Such that we can provide as much information as possible to the membership to make the correct choice, we have with the permission of three aspirants to the position of President, reproduced their answers to some great questions raised in one of the EMail Groups.
The questions cover -
If you are elected as the President of USA:
1. What would be your vision statement?
2. What will be the first thing you would do in office?
3. Where do you see you see USA going if we stay on the current track?
4. In what direction will you lead USA?
5. What will you do to increase member ship?
6. What will you do to increase the sport's popularity?
Their responses are given below.
Your need to click on Read More to access them.
Good Luck to all aspirants who wish to serve the USA and our canines.
Rifky Mackeen
Chair - Nominating Committee
If you are elected as the President of USA:
Answers are shown in alphabetical order of aspirants.
1. What would be your vision statement?
Jim Alloway
Our organization will become one that adheres strongly to our core values of integrity, excellence, teamwork, and respect. We will be an organization that becomes brilliant at the basics, exceptional at communication with members, treats all people with dignity and respect, and becomes the innovator for new ideas, programs, and thoughts. We will continue to thrive, not just survive in the years to come by rekindling enthusiasm for the organization, investing in the organization, adding new programs, increasing education for members, clubs and those unfamiliar with the sport of Schutzhund.
Randall L. Hoadley
My vision for the United Schutzhund Clubs of America is the steward for the German Shepherd Dog (GSD). We need to be the leader in the standard of the GSD. We need to look at enforcing the standards at the SS, Breed Surveys and the Nationals.
Lyle Roetemeyer
My basic vision for the organization has not changed a great deal from my Vice President's report to the General Board in 2003. There I stated and still strongly believe today that "Our principle objective is to be the leader in the United States of America as steward of the German shepherd dog with regard to health, temperament, intelligence and structure." We should also encourage and maintain strong support for other breeds working in our local clubs and maintain a strong role of leadership and support within the American Working Dog Federation. The accomplishment of the principle objective is imperative to future generations being able to own a German shepherd dog with true working temperament.
2. What will be the first thing you would do in office?
Jim Alloway
Not sure exactly what you're looking for, so if I don't answer sufficiently, please clarify and I will re-answer. First, call everyone who is actively campaigning for and supporting me right now … thank them for all of their efforts. Second, call everyone in the office, Executive Board, and Regional directors … introduce myself if I don't already know them. Lots of info gathering and planning would be my first step. If you're looking for what I see as my highest priority … well, not sure yet … but very early on, I'd be putting together our top priorities and drafting game plans for how best to achieve.
Randall L. Hoadley
One of the advantages of having a President that has grown through the organization is that they know the problems. The first thing I would do is reduce expenses in our USA office. We need to reevaluate our Breed Registry and streamline the processes to reduce processing time. We need to automate the office because at this time it is very labor intensive.
Lyle Roetemeyer
The very first thing would be to finish conducting the business of the General Board meeting, but I would also call a meeting of all Executive Board members present after the General Board meeting to address their duties and responsibilities to the organization and discuss a plan that will require each EB member to participate as a member of the team.
3. Where do you see you see USA going if we stay on the current track?
Jim Alloway
One of my main concerns is that so many people feel disenfranchised with the organization. Many members that have called me still send in their dues, but do not feel a real sense of connection or belonging with USA. This is one of our worst threats. I would imagine that without change, this will continue to progress.
Randall L. Hoadley
If we stay on our current track I see USA in a financial crisis within 5 years. At the moment we are already dipping into our cash reserves to cover expenses. Next action will be to increase membership fees without looking at ways to reduce expenses. This is why USA needs a management team with Business background.
Lyle Roetemeyer
This a rather broad question, but I can say for certain that there are as many variables of good and bad so let me start with a positive.
We have been running USA like a business for some time. I would say the decision to run USA more like a business was decided in 1998 when Mike Hamilton was elected President following some very bleak financial years during Gordie Esselmann's presidency. Mike Hamilton's administration inherited a deficit net worth $140,000 and our debts were listed at $245,000. In Fiscal 2003 we began the year with a deficit of more than $30,000 and ended the year with with a positive Cash Reserve of $38,000 and had paid off our debts. Because we are a non-profit organization, the decision was made to invest $18,000 into membership education.
My first full year as President we ended the 2006 fiscal year with a Net Income over $26,000 and we ended the 2007 fiscal year with a Net Income of more than $49,000. At Bill Plumb's suggestion, we invested some of our free cash in Government Secured Bonds which have also added positively to our bottom line. At that time, it was imperative that we maintained extra cash reserves with the upcoming 2008 WUSV Championship and some uncertainty with respect to funding. Last year the membership exceeded our expectations for donations, with event sponsorship income led by the $30,000 contract I secured with Royal Canin. I felt confident that it was time to reinvest some of our cash reserves by placing them into member education and also upgrading some of our technology at the office.
While we are running USA like a business, we should never lose our focus of the fact that we are a non-profit dog club.
Discussions with the SV with respect to our continued working relationship have been friendly and positive. We have not only been active participants in the championships and shows, but have also been active participants in the WUSV meetings and WUSV Judges meetings. Through our efforts as members of the AWDF we have actively participated in the FCI working commission meetings, FCI Judges meetings and I recently had the opportunity to have a meeting with the Secretary General of the FCI, Yves De Clercq. USA Director at Large and AWDF President Al Govednik and USA National Breed Warden Tim Burke were also in attendance.
