DALLAS (June 10, 2020) Invited – The World Leader in Private Clubs® ­– is celebrating the accomplishments of its graduating members with a virtual 2020 graduation ceremony complete with a keynote commencement address – “When Disruption Becomes Destiny” – by retired four-star Gen. Martin Dempsey. The celebration, which includes a virtual yearbook of member and employee graduates, will be moderated by Invited CEO, David Pillsbury, with Dempsey speaking to the graduates about the unique challenges and opportunities they face during this unprecedented moment in history. The Facebook Live event, hosted by Invited, takes place June 14 at 4 p.m. EDT.

“We are so excited to honor the accomplishments of the many graduating members of our nearly 200 clubs throughout the country,” said Pillsbury. “While they cannot physically walk across a stage, these students all deserve the extraordinary experience of being recognized and inspired.”

“I am honored to give the commencement at Invited’s first-ever virtual graduation and to address the graduates of 2020, who are not inheriting the usual frameworks, structures, and processes as their predecessors,” Dempsey said. “They’re not inheriting ‘normal.’ This group will be on the leading edge of determining what ‘normal’ becomes.  That seems to me to be both exciting and a great opportunity to make a difference.”

Dempsey, a member at Invited’s Hasentree in Wake Forest, North Carolina, retired after 41 years of military service. He served in both Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom, accumulating 42 months in combat. In his last four years of service, he served as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the senior officer in the Armed Forces and the military advisor to the Secretary of Defense and to the President. Dempsey is a graduate of West Point and has master’s degrees from Duke in literature, from the Army Command and General Staff College in military science and from the National War College in national security strategy. He also has an honorary doctorate degree in law from Notre Dame University. 
His military awards include the Bronze Star with valor device, the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and distinguished service medals from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard. In 2015, Dempsey was named one of the 100 most influential leaders in the world by Time magazine, and in 2016 he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

About Invited

Since its founding in 1957, Dallas-based Invited has operated with the central purpose of Building Relationships and Enriching Lives®. The leading owner-operator of private golf and country clubs, city and stadium clubs in North America, Invited is relentless in its pursuit of providing extraordinary experiences, meaningful connections, shared passions and memorable moments for its more than 430,000 members. With approximately 20,000 peak-season employees and a portfolio of over 200 owned or operated golf and country clubs, city clubs, sports clubs, and stadium clubs in 27 states, the District of Columbia and two foreign countries, Invited creates communities and a lifestyle through its championship golf courses, work spaces, handcrafted cuisine, resort-style pools, tennis facilities, golf lounges, fitness centers and robust programming.

Invited properties include: Firestone Country Club (Akron, Ohio); Mission Hills Country Club (Rancho Mirage, California); The Woodlands Country Club (The Woodlands, Texas); Capital Club Beijing; and The Metropolitan in Chicago. You can find Invited on Facebook at facebook.com/Invited and on Twitter at @Invited.