2015 BCA Board Of Directors Candidate

Greetings friends. For those who are eligible to vote in this years BOD election, I would like to announce my candidacy.

I have been a BCA member since 1974, and have attended National and Regional Meets where possible. But I have been most active at the local chapter level, starting in 1981 with the Finger Lakes Chapter in Rochester, NY. In 2004 I initiated action to establish a new Chapter in the Albany, NY area. We received our charter in 2005 and I was elected the Director for the first 8 years. We built a strong Chapter together, and will celebrate our tenth year anniversary this February, 2015. I am now ready to bring this experience to the National Club.

I will be an advocate for the Local Chapters and the Divisions if elected to the BOD. I want to promote the Buick Club of America as “the” all inclusive Buick Club. I want to see more new chapters throughout the Country, and work with existing Chapters to develop more club events that will allow our Members to participate in activities.

I have been a member of this Forum for a long time now, and have been following the threads regarding ideas for improving the BCA. There are valuable ideas here that can be explored at the BOD level. While I do not believe in change just for the sake of change, I do believe in changes for the sake of improvement. I will be open to membership suggestions and seek to respond to members in a timely and meaningful way. Therefore, I ask for your support and your vote in this April’s elections.

We came because of our Buicks, but member participation is what makes us a Club

Thank you

You will have my vote. Thanks for running.

Ben

John, you've been very helpful to me and so many others. I'd be proud to vote for you! My wifes' vote too!

Thank you Martin, Ben and Dave, for your support, and my apologies to you Martin, for not responding earlier. Also, thanks to Imperial62 for responding to Martin. When I am out an about, my cell phone works pretty good with e mails, not so good with Forum responses.

Martin, please feel free to ask questions. I may not know the answer, but will endeavor to find out and I will get back to you. In this case Imperial62 is absolutely correct. One must be a Buick Club of America member in good standing in order to cast votes for BOD members. Speaking of which, since the ballot is usually a part of the cover of the Bugle in April, what happens for those who are E-Bugle members only? Do they receive a mailed ballot?

Speaking of which, since the ballot is usually a part of the cover of the Bugle in April, what happens for those who are E-Bugle members only? Do they receive a mailed ballot?

yes that is correct.

You'll have my vote John!

Yes, Rivieras are Buicks, but the ROA is a completely free-standing organization, on its own. from the Buick Club of America. Only ROA members can vote in ROA elections, just as only BCA members can vote in BCA elections. It is possible that one person could be a member of both clubs, if desired, but each election would still be separate and independent of the other club's elections.

Although this forum is for the Buick Club of America, its participation is open to "everybody".

Enjoy!

NTX5467

I was a member of the ROA a long time ago. While it may have changed since I left, at the time it was a privately held club. There was a leader who essentially owned the club. There was no voting.

The Buick Club of America is run more like a public corporation. There are 9 Board members. A term on the Board is 3 years. And Board members are limited to serving two consecutive terms ( six years).

Each year the Club Members elect three new Board Members, so that there are always 6 experienced Board members and three potential new ones. I say three potential new ones because under certain circumstances it is possible for prior Board members to run for another term.

All this serves to point out one other objective I have. Helping our members to know how our Club operates. I think that operational knowledge is valuable for reducing conflicts.

Despite getting to know you at the 2014 Heartland Regional, I'll vote for you.

Jim,

I am LOL at your last post!

Thank you Doug, Jim and Ted. I appreciate your support, even though you do know me. LOL

John, You've been a great help to me and others in the club, and did an excellent job keeping the Empire Express out of the ditch leading the way to South Bend (rain, hail, fog and all). Glad to see you running. You have my vote!

You will have my vote even though I do not believe the local chapters are the answer for the BCA future.

Ken and Keith, I thank you for your support.

I'll be happy to vote for you if you put whitewalls on the road wheels on the Electra. .

I'll be happy to vote for you if you put whitewalls on the road wheels on the Electra. .

I'll miss your vote.

Love it!!

I'll miss your vote.

I'll miss your vote.

Perhaps it's an "export" model, trying for that Euro look? At least they're not "Billboard White Letter" tires!

Amen

John

You can also expect my vote as well! Sorry I have been away from the forum for awhile and hadn't even seen this post.

Matt

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, I tried. No candidate is perfect. You're a great candidate and I'm voting for you!

I applaud anyone that is willing to give their time and talent to better the organization. Thank you for stepping to the plate.

Thanks Redrob, Matt and Tom. I promise to work to the best of my ability if elected. Even if my tires are on backwards.

