Magazine May/Jun 2018

FROM THE General Manager

Dear Members,

Vision: To create a vibrant community with a distinct American culture; a place families can proudly call their home away from home. Ultimately, The Club exists for the Members. They are the “owners” and through the committees, shape and control the facilities and operations. I encourage anyone who is interested in seeing continuing improvement to get involved in a committee that matches your particular interest. While the number of participants on a committee may be limited in order to make them easier to manage, there is generally a degree of turnover that will allow those who want to be engaged an opportunity to participate in the future if not immediately. You can find a full list of the committees, subcommittees, ad hoc committees, and working groups on the TAC website under the “Volunteers” tab. Areas of interest range from the more general committees of Social & Dining to Youth & Family and Sports & Recreation, but also include the more specific subcommittees and working groups on sustainability, investment and swimming. While The Club is in the midst of a major renovation at the moment, it won’t be too long until we will be celebrating the “re-opening” of the clubhouse as well as TAC’s 70th anniversary. As we look forward to the end of this current chapter, it is important to remember that we will continue to change and evolve as new Members join, demographics shift, and Singapore looks to the future. In order to remain successful and relevant, nurturing a great operating team will certainly be one of The Club’s cornerstones. Another will be the interest and participation of our Members to meet new challenges as they occur. In closing, I’d like to thank everyone who has made TAC what it is, specifically the stalwart employees and member volunteers. Without them The Club would not be what it is today.

With the ongoing renovation works, it seems like every day presents a different club. Along with the challenges of keeping the existing operations on track, there is demolition to contend with as well as new spaces to be opened. For the staff and managers, a good number of whom have been with The Club for many years, it has taken some adjustment to get used to a workplace that is drastically changed from what they have known and loved. At this point in time much of The Club is occupying temporary locations and that is not only true for Members but for employees as well. For example, I am writing this message at my desk, which is adjacent to what will be lot 18 once we are able to open fully the B2 car park again, while listening to the “music” from the demolition of the area that, in the near future, will be the brand new gym. In my short tenure, I have been most impressed with the flexibility, patience, willingness, and adaptation of the staff and managers. They have worked hard to provide as much service as possible as the walls shift around them, trying to keep things running smoothly to the best of their abilities while The Club is literally being torn down and rebuilt. It is certainly not an easy environment. In a country where the unemployment rate is generally stuck at 2% and finding a new employer is as easy as answering an online notice or simply walking down Orchard Road and asking at practically any one of the myriad businesses there, it is a testament to the team’s dedication that The Club’s turnover has remained in the single digits. Another group that has amazed me is those Members who have dedicated their time on a strictly volunteer basis to participate in the committees responsible for governance and to provide direction for the design and operation of The Club during and after renovation. These hardworking folks have interacted with consultants and contractors to try and shape a club that caters to a broad range of needs, striving to meet The Club’s mission and fulfill its vision: Mission: We are in the happiness business, stirving to enrich the lives of our Members, staff, guests and partners through fun, food, fitness and family, delivered with pride.

All the best, Devin Otto Kimble

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MAY / JUN 2018 THE AMERICAN CLUB