The Founders Club has filled two key positions in its clubhouse operations, naming Robert “Bob” LeFever as general manager and Kevin Smith as executive chef.
Both men have extensive country club experience in their respective positions, bringing a high level of professionalism and expertise to Sarasota’s premier golf club.
LeFever has managed private golf clubs throughout the eastern United States, including facilities in Pennsylvania, South Carolina and most recently at the 122-year-old Portage Country Club, considered the top club in the Akron, Ohio area. A certified club manager and certified chamber executive, he has worked in golf and hospitality for more than 40 years.
“I fell in love with Sarasota, its weather and lifestyle, while vacationing here the past decade,” LeFever said. “The club is beautiful and the natural setting, with its preserves, live oaks and Spanish moss, reminds me of the great clubs in Savannah and Charleston.”
Smith studied at the Culinary Institute of America’s Hyde Park, New York, and Napa, California campuses while he earned a culinary arts degree. The St. Louis native started his career in American cuisine-style restaurants in St. Louis and Boston before transitioning into the private club industry over 20 years ago, serving as executive chef at Greenbriar Hills and Bogey Hills country clubs in his hometown. He was the sous-chef for three years at Westwood Country Club, a five-time Platinum Club of America winner with a reputation as one of the best in the country.
Smith relocated to Boca Woods Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida three years ago with a long-term goal of moving to Florida’s Gulf coast.
“I’m truly excited about the opportunity to work at The Founders Club,” Smith said. “People love it here for many reasons, including a tradition of great food and hospitality. I’m looking forward to meeting the members.”
Revered for its commitment to the origins of the game and its 18-hole Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed golf course, The Founders Club lets players experience golf as it was meant. It also offers one of the area’s finest caddie programs, so golfers are encouraged to walk the course.
Membership is limited to 275 to ensure members enjoy year-round golf with no tee time required.
The 24,000-square-foot Golf Hall, overlooking an oak hammock and the 18th hole, offers a main dining room, bar and grille, outdoor verandah, and private dining room for casual and fine dining.
The club also offers a vibrant, active social calendar and an in-season reciprocal partnership with Sarasota Yacht Club.
For more information about membership or to schedule a tour of the club, contact Robert LeFever at 941-371-9720 ext. 302 or stop by The Golf Hall at 3800 Golf Hall Drive.
The Founders Club is a traditional golf club and residential community featuring intimate neighborhoods with homes nestled along lakes, fairways and nature preserves. The community’s amenities are designed to foster camaraderie among residents and a connection with nature. Miles of winding boardwalks and paved walkways meander throughout the community, which is punctuated by palm trees, pines and moss-covered oaks.
London Bay Homes, a leader in the Southwest Florida luxury home market for 26 years, offers a selection of detached villa homes, Reserve Collection homes and one-of-a-kind estates ranging from 2,500 to more than 6,000 square feet of living space at The Founders Club. Home and homesite packages are priced from the $900,000s to more than $5 million.
The Founders Club is located just minutes from Sarasota’s famed Gulf of Mexico beaches, the University Town Center mall, and the acclaimed local restaurants, boutiques, and arts and cultural venues of downtown Sarasota.
Visitors can stop by The Founders Club Sales Center Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is located at 3001 Founders Club Drive, three miles east of I-75 on Fruitville Road, Exit 210.
For more information about The Founders Club, call 941-378-0900 or visit www.TheFoundersClub.com.
