SAFE Board Elections to Run May 1-15, 2012
The terms for three of the nine SAFE Directors is expiring. The voting process to fill these Board seats will begin at 12:00 pm EDT on May 1, 2012 and will be open until 12:00 pm EDT on May 15, 2012. If you attempt to log in before the poll actually opens, you will receive a message asking you to please check back when voting is scheduled to begin.
“Member-driven” was one of SAFE’s founding tenets. This is your organization, and we hope you will exercise your right to vote for those who you believe will represent you as our organization continues to grow and evolve. We are pleased to announce that we have seven qualified nominees running for the three seats (including the one incumbent Director). Please take time to read their responses to the questions asked of them. Each candidate’s email address has been provided in the event you should have further questions. Please be respectful of each of these individuals time as you would your own. Read the nominee profiles below.
All members in good standing will be receiving one or more email notifications from “votingplace.net” along with a link to the voting site. The verification process will ask for your email address and member ID. If you have difficulty locating this information, please take the following steps:
Login to the safepilots.org website, click on manage your account, scroll down to “membership info” and your ID is your member ID (S0000XXX). The email address you are registered under will also appear in the manage your account section under “contact info”. If you have troubles logging in, please visit our frequently asked questions page, under “login questions”. If you still need assistance, please contact us.
Please be sure your spam filter is configured to allow emails from “votingplace.net” to be directed into your Inbox. If you encounter any difficulty in casting your vote, please do not hesitate to let Mark know and he will make sure the problem is corrected. It is our sincere hope that there will be strong participation in this democratic process.
If you were due to renew your membership prior to the end of May and have not yet done so, please renew your membership now to ensure your right to vote in these important elections!
Susan Archer
archers@duvalschools.org
Why do you want to serve on the SAFE Board of Directors?
I want to contribute in a significant way to the decisions that will impact aviation and aerospace education. Through increased member-participation and communication, SAFE can improve the level of instruction provided to students from all levels. The industry anticipates a shortage aviation professionals; creation or expansion of quality education programs to meet these workforce development needs are paramount.
How will your aviation and professional background, special talents, and leadership skills help to further SAFE’s mission and goals? Please be specific.
I have served as an aircraft maintenance manager and an aviation facilities engineer. I currently serve as the lead teacher for the aerospace technology academy at First Coast High School and chair the Florida Consortium for Aerospace Career Education. I have developed curricula (standards- and aviation-based) in mathematics and science for elementary, secondary, and university students and for educators. I would like to expand my contributions in these areas.
What do you see as the most pressing concerns and/or tasks for SAFE and for SAFE’s Board of Directors in the next 3 years based on SAFE’s current mission and vision statements?
One of the most pressing concerns should be curriculum development for establishment and expansion of high-quality pre-professional aviation education. Workforce development must be grounded in effective instruction that ensures students are well-prepared to keep passengers and cargo safe.
Arlynn McMahon
arlynn@aerotech.net
Why do you want to serve on the SAFE Board of Directors?
I wish to continue serving on the Board because I feel we have started many important projects that I’d like to see to completion. SAFE Members need and deserve the types of program that will help them to be successful. Many of the current programs in development will provide important tools to members. I just want to be a part of these good things coming to completion.
How will your aviation and professional background, special talents, and leadership skills help to further SAFE’s mission and goals? Please be specific.
I have earned my living solely as a career flight instructor since 1984. I am expert in many aviation technical subjects. As Chief Instructor at a busy 141 flight school I can relate to customer service issues, aviation business needs, student retention, various FAA programs and new requirements.
What do you see as the most pressing concerns and/or tasks for SAFE and for SAFE’s Board of Directors in the next 3 years based on SAFE’s current mission and vision statements?
SAFE must provide leadership in raising the bar in aviation safety. We must provide the tools and procedures for experienced instructors to remain up to date with skills as well as for new instructors who need guidance in starting their careers. SAFE must find a way to make the professional instructor a viable career.
Douglas A. Kossel
Doug@DougsOffice.net
Why do you want to serve on the SAFE Board of Directors?
A blend of an aviation background, educator and one who specializes in non-profit administration, accounting and taxes would be a benefit to the board and the membership. The understanding I have in each of these areas would bring a unique perspective to the decisions that the board has to make.
How will your aviation and professional background, special talents, and leadership skills help to further SAFE’s mission and goals? Please be specific.
As a Senior Aviator, Flight Safety Officer, Accident Investigator and Maintenance Test pilot for the Army, A Commercial Pilot, Airplane and Helicopter, CFI (1980), II, MEI, a Master Instructor twice (2004, 2005), along with having been a Assistant Chief Flight Instructor (141 School for 4+ years), former aircraft owner and educator creating numerous training syllabuses’ and curriculum for various industries including aviation in the last 30 years. Along with this, I am also an Enrolled Agent, Authorized to practice before the IRS and have specialized in non-profits for over 25 years. The constantly changing requirements for the compliance and reporting for non-profits is challenging, but important today. Maintaining the 501(c)(3) properly is expected by the IRS, the public and the membership of the organization. This, along with 40+ years in aviation and the ability create training materials would benefit SAFE and help enhance its mission and goals.
What do you see as the most pressing concerns and/or tasks for SAFE and for SAFE’s Board of Directors in the next 3 years based on SAFE’s current mission and vision statements?
The development of curriculum that is necessary to keep up with the fast changing technology that we are seeing in the cockpit today and the continued implementation of the SAFE Management System, especially for the smaller Part 61 schools. Also in making sure that the organization is staying compliant in its non-profit status and operations.
