Today's Message Index:
----------------------
1. 08:51 AM - An open letter to the RPA (barryhancock)
2. 09:20 AM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (Bill Geipel)
3. 09:32 AM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (jeff krings)
4. 09:45 AM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (RICHARD VOLKER)
5. 09:51 AM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (barryhancock)
6. 10:25 AM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (Byron Fox)
7. 11:14 AM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (Richard Hess)
8. 11:46 AM - Re: Re: An open letter to the RPA (Bill Geipel)
9. 11:54 AM - Re: Re: An open letter to the RPA (Brian Lloyd)
10. 12:09 PM - Re: Re: An open letter to the RPA (Bill Geipel)
11. 12:52 PM - Re: Re: An open letter to the RPA (Brian Lloyd)
12. 01:20 PM - Re: Re: An open letter to the RPA (Richard Hess)
13. 02:24 PM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (Paul Hamlin)
14. 02:47 PM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (Brian Lloyd)
15. 03:52 PM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (Bill Geipel)
16. 04:01 PM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (Bill Geipel)
17. 05:14 PM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (Brian Lloyd)
18. 05:49 PM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (Kurt Howerton)
19. 06:28 PM - Re: An open letter to the RPA ()
20. 06:32 PM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (Roger Kemp MD)
21. 06:39 PM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (Roger Kemp MD)
22. 06:59 PM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (cjpilot710@aol.com)
23. 07:10 PM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (Richard Hess)
24. 08:32 PM - Re: An open letter to the RPA (barryhancock)
25. 08:52 PM - Re: Re: An open letter to the RPA (Brian Lloyd)
26. 09:03 PM - Re: Re: An open letter to the RPA (Roger Baker)
27. 09:13 PM - Re: Re: An open letter to the RPA (Brian Lloyd)
28. 11:04 PM - Re: Re: An open letter to the RPA (Invert)
Message 1
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| Subject: | An open letter to the RPA |
All,
I recently received my "5th call" for membership renewal via an ecomm. For some
time I have been contemplating my membership in the RPA. In the past I have
served on the board, as a regional director, media relations guy, and run the
flagship event for the RPA on the west coast - All Red Star - so my interest
in seeing the association prosper and serve it's membership is significant.
To me, an association of this type (all volunteer and serving a special interest
group) needs to be as inclusive as possible, consistently provide useful information
helping to support individual operators, and also representative of the
membership at large in order to provide value to the members.
In this day of communication, there is no reason to not have regular contact with
membership via the internet and email. Our association has supposedly spent
our membership dollars in recent years in upgrading/maintaining the web site
and ecomm tools, yet there have been no useful updates in at least 6 months.
There have been virtually no ecomms in recent memory other than membership recruiting
and announcements of elections. Why is there not a monthly update to
membership on what is going on in the association. Come to find out there has
not been a board meeting in 9 months. And who are our current board members?
Flyredstar.org shows all the regional directors expiring in summer 2011.
Red Alert is supposed to be a quarterly magazine, yet there hasn't been one in
nearly a year. The last archived RA on the web is from the Spring of 2010 (the
Winter 2010 link takes us to a 2009 edition). When there is a magazine, most
of the articles focus on formation. Yet, how many of our 500+ members fly formation?
Speaking of 500 members, last I heard there were 400+ members. While
the numbers are great, why don't I know any of them? How hard would it be
every month to acknowledge new members and introduce them to membership so they
feel welcomed and wanted?
In 3 of the 6 regions there are no events scheduled for 2012.
When was the last time a budget, tax return, or I&E was presented to membership,
much less voted on? When was the last membership meeting?
Does anyone know who is on the check pilot committee? How did they get there?
The questions go on, but one thing is clear, at least to me. The current representation
of membership, value of membership, and communication with membership
is unacceptable.
Having had several conversations with current and past RPA leadership, the single
biggest problem is membership structure. We have "one deep" representation
at the top, and on nearly all committees. Why? With 500+ members are you telling
me we cannot form small volunteer groups for each committee to make the
workload manageable and make sure that membership is consistently served in a
valuable way, even when one of the volunteers has life happen and cannot perform
his/her responsibility in a timely manner? An association of this type does
not need a president, but a chairman of the board. A perfect example of why
leadership structure needs to change is that our president (whom I like and respect)
had personal issues that kept him from performing his duties as president
and the association essentially stopped functioning. Under the current structure
the president's position carries too much burden and what we have seen
in the last 12+ months is the result - membership is not properly served by the
association.
To me this is all the result of a system that needs an overhaul. Just like with
any governance, entrenched leadership is problematic at some point or another.
Both from a burnout standpoint, and a dogmatic entrenchment standpoint, allowing
people to stay in leadership for more than two consecutive terms does not
foster selfless agendas or the representation of membership at large. What
is does foster is cliques and a good ole boys network. This needs to change.
Because of these issues, and no apparent tangible efforts being made to correct
them, I will not be renewing my membership with the RPA this year. I would love
to support the association and feel like the association is supporting us.
But until I see evidence of the latter, I will not be renewing my membership.
I encourage each RPA or prospective RPA member to evaluate for yourself what you
want out of membership in an association such as the RPA and consider wether
or not your needs are being met. If they are not and you are not speaking up
and you are continuing to support the current state of affairs, you are doing
everyone a disservice.
This association has lots of potential. It has the talent pool of over 500 successful
people to draw from. It can be vibrant, engaged, and valuable. I hope
it will be all of that and more some day. And then I will come back. Until
then there is a very small cadre of leadership that is steering the RPA ship...when
was the last time you heard from any of them on what is going on with your
association?
Respectfully submitted,
Barry
--------
Barry Hancock
Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
(877) 869-6458
www.worldwidewarbirds.com
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362238#362238
Message 2
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
Barry,
I can't answer all your concerns but there has been at least 2 board meetings in
the past 9 months.
Why the minutes aren't published, I don't know. However both of those meetings
created a big disturbance in the force. I called for an on-line check pilot meeting.
Which created another disturbance in the force. I am sure that once we
finish hashing it out, something will be published.
I can tell you that the check pilot meeting got pretty heated because of the silly
things that were brought up at the BOD meetings. There were no fewer than
150 emails during the check pilot meting due to BOD stuff.
I agree with most of what you ask. However, the place to air these concerns should
be the RPA site. Of course I am not aware of where this gets done. So I would
call/email our president and ask.
Bill
On Jan 2, 2012, at 9:48 AM, "barryhancock" <bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com> wrote:
>
> All,
>
> I recently received my "5th call" for membership renewal via an ecomm. For some
time I have been contemplating my membership in the RPA. In the past I have
served on the board, as a regional director, media relations guy, and run the
flagship event for the RPA on the west coast - All Red Star - so my interest
in seeing the association prosper and serve it's membership is significant.
>
> To me, an association of this type (all volunteer and serving a special interest
group) needs to be as inclusive as possible, consistently provide useful information
helping to support individual operators, and also representative of
the membership at large in order to provide value to the members.
>
> In this day of communication, there is no reason to not have regular contact
with membership via the internet and email. Our association has supposedly spent
our membership dollars in recent years in upgrading/maintaining the web site
and ecomm tools, yet there have been no useful updates in at least 6 months.
There have been virtually no ecomms in recent memory other than membership
recruiting and announcements of elections. Why is there not a monthly update
to membership on what is going on in the association. Come to find out there
has not been a board meeting in 9 months. And who are our current board members?
Flyredstar.org shows all the regional directors expiring in summer 2011.
>
> Red Alert is supposed to be a quarterly magazine, yet there hasn't been one in
nearly a year. The last archived RA on the web is from the Spring of 2010 (the
Winter 2010 link takes us to a 2009 edition). When there is a magazine, most
of the articles focus on formation. Yet, how many of our 500+ members fly
formation? Speaking of 500 members, last I heard there were 400+ members. While
the numbers are great, why don't I know any of them? How hard would it be
every month to acknowledge new members and introduce them to membership so they
feel welcomed and wanted?
>
> In 3 of the 6 regions there are no events scheduled for 2012.
>
> When was the last time a budget, tax return, or I&E was presented to membership,
much less voted on? When was the last membership meeting?
> Does anyone know who is on the check pilot committee? How did they get there?
>
> The questions go on, but one thing is clear, at least to me. The current representation
of membership, value of membership, and communication with membership
is unacceptable.
>
> Having had several conversations with current and past RPA leadership, the single
biggest problem is membership structure. We have "one deep" representation
at the top, and on nearly all committees. Why? With 500+ members are you
telling me we cannot form small volunteer groups for each committee to make the
workload manageable and make sure that membership is consistently served in
a valuable way, even when one of the volunteers has life happen and cannot perform
his/her responsibility in a timely manner? An association of this type does
not need a president, but a chairman of the board. A perfect example of why
leadership structure needs to change is that our president (whom I like and
respect) had personal issues that kept him from performing his duties as president
and the association essentially stopped functioning. Under the current structure
the president's position carries too much burden and what we have seen
in the last 12+ months is the result - membership is!
> not properly served by the association.
>
> To me this is all the result of a system that needs an overhaul. Just like with
any governance, entrenched leadership is problematic at some point or another.
Both from a burnout standpoint, and a dogmatic entrenchment standpoint,
allowing people to stay in leadership for more than two consecutive terms does
not foster selfless agendas or the representation of membership at large. What
is does foster is cliques and a good ole boys network. This needs to change.
>
> Because of these issues, and no apparent tangible efforts being made to correct
them, I will not be renewing my membership with the RPA this year. I would
love to support the association and feel like the association is supporting us.
But until I see evidence of the latter, I will not be renewing my membership.
>
> I encourage each RPA or prospective RPA member to evaluate for yourself what
you want out of membership in an association such as the RPA and consider wether
or not your needs are being met. If they are not and you are not speaking
up and you are continuing to support the current state of affairs, you are doing
everyone a disservice.
>
> This association has lots of potential. It has the talent pool of over 500 successful
people to draw from. It can be vibrant, engaged, and valuable. I hope
it will be all of that and more some day. And then I will come back. Until
then there is a very small cadre of leadership that is steering the RPA ship...when
was the last time you heard from any of them on what is going on with
your association?
