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Pure Passion

Meet Seven Desert Mountain Clubhouse Manager Passion Graham

Passion Graham, clubhouse manager at Seven Desert Mountain, has an infectious laugh. And, a passion for hospitality and service that almost bubbles out of her.

Graham, a native North Carolinian, believes it was prophetic that her mother chose the name Passion.

“There has always been something about serving people that really spoke to me,” she explains.

Her first job was part-time at McDonald’s during high school in her native Fayetteville. After completing her degree in business administration, she says it was time for a “real job” and accepted a position in the healthcare field.

“Even though I was serving people and it was a great job, it didn’t fill my cup,” says Graham.

She decided one way to begin filling her cup was to start an event planning business on the side.

A visit to the Wadsworth Estate near uptown Charlotte turned into a full-time job. This beautiful old home had been converted into an event space by Judge Shirley Fulton, Charlotte’s first black female prosecutor and the first black female on North Carolina’s Superior Court bench.

“I was there one evening and realized she needed a little bit of help,” explains Graham. “I immediately jumped in and started helping her. She asked me if I could come back and help for another event. It turned into my full-time job and I became the events manager, and ultimately, property manager.”

When they won a bid to host an event for the 2012 Democratic National Convention, Graham realized how much she didn’t know about the business side of hospitality.

“I made a promise to myself that after we got through that, I was going to do [hospitality] right. I made the decision to go back to school and get my degree in hospitality management.”

She enrolled in Central Piedmont’s Hospitality Management program. She thought she had her life planned out for a career in hotel management.

“I ended up waiting until the last semester possible to take the club management course because I was so uninterested in it.

"Part of that class was going around and touring clubs in the Charlotte area,” she explains. “The first one that we went to on the tour was the Charlotte Country Club. I remember going through the gate; the gentleman knew who we were by name. It had the most beautiful, manicured lawns. It was the most gracious hospitality, and we were given a presentation of ‘Damon’s 20 Golden Rules’ by then-CEO Damon DiOrio. I made the decision right then and there that I not only wanted to work in clubs, but I wanted to work for that man. Two days later, I hand-delivered my resume.”

She started at the club soon after that.

Graham says a lot of friends and family thought she was crazy.

“There were no leadership positions available. And, even though I had experience within the hospitality industry, I’d never worked in clubs, so I was offered a server position. To go from having my own business and the property management position to taking what appeared on the outside to be several steps back—it did look crazy.” She laughs that infectious laugh. “And you know, it felt crazy, and it was tough at times, but it was the basis for what I know today.”

Today, as the director of the internship program at Seven, she uses that as a training moment for students.

“A lot of times when students come out of school, they want the big job with the title,” she explains. “I tell them my story and how it may have looked like taking a step back, but it’s more like a rubber band. It is pulling you back so it can propel you that much further into your future. How can you truly lead, and guide, and direct those people from a place of compassion if you’ve never been in those positions yourself?”

Graham assumed she would remain at Charlotte Country Club and work for DiOrio, who had been at the club for 30 years. But, just after Graham bought a house in Charlotte, DiOrio announced he was leaving to take the position of CEO at Desert Mountain Club. It rocked Graham’s world.

About 18 months later, DiOrio called Graham and recruited her to Desert Mountain Club.

“I came to Arizona to tour and visit before accepting the offer,” laughs Graham. “You know, you’re supposed to have a game face on. But no game face for me.”

She gladly accepted the position and says she is thrilled to be once again “under the leadership of the great Damon DiOrio.”

Hospitality is Graham’s life.

“I love to find those things in the team members they didn’t even know they have within themselves; to help cultivate them. We live by Kobe Bryant’s 'Mamba Mentality' here. You don’t have to be perfect today, but that’s what you strive for. If you make a mistake, that’s okay. Just be 1% better tomorrow than you were today.

“I feel like the noblest thing we can do and that we’re called to do in this life is to be of service to others. A lot of times, people look down at those who serve tables or run food,” she says with a seriousness that underlies her passion. “But that’s how people celebrate. That’s how people nourish their bodies. That’s how they nourish relationships. Over breaking bread. We [at Desert Mountain Club] have the opportunity to impact the people who impact the world. I feel this is the noblest calling. I always say do it with passion or don’t do it at all. I try to live and exemplify that every single day.”

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