John Schoenbeck
General Manager
[email protected]
John Schoenbeck is a "Class A" PGA Member, with over twenty-two years of private club management experience. John came to Lake Toxaway from Memphis where he was the General Manager for Colonial Country Club, past host of over 30 PGA Tour events. Prior to Memphis, he was in Texas for eight years, where he served as Managing Director for a portfolio of private clubs, including The Woodlands Country Club, host of the PGA's Insperity Champions Tour event. Prior to his move to Texas, John was a club General Manager in the Atlanta area and a Head Golf Professional in Nashville. Originally from Wisconsin, John graduated from Mississippi State's PGM program (professional golf management). John has been married to his wife Sandy for fifteen years and in his spare time enjoys golf, motorcycles, biking, running and rooting for the Packers.
Will Bartram
Director of Golf
[email protected]
Will is a "Class A" PGA Member, with many years of experience at some of Georgia's top private clubs including Cherokee Town & Country Club, Hawks Ridge Golf Club and Druid Hills Golf Club. Will served on the PGA Board (Georgia Section) as the Assistant Professional President for two years. In 2016 he was recognized by his fellow peers, and was honored with the 2016 Assistant Professional of the Year award. Will is originally from Southern Ontario, Canada, and moved to the United States in 1995. Will has two children: Grace and Brady. When he is not at the club, he enjoys spending time with his family, watching sports of all kinds, being in the gym, and rooting for the Georgia Bulldogs.
Leigh Coggins
Assistant General Manager
[email protected]
As Assistant General Manager, Leigh Coggins' primary responsibilities are supervising clubhouse operations, including the food and beverage department, and ensuring our members receive the very best service possible. Leigh previously worked at Lake Toxaway as the club's food and beverage manager prior to a stint as General Manager of Game Keeper's Tavern. Following her stint at Game Keeper, Leigh served as the F&B Manager at Cullasaja Country Club before returning to Lake Toxaway as our Clubhouse Manager in 2017 and subsequently promoted to Assistant General Manager.
Brent Hayes
Food & Beverage Director
[email protected]
Brent Hayes is a native of the Lowcountry of South Carolina and Coastal Georgia. He began working in the private golf and country club industry in 2008, when he was offered a position with the Belfair Plantation Property Owners Association in Bluffton, South Carolina. Brent has since worked at prestigious clubs, including Shoreacres in Lake Bluff, Illinois, The Ford Plantation in Richmond Hill, Georgia, Colleton River Club in Bluffton, SC and as Food & Beverage Manager at Sea Pines Country Club on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. After spending numerous vacations around Western North Carolina; Brent, Donna (his wife of 10 years), and their 6-year-old daughter (Harper) were ecstatic to make the permanent transition to Lake Toxaway.
Steven Walls
Head Superintendent
[email protected]
Stephen Walls comes to Lake Toxaway with over 12 years experience in golf course maintenance. Most recently, Steven served as the Regional Superintendent for a collection of properties in the Washington, D.C., area including Augustine Golf Club, Old Hickory Golf Club and the Virginia Golf Academy and Golf Center. Steven also worked for the PGA Tour for seven years, where he helped complete a total course reconstruction of TPC Potomac at Avenel Farms. While with the Tour, Steven worked alongside agronomists for more than 15 PGA Tour events including the Senior Player's Championship and the Greenbrier Classic. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of Golf Course Superintendents. His educational achievements include a degree in Turf Management from Penn State University and a Civil Engineering degree from the University of Maryland. Steven and his wife Flor have two children, 6-year old Dana and 2-year old Steven, Jr. When he's away from work, Steven enjoys playing the game of golf along with watching sports, camping and spending time with his family.
ivo dentchev
Director of Racquets & Croquet
ivod@laketoxawaycc.com
Ivo Dentchev started working for Lake Toxaway Country Club in 2024 as the Club’s Tennis, Pickleball and Croquet Professional. He is originally from Sofia, Bulgaria and has been an Elite USPTA Professional since 1999. In addition to Tennis, he is a certified Pickleball teacher in all levels and has trained in three schools to expand his knowledge to include Croquet. Ivo has worked in both private clubs and resort industries for over 20 years. Ivo has three children, Simon, Griffin and Vella.