>
> Respectfully submitted,
>
> Barry
>
> --------
> Barry Hancock
> Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
> (877) 869-6458
> www.worldwidewarbirds.com
>
>
>
>
> Read this topic online here:
>
> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362238#362238
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Message 3
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| Subject: | An open letter to the RPA |
I thought the mail man wasn't through reading my red alert. After reading
your letter I agree with you berry but I have renewed my membership. I hope
things will get better.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of barryhancock
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 10:49 AM
Subject: Yak-List: An open letter to the RPA
<bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com>
All,
I recently received my "5th call" for membership renewal via an ecomm. For
some time I have been contemplating my membership in the RPA. In the past I
have served on the board, as a regional director, media relations guy, and
run the flagship event for the RPA on the west coast - All Red Star - so my
interest in seeing the association prosper and serve it's membership is
significant.
To me, an association of this type (all volunteer and serving a special
interest group) needs to be as inclusive as possible, consistently provide
useful information helping to support individual operators, and also
representative of the membership at large in order to provide value to the
members.
In this day of communication, there is no reason to not have regular contact
with membership via the internet and email. Our association has supposedly
spent our membership dollars in recent years in upgrading/maintaining the
web site and ecomm tools, yet there have been no useful updates in at least
6 months. There have been virtually no ecomms in recent memory other than
membership recruiting and announcements of elections. Why is there not a
monthly update to membership on what is going on in the association. Come
to find out there has not been a board meeting in 9 months. And who are our
current board members? Flyredstar.org shows all the regional directors
expiring in summer 2011.
Red Alert is supposed to be a quarterly magazine, yet there hasn't been one
in nearly a year. The last archived RA on the web is from the Spring of
2010 (the Winter 2010 link takes us to a 2009 edition). When there is a
magazine, most of the articles focus on formation. Yet, how many of our
500+ members fly formation? Speaking of 500 members, last I heard there
were 400+ members. While the numbers are great, why don't I know any of
them? How hard would it be every month to acknowledge new members and
introduce them to membership so they feel welcomed and wanted?
In 3 of the 6 regions there are no events scheduled for 2012.
When was the last time a budget, tax return, or I&E was presented to
membership, much less voted on? When was the last membership meeting?
Does anyone know who is on the check pilot committee? How did they get
there?
The questions go on, but one thing is clear, at least to me. The current
representation of membership, value of membership, and communication with
membership is unacceptable.
Having had several conversations with current and past RPA leadership, the
single biggest problem is membership structure. We have "one deep"
representation at the top, and on nearly all committees. Why? With 500+
members are you telling me we cannot form small volunteer groups for each
committee to make the workload manageable and make sure that membership is
consistently served in a valuable way, even when one of the volunteers has
life happen and cannot perform his/her responsibility in a timely manner? An
association of this type does not need a president, but a chairman of the
board. A perfect example of why leadership structure needs to change is
that our president (whom I like and respect) had personal issues that kept
him from performing his duties as president and the association essentially
stopped functioning. Under the current structure the president's position
carries too much burden and what we have seen in the last 12+ months is the
result - membership is!
not properly served by the association.
To me this is all the result of a system that needs an overhaul. Just like
with any governance, entrenched leadership is problematic at some point or
another. Both from a burnout standpoint, and a dogmatic entrenchment
standpoint, allowing people to stay in leadership for more than two
consecutive terms does not foster selfless agendas or the representation of
membership at large. What is does foster is cliques and a good ole boys
network. This needs to change.
Because of these issues, and no apparent tangible efforts being made to
correct them, I will not be renewing my membership with the RPA this year.
I would love to support the association and feel like the association is
supporting us. But until I see evidence of the latter, I will not be
renewing my membership.
I encourage each RPA or prospective RPA member to evaluate for yourself what
you want out of membership in an association such as the RPA and consider
wether or not your needs are being met. If they are not and you are not
speaking up and you are continuing to support the current state of affairs,
you are doing everyone a disservice.
This association has lots of potential. It has the talent pool of over 500
successful people to draw from. It can be vibrant, engaged, and valuable.
I hope it will be all of that and more some day. And then I will come back.
Until then there is a very small cadre of leadership that is steering the
RPA ship...when was the last time you heard from any of them on what is
going on with your association?
Respectfully submitted,
Barry
--------
Barry Hancock
Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
(877) 869-6458
www.worldwidewarbirds.com
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362238#362238
Message 4
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 2, 2012, at 12:29 PM, "jeff krings" <jkrings@neb.rr.com> wrote:
>
> I thought the mail man wasn't through reading my red alert. After reading
> your letter I agree with you berry but I have renewed my membership. I hope
> things will get better.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com
> [mailto:owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of barryhancock
> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 10:49 AM
> To: yak-list@matronics.com
> Subject: Yak-List: An open letter to the RPA
>
> <bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com>
>
> All,
>
> I recently received my "5th call" for membership renewal via an ecomm. For
> some time I have been contemplating my membership in the RPA. In the past I
> have served on the board, as a regional director, media relations guy, and
> run the flagship event for the RPA on the west coast - All Red Star - so my
> interest in seeing the association prosper and serve it's membership is
> significant.
>
> To me, an association of this type (all volunteer and serving a special
> interest group) needs to be as inclusive as possible, consistently provide
> useful information helping to support individual operators, and also
> representative of the membership at large in order to provide value to the
> members.
>
> In this day of communication, there is no reason to not have regular contact
> with membership via the internet and email. Our association has supposedly
> spent our membership dollars in recent years in upgrading/maintaining the
> web site and ecomm tools, yet there have been no useful updates in at least
> 6 months. There have been virtually no ecomms in recent memory other than
> membership recruiting and announcements of elections. Why is there not a
> monthly update to membership on what is going on in the association. Come
> to find out there has not been a board meeting in 9 months. And who are our
> current board members? Flyredstar.org shows all the regional directors
> expiring in summer 2011.
>
> Red Alert is supposed to be a quarterly magazine, yet there hasn't been one
> in nearly a year. The last archived RA on the web is from the Spring of
> 2010 (the Winter 2010 link takes us to a 2009 edition). When there is a
> magazine, most of the articles focus on formation. Yet, how many of our
> 500+ members fly formation? Speaking of 500 members, last I heard there
> were 400+ members. While the numbers are great, why don't I know any of
> them? How hard would it be every month to acknowledge new members and
> introduce them to membership so they feel welcomed and wanted?
>
> In 3 of the 6 regions there are no events scheduled for 2012.
>
> When was the last time a budget, tax return, or I&E was presented to
> membership, much less voted on? When was the last membership meeting?
> Does anyone know who is on the check pilot committee? How did they get
> there?
>
> The questions go on, but one thing is clear, at least to me. The current
> representation of membership, value of membership, and communication with
> membership is unacceptable.
>
> Having had several conversations with current and past RPA leadership, the
> single biggest problem is membership structure. We have "one deep"
> representation at the top, and on nearly all committees. Why? With 500+
> members are you telling me we cannot form small volunteer groups for each
> committee to make the workload manageable and make sure that membership is
> consistently served in a valuable way, even when one of the volunteers has
> life happen and cannot perform his/her responsibility in a timely manner? An
> association of this type does not need a president, but a chairman of the
> board. A perfect example of why leadership structure needs to change is
> that our president (whom I like and respect) had personal issues that kept
> him from performing his duties as president and the association essentially
> stopped functioning. Under the current structure the president's position
> carries too much burden and what we have seen in the last 12+ months is the
> result - membership is!
> not properly served by the association.
>
> To me this is all the result of a system that needs an overhaul. Just like
> with any governance, entrenched leadership is problematic at some point or
> another. Both from a burnout standpoint, and a dogmatic entrenchment
> standpoint, allowing people to stay in leadership for more than two
> consecutive terms does not foster selfless agendas or the representation of
> membership at large. What is does foster is cliques and a good ole boys
> network. This needs to change.
>
> Because of these issues, and no apparent tangible efforts being made to
> correct them, I will not be renewing my membership with the RPA this year.
> I would love to support the association and feel like the association is
> supporting us. But until I see evidence of the latter, I will not be
> renewing my membership.
>
> I encourage each RPA or prospective RPA member to evaluate for yourself what
> you want out of membership in an association such as the RPA and consider
> wether or not your needs are being met. If they are not and you are not
> speaking up and you are continuing to support the current state of affairs,
> you are doing everyone a disservice.
>
> This association has lots of potential. It has the talent pool of over 500
> successful people to draw from. It can be vibrant, engaged, and valuable.
> I hope it will be all of that and more some day. And then I will come back.
> Until then there is a very small cadre of leadership that is steering the
> RPA ship...when was the last time you heard from any of them on what is
> going on with your association?
>
> Respectfully submitted,
>
> Barry
>
> --------
> Barry Hancock
> Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
> (877) 869-6458
> www.worldwidewarbirds.com
>
>
>
>
> Read this topic online here:
>
> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362238#362238
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Message 5
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
Hi Bill,
I was misinformed about the BOD meetings. I stand corrected. However, no minutes
have been published, as you point out. The lack of communication with membership
is unacceptable.
As for putting my concerns on the RPA site, there is no forum for that. I have,
however, emailed my letter to RPA leadership.
If I did not have an already overflowing plate, I would back up my concerns by
running for one of the national BOD positions. I simply do not have the time and
feel the most responsible thing I can do is be an advocate for not tolerating
the status quo. I had already sent my concerns to RPA leadership months ago
and received a rather lack luster response, so I felt the only way to really
make my concerns have an impact was to withdraw my membership, which I have held
for over a decade (going pack to the YPC).
Barry
--------
Barry Hancock
Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
(877) 869-6458
www.worldwidewarbirds.com
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362245#362245
Message 6
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
The current issue of Red Alert should be in your mailboxes shortly. I'm charged
with mailing copies to our foreign members and the box of those copies got to
me last week.
This in no way, however, diminishes the seriousness of Barry's concerns. Volunteer
organizations thrive when there are a host of enthusiastic volunteers. Consequently,
we're all responsible for the health of the RPA.
... Blitz
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 2, 2012, at 9:29 AM, "jeff krings" <jkrings@neb.rr.com> wrote:
>
> I thought the mail man wasn't through reading my red alert. After reading
> your letter I agree with you berry but I have renewed my membership. I hope
> things will get better.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com
> [mailto:owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of barryhancock
> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 10:49 AM
> To: yak-list@matronics.com
> Subject: Yak-List: An open letter to the RPA
>
> <bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com>
>
> All,
>
> I recently received my "5th call" for membership renewal via an ecomm. For
> some time I have been contemplating my membership in the RPA. In the past I
> have served on the board, as a regional director, media relations guy, and
> run the flagship event for the RPA on the west coast - All Red Star - so my
> interest in seeing the association prosper and serve it's membership is
> significant.
