
Make it simple, easy and fun.
Get organized yourself, and then keep your
board organized. Bring your talents and interest to the table.
Most things are accomplished because of
pooled talents; discover them in
yourself and your board members; keep growing, personally and professionally,
it makes everything more interesting; and new ideas are always fun.
One of
the great things about the Nor Cal chapter members and boards is openness to
advancing the association and the superintendent profession through innovation.
· You have worked with numerous chapter presidents
over the years, including several who moved onto the GCSAA board of
directors. In your mind, what makes a successful chapter president?
The best presidents know when to lead and when to
follow. Boards are a collection of
interests, egos, agendas and talents. Good presidents know when and how to let each board member do what they want, what
they like and are good at doing. Remember, it is a volunteer commitment and the best presidents also lead by
example, maintaining the respect of fellow board members.
· You have worked extensively with GCSAA Chapter
Services over the years. How did that relationship and the tools they
provide assist you in doing your job?
When I started with GCSANC in 1990, the GCSAA was undergoing
a leadership change. I knew nothing of
GCSAA and its programs. Thankfully, Nor
Cal has history with the GCSAA organization structure, due in part to the
service of Clifford and Myrtle Wagoner. Myrtle used GCSAA resources so the office was already geared to participating
with GCSAA on a chapter level. My
background was business. Having several
for profit and nonprofit accounts made me quickly aware of the tremendous level
of support provided to local chapters by GCSAA. That began with Don Brethauer and continued with his successors. Greater emphasis on staffing support via
member services/chapter services has provided a place to turn with questions unique
to the organizations interrelationship.
Web support, insurance support and affiliated chapter interactions have
grown and strengthen that relationship over the years.
· You are an accomplished pilot and fly to many
GCSANC and California GCSA events. Where did you pick up your love of
flying?
Growing up I lived near the Burbank (Bob Hope) and Van Nuys
airports watching some interesting airplanes arrive and depart (the U2 was
first flown out of Burbank) - yes I am old enough to remember! Always thought it would be great fun to fly. In the mid-1970s, I managed and owned
interests in two outdoor advertising companies providing real estate for sale
signs to over 1000 broker/agent companies. One company was located in the San Fernando Valley
and the other in the Hayward/Oakland area of California. The travel time between each was 6-8 hours. This provided a good reason to satisfy my
desire to fly and allow for better time utilization. I began flight training at Van Nuys Airport. Two months after I received my private pilot’s
license, I purchased one half interest in a Grumman Tiger AA5B. I sold the companies but kept the airplane
and starting flying for fun and pleasure.
· Many people might not know that you are an avid
fly fisher. What are some of your favorite rivers to fish?
Fly fishing in Baja, California, Los Barriles
in the mid-1980s, bone fishing the Turk
Caicos off Pine Key, New
Zealand, Australia, Moorea, San
Juan River, Missoula, Bitterroot, Big Wood, Silver Creek, Lake Te Anau, and the
rivers feeding into the lake Glaisnock, Eglinton, Clinton Rivers. It was a great way to incorporate our scuba
diving enthusiasm with our fly-fishing expeditions.
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What do your retirement plans include?
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An airplane “Winnebago” adventure. I plan to load the plane, pick a destination
fly there, stay as long as I like,
pick another destination and go. I would
like to do a Maine to Florida segment incorporating some fly-fishing in the
eastern rivers and streams. Always wanted to revisit Russia. I studied there in 1968 (USSR then) but didn’t
travel beyond Sochi in Georgia. Would like to do the Trans Siberian Railroad
east to west. Alaska has always been on my “go to place” list. Some flight time in New Zealand and Australia
would really be fun as well.
What will you miss the most upon your retirement?
Plain and simple, the people in the golf industry. Only in the pilot community have I found such good and wonderful people.
On behalf of GCSAA, I would like to thank Barb for her 24 wonderful years of service. You will be missed by all of your GCSANC members and allied golf professionals throughout California. Your dedication to the golf industry is exemplary and we wish you a happy and fruitful retirement filled with adventure and relaxation!
