President's Annual Report 2023

Happy New Year, La Cumbre Members!


It has been a quick start to the New Year, and I am honored to have been appointed President of La Cumbre Country Club. I feel a great responsibility to lead effectively and thank you all for your support!


First Impressions:


We are very fortunate to have such a beautiful setting to live and play in. It truly brings me, and I know many of you, joy daily. With real optimism, I look out and see many incremental opportunities for operational improvement. We are already taking steps that will immediately enhance our member's experience, our employees' satisfaction, and personal growth. I know our existing team of leaders are thoughtfully working and moving us in a positive direction.


Disciplined Financial Processes:


Our board committee leaders, members, and professional staff are in a solid place to execute everything in front of us. Whether it is general operations, clubhouse and facilities renovations, or golf course capital maintenance, we have skilled participants managing thoughtfully.


In addition, we have moved our banking affiliation and are enjoying the new relationship with American Riviera Bank. Effective January 1, 2023, A.R.B. assists us with better terms and conditions and the appropriate safeguards for our accounts and banking processes.


Quick Update: Around the Club


Membership:


December 2022 membership sales beat December 2021! Since the assessment, there continues to be strong demand, and in fact, the final quarter of 2022 was the second best on record, with five equity memberships, four non-resident, seven social clubhouse, and one social tennis sold, only beaten by the extraordinary quarter and year that was 2021. We ended strong, with December being our best month on record, with three equity memberships, one non-resident, and one social membership transacted. Welcome to our new members!


Member Survey:


Our recent member survey was completed by approximately 300 of our members. The general perspective of our members who participated in the survey was that we have a lovely club with meaningful room for improvement in a few areas. High marks were provided for our professional staff in fitness and tennis, Wayne Mills and his team, and the quality of our golf course. Areas for potential improvement leaned toward our physical facilities, our tennis courts, golf practice facilities, clubhouse, and targeted areas of food & beverage and service delivery. Action steps are currently being implemented to enhance all areas of our Club.


Search for our New General Manager:


I am very thankful that Mike Nicolais has agreed to lead the search committee that is currently forming and will hire our new General Manager. Mike will work diligently with the selection committee, then broaden the engagement to include many members and employees.


Upcoming projects:


Patio Bar & Grill:


Plans for the Patio Bar & Grill addition are currently underway and will add about 200 SF to the kitchen space and enclose the new pizza prep and oven area. This new space will allow increased food preparation and pizza output going forward, which has been popular since the pandemic's start. We are also exploring plans to increase the size of the bar to accommodate more members comfortably. The County and Hope Ranch Design Council have approved this project, and we are now waiting for our building permit from Building & Safety. We expect this to be issued in April or early May. The result will be a more functional space that will better cater to the needs of our members, particularly once the clubhouse remodel begins.


Clubhouse:


The clubhouse remodel is currently being designed by Anacapa Architecture in conjunction with our Renovation Committee. Their conceptual designs for the spaces included in the "deferred maintenance" scope are underway and will be ready for review by the membership in the coming months. We expect to submit for our County permit in June of this year, allowing construction to begin in the summer of 2024. The proposed modifications will open the clubhouse to more light, increase ceiling heights, resolve current maintenance issues, and provide refreshed finishes and design that will make the Club a desirable place for decades to come.


Golf Course:


Our golf course architect Todd Eckenrode and his firm are working on preliminary scope and plans. Todd, Wayne Mills, and our Green Committee will partner with membership as the work product is being developed. As usual, Wayne and his team will continue to maintain and enhance our property as the months go along.


Tennis Courts:


Before our capital campaign was passed, our general manager presented a modest renovation short-term plan, which touched on the immediate needs of court #3, but did not consider our courts' long-term weaknesses. Consistent with our capital plan, we are now in the process of exploring a more long-lasting solution to the issues of our tennis facility. This process is in concert with Matt Berry, our Renovation Committee, and the Tynan Group. We hope to share more with all of you shortly.


Moving forward:


Board of Directors, Committee Members, Bryan Bahman, and Others:


We are very fortunate to have the active involvement of many talented members and staff and the generous support of Bryan Bahman, our past general manager, who is actively assisting in our Club's leadership. Bryan will be providing his judgment and support on a variable, part-time as needed basis. Please reach out to Bryan and say hello.


Board of Directors:


We have an outstanding new and experienced roster of board members: John Blair – Green Committee; Alan Harden – Finance Committee; Chris Portney – Pool Tennis and Fitness. In addition, returning to our board is Henning Thorsen - V.P. and Golf Committee; Annetta Patrick - Secretary and House Committee, Jim Buttimer - Membership Committee, Rod Brown - Special Projects; Ron Busch - Renovation Committee; Steven Pinsker – Board Advisor. 


Special thanks to our Past President, Russ Werner - Long Range Planning, for his leadership, friendship, and support. Russ has set us up for success!


Again, thank you for the opportunity to serve. 



We wish you all the very best in the New Year!


