July 7, 2021
Teddy Tripp is the Director of Masters Housing through the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce for the Augusta National. Overseeing the community’s largest nonprofit-based rental bureau in the region. The Masters Housing Bureau is the Augusta area’s first, foremost and only rental agency associated with and sanctioned by Augusta National Golf Club. Teddy has been in the role since February 22, 2021 and came onboard during the challenges of the pandemic. The highly experienced executive embraced his responsibilities straight-away and hit the ground running. Here, in his own words, he shares insight on how he keeps things running smoothly.
TEDDY:
While we all know that obtaining any position doesn’t come easy, I must say that this position came through hard work and dedication to what I enjoy doing, which is serving people to the highest capacity possible. I was working in property management for Fort Gordon prior to accepting this position, and loved what I did there, but when the opportunity presented itself, I knew it was a door that God had opened for me.
I have worked part time for NBC Golf Channel for the last 7 years as a Logistics/Hospitality Coordinator and in seeing the many doors that were presented to me in doing that, I knew that there was a reason for this position coming about and available during the appointed time.
Having individuals who provide letters of recommendation such as Frank Nobilo- (Professional Golfer and Golf Announcer), Roger Hu- (Founder and CEO of Teekart in China), Mark Lazarus- (Chairman of NBC Universal), and Garrison Commander of Fort Gordon at the time- Col. Jim Clifford, well I was told that I came highly recommended and that is with all praise and thanks to God himself. My mindset whenever I do anything is always about connections and professionalism as you never know who you will run into or meet along the way.
DAY-TO-DAY
In this position as Director of Masters Housing, my day-to-day role varies and could involve many things, such as business and project development where I am in the community working with new homeowners and HOA’s (Home Owner Associations) regarding the potential their home has to be an ideal spot during the week of the Masters for a rental, to ongoing relationship building, whether that be domestic or even international, as we have many clients who come from other countries and, so having to be flexible and work according to their needs is a must.
There may be a full day during our busy season where I spend all day working on budget and or balancing tasks to ensure all funds and contracts are accounted for, to even spending a full day visiting homes in the community to provide guidance and direction as to how much the home could potentially rent for, or even working with a client who has flown in for the day to view a couple of homes, and so, just always being flexible and providing top-of-the-line customer service is key in this role as Director of Masters Housing.
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
As far as what would be the most challenging part of my job, I would have to say that it is having to deal with the ever-changing demand of homes versus the laws that affect what homes you can potentially show to a client.
Again, seeing how I just came into this position this year, previously, I learned that there had been no taxes that had to be paid and, now, since I have started, there has been an additional 14% in taxes that the renter must pay, which is never a good thing but is a part of how life goes right.
Homeowners are not affected but the renter who is now hit with this additional fee — on top of a homeowners already asking rate — it has a lot of renters looking elsewhere, which could impact business, but we are talking about the Masters and to many it’s a once in a life time opportunity.
Being that I am the face and at the forefront of all transactions, I am normally there to speak with the renter regarding this issue and explain to them how although the 14% is something that is new to them, it is also new to us.
My customer service skills are at an all time high during those times, as I am having to ensure the renter that the additional funds are worth what they are getting in the comfort of the home and location to the course.
FAMILY IS EVERYTHING
I currently live in Augusta, Georgia where I have been for the last 10 years with my beautiful wife (Christina Tripp) of 8 years and our three wonderful children: Keegan (7), Kylen (2) and Kaidance (5), and we actually had adopted a teenager out of Boys Town in Tallahassee, Florida when she was 14. She, Mariah, has since turned 18 and decided that she wanted to be back with her biological family. She ended up parting ways but that is another story in itself.
GAINING EXPOSURE TO GOLF
It was actually in Augusta when I was first actually exposed to the game of golf as a whole to be honest. I was coming home from work as a Correctional Officer for Juvenile Offenders and needed to get a few things from the grocery store and, so, I stopped at Kroger. On my way out of the store, I had saw an elderly lady trying to push a shopping cart and drive a wheelchair at the same time. I approached her and asked if I could help her put her groceries away. Upon doing that, there were two ladies who had approached me and stated that you hardly find young people who are willing to assist others the way that they had just witnessed me assist the elderly lady.
They asked if I was interested in working for them. I honestly had no idea where or who the ladies were, so I hesitated. Come to find out, it was Selena Nobilo (who is Frank Nobilo’s wife) and Sue Brill (who was the Director of Corporate Events for NBC Golf.) That day in April of 2013 was a game-changer for me. Not only because I had just gotten married and was hoping to save money to pay for a honeymoon for my now wife and I, but because it opened my eyes to what I say everyone else in life had, which was an opportunity.
My wife still gives me a hard time because right after getting married, I started working non-stop, because that is how I am, as I didn’t want to live the life I had been living my whole life; and we have yet to take a Honeymoon. I laugh but I know that she deserves to have one, and life just keeps throwing curve balls.
My children are my world and I work so hard so they never have to experience life the way I did. I want them to see that with hard work and determination that any and everything is possible, and that it doesn’t matter who or even what color they are, that they can DO ANYTHING. My saying to them everyday is, “Every Chance that you have to Interact is an Opportunity for you to IMPACT”.
Golf has allowed me to travel with my children and provide them experiences that I as a child couldn’t have even imagined. It has allowed me to sit and dine with some of the most famous in my eyes and, feel honored to say that I know certain people. I have grown up and still see it today where so many children of color are pushed to either Basketball and or Football as their ticket out of poverty and when that doesn’t work we loose them to the streets. Many of those parents don’t realize that their child may have talent and potential that they themselves aren’t even aware of.
I always try and encourage families and young people to limit nothing limit them except for their imagination and to always dream big. It was Frank Nobilo who told me that upon first meeting me that he knew I was intended to make a mark in life and to never give up. I try and push myself daily to leave a mark and make an IMPACT in the life of someone and now whether that takes place I will not know but it doesn’t keep me from going.