>
> To me, an association of this type (all volunteer and serving a special
> interest group) needs to be as inclusive as possible, consistently provide
> useful information helping to support individual operators, and also
> representative of the membership at large in order to provide value to the
> members.
>
> In this day of communication, there is no reason to not have regular contact
> with membership via the internet and email. Our association has supposedly
> spent our membership dollars in recent years in upgrading/maintaining the
> web site and ecomm tools, yet there have been no useful updates in at least
> 6 months. There have been virtually no ecomms in recent memory other than
> membership recruiting and announcements of elections. Why is there not a
> monthly update to membership on what is going on in the association. Come
> to find out there has not been a board meeting in 9 months. And who are our
> current board members? Flyredstar.org shows all the regional directors
> expiring in summer 2011.
>
> Red Alert is supposed to be a quarterly magazine, yet there hasn't been one
> in nearly a year. The last archived RA on the web is from the Spring of
> 2010 (the Winter 2010 link takes us to a 2009 edition). When there is a
> magazine, most of the articles focus on formation. Yet, how many of our
> 500+ members fly formation? Speaking of 500 members, last I heard there
> were 400+ members. While the numbers are great, why don't I know any of
> them? How hard would it be every month to acknowledge new members and
> introduce them to membership so they feel welcomed and wanted?
>
> In 3 of the 6 regions there are no events scheduled for 2012.
>
> When was the last time a budget, tax return, or I&E was presented to
> membership, much less voted on? When was the last membership meeting?
> Does anyone know who is on the check pilot committee? How did they get
> there?
>
> The questions go on, but one thing is clear, at least to me. The current
> representation of membership, value of membership, and communication with
> membership is unacceptable.
>
> Having had several conversations with current and past RPA leadership, the
> single biggest problem is membership structure. We have "one deep"
> representation at the top, and on nearly all committees. Why? With 500+
> members are you telling me we cannot form small volunteer groups for each
> committee to make the workload manageable and make sure that membership is
> consistently served in a valuable way, even when one of the volunteers has
> life happen and cannot perform his/her responsibility in a timely manner? An
> association of this type does not need a president, but a chairman of the
> board. A perfect example of why leadership structure needs to change is
> that our president (whom I like and respect) had personal issues that kept
> him from performing his duties as president and the association essentially
> stopped functioning. Under the current structure the president's position
> carries too much burden and what we have seen in the last 12+ months is the
> result - membership is!
> not properly served by the association.
>
> To me this is all the result of a system that needs an overhaul. Just like
> with any governance, entrenched leadership is problematic at some point or
> another. Both from a burnout standpoint, and a dogmatic entrenchment
> standpoint, allowing people to stay in leadership for more than two
> consecutive terms does not foster selfless agendas or the representation of
> membership at large. What is does foster is cliques and a good ole boys
> network. This needs to change.
>
> Because of these issues, and no apparent tangible efforts being made to
> correct them, I will not be renewing my membership with the RPA this year.
> I would love to support the association and feel like the association is
> supporting us. But until I see evidence of the latter, I will not be
> renewing my membership.
>
> I encourage each RPA or prospective RPA member to evaluate for yourself what
> you want out of membership in an association such as the RPA and consider
> wether or not your needs are being met. If they are not and you are not
> speaking up and you are continuing to support the current state of affairs,
> you are doing everyone a disservice.
>
> This association has lots of potential. It has the talent pool of over 500
> successful people to draw from. It can be vibrant, engaged, and valuable.
> I hope it will be all of that and more some day. And then I will come back.
> Until then there is a very small cadre of leadership that is steering the
> RPA ship...when was the last time you heard from any of them on what is
> going on with your association?
>
> Respectfully submitted,
>
> Barry
>
> --------
> Barry Hancock
> Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
> (877) 869-6458
> www.worldwidewarbirds.com
>
>
>
>
> Read this topic online here:
>
> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362238#362238
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Message 7
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
Barry and all,
I agree that there are many issues that need addressing. I am also a member
of CJAA and some of your concerns are mirrored there recently. Barry, we b
oth are very active within this community and have served as volunteers as
well as business owners. Like you I have a full plate and don't do nearly a
s much fun stuff as I did when I first joined. However, I believe you can e
ffect greater changes from within than from without.
My gut says that quiting will make your honest concerns seem less important
to those that stay. I wish you would reconsider and stay involved. You and
I both know we don't do this to make money. We do this because we are pass
ionate about airplanes. It isn't a hobby, it's a lifestyle and a life long
commitment.
Regardless of your decision, I wish you well. Just remember, if you fire of
f an initiator, it doesn't go BOOM unless it says firmly planted in the dyn
amite !!!
Richard Hess
C 404-964-4885
-----Original Message-----
From: Byron Fox <byronmfox@gmail.com>
Sent: Mon, Jan 2, 2012 1:25 pm
Subject: Re: Yak-List: An open letter to the RPA
The current issue of Red Alert should be in your mailboxes shortly. I'm cha
rged
ith mailing copies to our foreign members and the box of those copies got t
o me
ast week.
This in no way, however, diminishes the seriousness of Barry's concerns.
olunteer organizations thrive when there are a host of enthusiastic volunte
ers.
onsequently, we're all responsible for the health of the RPA.
.. Blitz
ent from my iPhone
On Jan 2, 2012, at 9:29 AM, "jeff krings" <jkrings@neb.rr.com> wrote:
I thought the mail man wasn't through reading my red alert. After reading
your letter I agree with you berry but I have renewed my membership. I hop
e
things will get better.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of barryhancock
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 10:49 AM
To: yak-list@matronics.com
Subject: Yak-List: An open letter to the RPA
<bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com>
All,
I recently received my "5th call" for membership renewal via an ecomm. For
some time I have been contemplating my membership in the RPA. In the past
I
have served on the board, as a regional director, media relations guy, and
run the flagship event for the RPA on the west coast - All Red Star - so
my
interest in seeing the association prosper and serve it's membership is
significant.
To me, an association of this type (all volunteer and serving a special
interest group) needs to be as inclusive as possible, consistently provide
useful information helping to support individual operators, and also
representative of the membership at large in order to provide value to the
members.
In this day of communication, there is no reason to not have regular conta
ct
with membership via the internet and email. Our association has supposedl
y
spent our membership dollars in recent years in upgrading/maintaining the
web site and ecomm tools, yet there have been no useful updates in at leas
t
6 months. There have been virtually no ecomms in recent memory other than
membership recruiting and announcements of elections. Why is there not a
monthly update to membership on what is going on in the association. Come
to find out there has not been a board meeting in 9 months. And who are o
ur
current board members? Flyredstar.org shows all the regional directors
expiring in summer 2011.
Red Alert is supposed to be a quarterly magazine, yet there hasn't been on
e
in nearly a year. The last archived RA on the web is from the Spring of
2010 (the Winter 2010 link takes us to a 2009 edition). When there is a
magazine, most of the articles focus on formation. Yet, how many of our
500+ members fly formation? Speaking of 500 members, last I heard there
were 400+ members. While the numbers are great, why don't I know any of
them? How hard would it be every month to acknowledge new members and
introduce them to membership so they feel welcomed and wanted?
In 3 of the 6 regions there are no events scheduled for 2012.
When was the last time a budget, tax return, or I&E was presented to
membership, much less voted on? When was the last membership meeting?
Does anyone know who is on the check pilot committee? How did they get
there?
The questions go on, but one thing is clear, at least to me. The current
representation of membership, value of membership, and communication with
membership is unacceptable.
Having had several conversations with current and past RPA leadership, the
single biggest problem is membership structure. We have "one deep"
representation at the top, and on nearly all committees. Why? With 500+
members are you telling me we cannot form small volunteer groups for each
committee to make the workload manageable and make sure that membership is
consistently served in a valuable way, even when one of the volunteers has
life happen and cannot perform his/her responsibility in a timely manner?
An
association of this type does not need a president, but a chairman of the
board. A perfect example of why leadership structure needs to change is
that our president (whom I like and respect) had personal issues that kept
him from performing his duties as president and the association essentiall
y
stopped functioning. Under the current structure the president's position
carries too much burden and what we have seen in the last 12+ months is th
e
result - membership is!
not properly served by the association.
To me this is all the result of a system that needs an overhaul. Just lik
e
with any governance, entrenched leadership is problematic at some point or
another. Both from a burnout standpoint, and a dogmatic entrenchment
standpoint, allowing people to stay in leadership for more than two
consecutive terms does not foster selfless agendas or the representation o
f
membership at large. What is does foster is cliques and a good ole boys
network. This needs to change.
Because of these issues, and no apparent tangible efforts being made to
correct them, I will not be renewing my membership with the RPA this year.
I would love to support the association and feel like the association is
supporting us. But until I see evidence of the latter, I will not be
renewing my membership.
I encourage each RPA or prospective RPA member to evaluate for yourself wh
at
you want out of membership in an association such as the RPA and consider
wether or not your needs are being met. If they are not and you are not
speaking up and you are continuing to support the current state of affairs
,
you are doing everyone a disservice.
This association has lots of potential. It has the talent pool of over 50
0
successful people to draw from. It can be vibrant, engaged, and valuable.
I hope it will be all of that and more some day. And then I will come bac
k.
Until then there is a very small cadre of leadership that is steering the
RPA ship...when was the last time you heard from any of them on what is
going on with your association?
Respectfully submitted,
Barry
--------
Barry Hancock
Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
(877) 869-6458
www.worldwidewarbirds.com
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362238#362238
-========================
-= - The Yak-List Email Forum -
-= Use the Matronics List Features Navigator to browse
-= the many List utilities such as List Un/Subscription,
-= Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ,
-= Photoshare, and much much more:
-
-= --> http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Yak-List
-
-========================
-= - MATRONICS WEB FORUMS -
-= Same great content also available via the Web Forums!
-
-= --> http://forums.matronics.com
-
-========================
-= - List Contribution Web Site -
-= Thank you for your generous support!
-= -Matt Dralle, List Admin.
