View from HQ - 2003/01

184 M ODEL AVIATION
Here We Go! The weather in Muncie has
been pleasant; modelers can still fly and not
freeze to death. I would love to see it
continue, but I know winter is coming.
Again this year the Muncie site was very
busy with activities going on every weekend.
Comments I hear from members who attend
these events are positive. They are impressed
with the continuing improvement to the site
and the expansion to the museum and
museum store. Now we even have a place
where donated artifacts can be restored.
I know many members will never have
the opportunity to come to Muncie, and that
is a shame. Some think that too much is done
to the Muncie site and we should be spending
time and money in other places. If you would
take a moment to think about it, you will
realize that most successful associations have
pleasant facilities at which to work. This is
not only for the employees; it presents a
positive image for that association. We have
created that positive image for AMA.
All members should be proud of the
Muncie Headquarters. The buildings are
pleasant, the flying site is excellent, and the
National Model Aviation Museum offers
beautiful displays of the history of
aeromodeling. AMA employees are friendly
and courteous, and welcome visitors with
personal tours.
By the time you receive this issue, the
elections for 2003 will be history. As I write
this, there have been some interesting E-mails
going back and forth on the Internet.
After working in this business for 32
years, one thing I have learned is that many
people like to make statements without first
asking questions. The statements are followed
by 30 E-mails on the subject; people are
talking back and forth and guessing at the
answers. Some do take the time to learn the
facts, but others just speculate.
What does this say to those who just read
and do not participate in the E-mail dialogue?
It gives members doubt about whether or not
the selected Executive Council (EC) is doing
its job. Are the members of the EC really
looking out for the association’s best
interests? Why all the secrets? (I hear that a
lot.) Doesn’t AMA communicate?
Each month I sit at my desk and try to
decide what I should write about in my
monthly column. Do members want to know
that I spent hours working with the Human
Resources Department on a personnel issue?
How do I explain the time that each
department head spends on planning his or
her budget for 2003 (right in the middle of
flying season)? Do members want to hear of
the time spent preparing and getting price
quotes for products, answering the phone,
replying to snail- and E-mail, giving tours of
the new building, etc.?
Help me help you; let me know what you
want me to write about.
I receive roughly 50 to 80 E-mail
messages a day, each person expecting an
immediate response. I not only have a cell
phone, but I take a laptop with me when I
travel, whether on AMA business or vacation,
so that I can stay on top of what is happening
on a daily basis. The majority of the
Headquarters executive staff also have
laptops. We can be reached almost 24 hours a
day, seven days a week.
The members who take the time to ask
questions, whether it relates to business or
membership, receive a response within a day
or two.
Communication is a key word. In this day
and age we have the ability to communicate
much faster than before. The Internet allows
us to post important items immediately. The
Executive Council agenda is posted
approximately four weeks prior to the
meeting; the minutes are usually posted
within 30 days after the meeting.
We communicate through the magazine.
The president, executive vice president, and I
try to cover issues that are “hot topics” so we
can get feedback. Some council members
have very active Web sites, where topics are
discussed so that they can receive input.
What I am trying to say is that we have
many ways to communicate with our
members; some take advantage of them and
some do not. If there is a subject you would
like to see me discuss, drop me a line. If it is
not my area and I feel the president or
executive vice president should address the
issue, I will let him know.
Whatever the outcome of the election, I
know that your representatives will do the
best job possible. The volunteers who run for
office have reasons: they want their
association to succeed; they want to represent
the membership.
You have to remember that we have a
duty to look at the organization as a whole
pie, not just one piece.
Continuing from my last column, I want to
recognize chartered clubs with between 145
and 159 members. MA
We have created that
positive image for AMA.
Joyce Hager Executive Director
View from HQ
Happy flying,
Joyce Hager
executive director
[email protected]
Count Club Number Club Name
159 1600 Arizona Model Aviators* (AZ)
159 1921 Fern Prairie Modelers (WA)
159 1961 Scottsdale Model Flyers (AZ)
157 777 Lake County Radio Club (IL)
157 1813 Georgetown Aero Modelers Assn. (ID)
156 521 Weak Signals RC (OH/MI)
156 936 Woodland/Davis Aeromodelers* (CA)
156 1376 Hemet Model Masters (CA)
155 340 495th RC Squadron Inc. (MA)
155 740 Des Moines Modelaires* (IA)
154 559 Lehigh Valley Radio Control (PA)
153 347 South Shore RC Club Inc.* (MA)
153 419 Jersey Coast RC Club (NJ)
152 334 Prince Georges RC Club* (MD)
152 1012 Greater Cincinnati RC Club (OH)
151 988 Santa Fe Dam Radio Control (CA)
151 2001 Northern Utah RC Aircraft Club* (UT)
150 422 Mercer County RC Society* (NJ)
149 318 Lexington Model Airplane Club* (KY)
149 748 Keystone RC Society Inc. (PA)
148 263 Palos RC Flying Club (IL)
148 468 Rochester Aero Modeling (NY)
148 648 Mt. Rainier RC Society* (WA)
148 1333 Midwest Sundowner Flying Club* (IN)
147 123 Diablo Valley Radio Controller (CA)
147 1852 Interstate Model Flying Club (NY)
146 433 Top O NJ RC Club (NJ)
146 773 Arizona Radio Control Society* (AZ)
146 1065 Collier Model Aeronautic Club (FL)
146 1574 Condors Flying Club of Coral* (FL)
145 279 Woodland Aero Modelers (IL)
145 1790 Windingbrook RC Club (CT)
* Denotes clubs with an Introductory Pilot Program. For information about this program, contact Club Secretary Lois Pierce at [email protected].
In the December issue there were some inaccurate numbers in the Nationals contestant breakdown. Alabama had 21 participants,
Tennessee had 27 participants, and Virginia had 23 participants. The MA staff apologizes for the error.