Jack VanDeventer
jack@MasterInstruction.com
Why do you want to serve on the SAFE Board of Directors?
I believe in the mission and vision of SAFE. Our aviation educator professional role is to improve aviation safety, mentoring opportunities, and provide quality materials for all educators to use. I want to be a part of the best organization and help lead others to achieve our SAFE goals.
How will your aviation and professional background, special talents, and leadership skills help to further SAFE’s mission and goals? Please be specific.
I work with business owners and organizations to achieve their short and long term goals. My methods include achieving action item clarity including measurement to get results. I will work with SAFE to improve and be clear about our intent, purpose, and objectives. I am a freelance and flight school instructor and see the business and personal challenges of my dual role. I am a four-time MCFI, an aircraft owner that participates in my maintenance, participate in our local EAA activities, present at AirVenture, as a FAA Safety Team member, and develop presentations for all levels. I will work to communicate with you and represent you from these perspectives.
What do you see as the most pressing concerns and/or tasks for SAFE’s Board of Directors in the next 3 years based on SAFE’s current mission and vision statements?
I will continue to deliver on our mentoring program. I will work with the board to develop a clear accountability framework for our mission and vision. I will work to expand our flight education library. I will support our continued membership growth and renewal rates and the benefits that we all receive from SAFE and our supporting organizations.
Jim Goodwin
jg@halfmoonllc.com
Why do you want to serve on the SAFE Board of Directors?
I love aviation and I love learning. Thus, I am excited to volunteer to serve SAFE, an organization dedicated to aviation and teaching/learning.
How will your aviation and professional background, special talents, and leadership skills help further SAFE’s mission and goals? Please be specific.
I am not a flight instructor. My career is as a businessman, in finance specifically. It is on this dimension that I believe I can assist SAFE as a Board Member. As a member-driven organization, SAFE will need to develop a method of funding itself – sponsorships, fundraising, raffles, etc. Member dues can’t carry the entire weight. I hope to assist the Board in developing a diversified, durable source of financial support.
A second contribution I can make is one of perspective. I am a consumer of the professional services offered by SAFE’s members. Every professional service benefits by being customer focused; I can assist the Board by sharing my “customer perspective.”
What do you see as the most pressing concerns and/or tasks for SAFE and for SAFE’s Board of Directors in the next 3 years based on SAFE’s current mission and vision statements?
SAFE is a new organization. Notwithstanding its impressive membership, its reputation is not yet fully established. SAFE’s most important goal should be to develop its “product”: the instructional ideas, teaching materials and standards of best practices that will “create a safer aviation environment.”
Then, the real challenge will be to have SAFE’s ideas, materials and practices adopted by the aviation and regulatory communities – no small task in a field as tradition bound as is aviation. Without widespread adoption of its best practices, SAFE cannot hope to have the impact required “to create a safer aviation environment.” This will take persistence, an expanded membership and meaningful financial resources.
Mark Pierce
mpierce@slackdavis.com
Why do you want to serve on the SAFE Board of Directors?
As a flight instructor and aviation attorney, I have a keen interest in advancing safety in aviation. From the inception of SAFE I have been a fan of its core principals and its key players. I believe my 30-plus years of legal experience will be of value to the Board.
How will your aviation and professional background, special talents, and leadership skills help to further SAFE’s mission and goals? Please be specific.
I have a lawyer’s grasp of federal aviation regulations as well as many areas of federal and state substantive laws affecting aviation. I am very comfortable with public speaking. I have taught in airplanes and in ground school environments. I have served on numerous boards of directors and have chaired a board.
What do you see as the most pressing concerns and/or tasks for SAFE and SAFE’s Board of Directors in the next three years based on SAFE’s current mission and vision statements?
Obtaining/maintaining financial viability of the organization; partnering with other organizations to leverage SAFE’s influence in the realm of aviation safety; continuing to monitor and actively participate in FAA rule-making processes; expanding SAFE’s reach and positive influence beyond the flight instructor and aviation communities to reach the public at large.
Roger Sharp
pilotsharp@gmail.com
Why do you want to serve on the SAFE Board of Directors?
Our economic recession, a political administration hostile towards general aviation, rising fuel prices, almost exponential price increases in anything “aviation”, and most importantly a lack of pilot starts are combining to create a perfect storm threatening our industry. Clearly, our political representatives have limited ability or motivation to reverse these trends. If we want our industry to survive, everyone in the industry needs to take action. I think SAFE is one of the few member-organizations that can make a real impact on reversing these frightening trends… and our members need to step up. I have a broad background in aviation and flight training and I’m willing to put what skills I may have towards programs that can help our industry.
How will your aviation and professional background, special talents, and leadership skills help to further SAFE’s mission and goals? Please be specific.
- I have a broad background in management ranging from large government programs to my own small business and 135 certificate.
- I have and still represent industry on FAA Advisory Councils, the most recent being the ARC reviewing Airman Knowledge Testing.
- I’ve authored many flight training syllabi, including over a dozen 141 FITS Accepted courses for airplanes and helicopters.
- I have a masters degree in educational management.
- I am an active flight instructor and pilot examiner in airplanes, seaplanes, and helicopters.
- Most importantly, I have a passion for aviation and want to see our industry prosper.
What do you see as the most pressing concerns and/or tasks for SAFE and for SAFE’s Board of Directors in the next 3 years based on SAFE’s current mission and vision statement?
Engaging, motivating, and harnessing the tremendous amount of talent in our organization. Without the collective efforts of our membership we can’t hope to achieve the aggressive goals we’ll need to succeed.