-= --> http://www.matronics.com/contribution
-========================
Message 8
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
I wish you would hang in there. I feel your frustration. I sent many, many E mails
to our leaders with never a response. In this day and age of email, there
are no excuses for being out of touch. Like I mentioned there is no place for
members to express their concern. Certainly not anywhere that one could get a
response. Running for office may just make it worse for you. Frustration would
come to a whole new level.
Bill
On Jan 2, 2012, at 10:48 AM, "barryhancock" <bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Bill,
>
> I was misinformed about the BOD meetings. I stand corrected. However, no minutes
have been published, as you point out. The lack of communication with membership
is unacceptable.
>
> As for putting my concerns on the RPA site, there is no forum for that. I have,
however, emailed my letter to RPA leadership.
>
> If I did not have an already overflowing plate, I would back up my concerns by
running for one of the national BOD positions. I simply do not have the time
and feel the most responsible thing I can do is be an advocate for not tolerating
the status quo. I had already sent my concerns to RPA leadership months
ago and received a rather lack luster response, so I felt the only way to really
make my concerns have an impact was to withdraw my membership, which I have
held for over a decade (going pack to the YPC).
>
> Barry
>
> --------
> Barry Hancock
> Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
> (877) 869-6458
> www.worldwidewarbirds.com
>
>
>
>
> Read this topic online here:
>
> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362245#362245
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Message 9
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 11:43 AM, Bill Geipel <czech6@mesanetworks.net>wrote:
>
> I wish you would hang in there. I feel your frustration. I sent many,
> many E mails to our leaders with never a response. In this day and age of
> email, there are no excuses for being out of touch. Like I mentioned there
> is no place for members to express their concern. Certainly not anywhere
> that one could get a response. Running for office may just make it worse
> for you. Frustration would come to a whole new level.
>
Has anyone asked the most basic question of all, "Does it matter?"
--
Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN/J79BPL
3191 Western Dr.
Cameron Park, CA 95682
brian@lloyd.com
+1.767.617.1365 (Dominica)
+1.916.877.5067 (USA)
Message 10
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
Does what matter? The fact that we want friends to stay? Does it matter if h
e stays or not? The fact that his membership is meaningless, or will his mem
bership make a difference, or does it matter because your are not a member o
r are an unhappy member? In any case the only way to help make it successful
,is to be a member. Yes it matters if he stays, no his membership is not mea
ningless, his membership can and will make a difference. Now wether you are o
r are not a happy member, does that matter? Don't know.
Bill
On Jan 2, 2012, at 12:51 PM, Brian Lloyd <brian@lloyd.com> wrote:
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 11:43 AM, Bill Geipel <czech6@mesanetworks.net> wro
te:
>
> I wish you would hang in there. I feel your frustration. I sent many, man
y E mails to our leaders with never a response. In this day and age of email
, there are no excuses for being out of touch. Like I mentioned there is no p
lace for members to express their concern. Certainly not anywhere that one c
ould get a response. Running for office may just make it worse for you. Frus
tration would come to a whole new level.
>
> Has anyone asked the most basic question of all, "Does it matter?"
>
> --
> Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN/J79BPL
> 3191 Western Dr.
> Cameron Park, CA 95682
> brian@lloyd.com
> +1.767.617.1365 (Dominica)
> +1.916.877.5067 (USA)
>
>
>
==========================
=========
==========================
=========
==========================
=========
==========================
=========
>
Message 11
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 12:06 PM, Bill Geipel <czech6@mesanetworks.net>wrote:
> Does what matter? The fact that we want friends to stay? Does it matter if
> he stays or not? The fact that his membership is meaningless, or will his
> membership make a difference, or does it matter because your are not a
> member or are an unhappy member? In any case the only way to help make it
> successful,is to be a member. Yes it matters if he stays, no his membership
> is not meaningless, his membership can and will make a difference. Now
> wether you are or are not a happy member, does that matter? Don't know.
>
If you have to explain a joke ... :-)
In this case it was an intentionally-ambiguous question to get (all of) you
to stop and question your assumptions. Things are not always as obvious as
they first appear to be.
Personally, I am not concerned one way or the other but others may be. But
I will rephrase it more succinctly. Does it matter if:
1. the organization continues to exist;
2. people stay in the organization;
3. the organization continues in its present manner?
Friends are likely to remain friends. Flying buddies are likely to remain
flying buddies. Activists who actually get things done will do so
regardless of whether there is an umbrella organization or not. So, does it
matter?
--
Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN/J79BPL
3191 Western Dr.
Cameron Park, CA 95682
brian@lloyd.com
+1.767.617.1365 (Dominica)
+1.916.877.5067 (USA)
Message 12
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
Brian,
Perhaps the jet community is more under the gun from the FAA but with Reno'
s accident who knows the final outcome. I will say this. Without EAA Warbir
ds, RPA, and CJAA type organizations you would have much less freedom and m
ore hassles with the FAA. It is these organizations that represent you in m
ore ways than you may realize. So yes, it matters a great deal...
Richard Hess
C 404-964-4885
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Lloyd <brian@lloyd.com>
Sent: Mon, Jan 2, 2012 3:52 pm
Subject: Re: Yak-List: Re: An open letter to the RPA
On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 12:06 PM, Bill Geipel <czech6@mesanetworks.net> wrot
e:
Does what matter? The fact that we want friends to stay? Does it matter if
he stays or not? The fact that his membership is meaningless, or will his m
embership make a difference, or does it matter because your are not a membe
r or are an unhappy member? In any case the only way to help make it succes
sful,is to be a member. Yes it matters if he stays, no his membership is no
t meaningless, his membership can and will make a difference. Now wether yo
u are or are not a happy member, does that matter? Don't know.
If you have to explain a joke ... :-)
In this case it was an intentionally-ambiguous question to get (all of) you
to stop and question your assumptions. Things are not always as obvious as
they first appear to be.
Personally, I am not concerned one way or the other but others may be. But
I will rephrase it more succinctly. Does it matter if:
the organization continues to exist;
people stay in the organization;
the organization continues in its present manner?
Friends are likely to remain friends. Flying buddies are likely to remain f
lying buddies. Activists who actually get things done will do so regardless
of whether there is an umbrella organization or not. So, does it matter?
--
Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN/J79BPL
3191 Western Dr.
Cameron Park, CA 95682
brian@lloyd.com
+1.767.617.1365 (Dominica)
+1.916.877.5067 (USA)
-= - The Yak-List Email Forum -
-= Use the Matronics List Features Navigator to browse
-= the many List utilities such as List Un/Subscription,
-= Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ,
-= Photoshare, and much much more:
-
-= --> http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Yak-List
-
-========================
-= - MATRONICS WEB FORUMS -
-= Same great content also available via the Web Forums!
-
-= --> http://forums.matronics.com
-
-========================
-= - List Contribution Web Site -
-= Thank you for your generous support!
-= -Matt Dralle, List Admin.
-= --> http://www.matronics.com/contribution
-========================
Message 13
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
While your concerns may be valid, to actively encourage others not to renew their
membership is "unacceptable."
------------------------------
On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 4:48 PM GMT barryhancock wrote:
>
>All,
>
>I recently received my "5th call" for membership renewal via an ecomm. For some
time I have been contemplating my membership in the RPA. In the past I have
served on the board, as a regional director, media relations guy, and run the
flagship event for the RPA on the west coast - All Red Star - so my interest
in seeing the association prosper and serve it's membership is significant.
>
>To me, an association of this type (all volunteer and serving a special interest
group) needs to be as inclusive as possible, consistently provide useful information
helping to support individual operators, and also representative of
the membership at large in order to provide value to the members.
>
>In this day of communication, there is no reason to not have regular contact with
membership via the internet and email. Our association has supposedly spent
our membership dollars in recent years in upgrading/maintaining the web site
and ecomm tools, yet there have been no useful updates in at least 6 months.
There have been virtually no ecomms in recent memory other than membership recruiting
and announcements of elections. Why is there not a monthly update to
membership on what is going on in the association. Come to find out there has
not been a board meeting in 9 months. And who are our current board members?
Flyredstar.org shows all the regional directors expiring in summer 2011.
>
>Red Alert is supposed to be a quarterly magazine, yet there hasn't been one in
nearly a year. The last archived RA on the web is from the Spring of 2010 (the
Winter 2010 link takes us to a 2009 edition). When there is a magazine, most
of the articles focus on formation. Yet, how many of our 500+ members fly
formation? Speaking of 500 members, last I heard there were 400+ members. While
the numbers are great, why don't I know any of them? How hard would it be
every month to acknowledge new members and introduce them to membership so they
feel welcomed and wanted?
>
>In 3 of the 6 regions there are no events scheduled for 2012.
>
>When was the last time a budget, tax return, or I&E was presented to membership,
much less voted on? When was the last membership meeting?
>Does anyone know who is on the check pilot committee? How did they get there?
>
>The questions go on, but one thing is clear, at least to me. The current representation
of membership, value of membership, and communication with membership
is unacceptable.
>
>Having had several conversations with current and past RPA leadership, the single
biggest problem is membership structure. We have "one deep" representation
at the top, and on nearly all committees. Why? With 500+ members are you telling
me we cannot form small volunteer groups for each committee to make the
workload manageable and make sure that membership is consistently served in a
valuable way, even when one of the volunteers has life happen and cannot perform
his/her responsibility in a timely manner? An association of this type does
not need a president, but a chairman of the board. A perfect example of why
leadership structure needs to change is that our president (whom I like and respect)
had personal issues that kept him from performing his duties as president
and the association essentially stopped functioning. Under the current structure
the president's position carries too much burden and what we have seen
in the last 12+ months is the
result - membership is!
> not properly served by the association.
>
>To me this is all the result of a system that needs an overhaul. Just like with
any governance, entrenched leadership is problematic at some point or another.
Both from a burnout standpoint, and a dogmatic entrenchment standpoint, allowing
people to stay in leadership for more than two consecutive terms does
not foster selfless agendas or the representation of membership at large. What
is does foster is cliques and a good ole boys network. This needs to change.
>
>Because of these issues, and no apparent tangible efforts being made to correct
them, I will not be renewing my membership with the RPA this year. I would
love to support the association and feel like the association is supporting us.
But until I see evidence of the latter, I will not be renewing my membership.
