A Legion of Honor Award and the membership dues increase
Unless you are quite new to the hobby, the name Frank Tiano needs no introduction. Frank is the Zap CA products marketer. He is also a premier
promoter of RC model aircraft events including Top Gun, Florida Jets, 12 O’Clock High, and the new Red Flag event to be held this October. These events bring hundreds of pilots and thousands of modelers/spectators to the world-class venue of Paradise Field in Lakeland, Florida.
Always dressed in black, Frank appears all business and perhaps a little gruff, which has likely served him well in developing a successful business model. Frank cares deeply about the future of model aviation. He has been a longtime, but private, AMA donor, only interested in helping AMA protect everyone’s right to fly.
My position as Executive Vice President provides for one award that can be given to such an individual. It is called the Legion of Honor Award, which has only been presented eight times. Frank Garcher, Hazel Sig-Hester, Barbara Renaud, Carl and Beth Goldberg, Dolly Wischer, Leroy Weber, Judy Schmidt, and Cal Hildebrandt are past recipients.
With the help of announcer Sam Wright and others at Top Gun, we convinced Frank to help me with the award presentation. Frank’s peers gathered around as I made the presentation. When I announced Frank Tiano’s name, the crowd cheered loudly, clapped, and congratulated this well-respected man. We took Frank completely by surprise and it was a moment I will long remember.
Thank you for everything you have done for model aviation and the AMA!
The AMA Executive Council (EC) held its annual membership meeting at the Joe Nall event in South Carolina on May 14. It was a significant day pertaining to strategic decisions for our organization.
I previously wrote that the EC has been contemplating a membership dues increase. I talked about it during a meeting at the Northeast Electric Aircraft Technology (NEAT) Fair last September. This is never taken lightly by anyone on the council. It has been 13 years since our last dues increase.
Our auditors have told us for at least seven years that we need to raise dues. Executive Director Dave Mathewson and our staff have cut costs wherever possible, while improving service to our members and stalling an increase. None of us want to raise dues, but we have the fiduciary responsibility to make sure the AMA is fiscally sound. Without AMA, model aviation would be in serious trouble.
Costs have risen significantly since 2003. Back then, we had no government relations department. Since 2008, we have spent more than $1 million fighting onerous government regulation.
Our print publications are the best in the industry, and we have added digital publications to better serve our members. We need to develop a new computer system that will allow the types of services and additional benefits our members look for and deserve.
Insurance premiums have risen, not to mention utility and maintenance costs. I supported our chief financial officer’s recommendation to increase dues for these reasons. Open membership dues will rise in 2016 from $58 to $75 per year, however, you can lock in the current $58 annual dues for the next one or two years by renewing by September 14, 2015. This increase doesn’t quite match the inflation rate since 2003.
The new enrollment form on page 145 has these options available to you as well as online at www.modelaircraft.org/joinrenew.aspx.
Some people will likely think that is unwarranted, and I suspect a few will complain, but most of our members will understand our decision because they know that together we succeed, and without us as the community-based organization, the future of aeromodeling is doubtful.
At the EC meeting, I proposed that we change how our memberships are established, from a calendar year, with the membership year beginning in January and ending in December, to a year-to-date membership. This means that the membership runs 12 months from the date joined or renewed. This change will benefit our existing and new members.
From this point forward, all members will receive a full 12 months of membership benefits, including a full year of magazines and insurance coverage, regardless of when they join or renew. The member’s expiration date will be printed on his or her membership card. This change will also allow us to better work with and promote AMA to retail organizations and other membership organizations (such as the EAA) that use a similar membership structure.
We tried to anticipate potential issues for our chartered clubs, so we will provide the following: AMA members and their club officers will receive monthly email reports when a club member is 60 days and 30 days from expiring, as well as when the membership does actually expire.
I was a primary proponent for these changes. Both the dues increase and the change to year-to-date membership took courage by each EC member to support. I applaud each of them for their wisdom and because it is the right thing to do to guarantee the security of our organization and the flying future of our members.
Until next time, thanks for reading. Please help to secure our future and take a youngster flying!
