The more things change at Highlands Falls Country Club, the more they stay the same.
After nearly a quarter of a century as superintendent at the club in Highlands, North Carolina, Fred Gehrisch, CGCS, was named general manager earlier this year. And Josh Cantrell, Gehrisch's assistant for 15 years, was named as his successor.
"The first person I hired was Josh. He knows everyone, and he knows the culture. That was the easiest hire I ever made," Gehrisch said of promoting Cantrell to superintendent. "I have complete confidence in him."
After 24 years as superintendent, Gehrisch, 53, had been contemplating a career move to general manager, either at Highlands Falls or elsewhere. The time had come, he decided, to move up, or move on.
"I got bored and thought I was capable of doing more," said Gehrisch. "I spent a lot of time in the clubhouse helping out whatever department needed help. I spent time with the GM on club strategy. I got to know the ins and outs of the executive position, and I liked it."
Things, however, are not always as they appear. Then again, sometimes they are, and it just takes some time to realize it.
When Gehrisch decided a change in career might be in his future, he called upon an old friend of more than 20 years, Saeed Assadzandi, CGCS. A former superintendent, Assadzandi has been a general manager for 24 years, including the last two at the Thornblade Club in Greer, South Carolina, where he also is chief operating officer.
"I called him and told him what my plan is," Gehrisch said. "He told me the first three months will be a killer and you'll be asking yourself if you made the right decision, but then it gets better after that. He was exactly right. The first few months, I had that deer-in-the-headlights look. I didn't know what to tackle first. It's gotten better since then.
"Saeed knew my background and told me I can move up and do this. He was my biggest cheerleader."
In much the same way, Gehrisch has been a cheerleader for Cantrell.
Cantrell, 45, never thought it would take so long to become a head superintendent.
"(The economy of) 2007 and 2008 changed things, and changed my perspective," Cantrell said. "I wanted to be a superintendent, but I'm from this area, and I wanted to stay near it.
"I've had chances to move on, but this place is different.
"I was beginning to think this might not happen. If I was going to become a superintendent, I might have to leave, and my family wasn't willing to do that."
His decade-and-a-half working under Gehrisch was time well spent.
"I've learned so much, especially on the administrative side," Cantrell said. "I already handled the day to day on the golf course. He showed me how to do everything else."
Still, Cantrell had to go through the official interview process, and that was no walk in the park.
He spent three hours with Gehrisch and three more with the club's green committee chairman.
"I never considered anybody else, but he had to go through the process," Gehrisch said. "He had earned the right to be the first to be considered, but the interview couldn't be a gimme."
They wanted to make sure I was up to the challenge of everything off the golf course; emails and all the criticism that is going to come. I had to convince them I was ready for that.
Cantrell had the knowledge to grow grass at a high level, but what he had to prove was if he had the chops for the rest of the job.
"When you're the superintendent, everything is on your shoulders now. Are you ready for that?" Gehrisch said. "When they have social events at the club, you have to stay late, shake hands and say hi. Are you ready for that? Is your family ready for that?"
"They wanted to make sure I was up to the challenge of everything off the golf course; emails and all the criticism that is going to come," Cantrell said. "I had to convince them I was ready for that."
Gehrisch, too, was held to the same level of scrutiny during his interview. In fact, the GM position initially was offered to another candidate, he said, because of his lack of F&B experience.
"I interviewed for it, then I was notified I wasn't getting the job," Gehrisch said. "I figured it was time to move on. I was probably two weeks from accepting another job when the president called me and said it didn't work out with the first guy and was I still interested in the job. My ego was bruised, and I had to think about was this something I still wanted to do, and it was, but I thought about it a lot.
"The hard part is convincing people I am more than a superintendent. I know what I don't know, but I am spending time learning that."
In just six months on the job, Gehrisch has proven himself many times over. He already has hired a new superintendent, food and beverage director and a fitness director, and the club is undergoing major projects, like a pool project and pickleball court construction.
So much is happening so soon into his new job that someone recently told him "I wouldn't want to be in your shoes."
Gehrisch, who as superintendent is accustomed to tackling big projects, shrugged it off.
"I'm used to managing risk," he said. "What I am more concerned about is making sure the member experience is excellent all the time."
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
