CONTACT US

Rob Robertson – Director of Golf Club Operations

(941) 739-7417
Robert.Robertson@img.com

Mark Metzler – Assistant Clubhouse Manager

Mark grew up in the small town of Auburn, Indiana and is the youngest of two boys. At 21 he wanted to see what was out there in the world so he packed up and moved to Florida. He started working in Desoto Square Mall for McDuff’s Electronics part-time at the same time working for World Bazaar. Later on, he worked for a new company that came to Florida called Dollar Tree where he worked for 8 years. At the same time he was approached about coming to work for a local bar. This is where he got the bug to bartend and this career lasted 20 years.

At the age of 40, he decided that he wanted to go back to school and get a degree so he signed up at Keiser College for Computer Graphic Design and got his Associates Degree in that field. Painting and drawing has always been a passion of Mark's so whenever he gets free time to relax this is what he likes to do.

Since coming to work at IMG Academy Golf Club, he has enjoyed the challenges of learning a whole new field of work. He is going on celebrating 13 years here at the club which he has had the privilege of getting to know many of the wonderful members at the club. All of his family slowly has moved to Florida over the years so now he gets to enjoy having them here instead of flying north to see them.

(941) 739-7413
Mark.Metzler@img.com

Sladjana Lazarevic – Controller

Sladjana has 33 years of Accounting and Finance experience. In 2005, Sladjana joined IMG Academies Golf & Country Club as the Controller overseeing finance and accounting for the Club. Prior to her position at IMG Academies Golf & Country Club, she worked for Chevron Texaco where she gained invaluable experience that has enabled her to establish proper procedures and control to implement at the Club. Further her hands-on experience has provided solid direction for the Club and team. 

In 2004, Sladjana earned her designation of a Certified Public Accountant and holds a bachelor’s degree in both Accounting and Finance. 

In her spare time, you can find her enjoying the beach and going on long walks with her dog. Sladjana enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, a IMG Academies Alumni and former D1 tennis player.

(941) 739-7415
Sladjana.Lazarevic@img.com

Kaitlin Gregorich – Membership, Marketing & Administrative Coordinator

Kaitlin moved to Florida with her parents at a young age.  After many years of being scolded for being “too social” in school, Kaitlin knew she could put her communication skills to work in an administrative position.  In 2013, Kaitlin entered the golf business by working as a Golf Shop Assistant at the local Manatee County Golf Course.  Over the 4 and a half years spent at MCGC, Kaitlin was eager to learn more about the business side of the golf course. 
 
Kaitlin eventually took an opportunity to move up professionally as the Assistant GM of The Preserve at Tara Golf Club.  Shortly after, Kaitlin was introduced to the GM at IMG Academy Golf Club and offered a job as the Membership & Marketing Coordinator.  Feeling like it was an opportunity she could simply not pass up, Kaitlin accepted the position in late 2018.  Since being employed at the Club, Kaitlin has enjoyed learning more about the marketing, accounting, and membership aspects of a Golf Club.  In January 2021, Kaitlin was promoted to Membership, Marketing & Administrative Coordinator and has been immersing herself more into the accounting side of things.  She is currently working on getting her NACPB certification.
 
Kaitlin is newly married to her wife, Jamie.  When not at the Club, Kaitlin enjoys being around friends, spending time with her wife, and doing anything that involves a body of water and some sunshine. 
 
Although Kaitlin’s job title is continuing to expand as well as her duties, she is wholeheartedly involved in being the membership liaison and happy to answer questions for perspective members as well as the current members of IMG Golf Club.  Feel free to pop in and say hello!  It’s the office with the butterflies…

O: (941) 739-7439  |  M: (941) 718-5895
Kaitlin.Gregorich@img.com

Rocky Fidelibus - Executive Chef

(941) 739-7421

Alexa Diaz Valentin - Sous Chef

Alexa was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She moved to Florida in her 20s to pursue her career in culinary arts.

What motivated Alexa to choose this path: watching her grandmothers, mom, and aunts all work together preparing food for their family gathering. Seeing the passion, love, and happiness in their eyes while preparing old recipes from their past generations and passing along to them.
 
What she loves the most about kitchen: the way they can create beauty with food and share it with the world. 

(941) 739-7421
Alexa.DiazValentin@img.com

Alexxa Powers - Event Manager

Alexxa Powers is originally from Pennsylvania, known for its industrial centers and rich Hershey’s chocolate. Alexxa received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a focus on Public Relations and Business minor as of May 2022 at Alvernia University. She then traveled south to the sunny state of Florida, beginning her career as the Campus Engagement Coordinator at The Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Resource Center. Through her role she helped build a community across the Center focusing on tenant needs, managing programming, creating connections, and implementing a collaborative strategy.
 
