The Club Management Association of Europe (CMAE) is delighted to announce that John Herity CCM, Club Operations Manager at The Caledonian Club in London, has successfully achieved the prestigious Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation.
The CCM is the highest level of professional recognition in club management, awarded to individuals who have successfully completed the CMAE’s BMI pathway, demonstrating excellence across leadership, governance, finance, operations and member experience.
John joins a growing network of Certified Club Managers across Europe, the Middle East and internationally, recognised for their commitment to professional development and excellence in club leadership.
Having dedicated more than a decade to the club industry and spending the last ten years at The Caledonian Club, John’s achievement reflects years of learning, professional growth and commitment to continuous improvement.
CMAE Chief Executive Officer Torbjörn Johansson congratulated John on his accomplishment.
“John’s CCM achievement is a wonderful example of the commitment, resilience and passion that define our profession. What makes John’s journey particularly inspiring is the breadth of experience he brought into the club industry and the determination he has shown throughout the educational pathway. The CCM is not simply an examination; it represents years of learning, networking, personal development and dedication to excellence. John has embraced every aspect of that journey and should be extremely proud of joining the ranks of Certified Club Managers worldwide.”
Throughout his CCM journey, John has become a passionate advocate for professional development within the club industry, citing the relationships, learning opportunities and industry network created through the CMAE pathway as some of its greatest strengths.
His achievement also adds to the growing number of CCMs within The Caledonian Club’s management team, working alongside Club Secretary David Balden CCM, further demonstrating the club’s commitment to professional excellence and continuing education.
John Herity CCM – Q&A
Congratulations John – You are now a CCM. What is your feeling after getting the phone call saying “You have passed” after sitting the exam for 8 hours?
Thank you for all the help and support from the CMAE and the guys from the CMAA to help me achieve this prestigious qualification. To hear that I passed, was a mixture of emotions, from relief to a sense of pride and achievement. This has been a long time in the making.
You have been 10 years in the Club Industry, all at the Caledonian Club – your journey is a bit different to many others in the industry. Please share your journey before you arrived and how you came into the industry:
I studied Hotel & Catering Management in Glasgow, before moving to London to work as a Trainee Manager in the Caledonian Club in 1991 (yes I’m old). I left in 1994 and spent 26 years in contract and in house catering companies, working in blue chip corporations and private banks, with various roles from Butler in PWC, Restaurant vending and Manager, Hospitality Manager in Barclays Bank and ended as Deputy General Manager for an American bank in Canary Wharf, as well as occasionally returning to the world of being a private Butler.
10 Years at the Caledonian Club – tell us about your club and what is special about it!
The Caledonian Club is very special to me, I left my family in Glasgow for the opportunity to come to London and when I was asked to return at the end of 2016, it wasn’t an opportunity I wanted to miss. We are like a family (sometimes dysfunctional) but a family none the less – we aren’t a big Club but we are a strong unit that helps each other out and I work with friends that I have known for over 30 years.
Your boss is a CCM, did you feel the pressure to also go for it – or has that more inspired you?
No, no pressure at all from David but an internal pressure to do well for myself and pay back the faith that the Club had invested in me, both monetary and timewise.
You have been on the CCM Pathway for a few years now, what are some of your best memories from it?
I like the excitement of the unknown – that each MDP brought – who was I going to meet, what were the other participants like – would I feel out of place, being from a City club? Those thoughts were quickly dispelled when I met the most amazing people – who like myself were a like rabbits in the headlights at what was ahead for the week.
Montreux for the F&B MDP was fantastic, we had a great mix of characters and not wanting to be outdone, I jumped into Lake Geneva a couple of times with the youngsters – as well as sampling a few cocktails at Glion – memories, I will treasure.
With regards to your career and now also being a CCM – what would you recommend young people thinking about career development?
Yes, unequivocally – the knowledge you gain, the connections that you meet and the comradery and willingness of others to help you when you ask a question – it is just like another family or tribe, as it is.
Seeing your peers at the start of their journey, through the years as their confidence and knowledge grows, so does their job roles – when more and more Clubs are being managed by professionals the CMAE pathway is the best way to progress your career – as it is building and becomes more powerful and known about – it is the best way forward for a career in the Club industry.
Any final comments:
Huge thanks to David Balden, the staff and members of the Caledonian Club for helping me through my journey, as well as everyone at the CMAE and presenters who have contributed. Obviously, my wife and son for supporting each other, taking the pressure off of me, when I’m not at home.
