2017 Board of Directors Election

ATTN DC Region Members:

It's that time of year again and if you have ever considered serving your Region on the Board of Directors (BoD) this would be a good time to get involved and make a difference.  The 'Official' job description for the Board members can be found in Article IV of the Region's Bylaws which are available HERE.

We meet once a month, on the 2nd Tuesday at 7PM and we're usually on the way home by 9:00-9:30 though some meetings have gone longer and some shorter. Like most altruistic groups, there is no pay but dinner is provided at our monthly BoD meetings. Outside of the meetings we usually average about 2-3 hrs a week on Region business.  

This is a unique opportunity to get involved in the inner workings of one of the largest Regions in SCCA and help shape the future of our Club.  

The initial slate of nominees must be submitted to the Board of Directors by the Election committee, at the July monthly meeting.  After that date any nominations must be via petition with support from twenty voting Region members.  Per our Region's Bylaws ALL nominations, including any Nominating Petitions for the Election must be received by the Board 60 days before the election date.  Our Bylaws also require that the election take place at the Annual Membership meeting to be held in October.  The specific date for that meeting will be announced in the near future.

If you would like more information or have an interest in running for the BoD please reach out to one of the Committee members shown below and we'll do our best to answer your questions.

Now's the time to give back to the club that has given you so much!

2017 Election Committee Members:

Chairman:  Chuck Edmondson - fastcarphysics@gmail.com

Mike Snyder: msnyder@cqmtg.com

Dave Fitzgerald: dafitzgerald@gmail.com

Election Candidates (2016)

PAUL ANDERSON - INCUMBENT

My name is Paul Anderson and I am running for reelection to the Board of Directors. I have been a member of the Washington DC Region for over 40 years. I’ve served as your Regional Executive for the past two years and as Assistant RE the previous year. I have held a National F&C license for many years. My wife Penny is also involved in the Region having served as Chief of Start and she now works in T&S.

Below is a list of Region positions I have held:

• Served on the Board of Directors for three earlier terms.

• Co-chaired the committee that developed the MARRS series.

• Served 5 years as Asst. Flag Marshal.

• Chaired the Annual Awards banquet for 3 years.

• Also served at various times as Secretary, Board Liaison to the CRC, Membership Chairman, Social Chairman and Merchandise Chairman.

Our region is one of the largest in SCCA and we run high quality, competitive and fun events. Though all of our programs are successful, we should always seek to keep them evolving as the sport, and the way people participate, changes so that we may continue to provide the best member experience possible. There are always challenges for an organization like ours. Board members open to new ideas, like the current Bracket Racing trial, will be important to our continued success.

One of my priorities when I ran for the board four years ago was to improve Region communications. With the hard work of Bob Crawford (Member Services Chair) we have published the new electronic Straightpipe and the goal for the future is a more regular publication schedule. These are the sorts of things needed to bring value to your SCCA membership.

Negotiating our current favorable contract with Summit Point was one of my more important tasks last year. We’ll have another contract renewal coming up in 2017. I have also worked closely with Dominion Raceway over the past two years to support their efforts to become SCCA approved for track events.

I bring a historical perspective to the Board that none of the current candidates can duplicate. I’m mostly from the racing side of the club, though I have run solos and rallys in the past, and am very supportive of those activities as well as the PDX and RallyCross programs. I believe I can continue to be an asset to the Region and its Board of Directors.

Now retired, I spent my professional career in Logistics and Distribution management, most recently with Connections Education as Senior Distribution Manager.

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MIKE SNYDER - INCUMBENT

I’m 55 years old, married with a son and daughter residing in Burtonsville, MD. I hold a degree in Business Administration, with a minor in Computer Science and Management. I am an owner of Advantage Electrostatic Refinishers, Inc., a painting company I co-founded in 1984. I also have a Baltimore City Development Company called Chester Street Associates.

