EASYTIGER

My Feedback: (119)

Evidently, it did not work out, and he has left under mutual agreement.
That's as much as I know.

mongo

My Feedback: (15)

well, that certainly sux the big one.

he WAS a ray of hope.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

What the heck is going on in Muncie? I'm beginning to get worried......
'
Jerry

Gremlin Castle

My Feedback: (14)

Possibly he confused this operation with a real business. One only has to look at what has been published about AMA business over the last 40 years to see that it has been run either by those that are willing or by those that feel a need and never by those that are imminently qualified.

50%plane

My Feedback: (5)

This is a sad day.

Woops

fliers1

I had many promising conversations with Don, but it appeared that although his heart was in the right place, apparently he was up against the proverbial "city hall".

I think those at AMA truly has a strong desire and need to help the hobby/sport to grow, but due to the inherent restraints of the traditional promotion system, they don't have a clue on how to do it. I'm sure Don tried his best, but he was only one cog in the AMA promotion/growth machine. As they say, you can't get blood out of a stone.

CCR

tonyF3A

Guys:
It was a very sad day at Muncie, and something that I hated to have to vote for. Don had done a great job with bringing new ideas to the AMA, as well as re-directing the focus of the staff and EC... Unfortunately, their were some issues that came up that created a major problem with all the staff at AMA to the point that this occured. I am not going to go into specifics over the internet. Sufice it to say that Don had a problem working with the staff at Muncie. The problem was not that of the staff, but of Don's personality and how he interacted with the staff. Personally, I had a great relationship with Don that was working its way to becoming a really good friendship. I lost many nights sleep over this prior to the EC meeting in Muncie last weekend. The EC has already set up a search committiee to find another PROFESSIONAL person such as Don to be our Executive Director. I thing that the new ideas and fresh approaches that a professional can bring are exactly what AMA needs. It is evident in the new programs that are currently underway, as well as several exciting new things that you will hear about soon. Some ideas had problems, such as the TN DVD program, but we have learned from that to do a better job controlling such programs and letting the membership know about such things AHEAD OF TIME in the future!

I just want to let everyone know that this was not an easy decision, and tears were shead about it. However, it is time to move forward into the future. We have some wonderful things in the planning stages and we are going to press on to make them happen. The EC is determined to carry on with the vision that Don brought to the AMA! I will miss Don's leadership, but we will move ahead and find another ED that will fill this position and continue to improve the AMA. Heck, I had a "Florida Tour" set-up with Don so that he and I would make a swing though Flordia to meet with several clubs, concluding with a general AMA presentation at the 15th Annual Florida International Jet Rally in Lake Wales on November 5th! I am personally going to go through with the Tour without Don, but it sure won't be the same! I will be making presentations in Pensacola on November 3rd and in Jacksonville on the 4th. You can find additional info at www.amadistrict-v.org.

We are working on short-term solutions to keep things going while the search committie begins it's work. Our goal is to have another ED in place in 12 months or so...

If you have any questions, please contact me at [email protected] or at 1-850-324-5832.

Tony Stillman
AMA District V VP

F106A

My Feedback: (2)

Hi,
We're screwed.
To guarantee longevity with the next ED, just make sure he uses the words "yes sir" and "I agree with Dave" in every conversation.
I talked to Don several times and found him the consummate professional, so I'm not sure why "PROFESSIONAL" was highlighted in Tony's post.
Gee, wonder what John Worth is doing these days? Nah, too strong a personality, he might actually get in someone's face to get the job done.
BRG,
Jon

rcamp

Darn, the info I just received from HQ is that the EC and Don could not agree on a new contract, no details as to the problem areas. I sure would like to know what the disagreement was about.

rcamp

Sorry, my previous post was before Tony's post or I would not have posted what I was told as Tony should have better information. But Tony, you say you will not explain what the problem was over the internet other than to say it was with the staff at AMA HQ. More details need to be provided post haste. Perhaps the staff should have been replaced, not Don?

