Inspired by excellence in private members’ club management, IOCD is the premier-level networking and consultancy resource for new and experienced club managers. Our founder and CEO, Ed Shanaphy, has a wealth of corporate and entrepreneurial experience across the leisure, boutique hotel, and private members’ club arenas in the USA and UK and has assembled specialists to contribute time, knowledge, and experience through IOCD.
From boardroom to budget, consulting to coaching, our team leaders’ expertise is complemented by an energetic, best-in-class team of professionals who bring a wide range of knowledge gleaned in the club, golf, tennis, fitness, and hospitality industries.
Key regular contributors include some of the best-known names in the industry, offering their unique insight, techniques, and tips to realize improved profitability and exceptional member experience. From Maine to the Florida Keys and from the South Coast of England to the tips of the Outer Hebrides, we share club experiences on both sides of the pond.
IOCD membership offers an exceptional opportunity for club managers, governors, and administrative staff who wish to enhance and develop their roles for the benefit of staff and members. Our Virtual Lunches, keynote articles, blogs, and podcasts offer unrivaled access to the views and ideas of industry experts and commentators, accessed in a friendly and mutually rewarding format.
Our Team
Ed Shanaphy, our CEO and Founder, has been in the country club industry since his collegiate days at The London School of Economics where he served on the board of Blackheath Rugby and Lawn Tennis Club, helping to take that club through the transition to a professional status in rugby union in the early 1990s. From those early days, he has worked with clubs on both sides of the Atlantic including Quail Valley Golf and River Club in Vero Beach, Florida, Wianno Club in Osterville, MA, and Jupiter Island Club in Hobe Sound, Florida. Ed is or has been a member of over a dozen clubs and served on member boards across a dynamic group of private member clubs, including London’s Royal Automobile Club, Home House, and Cumberland Lawn Tennis Club as well as being a member of clubs in his native America including Waccabuc Country Club in Westchester, NY, The Racquet Club in Manhattan, Beverly Yacht Club in Marion, MA, and Quail Valley Golf and River Club in
Vero Beach, Florida.
Sophie Bentham Wood brings her international sports marketing and public relations experience to IOCD. A native of London and having lived in Hong Kong for many years, Sophie’s background in international public relations is second to none. She served as Account Director for the acclaimed Hill & Knowlton Group in their London office, specializing in sports marketing. Having worked closely with Roger Federer, Thierry Henry, Tiger Woods, and David Beckham while running the Gillette account, Sophie has experience in crisis management and relations as well as sports public relations. Sophie’s experience in marketing and public relations is truly international, having headed up the marketing, programming, and advertising for BMW/Oracle Sailing at the America’s Cup in Spain. Her experience also includes working within the fast-moving consumer goods industry, where she headed the Proctor & Gamble international account while at Grey Global Advertising Group. She is a long-time member of one of the military clubs in London and serves on the board of the Indian River County (FL) Chamber of Commerce and as an advisory board member of Vero Beach Magazine.
Britney Sanders has served at some of the most elite clubs in all of the USA. A graduate of Notre Dame, where she played number one singles and doubles and was named all-ACC and all-Big East Conference Player, Britney started her career serving the membership at the famed Jupiter Island Club in Hobe Sound, Florida. From there, her marketing and communication talents brought her to the Chevy Chase Club in Maryland, where she served an elite membership for over five years. Plucked from Chevy Chase Club by one of the oldest and most established lawn tennis clubs, Seabright Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Sanders led the marketing and, in the end, the entire revamp of one of the gems of lawn tennis in the country. In this role, Sanders managed and supervised the hallowed Prentice Cup, the beloved, and bi-annual tournament between Harvard and Yale Universities who play Oxford and Cambridge Universities at either Seabright Lawn Tennis or The All England Club, Wimbledon.
Dale Petrie is our at-large European advisor and contributor. Dale Petrie has gained international fame as a leading contributor to the private members club industry through his work with BeyondTheBaselines.com. He is a graduate of the Universite Sorbonne in Paris and gained his Masters in Marketing from the same University’s program in Abu Dhabi. A leader in the industry, Dale observes trends long before they are accepted practices and we are honored to have him as part of our club advisory team. He is a regular at Club 55 in St. Tropez and La Colombe D’Or in St Paul de Vence as well as a member of The Reform Club on London’s Pall Mall.
Cathy Moran (PCQI) our editor and quality assurance specialist has a background in customer engagement and quality assurance with over 30 years experience in her chosen field. A Practitioner of the esteemed Chartered Quality Institute based in London, as a contributor she integrates wit and cutting-edge opinion with a passion for excellence in industry and customer service. Cathy has also worked as a consultant on marketing campaigns where her editing skills have been key to attracting new business. A keen equestrian, golf, and tennis competitor, Cathy combines her love of sport with a pragmatic and energetic approach to business.