January 16, 2003
Dear Membership and Employees of Lake Valley Country Club:
Effective today, I tendered my resignation as General Manager/Golf
Course Superintendent of Lake Valley Country Club. It is with
mixed feelings that I leave Lake Valley, as the past 12 years here
have afforded me wonderful memories, along with a wealth of personal
and professional growth.
I want to take time to personally thank some special people.
Tom Duncan was the Club President in 1991 when I was hired. He
was instrumental in guiding the Board in the right direction to
ensure the future growth of the Club.
The respect I have for John Bearden is beyond words. He
believed in 1992 that I was competent to take over the job as
General Manager as well as retaining the Golf Course Superintendent
position. His confidence in me will never be forgotten.
Since 1991, I have served under the following Club Presidents and
their Boards of Directors. I want to thank each of them for
their loyalty, wisdom, and support: Tom Duncan, John Bearden,
Ted Harmon, Harold Treese, Kenny Osborn, Steve Hanks, Dennis Jones,
Dennis Wright, Steve Butterfield, Garry Brandt, George Derrieux,
Doug McDaniel, and Mac Green.
Lake Valley Country Club pro shop staff Dan, Andi, Diane, Charlie,
Jason and Cody; restaurant staff Paul, Karen, Frances, Angie,
Rosie, and Gary; maintenance staff Gene, Glenn, Charlie, Earl,
Bill, William, Harold, are the finest staff of any golf course at
the Lake. Each and every person is a team player, and that is
what makes this operation successful.
My Secretary, Priscilla, will be greatly missed. She has been
my right hand, and sometimes, also my left. She knows my next
move even before I do. She has managed to keep me in line even
on the most challenging days.
In closing, let me just share a bit of personal history with
you. I came to the Lake at age 19, a country boy from a very
small town in Arkansas who had little education and no clue of what
I wanted to do with my life. I was blessed to meet Jim Lewis,
who was the Golf Course Superintendent at Tan-Tar-A Resort. He
saw something in me that I didn't even know was there. Since I
had lost my father at age 15, he became my father-figure as well as
my mentor. He nurtured me with stern conviction and was
determined to turn this country boy into a Golf Course
Superintendent!! In 1971, I started out mowing greens, in 1972
I was Assistant Golf Course Superintendent, and in 1977, under Jim's
watchful eye, I became the Assistant Director of Golf and Grounds at
Marriott's Tan-Tar-A Resort. In my 32 years as a Golf Course
Superintendent, I have had the privilege to enjoy long tenures at 3
superb golf courses. Recently, a new venture was offered to me
that is both challenging and exciting. As I look
(reluctantly!) towards the dawn of my retirement, I have decided to
retire as a General Manager/Golf Course Superintendent and have
accepted the position of General Manager of a distributorship of
Club Car in northwest Arkansas. It's time for this country boy
to go home!!
The Lake area has been very good to my family and me. I
learned a trade which has enabled me to live comfortably, put my
children through college, and enjoy some great golf with some very
treasured friends.
I'm sure there are people I forgot to mention, as my extended family
of Lake Valley Country Club members is so large, but I want to thank
each of you for your support and encouraging words over the years.
Sincerely,
Michael E. Schubert
Michael E. Schubert
General Manager
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