We deserve to know what happened and not in six weeks or 6 months. A detailed statement should be issued to all AMA members immediately. Now to email my DVP.

Red Scholefield

My Feedback: (9)

Could it be that Joyce's girls revolted? Is the market for clerical help that tight in Muncie?

Hossfly

Tony, thank you for bringing this information to this forum. Yet, I find messages between the lines of your post. [:-]

The overall tone of this post tells me that perhaps the STAFF, well set in their "It's always been this way" attitude had a problem working with the BOSS!

Here you tell me that new and exciting programs have been initiated by a PROFESSIONAL person, and you want a new person like him. You say there were some problems, yet you infer they were learning experiences. That places several big questions in my head concerning the wisdom of the EC in their actions such as why was the guy hired to begin with, what directions were given to him as for his latitude, what did he do that was so terribly wrong that it could not be redirected, and JUST WHOSE DORK did he step on? [sm=angry.gif]

This confirms the questions above and makes me wonder just who is really running the show up there in Muncie. Will Kurek become the next ED?

EASYTIGER

My Feedback: (119)

Yeah, sure. It was all Dave Brown's fault. As always.
You know what? You don't know DB at ALL.
And I can no longer lend any credence whatsoever to your opinions about AMA. At all.
Because you keep blaming everything on Dave Brown.
You know what?
You know NOTHING about Dave Brown.

Liberator

I will be the first to admit that I don't know Dave Brown.

However, when I read that (paraphrasing) "we need to stop talking about a topic on the internet so we can fly under the radar", I tend to think that this is how this person tends to operate as a general rule.

Out front, open and honest is the ONLY way to handle things and be above board. If someone can't deal with things this way, I have no use for them.

I will not be suprised to hear that there was an undercurrent of folks being intimidated by Don and therefore worked together to create issues that eventually led to the parting of the ways.


On a side note, I was no where near Dallas on November 22 1963.

F106A

My Feedback: (2)

ET,
Exactly where in my post did I say it's Dave Browns fault?I
I've re-read my post several times and can't seem to find that statement, although you had no trouble finding it.
Hmmm, wonder who has the agenda here?.
It's true that I haven't socialized with Dave as you have, but I have a pretty good feel for him from listening to numerous conversations over the years at Toledo and the WRAM show,
I've been in this hobby at least as long as you, if not longer, and see the direction AMA has/is taking under DB. Many agree with his vision, many don't-I don't.

I don't care if you don't "lend any credence whatsoever to your opinions about AMA", it's a discussion forum where people exchange opinions and ideas, and mine are just as valid as anyone else's on this site, whether you agree with me or not.
As the above poster wrote, it could be anything. Tony's post, like so many here, dangle little bits and pieces placed in front of us, and then get annoyed because we're all making assumptions and "don't know all the facts". Either tell us what happened or don't give out bits and pieces. The same thing happened regarding OMJ, remember?
I contacted Dave Mathewson and we'll see what he has to say about this issue.
BRG,
Jon

Jim Thomerson

I didn't figure he would last. I knew it when he wrote the column about marketing model aviation. You can't advocate stuff like that and expect to last in the AMA. I am being only about 30% humorous here.

EASYTIGER

My Feedback: (119)

Dave Brown is a human being, same as you and I and many of the other posters here, and he makes mistakes. I believe what he said about "fly under the radar" was a mistake. Same as you. I think it was the wrong thing to say, and I disagree with him. I have met DF many times, and talked at length, and I do NOT think this is something typical of him at all, I think he is normally very open about stuff.

PS I saw you in the Zapruder Film up on the Grassy Knoll holding an Orbit reed transmitter. I KNOW it was you.

EASYTIGER

My Feedback: (119)

Oh, now you hedge.
Your post above was VERY clear.
That Don Koranda left because he would not agree with Dave Brown.
Don't try to spin and dodge, you were very clear.
But I knew you would post it before you even did.
Yup. IT'S ALL DAVE BROWN'S FAULT. As usual.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

Thank you Tony for shedding some light on this subject....

