Post by toynrnd on May 1, 2007 5:58:11 GMT -5
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2007
Contact: John Stewart, Operation Manager
United Four Wheel Drive Associations
Phone: (619) 390-8747
FAX: (619) 390-1705
E-mail: landuse@ufwda.org
Web Page: www.ufwda.org
UFWDA PERSONNEL MOVES ANNOUNCED
Lakeside, CA (April 30, 2007): United Four Wheel Drive Associations (UFWDA) is pleased to announce personnel moves that fill vacancies of Operations Manager and Administrative Officer with the selection of John Stewart as Operations Manager (Interim) and Amanda Cottrell as Administrative Officer.
In 2005, the UFWDA Board of Directors began developing a new vision for the future of UFWDA committed to protecting, promoting, and providing motorized recreation opportunity for members.
The change efforts have been a "phased" approach. Phase 1, implemented January 1, 2007, realigned the membership and dues structure.
Phase 2 involved developing a business and marketing plan calling for shift in management from volunteers to professional staff. The pending changes were presented to Delegates during two web-based seminars. Filling the vacancies of Operations Manager and Administrative Officer move that phase of organization re-alignment forward. The move brings a level of cohesion to recreation organizations, providing increased national exposure and integration of recreation businesses with their customer base.
John Stewart, formerly Director of Environmental Affairs for UFWDA and one of the architects of the new vision stated, “We are working to radically change the UFWDA business model NOW. We are committed to achieving the goals outlined when UFWDA was created over 30 years ago.”
In accepting the increased responsibilities, Stewart stated, "My desire is to improve motorized recreation visibility in front of land management agencies, other recreation groups, and our supporting business partners. Improving that visibility requires a strong interaction between recreation groups and the business community that supports their recreation."
"The past year has been tumultuous for UFWDA and 4 wheel drive recreation" Stewart said. "The year has also seen the growth of coalitions of recreation interests to fight proposed access restrictions and new wilderness proposals. Recreation interests face unprecedented pressure from anti-access groups that seek to restrict access to the mountains and deserts, our public lands. Building recreation coalitions and partnerships with land managers is necessary to secure access to our public lands."
Stewart comes to the position with a Bachelors Business Administration Degree and lengthy background of supervisory and management positions in the Information Systems Technology field involving network security monitoring, strategic planning, budget analysis, and program audits. As a former Chairman for the Tierra del Sol Desert Safari, an internationally recognized four-wheel drive event, Stewart oversaw an event as attendance grew at a rate exceeding 11% per year, reaching 1,550 registered vehicles in 2004. John is a long time member of the Tierra del Sol Four Wheel Drive Club of San Diego and Natural Resource Consultant based in Lakeside, California.
Cottrell comes to the position with a background in office management including a Bachelors of Science degree. Her administrative and independent consultant experience provides a depth of experience to tackle challenging problems and develop realistic solutions based on a variety of practical knowledge. Amanda is a member of the Twin City Bushwhackers Off-Road Club and the Wisconsin 4 Wheel Drive Association.
In other internal Board of Directors moves, Pat Crump assumes Secretary (Interim), Bob Yarbrough assumes Vice President (Interim), and Alicia McConnell has resigned as Director of Public Relations. In the interim, the duties of Directors of Environmental Affairs and Public Relations will be coordinated through the Operations Manager.
Noting that change brings controversy, members of the current Board of Directors, elected by UFWDA Delegate members, reinforced their support for the organization changes and employment decisions vested with the Board of Directors.
UFWDA is committed to protecting, promoting, and providing motorized recreation opportunity for our members.