Thank you for running John, I also believe that the future of the BCA lies i active chapters.

Thank you for the acknowledgement Jack. The Buicks and the BCA have been a happy part of my life since 1974. I would like to return the favor in some small way. And with that in mind I would like to augment my Biography and let the voters know some of the ideas that I would like to pursue.

Some of these ideas have been proposed to me by various members. I am grateful for these ideas. But I am purposely leaving out the member name. I do not plan to take credit for those items. Instead I want to focus on the idea, not the person, who made the suggestion. Therefore, without any particular order:

· More Online accessibility.

· More interesting Online presence, to appeal to potential new members.

· Simpler application process, with an emphasis on the E Bugle as the initial membership rate.

· For the National Meet: Define and implement All Together Parking by Era.

· Also include Tours where members can participate by driving their car.

· Expand the schedule of “ in person” BOD meetings .

· Purchase computers and software for the Office Managers, to ensure right, title and interest in the BCA data remains within the club.

· Develop a Request for Proposal ( RFP ) procedure. Part of which would be a policy whereby Club Members are notified in advance of RFP’s and invited to participate in providing goods and services.

· Develop a process to greet new members with the intent to make the Club more inviting and a process to follow up with new members at their first renewal.

· Reach out to the local chapters and develop a list of their wants, needs and desires.

I am not thinking these are new ideas. Some, or maybe all, of these items may already be in development. I just believe they are worth the time and will benefit the Club.

Thanks for viewing, and Thanks for your ideas.

Please remember to Vote:

Excellent list JD!

Fantastic list John!

I just hope I am lucky enough to serve along side of you to help.

John, what do you mean by: "More Online accessibility."??

By that, Willie, I mean a wider on-line presence for the Club. Try to get our existence in more places, with up to date content and more visually appealing sites so that when/ if today's online consumer runs across our sites they will be motivated to look further and be attracted to our club. The main thrust is that with increased frequency people today turn to the internet first. That may be our one chance to to bring them into the Club.

Fantastic list John!

I just hope I am lucky enough to serve along side of you to help.

Brian, I would be honored to serve alongside you. You have my vote.

John, you will have my vote and my wife's vote for one simple reason - you are in favor of all together parking by era. Now, please keep this in mind - if you should be fortunate enough to be elected to the BCA management, your idea of all together parking will go nowhere. The BCA management does not want this in any way, shape, or form. Ask Mr. Kerls about this and let us all know on here what he tells you. It is this persons sincere opinion that the Buick Club of America is turning into the Post-War Trailer Queen car club with no room for the pre-war enthusiasts anymore. Oh well.

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas

John, you will have my vote and my wife's vote for one simple reason - you are in favor of all together parking by era. Now, please keep this in mind - if you should be fortunate enough to be elected to the BCA management, your idea of all together parking will go nowhere. The BCA management does not want this in any way, shape, or form. Ask Mr. Kerls about this and let us all know on here what he tells you. It is this persons sincere opinion that the Buick Club of America is turning into the Post-War Trailer Queen car club with no room for the pre-war enthusiasts anymore. Oh well.

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas

Ditto

I agree with Terry and Larry

It depends on your view. If all I was to go by the Bugle I would think we were an primarily a pre war club

Thanks for the opportunity to engage in discussion on this point. I am in favor of All Together Parking by ERA. But how that issue is decided should not, in my opinion, label this club. The desires of all the members should be addressed. And the operating capabilities of the Club need to be a part of that discussion. Input from the Membership is welcomed. But the ultimate application of any concept is really up to the Board of Directors, who I believe take this and all concerns very seriously. While everyone is entitled to their view, the work of the Board cannot, and should not, be decided in this public forum based on criticism leveled at, or by, any group.

If I am elected, I will bring the topic of All Together Parking by era to discussion at the Board level. How that discussion will proceed, and terminate, is yet to be seen. I expect it will be dealt with in a professional and positive way, along with any other issues that come before the Board. As a member, we should all expect that. As a candidate I promise to work for the Club in a professional and positive manner.

Who was it said" you can please all the people some of the time, some of the people all the time, but you CAN'T PLEASE ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME"? Very true. And the unpleased seem to be the loudest. The BOD job will never be easy. If elected, each must [should] do what he/she understands to be the best for the club, whatever that is.

Good luck, and my sympathy, to all.

Ben

For some reason, I was under the impression that the parking issue was "on trial" at this time. "Trial basis", that is, with the final determination to be made in the future.

