Linda Cozzi is general manager and chief financial officer for The Philadelphia Cricket Club, the country’s oldest country club, and is named to the Titan 100 list for the second time.
In the last year, she has helped lead the organization through a $16 million renovation that included rebuilding the clubhouse, dining and kitchen spaces and adding racquet facilities.
“The clubhouse received a tremendous transformation, making the dining facilities more conducive for social gatherings,” Cozzi said. “The kitchen is now more efficient and a much better working environment for our staff.”
The club worked its history into the renovation, adding historical displays to the decor and central focal pieces that celebrate the men, women and children from previous generations.
The club now has seven platform tennis courts, up from four, and also offers free Spanish and ESL classes for all who are interested. “The response was overwhelming from the community,” Cozzi said. “So many of our bilingual employees told me how nice it made them feel that we wanted to learn their language. We constantly strive to have an employee-first culture and will not stop the continuous improvement.”
While the PCC is rooted in a long history, it works to stay on top of current trends and innovation. “Each year we evaluate how we can do things better the next year,” Cozzi said. “As the first to provide the new racquet sport (coming out of Europe) called Padel, we show our willingness to innovate and provide new sports and programming.
“Although the shutdown from COVID was good for most clubs that offer golf, PCC has a 10-plus- year wait to get into full golf, which is a testament to the reputation and experiences that members and guests receive. This ‘problem’ has caused us to become innovative with membership categories, allowing more access without impacting the experience of current full golfers — a win-win for all.
“For the coming year, we will continue to evaluate usage and use policy to provide fair and equitable access for everyone. We will continue to innovate in our dining spaces, creating experiences that draw members and their guests to use the club.
“My personal goals are to continue growing through education, continue my pursuit of learning Spanish, continue to look for opportunities to lead in my industry and look for opportunities to join Boards to expand my experience.”
Cozzi serves as treasurer of The Philadelphia Club Foundation and also serves on the board of The Philadelphia and Vicinity Club Management Association.
