To become a Certified Club Manager (CCM), academic training is provided through a variety of post-secondary education programs, accredited workshops and professional development programs such as Club Management Institute (CMI) and Business Management Institute (BMI) courses, national and branch professional development activities, and national conferences.

The Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation was launched by the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) in 1965. CMAC adopted the program in 2000 and launched it a few years later. Now recognized internationally, the CCM is a professional certification that acknowledges the unique skills and special knowledge required of today's club manager. CMAC is recognized by CMAA as a "Tier One Partner" within the global certification community. As such, it is committed to complying with the standards for education and the requirements for achieving the designation set by CMAA within the Canadian context. You can view the Certification Brochure.


The Management to Leadership Model for Club Management

Management to Leadership, a model for club management adopted by the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) in 2004 and supported by CMAC, is based upon the theory that general managers/COOs are responsible for three major areas: Operations, Assets/Investments and Club Culture. This construct more accurately expresses today's general manager/COO as the professional responsible for the multiple facets of club operations, as well as managing the club's assets/investments and culture. It is a continuum of constant building and honing of skills and competencies.

The foundation of the model is the successful management of club operations. The components of this foundation are already defined as the 11 core competencies of a General Manager/COO:

  • Leadership
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Club Governance
  • Accounting, Finance, and Data Analytics
  • External Governmental Influences
  • Human and Professional Resources
  • Membership and Marketing
  • Food and Beverage
  • Golf, Sports, Recreation, and Wellness
  • Facilities Management
  • Information Technology

The second tier of the model is mastering the skills of Asset/Investment Management. Today's general manager/COO must be able to manage the physical property, the financial well-being and the human resources of the club. These facets of the manager's responsibility are equally as important as managing the operations of the club.

The third and final tier of the new model is the preserving and fostering the culture of the club. The culture of the club can be defined as the club's traditions, history and vision. Many managers intrinsically perform this function; however, it is an often overlooked and underdeveloped quality.


Certification Maintenance

All CCM designations will be valid for a period of five years. With the exception of Community and Honourary members, CCMs are required to earn at least 120 credits, at least 60 of which must be education credits, during the five year period following their certification (or most recent recertification) to maintain their CCM designation. 


Special Offer from CMAA for CCM Graduates

CMAC members who have achieved the CCM and are required to meet the maintenance requirement every five years are offered a complimentary education program registration for a CMAA Conference once within each five year period. This offer is in addition to a similar offer for those completing a BMI course.

CMAC provides and updates the list of Canadian CCM grads to CMAA to track. CMAA will issue a special link to CMAC in advance of each conference and CMAC will send it out to the members for them to register.