I joined the Sports Car Club of America and AutoCrossers, Inc (a DC Region chapter club) as a working member in 1992. By 1996 I was in charge of our autocross events at Camden Yards. At the time they were the largest events in the area. I started doing National level events, both Pro Solo and Tours in 1996. I have been to Nationals and the Pro Finale 19 times, trophying four times. At Nationals, I have served as Grid Chief, Chief of Course, Operating Steward and Assistant Chief Steward. I have served two year stints as President, Treasurer and Vice President of AutoCrossers, Inc. I have been a Solo 2 Safety Steward for 17 years. As a DC Region member I have helped operate the National level events in Petersburg and FedEx Stadium.

I am currently on the Board of Directors of the DC Region serving as the Treasurer. I have served on the Board for over 7 years. My goal is to always try to provide what each Program needs to survive and grow. I enjoy being actively involved in SCCA organization, not just competing, but in making the SCCA a better value for all its members.

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LIN TOLAND - INCUMBENT

I am seeking reelection to the Board of Directors. For those who don’t know me I am a Flagger, Steward, sometime competitor in SSM and MARRS Points Keeper. I have also served as the Chief Steward for the Region’s PDX/CT/TT Program since it was formed. Since joining the board in 2008 I have served as the Assistant RE, BoD Rep to the PDX, Rally Cross, Solo Programs, Rep to the Grand Prix of Baltimore, the Rep for the 2014 Awards Banquet and currently serve as the BoD’s Rep to the to the Club Racing Committee. My experience with SCCA actually dates back to the early 1970's. I started as a Solo Driver and flagger in the San Francisco Region, but a military career got in the way and my membership lapsed after a transfer back to Sea Duty. My last transfer brought us to Martinsburg and it was in 1996 I won tickets to the Labor Day event and it was while I was spectating with the family at Turn 1, I met Josh Cockey and the rest is history as three weeks later I was "in whites" cross track at Station 8. Since then the entire family has gotten involved. My wife, Janet, works in T&S and my son Jim after many years crewing for Meathead Racing is the Shop Manager & Senior Race Mechanic for WISKO Race Engineering at VIR.

The DC Region continues to offer some of the best Regional programs in SCCA. Our MARRS Series is one of the 2 or 3 best Regional Racing Programs in the country, our Solo program is considered to be one of the best in SCCA, the PDX Program continues to be the only Stand Alone PDX Program in SCCA and over the last couple of years our RallyCross Program has also become one of the top programs in the Country. These programs excel because of the insanely dedicated volunteers we have running them, the competitors that keep them viable and the hundreds of volunteers that show up each event and give of their time and expertise to make them work. If we are to survive we need to continue to identify ways to enhance and expand our programs as well as being prepared to take serious looks at new ideas and concepts. As an example one such program would be Bracket Racing where we finally figured out how to Race Cars without a 700 pages of classing specifications. If your car has a valid Annual Safety Tech, it can race against other cars with comparable lap times. I was an entrant in the 1st Bracket Race and look forward to the next one. I strongly support these kinds of ‘Out of the Box’ ideas that make us stronger. I strongly support expanding programs and looking for new ideas to experiment with.

Professionally, I am a retired Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer, and I retired from full time work in March of 2012 after 31 yrs active duty and 12 yrs as a civilian contractor for the Coast Guard. Currently I work part time as a Corner Worker for Summit Point Raceway, Virginia International Raceway, and 2x4 Safety Services. For the past 15 years I have served as Captain of the Bus Stop Chicane flag crew for the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and pride myself on being able to expose some of our new flaggers to Pro Racing as I historically host 10-12 DC Region Flaggers at the Bus Stop each year. Of course the other side of this I get to enjoy the benefits of being Captain of a Shift for the Rolex that is solely made up of DC Region Flaggers. Our back patches look pretty nice on TV don’t they?

Lastly; not many race organizations would welcome a 6 year old child to the race track, then train them to be a valued member of the worker team, but our region does it on a regular basis. It's been said that it takes a village to raise a child and the Washington DC Region was the 'village' that raised "JimAAAA", and I want help to continue to see our 'village' grow and see more of our youngsters enjoying our village; be it Summit Point, FedEx Field, Blue Crabs Stadium, A RallyCross venue or who knows where the Rally might end. The greatest honor I have ever received was the opportunity to represent the Region Membership on the Board, something I take very seriously and I hope you allow me to continue to represent you.  