After some time at the Center, she felt the desire to pursue her true passion for event planning. Alexxa received an opportunity at IMG Academy Golf Club as their Banquet Manager. In this role she will assist with developing sales and marketing plans, identifying new opportunities for business development, and providing oversight/direction on event days to ensure the utmost satisfaction of all clients. Although new to the position, her ability to be upbeat, personable, and backed by the best team will create for the most beautiful events IMG can offer!
 
Beyond the professional world, Alexxa enjoys spending time at the crystal-clear beaches and traveling around the east coast to drag race with her family. With loved ones hours away, finding a community like the one at IMG is just what she needed. To all of those who are a part of the IMG Academy Golf Club, she is thrilled to be the newest addition to the team! 

(941) 739-7414
Alexxa.Powers@img.com

Sadie Guffey - Assistant Event Manager

(941) 739-7419
Sadie.Guffey@img.com

Steve Strausbaugh – Head Golf Professional

Steve was born and raised in Venice, FL. where he grew up playing baseball and golf. Baseball became his main sport the first year of high school where played 3 years of Varsity. He played Division 1 baseball at Western Carolina University and studied biology. The New York Yankees organization drafted him in 2007, and Steve played professionally for 3 years before a shoulder injury forced an early retirement.
 
After a father son trip to Ireland, he returned to golf with a renewed passion for the game. Steve attended and graduated from Professional Golfers Career College with an associate’s degree in Golf Course Management. At The Golf College, he fell in love with instructing, growing the game of golf, as well as tournament operations. Steve became a PGA associate while working eight years here at IMG and will become a member of the PGA of America this year.
 
Steve’s full swing Teaching Philosophy gets students envisioning the golf swing as an athletic movement executed by their natural ability. He believes everyone’s swing is unique, and there is more than one way to swing a golf club successfully. His goal is to unite his student’s unique characteristics with simple fundamentals, thus creating a sound, effortless, repeatable golf swing. Steve’s short game philosophy creates standard short game swing using full swing techniques. By making small simple adjustments at setup, you can create a variety of shots only limited by the golfer’s imagination. Steve’s putting philosophy simplifies the mechanics of putting into two major strokes. Matching the setup and the stroke makes putting easier and fun to practice.

Steven.Strausbaugh@img.com

AJ Schneller – Assistant Golf Professional

AJ Schneller is from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. As the son of a PGA Professional, he picked up the game at the young age of three. AJ went on to play collegiate golf at the Loyola University of New Orleans where he majored in finance and graduated Cum Laude. While at Loyola AJ helped the men’s golf team win its first event in program history with a 3^rd place finish as a individual. After college, AJ moved to Boston to pursue a career in finance working at Brown Brothers Harriman as a Senior Pricing Specialist on the Client Pricing Team. It wasn’t long before he chose to pursue his passion as his career and moved back to Florida to become a PGA Professional.

Now serving as Assistant Golf Professional at IMG Academy Golf Club, AJ is looking forward to learning the business from Rob, Steve, and Greg. While at IMG, AJ is excited to share his knowledge of not only the golf swing but how to properly play the game of golf with the membership and patrons of the club. AJ has spent dozens of hours learning from some of the best instructors in the game today including George Gankas, Jeff Smith, and Scott Fawcett to name a few. His teaching philosophy, in short, is centered around biomechanics and impact. The way our bodies move in our golf swing is just as important, if not more important, than the way the club moves. Golf is a very unique sport in that it is the only sport that is not practiced on the field of play, and one of the few sports where the field of play changes from course to course. That is why he believes it is so critical to get out on the golf course with his students because often times you can save a player shots every round just by improving their course management skills.

Andrew.Schneller@img.com

Renze Berg – Golf Course Superintendent

Renze Berg has been here at IMG Golf Club since February 21st, 2022.  Prior to accepting this position, he was Golf Course Superintendent at River Strand Golf and Country Club from October 2015-February 2022.  Before that, he was Golf Course Superintendent at Bradenton Country Club from May 1998-Oct 2015.  Renze Graduated from Lake City Community College in 1996 with an A.S. Degree in Golf Course Management. 

Renze was born and raised here in Bradenton and Graduated High School from Bradenton Christian School in 1990.  He enjoys hunting, fishing and golf.   

Renze.Berg@img.com

Jay Mullen – IMG Academy Director of Grounds

Jay Mullen is the new Director of Grounds for the Academy, and he will also be working closely with Superintendent, Keith Welter, on the golf course.  He started working in the turfgrass industry shortly after moving to Florida from St. Louis, Missouri 20+ years ago.  11 of those years have been spent as Director of Grounds at multi-course facilities including Black Diamond, Palm Aire Country Club, and most recently Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice.  His turf management degree was earned with a combination of credits from the University of Missouri and Penn State University. 
 
Jay has a short commute from north Sarasota where he lives with my wife, Angie, and three children Sydney, Zoey, and Andrew.  He enjoys cheering for his daughters’ volleyball teams and chasing his 2yo around the house when he is not at work.  He is excited to be part of the IMG Academy team and is looking forward to a productive tenure.

Jay.Mullen@img.com