Brown Golf Management Biography

John Brown

President of
Brown Golf
Management

John Brown has attained the rank of PGA Master Professional and is a 30 plus year veteran of the golf management industry. He has been associated with numerous facilities in his role as a turnaround specialist for Troon Golf, the largest golf management company in the world. John Brown has twice been awarded the prestigious national “Troon Golf – Most Improved Facility Award” at Moon Valley Country Club for 2007 and St. James Plantation for 2009. The financial performance at St. James Plantation involved an amazing $1.4 million dollar turnaround from 2008 to 2009that resulted in a $677,000net operating profit, followed by a net operating profit of $741,000 in 2010.  John’s management philosophy centers on systematic controls to maximize a club’s profitability potential.

John Brown has received a number of other PGA of America related awards, including the following:

• One of only 347 Certified Master PGA Professionals
• Section Junior Golf Promoter of the Year – Central New York Section
• Multiple Chapter Merchandiser of the Year awards – Maine Chapter
• Finalist for the National Merchandiser of the Year – Entry Sponsored by New England Section
• NCAA Region II Division III Coach of the Year
• Person of the Year – Harrisburg District 1989
• First Tee Chapter PGA Man of the Year – Brunswick 2009

• Pinecrest Golf Club -  Bluffton, SC
• Island West Golf Club – Bluffton, SC
• Churchill Valley CC – Pittsburgh, PA
• Colonial Golf & Tennis Club – Harrisburg, PA
• Mahoning Valley CC- Lehighton, PA

• Dutch Hollow Golf & CC – Auburn, NY
• Mayapple Golf Links – Carlisle, PA
• Magnolia Greens – Leland, NC
• Pinecrest Golf Club – Bluffton, SC
• Island West Golf Club – Bluffton, SC

• Haig Point Golf & CC – Hilton Head, SC
• Moon Valley CC – Scottsdale, AZ
• St. James Plantation – Southport, NC
• Facility Transition & Consulting – 15 clubs during his time with Troon Golf
  
  Positions held prior to 2001:
• General Manager:  Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club – Wolfeboro, NH
• Director of Golf:  Brookside CC – Macungie, PA
• Director of Golf:  The Woodlands Golf Club – Falmouth, ME
• Head Golf Professional:  Carlisle CC – Carlisle, PA
• Head Golf Professional:  Schuylkill CC – Schuylkill, PA

John M. Brown

Vice President
of Brown Golf
Management

John M. Brown has worked in the private club industry for the past 14 years.  Before joining Brown Golf, John spent the majority of his career with Troon Golf the largest golf management company in the United States.  John began and has continued his golf management career in the Northeast section of the country working at golf facilities in NH, DE, & PA.  In his last position with Troon Golf as Sales Director for Colonial Golf & Tennis Club in Harrisburg, PA, John sold more memberships then anyone in Troon Golf for 2010.  In addition to selling over 100 memberships in 2010 John also increased tournament revenue 300% and banquet revenue 100%. 
John joined Brown Golf Management in January of 2011 as Vice President.  John’s responsibilities for all Brown Golf properties include sales, marketing, and revenue generation.  John oversees Brown Golf Management’s West & Central Pennsylvania portfolio and is the on-site General Manager of The clubs at Colonial Ridge (Both Colonial Golf & Tennis Club plus Blue Ridge Country Club) which Brown Golf began managing January 1, 2012 in Harrisburg, PA.

Professional Experience:
 

•   Vice President: Brown Golf Management
• General Manager: Clubs @ Colonial Ridge (Colonial Golf & Tennis Club & Blue Ridge Country Club merged)
• Membership Director:  The Peninsula Golf & CC – Millsboro, DE
• Membership Director:  Concord CC – Chadds Ford, PA
• Golf Group Sales Manager:  St. James Plantation – Southport, NC
• Sales Director:  Colonial Golf & Tennis Club – Harrisburg, PA

Todd Brown

Vice President
of Brown Golf
Management

Todd Brown joined Brown Golf Management at the inception of the company in January of 2011.   Todd’s responsibilities include Senior Manager of Merchandise & Senior Manager of Brand Development & Marketing for all Brown Golf Properties.  Todd is currently leading the overall management of Mahoning Valley Country Club and the yearly membership consulting campaign for Old Lyme Country Club in Old Lyme, CT for 2012.  Todd is in charge of the company’s secret shopper services and is the main point person for developing a complete competitive analysis for all properties that BGM manages or consults with.   Prior to joining Brown Golf Management, Todd worked in Membership Sales at Moon Valley Country Club in Phoenix, AZ and as a Business Consultant on the Mechanicsburg, PA Naval Base.  Todd is currently a PGA apprentice and working toward his Class A status.

Professional Experience:

•  Vice President - Brown Golf Management
• Regional General Manager – Mahoning Valley Country Club, Lehighton Pa
• Lead Consultant – Old Lyme Country Club, Old Lyme CT
• Lead Consultant – For all Brown Golf analytics (Competitive Analysis & Market Share)
• Director of Brand Development & Marketing for Brown Golf
• Senior Lead for Web Design & Function for Brown Golf websites
• Business Consultant- NAVSUP systems analysis, Mechanicsburg Pa
• Membership Sales – Moon Valley Country Club, Phoenix AZ

Jason Harshbarger , CPA

CFO

Jason has served as a national golf course consultant and overall accounting administrator since 2005 through his practice – Harshbarger & Company.  Jason is the Managing Partner of Harshbarger & Company and joined Brown Golf in 2011 as CFO.
As a national consultant and Brown Golf Management’s Senior Manager of Accounting & Finance, Jason is responsible for all property accounting and finance functions, including the following:

• Facility internal audits & control functions
• Monthly processing and evaluation of individual course financial statements
• Focusing on planning, financing, operational and management assistance
• Preparation of all sales & amusement tax returns
• Primary contact for all tax inquiries and correspondence received from applicable taxing authorities
• Assisting in annual budgeting process for all golf course operations
• Primary contact and preparer of all quarterly and year-end client assistance for audit and tax procedures
• Primary manager of the accounts payable function

Prior to starting his practice, Jason served as Corporate Controller for a national golf course company which owned and operated 29 golf courses in the Mid-Atlantic.
Jason also spent five years in public accounting, four of them with Ernst & Young.  During his four years with Ernst & Young, Jason served public and private clients throughout Central Pennsylvania and across the country, including those in industries such as sports and entertainment, technology and consumer and industrial products manufacturing.  He was primarily responsible for the completion of financial statement and other compliance audits, SEC filings and acquisition accounting for multi-location companies, including foreign subsidiaries.
Jason is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) as well as the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) and has maintained his CPA certification since 1999.  In 2011 Jason was honored by the PICPA as one of their 40 under 40 members to watch.