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ANNE CALLIHAN

So some 25 years ago I was a single parent living in the suburbs, working for a living and filling my spare time as a Girl Scout leader, theater mom, swim team ribbon writer, and occasional Masters swimmer. What I knew about cars and auto racing could be written on a dipstick , which I did (barely) know how to use.

One day along came some silver tongued snake oil (automotive paint) salesman, who whispered sweet nothings – “I drive a race car” and “Want to see my garage?” And with promises of excitement and free gourmet track food, he lured me out to Summit Point one fine spring weekend. What he didn’t tell me was that his race car was an old British MG that had yet to make it through one full race without blowing up. And that I would have to make the track food myself.

Still hadn’t learned my lesson when he said “Oh, you will be so bored sitting in the paddock” and dragged me off to Timing and Scoring. And then to the Pit Lane….

Long story short, I managed to find my own way after that. To a thank-you FATT from Bill Scott for the race workers who volunteered at the Jefferson 500, where one of our finest driving instructors taught me all about track in and late apexes, and where I learned without a doubt that my competitive drive did not include driving fast on a race track. To the specialties of Registration, and F&C, and Start, and lately Tech. To race tracks around the country, both as a worker and as crew. To the Grand Prix of Baltimore, my first pro event. To the Competition Committee several times, and to head of the Charity Committee for about 8 years, where I (and about 50 of my closest friends) helped raise nearly $200K for various worthy charities including the Summit Point Library, my very first cause. And eventually to the position of Assistant and then Director of Club Racing. Along the way I also worked with both the PDX and the AutoX leadership, and have developed a familiarity with how the those programs function and an appreciation of their unique contributions to the DC Region.

Through all those years in the trenches, I think I have learned a few things. About people, mostly, and what drives them to the race track (besides a tow vehicle) and what keeps them coming back. I think I have a few good ideas left in me, and would like to try to serve this club and this region in yet another way. I have no agenda, hidden or otherwise, only a desire to keep this region growing, to be the best we can be, and to be responsive to the needs of our members.

I am retired from a career as an accountant and business manager, mostly in non profit environments, a background which I believe will serve me well as a member of the Board of Directors. I am also an active volunteer with the AARP Tax Aide program which provides free income tax preparation services. My husband Gary and I between us have four adult children and six of the world’s most amazing grandchildren. (Just ask, I’ll show you pictures!)

My secrets? I have always wanted to participate in a TSD Rally. And to learn to play the drums. I think the first has a greater chance of happening, especially with a little help from my friends …

Thank you for your consideration.

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SHAWN ROBERTS

I was dragged to a few autocross events in 2004 by my girlfriend and we soon started going to a lot of autocross events.  After a slow start in 2004, by late 2004 we had bought a Miata (official car of the autocross addicted) and joined the SCCA.  In 2005, we did 50+ different autocross events in the Mid-Atlantic area.  Then we decided to cut back a bit on the number of events in 2006, so we joined the DC solo committee. We wanted to help put on the best run events we had seen during all the different events in 2005.  When the Solo chair stepped down in 2010, I was one of the people that stepped up to become the solo co-chairs with Evanthe Salisbury and David Sann.  I also became a solo safety steward in 2007.

 Because autocross was not taking up enough of our time we decided to start rallycrossing. So in 2010 we started rallycrossing and by late 2011 I had taken over keeping the rallycross website up to date.  I have since gotten more involved in registration and timing for the rallycross events as well as becoming a rallycross safety steward in 2013.