-Greg Moss

2023 La Cumbre Country Club President

News from the Club President 5/12/25

By La Cumbre CC • May 12, 2025
Dear Members, Thank you to all who attended the recent Town Hall and Golf Course Project update meetings. Your participation and thoughtful engagement are essential as the board, management, and our committees strive to better understand how we plan for the future of La Cumbre. Over the next 45 days, the Board, Club Management, and the Finance Committee will be developing financial models that reflect the full scope of our campus-wide capital needs. These models will help inform project timing, prioritization, and funding strategies—including potential borrowing. As a reminder, any borrowing the Board recommends which exceeds $500,000 will require a member vote. In late June, the Board will hold a two-day planning retreat to review these options and map out a clear, disciplined path forward. We are committed to keeping members informed and equipped to make thoughtful decisions. We anticipate holding additional member forums to provide the needed context on these matters later this summer. If you were unable to attend the Town Hall, a recording is available HERE . We also encourage members to explore the Governance section of the member website, where you’ll find meeting minutes from all Board and committee meetings. Click the image below or HERE to view our Q1 2025 Update. Please continue to reach out with your questions, comments, and ideas. We deeply value your feedback as we work together to steward the long-term health and vitality of the Club. Warm regards, Tracy Jenkins President, Board of Directors La Cumbre Country Club

News from the Club President 4/16/25

By La Cumbre CC • April 16, 2025
Dear Members, As we prepare for the upcoming Town Hall on Thursday, April 24th, at 4:30 PM, I want to take a moment to reaffirm our Board’s commitment to transparency, thoughtful stewardship, and open dialogue. This will be the first Town Hall at La Cumbre focused specifically on sharing financial results, membership survey feedback, and our strategic direction, and I’m proud that it reflects one of the core values I’ve emphasized during my time as Board President: creating a more transparent and inclusive relationship between the Board and the membership. We’ve already received requests from members who wish to review information in advance of the Town Hall. I want to share how we’re approaching that: The 2024 Membership Satisfaction Survey results and summary were shared in our weekly email. If you missed the update, please view these HERE on the member side of our website under "Latest Updates." Additional materials—including the 2024 financials, capital account details, and the 2025 Board-approved budgets—are in final preparation. The Board will meet on Tuesday, April 22nd, to review and provide input on these items. Please recognize that what we present will not be audited and final. ​​​​​​ Once the Board completes its review of the materials and they are updated, we will promptly distribute the full set of materials to the membership to allow ample time for review ahead of the Town Hall. We are looking forward to your feedback and questions and request that once you've had a chance to review the materials, please feel free to click HERE and submit any questions you may have to Ali, Adam, or me. We will collect them until 2 p.m. on Thursday the 24th. We will also be taking questions at the Town Hall in a written format, so feel free to have one prepared so that it can be collected, read, and answered during the meeting. In addition, I’m pleased to announce that the Board has appointed Sven Klein to fill the one-year Board vacancy. Sven will serve as Treasurer for the remainder of the 2025 term. Sven Klein is an experienced entrepreneur who has founded and led several companies throughout his career. Most recently, he was the founding CEO of Lull Ventures, LLC, a direct-to-consumer mattress and bedding company headquartered here in Santa Barbara. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board. Originally from Freiburg, Germany, Sven moved to Santa Barbara in 1985. He is a proud graduate of La Colina Junior High, San Marcos High School, and the University of California, Santa Barbara (’94). He met his wife, Jennifer, at La Colina, and together, they have two children: Avery, currently attending Cal Poly, and Alden, who will graduate from San Marcos this June. The Klein family has been part of the La Cumbre Country Club community since 2003, holding Associate, Social Tennis, and Equity memberships. We are thrilled to welcome Sven to the Board and look forward to the expertise, professionalism, and commitment he brings to this leadership role. We know that informed members are engaged members, and we look forward to a productive, honest, and future-focused discussion on the 24th. Thank you for being such thoughtful stewards of this exceptional club. Tracy Jenkins President, Board of Directors La Cumbre Country Club

Member Survey Results​ 2024 Survey/Circulated March 2025

By La Cumbre CC • April 14, 2025
Dear Members, We would like to thank everyone who participated in the 2024 Member Satisfaction Survey. With 633 responses—representing 44% of our 1,431 members (830 primary plus spouses)—your feedback provides us with critical insights into what’s working well and where we can do better. The Good News : Several amenities are seeing improved satisfaction. The pool complex continues to shine, with strong scores in cleanliness, lifeguard service, and restroom upkeep—all performing above the industry average. Likewise, the fitness center remains one of our most used and appreciated facilities, with improvements in group class offerings, professional staff, and overall cleanliness. Tennis also showed notable year-over-year improvements. Court conditions, programming, and staff performance are now ranked among our strongest areas. These gains reflect both the hard work of our team and the investments made in these areas over the past year. Food & Beverage received mixed but directionally positive feedback. Members noted improvements in the quality and variety of offerings but also expressed concerns about service consistency, ambiance, limited hours, and the availability of healthier menu options. We recognize the importance of dining to the overall member experience and are actively addressing these areas. We are sensitive to the financial implications of a broad dining offering and are constantly balancing service hours, quality, and conditions. Golf Operations and Course Conditions remained stable, with strong marks for the professionalism of the Golf Shop team and the quality of service at bag drop and check-in. However, feedback on course conditions was more divided. While many noted ongoing improvements and praised maintenance during high play periods, others cited concerns with bunker quality, green speeds, and cart path conditions. At the same time, the survey highlighted important challenges. This was the first year we asked for feedback on Pickleball, and the results were clear: the program received the lowest satisfaction scores across all amenities. We recognize this is a growing area of interest for many members. However, due to limitations in our physical plant, sound restrictions, and other constraints, it may remain a difficult area to address fully in the near term.  The most sobering results came in the categories of Club Governance and Financial Oversight . The strongest dissatisfaction came in areas of financial transparency, operational communication, and overall responsiveness. These concerns are taken seriously and reflect a core tension many of you noted in your comments: the challenge of investing in the Club’s future while managing rising costs.
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