Happy Holidays from RSM McGladrey!

The holiday season is a perfect time to reflect on the year’s accomplishments and to look forward to the coming year. While we had the pleasure of sponsoring numerous golf-related events in 2009, one of the accomplishments of which we’re most proud is that we were able to present a check for more than $175,000 to Special Olympics in support of the organization’s golf program. These funds were raised through a number of RSM McGladrey-sponsored activities throughout the year, and through the generous support of our employees, clients and potential clients. We’d like to thank them for their generosity, and look forward to working with them again in 2010 to support our community.

We’ll be taking a brief break from our golf blog over the coming days to spend a little extra time with family and friends. We hope you will be able to do the same this holiday season.

We look forward to talking with you here again next year. In the meantime, we’d like to wish you and yours a happy holiday season and a healthy and prosperous 2010!

Guest Post by PGA Tour Professional Chris DiMarco

PGA Tour Professional Chris DiMarco, along with Zach Johnson and LPGA Tour Professional Natalie Gulbis, make up Team McGladrey. Through their involvement with RSM McGladrey, Natalie, Chris and Zach participate in certain activities sponsored by the firm, and support a number of charitable organizations. The following post is an update from Chris after he participated in the recent Shark Shootout in Naples, FL:


I recently participated in one of my favorite golf events, The Shark Shootout, at the Tiburon Golf Club at the Ritz Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Florida. This event, hosted by World Golf Hall of Fame member Greg Norman is one of the most unique events on The PGA Tour. I’d like to congratulate 2009 winners: Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker.

This was my third consecutive year playing in the Shark Shootout, and my fourth time overall. This year, however, I not only had the honor of playing the course with two-dozen of the world’s top professional golfers, but I was also able to spend some time with a couple of leaders from RSM McGladrey, one of my sponsors.

Jon Davis and Jay Zack work out of RSM McGladrey’s Naples office, and they brought a few of their clients and potential clients along with them. We had a great time talking about golf and sharing tips and stories. They even humored me by asking me to autograph their PING hats. It was a great way to wind down a busy year.

I hope you are able to spend time with family and friends this holiday season, and that you enjoy a prosperous New Year!

Guest Post by LPGA Tour Professional Natalie Gulbis - from Arizona

LPGA Tour Professional Natalie Gulbis, along with PGA Tour Professionals Chris DiMarco and Zach Johnson make up Team McGladrey. Through their involvement with RSM McGladrey, Natalie, Chris and Zach participate in certain activities sponsored by the firm, and support a number of charitable organizations. The following post is an update from Natalie after she hosted RSM McGladrey’s recent Ultimate Golf Experience in Scottsdale, AZ :


Earlier this week (Dec. 7 and 8), I had the pleasure of hosting RSM McGladrey’s Ultimate Golf Experience (UGE) in beautiful Scottzdale, Arizona, and it truly was an extraordinary experience!

This was RSM McGladrey’s third UGE. These events allow key members of the firm’s management team to spend quality time with a small group of clients and potential clients. It’s all about building relationships. The folks with RSM McGladrey know that understanding is a critical element of any relationship – whether on the golf course or in business. They know that the better they know their clients, the better they understand how to help them succeed. And, as RSM McGladrey’s advertisements state, “That’s the power of being understood!”

UGE activities began with a reception and dinner at the Four Seasons. I was asked to rotate from table to table with each course so I was able to spend time with every person there. Dessert was accompanied by a Q&A, where one of the questions asked was how I deal with pressure situations. That answer is simple: I remember back to a time that I heard Billie Jean King address a crowd where she stated, “Pressure is a privilege.” That simple but profound statement has stayed with me, and I remind myself of it whenever I’m feeling pressure – on or off the course.

Activities continued the next day with breakfast at 7 a.m., followed by a brief business session and then a half-hour putting clinic at Troon North Golf Club. We enjoyed absolutely stunning views of Pinnacle Peak! We teed off early that afternoon, and wrapped things up with a delicious dinner at the club that evening.

Something special about this particular UGE was that it included Special Olympics Athlete Carl Hibbert, Jr. and his mother Peggy, who is a speech coach with Special Olympics. Carl and his mom were at The McGladrey Team Championship in Pinehurst, N.C. at the end of October to accept a check on behalf of Special Olympics for more than $175,000 that RSM McGladrey-sponsored events raised over the previous year. It was great seeing Carl and Peggy again, and spending time with RSM McGladrey leaders, clients and potential clients, which included:

• Craig Allen – CEO, Snapware Corporation
• David Burke – Managing Director, McGladrey Capital Partners
• Michael Cobo – CEO, DecisionQuest
• John Dimmer – Managing Member, FIRS Management LLC
• Mark Dorman – Managing Director, Endeavour Capital
• Alan Fine – President, InsideOut Development
• Doug Griffen – Managing Partner, DS Griffen & Associates
• Craig Guindon – Director of National Sales, InsideOut Development
• Peggy Hibbert – Speech Coach, Special Olympics North America
• Carl Hibbert, Jr. – Global Messenger/Athlete, Special Olympics North America
• Craig Johnson – CFO, Armor Designs
• George Klaus – Chairman, President & CEO, Eicore Software Corp.
• Paul Milley – CFO, MegaPath Inc.
• Martin Moore – VP CFO, K&L Distributors
• Patrick van den Bossche – COO, Barrett-Jackson Auction Company

Check back here regularly for updates on RSM McGladrey-sponsored golf activities – and for occasional “guest posts” from me and my fellow Team McGladrey Members Chris DiMarco and Zach Johnson.

Guest Post by LPGA Tour Professional Natalie Gulbis

Natalie Gulbis, along with PGA Tour Professionals Chris DiMarco and Zach Johnson make up Team McGladrey. Through their involvement with RSM McGladrey, Natalie, Chris and Zach participate in certain activities sponsored by the firm, and support a number of charitable organizations. The following post is from Natalie:

Things are in full swing (Pun intended!) with the holidays! I’m refreshed and energized after spending Thanksgiving with my family at Disneyland.

After Disney, I had one of those “opportunities of a lifetime,” when I participated in filming for an upcoming episode of CSI Las Vegas. I’m a huge fan of the show, and am THRILLED that I had this wonderful opportunity. I can’t share details about the filming, but the episode is scheduled to air in mid-December. I hope all of my fans will tune in!

Next week, I’ll be hosting my sponsor, RSM McGladrey’s third Ultimate Golf Experience (Mon., Dec. 7 and Tues., Dec. 8) here in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona! The last UGE was hosted fellow Team McGladrey Members Chris DiMarco and Zach Johnson in Sea Island, Georgia. Based on feedback from some of the participants at that event, a great time was had by all, so I’m looking forward to “my turn!” Check back here next week for a summary of the event.