Robbie Hellstrom
Background Information

In 1987 Robbie Hellstrom became involved in the operations of recreational businesses upon completion of his schooling. A strong desire to work outside in the sports recreation industry lead Robbie to the world of summer and winter sports. His first project was with Water World Hot Springs as a Development Coordinator for the Construction & Operations Division of this water park company. In 1987 he joined Ski Morin Heights in the Laurentian Mountains some 70 km north of Montreal, Quebec.

Robbie had the opportunity to work in various departments such as lift operations, lift maintenance, snowmaking, grooming, security, mountain management & operations - this allowed him to build a strong understanding of ski area operations. Robbie continued for some 4 years gaining exposure to various ski and resort operations through companies like Mount Olympia and Mont Ste Louis/Moonstone. During the summer months of those years he focused his interest on the field that would become his true passion. Over the course of numerous years he gained experience and exposure, which would firmly, establish him as one of Canada's leading experts in all aspects of golf course development, construction, maintenance and operations.

His first project was working as an Assistant Superintendent for two seasons at the Arundel Golf and Country Club where he learned all aspects of golf course operations. In 1991, Robbie was hired to oversee the construction, development and operations of the Grahame Cooke designed, Balmoral Golf & Country Club. For the next 3 years he was involved in all aspects of the development. The course later went on to be recognized as one of the best new courses in Quebec and Canada. In the spring of 1994, Robbie joined Tremblant (Intrawest) to oversee the construction and development of their new Thomas McBroom designed 18-hole championship course. "Le Geant" was the project that would put his name on the lips of the entire golf industry. In its short life "Le Geant" has been recognized internationally and had received critical acclaim for its quality design, playability, conditioning and guest services. It has been recognized by Golf Digest magazine as the runner up in its annual Best New Course in Canada category. Score magazine recognized "Le Geant" as one of the top 3 best new courses and Golf Ranking magazine placed "Le Geant" as one of the top ten publicly accessible courses in Canada. This same magazine announced that "Le Geant" had been nominated Best New Course in Eastern Canada 1997. Robbie's experience was used to its full potential by Intrawest and he was selected to consult on its various projects and existing operations in B.C., Vermont, Colorado, and West Virginia.

In the winter of 1996, his role with Intrawest was expanded to oversee the acquisition of the Mont Ste Marie Resort, north of Ottawa/Hull. This project saw Robbie return to his ski area roots. During the acquisition period, Robbie worked on the planning of the construction for "Le Diable" golf course at Tremblant. At the same time he and his team developed a new plan and strategy for the golf course at Mont Ste Marie and oversaw on a weekly basis the implementation of the plan. Robbie continued to consult on the Mont Ste Marie project up to the end of 1998.

In the spring of 1997 Robbie had transferred responsibility of the Mont Ste Marie project to another Intrawest leader so that he could dedicate full responsibility back to the summer operations at Tremblant Resort. This included the Beach & Tennis operations, Le Geant operations and the construction of the "Le Diable" course. The "Le Diable" project designed by Michael Hurdzan/Dana Fry was built during 1997, becoming the fastest built golf course in Canadian history being built in a short 145 days with opening of the course only 14 months after construction began. The course has gone on to receive international recognition and competed for the prestigious 1999 Best New Course in Canada award in Golf Digest magazine. "Le Diable" also became the home of some very prestigious events:

With the progression of time, Robbie saw a need to create his own business to respond to the increasing demand for his expertise. In 1996 RJH Golf Course Management Services Inc. was created. He continued to work for Intrawest and Tremblant while at the same time operating his own firm. In 1997 Robbie decided to dedicate 100% of his effort and energy into the company. The company continues to this day to consult for Tremblant and Intrawest. RJH steadily consults on 10 projects a year. The company is one of the only consulting firms in Canada to cover all spectrums of development, construction, maintenance and operations of golf courses. During this time Robbie has had the great opportunity to work with some of the best architects in North America, including: Hurdzan/Fry, Palmer Group, Thomas McBroom, Doug Carrick, Grahame Cooke, Cornish Design and many others.

The firm was responsible for the co-design and construction of the Vallee Des Forts Golf Course (1996) on the South Shore of Montreal. Golf International and Score Quebec named the course, a beautiful 6,800-yard par 72 layout, the number one Best New Public Course in 1997. The course was also named as one of the top three best public access courses in Montreal by Score Quebec in 1998. In late winter of 1997, RJH was hired to develop and construct the Dundarave Golf Course and Academy at the Brudenell River Resort in Prince Edward Island. This 7,300-yard Hurdzan/Fry design was built in a record 117 days; the Course and Academy opened in July of 1999. RJH continued to oversee all aspects of business for the developer and was instrumental in the business and development planning of the Academy. The new Course and Academy at Brudenell has now given the tourism industry on P.E.I. a new tool to attract golf travelers to their beautiful Island.

Over the last five years RJH has expand its business to include Resort, hotel, water parks, and Beach & Tennis complexes. The firm now provides all aspects of consultation and management for these dynamic businesses. Also over this period the firm has began to focus on the training of highly efficient leaders and team members who can implement and deliver the core goals and objectives of these very same organizations. Robbie's efforts in team building and leadership have been strongly recognized throughout the golf and recreation industry, which has lead to him being sought out to speak and consult on various industry matters. He was 1 of only 2 Canadians who were invited to speak at the G.C.S.A.A. Conference, one of the world's biggest golf course conference and trade shows, in Orlando, Florida in February 1996. Robbie currently appears at 12-15 speaking engagements per year for various organizations. Robbie was a member of the board of Directors of the NGCOA from 1996 to 1999 and sat on the CTC Advisory Board on golf industry issues. Robbie was recently named in the 2001 NGCOA poll as one of the top ten most influential people in the Canadian Golf Industry. Also named to the list were Mike Weir (1), Lorie Kane (2), Bob Weeks, Lorne Rubenstein, Bruce Simmonds, Jeff Calderwood, and Scott Atkinson.

To this day, Robbie and his firm continue to work with developers and operators to find new and innovative ways of developing, building and operating great golf courses and resorts. The commitment of the RJH Golf Course Management Services Inc. is expressed this way, "If someone comes to us with their project, they are trusting us to help them realize their dreams. We are dream makers and we must never take this lightly. Our customers are not just clients, they are partners and we must go to any length to help them reach their goals and objectives."

© 2002 RJH Golf Course Management Services.
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