22 | Acquisition International, Issue 9 2024 Jun24434 Sports & Leisure CFO of the Year 2024 (USA): Linda Cozzi or 170 years, the Philadelphia Cricket Club has provided a luscious space for activities, amenities, socialising, and even special occasions. From sports such as tennis, pickleball, and golf to its outdoor pool, the recreational offering spans up-to-date facilities, combining the club’s historic charm with modern, well-equipped sporting environments. Whether members seek an active day out or a leisurely stroll around its grounds, The Philadelphia Cricket Club never disappoints, providing a dependable staple of American leisure. However, the club doesn’t solely rely on its charms to survive. Behind its enduring success stands a leadership team which prizes longevity, employee satisfaction, and providing the highest standards of service to its members. CFO Linda Cozzi is one such leader whose creative thinking, agile problem-solving, and desire to bring out the best in the club maintain its financial health and the exceptional quality of its offering. Linda’s career began with six years in the hotel industry, during which she gained invaluable experience of both profit and loss and customer service. Driven by a hunger to learn, her talents and relentless ambition were soon recognised, earning her recognition and a run of promotions which eventually landed her the position of controller. Alongside this, she returned to education and earnt her MBA in finance. “I went on to other industries: non-profit, travel, manufacturing, food service, and finally, private country clubs. My goal was to become a CFO before I reached the age of 40, which I achieved.” Leveraging her hotel experience, Linda constantly seeks opportunities to improve the club’s financial efficiency. With a keen focus on improving customer experience, revenue-driven abundance, and long-term potential, she has guided its financial success by thinking outside the box. “My job is way beyond just reporting financials and the traditional daily tasks,” she shares. “It’s ‘we have this pool of money – how do we get the most out of it?’ That’s where the creativity and the business partnership really begin, and that’s the part I enjoy most.” Between her financial expertise and interpersonal strengths, Linda fosters not just the club’s financial health, but its atmosphere of employee engagement and happiness. This focus on staff satisfaction underscores the overall business strategy Linda plays a role in employing. She states, “in our business, it’s about attracting and retaining members. We recognise that our staff is our most important asset, and we subscribe to the Richard Branson theory – ‘happy employees will equal happy members.’” The last 6 years have seen The Philadelphia Cricket Club’s greatest efforts to achieve employee engagement, driving a Net Promoter Score as high as 67. Linda highlights that the club’s leadership is eager to act upon what its employees share, fostering a culture of open collaboration. “This alone, in our opinion, is more important than anything else we do, because if we make employees feel welcome, respected, and important, they will make our members feel welcome, respected, and important.” As the club continues to serve its members diligently and maintain employee satisfaction, Linda is also exploring data to maximise its service provision. Making sure that member usage records are fully understood and analysed will refine the club’s unique edge. While technological advancements are underway, she asserts that this is not with a view to replace staff, but it is a means to ease their burdens, leaving them free to focus on delivering the first-class offering that members have grown to expect. Alongside its other leaders, Linda aims to develop the Philadelphia Cricket Club’s facilities to accommodate members of all levels, from the casual golfer to its world-class professional athletes. “My plan is to continue to help PCC grow,” she says. “It has treated me very well and I plan to retire here. As for the future, my hope is that my experience in various industries and helping so many organisations grow will allow me to serve on boards to help other organisations benefit from my knowledge and expertise. Board service will be my ‘retirement’ job.” Judging by her distinguished career and unique experience, whichever board she joins will be lucky to have her. Contact: Linda Cozzi Company: Philadelphia Cricket Club Web Address: www.philacricket.com The Philadelphia Cricket Club is the oldest private country club in the USA. Since 1854, it has served generations of members and always hones its offering line with the times. Today, its members represent a diverse cross section of society and enjoy its modern comforts. Thanks to the efforts of CFO Linda Cozzi, the club’s financial future is in excellent hands. Here, we speak with from Linda and find out just what makes her the right person to help steward this historic American institution. F
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