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Meet the Trustee Candidates & Vote
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MEET THE TRUSTEE CANDIDATES NEXT PAGE
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• Each Full Member in good standing as of 29 November 2020 is eligible to vote. • The voting period begins on December 1. • All ballots, digital and printed, must be received before midnight central time, December 31, 2020 when the voting period closes. • When the voting period begins, Full Members with emails on file in MotorsportReg (MSR) will receive an e-ballot via electronic notification from AssociationVoting (announcement@ associationvoting.com) with a link and voting credentials good for one time use. • Voting credentials consist of your membership number and assigned PIN number. • Members with no email on file in MSR, will be sent a paper ballot to their mailing address. • Members with an email on file in MSR preferring a paper ballot may request one by emailing communications@ahrma.org.
Paper ballots invalidate the digital ballot. • Please note – paper ballot requests result in an increased fee to
AHRMA and we encourage members with internet access to vote online.
• If you do not receive your announcement email, please go to voting.associationvoting.com/ahrma, and click on the "Help" dropdown at the top of the screen to request your ballot be re-sent.
The vendor will count all ballots and provide total votes for each candidate, number of e-ballots sent and received, number of paper ballots sent and received and number of disqualified ballots and reason for disqualification.
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MEET THE TRUSTEE CANDIDATES
NEW e-ballot VOTING SYSTEM SENT VIA EMAIL
Mitch Barnes mitchfcamx@aol.com
Louisville, KY Region: East
I started racing as a child with my brother Glenn and my father Charlie. After my brother passed away four years ago, I wanted to reach back into history and remind myself of the good times we had together. The healing was started by my personally restoring a 1975 Suzuki RM 125. Racing and participating with AHRMA over the last four years has made me appreciate those historical good times and the good things that are happening in vintage off-road racing and vintage road racing with the support of the AHRMA leadership.
I plan to help promote the National at Saddleback East on an ongoing basis. The teamwork that is required to pull off a National AHRMA race with four disciplines in the middle of COVID is the same teamwork that I would apply to the board work if chosen. Being involved at the grassroots level, like running a National, should give me insight to help other members grow the AHRMA brand. I have been married for 34 years, spent 33 years running my own Wealth Management business, launched two successful Motorcycle ministries and operate a nonprofit called the Dream Foundation of Kentucky. All of this time, I’ve carried a passion for motorcycling and the positive family environment that I have grown to greatly appreciate while being at AHRMA events. Thank you for your consideration and would request that you consider voting for me to represent AHRMA on the East Coast. I will look forward to seeing you at the races. As I write this, we’re planning to load bikes for Barber.
Mike Bickley mikeabickley@yahoo.com
Dublin, OH Region: East
Fellow AHRMA members, my name is Mike Bickley I live in Columbus OH, and I am asking for your vote and support as an Eastern Trustee of this fine organization. I started riding mini bikes in 1972 and continued for a number of years riding and racing motocross and cross country until the late '80s. Like many, I took a sabbatical to get married, raise a family, work hard in the corporate world and eventually start my own business. In the early 2000’s I found a 1974 Yamaha DT125A, the bike I rode to high school and restored it to a high standard. This was the proverbial light bulb, subsequently I have bought and restored a great variety of motorcycles from a Kawasaki 500 triple, to many of the motorcycles I either owned, or desired as a young man, recently my garage had as many as many 15 bikes in various stages from “projects” to championship contenders.
I began racing again over 10 years ago, and have had the good fortune to win two AMA National Championships, nine AHRMA National Championships (with three more to be decided in November), and a number of AHRMA Regional Championships in the Great Lakes & South Central Regions. In the two most recent (normal) years 2018 & 2019 I competed in as many as 15 events. Traveling the country from California to Florida, Texas to New York and all point in-between participating in six different classes with four bikes.
I have been an active volunteer with AHRMA for the majority of my time as a member. I managed the new AHRMA – Great Lakes Region until 2019, operated a number of AHRMA National off-road events as the sole AHRMA official / Race Director, and worked as a tech inspector at more than 20 AHRMA National events. I developed the newest PV class “PV-100," which will become one of the most popular classes in the Sunday motocross race program in future years. It seems appropriate that the next step is to become involved at the trustee level.
Currently I am primarily an off-road racer. I ride VMX, PVMX and have participated in Trials and Cross Country, a couple of my AHRMA friends have made the transition from Off-road to RR this year and Barber RR is now a bucket list item for me. Irrespective of the various disciplines we ride, the role of a Trustee is to represent all members equally and effectively.
I have been a keen observer of all things AHRMA, and have expressed opinions both positive and negative on certain topics, however I believe I have always approached issues from the perspective of “what’s best for the members." And as a trustee I would ask the tough questions, challenge the status quo, but will respect my fellow board members and support the majority vote. As a non-profit, member owned and governed organization I believe that the organization should always consider the members/owners point of view.
Currently the Midwest region is not well represented in the trustee position. The vast majority of Trustees are located in the far west, deep south or east coast. I am running to fill the seat previously held by Louis LeBlanc, while he represented the East, he was located in Louisiana just east of the Mississippi. While I understand the role of a trustee is to support all members, regardless of location or discipline, as a national organization I believe it’s important to have regional representation.
My background is in corporate sales & marketing, and more recently in the IT world, both skills that would be helpful to the board. Furthermore, there are areas that I feel strongly about, term limits for trustees, open ZOOM trustee meetings with opportunity for member participation, optimized utilization of social media, not just Facebook but Instagram, Twitter, and whatever the next tools are. And most importantly, to develop a multiyear year plan to grow membership at a rate that will sustain this group for the foreseeable future.
Please send me comments, ideas, and share how AHRMA can better meet your own needs, out to me directly at mikeabickley@yahoo.com, and let your fellow members know of my candidacy.