 I did not grow up in a racing household.  My parents had a long procession of white Ford Taurus wagons during my teen years.  So while my interest in motorsports did not come from my parents I did get the volunteer sprit from them.  Everything I was involved in growing up my parents were there as volunteers.  Playing soccer, my parents ran the local soccer organization.  Joining 4-H, my mom was the leader of the local club.  So knowing how much volunteers put into making clubs work, I have always volunteered to help out as needed.  I was the treasurer of my local 4-H club and the corresponding secretary for the local chapter of Phi Theta Kappa in college.

I have worked in computer support for Montgomery College for the last 15 years and live in Woodbridge, VA with my wife Katie Orgler and a few less Miatas than you would see in a spec miata race.

I have been happy with the direction of the BOD in the last few years and would like to help them continue along the same path.

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DAVE FITZGERALD

Hello, my name is Dave Fitzgerald and I’m running for a seat on the Board of Directors for the Washington DC Region SCCA.

I have been involved in the SCCA for more than 10 years and was first introduced to our club through the Auto-X program in 1995. Not knowing what to expect I was impressed with the camaraderie of the event organizers and participants and knew right then that this was the type of organization I wanted to be a part of. From there it was a slippery slope from track days to Club Racing in a relatively short period.

In 2006 I attained my Competition license and again found the SCCA Club Racing family welcoming and willing to help me get through the first few events. Honestly, I think I was a little too overwhelmed to concern myself with just how these events were run and who was behind the curtain pulling all the strings. From my early perspective, I showed up, unloaded my car, registered, raced and went home but I soon realized that putting on a Club Racing weekend was a result of months of planning and a small army of well-organized volunteers to man the grid, registration, flag stations, emergency services and timing and scoring and to whom all racers should be eternally grateful.

In addition to Club Racing I have been involved with the Performance Driving eXperience program (PDX) for the past 4 years; first as a participant, then an instructor and more recently a member of the PDX/Time Trials Organizing Committee. Not to disparage any of the other fine programs, I believe there is no better introduction to our sport than a PDX. Driving your own car in the (relatively) safe environment of an open racetrack with the calm guidance of a seasoned instructor in the right seat talking you through your session. As an Instructor, watching a Novice student progress through the weekend is very gratifying and has also sparked many new friendships over the years.

So why am I running for a seat on the Board of Directors?

Having stepped back from the PDX program I still want to be involved with some aspect of our club and the region. For the past 19 years, my day job is to manage the I.T. infrastructure of a mid-sized family owned company. I provide technical support, planning and implementation of new initiatives, develop and manage the I.T. budget and negotiate contracts and terms with vendors. These attributes, I feel are all very relatable skills for a position on the board of a regional organization.

The Board is doing a phenomenal job and I hope my attitude, aptitude and experience will only enhance what is already a very competent group.

Thanks for listening (reading). Vote early and often!

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MHYAR ALZAYAT

Since the moment my father put me, aged three, on his lap and showed me how to turn the steering wheel, I became hooked for life. Maybe it was the feeling of the steering in my hands. Maybe it was simply his trust in allowing me to move such a large object! The bottom line is that, from then on, I did everything I could to get my hands on that wheel…or any wheel for that matter! When I couldn’t drive because I was grounded, I would hop onto either my bicycle or my moped! Whatever it was… I just hated walking and I still do!

Whenever I crashed, I always hid the car in the corner of our parking lot in the hopes that my father wouldn’t notice! Eventually he gave up on me and decided that putting me in a Jeep Wrangler would nip my speeding in the bud. Well, he was correct -- but with such big wheels I turned to conquering hills as my next goal. Let’s just say my father settled on driving me to school after losing the 3rdtransmission!

My father’s funniest quote: “Why is the second gear grinding (on his Camry)?" -- Then looking straight at me.

The funniest quote by my mother: (to my father) “You're going to let him drive?!

Today, although my father is long gone, I remember him every time I step on the track.

The track is my home. I've tried throughout the years – but with no luck -- to take up other less costly, less dangerous hobbies. I sometimes wonder why I couldn't fall in love with playing the piano or perhaps the violin! My mother asks me why I have 5 sets of rims and tires stacked up. My brother says I should invest my money and stop wasting my time. What they've never understood is that, to me, racing is not just some escape. It's life. And there is no feeling more beautiful, more life-affirming, than when I am behind that wheel.

