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Damon S. DeVito, Managing Director
As a Founder, Mr. DeVito initiates business development contacts and oversee
business planning and marketing at its clients' golf properties. Prior to,
and since co-founding Affinity Golf Management, Mr. DeVito has created
membership launches for new clubs, rejuvenated stalled membership
recruitment at existing clubs, conducted golf course acquisition and
feasibility studies for private investors, developers and created and
implemented turnaround plans for existing golf properties. He has consulted
for golf management companies including Billy Casper Golf Management and
EAGL. Mr. DeVito has also advised other golf related businesses, including
publishers and manufacturers, on strategy, marketing and e-commerce
opportunities.
Prior to forming Affinity Mr. DeVito
was the Membership Director and Director of Real Estate at Keswick Club and
Estate from its third year of operations. Keswick faced the challenge of
being the newest and most costly entrant to the sixth most saturated private
club market in the U.S. Mr. DeVito
spearheaded member recruitment efforts that led the club from 38 golf
members in 1994 to over 325 in 1997; during that span Keswick was the only
private club in the market to experience growth in non-real
estate oriented membership recruitment.
Prior to his attending Darden, Mr. DeVito was a consultant with Boston based
Corporate Decisions, Inc. (“CDI”) (now Mercer
and Associates). At CDI, Mr. DeVito provided strategic counsel on marketing
strategies, sales force issues, and product development to Fortune 500 companies.
Mr. DeVito has a MBA from the
University of Virginia's Darden School of Business where he
finished in the top ten percent of his class and was awarded the Samuel
Forrest Hyde Fellowship Award and the Class of 1967 scholarship. While at
Darden Mr. DeVito played an integral role in relocating 21 Tibetan refugees
to Charlottesville as part of a special visa grant by Congress. Mr. DeVito
was the Chair of Fundraising and Public Relations, and he once raised over
$3,000 by playing 144 holes of golf in a single day.
Mr. DeVito also holds a BA in Economics from the University of
Pennsylvania and a BS in Finance from the Wharton School
of Business. As an undergraduate, Mr. DeVito co-founded the University of
Pennsylvania Student Federal Credit Union, a student run credit union with a
100% volunteer workforce that is now the largest of its kind in the nation
with deposits of $8.4 million.
Mr. DeVito serves on the
Virginia State Golf Association’s Junior Golf Committee and he is also a
Trustee at the Charlottesville Waldorf School.
David R. Swales, Managing Director
As a Principal of Affinity Golf Management since 1997, Mr. Swales has
been responsible for overseeing operations at its client’s golf properties
including quality control, operating procedures and human resource issues.
Prior to co-founding Affinity Golf Management, Mr. Swales managed a number
of golf clubs and hospitality businesses, including the prestigious
Wentworth Club in England, and Keswick Club and Estate in Charlottesville,
Virginia and several fine European hotels.
Noted retailer Sir Bernard Ashley recruited Mr. Swales for the club manager
position at Keswick, which was owned by Ashley House Hotels, during
construction of the $50 million property. Mr. Swales managed all aspects of
daily operations at the high-end club. In 1998, Mr. Swales was assigned
additional responsibilities in a promotion to Estate & Club Director
including maintenance, development and construction management for the
600-acre estate and golf course. Mr. Swales also chaired both the Board of
Governors and homeowners association.
As Wentworth’s Club Manager, Mr. Swales oversaw operations for the exclusive
private club for 3,000 members including three championship golf courses, an
executive course, twenty guest rooms, and twenty-four tennis courts. Mr.
Swales acted as a liaison to IMG and other tournament representatives for
events held at the famous West Course (also known as Burma Road) – that is
the annual host to the Volvo PGA Championship in May, and the World Match
Play each fall. During Mr. Swales’ tenure at Wentworth, the Club’s Head
Touring Professional was seven-time Ryder Cup player and twice European Team
Captain Bernard Gallacher.
Mr. Swales also has gathered extensive hotel operations and food & beverage
experience with two of Europe’s major hotel companies: Trust House Forte and
Mount Charlotte-Thistle Hotel Group, having been the General Manager at the
Shelley’s Hotel, a small luxury property in the former home of the famous
poet John Shelley in Lewes, East Sussex; the Deputy General Manager at the
Kennedy Hotel in London, and Assistant Food & Beverage Manager and
Banqueting Manager at Park Court and White’s Hotel in London. Mr. Swales
holds a Bachelor of Arts in Hotel Management from Fitzwilliam College, in
Cambridge, UK. |
