Candidate Information
Tony R. Goodnight
Age: 53
Salisbury, NC, USA
Any significant relationship(s) with current Board members or other candidates for election? No
704.637.6289 office
info.umca @ tonyg.ws

Hello UMCA Members

Thank you all for your time and efforts that you have put into the UMCA, whether it be racing or being involved with the programs that the UMCA has to offer its members which allows us all to participate in the sport of Ultracycling! Also thanks go to any who have helped over the years or will help in the future with the management and operations of the UMCA.

Please consider voting for and electing Tony Goodnight as one of your 2008 Board of Directors to fill one of the BOD positions within the UMCA. I will do the best that I can, not only as an UMCA Officer but as a UMCA Member to help the UMCA be a good organization that fulfills its mission and its nonprofit purposes to its members, to the cycling community and to the public.

During much of the last six years I have been active in the UMCA as a member and an events participant. Over the years I have seen many of the projects and issues that have been posted online and in the UMCA newsletter/magazine as well as read comments from others in their blogs and the mailing lists. There are a number of subjects and situations that have been and are affecting the UMCA and its operations, so I am aware of those and feel that I can help guide and direct the UMCA organization in a manner that will help and hopefully facilitate the growth of the UMCA into an organization that will benefit the UMCA Members and the cycling communities. I can help maintain the UMCA organization as well as help the UMCA achieve its' goals while moving forward with its progress.

The UMCA has grown over the years and many changes have taken place and more are needed. The UMCA started out with a small number of people with a vision. It has evolved into more than just a bicycle club and has more responsibilities overall. For it to continue to grow it will need several things which include members, event participants, volunteers and quality knowledgeable management personnel all who will need to work together for continued growth. There will always be challenges with any organization that is growing.

Since the UMCA is a full fledged nonprofit, an important function is that the UMCA operate properly as a 501(c)(3) organization for all its procedures and business operations. There are government regulations that must be followed at all times and when issues come up they need to be handled properly and in a timely manner. One of the purposes of a nonprofit charity is providing a public service that benefits the public not any individual or private group. It's ok and appropriate to have paid employees and contractors that work for the organization and they must follow the direction given by the BOD while fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of the organization. A position as a director on any nonprofit board requires time and the ability to understand how to interpret the purpose of the organization as well as maintain the nonprofit status. The UMCA is also a real business and not just a club, so it must be run like a business in all aspects while providing the nonprofit service to its members and the public during its operations. The experience and talents that I have can help to maintain the business and nonprofit status while working with the public and the UMCA members.

As well as being a active Ultracyclist I have been active with the Randonneuring community and plan on filling an opening as RBA in North Carolina starting at the end of 2008. In 2003 I started working on starting a national organization which I am an active officer. It is currently in operation on a small scale. From those efforts "Bicycle for Life" a division of "Bicycle Excursion Adventure Corporation" a non profit organization was formed in the State of North Carolina in 2004. The general purposes of Bicycle for Life are to promote the sport and recreation activities of bicycling thru active membership and participation in BFL type activities for both BFL members and communities where active BFL members bicycle. You can get more info at www.BicycleforLife.org Over the last several years I have organized several local rides and have been helping new and experienced riders improve their fitness and riding skills.

For most of the time as a UMCA member and especially during the 2006 Ultracycling season I have participated in a number of the JMC events. This allowed me to see how they were run and to feel what it was like to truly participate in many UMCA events on a regular basis for 2006. In 2006 I qualified for RAAM at BMB. Being active in the startup and operation of a nonprofit corporation and operating a graphic/web design business as an owner and working with many of the printing and publishing aspects over the years, has given me much experience in the operations and management of business and nonprofit operations over the years. My time in the US Navy working within the nuclear field as an operator and instructor and as a Navy Diver has also given me much experience. As a SCUBA instructor and shop owner I have experience with instructions and the retail end of business also. I feel that experience and my talents will allow me to help the UMCA and fill the role of a UMCA Director. I have the experience to provide strategic leadership to the UMCA and can commit to working for the good of the UMCA I plan to work with the UMCA to improve it and help the UMCA with its goals in the sport of Ultracycling.

Thank you for your time, consideration and your vote!