Whitney Reid Pennell is the founder and president of the award-winning RCS Hospitality Group. She is a published author and widely praised seminar leader, with over 30 years of club operations management and consulting experience. Lucrative and innovative marketing concepts coupled with comprehensive alignment strategies and training programs are Ms. Pennell's trademark. She has extensive hands-on experience managing multi-million dollar renovations and clubhouse remodeling projects, along with successful new club openings, and is also highly skilled in special event management, successfully crafting and executing events ranging from private banquets to national PGA and LPGA tournaments.
Whitney is nationally known for expertly facilitating management and staff workshops, and is internationally recognized as an expert in club management. She has been invited to speak to managers around the world sharing new ideas and concepts and her love of club traditions. She has been an invited speaker at the World Conference on Club Management, the Club Managers Association of Europe, the Assistant Club Managers Conference, the Golf Inc. Conference, and at the Business Management Institute International, hosted by St. Andrews in Scotland.
She has also been an invited speaker/educator for numerous CMAA chapters throughout the country presenting varying programs in club management and leadership. Whitney received a B.S. degree from New Mexico State University with a Major in Resort/Hotel Operations and a Minor in Business Management.
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Chef Mary Howley is a former Executive Chef of her own catering company, several privately owned country clubs, and fine dining restaurants. She has studied throughout Europe and honed her skills working with a myriad of culinary styles and foods.
At RCS, she is the resident culinary consultant providing guidance on menu engineering, overall food & beverage management, back of house operations, and training. She had the honor to serve as research and development chef for Food Unlimited, and held the position of Pastry Chef in two James Beard Dinner Events.
Mary has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Maryland Institute, is a Certified Professional Food Service Manager, a certified TIPS trainer, and a member of the Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Association. Mary is passionate about cross-utilization, seasonality, sustainability, and the precious connection between people and food.
Nancy is a dedicated hospitality professional with a Master’s in Business Administration, specializing in Hospitality Management. With over 14 years of robust experience in the industry, she has cultivated a deep understanding of the dynamics of hospitality, from the kitchen to front-of-house operations.
Her career began as a trained pastry chef, where she developed a passion for culinary arts and the nuances of flavor and presentation. This foundational experience ignited her journey into restaurant management, where she successfully led teams, streamlined operations, and enhanced guest satisfaction. Her expertise extends to club management, where she honed her skills in membership services and communications, ensuring a personalized and memorable experience for each member. Her strong communication skills enable her to connect with diverse stakeholders, from team members to guests, fostering a collaborative environment that prioritizes service excellence. In addition to her management roles, she is passionate about training and mentorship.
Nancy believes in empowering every team with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive, creating a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Her personable nature allows her to build strong relationships, ensuring a supportive and motivating workplace.
Chris Sarten is an experienced food and beverage leader with over 25 years of experience. His career began bussing tables as a teenager. His private club journey began at the age of 21 in Las Vegas, NV where he would work his way through the ranks and begin his first position as Food & Beverage Director.
Chris has spent much of his career at the Food and Beverage Director level. Working at prestigious private clubs, Chris developed a record of improving operations to increase revenues, improve overall financial success and elevate the member experience. Chris has overseen club renovations, openings and has worked at the regional level to assist other properties to achieve operational goals. Chris’ experience at both for profit and equity clubs has allowed him to manage the member experience through multiple lenses.
Through training, mentorship and system implementation, Chris believes that each team and individual can have the opportunity to deliver the high level of service their memberships expect.
Christy Benitez is a recognized leader in the fields of hospitality, coaching, and teambuilding. With a proven track record in leadership development, talent optimization, and operational excellence, Christy brings a wealth of expertise to RCS Hospitality Group.
Christy is a dynamic leadership coach and true people enthusiast. She leverages her hands-on experience to harmonize business priorities with organizational strategies.
In her previous role as Director of Talent, Development, and Culture at a private club, Christy excelled in aligning business objectives with talent strategy. She not only developed service standards but also spearheaded and facilitated training programs, fostering a culture of growth. During challenging times, Christy's leadership played a pivotal part in creating new roles and supporting internal promotions, all while maintaining high employee engagement and retention rates.
Christy is a certified practitioner with The Working Genius and is dedicated to helping individuals and organizations realize their true potential, enhancing organizational efficiency, and maximizing production and engagement.
With over two decades of comprehensive experience across multiple facets of the hospitality industry, MacKenzie brings a proven track record of leadership and innovation. Her expertise spans food and beverage operations, general club management, financial analysis, and optimizing systems and processes through technology.
As a Certified Club Manager (CCM), MacKenzie’s skill set includes procurement, event management, capital project oversight, and strategic planning. Throughout her career, MacKenzie has excelled in fostering cross-functional collaboration and uniting diverse teams to achieve shared goals. Her leadership is defined by a balance of strategic vision and hands-on operational excellence, cultivating positive cultures rooted in integrity, service, and innovation.
Passionate about mentoring the next generation of hospitality leaders, MacKenzie is committed to upholding industry traditions while embracing technology and innovation to drive the field forward. Known for her ability to create meaningful experiences and lasting memories for children, families, and professionals alike, she thrives on connecting with individuals from all walks of life. She is dedicated to service excellence and continuous improvement for her team, clients, and the broader hospitality community.
A performance-driven thought leader and transformational manager, Paige began her career in private clubs in 2001. Her progressive development has provided extensive and comprehensive training, both in Club operations and in Team leadership. She has fostered her passion for hospitality and leading with a servant’s heart, beginning with food and beverage operations, continuing through to her most recent position as a General Manager, and she continues to seek opportunities to learn and grow every day.
Paige has demonstrated an ability to streamline operations, identify and correct inefficiencies, and deliver strategic direction and initiatives that improve processes, teams, systems, and profitability. She is an influencer, with a skill set to build robust and mutually beneficial business relationships at all levels. Her expertise includes general private club management, resource planning and allocation, capital project management, membership relations and programming, cross-departmental collaboration, goal setting and attainment, procurement, talent acquisition and organizational strategy, operational mapping and analysis, and financial management, including general and cost accounting, budgets, KPIs, and forecasting.
Paige also enjoys developing, mentoring, and leading high-performing teams. She thrives on creating and maintaining a positive and innovative Club culture and enthusiastically supports both teams and membership. Paige has a passion for creating vision, setting a course, and aligning people, resources, and relationships to deliver operational excellence.
Chef Gonzales is a culinary consultant for RCS Hospitality Group.
Since 1982, our human resource firm has been consulting with employers on a national scale. During this time, we have trained thousands of employees on the seriousness of unlawful harassment in the workplace. Our firm has even published a booklet named, ‘Understanding Sexual Harassment, Pocket Guide.’ In 1997, we developed our third-party Employee Hotline to aid us in the endeavor of keeping our clients in compliance and help end harassment in the workplace. This system has proven to be just as effective today as it was when we first launched it, by protecting the employer and providing evidence in any litigated matter. As the world continued to advance in technology, we decided to create and offer our employee and manager training online. So, in 2003 we created EZ-HR Virtual Training. Again, using this tool, we have trained thousands more employees on subjects ranging from, AB1825 Harassment training, to ‘How to be an Effective Supervisor’. We have expanded our virtual training to include other subjects that have come into fruition in the more recent years (i.e. bullying); and also a shorter, more condensed version for employees with no management duties.
