Art of the Boomerang with Fred Fung of Bonita Bay Club

Here's something I see happen all the time when I'm coaching leaders and up-and-coming professionals. They’ve mastered their current role, and they’re hungry to grow. But, the next logical spot for them is one that’s already filled—often, by their boss, and at the time, it doesn’t seem like that boss is going anywhere. So, that ambitious person leaves to get the growth and opportunities they need.

But if you do the work to be a great company in your industry, something interesting happens. Those employees boomerang back, and rejoin your organization down the road. And that’s exactly what happened to Fred Fung, who in late 2019 re-joined the Bonita Bay Club after a couple years away, but this time in the top job of general manager.

Fred shares what’s happening behind the scenes in this company of 350 full-time employees serving a membership of 3600 people at one of the country’s top five clubs in terms of size. And that size includes not only five golf clubs and 18 tennis courses, but the ownership & operation of the 3-story, 60,00 square foot office building next to the promenade that not only houses the club’s fitness center and spa, but is home to offices not connected to the club, including Finemark, Hotwire, and several doctors and specialists. So they’re in the real estate business, too.

We also get in to the future of the club business as populations age, and hiring gets harder, and as environmental pressures grow.

Before we dive in, your Bonita Business Podcast is supported by the Spotlight News Magazine, local news that shines a light on the people of Naples, Bonita Springs and Estero. Read the Spotlight at swspotlight.com.

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