SSA INVESTIGATION

Erik,
Thank you for your post. It is a welcome change from the "they're
all crooks" theme that seems so prevalent on this discussion group.

Horst
L33

Eric

Amen to what you said. I could not agree with you more, especially about
some of the board members that we both know. They do not seserve the link
mob!!!

Brian
"Papa3" wrote in message
oups.com...

Terry wrote:
LET US START RIGHT HERE AND NOW!


Our former SSA was driven off the cliff over many, many years. Most of
the directors and volunteers names have not changed since I took my
first glider flight in 1979. Those that got us here are not the ones to
make it better.

Disgusted,

Terry Claussen
FAA Designated Flight Instructor Examiner Glider
Former SSAI# 922214

Hey Terry,

First, let me say that the current situation makes me sick. It makes
me sick because a) the events are in and of themselves disgusting and
because b) the SSA Board members who I know are hard-working,
dedicated, and innovative. Before you fire back, let's look at the
facts in your statement: "Most of the directors and volunteers (sic)
names have not changed since I took my first glider flight in 1979. "

I've been a member since 1984. I can hardly find one name on the
current list of directors who goes back that far. So, giving you a
little poetic license, let's go back 10 years. From the 1996 Board
Meeting in Kansas City, I did a little look-see at the list of 20
Regional Directors then vs. now. Wanna guess how many are the same?
Hint: It's less than 10. Need a second hint: It's less than 5.
Third hint: it's an even number. That's right, exactly 4 of the
Regional Directors have a tenure going back even 10 years. So, 80% of
the Board is new within that period. At least a third of the Board
goes back less than 5 years from what I was able to figure.

A couple of other interesting observations:

- In recent elections, a significant percentage of Directors ran
unopposed. So, our members must not be very disatisfied with the
Board, otherwise they would have stepped up and run for office
themselves, right?
- There is currently at least 1 position vacant. Surprising given the
glamor and wealth associated with the position.
- There are 6 slots which expire 12/31/2006.
- At no time do I see anyone named Terry Claussen running for
Director. Nor for that matter, does that name appear under any of the
numerous volunteer positions. Interestingly, neither do the names of
a lot of the usual, vocal critics of the SSA.

Okay, so that last one is a little bit of a low blow. But either
you've been a non-participant in the electoral affairs of the
organization or you just haven't been paying much attention to the
outcome.

Why does this matter? Well, it seems to me that we all owe it to the
Board to sort this out before we launch a lynch mob. I would imagine
that there are a few specific individuals who have some serious
'splainin to do. It's obvious from the second update that the Board
is moving to rapidly hone in on the details. How about we ask the
court of public opinion to recess for a little while to see what comes
next. It's obviously not the same old Board...

Regards,
Erik Mann
LS8-18 (P3)

Doug Haluza wrote:
You need to put more skin in the game than just your $65.

Doug, how much skin are YOU putting in?

Maby the real problem with the SSA is not the minority of dedicated
volunteers who try to make the organization work, it's the majority of
armchair critics live in their own worlds, unburdened by reality.

Maybe you need a little reality Doug, This minority of hard working
volunteers admitedly ignored the bylaws of the SSA for several
years.What part of reality am I missing here?
Frank

Frank wrote:
Doug Haluza wrote:
You need to put more skin in the game than just your $65.

Doug, how much skin are YOU putting in?

I have done hundreds of hours of volunteer work. And you?

Maby the real problem with the SSA is not the minority of dedicated
volunteers who try to make the organization work, it's the majority of
armchair critics live in their own worlds, unburdened by reality.

Maybe you need a little reality Doug, This minority of hard working
volunteers admitedly ignored the bylaws of the SSA for several
years.What part of reality am I missing here?

Then why didn't you say so sooner?

I feel the need to rise to the defense of the SSA board of directors and the
very small group of volunteers that work for the us, the SSA membership.

First, let me say that I accept the explanation of the SSA board. They have
stood up and taken responsibility for their oversight. I'm sure they are
working overtime to get to the bottom of this mess. I expect they are very,
very depressed that it could have happened on their watch.

Remember, these volunteers are dispersed around a very large country and,
for the most part, have full time careers and families. The problem, I
suspect, is less with these individuals than with the system that has them
spread thin yet charged with huge responsibilities of managing the affairs
of an organization with small group of paid employees in a very remote town.

Lets look at the weaknesses of the organizational structure before pointing
fingers at the fellow member/volunteers that serve us.

Further, I don't like the idea of a "broomcloset" SSA. No one would take us
seriously. In this world we need an organization to represent us that is
taken seriously. Lets get past this and build a far better organization to
serve us through the century. I'm sure it can be done.

