Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1787
72 / the tasting panel / august 2009 A prevailing breeze riffles through the La Puente Canyon in La Habra Heights, a seemingly isolated rural community that straddles Los Angeles to the north and Orange County to the south. Established in 1920, this historic golf club maintains its Golden Era character and Spanish architecture—hence the name Hacienda. Changes are apparent, however, not only the $16 million renovation and modernized championship golf course (Tiger Woods holds the course record with a smooth 62, set at the SCGA Amateur Championship in 1994), but also in Hacien- da's way of doing business. The club's gov- ernance model has been streamlined from an outdated committee-driven operation to a more contemporary, business-savvy model that puts a General Manager/Chief Operating Officer in charge. Given his management history at such noteworthy and exclusive California venues as the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club in Co- rona del Mar and, more recently, The Club at Morningside in Rancho Mirage, Frank Cordeiro's arrival at Hacienda Golf Club seven years ago signaled a novel approach to running a private club. "The Club is a non-profit organization owned by its members," explains Cor- deiro, 39, "with a volunteer board of nine, elected by co-members on an annual basis. The club wasn't reaching its full poten- tial, and it was obvious that the previous committee-driven governance model was dysfunctional." Cordiero notes that mem- bers join a private club to enjoy the facility and its amenities, so Hacienda members were more than ready to hire profes- sional management to take over day-to-day operations, allowing them the freedom to develop long-range plans that would define and shape the club's future. "The board should be comprised of vi- sionaries, but from 50 stories high," Cor- deiro tells THE TASTING PANEL. It's clear that, if not for this fundamental shift, the club would never have realized the comple- tion of the multi-million-dollar renovation of its now state-of-the-art clubhouse and championship golf course. An Efficient Wine List Cordeiro's plan to distinguish Hacienda from other area golf clubs stretched to the wine list. "We deem ourselves the area's club of choice," he notes, "in service, prod- uct and overall quality. And, from a prac- tical standpoint, we know our members recognize and appreciate value." Desiring a wine list that "wows," but also moves product from storage to table tops, Cordeiro consulted with Mario Matavesco from Southern Wine & Spirits. "I worked with Frank to reduce the number of bottles on the list to a functioning book that doesn't let down the connoisseurs," re- marks Matavesco, "while also encompass- ing a core list with well-known names and brands with which members can identify." The efficient new list removes the head- aches of its predecessor, with over $100,000 in inventory that sat motionless in storage. The wine-by-the-glass list was also kicked up a notch. "We are offering higher-end wines across the board," Cordeiro states proudly of his redesigned 80-bottle list. "As operators of 'high-end' establishments, we must not lose sight of fiscal responsibil- ity and the need to provide value to our more discriminating clientele, particularly in today's economic climate." Frank Cordeiro is the GM and COO of Hacienda Golf Club. Leadership Frank Cordeiro has his eye on the ball Streamlined from an outdated committee-driven operation to a more contemporary, business-savvy model, the Hacienda Golf Club puts a General Manager/Chief Operating Officer in charge by Meridith May