Jerry

F106A

My Feedback: (2)

No hedging involved. I don't know why he left, other than the rather criptic comments in Tony's post
Still can't find which sentence I said it was DB's fault.

Liberator

Busted...But I was just trying to spear Connelly's Hat..that was one fine chapeau.

3dbob37n

I recall that when Dave made that statement about "flying under the radar" he was referring to our accident record. I know, there are those who would like to have our dirty laundry waved in front of the Press and CNN but any thinking person knows what will happen to many clubs and flyers around the country if we did such a thing.

ED's are like City Managers and County Managers. They are hired guns and come and go like thunderstorms. They are there one day and gone the next.
I may be wrong but my guess is that Don Koranda was one of those leaders who snapped their fingers and things got done and this probably did not go well with the staff at HQ.
It will take a long while to find someone who is witty, personable, educated, wordly wise, handsome, patient, hard working, loved by all, strict, liberal, conservative, understanding, wise, diplomatic, a solid leader, friendly, and a lot of other things that you can come up with.
Begins to sound like God, doesn't it!

3dbob

Liberator

Actually when Dave made "the Fly under the radar" statement, I think he was talking about the government contractors wanting to get a slice of the model market each time a kit was sold. He felt like we should not talk about it on the internet for fear of it coming to pass.

Geistware

My Feedback: (16)

Since we have had a lot of opinions and one fact posted, I will contribute to the opinions.
I voted for Tony. I trust him to make the proper decisions which are in the best interest for District 5 and the AMA in general.

With that said, while it would be nice to know what happened. I have to rely on the insight of the person I voted for. The AMA Staff may have been in an uproar and Don may have caused it. The decision may have been different if it was March or April but with November at our door and renewals on the horizon, it may have been that you address the immediate at the detriment of the future.

I liked the things that Don said. With the dealings I have had with the AMA staff over the past 5 years and the two club positions that I held, if the AMA staff were upset with the change then it was a good thing. Throughout my professional career I have been known as a change agent. To me change is good. I have let a lot of people go because they were unwilling to change. Maybe from a political point of view, Don should have waited for 6 months before making change. We may never know. What we all know and want is to have a better functioning HQ and to meet the present and future needs of it's members and the hobby in general. This is why I voted for Tony over the past two elections. He understands the need for change and is willing to motivate the organization to change. He is doing it slower than I would, but he is doing it and that is what is needed.

This commercial is brought to you by...........

abel_pranger

Hey ET-

From a recent discussion in another thread, JR noted several occurrences in recent AMA history that I take as symptoms of dysfunction at the top. Borrowed his words liberally, paraphrased, and my biases/opinions are imbedded - don't hold JR accountable for this:

A Sanctions and Liabilities committee was appointed, sans any clear direction as to what they were charged with doing. It floundered, and and DB appointed a new chairman (Oberdieck). The product of their ensuing efforts was a recommendation to produce a safety video, which has squat to do with Sanctions and Liabilities. Appears no clarification of direction came with the appointment of a new chair.

Similarly, a By-Laws Committee had been appointed. After several years of work, a proposal for a by-laws change was to be put forth relative to Article X of the by-laws. Plans were made for a vote and submission to the Leader Members. Dave Brown stopped the process. Frustrated, the Chair of the by-laws committee, Rich Hanson, ultimately quit. Leader Members twiddle thumbs and wonder if they will ever be called to perform their chartered role

Don Lowe recently quit as chairman of the Safety Committee. Bob Underwood assigned to replace him. Good man, getting spread awfully thin. Can you remember how long ago he retired as AMA TD?

AMA committees serve at the pleasure of the AMA President - they in effect form his staff. That staff appears to be undergoing quite a brain-drain in the current administration, and volunteer members of committees are getting harder and harder to find.

If 'staff problems' are reason for termination of the man in charge, Dave Brown has plenty of his own.

BTW, DB said in his MA column that he was not involved in the selection/hiring of Koranda. It is not unreasonable that some might surmise that has some measure of bearing on the topical action of the EC.

Abel