>
>I encourage each RPA or prospective RPA member to evaluate for yourself what you
want out of membership in an association such as the RPA and consider wether
or not your needs are being met. If they are not and you are not speaking up
and you are continuing to support the current state of affairs, you are doing
everyone a disservice.
>
>This association has lots of potential. It has the talent pool of over 500 successful
people to draw from. It can be vibrant, engaged, and valuable. I hope
it will be all of that and more some day. And then I will come back. Until
then there is a very small cadre of leadership that is steering the RPA ship...when
was the last time you heard from any of them on what is going on with
your association?
>
>Respectfully submitted,
>
>Barry
>
>--------
>Barry Hancock
>Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
>(877) 869-6458
>www.worldwidewarbirds.com
>
>
>Read this topic online here:
>
>http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362238#362238
>
>
Message 14
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 2:21 PM, Paul Hamlin <ph451@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> While your concerns may be valid, to actively encourage others not to
> renew their membership is "unacceptable."
>
Oh, I like this one.
Unacceptable? Does "Unacceptable" = "I don't like it?" If I don't like
something I can say it is unacceptable? Let me try that with my wife.
"Dear, your new hairstyle is unacceptable." How about, "Officer, this
ticket you are giving me is unacceptable."
Oh, this is just funny.
--
Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN/J79BPL
3191 Western Dr.
Cameron Park, CA 95682
brian@lloyd.com
+1.767.617.1365 (Dominica)
+1.916.877.5067 (USA)
Message 15
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|
| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
Brian, R you about ready to be unacceptable (unsubscribe) again?
Bill
On Jan 2, 2012, at 3:45 PM, Brian Lloyd <brian@lloyd.com> wrote:
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 2:21 PM, Paul Hamlin <ph451@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> While your concerns may be valid, to actively encourage others not to rene
w their membership is "unacceptable."
>
> Oh, I like this one.
>
> Unacceptable? Does "Unacceptable" = "I don't like it?" If I don't like s
omething I can say it is unacceptable? Let me try that with my wife. "Dear, y
our new hairstyle is unacceptable." How about, "Officer, this ticket you are
giving me is unacceptable."
>
> Oh, this is just funny.
>
> --
> Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN/J79BPL
> 3191 Western Dr.
> Cameron Park, CA 95682
> brian@lloyd.com
> +1.767.617.1365 (Dominica)
> +1.916.877.5067 (USA)
>
>
>
==========================
=========
==========================
=========
==========================
=========
==========================
=========
>
Message 16
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
The issue we have guys, is like I mentioned in my first reply to Barry this m
orning, this is not the forum for this discussion. As far as I can remember,
Brian Lloyd is not a member. So Brian is attempting to give a book report o
n a book he hasn't read.
I suggest we move off this list with our membership concerns and pay no atte
ntion to the ones that really have no goal in making us better. If you are a
member Brian, read the book, then let us know.
Has anyone ever flown within a mile of Brian? Does he have a FAST card? Can h
e fly formation? Does it matter? I would really like to know. The only thing
I think I know of him, is that he claims to have started this forum. Good-o
n-ya. It's a good thing. Are you unsubscribing again?
Good new year to all.
Bill
On Jan 2, 2012, at 3:45 PM, Brian Lloyd <brian@lloyd.com> wrote:
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 2:21 PM, Paul Hamlin <ph451@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> While your concerns may be valid, to actively encourage others not to rene
w their membership is "unacceptable."
>
> Oh, I like this one.
>
> Unacceptable? Does "Unacceptable" = "I don't like it?" If I don't like s
omething I can say it is unacceptable? Let me try that with my wife. "Dear, y
our new hairstyle is unacceptable." How about, "Officer, this ticket you are
giving me is unacceptable."
>
> Oh, this is just funny.
>
> --
> Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN/J79BPL
> 3191 Western Dr.
> Cameron Park, CA 95682
> brian@lloyd.com
> +1.767.617.1365 (Dominica)
> +1.916.877.5067 (USA)
>
>
>
==========================
=========
==========================
=========
==========================
=========
==========================
=========
>
Message 17
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 3:49 PM, Bill Geipel <czech6@mesanetworks.net> wrote:
> Brian, R you about ready to be unacceptable (unsubscribe) again?
>
No Bill. I have decided to make it my calling in life to be your personal
gadfly on the Yak list. :-)
And as for being a member, I was once. The organization and I had a
difference of opinion over the mandatory wearing of flight suits. In fact,
it was similar to this here -- someone having the audacity to tell me what
is and what is not acceptable instead of recognizing that, as a
(theoretically) intelligent adult, I have both the right of
self-determination and the right of free speech. It is the latter, telling
Barry that it is *not acceptable* to speak his mind on this list, that
prompted me to respond so vociferously.
So, if Barry, or anyone else, wants to criticize the YPA (or whatever it is
called now), neither you nor anyone else gets to tell them that it is
"unacceptable". What *IS* unacceptable is attempting to curb free speech.
Does anybody know me? Yes, many people on this list have flown on my wing
or I have flown on theirs. I was both FAST wing and lead qualified but
haven't kept it up. I haven't had any need to fly form in waivered
airspace. But I am sure if you ask around you will find a few people who
may remember me. :-)
--
Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN/J79BPL
3191 Western Dr.
Cameron Park, CA 95682
brian@lloyd.com
+1.767.617.1365 (Dominica)
+1.916.877.5067 (USA)
Message 18
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
Gentlemen -
A while back we were working on putting up a billboard of sorts for the
RPA. It's a bit of a hack and there was little demand for it, so it fell by
the wayside. Based on the discussion happening here, I've make the
unilateral decision to open the forums up.
http://www.flyredstar.org/members_forums.php
Please be patient with it - we didn't do much testing. I'll do what I can
to make it functional and useful.
I've taken the liberty of posting Barry's initial email in the General
Discussion area.
<Just a note on what I feel my role is - I'm attempting to be a technology
enabler. I don't own or create the content on the RPA website. I post and
update content when (and only when) requested by the RPA Officers.>
--
Kurt "It" Howerton
N923YK
530-312-1299
http://cj6.scitechsys.com
http://www.baybombersquadron.com
On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 8:48 AM, barryhancock <bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com
> wrote:
> bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com>
>
> All,
>
> I recently received my "5th call" for membership renewal via an ecomm. For
> some time I have been contemplating my membership in the RPA. In the past
> I have served on the board, as a regional director, media relations guy,
> and run the flagship event for the RPA on the west coast - All Red Star -
> so my interest in seeing the association prosper and serve it's membership
> is significant.
>
> To me, an association of this type (all volunteer and serving a special
> interest group) needs to be as inclusive as possible, consistently provide
> useful information helping to support individual operators, and also
> representative of the membership at large in order to provide value to the
> members.
>
> In this day of communication, there is no reason to not have regular
> contact with membership via the internet and email. Our association has
> supposedly spent our membership dollars in recent years in
> upgrading/maintaining the web site and ecomm tools, yet there have been no
> useful updates in at least 6 months. There have been virtually no ecomms
> in recent memory other than membership recruiting and announcements of
> elections. Why is there not a monthly update to membership on what is
> going on in the association. Come to find out there has not been a board
> meeting in 9 months. And who are our current board members?
> Flyredstar.org shows all the regional directors expiring in summer 2011.
>
> Red Alert is supposed to be a quarterly magazine, yet there hasn't been
> one in nearly a year. The last archived RA on the web is from the Spring
> of 2010 (the Winter 2010 link takes us to a 2009 edition). When there is a
> magazine, most of the articles focus on formation. Yet, how many of our
> 500+ members fly formation? Speaking of 500 members, last I heard there
> were 400+ members. While the numbers are great, why don't I know any of
> them? How hard would it be every month to acknowledge new members and
> introduce them to membership so they feel welcomed and wanted?
>
> In 3 of the 6 regions there are no events scheduled for 2012.
>
> When was the last time a budget, tax return, or I&E was presented to
> membership, much less voted on? When was the last membership meeting?
> Does anyone know who is on the check pilot committee? How did they get
> there?
>
> The questions go on, but one thing is clear, at least to me. The current
> representation of membership, value of membership, and communication with
> membership is unacceptable.
>
> Having had several conversations with current and past RPA leadership, the
> single biggest problem is membership structure. We have "one deep"
> representation at the top, and on nearly all committees. Why? With 500+
> members are you telling me we cannot form small volunteer groups for each
> committee to make the workload manageable and make sure that membership is
> consistently served in a valuable way, even when one of the volunteers has
> life happen and cannot perform his/her responsibility in a timely manner?
> An association of this type does not need a president, but a chairman of
> the board. A perfect example of why leadership structure needs to change
> is that our president (whom I like and respect) had personal issues that
> kept him from performing his duties as president and the association
> essentially stopped functioning. Under the current structure the
> president's position carries too much burden and what we have seen in the
> last 12+ months is the result - membership is!
> not properly served by the association.
>
> To me this is all the result of a system that needs an overhaul. Just
> like with any governance, entrenched leadership is problematic at some
> point or another. Both from a burnout standpoint, and a dogmatic
> entrenchment standpoint, allowing people to stay in leadership for more
> than two consecutive terms does not foster selfless agendas or the
> representation of membership at large. What is does foster is cliques and
> a good ole boys network. This needs to change.
>
> Because of these issues, and no apparent tangible efforts being made to
> correct them, I will not be renewing my membership with the RPA this year.
> I would love to support the association and feel like the association is
> supporting us. But until I see evidence of the latter, I will not be
> renewing my membership.
>
> I encourage each RPA or prospective RPA member to evaluate for yourself
> what you want out of membership in an association such as the RPA and
> consider wether or not your needs are being met. If they are not and you
> are not speaking up and you are continuing to support the current state of
> affairs, you are doing everyone a disservice.
>
> This association has lots of potential. It has the talent pool of over
> 500 successful people to draw from. It can be vibrant, engaged, and
> valuable. I hope it will be all of that and more some day. And then I
> will come back. Until then there is a very small cadre of leadership that
> is steering the RPA ship...when was the last time you heard from any of
> them on what is going on with your association?
>
> Respectfully submitted,
>
> Barry
>
> --------
> Barry Hancock
> Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
> (877) 869-6458
> www.worldwidewarbirds.com
>
>
> Read this topic online here:
>
> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362238#362238
>
>
Message 19
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
I flew with Brian when it was the YPC.
