Meet the 2004/2005 BOD Candidates

[Land Schmoozer]

ok here's the boring stuff...
BS in Accounting from Drake University, Des Moines, IA., 1978... I'll be 50 in December...

25+ years as an accountant ranging from accounting clerk thru CFO in various
companies... mostly manufacturing (although did 2 years penance in a CPA
firm)... retired in 2001... but really missed the day to day people interaction... so I went back to work...

currently a senior accountant in a $90+ million medical clinic with 111 doc's (no ego's here... yea, right) and 404 other employees. the clinic is comprised of 8 different companies of which I'm responsible for 3... one being a non-profit corp... I assume TLCA operates as such...

I also personally own a investment real estate corporation with commercial
properties leased to Pizza Hut and 3 residential rentals... I have done personal and corporate income taxes for many years, well as negotiated leases with Pizza Hut and loans with banks for PH buildings...

I know many accounting software packages... but if memory serves me right,
TLCA uses QuickBooks... which I currently use for my business and the
non-profit corp...

what I'd like to help accomplish...
better communication to the memebership... like where are we going? what happens at the board meetings... how about publishing the minutes in TT?
include in every TT a very simple balance sheet and cash flow statement... how much money does the club have? What's in inventory? what else to we own? do we have any debt? where is it being spent?
what about a budget process? it's a great way to focus on specific goals, track them, and make sure you have the funds to do it!
make sure correct accounting proceedures are in place, and if not, put them in
review all transactions monthly and produce monthly financial statements
the website is in serious need of attention... then it needs to be maintained... regularly... and maybe a secure site?
we need to embrace the mini-truck, tacomas, and yes... the lexus!

guys i'm not a great idea person... but give me a task and look out... i just would like to use my 25 years of professional accounting experience to help the club move forward!

now the land cruiser stuff...
bought my first 40 in '72 it was a '67... wish i still had it...then the wife and kids came... now the kids are gone...
currently own the following rigs:
'64 FJ40 (gets the one available garage stall, the other is full of 60 parts!)
'83 FJ60 (very rusty, de-smogged old DD)
'88 FJ62 (just pickup up in Chicago, very clean DD)
'97 Tacoma (long-distance off-road rig, 2.5 OME lift, 32x11.5 BFG's, ARB bumper w/winch)

I interviewed with the BOD's for the administrative assitant job about two years ago... so some of the BOD's might remember talking to me... I know Park and Charley from the
Dakota chapter... and have talked to Eric from Tornado Alley on a few
occasions... also owned Todd K's pig for a few months and still comunicate with him (usually about the great job he's doing on TT)... but it was way to much rig for the corn fields of Iowa...

have wheeled with the AZ Tacoma guys at AZRocks2003, went to the Dakota Cruiser Classic in SD this past summer and plan on making that an annual event... just got back from Moab and Elephant Hill, often go to Summit county, CO. and drive the mining roads and Red Cone...and would like to get down to the Texas event this coming spring...

if you have any specific questions for me, PM me here or e-mail... cmcampbell54@hotmail.com

thanks!
casey campbell #12259

[Chef]

Casey, welcome aboard, and thanks for the post up! How come we're neighbors and we haven't met yet? You just missed our big falll run, but hopefully we'll have the opportunity to meet somewhere, sometime, soon.

Alan

[Kaderabek]

Alan has been kind enough to point out an error in the Trails listing for the BOD candidates:

"One note, in the BOD nominations section, central rep and central/mountain rep are listed as two positions, but are the same thing. I withdrew when I accepted the nomination for Pres, so Kurt, Jeff, and Charla are the nominees for central/mountain IR."

With apologies, you can flog me later.

TJK

[devo]

Thanks for getting this thread started.
I do not believe I'm a voting member but this is the most bio I have ever read regarding our upcoming BOD.
I've never met any of you guys, but your plans of action sound loud and clear.

devo

[cruiseroutfit]

Originally Posted by devo

...I've never met any of you guys, but your plans of action sound loud and clear....

Not in person

[Ratpuke]

Pick Me! Pick Me!
Hi. Please vote for me. My name is Charla Downey and I am running for the position of TLCA Central/Mountain Individual Representative. I know that I am up against some pretty stiff competition for this position. I know that we are all very qualified candidates. But, it is in our best interest for you to cast your ballot for me. Forget about my competition - Vote me in instead.

