Newport Beach Country Club Magazine Winter 2020 | Page 23

there were still portable offices and
watched the amazing club as it was
being built.”
When it comes to his position, he
says that “work ethic is everything.”
His philosophy also includes the
notion that you should always be
attentive, responsive and polite to
anyone who arrives at the club. “I
believe being quick and efficient is
the key in the valet world,” he adds.
As a valet, he has driven and
parked hundreds of types of vehi-
cles, many of which he says are so
incredible that it’s hard to imagine
owning one of that caliber. That
being said, his personal dream car
is a Porsche 911.
But knowing details about auto-
mobiles isn’t the only essential
aspect of his work. “Familiarizing
yourself with not only different
types of cars and how they drive,
but remembering members’ names
and displaying a personal level of
service is important,” he says.
One member, in particular,
stands out due to his signature
white vehicles. “His car collection
is off the charts,” VanderRiet says
of Mr. Wheeler, whose exotic sports
cars include Ferraris, Lamborghinis
and more. “… We know when he
arrives. All of the employees dream
of having his cars.”
During a typical shift,
VanderRiet estimates that he parks
around 50 cars, though he says
that Fridays are the busiest. But
every day is different, as the club
often plays host to special events
like weddings, conferences, holiday
parties and, of course, golf com-
petitions. “Tournaments are very
N E WP O R T B E A CHCC .CO M
“FAMILIARIZING YOURSELF WITH
NOT ONLY DIFFERENT TYPES
OF CARS AND HOW THEY DRIVE,
BUT REMEMBERING MEMBERS’
NAMES AND DISPLAYING A
PERSONAL LEVEL OF
SERVICE IS IMPORTANT.”
busy and keep everyone moving
quickly,” VanderRiet says, noting
that he cherishes memories from
these events, namely the Hoag
Classic (formerly Toshiba Classic)
because he gets to meet so many
notable, seasoned golfers.
With a little more than a handful
of valets on staff, there can be man-
power challenges, but that doesn’t
stop VanderRiet and his coworkers
from taking care of the members.
“I always put the members first,”
VanderRiet says, adding that he
feels lucky because of how gener-
ous the members are to him and
the other valets. “When a member
acknowledges me for something
I’ve done, that says a lot for me,”
he says.
He also enjoys the camaraderie
he shares with other staff mem-
bers on the country club team. On
the weekends, he and his friends,
which include a mixture of other
valets as well as outside service
staff, go to the Balboa Peninsula to
enjoy their favorite restaurants and
other local spots.
On his days off, VanderRiet also
enjoys golfing, surfing, boating
and snowboarding, all of which
help to keep him in shape for his
highly active job. He also spends
time at home in Huntington Beach,
where he lives with his parents,
Richard and Kimberly, as well as
his younger sister, Haely, and the
family’s three dogs.
In the future, VanderRiet says
that he “absolutely sees a career in
hospitality” because he simply likes
to help people. He’s also looking to
take on more responsibility at the
club. “I hope to bring ideas to man-
agement, as it pertains to the valet
department,” he says.
From setting up the valet staging
area to the moment the last car of
the day drives off, VanderRiet is
glad to be a part of this team, and is
looking forward to his next move in
the hospitality industry.
As for his parting words, he
shares a bit of valet wisdom: “Run
fast; drive slow.”
NEWPORT BEACH COUNTRY CLUB MAGAZINE
23