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| |  A 30-year golf and club management industry veteran, Thorn began his career with the Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) as an assistant golf professional at Flat Creek Club in Peachtree City, Georgia, followed by roles at Capital City Club in Atlanta and several years as head golf professional at Houston Lake Country Club in Perry, Georgia. His career path later transitioned into club administration, serving as a regional accountant for two golf management companies before becoming general manager at Polo Golf & Country Club in Cumming, Georgia in 2002. Since then, Thorn has combined his passion for golf with his love for hospitality, leading and growing clubs across the Southeast. “This is an incredible club with a rich legacy and bright future,” said Thorn. “We feel blessed to call New Orleans home and are grateful for the opportunity to live, work, play, and serve in this vibrant community.” Originally from the small town of Riverdale, just south of Atlanta, Thorn studied finance at Clayton State College in Morrow, Georgia and ministry at Atlanta Christian College. He is a Class A PGA member, a 4DX certified manager, serves on the board of directors for RowKids International, and is a proud foster and adoptive parent. He and his wife Debbie, a retired middle school principal and former assistant headmaster at Hilton Head Christian Academy, are parents to four children and grandparents to three girls. Porto brings over a decade of leadership experience in the golf and hospitality industries, including five years at other Troon®-managed facilities. Originally from Spain, Porto has diverse international background. She is a retired officer of the Spanish Navy and spent the last three years of her military career serving at NATO headquarters in Italy. She is fluent in four languages – Spanish, English, Portuguese, and Italian – which has been a tremendous asset in her global roles. Porto is passionate about creating welcoming, well-run club environments and is excited to support English Turn’s growth and success in the years ahead. With a strong focus on member satisfaction, team development, and operational excellence, she is committed to enhancing every aspect of the member and guest experience. She believes in leading by example, fostering a culture of collaboration, and helping to create memorable moments for all who visit English Turn. Porto
moves to New Orleans from Houston, Texas. She is joined by her husband,
Mike, a U.S. Air Force veteran, and their 12-year-old daughter, Maria.
Outside of work she enjoys fishing and spending time with her family.
Each hole has a unique design that combines strategically placed bunkers, large waste bunkers, and sloping grass swales. English Turn Golf & Country Club members enjoy a host of amenities including a fitness center, a junior Olympic-size swimming pool, locker rooms, six lighted Rubico tennis courts, as well as multiple dining options in the mixed grill, the main dining room and at the pool snack shack. From cozy lounges to a grand ballroom, English Turn’s Plantation style clubhouse has a variety of spaces perfect for weddings, banquets and meetings. Troon Golf, the resort and daily-fee division of Troon, manages the golf operations, agronomy, food and beverage as well as sales and marketing at English Turn. For more information on English Turn Golf & Country Club, visit www.EnglishTurn.com. About
Troon
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The
centerpiece of English Turn Golf & Country Club is it’s Jack Nicklaus
Signature Design golf course. The 7,078-yard, par-72 layout features water
on 17 of its 18 holes, including the signature par-5 15th island green.
The course hosted the New Orleans’ PGA TOUR stop (now the Zurich Classic
of New Orleans) from 1989 through 2004 and again in 2006.
