Meet the Candidates Tonight: RGC Commission Election

At 6:00pm tonight, Wednesday August 28, 2013, at Whitby Castle, Rye Golf Club members can attend a Meet the Candidates Forum for this year’s RGC Commission Election.

The candidates are listed here. Who do you support? Leave a comment below.

Akhil Kumar

I have been a resident of the city of Rye since 2004 and a member of Rye Golf Club since 2009.

Growing up in India, I was fortunate enough to start playing at the age of 10 and have been hooked on golf since. I have competed at all levels including playing Division III college golf at Manhattanville College.

Currently I am a partner at Arch Global Advisors a successful financial advisory practice in New York City.

I would like very much to serve on the board of Rye Golf club and bring a younger more energetic face to the board and hopefully add some new, creative ideas that we are all looking for to improve our club.
My wife, Kristin who is a teacher at the Rye Presbyterian Nursery School and I enjoy living in Rye and are looking forward to getting more involved in the community.

Angela Sposato

Hi, my name is Angela Sposato; I had the great pleasure of joining the RGC commission in January 2013. Over the last 7 months I have been able to participate in bringing new ideas to the club, engaging the membership and assisted in making changes that have enhanced the member experience and club.
I have been a member at Rye Golf Club for over 30 years. I am the first ever non-resident commission member, I chair the tournament committee and manage the ladies association. I spent all my summers at the pool and grew up with members that I play golf with today.

I have enjoyed my time on the commission and would like the opportunity to continue this journey to bring new ideas and changes to the club that will drive membership enrollment, ensure members are engaged and to be the voice of the members.

I am a Human Resources professional with a solid background in human resources and business operations. I feel with my personal and professional experience will continue to bring diversity and a different perspective the commission.

Barry McGowan

I believe the Rye Golf Club is a fantastic club that offers members great facilities in a wonderful setting. But I also believe that it can be managed a bit better, particularly with regard to promoting membership in the club, as well as events.

RGC has a natural base of members from the local area as well as a draw all the way to the Hudson Valley. Foreign expats as well as people relocating to the area from other parts of the country are particularly attracted to the club, which I feel gives it an interesting membership.

I have been a member of private clubs both in Rye and abroad and every year travel to other countries to play golf at different clubs. I think this gives me some perspective on what might be possible at RGC.
My background includes recently serving 3 years on the Board of Directors of the Munich International School, a prestigious non-profit K-12 school in Germany. There I was the Board Member responsible for overseeing the planning and launch of the campus re-development, currently underway

My profession is real estate investment, which I do primarily on behalf of international pensions and insurance companies. As a result I also have experience with managing and negotiating all forms of contracts, leases and operating agreements, as well as audits. My educational background includes an MBA (Harvard ’91) and a BA (Brown ’84).

I love Rye Golf Club and believe I can bring a number of relevant skills and experiences to the table, as Member of the Board.

Bob DiMaggio

I have been a member at Rye Golf for over 30 years. I have lived and owned a business in Rye for over 20 years. I truly appreciate this facility for what it offers to the community.

I have been active in attending both the Commission meetings and City Council meetings, particularly over the past year. Presently I serve on the Greens Committee.

If elected, I will do my best to represent the membership and strive to make the club a well run, member-friendly facility. In addition, I would like to see that those employed at the Club, regardless of their position, have only the best intentions for the members and the facility.
Finally, I invite all golf and pool members to future Commission and Council meetings to allow your voice to be heard!

James Morgan

I am a resident of White Plains and have been an Individual Weekday Member of Rye Golf Club for 5 years.

Currently semi-retired (still manage several investment properties), I had a lengthy career in public education, starting out as a teacher and then working 29 years as a supervisor/administrator in school districts in New York and Connecticut. While living in Danbury, CT, I began playing golf at Richter Park, one of the best municipal courses in the country. When my wife and I moved to Pleasantville Country Club in 1995, I served on the Homeowners Association Board of Directors, chairing the Golf Committee. I was responsible for hiring the club pro, developing and monitoring the golf course budget, initiating improvements to the course, promoting club growth and managing new member recruitment, and scheduling tournaments and events. I was also Club Champion on three occasions.

My goal as a Board Member would be to continue to improve the overall golf experience for members of Rye Golf Club.

John Duffy

I've been a member for 17 years. I've been the chair of the Commission since November 2012. After confronting our former manager in June of 2012 about his conflict of interest. I've been fighting for transparency and proper oversight. We have made progress in many areas, but some fundamental structural changes need to be implemented. I wish to finish the job and appreciate your support.

Leon Sculti

If you want somebody to fight for you and this club, to pushback and not accept 'no' for an answer from dishonest, arrogant or incompetent employees or city council members, I've got your back.

If you want someone to find out how much money was stolen from us and to fight for reimbursement from the city, allow me.

If you'd like someone to make sure that members of this club are never again treated with the type of disrespect that led to the largest theft of funds by a city employee in the history of Rye, I'd be happy to.

If you feel City Hall is an immovable object–or that a long, hard, battle to free RGC from a destructive government apparatus isn't a worthy cause, I'm not your guy.

If you believe in yourself, and you believe that together we can do great things, by all means, vote for Leon.

Mack Cunningham

Rye Golf Finance Committee 2013-

• Led the 2013 RGC's bond refinancing reducing Club's interest expenses approximately $85,000 through 2018.
• Initiated the idea to leverage Westchester County's pool chlorine contract reducing 2013 Club’s chlorine expenses approximately $10,000.
• Reduced the Club's credit card transaction expenses negotiating lower terms with vendor.

Statement:
Overall current Club Pool Operations replacing outside lifeguard contractor with local labor. Invest limited Club capital dollars in upgrading pool amenities.

Commission should move forward with Whitby Castle’s banquet and food proposals still permitting Member and public access.

Reduce Club operating expenses rather than historically increasing revenue by raising membership dues.

Rye Community Resume:
Rye YMCA Board of Trustees 1985-1997
Rye Recreation Commission 1998- 2003
Rye City Council 2006-2009
Rye Youth Lacrosse Board 2007-2010
RGC Commission Candidate