---- Bill Geipel <czech6@mesanetworks.net> wrote:
> The issue we have guys, is like I mentioned in my first reply to Barry this morning,
this is not the forum for this discussion. As far as I can remember, Brian
Lloyd is not a member. So Brian is attempting to give a book report on a
book he hasn't read.
>
> I suggest we move off this list with our membership concerns and pay no attention
to the ones that really have no goal in making us better. If you are a member
Brian, read the book, then let us know.
>
> Has anyone ever flown within a mile of Brian? Does he have a FAST card? Can he
fly formation? Does it matter? I would really like to know. The only thing I
think I know of him, is that he claims to have started this forum. Good-on-ya.
It's a good thing. Are you unsubscribing again?
>
> Good new year to all.
>
> Bill
>
>
>
> On Jan 2, 2012, at 3:45 PM, Brian Lloyd <brian@lloyd.com> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 2:21 PM, Paul Hamlin <ph451@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > While your concerns may be valid, to actively encourage others not to renew
their membership is "unacceptable."
> >
> > Oh, I like this one.
> >
> > Unacceptable? Does "Unacceptable" = "I don't like it?" If I don't like something
I can say it is unacceptable? Let me try that with my wife. "Dear, your
new hairstyle is unacceptable." How about, "Officer, this ticket you are giving
me is unacceptable."
> >
> > Oh, this is just funny.
> >
> > --
> > Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN/J79BPL
> > 3191 Western Dr.
> > Cameron Park, CA 95682
> > brian@lloyd.com
> > +1.767.617.1365 (Dominica)
> > +1.916.877.5067 (USA)
> >
> >
> >
> ===================================
> ===================================
> ===================================
> ===================================
> >
Message 20
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| Subject: | An open letter to the RPA |
Mongoose,
This thread definitely went "Boom".
Opinions are like assholes.we all have one. As for Barry, it is a free world
but I will be sorry to see him step back. The issue is the current
leadership has not risen up to the level that Drew Blahnick took the
organization to. Drew set an extremely high bar for the rest to follow.
The fact is, this is an issue that needs to be fixed from within not
without.
Doc
From: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Richard Hess
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 1:11 PM
Subject: Re: Yak-List: An open letter to the RPA
Barry and all,
I agree that there are many issues that need addressing. I am also a member
of CJAA and some of your concerns are mirrored there recently. Barry, we
both are very active within this community and have served as volunteers as
well as business owners. Like you I have a full plate and don't do nearly as
much fun stuff as I did when I first joined. However, I believe you can
effect greater changes from within than from without.
My gut says that quiting will make your honest concerns seem less important
to those that stay. I wish you would reconsider and stay involved. You and I
both know we don't do this to make money. We do this because we are
passionate about airplanes. It isn't a hobby, it's a lifestyle and a life
long commitment.
Regardless of your decision, I wish you well. Just remember, if you fire off
an initiator, it doesn't go BOOM unless it says firmly planted in the
dynamite !!!
Description: Image removed by sender. ;-)
Richard Hess
C 404-964-4885
-----Original Message-----
From: Byron Fox <byronmfox@gmail.com>
Sent: Mon, Jan 2, 2012 1:25 pm
Subject: Re: Yak-List: An open letter to the RPA
The current issue of Red Alert should be in your mailboxes shortly. I'm
charged
with mailing copies to our foreign members and the box of those copies got
to me
last week.
This in no way, however, diminishes the seriousness of Barry's concerns.
Volunteer organizations thrive when there are a host of enthusiastic
volunteers.
Consequently, we're all responsible for the health of the RPA.
... Blitz
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 2, 2012, at 9:29 AM, "jeff krings" <jkrings@neb.rr.com> wrote:
>
> I thought the mail man wasn't through reading my red alert. After reading
> your letter I agree with you berry but I have renewed my membership. I
hope
> things will get better.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com
> [mailto:owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com
<mailto:owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com?> ] On Behalf Of barryhancock
> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 10:49 AM
> To: yak-list@matronics.com
> Subject: Yak-List: An open letter to the RPA
>
> <bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com>
>
> All,
>
> I recently received my "5th call" for membership renewal via an ecomm. For
> some time I have been contemplating my membership in the RPA. In the past
I
> have served on the board, as a regional director, media relations guy, and
> run the flagship event for the RPA on the west coast - All Red Star - so
my
> interest in seeing the association prosper and serve it's membership is
> significant.
>
> To me, an association of this type (all volunteer and serving a special
> interest group) needs to be as inclusive as possible, consistently provide
> useful information helping to support individual operators, and also
> representative of the membership at large in order to provide value to the
> members.
>
> In this day of communication, there is no reason to not have regular
contact
> with membership via the internet and email. Our association has
supposedly
> spent our membership dollars in recent years in upgrading/maintaining the
> web site and ecomm tools, yet there have been no useful updates in at
least
> 6 months. There have been virtually no ecomms in recent memory other than
> membership recruiting and announcements of elections. Why is there not a
> monthly update to membership on what is going on in the association. Come
> to find out there has not been a board meeting in 9 months. And who are
our
> current board members? Flyredstar.org shows all the regional directors
> expiring in summer 2011.
>
> Red Alert is supposed to be a quarterly magazine, yet there hasn't been
one
> in nearly a year. The last archived RA on the web is from the Spring of
> 2010 (the Winter 2010 link takes us to a 2009 edition). When there is a
> magazine, most of the articles focus on formation. Yet, how many of our
> 500+ members fly formation? Speaking of 500 members, last I heard there
> were 400+ members. While the numbers are great, why don't I know any of
> them? How hard would it be every month to acknowledge new members and
> introduce them to membership so they feel welcomed and wanted?
>
> In 3 of the 6 regions there are no events scheduled for 2012.
>
> When was the last time a budget, tax return, or I&E was presented to
> membership, much less voted on? When was the last membership meeting?
> Does anyone know who is on the check pilot committee? How did they get
> there?
>
> The questions go on, but one thing is clear, at least to me. The current
> representation of membership, value of membership, and communication with
> membership is unacceptable.
>
> Having had several conversations with current and past RPA leadership, the
> single biggest problem is membership structure. We have "one deep"
> representation at the top, and on nearly all committees. Why? With 500+
> members are you telling me we cannot form small volunteer groups for each
> committee to make the workload manageable and make sure that membership is
> consistently served in a valuable way, even when one of the volunteers has
> life happen and cannot perform his/her responsibility in a timely manner?
An
> association of this type does not need a president, but a chairman of the
> board. A perfect example of why leadership structure needs to change is
> that our president (whom I like and respect) had personal issues that kept
> him from performing his duties as president and the association
essentially
> stopped functioning. Under the current structure the president's position
> carries too much burden and what we have seen in the last 12+ months is
the
> result - membership is!
> not properly served by the association.
>
> To me this is all the result of a system that needs an overhaul. Just
like
> with any governance, entrenched leadership is problematic at some point or
> another. Both from a burnout standpoint, and a dogmatic entrenchment
> standpoint, allowing people to stay in leadership for more than two
> consecutive terms does not foster selfless agendas or the representation
of
> membership at large. What is does foster is cliques and a good ole boys
> network. This needs to change.
>
> Because of these issues, and no apparent tangible efforts being made to
> correct them, I will not be renewing my membership with the RPA this year.
> I would love to support the association and feel like the association is
> supporting us. But until I see evidence of the latter, I will not be
> renewing my membership.
>
> I encourage each RPA or prospective RPA member to evaluate for yourself
what
> you want out of membership in an association such as the RPA and consider
> wether or not your needs are being met. If they are not and you are not
> speaking up and you are continuing to support the current state of
affairs,
> you are doing everyone a disservice.
>
> This association has lots of potential. It has the talent pool of over
500
> successful people to draw from. It can be vibrant, engaged, and valuable.
> I hope it will be all of that and more some day. And then I will come
back.
> Until then there is a very small cadre of leadership that is steering the
> RPA ship...when was the last time you heard from any of them on what is
> going on with your association?
>
> Respectfully submitted,
>
> Barry
>
> --------
> Barry Hancock
> Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
> (877) 869-6458
> www.worldwidewarbirds.com <http://www.worldwidewarbirds.com/>
>
>
>
>
> Read this topic online here:
>
> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362238#362238
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
et=_blank>http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Yak-List
p://forums.matronics.com
blank>http://www.matronics.com/contribution
Message 21
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| Subject: | An open letter to the RPA |
Kurt,
Thank you. In the future I will post my comments on that site. Hopefully it
will generate more enthusiasm this time around than previous. As others have
said. We are all very wrapped up in our own busy worlds currently with much
of it being driven by the economy.
Doc
From: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Kurt Howerton
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 7:47 PM
Subject: Re: Yak-List: An open letter to the RPA
Gentlemen -
A while back we were working on putting up a billboard of sorts for the RPA.
It's a bit of a hack and there was little demand for it, so it fell by the
wayside. Based on the discussion happening here, I've make the unilateral
decision to open the forums up.
http://www.flyredstar.org/members_forums.php
Please be patient with it - we didn't do much testing. I'll do what I can to
make it functional and useful.
I've taken the liberty of posting Barry's initial email in the General
Discussion area.
<Just a note on what I feel my role is - I'm attempting to be a technology
enabler. I don't own or create the content on the RPA website. I post and
update content when (and only when) requested by the RPA Officers.>
--
Kurt "It" Howerton
N923YK
530-312-1299
http://cj6.scitechsys.com <http://cj6.scitechsys.com/>
http://www.baybombersquadron.com
On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 8:48 AM, barryhancock
<bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com> wrote:
<bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com>
All,
I recently received my "5th call" for membership renewal via an ecomm. For
some time I have been contemplating my membership in the RPA. In the past I
have served on the board, as a regional director, media relations guy, and
run the flagship event for the RPA on the west coast - All Red Star - so my
interest in seeing the association prosper and serve it's membership is
significant.
To me, an association of this type (all volunteer and serving a special
interest group) needs to be as inclusive as possible, consistently provide
useful information helping to support individual operators, and also
representative of the membership at large in order to provide value to the
members.
