View from HQ
Joyce Hager, Executive Director
I cordially invite you to join us at the 2005 AMA Nats.
For those of you who do not have access to the AMA Web site (www.modelaircraft.org), I will inform you of a decision that was made at the October 30 Executive Council (EC) meeting. As of December 6, 2004, I will no longer be the AMA Executive Director. As the press release below states, I will be stepping down to a less stressful job.
I am taking this opportunity to thank all of those individuals who read my column each month — by the way, I will not miss writing this column. I want to thank the AMA membership, the EC, and the AMA Headquarters staff for nine good years as the executive director, and I am looking forward to my continued work with everyone.
The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Donald J. Koranda as its new Executive Director, by a unanimous vote of its EC. Effective December 6, 2004, Don Koranda will replace Joyce Hager, who requested reassignment after serving in that position for nine years. Joyce Hager will continue to play a significant role in the management of the AMA.
Don Koranda comes to AMA from the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), in Arlington, Virginia, where he served as NAA president and as its representative to the AMA EC for the past six years. The NAA recently announced the appointment of David Ivey as its new president, and he will continue the tradition of the NAA president serving as the NAA representative on the AMA EC.
Dave Brown, AMA president, said: "Joyce Hager has done a terrific job as AMA's Executive Director after stepping into that position during trying times. Her service to AMA has been of the utmost importance to the continued growth of the association, and we are fortunate to have had her as our Executive Director. I feel confident that she will continue to be an important part of AMA's management.
"Don Koranda brings a wealth of experience and expertise to AMA, and I'm confident that he will take the organization to the next level. I have worked with Don as the NAA representative to AMA and I am excited to have him as our Executive Director. I look forward to some great things. This is a great day for AMA."
I am pleased to announce that the 2005 Nats planning meeting was a success. There were 32 attendees on October 23 representing numerous SIGs, AMA, and the Executive Council. The dates for the 2005 Outdoor Nats will be July 5–August 7. The Indoor portion will again be held in Johnson City, Tennessee, June 1–5.
A few minor changes have been made to the Nats format:
- The 2005 Nats is four days shorter than in previous years. This was accomplished without the loss of any official events.
- Unofficial events will have a $10 entry fee, but only for those not entered in an official Nats event.
- Conduct of unofficial events, including protests, is the sole responsibility of the SIGs.
- Indoor RC will not be held in 2005.
A new Nats and National Flying Site Web page can be seen at www.modelaircraft.org/events. Contents include the 2005 National Flying Site and Nats calendars, 2004 Nats results, and general information. The 2005 Nats entry forms will be available through the Web site no later than December 31, 2004, as a PDF download.
Throughout the winter, improvements will be made to Nats Headquarters, Nats equipment, and the National Flying Site. Whether you attend this event every year or have never attended, I cordially invite you to join us at the 2005 AMA Nats.
Correction: In this column in the December 2004 issue of MA, I included a picture of Education Committee chairperson Bob Underwood with one of the AMA scholarship winners. The name of the young man pictured is 2004 recipient Bryce Haselhorst — not Kolby Hoover. I apologize for the error.
Happy flying,
Joyce Hager Executive Director [email protected]
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