Bill Daniels


"Doug Haluza" wrote in message
oups.com...

Frank wrote:
Doug Haluza wrote:
You need to put more skin in the game than just your $65.

Doug, how much skin are YOU putting in?

I have done hundreds of hours of volunteer work. And you?

Maby the real problem with the SSA is not the minority of dedicated
volunteers who try to make the organization work, it's the majority of
armchair critics live in their own worlds, unburdened by reality.

Maybe you need a little reality Doug, This minority of hard working
volunteers admitedly ignored the bylaws of the SSA for several
years.What part of reality am I missing here?

Then why didn't you say so sooner?

Doug Haluza wrote:

I have done hundreds of hours of volunteer work. And you?

Did you follow the bylaws while you were volunteering?Just kidding, I
have never done any volunteer work for the SSA (Except at a contest)
but I have done several years of volunteer work for the Civil Air
Patrol.I have given countless glider orientation rides to cadets,
provided tows, given dual instruction , helped with off season
maintenence and administrative duties .I had a senior member (whose son
had been a bit of a problem child in high school but had turned things
around and was starting his first semester at the Air Force Academy)
come up to me and tell me I was a tremendous influence on his son (Let
me tell ya, that will put a lump in your thoat).A few of these kids
have gone on to become rated glider pilots and are active in the
sport.So even though I have never done any volunteer work for the SSA,
I do feel that I have done what I could to foster the sport of
soaring.Whats more, in light of the current situation with the SSA, I
will consider helping out where I can with either a reorganized SSA or
a new national organization.

F

Being an unpaid volunteer on any board like the SSA is a huge and thankless
personal commitment. Management of an organization like the SSA has two
parts: The soaring part, which is why everyone is interested in helping
out, and the back office part which is a necessary distraction that no one
is particularly interested in.

When you have an organization of this size, the back office is a real
problem. The group is too large to run with volunteers, but barely big
enough where professional management is efficient and affordable.

That is the advantage of becoming affiliated with a larger organization,
whether it is the EAA, AOPA or someone else. It provides an opportunity to
leverage the existing professional back office infrastructure of that
organization, so that the SSA volunteers can focus on what they love:
soaring.

Mike Schumann

"Bill Daniels" bildan@comcast-dot-net wrote in message
...
I feel the need to rise to the defense of the SSA board of directors and
the very small group of volunteers that work for the us, the SSA
membership.

First, let me say that I accept the explanation of the SSA board. They
have stood up and taken responsibility for their oversight. I'm sure they
are working overtime to get to the bottom of this mess. I expect they are
very, very depressed that it could have happened on their watch.

Remember, these volunteers are dispersed around a very large country and,
for the most part, have full time careers and families. The problem, I
suspect, is less with these individuals than with the system that has them
spread thin yet charged with huge responsibilities of managing the affairs
of an organization with small group of paid employees in a very remote
town.

Lets look at the weaknesses of the organizational structure before
pointing fingers at the fellow member/volunteers that serve us.

Further, I don't like the idea of a "broomcloset" SSA. No one would take
us seriously. In this world we need an organization to represent us that
is taken seriously. Lets get past this and build a far better
organization to serve us through the century. I'm sure it can be done.

Bill Daniels


"Doug Haluza" wrote in message
oups.com...

Frank wrote:
Doug Haluza wrote:
You need to put more skin in the game than just your $65.

Doug, how much skin are YOU putting in?

I have done hundreds of hours of volunteer work. And you?

Maby the real problem with the SSA is not the minority of dedicated
volunteers who try to make the organization work, it's the majority of
armchair critics live in their own worlds, unburdened by reality.

Maybe you need a little reality Doug, This minority of hard working
volunteers admitedly ignored the bylaws of the SSA for several
years.What part of reality am I missing here?

Then why didn't you say so sooner?

Embezzlement? Quack? Sorry, but I'm not buying that...yet.

My great-great-great grandpa started a company in 1861 that is still
family owned (spreading thinner and thinner) and recently had over a
million embezzled...the CFO did it, Price Waterhouse verified he was
the lone bandit, and he's fled several jurisdictions, filed for "stress
disability." So it will be tied up in court (by lawyers no doubt) for
years...and the "recovery" will probably amount to pennies on the
dollar (for $1M, that would equate to at least $100k...). That's about
what Price Waterhouse charged for the investigation...but it proved
that the president, the CEO and nobody else needed to be hanged from
the short hairs.

Since it's a familly business, it MIGHT be chiseling out of my
daughters' college fund...am I mad? Yup. Do I want the lynch mob? Yup.
Do I expect to get it back? Nope.

