Page 6 - GBC summer 2015

Message From The Publisher • Jeff Calderwood
The First Tee
I have had the good fortune to meet a lot of successful business people in my career and I am always fascinated to learn how they achieved their success.
Some are more impressive than others once their full story is told. I have a great picture in my office of the day I met a famous and very successful American businessman, whom I probably should not name here. To my disappointment, he explained that when he was starting out, his father provided a couple of million dollars “just to get him going in real estate.” I had hoped to hear about his early days consisting of hard work, pinched pennies and a mentor or two, but that was not the case.
SELF-MADE SUCCESS
Iggy Kaneff, on the other hand, is a shining example of the self-made success story that I prefer learning about. As you will read in our cover story, his path to successful real estate and golf course ownership took him from humble beginnings to the top in his field the old- fashioned way; he earned it step by step. In our interview, he shares the business acumen and work ethic that have driven his tremendous success.
You will see that Mr. Kaneff is a true entrepreneur, through and through. Despite his success and wealth, he still comes to the office every day and is engaged in all aspects of his businesses. At age 89, he is highly motivated to be building another golf course, bringing the total to seven. He is truly driven by that entrepreneurial spirit to accomplish great things.
Mr. Kaneff continues to place a high premium on customer service, the critical value of a dedicated staff team, the importance of philanthropy, and an appreciation for this great country that has supported his success. He also makes time to play golf every day, perhaps another good lesson for the rest of us in the golf business!
Lionhead Golf Club & Conference Centre is the flagship golf property within the Kaneff Group of Companies, and a must-play for any golfer. Having recently completed a major clubhouse renovation, I am sure the facility will impress us when it plays host to a “Day at the Course” during our upcoming Golf Business Canada Conference & Trade Show, November 18-20, in Toronto. The day will include educational sessions, interactive demos, trade show, lunch and some fun activities for all delegates. So mark your calendar and watch for details of the entire Conference, soon to follow.
Among the other great articles in this issue, you will also enjoy our Parting Shot by Mike Weir, on dealing with the ups and downs of his experience on the PGA Tour. As business owners and operators, you can certainly relate to how dealing with challenges is one of the critical fundamental principles to success.
With your golf season now in full swing, the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada and our Golf Business Canada team wish you all the best for a very successful 2015!
Jeff Calderwood, CEO NGCOA Canada jcalderwood@ngcoa.ca
6 Golf Business Canada