The Victory Club construction continues to progress quickly each week, but there’s more to opening a place like this than the myriad of building tasks happening up there every day. It takes a dedicated team of people to make sure that on day one we can provide guests the exceptional experience we’ve been talking about all along.
So, this week we are extremely pleased to introduce you to the newest member of that team: Troy Thivierge, Victory’s all-new Clubhouse Manager.
A trained chef and experienced hospitality manager, Troy is the perfect man for the position, and as such, his job will be to oversee all operations of the Victory clubhouse including food and beverage, housekeeping, facilities, spa and fitness. And he’s eager to get started.
Since most Victory residents and visitors are going to get to know Troy quite well (he says you can count on it), we thought we’d let him answer a few questions to get the ball rolling right away.
Q: So, tell us what you’ve been up to and how you ended up here at Victory?
Troy: I’ve been in the hospitality industry as long as I can remember, a career facilitator of fun. Throughout my career I’ve been fortunate to work with amazing people who shared their passion for hospitality and taught me how to ensure customer satisfaction is second-to-none. Working at Victory is the professional culmination of my experiences rolled into one amazing opportunity.
Q: Tell us what you’re most excited about starting your job as clubhouse manager of the Victory Club?
Troy: I’m most excited about working with the great residents of Victory and Verrado to create many fun, exciting and educational experiences at The Victory Club. Verrado has such a great culture, even in the food scene, so it will be exciting to work with a talented team of people to extend that welcoming and fun environment to this exciting new neighborhood.
Q: There’s probably a million things on your to-do list, but what is task #1 as you dig in at the club?
Troy: Task #1 is to build a team that can deliver the level of experience and service we want to become known for. We want to handpick exactly the right people for every position. We want to have the best chef, the best spa manager, and the best fitness manager. That’s where it really all starts, and once we’ve got the right people in place we can start working together to ensure that the New Years Eve Grand Opening Party at The Victory Club is the best event to ever hit the Valley. We are stopping at nothing to ensure that the Club is the talk of the town.
Q: We know you’re a professionally trained chef, so what’s your favorite thing about food?
Troy: My favorite thing about food is in its roots to nature. Growing up in upstate New York I was fortunate to have a family that grew what we ate. My dad was amazingly talented in the garden and my first foray into the kitchen was to prepare what was just harvested. With that said, for me food is really all about bringing people together, which is why I’ve transitioned out of the kitchen and into operations and club management – it’s the perfect opportunity to deliver an experience that goes well beyond food. We want to bring people together around food, wellness, new experiences and education. It’s going to be a blast.
Q: We are pretty big fans of the Victory Club’s design and architecture, obviously – what’s your take on it?
Troy: My favorite part of the Victory Club design is definitely in the community, or campus, feel. Whether it’s the Arizona Great Room where people are greeted by soft seating in front of a beautiful fireplace, the large table in the wine alcove of The Vic, the “Chef’s Tables” at the corners of the bar, the expansive fitness facility, the Sports Den or the beautiful Quad and other patios. It’s a beautiful and inviting building. I think people are going to love spending time there.
Q: What are you looking forward to most about Victory at Verrado?
Troy: Working with an amazing team. I’ve been introduced to a group of people who are equally passionate about what they do and how they do it. Passion is a word that may be overused today, but it’s exactly what we need in order to deliver this Victory Club experience in an extraordinary way.
Q: We understand you’re not far from hiring a chef for The Vic restaurant. Can you tell us anything about he or she and what we can expect?
Troy: Well I am excited to share that we now have an extremely talented executive chef on staff that will be leading the culinary revolution at The Vic. I don’t want to say too much because I believe we’ll be introducing him in the next few weeks, but he’ll be working hard to create a unique, made-from-scratch farm to table experience that is second to none. There won’t be anything like it here in the West Valley.
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
Troy: I’m just excited to roll up our sleeves and get to work. I am so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this Victory experience and I look forward to getting to know everyone I can by name. It’s an honor to be part of the Verrado family.
Look out for more from Troy and an introduction to The Vic’s new executive chef in the weeks to come. And, please note that we are now offering hard hat tours of the Victory Club for anyone who wants to check out progress on site. If you would like to join, please just RSVP for our next tour date here.
And, of course, don’t forget to mark your calendar for the NYE celebration and grand opening. You won’t want to miss it. Feel free to email AskVictory@Verrado.com with any questions or comments.
About Troy Thivierge
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Troy Thivierge has over 18 years of experience in the food, beverage and hospitality industry ranging from a line cook in the kitchens of New York to Food, Beverage and Events Manager at Queen Creek Olive Mill in Queen Creek, AZ. Troy is passionate about creating a culture of education and fun, including the development and management of immersive educational programs for those who share his passion for interactive experiences.
After working as Executive Chef and Chef de Cuisine at restaurants around Scottsdale and the greater Phoenix area Troy professional growth began evolving from culinary leadership into Front of House management and then into overall operations. Troy’s career arc has taken him down new educational paths; he holds a Wine Fundamentals certification from the International Sommelier Guild. While at Venu and Edge at Grayhawk in North Scottsdale, he worked within a team that created specific customer education programs and lifestyle experiences that fostered a sense of community often around food, wine and fitness. As the Director of Culinary and Events department at the Queen Creek Olive Mill, Troy had the responsibility of ensuring consistency in customer satisfaction, educational programming, marketing and new project developments as well as the financial responsibility for those departments. Troy feels that the most authentic interactions we have are those that stimulate our mutual thirst for company and learning.
In addition to his career accomplishments, Troy has two children and a wife of 14 years. He is actively involved in youth sports as an assistant coach for his son’s little league baseball team. When he’s not coaching or cooking, Troy enjoys participating in a wide range of outdoor athletics including half-marathons, adventure races, triathlons and frequent hiking.
Read more Adventures in Victory