Alice Sexton’s letter to AHRMA announcing her intent to run: As an AHRMA member in good standing (#7604, expires April 2009), I hereby announce my candidacy for AHRMA West Coast Trustee for the current Trustee election (December 2008). I have attached a candidate statement and photo for inclusion in Vintage Views with the other candidates. My statement is under the 750 word limit (as listed on AHRMA web site) and conforms to all other requirements for candidacy. Please let me know immediately if you have received my submission and if there are any issues concerning my candidacy. Thank you. Sincerely, Alice Sexton Alice Sexton’s Official AHRMA Campaign Statement: Alice A. Sexton Trustee Candidate Statement Background. As AHRMA Communications Director until November 2008, I worked hard to make Vintage Views the best magazine it could be with very limited resources and an all-volunteer staff. I’m proud of the magazine’s accomplishments during my tenure. A high quality Vintage Views bolsters AHRMA’s image, attracts members, and generates ad revenue. Now I want to improve AHRMA’s management. I was fired from AHRMA for not following the party line. During October’s Barber Town Hall meeting, I learned that our current Treasurer was again trying to run our Executive Director Cindy Cowell out of office. I sent an email to some friends from my private email account asking them to contact their Trustees to prevent Cowell from being railroaded. For this action, I was fired. As a Trustee, I will continue to do what’s right for our members even when it requires taking the more difficult path to success. AHRMA Experience. I’m been involved with AHRMA since 1989 when I served as pit crew for some friends who were AHRMA racers. Since then, I have participated in off-road, trails and road race events, and even been a sidecar passenger! I believe we need to preserve the history and heritage of our vintage motorcycles. As an AHRMA Trustee I will work to ensure that we celebrate and showcase these legends: the period, the men and the machines. Business Experience: Prior to taking the position of AHRMA Communications Director, I was Brand Promotions Director of Advanstar, proprietor of the Cycle World Motorcycle Shows, Dealer Expo, Dealernews and DirtSports magazines. I have 25 years of account management experience with Creative & Communications clients (see www.asextondesign.com). I believe AHRMA needs to be run like a business, while maintaining the family atmosphere that we all enjoy. Leadership. I put my heart into my position as AHRMA’s Communications Director. I also saw first hand some reasons why AHRMA is stuck in a rut. I received overwhelming support for the new Vintage Views from nearly every AHRMA member who contacted me. A few Trustees including our Treasurer didn’t get it, though, and I received constant resistance from these individuals. These Trustees then cut Vintage Views’ features and page count, decreasing its benefit to our members, and decreasing its appeal to advertisers, the motorsports media, and prospective sponsors. Some of these same current Trustees cannot use a computer, email, or a fax machine. I consistently received submissions from one Trustee that were handwritten in barely legible script on yellow legal paper and other Trustees refused to use email or other effective communications tools. Trustees who lack basic 21st century business skills do a disservice to the organization. These folks’ hearts are in the right place, but when AHRMA’s leadership displays incompetence, the membership suffers the consequences. Reform. AHRMA’s current Treasurer says that AHRMA “won” our recent lawsuit. I don’t consider AHMRA’s bankruptcy, AHRMA’s $800,000+ legal bill, and the complete obliteration of AHRMA’s Benevolent Fund a “success” for AHRMA. AHRMA’s Board desperately needs reform so that AHRMA doesn’t repeat the mistakes of the past. Want to see AHRMA mired in more lawsuits and questionable behavior? Simply vote for the incumbent Trustees. Want to see AHRMA improved in the same way that I improved Vintage Views? Then I ask for your vote. Service. My tenure at AHRMA focused on improving AHRMA for its members and improving AHRMA’s image to the public. I want to make Vintage Views and AHRMA.org the best they can be with online registration, online membership and other features that work for our members. As Trustee, I will focus on modernizing AHRMA.org. Fun. Some people want to turn AHRMA into a political organization that occasionally holds racing events. This is emblematic of AHRMA’s current leadership. I want to put this infighting behind us and concentrate on improving AHRMA for our members. Better Vintage Views. Better AHRMA.org. Better Sponsorship. Better events. We need to get back to what we do best, racing motorcycles. Trust. As you make your selection for Trustee, please consider which of the candidates has done the most good for AHRMA. I saw our recent bankruptcy almost destroy the organization. Chairman Janiec should be commended for his guidance and hard work during this trying time. I personally want to ensure that AHRMA’s members never have to worry about another AHRMA bankruptcy, another lawsuit, or more good people being forced out of AHRMA. A vote for me is a vote for AHRMA’s continued improvement and future success.