In this day of communication, there is no reason to not have regular contact
with membership via the internet and email. Our association has supposedly
spent our membership dollars in recent years in upgrading/maintaining the
web site and ecomm tools, yet there have been no useful updates in at least
6 months. There have been virtually no ecomms in recent memory other than
membership recruiting and announcements of elections. Why is there not a
monthly update to membership on what is going on in the association. Come
to find out there has not been a board meeting in 9 months. And who are our
current board members? Flyredstar.org shows all the regional directors
expiring in summer 2011.
Red Alert is supposed to be a quarterly magazine, yet there hasn't been one
in nearly a year. The last archived RA on the web is from the Spring of
2010 (the Winter 2010 link takes us to a 2009 edition). When there is a
magazine, most of the articles focus on formation. Yet, how many of our
500+ members fly formation? Speaking of 500 members, last I heard there
were 400+ members. While the numbers are great, why don't I know any of
them? How hard would it be every month to acknowledge new members and
introduce them to membership so they feel welcomed and wanted?
In 3 of the 6 regions there are no events scheduled for 2012.
When was the last time a budget, tax return, or I&E was presented to
membership, much less voted on? When was the last membership meeting?
Does anyone know who is on the check pilot committee? How did they get
there?
The questions go on, but one thing is clear, at least to me. The current
representation of membership, value of membership, and communication with
membership is unacceptable.
Having had several conversations with current and past RPA leadership, the
single biggest problem is membership structure. We have "one deep"
representation at the top, and on nearly all committees. Why? With 500+
members are you telling me we cannot form small volunteer groups for each
committee to make the workload manageable and make sure that membership is
consistently served in a valuable way, even when one of the volunteers has
life happen and cannot perform his/her responsibility in a timely manner? An
association of this type does not need a president, but a chairman of the
board. A perfect example of why leadership structure needs to change is
that our president (whom I like and respect) had personal issues that kept
him from performing his duties as president and the association essentially
stopped functioning. Under the current structure the president's position
carries too much burden and what we have seen in the last 12+ months is the
result - membership is!
not properly served by the association.
To me this is all the result of a system that needs an overhaul. Just like
with any governance, entrenched leadership is problematic at some point or
another. Both from a burnout standpoint, and a dogmatic entrenchment
standpoint, allowing people to stay in leadership for more than two
consecutive terms does not foster selfless agendas or the representation of
membership at large. What is does foster is cliques and a good ole boys
network. This needs to change.
Because of these issues, and no apparent tangible efforts being made to
correct them, I will not be renewing my membership with the RPA this year.
I would love to support the association and feel like the association is
supporting us. But until I see evidence of the latter, I will not be
renewing my membership.
I encourage each RPA or prospective RPA member to evaluate for yourself what
you want out of membership in an association such as the RPA and consider
wether or not your needs are being met. If they are not and you are not
speaking up and you are continuing to support the current state of affairs,
you are doing everyone a disservice.
This association has lots of potential. It has the talent pool of over 500
successful people to draw from. It can be vibrant, engaged, and valuable.
I hope it will be all of that and more some day. And then I will come back.
Until then there is a very small cadre of leadership that is steering the
RPA ship...when was the last time you heard from any of them on what is
going on with your association?
Respectfully submitted,
Barry
--------
Barry Hancock
Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
(877) 869-6458 <tel:%28877%29%20869-6458>
www.worldwidewarbirds.com
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362238#362238
==========
rget="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Yak-List
==========
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==========
le, List Admin.
="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/contribution
==========
Message 22
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
That ant' no lie.
Pappy
In a message dated 1/2/2012 9:39:21 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
viperdoc@mindspring.com writes:
Kurt,
Thank you. In the future I will post my comments on that site. Hopefully
it will generate more enthusiasm this time around than previous. As others
have said. We are all very wrapped up in our own busy worlds currently with
much of it being driven by the economy.
Doc
From: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Kurt Howerton
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 7:47 PM
Subject: Re: Yak-List: An open letter to the RPA
Gentlemen -
A while back we were working on putting up a billboard of sorts for the
RPA. It's a bit of a hack and there was little demand for it, so it fell by
the wayside. Based on the discussion happening here, I've make the
unilateral decision to open the forums up.
_http://www.flyredstar.org/members_forums.php_
(http://www.flyredstar.org/members_forums.php)
Please be patient with it - we didn't do much testing. I'll do what I can
to make it functional and useful.
I've taken the liberty of posting Barry's initial email in the General
Discussion area.
<Just a note on what I feel my role is - I'm attempting to be a technology
enabler. I don't own or create the content on the RPA website. I post and
update content when (and only when) requested by the RPA Officers.>
--
Kurt "It" Howerton
N923YK
530-312-1299
_http://cj6.scitechsys.com_ (http://cj6.scitechsys.com/)
_http://www.baybombersquadron.com_ (http://www.baybombersquadron.com/)
On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 8:48 AM, barryhancock
<_bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com_ (mailto:bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com) > wrote:
--> Yak-List message posted by: "barryhancock"
<_bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com_ (mailto:bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com) >
All,
I recently received my "5th call" for membership renewal via an ecomm. For
some time I have been contemplating my membership in the RPA. In the past
I have served on the board, as a regional director, media relations guy,
and run the flagship event for the RPA on the west coast - All Red Star -
so my interest in seeing the association prosper and serve it's membership
is significant.
To me, an association of this type (all volunteer and serving a special
interest group) needs to be as inclusive as possible, consistently provide
useful information helping to support individual operators, and also
representative of the membership at large in order to provide value to the members.
In this day of communication, there is no reason to not have regular
contact with membership via the internet and email. Our association has
supposedly spent our membership dollars in recent years in upgrading/maintaining
the web site and ecomm tools, yet there have been no useful updates in at
least 6 months. There have been virtually no ecomms in recent memory other
than membership recruiting and announcements of elections. Why is there not
a monthly update to membership on what is going on in the association.
Come to find out there has not been a board meeting in 9 months. And who are
our current board members? Flyredstar.org shows all the regional directors
expiring in summer 2011.
Red Alert is supposed to be a quarterly magazine, yet there hasn't been
one in nearly a year. The last archived RA on the web is from the Spring of
2010 (the Winter 2010 link takes us to a 2009 edition). When there is a
magazine, most of the articles focus on formation. Yet, how many of our 500+
members fly formation? Speaking of 500 members, last I heard there were
400+ members. While the numbers are great, why don't I know any of them? How
hard would it be every month to acknowledge new members and introduce them
to membership so they feel welcomed and wanted?
In 3 of the 6 regions there are no events scheduled for 2012.
When was the last time a budget, tax return, or I&E was presented to
membership, much less voted on? When was the last membership meeting?
Does anyone know who is on the check pilot committee? How did they get
there?
The questions go on, but one thing is clear, at least to me. The current
representation of membership, value of membership, and communication with
membership is unacceptable.
Having had several conversations with current and past RPA leadership, the
single biggest problem is membership structure. We have "one deep"
representation at the top, and on nearly all committees. Why? With 500+ members
are you telling me we cannot form small volunteer groups for each committee
to make the workload manageable and make sure that membership is
consistently served in a valuable way, even when one of the volunteers has life
happen and cannot perform his/her responsibility in a timely manner? An
association of this type does not need a president, but a chairman of the board.
A perfect example of why leadership structure needs to change is that our
president (whom I like and respect) had personal issues that kept him from
performing his duties as president and the association essentially stopped
functioning. Under the current structure the president's position carries
too much burden and what we have seen in the last 12+ months is the result -
membership is!
not properly served by the association.
To me this is all the result of a system that needs an overhaul. Just
like with any governance, entrenched leadership is problematic at some point
or another. Both from a burnout standpoint, and a dogmatic entrenchment
standpoint, allowing people to stay in leadership for more than two
consecutive terms does not foster selfless agendas or the representation of
membership at large. What is does foster is cliques and a good ole boys network.
This needs to change.
Because of these issues, and no apparent tangible efforts being made to
correct them, I will not be renewing my membership with the RPA this year. I
would love to support the association and feel like the association is
supporting us. But until I see evidence of the latter, I will not be renewing
my membership.
I encourage each RPA or prospective RPA member to evaluate for yourself
what you want out of membership in an association such as the RPA and
consider wether or not your needs are being met. If they are not and you are
not
speaking up and you are continuing to support the current state of affairs,
you are doing everyone a disservice.
This association has lots of potential. It has the talent pool of over
500 successful people to draw from. It can be vibrant, engaged, and
valuable. I hope it will be all of that and more some day. And then I will come
back. Until then there is a very small cadre of leadership that is steering
the RPA ship...when was the last time you heard from any of them on what is
going on with your association?
Respectfully submitted,
Barry
--------
Barry Hancock
Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
_(877) 869-6458_ (tel:(877)%20869-6458)
_www.worldwidewarbirds.com_ (http://www.worldwidewarbirds.com/)
Read this topic online here:
_http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362238#362238_
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Message 23
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
Thanks Doc.
Brian, Barry,
I feel badly for you two because in one case it seems you are frustrated wi
th not seeing things go as you envisioned. For the other, it seems you've e
ither been forced out or decided to walk away. I am sincere when I say chan
ge comes from within.
Both the Gadflies and desenters should be kept close, not pushed away. For
me, the organization is a voice and a way to encourage standardization and
safety. Can't do that if the ones voicing change or perhaps doing things un
safe are being kept at arms length...
Richard Hess
C 404-964-4885
-----Original Message-----
From: Roger Kemp MD <viperdoc@mindspring.com>
Sent: Mon, Jan 2, 2012 9:32 pm
Subject: RE: Yak-List: An open letter to the RPA
Mongoose,
This thread definitely went =9CBoom=9D.
Opinions are like assholeswe all have one. As for Barry, it is a f
ree world but I will be sorry to see him step back. The issue is the curren
t leadership has not risen up to the level that Drew Blahnick took the orga
nization to. Drew set an extremely high bar for the rest to follow.
The fact is, this is an issue that needs to be fixed from within not withou
t.
Doc
From: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-yak-list-server@mat
ronics.com] On Behalf Of Richard Hess
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 1:11 PM
Subject: Re: Yak-List: An open letter to the RPA
Barry and all,
I agree that there are many issues that need addressing. I am also a member
of CJAA and some of your concerns are mirrored there recently. Barry, we b
oth are very active within this community and have served as volunteers as
well as business owners. Like you I have a full plate and don't do nearly a
s much fun stuff as I did when I first joined. However, I believe you can e
ffect greater changes from within than from without.
