Clubhouse Manager / Age 35
South Hills Golf & Country Club
In 2011, while recovering from a stroke caused by a hole in her heart, Jacqueline Runge recalls doctors telling her family that she wouldn’t be able to continue her education.
But Runge was determined to prove them wrong. At the time, she was working toward an associate degree. “I made a commitment to go further — to earn my master’s degree, no matter my condition,” she says. “That commitment became the most powerful driving force of my life.”
In 2023, Runge achieved her goal, earning her MBA from UW Oshkosh. “I now use my experience to encourage others, reminding them that even in their darkest moments, there is light ahead.”
During her time at South Hills, her biggest challenge arose in the year following COVID-19. “We faced a perfect storm,” she says, which included limited resources, a depleted workforce, supply chain shortages and predictions of a surge in guest traffic. But her team built a plan centered around clear and consistent communication and regular evaluations of supply.
Runge says talent development is a key way to shape future leaders. “Stepping into more mentoring roles has been incredibly rewarding,” she says. “Seeing staff apply the tools we’ve worked on together makes every moment spent coaching worthwhile.”
Be sure to visit Insight’s Portraits of Success: 40 Under 40 at The Art Garage in Green Bay from May 30–June 1 to see each honoree’s official 40 Under 40 portrait!
