KBRS is pleased to have assisted in the appointment of Katelyn Matheson as General Manager of Ashburn Golf Club. The following is an excerpt from their recent announcement.
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The Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Katelyn Matheson as Ashburn Golf Club’s next General Manager, effective October 5, 2026.
Katelyn joins Ashburn following 14 years with The Waegwoltic Club in Halifax, where she currently serves as Director of Operations and has also served as Interim General Manager. Her experience spans club operations, governance, financial stewardship, member engagement, organizational leadership, communications, and leading through significant periods of change. Katelyn will strengthen the leadership team responsible for Ashburn’s golf operations, course maintenance, and food and beverage services.
Following Gordie Smith’s announcement of his retirement after 19 years of dedicated leadership at Ashburn, the Club undertook an open and comprehensive search for its next General Manager. Recognizing the importance of this appointment, the Board retained executive search firm KBRS to conduct a national search and extensive recruitment process.
The search generated 71 applications from local and national candidates. Of these, 21 candidates were interviewed by KBRS, with six subsequently presented to the Selection Committee. The interview process was led by the Executive Committee, with participation from Board members and Trustees. Following two rounds of interviews and extensive due diligence, the Selection Committee was unanimous in its decision to recommend Katelyn for the position.
Throughout the process, Katelyn distinguished herself through her understanding of the private club environment, breadth of operational and governance experience, engaging leadership style, and commitment to members, the management team, and Ashburn employees.
Over the coming months, Gordie and Katelyn will work together to ensure a comprehensive and seamless transition. This period of overlap will give Katelyn the opportunity to become familiar with our members, staff, operations, and both of our courses, while benefiting from Gordie’s extensive knowledge and experience.
The Board of Directors is extremely pleased with the outcome of the search and invites members to join us in welcoming Katelyn to Ashburn.
Lori Whitman
President, Ashburn Golf Club