In ANY vehicle club, it's usually pretty easy for "labels" to be attached by those inside and outside of the club membership, whether by actual wording in the By-Laws/Mission Statement OR by perceptions of actions (active or passive, by observers) of the membership. How accurate these "tags" might be is solely in the eyes of those issuing the "tags", whether they are really accurate or not. Disproving or minimizing such "tags" CAN be an onerous situation as the issuer has already made up THEIR mind, which can be difficult to change and prove your point to. I've been there and done that in another club I'm in, when I was an officer in that organization and knew of the diversity of vehicles AND activities of our members.

Many times, such "tags" are used as reasons for others (even some members!) to NOT participate or renew their membership in the organization. "That club is lost in the '50s" might be a comment from a Regal GN owner, who might feel "left out" with their famous model of Buick, for example. "That club is more about 'newer Buicks'", which an owner of a '30s-era Buick might determine, for example. "I sure do love my Buick Verano, but your club doesn't recognize it at the national shows" might be another proud Buick owner's comment.

Perhaps the "divisions" of the BCA might need to be expanded to include some of these particular Buick models as a means of capturing those owners before they find other online presences which might better address their desires/orientations? THIS might be the growth direction which the BCA might take in the future, letting the divisions be "the folder in the main menu", adding as required, rather than individual members? These divisions might then form their own organizational framework, as has been done with current divisions, while still keeping them as BCA members. Keeping these divisions under the BCA umbrella might be a complicating factor if the division gets big enough and feels they aren't being respected as they feel they should, and then is motivated to go it on their own . . . which can have mixed feelings applied to such a move.

I've heard the comment mentioned by First Born many times over the years. It's an accurate statement, but in more recent times, it now strikes me as a REASON to justify just what was done in the realm of customer (or potential customer, or even former customer) satisfaction, which might have failed. In the orientation of "What we did SHOULD have been good enough, but apparently was not. Oh well . . . " Allegedly with what could have been done, was done and that was it, when in fact, something MORE might have been done (OR done in a different manner when it was observed that the original action might fail) and was not (for whatever reason).

Members can build their own reasons to not renew or participate on their own. Age, available funding, changing interests, and altered life orientations/interests can all be items involved. Some we can help, others we can't influence (nor should we try to influence). In many cases, by observation, a better sales job might just do the trick . . . to give them a compelling reason to stay around . . . even several reasons, but we also need to ensure these are valid reasons to that member, rather than just dialogue. "Relevance" can be very important when the items I mentioned at the start of this paragraph can be considered. "Age" can either in the realm of "older members" as well as "younger members", which can also affect "altered life orientations/interests".

In the industry I'm in, customer satisfaction surveys are very important (for many reasons). Getting the desired "completely satisfied" answers on these surveys means we did the job we were supposed to, but anything less than "completely satisfied" is a "fail" as we just met the customer's needs/desires, rather than exceeding them, which means they CAN be motivated to go elsewhere next time, but hopefully will not.

This also means that we are judged by what the customer perceives rather than how WE want to do it and THEY are supposed to like it as "the best that can be done". Therefore, the prior orientations of the "You can't please . . . " statement/orientations can now tend to indicate that "not really trying OR caring" (by the service provider) is now more of an "excuse" than a "reason".

In the realm of customer satisfaction and buyer behavior, "expected customer satisfaction" comes from earlier impressions of the entity and/or from word of mouth. In the industry I'm in, it can be how the vehicles are arranged on the lot, for example. With the BCA, or similar, it can come from advertisements (the increased web presence which John mentioned in the answer to Old-Tank), the comments/orientations of others (whom can be trusted advisors to the particular person/potential member), or from the initial contact/interaction with the entity (where ever or how ever that might happen).

It's the last item of "initial contact/interaction" that can be very crucial! For this to be positive, even at the chapter level, is for ALL contacts be answered promptly or "as soon as possible" by whomever they are made to. Even IF the potential member might not really be interested in joining the club AT THAT TIME, we need to ensure that we MAKE FRIENDS and positive impacts in that orientation, rather than otherwise. This investment in our time might not pay off immediately, as we might like, but it very well could result in referrals in the future, which can then pay off for the group.

Sorry for the length. Thanks for your time and consideration.

NTX5467

I got my Bugle this week.

I appreciate you writing your ideas for us to see.

Buicks are the best cars, and I hope we keep the BCA the best club.

JD. You have always been a great help with your knowledge and ambiton for the better of the club. I also enjoy your help and insight on the form.I will injoy voteing for you

have a great BUICK day

buke