My Story

35 years building outdoor environments.
Golf, landscape, and everything between.

From golf course design and construction to landscape installation, irrigation, and business development — this is the story of a career spent building outdoor environments people trust, one project at a time.


Background

35+ years in golf, turf, and landscape industry

My background is golf course construction and landscape design — over three decades of it, across multiple countries, when I began projects in Ecuador and co-founded Consulinar SA Ltda in 2010, licensed for engineering, civil work, construction management, and design.

Kris Savignac

The Project I'm Proudest Of

Montecristi Golf Resort

Montecristi Golf Resort & Villas clubhouse at night
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Montecristi Golf Resort & Villas clubhouse, Montecristi, Ecuador.

I designed and built the course at Montecristi Golf Resort — Ecuador's first and only true daily-fee golf course, carved out of foothill desert terrain 20 minutes from Manta, with views of the Pacific and Cerro Montecristi. I worked closely with shaper Jerry Darrough to turn that raw, arid land into something that plays like it was always meant to be a golf course.

I built it alongside Carlos Gonzalez, the resort's owner and developer. Both Carlos and Jerry have since passed away. This course carries their memory as much as it carries mine.

Kris Savignac with Carlos Gonzalez, owner and developer of Montecristi Golf Resort
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With Carlos Gonzalez, owner and developer of Montecristi Golf Resort. In memory of Carlos.
Kris Savignac and Jerry Darrough surveying hole 13 at Montecristi
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With shaper Jerry Darrough, surveying hole 13. In memory of Jerry.
The course
Montecristi hole 15
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Hole 15
Montecristi hole 13
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Hole 13
Montecristi hole 18
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Hole 18
View of Cerro Montecristi
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View of Cerro Montecristi
Kris Savignac with his dog King at Montecristi
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With King, who went with me everywhere on this project back in the day. In memory of King.
Featured Press
The R&A — Golf Around the World, 2021

Montecristi was featured in the Royal and Ancient's Golf Around the World report, Fourth Edition, 2021 — profiled as Ecuador's first and only true daily-fee golf course, with me credited as course designer alongside shaper Jerry Darrough. The photography credited in the piece is mine.

The R&A Golf Around the World 2021 cover
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Cover, Fourth Edition
Montecristi Golf Resort project profile in The R&A Golf Around the World 2021
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Project profile, page 19
Montecristi Golf Resort aerial photo, credited to Kris Savignac, in The R&A Golf Around the World 2021
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South America overview, page 18 — photo credit: Kris Savignac

1994 — A Cold Call That Changed Everything

The Trump Mar-a-Lago Club, Palm Beach

As Director of Business Development at Global Golf Corporation from 1994 to 1998, I led business development for golf course construction and renovation projects serving private clubs and resort properties across Palm Beach County. One account started with a single cold call — no referral, no introduction — to the Trump Mar-a-Lago Club.

That call grew into a three-year estate restoration generating approximately $2.4 million in project revenue: a new commercial irrigation system and drainage installation, a championship putting green, a grass tennis court, a croquet court, coconut palm installation along the A1A oceanside frontage and secondary entrance, royal palm installation along the Intracoastal Waterway frontage and tennis center, and full turf and landscape renovation throughout the property. I managed grounds maintenance for the duration of the project, and received a personal letter of recommendation from the client upon completion.

From 1999 to 2013, I founded and led Geospace1 Facility Services, a GIS and GPS-based mapping and site analysis company serving golf course developers, resort operators, and large-scale property owners across the United States and internationally. I built relationships with developers, golf course architects, and builders including PGA Village, Doral Resort, Mid Ocean Club, Nicklaus Design, and Tom Fazio Design, and produced AutoCAD facility site plans, GPS-based site maps, and 3D topographic models for land planning and development support.


Now

Project Manager & Business Development

Since January 2024, I've been managing residential and commercial irrigation installation and service projects throughout Volusia County, Florida as Project Manager & Business Development at Florida Irrigators Licensed Irrigation Contractors. I evaluate sites and coordinate irrigation system design and drainage solutions, manage project scheduling, material procurement, and contractor oversight from kickoff through completion, and work directly with property owners and maintenance teams to develop effective landscape water management solutions supporting healthy turf and landscape environments.


Landscape & Irrigation Business Development

Business development and project management professional with 35+ years in golf course design, construction, and maintenance services, landscape installation, irrigation systems, and drainage across South Florida and internationally.

Based in North Palm Beach, FL. Bilingual in English and Spanish. Deep roots in the Palm Beach County development market.

Experience

Professional experience

Florida Irrigators Licensed Irrigation Contractors
Project Manager & Business Development
Jan 2024 – Present · Volusia, FL
Manage residential and commercial irrigation installation and service projects throughout Volusia County. Scope projects, coordinate system design, oversee contractors, and ensure delivery to client specifications.
Irrigation system design
Drainage planning
Contractor oversight
Consulinar SA Ltda
Director of Project Development & Business Relations
Jan 2013 – Dec 2023 · Manta, Ecuador & Florida
Directed business development, project coordination, and client relations for international golf resort and large-scale land development projects. Sole designer and construction manager of Montecristi Golf Resort — an 18-hole championship course recognized as the #2 ranked course in Ecuador and featured in the Royal & Ancient’s 2021 Golf Around the World.
18-hole championship course
#2 ranked course in Ecuador
R&A featured, 2021
Geospace1 Facility Services
Director of Operations & Business Development
Jan 1999 – Jan 2013 · West Palm Beach, FL
Founded and led a GIS and GPS-based mapping and site analysis company serving golf course developers, resort operators, and large-scale property owners. Built relationships with PGA Village, Doral Resort, Mid Ocean Club, Nicklaus Design, and Tom Fazio Design.
GIS/GPS site analysis
AutoCAD facility site plans
National & international clients
Global Golf Corporation
Director of Business Development
1994 – 1998 · Palm Beach County, FL
Led business development for golf course construction and renovation projects serving private clubs and resort properties. A single cold call grew into a 3-year, $2.4M restoration of the Trump Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach.
$2.4M from one cold call
3-year estate restoration
Personal client recommendation

Timeline

Career at a glance

2024
Joined Florida Irrigators Licensed Irrigation Contractors as Project Manager & Business Development
2013-2023
Director of Project Development & Business Relations, Consulinar SA Ltda — Ecuador & Florida
2013-2016
Designed and built Montecristi Golf Resort — featured in R&A Golf Around the World, 2021
2010
Co-founded Consulinar SA Ltda in Ecuador with Jairo Bravo
1999-2013
Founded and led Geospace1 Facility Services — GIS/GPS site mapping for golf and resort developers
1994-1998
Director of Business Development, Global Golf Corporation — including the Trump Mar-a-Lago Club restoration
1990s
Began career in golf course construction & landscape design

Let's connect

For opportunities, projects, or to connect.

kris8020@gmail.com386.444.0330