My many years of involvement in the SCCA program, including serving as the Chief Instructor for the PDX program, have provided me with incredible opportunities for personal growth. It has helped me just as much as I've helped the program, if not more. There is nothing like seeing the smile of a student after the track day is over, and it's moments like these that have shaped me into a more caring and understanding person. The frustration, the desire to go faster, the love for a machine made of metal and sheer power – all giving rise to a smile that you keep for weeks, months, if not years!

After many years of instructing and helping students reach their own goals, I decided in 2014 that I was financially capable of racing. I got my SCCA License and did over 8 races in the SSM class between 2014 and 2016. There was much to learn and every race provided a new experience and invaluable lessons. I will continue to race every season to compete and maintain my license, and I hope to enter enduro races in the near future.

I value the friends I've made through the PDX program, from instructors to racers to mechanics, who have taught me an important lesson in teamwork. The experience has had an enormously positive impact on my own life, both professionally and personally. My interaction with them, the knowledge they have passed on to me, and their grace are all things that will stay with me for a very long time.

If elected, I would work to not only ensure that the sport thrives in this large region, but also to expand it and introduce it to new students and racers. Key to this would be expanding awareness in the DC area of the sport, the terrific tracks that surround us, and finally our Club.

If elected, I will strive to move the program forward, communicate effectively with members and board members, and foster a positive, team-oriented environment that will help us achieve the goals we all strive for!

Board of Directors: Candidates (2015)

PHIL ACKLEY

I am one of your 2015 candidates vying for your vote to represent you in one of the vacant BoD positions. My deep roots in SCCA energizes my reasons to seek election. It started years ago when I started racing in New England (NER) and had the thrill of joining Paul (PL) Newman's campfire after races provided. I brought him a cold Coors for him and others at the campfire like Roger Penske, Bob Tullius and other notables. I also had the honor of being invited to attend the Mark Donohue Advanced Drivers Clinic at Lime Rock! Fast forward to the WDCR events I joined 15 years ago. I have had the opportunity to get to know tracks, people and the leadership of our Club from a more realistic perspective. 

So I have seen the "Golden Years" of SCCA.  Our Club seems to be well-run and continues its effort to drive this “Jumbo Region” of 2,400 members through the challenges facing automotive clubs these days. I have grown to know many of you in our Club, and will expand into other sectors to understand the complexity of the many demands in operating our Club. I offer leadership knowledge from my Army experience, growing a successful Commercial Real Estate Company, and understanding the effort to lead - whether it is coaching racecraft, winning races, or solving a difficult problem. Please vote for me to achieve positive, creative, dedicated leadership to safely steer the Club toward its apex of continued success.

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BRIAN GARFIELD

As a Washington D.C. Region SCCA Member since 2000, I have been devoted to the club since first joining the SCCA for the discipline of Solo (autocross).  I joined the WDCR Solo Committee in 2001 and immediately began to tackle the need for schools to educate new drivers and bring in new members. I have organized, taught, and run over one hundred schools to date, with as many as 20+ in a season. 

My entire family has also been actively involved over this same time period with my father, Craig Garfield, having served as the Solo Region Chairman for 10 years, in addition to my mother Jane, wife Lisa, and now older son Julian having served on the region's Solo committee.   Currently, Julian and I are the Novice Coordinators for the region and Craig and Lisa actively remain on the committee as well.  In 2011, Julian began Club Racing at the age of 13 with the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) where I crewed for him and learned about the environment of a major competing organization.  In 2013, we spent an equal amount of time Club Racing with the SCCA.  During those Club Racing years, my family and I still participated in SCCA Solo with the Washington D.C. Region. 
During the last 15 years, my family has traveled the Eastern half of the country for National level SCCA events, including 14 Solo National Championships, one of which saw six Garfield family members compete (Craig, Jane, Lisa, Brian, Julian and his younger brother Carson).  I have also served on an SCCA Solo National Advisory Committee for several years to help make rules, rule changes, and solve issues within some of the classes. 

