Club Director Update: MAC Update

Member Advisory Committee (MAC) – the Voice of the Membership

The MAC’s mission is to gather suggestions and ideas regarding membership products and services, and provide recommendations to the Board and Management on improving programs and services. This includes pre-vacation services such as Call Center and PreArrival Department experience, reservations, exchanges and payments, as well as on-property input on food and beverage, common areas, activities, room amenities, check in and more.

An application is sent at the end of each year and interested UVC or VPA club members can apply for 3 year terms. 5 candidates are selected each year based on a blind screening process that scores the application answers, frequency of vacations and involvement in club activities. There is a one year waiting period to re-apply between terms.

Over the years, some great ideas and suggestions have been generated from MAC:

• Membership 101 – This class affords an on-property opportunity for members to be updated and informed on member programs, services and benefits for each membership type.
• Disabled Services –MAC has worked with management to improve accessibility and services for disabled members and guests by designating special areas near the beach, and also by equipping more first floor rooms and public restrooms with additional handicap safety features.
• Noise reduction –you can thank the MAC for the soft pads on the bottom of the patio furniture that were installed – these have made a noticeable decrease in the noise from the chairs.
• Smoking Policy –MAC has worked with resort and Club management to designate the resorts as “non-smoking” while still assigning convenient areas for members to smoke.
• Expansion of items sold in gift shop; freshness of produce and grocery items
• Healthier choices offered on the menus.
• Specific activities to offer a more comprehensive and balanced activities program.
• Suggestions for room standard items such as appliances and other amenities to ensure consistent quality throughout all Villa Group properties.
• Identification of non-functioning amenities, pool temperature and other maintenance issues so that management can address them immediately.

A special “thank you” goes out to Gert Bauman, Robert Hix, Ron McPherson, Hon. Joseph Orr, and Dolores Underwood. These MAC members’ terms are drawing to a close this year. Their contributions have been invaluable and we thank them sincerely for many years of service and insight into the needs of the members.

Your Current MAC Members:

Tim Bush, Chair, Robert Becker, Herb Mohn, Sandra Rowe, Richard Stabile, Marvin Shumaker, Robin Larson, Elizabeth Ramsey, Laura Hood, Shea Newton, Patrick Burns.

Rhonda Mayer, Club Director