Aloha,

April 14 will be my last day at Waikoloa Village Golf Club.  I’m leaving my position to pursue an MBA at my alma mater, Indiana University.  I was fortunate enough to receive the Dean’s Fellowship—the school’s highest award—a full tuition scholarship for both years of the program.  While I’m excited to be starting down this new path, it’s hard to leave this place that has meant so much to me the last 13 years.  I’m proud of the improvements that the staff and I have made during my almost eight years as director of golf, and I feel that I’m leaving the place in better shape than I found it.  That positive change is due mostly to the efforts of our staff and the exceptional customer service they provide every day.

I want to thank all the staff for their hard work and loyalty to WVGC over the years, and especially the guys that have been with me from the beginning: Jeff Ingman, Shayne Meyer, Cal Shigematsu, and Tom Wade.  Shayne and Cal know our customers better than anyone; when they are working, the inside staff can rest easy knowing things are being handled properly outside.  When Jeff started, he was an inexperienced 22-year old.  Now he’s an accomplished golf teacher, player, and assistant pro.  Jeff will also be leaving the Village later this year; he’ll be an asset to any facility he works at in the future and I wish him the best of luck.  As tough as it is to leave, I know that things are in good hands.  Tom has been my right-hand for nearly eight years, and he will take over the management responsibilities at the shop.  He has extensive knowledge of our customers and our business, and I know he will do an excellent job.  All of these guys are real pros and good people as well; I will miss working and laughing with them.  I’ll also miss working with our more recent fulltime hires and our part-time staff: Walter, Mac, Steve, Len, Sean, Meleana, Gary, Kerwin, and Mike. 

I also want to thank some others who have been instrumental in my success.  Jim Whillock took a chance on me eight years ago when he put me in the management position, and his guidance and support were invaluable.  Roger Wehrsig has been an ideal boss; it has been a real pleasure working for him during his tenure as general manager.  Wini Hooser, our HR director, has always acted with the best interests of our employees in mind, and she’s been a good friend as well.  Bunny Horning’s efforts have allowed us to focus on the fun business of selling golf while she conducts—without protest—the serious business of accounting.  Superintendent Mike Hooser has made my job infinitely easier by keeping the golf course in consistently great shape.  I’ve taken a lot of the complements over the years that should have gone to Mike, and not many complaints.

Finally, I want to thank our customers and homeowners for your continuous support.  I’ve gotten to know many of you and will miss our interactions at the golf course.  Waikoloa Village Golf Club is a special place.  To be on the beautiful Big Island and have access to an affordable, well-maintained, friendly golf facility like ours is a rare thing.  I hope that the homeowners and Board will continue to see the benefits—which I believe are many—that the golf course brings to the community and will support the maintenance and improvement of the facilities for years to come.  After all, I’ll need a place to play golf when I come back on vacation!     

Mahalo,

Matt Leininger, PGA