Thank you for your consideration.
Mike Bickley
James Korn kornjk2500@netscape.net
New Port Richey, Florida Region: East
Born in Gainesville, FL, and raised in Indianapolis, I graduated from Purdue as an electrical engineer in 1981. I spent 32 years working in the defense industry and spent most of my career with Lockheed Martin. I began racing with AHRMA in 2016 and will never forget my rookie weekend at Roebling. I showed up with a newly built production bike and brand new shiny leathers, gloves, and helmet – you could see me coming from a mile away. I was anxious, excited, and fearful all at the same time. After the race school, I took a deep breath and really enjoyed the racing that weekend. Over the next five years we would make scores of new friends traveling the country from February through October loving every minute. In 2017, we attended every road race event logging over 15,000 miles, what an adventure.
In 2019, I took a more active role working as a Technical Inspector and mentoring new riders. I enjoy regular interaction with board members and our volunteer staff who work tirelessly for our benefit. I am eager to learn more about how our off-road organization works, understand their issues, and attend some events to meet racers and experience this side of AHRMA. 2020 was a year of transition for AHRMA. I attended the board meeting at Barber in October 2019 having already decided to run for trustee last year. I attended again this October and witnessed some very positive changes for the organization that position us well for the 2021 season and beyond. AHRMA ended the year in sound fiscal position despite the challenges of COVID-19. AHRMA still managed to conduct a successful seven event road race schedule. Our Off-road program had a robust schedule and plans are in place to increase Dirt Track participation by the addition of three new classes. AHRMA will be hosting three self-promoted, multi-discipline Motofest events for 2021. Open to all active racers, AHRMA will be introducing a new Grand National Championship program involving multi-disciplined teams that will compete at all Motofest events and at Barber.
The inaugural Motofest event was originally planned for this past May at Heartland Motorsports Park. My wife Terri and I were asked to be coordinators for this event. Unfortunately due to the shutdown, it was postponed to 2021 but we made significant strides toward finalizing the planning, staffing, marketing, and advertising. This effort forged a template for conducting future events. It was a great experience for Terri and I as we got to meet officials and participants from all race disciplines, coordinate with our roadrace and off-road directors, track management, local enthusiasts and businesses, and develop partnerships with future sponsors.
I am so fortunate to have a spouse who loves racing as much as I do. She has also been bitten by the vintage bug. She currently is a sidecar passenger on multiple rigs. Terri can also be heard many weekends over the PA system singing the National Anthem to kick off the race day.
I am encouraged by the recent accomplishments of the 2020 board of trustees and believe they bode well for AHRMA’s future. Members have raised significant concerns that deserve a voice and should be discussed. There are a lot of passionate folks in AHRMA, it is that passion that can forge creative solutions to complex problems. I believe we are a stronger organization today than when I joined five years ago.
I want to be part of AHRMA’s future and give back to this organization that has given so much to me and Terri. Thank you for your consideration.
Arthur Kowitz dbsuperbiker@gmail.com
Ormond Beach, FL Region: East
Hello AHRMA,
I have been an AHRMA member for 15 years and am currently a life member. Three years have passed since my election as a members’ representative on AHRMA’s Board of Trustees.
Year one was my introduction year, and one of transition for AHRMA. During 2018, I rode my streetbike coast-to-coast, attending off-road events, roadraces, and banquets to visit with members and view things for myself. In year two, my colleagues on the board chose me to be AHRMA’s treasurer, which is an executive committee position with duties that I took seriously. At the beginning of 2020 I was selected by my fellow trustees to be AHRMA’s Chairman, a position that I am honored to hold at this time.
We have built a long list of accomplishments in these past three years. I am proud to have been a catalyst for many of the good things that have taken place, but must share credit with my colleagues, our staff, and our volunteers.
My most valuable contribution might be asserting a positive influence that helped heal the friction between some formerly adversarial factions within our club. This didn’t happen by accident. There were steps that needed to take place and I took them.
Success is making prudent plans and then actually following them. There are always choices and solutions if a concerted effort is made to find them. AHRMA is currently enjoying some positive momentum that we would like to continue, and I need your vote to carry on.
Thank you for the support. As always, contact me if you have questions or comments.
Arthur Kowitz
Scott Robirds, O.D. scott.robirds@gmail.com
Salem, SC Region: East
In response to the “Call for 2021 Trustee Candidates” article published in the September/ October 2020 issue of AHRMA MAG, I am submitting this letter of interest for a position on the AHRMA Board of Trustees. I have been an AHRMA member in good standing for 12 years and have participated in National and Southeast Regional events during that time.
Like many of us in AHRMA, I began racing motorcycles as a teenager; for me it was in high school in the early 70s. I was completely absorbed with the mechanical challenges of keeping my bike running in top form for three motocross heats, but more importantly in securing bragging rights over my fellow competitors and high school class mates in the upcoming week.
Also, like many of us, I moved on with life as I entered college, started a career and had a family. It wasn’t until 2006, while looking for a mechanical project for my teenage daughter that I came across the idea of “rescuing” a basket case Hodaka. Tearing that bike down to every nut and bolt and rebuilding it not only generated priceless memories with my daughter, it also rekindled my interest in working on and riding some of the best motorcycles ever built (I admit to a bias here!).
Over the past 12 years I have enjoyed being an AHRMA member and have been the recipient of efforts from countless AHRMA staff members and volunteers at racing events, and from well written website articles and publications. I would be honored to pay some of that effort back by serving as an AHRMA Trustee.
At the highest level, an AHRMA Trustee must perform three important duties: duty of care, duty of loyalty and fiduciary responsibility. I would like to present my experience and perspective in each of these areas:
