Bio and TLCA Goals from Loshbaugh
Hey everyone;
Alan Loshbaugh here to re-introduce myself, give you a brief bio, and let you know what my goals for the TLCA are should you choose to elect me president.
I got started with Land Cruisers at age 5 or 6 when my grandfather bought one for use at his farm in Napa Valley. For him it was a sturdy little work truck, and a fun way to take us kids to the mountains or the beach. Of course, I always wanted one of my own. I ended up with 8: an FJ45 lwb p/u, and FJ45LV wagon, two 1976 FJ40's (one factory soft top, and trail rig), and FJ60, and an FJ62. I have a pretty and understanding wife
I'm a long time TLCA member, pretty long time TLCA board member, and I'm a founding member and VP of TornadoAlleyCruisers in the midwest. I go by the handle Chef at most of the internet places you might have seen me. My club gave me that handle since I usually come to trail rides with a full kitchen, and a fairly involved menu.
I work in my home town at the local NBC television station as the Senior Producer; my latest project was to wire the University of Missouri football and basketball stadiums to a control room 25 miles away via fiber optics so we can produce the telecasts back at our home station instead of renting a remote production truck. We got done two days before the first game-whew!
Tony Twiddy approached me to run for this position back at the Lone Star Roundup this year, and since then I've given a lot of thought to it. He's done a fine job the last two years, and I was reluctant to follow in his footsteps. His goal was to get membership to 4,000 or better, at which point Trails is more or less paid for by membership dues, and advertising money becomes something we can use for other fun things! I've been thinking about what goals I might have if I took the job that might help keep Tony's vision moving forward, and these are some:
*website upgrade: This is probably the most important thing. Our website is sorely outdated, and needs to be upgraded to become a much better recruitment tool. I'd like to see the website include TT articles, perhaps in a "Wayback Machine" section of really old stuff, and more current stuff. As you know most folks join for TT, why not showcase that in select bits on the site? I'd like to get the bod meeting minutes on the site. The bod daily grind should be more visible, and we voted and approved that some years ago...I'd like to get secure e commerce done so online renewal and merchandise can really tie into the website. Jackie, our fine Admin, could really use the help secure e-commerce will provide-right now she's entering all credit card stuff by hand-ick! I know her time could be well spent doing other things.
*Merchandise: I want new merchandise, and I'd like it to be updated fairly regularly. We all already have the same hats, t's, sweats and mugs. Tony has already started in on this. I'd also like to see "chapter merchandise" available at the website. I know there's lots of "chapter wear" out there I'd buy if I knew where to get it. This is a "cheap way" for TLCA to get new merchandise, and benefit our chapters as well.
*Membership: I'd like to see the membership drive work a little harder. The phone follow ups seem to have a positive effect, and I'd like to work with Jackie to automate an emailed list every other month that would go to the three IR's, and then follow up with them every other week or so.
*make sure insurance sticks around as that is apparently getting tricky. BIG EDIT HERE:
Jennifer has assured me that there are no current problems with our insurance the K&K, so we can all rest easy on this. Thanks Jennifer!!!
*Marketing: We need to get the TLCA "out there a little more." I feel we could improve membership thru advertising in select media outlets, such as the 1/16th page ads in the prime media/petersen mags "marketplace sections." I think Nolan Grogan, our potential new Marketing Guy, has some pretty specific ideas of what he wants out of that position as well, and I look forward to hearing them.
All these things really tie together to support membership. Website, merchandise, marketing, they can all support each other, and lead to an improved TLCA. That's about it for my "limited visions of tlca moving forward."
I want you all to think about these goals, and if they meet with your vision of what TLCA should be doing. Obviously, I can't do any of this by myself. Your co-operation, support and help will be *required* to realise any of these goals. If these don't sound like things you want to actively be involved in supporting and implementing, then I'm probably not your guy. If this stuff seems to make sense to you, and you want to be involved in bringing it to fruition...well then, Giddy-up!
Thanks for your time, Alan Loshbaugh