My gut says that quiting will make your honest concerns seem less important
to those that stay. I wish you would reconsider and stay involved. You and
I both know we don't do this to make money. We do this because we are pass
ionate about airplanes. It isn't a hobby, it's a lifestyle and a life long
commitment.
Regardless of your decision, I wish you well. Just remember, if you fire of
f an initiator, it doesn't go BOOM unless it says firmly planted in the dyn
amite !!!
Richard Hess
C 404-964-4885
-----Original Message-----
From: Byron Fox <byronmfox@gmail.com>
Sent: Mon, Jan 2, 2012 1:25 pm
Subject: Re: Yak-List: An open letter to the RPA
The current issue of Red Alert should be in your mailboxes shortly. I'm cha
rged
with mailing copies to our foreign members and the box of those copies got
to me
last week.
This in no way, however, diminishes the seriousness of Barry's concerns.
Volunteer organizations thrive when there are a host of enthusiastic volunt
eers.
Consequently, we're all responsible for the health of the RPA.
... Blitz
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 2, 2012, at 9:29 AM, "jeff krings" <jkrings@neb.rr.com> wrote:
>
> I thought the mail man wasn't through reading my red alert. After reading
> your letter I agree with you berry but I have renewed my membership. I ho
pe
> things will get better.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com
> [mailto:owner-yak-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of barryhancock
> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 10:49 AM
> To: yak-list@matronics.com
> Subject: Yak-List: An open letter to the RPA
>
> <bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com>
>
> All,
>
> I recently received my "5th call" for membership renewal via an ecomm. Fo
r
> some time I have been contemplating my membership in the RPA. In the pas
t I
> have served on the board, as a regional director, media relations guy, an
d
> run the flagship event for the RPA on the west coast - All Red Star - so
my
> interest in seeing the association prosper and serve it's membership is
> significant.
>
> To me, an association of this type (all volunteer and serving a special
> interest group) needs to be as inclusive as possible, consistently provid
e
> useful information helping to support individual operators, and also
> representative of the membership at large in order to provide value to th
e
> members.
>
> In this day of communication, there is no reason to not have regular cont
act
> with membership via the internet and email. Our association has supposed
ly
> spent our membership dollars in recent years in upgrading/maintaining the
> web site and ecomm tools, yet there have been no useful updates in at lea
st
> 6 months. There have been virtually no ecomms in recent memory other tha
n
> membership recruiting and announcements of elections. Why is there not a
> monthly update to membership on what is going on in the association. Com
e
> to find out there has not been a board meeting in 9 months. And who are
our
> current board members? Flyredstar.org shows all the regional directors
> expiring in summer 2011.
>
> Red Alert is supposed to be a quarterly magazine, yet there hasn't been o
ne
> in nearly a year. The last archived RA on the web is from the Spring of
> 2010 (the Winter 2010 link takes us to a 2009 edition). When there is a
> magazine, most of the articles focus on formation. Yet, how many of our
> 500+ members fly formation? Speaking of 500 members, last I heard there
> were 400+ members. While the numbers are great, why don't I know any of
> them? How hard would it be every month to acknowledge new members and
> introduce them to membership so they feel welcomed and wanted?
>
> In 3 of the 6 regions there are no events scheduled for 2012.
>
> When was the last time a budget, tax return, or I&E was presented to
> membership, much less voted on? When was the last membership meeting?
> Does anyone know who is on the check pilot committee? How did they get
> there?
>
> The questions go on, but one thing is clear, at least to me. The current
> representation of membership, value of membership, and communication with
> membership is unacceptable.
>
> Having had several conversations with current and past RPA leadership, th
e
> single biggest problem is membership structure. We have "one deep"
> representation at the top, and on nearly all committees. Why? With 500+
> members are you telling me we cannot form small volunteer groups for each
> committee to make the workload manageable and make sure that membership i
s
> consistently served in a valuable way, even when one of the volunteers ha
s
> life happen and cannot perform his/her responsibility in a timely manner?
An
> association of this type does not need a president, but a chairman of the
> board. A perfect example of why leadership structure needs to change is
> that our president (whom I like and respect) had personal issues that kep
t
> him from performing his duties as president and the association essential
ly
> stopped functioning. Under the current structure the president's positio
n
> carries too much burden and what we have seen in the last 12+ months is t
he
> result - membership is!
> not properly served by the association.
>
> To me this is all the result of a system that needs an overhaul. Just li
ke
> with any governance, entrenched leadership is problematic at some point o
r
> another. Both from a burnout standpoint, and a dogmatic entrenchment
> standpoint, allowing people to stay in leadership for more than two
> consecutive terms does not foster selfless agendas or the representation
of
> membership at large. What is does foster is cliques and a good ole boys
> network. This needs to change.
>
> Because of these issues, and no apparent tangible efforts being made to
> correct them, I will not be renewing my membership with the RPA this year
.
> I would love to support the association and feel like the association is
> supporting us. But until I see evidence of the latter, I will not be
> renewing my membership.
>
> I encourage each RPA or prospective RPA member to evaluate for yourself w
hat
> you want out of membership in an association such as the RPA and consider
> wether or not your needs are being met. If they are not and you are not
> speaking up and you are continuing to support the current state of affair
s,
> you are doing everyone a disservice.
>
> This association has lots of potential. It has the talent pool of over 5
00
> successful people to draw from. It can be vibrant, engaged, and valuable
.
> I hope it will be all of that and more some day. And then I will come ba
ck.
> Until then there is a very small cadre of leadership that is steering the
> RPA ship...when was the last time you heard from any of them on what is
> going on with your association?
>
> Respectfully submitted,
>
> Barry
>
> --------
> Barry Hancock
> Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
> (877) 869-6458
> www.worldwidewarbirds.com
>
>
>
>
> Read this topic online here:
>
> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362238#362238
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
et=_blank>http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Yak-List
p://forums.matronics.com
blank>http://www.matronics.com/contribution
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Yak-List
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Message 24
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
Guys,
I will just comment on a few things and step back:
1) I would have renewed if I felt that my concerns were being addressed in a meaningful
way. To me, threatening to leave would have been like a poorly placed
"initiator," as Rich put it.
2) Before you criticize my suggestions, read what they say. I did not suggest,
intimate, insinuate, or make any reference to whether others should quit or
follow my lead. I merely suggest others not walk blindly, but rather evaluate
wether or not they are getting what they want/need out of the association.
3) Brian is (or was when he was doing it, lol) a good formation pilot, as well
as a good CFI. He also has an uncanny ability to stir up emotions with a keyboard.
;)-
4) I truly wish I was in a position to stay and and give energy to help directing
the RPA in a more fulfilling direction for it's members. I cannot, in good
conscience, take on more obligations at this point in my life. Further, as
Bill says, I'm not convinced stepping forward would do anything other than exacerbate
my frustrations. There are many talented and people with vision that
can step forward. I hope they do.
5) My comments about restructuring the leadership mechanisms are the first, and
most crucial in my opinion, step, in righting the ship. Entrenched leadership
is not healthy for any organization. I have a great deal of respect for many
of the leaders, past and present, and I know their efforts are significant,
but our organization is now 500+ members and as Darrell Gary said in a BOD meeting
a few years ago, "fresh blood is needed" in order for this organization
to thrive. It is not only needed, but completely plausible.
Respectfully,
Barry
--------
Barry Hancock
Worldwide Warbirds, Inc.
(877) 869-6458
www.worldwidewarbirds.com
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=362306#362306
Message 25
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 8:29 PM, barryhancock <bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com
> wrote:
> 3) Brian is (or was when he was doing it, lol) a good formation pilot, as
> well as a good CFI. He also has an uncanny ability to stir up emotions
> with a keyboard. ;)-
>
Aw, shucks. Still doin' it. Still am. ;-)
--
Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN/J79BPL
3191 Western Dr.
Cameron Park, CA 95682
brian@lloyd.com
+1.767.617.1365 (Dominica)
+1.916.877.5067 (USA)
Message 26
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
and I quote.........
"Has anyone asked the most basic question of all, "Does it matter?" "
On Jan 2, 2012, at 8:50 PM, Brian Lloyd wrote:
> On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 8:29 PM, barryhancock
<bhancock@worldwidewarbirds.com> wrote:
> 3) Brian is (or was when he was doing it, lol) a good formation
pilot, as well as a good CFI. He also has an uncanny ability to stir up
emotions with a keyboard. ;)-
>
> Aw, shucks. Still doin' it. Still am. ;-)
>
> --
> Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN/J79BPL
> 3191 Western Dr.
> Cameron Park, CA 95682
> brian@lloyd.com
> +1.767.617.1365 (Dominica)
> +1.916.877.5067 (USA)
>
>
>
>
Message 27
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 9:01 PM, Roger Baker <f4ffm2@roadrunner.com> wrote:
> and I quote.........
>
> "Has anyone asked the most basic question of all, "Does it matter?" "
>
Nope.
--
Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN/J79BPL
3191 Western Dr.
Cameron Park, CA 95682
brian@lloyd.com
+1.767.617.1365 (Dominica)
+1.916.877.5067 (USA)
Message 28
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| Subject: | Re: An open letter to the RPA |
I'm relatively new to the list, approximately 18 months. It once was a valu
able resource, listening to the wisdom of contributors who were reasonable a
nd rational. There has been a shift over the last 6 months or so with certa
in contributors posting what appear to be antagonistic emails which serve no
purpose except to agitate for own self gratification. It is rare nowadays f
or the likes of the Coy's and other valuable members of the community to pos
t, given the emails below I can now see why.
Of course people are entitled to express opinion, there must be a better way
approach rather than to be a personal "gadfly". Statements like that are s
imply childish.
I will be unsubscribing from the list. It would be appreciated if someone c
ould let me know when Brian is longer contributing and I will sign up once a
gain.
Sent from my iPhone
On 03/01/2012, at 3:10 PM, Brian Lloyd <brian@lloyd.com> wrote:
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 9:01 PM, Roger Baker <f4ffm2@roadrunner.com> wrote:
> and I quote.........
>
> "Has anyone asked the most basic question of all, "Does it matter?" "
>
> Nope.
>
> --
> Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN/J79BPL
> 3191 Western Dr.
> Cameron Park, CA 95682
> brian@lloyd.com
> +1.767.617.1365 (Dominica)
> +1.916.877.5067 (USA)
>
>
>
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