Executive Director leaving...
 

Budreau is leaving (see below).

Assistant ED retires recently, CFO steps down not that long ago, and now the ED leaves. In response to this post, just like the CFOs departure, you'll hear a myriad of other reasons. But don't fall for the gaslighting ... three high level departures (whatever the stated reasons) in around a year is cause for alarm. This is happening for a reason. And could that reason be the economic trajectory of the organization that I've illustrated? "The world wonders..."

https://amablog.modelaircraft.org/bl...228.1726335604

Oh stop with the conspiracy crap.

Joyce was around AMA since the wright brothers flew their first prototype, she retired.

CFO was in place several years, moved on to spend time with his grand children. Edit to note that CFO is a volunteer position just like the VP's (though the VP's, EVP and President are elected) and we on-boarded an amazing and very sharp replacement that has taken over the CFO duties in a seamless transition.

Chad took a job back in the industry he came from at a salary we wouldn't have hoped to matched and if we tried you would be screaming from the roof top about salaries.

^^^^ As predicted ...

Yet one cannot (nor should they) ignore the fact that three most senior people have departed, the three most senior people responsible management that generated the RESULTS over the past many years. ED, Assistant ED, and CFO (trio who left in quick succession) have been there together for the last 15 years (since 2009 for the calculations below). Here's their collective RESULTS:

• Spending EXCEEDED revenue in 10 of the 14 years
• Net assets DECREASED 43.1%
• Membership revenue DECREASED 29.8%
• Total revenue DECREASED 26.9%
• Event sanctions DECREASED 30.5%
• Charter club fees DECREASED 21.1%
• Program Expenses (spending on core mission of AMA) DECREASED 30.5%

• Non Program Expenses (spending things NOT core to AMA mission) INCREASED 37.9%
• Total staff compensation INCREASED 22.7%
• Magazine costs exceeded revenue by $20.1 MILLION dollars (cumulative)

And yet we're to believe this flurry of departures in top positions has nothing to do with the RESULTS?

LOL AMA has the staff reduction that Franklin has been wanting for well over a decade and he still cries like a little spoiled child.

That's a little reductive ... even for you.

Hardly crying, celebrating more like it. With the "Results" they've generated, one could make an argument the departures at a decade too late.

The only departure I’m interested in seeing is yours.

Honest question ...

What's wrong with wanting to see even a modicum of accountability for the results on their watch?

Honestly nothing. Guess what though, you don’t always get what you want. They are 100% within their rights to refuse your request. Most people would however leave it at that and decide not to buy the product, not go on a decades long crusade. That said, you are within your rights to have your crusade as I am within my rights to voice my opinion about your crusade.

That said, I find it rather funny that you desire to hold others accountable while ducking accountability yourself. A great example is your continued refusal to accept accountability for your being banned from RCG for your constant off topic posting. You continually criticized the AMA and their members in an ADVOCACY FORUM which can’t be viewed as anything but off topic posting. I simply pointed it out to moderation, they decided to take action. Yet you for years accused me for being the sole person responsible for your banishment. I’m betting that you will do so again after reading this. Feel free to do so, I couldn’t care less.

You got someone banned from RCG ... clearly something that'll be memorialized forever in the lore of model aviation.

Meanwhile, I helped FAA justify not allowing AMA to manage registrations ( "inherently governmental" in comments on registration rule ), got FAA to declare that membership in CBO was NOT required to satisfy conditions of 336 (apparently so big a deal that "Dear Leader" felt necessary to devote an entire column to it in MA), and I brought the disinfecting sunshine on the AMA's financial performance.

Well poop, I guess the first step to convincing people your delusions are real is to first convince yourself…..

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...23e9d49996.jpg

Okay guys, that's enough.
We all know what's happened over the past 10 years, both in Muncie and here in the forum.
The question now is "How is the new management going to do?" Those coming in are going to have a bunch of stuff to deal with:
1) The "ME FIRST!!" mentality that the old management didn't seem to want to deal with
2) The limited assets available
3) The bloated payroll(that one really depends on who you talk to)
4) The "Good Old Boys" mentality of "It's always worked before so it should work now"

No matter how you look at it, there are several serious decisions that have to be made and you members had better start thinking about what you want the results of those decisions to be or Franklin's "doom and gloom", as Speed calls it, will be factual history in the not too distant future. I would recommend you all start working together on this and pass on your thoughts to the VPs ASAP

Personally I don’t expect any changes on the way AMA functions. We have to face the facts that there is just not enough interest in model airplanes to keep the industry alive past our own lives. That said, during that time there will be a core membership of guys such as myself that have been in the hobby since childhood that will continue to participate for as long as they are physically able. When this core group dies so will the AMA and the hobby. Until then as I have said before the dues can go up to $200 a year and that core group will continue to join and be happy in the value/product they receive.

Guys I just got onto this little tidbit yesterday, take a look at it and let me know your thoughts. I am for a common sense aspect not wanting to "rile" people up,
just a nice discussion if it comes to that. Thanks.

