Page 21 - SD Woman Glace Ziperovich Issue

with getting the Club going for the next in so well in her current position. When
34 years. Cyndi’s father sold the club to LA Fit-
The epitome of the word “Suc- ness it was time for her to venture into a
cessful,” Ted Vallas is known as one of new career. She went the retail route and
Southern California’s most successful worked for a fine jewelry store in South
entrepreneurs. He started his career in Coast Plaza, and then for Louis Vuitton.
the U.S. Navy during World War II. In Photo by Dawn Nicoli/ Nicoli Productions In this position, Cyndi did a lot of travel
just four years he attained the rank of both for the job and commuting to the
Chief Petty Officer at the age of just 23, job. Cyndi was raising her son on her
the youngest to hold that rank during own and at the time she lived in Fall-
the war. Ted went on to college after the brook. Her two-hour each way commute
war where he mastered all his athletic to South Coast Plaza with her young
endeavors. An accomplished athlete, he son, Dane, was a nightmare, so when
went out for, football, basketball, and she came upon the ad for the position at
baseball, coming close to a career in El Camino Country Club as the Mem-
Major League Baseball. After college Ted bership Director, she knew it would be
turned his attention to Business. He had Cyndi Melfi, Membership Director of El the best move for both her and her son.
become a fan of Golf while in the Navy. Camino Country Club.
He would go on to develop many golf
resorts throughout Southern California, El Camino Country Club has grown
as well as England, France, Portugal, over the years, and I had the pleasure of
Holland, and Morocco. It wasn’t the only sitting down with Cyndi Melfi, Mem-
club that’s creation can be credited to bership Director of El Camino Country
Ted. He was also responsible for Whis- Club. As a relatively new member of the
pering Palms Golf Resort and Olympic club, I was thrilled to have the opportu-
Hotel Resort and Spa. The Club had 80 nity to hear more about the club from a
memberships when he purchased it and long-time employee.
he would continue to help it grow to his Cyndi was born in New Jersey but
vision. ended up on the West Coast before she
After obtaining the club and nine- even turned one. Her father worked
hole golf course, Ted set out on the in the computer industry and so they
project of adding an additional 9 holes to moved a lot. Cyndi ended up attending
create the regulation 18-hole golf course. 13 schools before she started high school.
He also doubled the size of the club- Most of her time was spent in California
house, planted over 1,000 trees around with the majority in Menlo Park and
the course, and revamped the original Newport Beach.
nine holes. He added to the tennis courts, “I think moving around a lot helped
completed the swimming pool, and ex- to prepare me for this job. I was always
panded and paved the parking facilities. meeting new people and got pretty good
When completed El Camino Country at it with all the changing of schools from
Club was the finest country club in North the time I was little. You learn how to
County, actually it was the only country make quick friends because you don’t
club in North County. Ted just passed know how long you will be there until
away last year at the age of 99 and eight you have to pick up and leave again” I
months but left a legacy for many genera- must say that Cyndi is one of the nicest
tions to enjoy. and friendliest women I have ever met.
Following Ted’s time with the club When she finished school, her dad
it was Cobblestone Golf who owned the decided he wanted to change careers and
club for a few years and then American he opened a Racquetball Club. Cyndi
Golf Company took over. American Golf and two of her three sisters worked at
Company owned the club from the mid- the club. “I was there for 14 years, and I
80’s until December 2019. In December ended up taking it over and running it
2019, El Camino was sold to an indi- when he retired.” Cyndi loved working
vidual and American Golf remained as at the club and was very familiar with
the management company for a 5-year club business and she loved it. So, it was
renewable term. not that hard to understand how she fits

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