Annie Cruzan
Fitness Director
[email protected]
Annie Cruzan, Fitness Director, hails from Buffalo, NY and although she still loves a good snowstorm, much prefers living in the South. Her experience and training come from 25 years of working in the fitness field as a personal trainer for the Morale, Welfare and Rec Dept for the navy/Scotland, personal trainer and bookkeeper for Golds Gym/Charleston, SC, personal trainer and group exercise instructor for the North Charleston YMCA, personal and post rehab trainer and director of the human performance lab at the Medical University of South Carolina and currently Fitness Director at the Lake Toxaway Country Club. Annie holds certifications in personal, group and post rehab training from the National Dance and Exercise Instructors Association, American Council on Exercise and American Academy of Health and Fitness Professionals. She specializes as a certified Medical Exercise Specialist through ACE and AAHFP, has a TRX basic certification, maintains First Aid/CPR/AED certifications and is a certified ACE Orthopedic Specialist. Annie is married with one daughter, loves hiking, mountain and road biking, camping and just being outdoors.
Laura Johnson
Membership Director & Executive Assistant
[email protected]
Laura Johnson started working for Lake Toxaway Country Club in 2001 and was given the title Membership Director and Executive Assistant in 2003. Prior to 2001, Laura was a stay at home mom for fifteen years and enjoyed living in England and traveling throughout Europe for the majority of those years. Her earlier work experience included managing a large dental practice in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Laura was born and raised in Orchard Lake, Michigan where she graduated High School and continued her education at the University of Michigan where she majored in Business Management. Laura has two sons, loves antique shopping, spending time in her garden and decorating.
Ford Franklin
Director of Finance & Accounting
[email protected]
Ford Franklin is the Director of Finance and Accounting and started with the Lake Toxaway Country Club in June of 2022. Ford came to Lake Toxaway from the Ocean Reef Club in Key largo, Florida, where he was the VP of Finance for many years. Prior to the Ocean Reef Club, Ford was the CFO for the Jupiter island Club in Hobe Sound, Florida, for five years and spent ten years with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company progressing from Assistant Controller to Regional Controller overseeing ten properties. Ford was born in Morristown, New Jersey, and received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Empire State College of the State University of New York and his MBA from Georgia State University. Ford has been married to his wife for thirty-five years and they have three adopted daughters from China.
greg mcdonald
Executive Chef
gregm@laketoxawaycc.com
Greg comes from a long line of the McDonald family who have provided us with amazing food and desserts here in Lake Toxaway since 1985. In fact, 17 of Greg's family members have worked for us here in Lake Toxaway. The McDonald family is a much-loved part of the Lake Toxaway Country Club! Greg has worked at several clubs and Inns over the years. He is married to his lovely wife Lynn and they have two daughters, two son-in-laws and several grandchildren. Greg enjoys being with his family when not working.
Dean Abell
Clubhouse Manager
[email protected]
Dean Abell comes to Lake Toxaway Country Club from the Wachesaw Plantation Club in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, where he served as the General Manager for several years. Prior to South Carolina, he held roles as Director of Food and Beverage at the Pinnacle Country Club, home to the LPGA in NW Arkansas, Club Manager at the Amelia Island Plantation, Florida, Executive Assistant Manager - Director of Food and Beverage for the Stowe Mountain Lodge Resort in Vermont and Club Manager of the Club at Porto Cima at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. Prior to the Club Business, Dean spent nine years between the Ritz Carlton Dubai, Ritz Carlton Jamaica, and Ritz Carlton Sarasota serving in multiple management roles and is originally from South Africa. Dean is married to his wife Kelly and has two daughters, Piper and Reilly.
Megan Mills
Events Director
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Megan Mills was born in a small town in Eastern North Carolina, called Havelock, on the Marine Corp Air Station, Cherry Point. Megan moved around a lot as a young child due to her parent’s military career, but has now called Western North Carolina home for nearly 15 years. At the age of 15, Megan took her first restaurant job and has never looked back. She went to school for Hospitality and Tourism at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC; which led to her first country club job. Megan was hired as a Supervisor at Trillium Country Club in Cashiers, NC; during her six year stint there, Megan worked her way up to Clubhouse Manager and Event Coordinator where she managed two restaurants and found her love for all things events. Now here with us at Lake Toxaway, she continues to focus her energy on making all of our events come to life. Whether it is birthday parties, private dinners, weddings, club events, golf tournaments and even the occasional house catering, Megan knows it is the special touches that make each event truly unique. When Megan is not planning an event, she enjoys hiking with her dog Mason, drinking wine with friends, and enjoys a quiet night on her porch continuing her studies to become a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Masters Program.