We have continued promotion of our Youth Program and have created a a real Youth Scholarship Program through the formation of a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation that should bring more youth members into our local clubs. We have had several other organizations ask permission to use our Helper Program for their organizational needs.
There have been several high-profile disciplinary cases over the past two years that have caused bitterness and internet chat room fuel. Our system of dealing with disciplinary issues came under fire as there was more than one occasion an Executive Board member was found guilty. One of the most important character traits of leadership is being able to do what is right even when it is not the most popular thing to do. On more than one occasion I have consulted legal advice from our USA Attorney to make sure that disciplinary cases are being dealt with correctly and fairly.
We have addressed needs for changes through our committees and the EB when member concerns have arisen, but many of those changes can only be voted upon at the General Board meeting. There will be bylaw changes presented to the membership that will address our organizational needs with respect our disciplinary process and the litigious society of today. The Breed Advisory Committee updated the guidelines for our Sieger Show after the membership made it known that they wanted changes. The Sieger Show will be run using less paid help, which will result in a more profitable show. Since becoming President, we have gone from no sponsorship monies for our national working championships to budgeting up to $12,000 in expenses to be split equally between the events. The magazine quality has improved and, while still unprofitable, the gap between income and expense has been narrowed considerably. The web site is being updated daily and is being structured for future concepts that will make information more accessible and user friendly for the members.
4. In what direction will you lead USA?
Jim Alloway
To start, integrity above all else. In my company, we don't tolerate lying, cheating, or stealing. USA should be no different. My background is in organizational management. I'm all for implementation of processes/procedures that will enable us to measure, year- over-year, our progress and development. Further, as addressed above, I think it is imperative that we reenergize and reinvigorate members.
Randall L. Hoadley
The first direction I would take is to communicate with the membership. This can be done through the website and a USA egroup. The next direction is one club one vote. We can no longer allow a few clubs to make the decision for all clubs.
Lyle Roetemeyer
In the direction of obtaining the principle objective in the Vision Statement. On a world level, I will continue building upon the friendly working relationships with the leadership of the SV, FCI, and the members of the WUSV and the FCI Working Commission. Nationally, I will continue to work with the leaders of the member clubs of the AWDF and continue friendly discussions with the WDA leadership. By building stronger relationships with all of these organizations it will give us greater opportunities to achieve our goals to protect and preserve the working heritage of the German shepherd dog. Those relationships will continue to be needed as we step up our efforts to fight off BSL and other anti-dog legislation that is founded upon a lack of understanding of canine behavior and how our training programs play a major role in breeding dogs with proper temperament.
5. What will you do to increase member ship?
Jim Alloway
Provide as much value to our members as possible. Provide as much information to all members as possible. (i.e. When/Why/How major decisions have been made.) Ensure that there is a level playing field for all competitors. Invest heavily in junior programs and greater education for clubs/members. Raise more money so that we have the opportunity to market/advertise in new areas.
Randall L. Hoadley
Increasing membership is by producing a product everyone supports. Our best way to increase membership is through our breeders because they come in contact with GSD enthusiast. I would also challenge each member to recruit one new member. By doing this there would be no reason to increase membership dues.
Lyle Roetemeyer
We are already doing some things. We started advertising USA in Dog World last year and early this year. We also have advertisement planned for other large publications this winter and into next year. The Youth Scholarship Program will be publicized now that it is a reality, and that should draw new members.
Most importantly, however, is the development of a continuing educational program for local club officers and particularly the training directors. Craig Groh and I have started putting some ideas together for what we feel is a long overdue and very necessary link between our local clubs and our national organization. The ongoing education will not only include training tips and theories from successful trainers but as importantly will address the need for local clubs to be friendly and accessible to new members and interested individuals. We will offer suggestions for safety for all involved while placing emphasis on how our dogs or training may be perceived by the first-time visitor to a local club.
6. What will you do to increase the sport's popularity?
Jim Alloway
In my opinion, the toughest thing for new members is the intimidation factor they face when they come to clubs. This can be addressed in education to clubs on how to ease new people into the water and decrease the intimidation. Also, as discussed above, members who no longer feel energized by the organization or sport, aren't as enthusiastic when new folks come out. My inclination is to get the organization running as smoothly as possible, fulfilling the above vision, and then as clubs strengthen from within, new people will find greater value in the clubs and sport. My hope and thought is that a lot of good people who were in the sport will come back to USA. From there, we will continue to invest in youth, advertise more, seek sponsorship in less conventional areas than we've done before, and continue to put more effort, time and money into clubs.
Randall L. Hoadley
The organization needs a PR committee to help in this area. The PR committee would be in charge of advertising and promoting the sport and the organization and helping in bolster our image with the public. It is time our organization grow with the times. It is time for change.
Lyle Roetemeyer
Encourage everyone to understand the role of the trial as an evaluation tool for selection of breeding dogs that have sound temperament. I also feel strongly that the aforementioned educational program for local club training directors and officers will not only increase membership but will also increase the popularity of our working breeds and events. This should include materials and DVD's for local clubs to use when they do demonstrations for local schools and civic clubs.
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