Alicia Adamson (left) and a fellow staffer serve food from The Country Club at Brookline Teen Center’s Thursday night Supper Club.
Courtesy of Alicia Adamson
Kristen LaCount, general manager and COO of The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. – the iconic host of this week’s US Open – has a legacy unlike any other. She’s not only the first woman ever to hold the top job at the club, but also, incredibly, the third generation of her family to work at the Boston-area club.
LaCount’s grandparents on The Country Club, and, in 1983, LaCount’s father, Steven, became the club’s youngest-ever executive chef. Some of LaCount’s earliest childhood memories include visiting him in the club kitchen, and even assisting with meal service on the line.
LaCount always intended on following his father’s footsteps into the culinary world, but when he graduated from college in 2003, he navigated her father’s path in another way, David Chag, who had longer Steven. LaCount quickly made her way up the ranks, assuming a number of roles over the years. When, after 33 years on the job, Chag stepped down in the official capacity, LaCount was the obvious choice to succeed him, becoming the general manager and COO in 2020.
Despite LaCount’s deep personal connection to The Country Club, her greatest legacy may not be what she has set up for herself, but rather her infancy: developing a partnership with the nearby Brookline Teen Center (BTC), high-school age kids that’s just two miles from The Country Club’s gates – but a world apart in many other ways. BTC opened its doors in 2013, and provides nurturing programming for up to 100 youths a week.
Kristen LaCount is The Country Club’s first-ever female GM and COO.
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Even before LaCount assumed the role of GM and COO, diversity, equity and inclusion were always top of mind, especially after taking a tour of the BTC with her husband, Boston restauranteur Dan Kerrigan.
“I fell in love with the place,” LaCount said.
The couple started providing meals for BTC’s weekly Thursday dinners, called “Supper Club.”
LaCount’s involvement created when new BTC executive director Alicia Adamson came on board in August 2020. The two women quickly bonded over their mutual desire to find ways to give back. One of Adamson’s top priorities is to provide the BTC’s regulars with work at The Country Club.
“Kristen really doesn’t care about opening the door for other teens, like how this door was opened for her family,” Adamson said.
The Country Club has had its first batch of BTC workers, despite the fact that they have never set foot on any private club property, let alone a storied and historic venue like The Country Club.
Ultimately, one of Adamson’s goals is to demystify the country-club experience by taking the teens on a regular basis networking.
“I didn’t know what a private club did if I didn’t work for one, because I didn’t grow up in this,” LaCount said with a laugh. “What’s great about this industry is, if you have a personality, a smile, and it looks like you are doing what you are doing, we can probably teach you the rest.”
Brookline Teen Center alums (including Chris Martinez, far left) pose with BTC executive director Alicia Adamson (center) and former Country Club GM David Chag (far right).
Courtesy of Alicia Adamson
A living embodiment of those characteristics is 19-year-old Chris Martinez. Martinez arrived in Massachusetts eight years ago from Honduras, unable to speak a word of English. He started hanging out at the BTC after school, meeting up with friends to play basketball. Nearly three years ago, LaCount recruited Martinez to work at The Country Club. He’s done it all – maître d ‘, serving, bartending and training new employees.
“It is very welcoming. Everyone helps you be comfortable, ”Martinez said recently by phone. “They give you a lot of training, as much as you need. The people become family. I think it’s one of the best jobs I’ve ever had. ”
Martinez says that while getting busy with LaCount is common, despite her busy schedule. And LaCount loves having the opportunity to check in with her potential protests frequently and, ideally, to encourage them in what could become a lasting career.
“When I’m here at night, it’s a perfect time to spend five minutes with them, ask them about home, what are they thinking.” LaCount says.
For now, Martinez is working full time, but he’ll scale back when he returns to school in the fall. His ambition is to work in fashion, and he already has a personal brand in development.
Martinez’s success is just one example of what LaCount and Adamson hope to accomplish in the future.
On Saturday, Adamson will attend the US Open with a group of her teens. Maybe one of them will use the experience as a launchpad of sorts – a job, an interest in golf or maybe just the satisfaction of a new experience.
Worthy causes all.
