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The Westmounter
“People always ask me what it was like growing up
working here,” Miller says. “I always tell them this, ‘I can’t
imagine working another job at that age that would
have given me more exposure to the world of business
and grown me more as a person. Many of the contacts
I have today–personally and professionally–stem from
when I worked in the back shop at Westmount.”
Meeting with Troy on the Westmount patio on a late
summer afternoon, the Member reflects on lessons
learned from former Head Professional Gus Maue, and
current Head Professional Rob Strahan (who was one
of the assistants at that time) and why he chose to join the company as vice-president and COO. “The owner
the Club with his family a few years ago now. was retiring and his daughter, Charlene Freeman, had
“Mr. Maue taught me a lot personally and purchased the company and was looking for someone
professionally,” Troy explains. “He really did a lot for me. with a solid background in the industry to help her out,”
My parents were not members and I did not grow up in Troy recalls. “I took a big leap, leaving the corporate
a country club environment. Gus was good at teaching world to enter the entrepreneurial world. I don’t regret
TROY MILLER WITH WIFE JESSICA AND KIDS PAYTON AND PENELOPE it for a minute.”
me what to do and what not to do. All the assistant
professionals, including Rob, and Gus’ son Mark, were What Troy also does not regret is joining Westmount,
also great mentors. I do remember Rob always yelling becoming a member, along with his wife Jessica, in
meet troy miller at me to cut my hair!” 2015. Returning to the club as a member nearly three
Troy continued working at Westmount while attending decades after working here is a dream come true for
FROM BACKSHOP TO FAMILY MEMBER BY DAVID MCPHERSON college in the area, helping Terry Hayes in the Curling the married father of two (Payton and Penelope).
Rink. After leaving the Club, Troy’s first full-time job was “Shortly after I had joined Westmount I was at the
with Lou’s Bearings, a local company that designed course and was down at the short game area off
and maintained manufacturing equipment, started by Aberdeen hitting balls and Strahnny was coming into
Troy Miller has stories about his couldn’t get the cart to stop! I cranked it to the left to Westmount Member Louie Dietrich. “I started there in the club,” Troy comments. “Rob saw me, stopped,
time working in Westmount’s avoid nearly running over Mr. Cowan, and all the clubs the warehouse one summer and ended up staying 19 rolled down his window and said, ‘It’s so great to see
went flying out of the cart. Gary looked at his son Todd,
backshop as a teenager best left who was working with me that day and would become years,” Troy says. “In 1999, the company was acquired somebody that worked in the backshop, come back
by Motion Industries, a U.S. firm based in Birmingham,
untold. There is one tale he shares, one of my best friends, and said, ‘Who is this cowboy?!’” Alabama. I took on a senior position with them and years later and join the club.’
however, I’m sure another long- Despite that one mishap, the reality is this: Troy’s spent 1week out of 4 at their Head Office.” “It was so motivating for me as a kid to work here,”
Troy concludes. “Every day I came home from work
time member might remember. Westmount experiences back in the mid 1980s and After a short stint with a competitor, Miller was part and said to my mom and dad, ‘how do these people
into the 1990s—from picking up golf balls on the range of a Merger & Acquisition team that tried to buy I.M.A. come and golf every day? Don’t they have jobs?’ I was
“The first time I met Gary Cowan there was a special part-time to working full-time in the backsho—shaped Ltd.—a family-owned Material Master Data solutions used to my parents who worked 9-5. I would think to
event going on, and I had just picked up a ton of clubs his character, values, and his work ethic today.In the business based in Tillsonburg, ON. The deal never went myself, ‘Someday I want to have a job where I can golf
from 18,” Troy recalls. “It was the first time I had driven backshop, Miller worked with former Westmount assistant through, but through this time Troy formed a great at Westmount when I want to, and today I am fortunate
a golf cart and I was taking all of the bags back to professional Mike Long (who is now the Head Professional working relationship with the owner, Jim Calvert. Flash that I can!’”
the Pro Shop when one of the bags fell on the gas. I at St. Thomas) and current member Duncan McLean. forward another few years, and I.M.A. asked him to join
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