At 43 years of age, I consider myself a traditionalist at heart but know that the younger generation is what will continue to be important to a growing program.  I see the need for each of the SCCA disciplines, and appreciate the connections that can be made to help each program thrive and grow.

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STEVE SALISBURY - Incumbent

I have been a frequent Solo competitor in several classes and cars since 2003, and an SCCA and WDCR member since 2004. I joined the WDCR Solo Committee in late 2004. After learning the art from Greg Olsen, I designed several autocross courses per season from 2006 through 2011. I have proven (to myself, at least) that the course designer has absolutely no advantage whatsoever over other competitors.  I managed to win my first autocross in 2006 on a course that Sam Strano designed, that happened to (greatly) favor my 2005 STi. I'm still not quite sure how that happened, but I have the trophy, and I'm keeping it. 

I have attended two SCCA conventions as a WDCR representative, and have a very good understanding of how the Club works. Since 2011 I have been a volunteer for the Region at the Grand Prix of Baltimore supporting the track marshals.   

I've been a motorsports fan since my teens, first motorcycles (AMA and GP racing), then CART/Indycar. I currently follow any racing that is on 2 or 4 wheels, on any surface, and is timed, not judged. I've been racing on computers since early 90's starting with Indycar 1.0, and I currently race on iRacing.  

Outside of the club:
I am married to Evanthe Athena Irene Sophocleus Salisbury, and I have no earthly idea why sometimes people can't pronounce her name. We have two great kids, DJ and Elektra. DJ is just starting to drive an electric kart, and I am using my course design skills on our driveway.

I spent 8+ years in the US Navy in the late 80's and early 90's, and that started me on my Information Technology career. I have been in IT for 20 years, and working for a large local bank for 13 years. My team's area of responsibility is networking, security, and infrastructure. 

How I can help the club: 
My day job is in an industry that has a problem defining its core product. I observe the daily struggles of a very conservative industry fight for relevance and fail to understand what customers really want. Today's business culture and climate impart a constant drive to add "features" and "technology" to anything and everything, no matter result or relevance of the change. Many industries and companies fall into the trap of trying to provide an endless stream of new products and services, and in doing so, lose focus on the core value they provide to customers.   

The SCCA and the regional clubs have a good core product. Several, if you want to count each discipline separately. While considering new technologies, changes to the rulesets, or entirely new business plans, we must remember to always focus on the core product that we are providing, and make sure any changes serve the customers of our core product first and foremost. I can help the Region by bringing clear vision of how to use (or avoid) technology and change to serve the customer and improve the core product, because I want to go fast, and I want to have a place to do it*.

*Note: This by no means indicates that I actually CAN go fast; refer to the last 10 years of Solo results for confirmation. 

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CHUCK EDMONDSON - Incumbent

I am a retired submarine officer, and a civilian faculty member at the Naval Academy.  I attended my first SCCA club race at Laguna Seca more than 30 years ago.

I have been a member of the WDCR Board of Directors for the past 6 years.     I club race a Honda in ITA.  I am a member of the region PDX/Time Trials organizing committee and not very long ago I was a participant in both the region Solo program and Autocrossers Incorporated.  I am also lucky that, the SCCA is a family activity that involves my son and daughter, as well as my wife.  Once your kids reach their twenties, it’s hard to find common activities. 

While I consider club racing to be the corner stone of the SCCA, I believe that the SCCA Solo program is the strongest motorsports activity in the country.  I consider PDX to be the crossroads of the Club Racing and the Solo programs.  Many of the PDX students come from Solo seeking their first high-speed track experience.  Without the selfless contributions of members of the club racing organization to instruct, and work the events, PDX and Time Trials would not exist.  I am fortunate to have this opportunity to work with such great folks.  I also strongly believe that a driver that works his way up to solo driving status in our PDX program will be a far safer and successful driver at a club racing drivers’ school. 

