GMS-Take a Field Trip to MEDINAH Country Club, Delivering the Greatest Presidents Cup in History

Join us for Part 2 of our conversation on the 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club as we take a deeper look at what lies ahead for one of the largest international sporting events ever hosted in our region.
 
This fireside chat-style discussion will bring together leaders directly involved in the planning and execution of the tournament to share insights on the road to 2026 and the significant economic and community impact the Presidents Cup will have across the region.
 

Good Morning Schaumburg, Attendees will gain an inside look at how Medinah secured the opportunity to host the 2026 tournament and what it means for the local business community. The conversation will also touch on Medinah Country Club’s rich history, its legendary courses, and its long-standing tradition of hosting world-class tournaments. Our speakers will provide an updated overview of the Presidents Cup competition as of May 2026.
 
The discussion will also explore the extensive preparations underway—from course enhancements and marketing initiatives to volunteer coordination, tourism impact, and the logistics required to host an event of this scale. Attendees will also learn how businesses and individuals can engage with the event through hospitality experiences, ticket opportunities, and community involvement.
 
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear directly from those leading the charge and learn how this global golf event will bring international attention, visitors, and lasting economic impact to our region.

More about our speakers:
Dave Schneider, GM/COO, Medinah Country Club (Moderator)
Dave began service in the hospitality industry through a passion for golf.  He started playing when he was five and played competitively in high school and college graduating from the University of Northern Iowa in 1993.  He then became an apprentice in the PGA and attained his PGA membership in 1996.
 
Over the next 30 years he worked in six different states at 10 different golf facilities.  He has worked at several different facility types including private member-owned country clubs, upscale daily fee, and resort, holding roles in all different capacities including being an Assistant and Head Golf professional, Director of Golf, Director of Instruction, and General Manager and Chief Operating Officer. 
 
In 2008, expanding his knowledge in the industry, he joined the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) and obtained his Certified Club Manager status (CCM) in 2016.  At the time, he was the 49^th PGA Professional to also have their CCM designation with the CMAA. 
 
Currently he is the General Manager and Chief Operating Officer at Medinah Country Club in Medinah Illinois, host of the 16^th Playing of the Presidents Cup this upcoming September.  
 
Dave’s leadership extends past the employment positions he has worked.  He has been extremely involved in the PGA of America on local and national levels.  From 2006 – 2017 he served and chaired many committees at the Iowa Section PGA Board of Directors.  He served as president of the section in 2014 and 2015.  In 2018, he was elected to a three-year term as the District 8 Director on the National PGA Board of Directors.  His greatest passion is PGA Employment where he served as the national chair or co-chair for five years. 
 
Dave and his wife, Deb, have been married for 31 years and they have three boys, Nic married to Natalie, Nathan married to Mia, and Colin.
Joie Chitwood, Executive Director, PGA TOUR – Presidents Cup
Joie Chitwood III is the Executive Director of the Presidents Cup, the PGA Tour’s premier team event to be held at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, Illinois in 2026. Created in 1994, the Presidents Cup, a team match play competition featuring 24 of the world’s top golfers – 12 from the United States and 12 from around the world – is held every two years, and since 1996 has alternated between the United States and International venues.
 
Prior to the Presidents Cup, Chitwood spent two years as Vice President of Corporate Development for Arnold Palmer Enterprises, which included his role as Tournament Director over one of the PGA Tour’s premier championships. In that role, he was tasked with driving revenue growth and operational excellence which delivered record results for the long-time event founded by Arnold Palmer. In addition, Chitwood oversaw the Arnold Palmer Cup, a prestigious college team competition featuring the top US and International players, similar to the Presidents Cup.
 
Chitwood joined the Arnold Palmer Group in August 2020 after a long career in motorsports, having worked most recently as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of International Speedway Corporation (ISC), a publicly traded company, founded by the France family in 1953.
 
In his role as Executive Vice President and COO of ISC, Chitwood was responsible for the leadership, management and oversight of the operations of the 13 ISC Motorsports facilities, the Design and Development department including the $500 million dollar capital budget and Americrown, ISC’s food & beverage business, along with strengthening key industry initiatives and working in tandem with executive leaders and track presidents to execute business plans.
 
Chitwood joined ISC in 2009 as Vice President of Business Operations before assuming the role of President of ISC’s flagship motorsports facility, Daytona International Speedway (“DIS”), from 2010 to 2016. As President, Chitwood oversaw ISC’s largest development project to date – the $400 million DAYTONA Rising project that transformed the Speedway into the world’s first motorsports stadium. In addition, Chitwood spearheaded the track’s repave project in 2010, only the second in its 58-year history, as well as continuing to serve as a Corporate Officer and Vice President for ISC.
Michael Scimo, Event Chairman, Medinah Country Club
A lifetime Chicagoan, Michael D. Scimo is currently Chairman of the 2026 Presidents Cup professional golf tournament, to be contested at Medinah Country Club in September 2026. A Medinah member for 25 years, he served on the club’s Board of Directors for eight years, and as club President in 2018-2019.  He has held a variety of roles in club governance and strategic planning, including leading Medinah’s $47 million strategic transformation program, called Medinah 2020.  As a result of the successful completion of Medinah 2020, which expanded membership, strengthened Medinah’s financial position, and increased member and staff satisfaction, Mike was named Distinguished Club President of the Year by Boardroom Magazine in 2020. 

Outside of Medinah, Mike retired in 2015 after more than 30 years with Accenture, then a $50 billion global professional services company with more than 500,000 employees serving clients in 120 countries.  His most recent position was Global Managing Director, where he served on the company’s Global Leadership Council.  For six years Mike served as the Managing Director for Accenture’s Chicago office, leading more than 5,500 professionals, developing local business and expanding the company’s civic presence and impact. He led the company’s worldwide Chemicals and Natural Resources practice for seven years, where he worked with clients and Accenture teams in more than 40 countries and grew the business by nearly 50% to more than $1 billion annually. Mike was the lead client executive for several of Accenture’s most important clients, companies who rank among the largest and most valuable in their respective industries. Mike also led Accenture’s North American Human Capital and Diversity function, where he played a critical role driving the company’s talent, leadership and culture initiatives as well as inclusion and diversity programs.  For three years he also guided Accenture’s North American Corporate Social Responsibility programs and served on the Board of the Accenture Foundation. 

Mike was a charter member of the Board of Skills for Chicagoland’s Future, a non-profit that provides employment opportunities to more than 1,200 needy Chicagoans (annually) who have struggled to re-enter the work force after prolonged periods of unemployment.  He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Bradley University, his undergraduate alma mater.  He was named Bradley’s Distinguished Alumni of the year in 2016. Michael holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management.  He was a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, where he served on the club’s Civic Committee.  He has served on the Chicago Boards of Junior Achievement and the Civic Consulting Alliance.

Michael resides in St. Charles, IL with his wife of 31 years, Celeste.  They have three sons: Daniel, Andrew, and Joseph.