(West Palm Beach, Fla.) – ClubWorks, LLC, a premier club, leisure, and hospitality-focused professional-services platform, today announced a leadership transition aligned with the company’s continued growth and long-term strategy. Kyle Ragsdale, Chief Executive Officer of Buffalo Groupe, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of ClubWorks. Michael Leemhuis, who has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since 2022, will move into the role of Chairman.
Since joining ClubWorks at its outset in 2022, Leemhuis has played a central role in shaping the platform’s vision. Under his leadership, ClubWorks completed the acquisitions of JBD JGA Design & Architecture, GGA Partners, Buffalo Groupe, Private Club Films and Kuo Diedrich Chi Architects, building a portfolio of highly specialized firms serving the private club, real estate, and hospitality sectors. As Chairman, Leemhuis will remain actively involved in strategic oversight, governance, relationships, and long-term planning.
“ClubWorks continues to flourish and every day our team is making great strides in our journey of being a differentiated and unique platform of professional services firms in our industry. Michael has been an important pioneer to our story, and we look forward to his continued contributions as Chairman. To have Kyle step in at the helm is exciting, he is extremely dedicated and diligent, with a track record of success as a leader,” said Dale Hersey, Board Member and Lead Investor at ClubWorks.
“From day one, our focus has been on assembling exceptional people and companies, strengthening the platform and setting up Clubworks for long-term success, said Leemhuis. “This transition is a natural next step and I’m excited to support Kyle and the team as Chairman.”
Ragsdale led the spinoff of Buffalo Groupe from Billy Casper Golf in 2019 and the firm’s evolution into an award-winning marketing collective serving leading brands across golf, hospitality, sport and lifestyle. Buffalo has grown to nearly 100 people across all key marketing disciplines including research, creative, web, advertising, social, public relations and events. Buffalo merged with ClubWorks in 2024, at which point Ragsdale, and Buffalo president Emily Clark were appointed to the ClubWorks Board. Ms. Clark will remain President of Buffalo, responsible for all operations.
‘Michael has done an extraordinary job building ClubWorks with discipline, credibility and vision,” said Ragsdale. “I'm honored to assume this role and look forward to working with each of our partner firms in growing the Clubworks platform. I’m also incredibly proud of the company we have built at Buffalo Groupe and look forward to working with Emily and the team to continue our amazing trajectory.”
Ragsdale brings over 35 years of leadership experience across golf, hospitality, media, marketing, and finance. Prior to Buffalo Groupe, Ragsdale served as Chief Marketing Officer at Billy Casper Golf and held senior executive roles at Vox Media, where he oversaw revenue, marketing, and finance during a period of rapid growth. Earlier in his career, he served as Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs at Georgetown University and as an adjunct faculty member teaching sports marketing. He holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and is a Certified Public Accountant.
About ClubWorks, LLC
The only platform of its kind in existence, ClubWorks is a wholly-owned network of elite firms providing professional services for every stage of development and evolution in the private club, real estate, and hospitality industries. Made up exclusively of best-in-class partner firms, the ClubWorks collective includes Peacock + Lewis Architects and Planners, JBD JGA Design and Architecture, Visionary Spectacle Studios, GGA Partners, Private Club Films, ClubWorks Engineering, Buffalo Groupe, and Kuo Diedrich Chi Architects. Aligned in values and complementary service offerings, the firms combine to elevate industry standards, enrich client experiences, and provide unmatched expertise to premier club, real estate, and hospitality businesses.
More information about ClubWorks is available at clubworks.com and on LinkedIn.
About Buffalo Groupe, LLC
Headquartered in Charleston, SC, Buffalo Groupe, LLC, and its predecessor, Buffalo Agency, have spent more than two decades building the world’s first escape marketing platform. The Groupe's carefully assembled collective includes a full-service marketing firm, a research arm, an events division, and a media property—all authentically serving the industries of golf and outdoor sport, travel and hospitality, and real estate. Operating with the core values of kindness, clarity, and courage, Buffalo's 85-member team leverages experts in data/research, digital, web, creative, events, and public relations to deliver integrated marketing to drive business results for its clients. In June 2024, Buffalo Groupe merged with ClubWorks, a holding company for luxury and private club services founded by Tidewater and Palm Beach Capital. Other investors in Buffalo Groupe include, among others, MLB All-Star Mike Trout, Symphony Ventures and Versant Media Group (formerly NBCUniversal).
More information about Buffalo Groupe is available at buffalogroupe.com, on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeff Webster
Buffalo Groupe
jwebster@buffalogroupe.com
843- 813-2322