# # # #
United Four Wheel Drive Associations (UFWDA) is the leading representative for four wheel drive enthusiasts. UFWDA is a group of individuals, clubs, state, regional, provincial, and national associations and businesses in the United States and around the world; our members span the globe from the U.S. and Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. If you would like more information on how you can be a part of this effort contact United Four Wheel Drive Associations today at 14525 SW Millikan Way #22622, Beaverton, OR, 97005-2343, 1-800-448-3932 or visit www.ufwda.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2007
Contact: John Stewart, Operation Manager
United Four Wheel Drive Associations
Phone: (619) 390-8747
FAX: (619) 390-1705
E-mail: landuse@ufwda.org
Web Page: www.ufwda.org
UFWDA PERSONNEL MOVES ANNOUNCED
Lakeside, CA (April 30, 2007): United Four Wheel Drive Associations (UFWDA) is pleased to announce personnel moves that fill vacancies of Operations Manager and Administrative Officer with the selection of John Stewart as Operations Manager (Interim) and Amanda Cottrell as Administrative Officer.
In 2005, the UFWDA Board of Directors began developing a new vision for the future of UFWDA committed to protecting, promoting, and providing motorized recreation opportunity for members.
The change efforts have been a "phased" approach. Phase 1, implemented January 1, 2007, realigned the membership and dues structure.
Phase 2 involved developing a business and marketing plan calling for shift in management from volunteers to professional staff. The pending changes were presented to Delegates during two web-based seminars. Filling the vacancies of Operations Manager and Administrative Officer move that phase of organization re-alignment forward. The move brings a level of cohesion to recreation organizations, providing increased national exposure and integration of recreation businesses with their customer base.
John Stewart, formerly Director of Environmental Affairs for UFWDA and one of the architects of the new vision stated, “We are working to radically change the UFWDA business model NOW. We are committed to achieving the goals outlined when UFWDA was created over 30 years ago.”
In accepting the increased responsibilities, Stewart stated, "My desire is to improve motorized recreation visibility in front of land management agencies, other recreation groups, and our supporting business partners. Improving that visibility requires a strong interaction between recreation groups and the business community that supports their recreation."
"The past year has been tumultuous for UFWDA and 4 wheel drive recreation" Stewart said. "The year has also seen the growth of coalitions of recreation interests to fight proposed access restrictions and new wilderness proposals. Recreation interests face unprecedented pressure from anti-access groups that seek to restrict access to the mountains and deserts, our public lands. Building recreation coalitions and partnerships with land managers is necessary to secure access to our public lands."
Stewart comes to the position with a Bachelors Business Administration Degree and lengthy background of supervisory and management positions in the Information Systems Technology field involving network security monitoring, strategic planning, budget analysis, and program audits. As a former Chairman for the Tierra del Sol Desert Safari, an internationally recognized four-wheel drive event, Stewart oversaw an event as attendance grew at a rate exceeding 11% per year, reaching 1,550 registered vehicles in 2004. John is a long time member of the Tierra del Sol Four Wheel Drive Club of San Diego and Natural Resource Consultant based in Lakeside, California.
Cottrell comes to the position with a background in office management including a Bachelors of Science degree. Her administrative and independent consultant experience provides a depth of experience to tackle challenging problems and develop realistic solutions based on a variety of practical knowledge. Amanda is a member of the Twin City Bushwhackers Off-Road Club and the Wisconsin 4 Wheel Drive Association.
In other internal Board of Directors moves, Pat Crump assumes Secretary (Interim), Bob Yarbrough assumes Vice President (Interim), and Alicia McConnell has resigned as Director of Public Relations. In the interim, the duties of Directors of Environmental Affairs and Public Relations will be coordinated through the Operations Manager.
Noting that change brings controversy, members of the current Board of Directors, elected by UFWDA Delegate members, reinforced their support for the organization changes and employment decisions vested with the Board of Directors.
UFWDA is committed to protecting, promoting, and providing motorized recreation opportunity for our members.
# # # #
United Four Wheel Drive Associations (UFWDA) is the leading representative for four wheel drive enthusiasts. UFWDA is a group of individuals, clubs, state, regional, provincial, and national associations and businesses in the United States and around the world; our members span the globe from the U.S. and Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. If you would like more information on how you can be a part of this effort contact United Four Wheel Drive Associations today at 14525 SW Millikan Way #22622, Beaverton, OR, 97005-2343, 1-800-448-3932 or visit www.ufwda.org.