Huh?
Let me introduce myself and help you understand who I am and why I need your vote.

Twenty-Seven years ago I was born into a J*&p loving family. Having since rebelled, I am now the proud owner of four Land Cruisers. In July 2001, I mustered up enough courage to drive my car to the monthly meeting of the Rocky Mountain Land Cruiser Association in Calgary, Alberta Canada. At that point I had no real desire to ever own a Cruiser of my own. Instead, I hoped to snag an empty seat during an upcoming run. Herb Peyerl befriended me and offered me a seat in “Buffy,” his ‘72 FJ40. And after a day wheeling with my new friends I was hooked. Three months later I was the proud new owner of my 1976 FJ40. One month later I was the proud owner of a rolled 1976 FJ40. Oops. Oh well, At least by flopping my new truck I somehow impressed Bruce Loewen, diehard cruiser fanatic and RMLCA TLCA Delegate, enough to want to date me when he saw that I wasn’t trading in my tires for knitting needles. Three months later he and I had acquired a decrepid 81 BJ42. Sixty-four days and nights of hard work later, and with only a 10 kilometer test drive under our belts, we were on our way to Cruise Moab 2002, in my miraculously transformed 13BTJ42, “Agent Orange” (Currently seen doing wheelies on this year’s Surf N Turf dash plaques). During the rebuild phase I stumbled across a deal on a stock 73 FJ55 in great shape. 55s up here mostly rusted away so I knew I had to jump at the chance of acquiring “Rottingham.” Anyway, I was happy with my three Cruisers for several years and swore I would never own another. This was true until last June when I picked up my 85 BJ73 “Mr. Guderian” and moved eleven hours north of Calgary. So, that’s my Cruiser purchasing background in a nutshell – one to restore, one to wheel, one for a daily driver and another just because I can’t sell my first.

Isn’t that lovely. So, who am I? Well, you may have seen some of my occasionally entertaining contributions to various lists and websites in addition to the odd literary and photographic contribution to Trails (remember that blue 42 that graced the cover a year ago?…) Basically, I’m a Canadian Cruiserchick. An Archaeologist. A girlfriend, daughter, sister and friend. An RMLCA member, TLCA member #12070, pirate 4x4, bc4x4 and ih8mud forum frequenter. I go by ratpuke, cruiserchick or chickwithnolocker. I enjoy wheeling, dabble with wrenching and am always up for a laugh. I enjoy the company of my two quarter horses, cat and Bruce’s dog. I have a quirky sense of humour but am shy when you first meet me. I drive quads, fly around in helicopters and tromp through the bush for a living. I earned my Master of Science in forensic archaeology last spring and my Bachelor’s in anthropology a few years before then. My research focuses upon the survivability of gunshot residue in the burial environment. Someday I hope to be one of the first on the scene of mass disasters. I enjoy helping people. I work in the dirt. I play in the dirt. I love mud but I hate muskeg, especially when it’s half frozen. For now I live here in Oh Canada – way up in the North. Which leads me to explain why I need your vote.

When I ventured to my first RMLCA monthly meeting almost four years ago I never dreamed of how life altering this experience could be. At the time I was coping with the termination of a relationship and my ejection from the copilot’s seat of the guy’s V8J40. A few friends said they would take me out for a wheeling trip but nothing ever materialized. So I took things into my own hands. I felt like a total fish out of water when I walked up to a group of guys assembled in a Calgary pub and asked them if they were part of the Land Cruiser meeting. The guy who confirmed that I was in the right place was Wayne Smith, and he and his wife Bernadette took me under their wings as I made new friends and acquired a Cruiser of my own. I cherish the memories of helping Wayne out at his shop and preparing for my first wheeling trip with the RMLCA. I don’t think anyone else will really understand how great a therapy Land Cruisers have been for me. I have learned a lot about myself as well as 4wheeling these past four years. I became involved with Cruisers at a point in my life when I was truly down and out. I was going through one of the toughest times I have been through and I owe the RMLCA a lot.