In SSA's case, I don't see that the investigative process has been
completed...YET. Let's calm down, ask our VOLUNTEER directors to try
and put the candle back, well, as much as can be done...and THEN figure
out (collectively) how we want SSA to proceed. The independent audit
needs to proceed, and WE need to give it some time. Kudos to the BoD &
volunteers for making it public (well...sort of)...nevermind the
timing.

On the other hand...SSA's "cousin," the Social Security Administration
(SSA...coincidence???) is tetering on what some say is bankruptcy...
So IF there is a bankruptcy...I'd like to suggest a name change AWAY
from another organization that might have us "guilty by association..."
(pun intended) judgement. SFA (Soaring Federation of America)? AGA
(American Gliding Association...sorry BGA...who was there first, so to
speak)? TRW (Thermals, Ridge and Wave...oops, that's already been
taken...but then TRW got bought out by Northrop[Grumman])... I'm still
not sure that becoming EAA's or AOPA's unwanted step-child is the right
answer, either...and I feel those discussions are extremely
premature...be careful what you ask for...

I agree...let's be careful how we attribute malice where ignorance can
be the culprit. I suspect some of the VOLUNTEER directors were not as
aware of the legal requirements as we (and they) wish they had been. I
still appreciate the service I've received from my volunteer directors.

And closing, I was recently elected to the BoD of another International
Volunteer organization...and I'm shaking in my boots. So another
"thank you" to SSA for teaching me valuable lessons.

-Pete
#309

RIGHT ON, IT SEEMS TO ME.

309 wrote:

Embezzlement? Quack? Sorry, but I'm not buying that...yet.

My great-great-great grandpa started a company in 1861 that is still
family owned (spreading thinner and thinner) and recently had over a
million embezzled...the CFO did it, Price Waterhouse verified he was
the lone bandit, and he's fled several jurisdictions, filed for "stress
disability." So it will be tied up in court (by lawyers no doubt) for
years...and the "recovery" will probably amount to pennies on the
dollar (for $1M, that would equate to at least $100k...). That's about
what Price Waterhouse charged for the investigation...but it proved
that the president, the CEO and nobody else needed to be hanged from
the short hairs.

Since it's a familly business, it MIGHT be chiseling out of my
daughters' college fund...am I mad? Yup. Do I want the lynch mob? Yup.
Do I expect to get it back? Nope.

In SSA's case, I don't see that the investigative process has been
completed...YET. Let's calm down, ask our VOLUNTEER directors to try
and put the candle back, well, as much as can be done...and THEN figure
out (collectively) how we want SSA to proceed. The independent audit
needs to proceed, and WE need to give it some time. Kudos to the BoD &
volunteers for making it public (well...sort of)...nevermind the
timing.

On the other hand...SSA's "cousin," the Social Security Administration
(SSA...coincidence???) is tetering on what some say is bankruptcy...
So IF there is a bankruptcy...I'd like to suggest a name change AWAY
from another organization that might have us "guilty by association..."
(pun intended) judgement. SFA (Soaring Federation of America)? AGA
(American Gliding Association...sorry BGA...who was there first, so to
speak)? TRW (Thermals, Ridge and Wave...oops, that's already been
taken...but then TRW got bought out by Northrop[Grumman])... I'm still
not sure that becoming EAA's or AOPA's unwanted step-child is the right
answer, either...and I feel those discussions are extremely
premature...be careful what you ask for...

I agree...let's be careful how we attribute malice where ignorance can
be the culprit. I suspect some of the VOLUNTEER directors were not as
aware of the legal requirements as we (and they) wish they had been. I
still appreciate the service I've received from my volunteer directors.

And closing, I was recently elected to the BoD of another International
Volunteer organization...and I'm shaking in my boots. So another
"thank you" to SSA for teaching me valuable lessons.

-Pete
#309

Mike Schumann wrote:
When you have an organization of this size, the back office is a real
problem. The group is too large to run with volunteers, but barely big
enough where professional management is efficient and affordable.

That is the advantage of becoming affiliated with a larger organization,
whether it is the EAA, AOPA or someone else. It provides an opportunity to
leverage the existing professional back office infrastructure of that
organization, so that the SSA volunteers can focus on what they love:
soaring.

It may be that what the SSA needs is professional management, but I
would submit that the mangaement not be under the EAA or AOPA umbrella
(umbrellas don't protect you in ill winds). I'd bet most people have
never heard of an association management company (AMC). The AMC model
of association management may be just what an association of SSA's size
and type of governance needs. You have economies of scale on your side
with an AMC. For more info on AMCs: www.iaamc.org.