Link:

I LOVE IT!!!!! That pretty much says what I've been saying in here for years:cool:
The problem is that AMA members tend to not see this stuff as a problem. A "MEMBERS ONLY" sign tends to tell people "KEEP OUT" unless they are brought in by or are invited by a member. This actually happens in a lot of organizations. The Moose, Eagles, Elks and Masons are all similar in that you must be invited to a function just to get an application to join. The American Legion requires members be former military or related to someone that is to get a membership, while the hardest of all seems to be combat veterans organizations such as the VFW. All of these require yearly membership dues to attend activities or use facilities. Being a former Eagles member, I know they have the main facility for each branch, some with camping facilities, most with dancing and dinners on Friday and Saturday, fund raisers for various things, etc. I'm sure the rest are similar in what they offer as well.
Where all these differ from the AMA and flying clubs is once you're a member, you can go to any location and use the facilities for free. You can't go to another club's field without paying a fee of some sort and being invited in AFTER SHOWING YOUR AMA CARD. Before my membership lapsed, I went to several different Eagles lodges, showed my card and walked right in with no questions asked or hassles, even taking a motorhome to one in Eastern Washington for a weekend event not related to the lodge itself. We did have "afterparties" on Friday and Saturday night in the lodge as well as participated in the prime rib dinner on Friday before our offsite event. I may have to renew my membership, those were good times:D​​​​​​​

Also, did anyone else notice that although they say that Chad is leaving, the only opening posted on the website is a "Government Affairs Manager." Despite saying there were interested in applicants, by actual actions (postings), it sure looks like they've pre-selected Tyler to replace Chad.

More hearsay of yours.

The advertised position worked under Tyler.

He has to apply for the full time job just like any other internal or outside applicant.

With only three people in the entire government affairs group, who exactly is the "Government Affairs MANAGER" going to manage?

Presumably not Tyler, so are you saying you're hiring a manager to manage one or at most two people? If so, no wonder staff costs keep going up.

Hydro, you’re contributing to misinformation again. The “ Members Only “ applies to operations only, every club I have visited has welcomed me with open arms. The Last club I visited ( Dallas Wingdingers ) straight up gave me a free membership. The membership requirement is due to insurance reasons and you are well aware of this. There is no invitation or day use fee requirement at any of the dozens of AMA chartered club fields that I have visited over the last 4 decades. You really need to investigate things for yourself before sitting down at a keyboard.

Really? I've been told by others that they won't go to specific clubs due to the fees they were asked to pay to fly there. I was personally told to leave when I stopped to check out a flying field because I didn't have an AMA card BEFORE I GOT PAST THE PARKING LOT!!! When I told them I was building a trainer, I was told to come back when it was done and "THEY MIGHT TALK TO ME". I won't go where I'm not wanted and I was definitely wasn't wanted at that club.

I’m calling BS, that is unless you will provide names of these clubs so I can verify your story.

Wow, I guess asking guys to put up or shut up really quiets a room LOL.

I figured it didn't matter what I said since you wouldn't believe me anyway so why bother. Since I'm just one of the "unwashed masses", and not one of the "exalted AMA competition fliers", I would have to be able to provide a location, date, who I talked to and at least a dozen other forms of proof before I would be believed. With all that said, I really don't give a dam if you believe me or not since the AMA is dying a slow death so it really doesn't matter. We that race in NAMBA or IMPBA sanctioned boating clubs don't have any of the issues that are killing the AMA since we can(and do) use waters in public accessible parks or privately owned property and do so at almost all of our events. We get spectators at pretty much all of our events as well, quite often getting new participants in our activity, just because we're accessible to the public

No, you would just have to provide the club name. It’s not an unreasonable ask in this forum as I have been asked to provide proof in this forum before. The real reason however is that you know that I have been an AMA member for 45 years and I have never witnessed what you describe. As an “ exalted AMA competition flier “ I spend many hours at the field. Not as much as I used to. Now knowing your personality here, I have to make the assumption that your situation could have possibly happened after some provocation from you. I recall you once complaining that you went to an AMA field and nobody approached you while you were there. So it stands to reason that on a different occasion you were approached and came off with the same all knowing AMA sucks attitude that you have here and were treated in kind.

And please stop bringing your boat organization into these conversations. They are apples and oranges. A boat has less of a safety aspect to members and spectators, That is unless you’ve seen one fall from the sky at 100 mph. Continuing to bring boats into the conversation only makes you less believable.

Just because they won't have anything to do with you, quit your whining and move on. Try another hobby if this doesn't suit you. How long have you been crying the sky is falling and low and behold the AMA is still here. Some give great pleasure when they enter a room, others like yourself when they leave. Robin Williams in Good morning Vietnam had a line that describes you to a tee. Someone most in need of a ............................

Three guys work well together but feel they have put in their time all decide to retire/move on to other things but instead of all going at the same time decide to phase themselves out spread over a year to give those that will follow them time to ease into the job. Not a bad plan. You on the other hand only look to try and float some sort of conspiracy. No wonder no one wants to engage with you.

If it wasn't for the one or two members of the EC that bother to correct your gaslighting your voice would be nothing more than a fart in a windstorm.