When I lived in Calgary I was their Secretary and am still the RMLCA Alternate Delegate for the TLCA. In the fall of 2002 I learned I had been accepted to grad school over in the UK. So I packed my bags, said goodbye to Bruce and my rigs and tackled life several time zones away. I made the best of my time by hooking up with several UK Cruiserheads in addition to attending the 2nd Annual International Land Cruiser Meeting held in Germany (Todd published my trip report of this event in Trails & work to make them TLCA’s first European chapter is still one of my ongoing projects). Bruce enabled me to attend the TLCA meetings while I was in the UK via a speakerphone, microphone and yahoo messenger so I was able to keep up to date on the happenings of the BOD during that time.

I’m the first to admit that my technical Cruiser knowledge is limited. Therefore, one of the ways I find that I can contribute is by helping out Cruiserheads. I try to match buyers and sellers with my “Cruiser Classifieds” I recently started. I take it upon myself to email people who sign their names or ask questions on the RMLCA’s guest book. I have been instrumental in helping organize the upcoming Rocky Mountain River Shiver, Canada’s first TLCA sanctioned event. The least I can do is make an effort to help out Cruiserheads when they are in town by organizing a run or a place to stay.

Now that I live in a remote location I am more alienated from the Cruiser Culture than ever. I know that if elected to the position of Central/Mountain Individual Rep I will help out Cruiserheads, the TLCA and feel connected in the Cruiser world all at the same time.

You help me and I’ll help you.

Thank you very much for your vote.


Charla Downey
’73 FJ55 / ’76 fJ40 / ’81 13BTJ42 / ’85 BJ73
www.rmlca.ab.ca/charla
www.prairiedogparts.com/charla
Ratpuke@shaw.ca

[Chef]

Originally Posted by devo

Thanks for getting this thread started.
I do not believe I'm a voting member but this is the most bio I have ever read regarding our upcoming BOD.
I've never met any of you guys, but your plans of action sound loud and clear.

devo

Devo...you are kind of a voting member if you're a tlca member. You can express your opinion (or request help on any tlca matter) to your region's IR. Be it east, west, or central/mountain, feel free to ring up your IR, or email them. IR's are voting members on the tlca bod. If you're a tlca chapter member, you have a chapter delegate who gets a vote on the bod, and you can express your opinions to them. So, you almost kinda get a vote

[Kaderabek]

Doing better than me. TLCA member, BOD member, can't vote. What kind of democracy is this anyway...? I demand a recount!

TJK

[ginericLC]

I am officially withdrawing my canidacy for the Treasurer position for the 2005/2006 term. I was running for that position because I thought I was the best canidate for the position. Casey Campbell inquired through Todd Kadarebek about the Treasurer position last week and I nominated him for the position. This was even before I even really had a chance to get to know him. I believe that the organization deserves choices for officiers. I've always said I would nominate or second anyone for a position if they were interested in a BOD position. That was my initial reasoning for nominating him. Since that time I've spent some time getting to know him and I really think the organization would be blessed with him as the Treasurer. It isn't that I couldn't fulfill the duties, but he has the experience to fulfill the duties easily and the experience to go with this position. I also think it is good for the organization to get some fresh faces and fresh ideas. I also think it would be very beneficial for the TLCA to have someone who isn't really associated with a chapter. Remember, most of our members are not affiliated with a chapter. His experience and willingness to take on the challenges of the position even with the current problems says a lot about his character. Really, to be honest, he is a better canidate than I. This is why I'm withdrawing my nomination. It is what is best for the association. I think my skills could better serve the TLCA through work in committees. I know there is a lot of work yet to be done, and I'm willing to do it. I just think Casey is the better fit for the Treasurer position.

Thank you for your time and this opportunity.

Thanks!

Eric V.

[Chef]

As noted one post earlier, Eric Vogt has withdrawn as he feels Casey Campbell is a stronger candidate, and will do a better job for the TLCA. I fully respect that decision. Also please note that Park Owens has withdrawn from the Treasurer race as well, leaving Casey as "the lone gunman on the grassy noll!" Not a bad deal, he seems to be more than well qualified, and easy to get along with as well. After talking with him, I don't feel that TLCA has been "left in the lurch" by this at all, but rather that Casey is going to do a great job for us.