As a club we are entering interesting times.  We survived the great recession, mostly because the club has worked for 40 years to establish a substantial war chest to fall back on if the operating fund ever became depleted.  This allowed the BOD to act boldly establishing both the PDX and Rallycross programs that operated at a loss for several years.  Contributions from these programs to the club’s operating fund now apply directly to the margin of excellence for all parts of the club.   It allowed the BOD to maintain a robust racing program, refurbish the tech shed, replace vehicles and to contribute substantially to improving safety at Summit Point.  These bold actions have allowed the club to grow in the face of ever increasing competition.

It is tempting to declare victory and rest on our laurels. But of course things are as complicated as ever. How should we respond to the new track, Dominion Raceway? How do we secure our position at Summit Point?  How do we find new venues for Rally Cross and Solo? With your approval I would like to continue on the BOD and contribute to finding answers to these questions.

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WILLIAM MERCURIO

I am a Maryland-based Club racer and PDX instructor and running for a Board seat for the first time.

As a relative newcomer to the sport – I had never even sat in a competition car or kart until 2007 – I can’t offer much in the way of institutional knowledge or historical context regarding Club activities; I’ll let you decide whether this factor will help or hinder my effectiveness as a Board member. 

My professional life has been in business - helping companies grow their franchise, optimize their processes, understand industry trends as well as their operating and financial data, and reduce expenses.  I approach business matters with a forward-thinking view that focuses on maximizing the lifetime value of a customer; industry best practices; data-driven and technology-oriented solutions; and a conviction that regularly testing new programs, pricing strategies and distribution methods will make an organization better informed and more responsive.

Thank you for your consideration.

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ERIC WALLGREN

I’ve been active with the DC Region since 2008 when I began competing in STU class in the solo series at FedEx Field and with Autocrossers, Inc., as well as doing track events with the PDX program. The next year I was instructing PDX events and doing time trials, and in 2011 took the double competition licensing school and leapt into club racing in a D Sports racer. I can’t entirely blame the SCCA and WDCR for this slippery slope; I grew up in a family with a couple old Jaguars and an aptitude for fixing and making things. I’ve raced bicycles, motorcycles, karts, RC cars…show me a nice, relaxing pastime and I’ll start racing it; generally not successfully, but enthusiastically. 

In 2011 I converted the DSR to a CSR and I learned all about the turn 8 tire wall at Summit the last weekend of 2012. After acquiring a set of body molds I rebuilt the car and set a goal of the 2013 MARRS CSR season championship, the last before the sports racer classes would be restructured for 2014. Achieving this will remain one of the hardest and most rewarding accomplishments of my life. I continue to campaign the #51 P2 car at MARRS and NEdiv events. I set a P2 lap record at Pocono on my birthday – another great SCCA/MARRS memory. 

What else do I do? I’m a laboratory instrumentation and automation designer/fabricator for NCATS, an institute of the NIH. I live with my wife/crew chief Abigail Grossman and our cats Isetta and Angus in Maryland near NW DC where I have a machine and fab shop where I make stuff for robots and race cars and enjoy cycling, rowing, cars and food. I spend a lot of time that should be spent renovating our midcentury house on maintaining the race car…

If elected to the BOD I’d like to represent the interests of the owner/driver/crew privateers that make up the majority of the paddock, and are The Club’s primary (and I’d say most important) customers. I’ve had a tremendous time participating in Solo, PDX, TT, and Club Racing and it’s been very rewarding giving back by instructing with the PDX Program and with the open wheel group of the Competition Licensing School. I’m open, direct, and always look for the best solution that makes the most of what’s on hand while simplifying the process if at all possible. I’m absolutely amenable to structure and rules, but prefer to eliminate bureaucracy that doesn’t make things easier whenever I can. The DC Region has provided me an arena in which to compete and many friendships; opportunities and challenges and the experiences which make life more meaningful. I hope to lend a hand to the WDCR to enable it to continue to do this for all its participants in every specialty.