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Eric Affeldt 2016 Inductee

Chief Executive Officer of ClubCorp

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With his tenacity for business and finance, mission for creating unforgettable guest experiences, and passion for serving others, Eric Affeldt, ClubCorp CEO, has cemented the company’s stake as the world leader in private golf and country clubs.

ClubCorp owns or operates more than 200 clubs in the United States and abroad, more than three times the size of its next largest competitor, according to Fortune magazine. At ClubCorp’s helm since 2006, Affeldt is responsible for all aspects of the company’s domestic and international operations, as well as its continued growth.

As the Hospitality Industry Hall of Honor’s 68th inductee, Affeldt joins the ranks of industry innovators and icons who represent the world’s most successful and recognizable brands. He follows in the footsteps of the company’s Founder and past Chairman Robert Dedman Sr., who was inducted into the Hospitality Industry Hall of Honor in 2000. 

Prior to joining ClubCorp, Affeldt served as a principal of KSL Capital Partners, a private equity firm dedicated to investments in travel and leisure businesses. KSL purchased ClubCorp in 2006. Affeldt also served as president and CEO of KSL’s former golf division, KSL Fairways; vice president and general manager of Doral Golf Resort and Spa in Miami and the combined PGA West and La Quinta Resort and Club in California; and was a founding partner of KSL Recreation. In addition, he served as president of General Aviation Holdings, Inc.

As a leader, Affeldt believes in challenging the status quo, in encouraging curiosity, and hiring intelligent people who are passionate about hospitality. He also believes strongly in giving back, and is deeply involved with numerous faith-based charities, as well as The North Texas Food Bank and “Augie's Quest,” the leader in ALS research. The annual ClubCorp Charity Classic benefits a number of charities and has raised over $20 million since the event’s inception in 2007.

Affeldt’s industry presence and successes are above par and have earned him the title of Golf Inc. magazine’s “Most Powerful Person in Golf” in 2015, 2014 and 2010. In 2013, Affeldt received the prestigious Cecil B. Day Ethics Award from the Dedman School of Hospitality at Florida State University. In 2015, he was also named to the Institutional Investor All-America Executive Team in the Best CEO consumer-leisure sector.

Affeldt is a member of the World Presidents Organization, a global association of CEOs from major business enterprises. He also serves as non-executive chairman for Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, a leading owner and operator of theme parks across the United States. He is former manager of the Belgian National Baseball team, and holds a B.A. in Political Science and Religion from Claremont McKenna College.

He is a resident of Farmers Branch, a Dallas suburb near ClubCorp’s Brookhaven Country Club, named “Best Family Club in Dallas” by Avid Golfer in 2015. To Affeldt, hospitality is all about people, and he finds great satisfaction in helping employees grow and learn. Because of this, he is often found at Brookhaven making one-on-one connections with members and employees.

When not in the office or on business trips, Affeldt spends time with his two daughters, son-in-law and two granddaughters, as well as his daughters’ dogs. He also finds time for personal travel, reading and exercise – and of course – golf.