Subj: Amended ACNA bylaw 5.2
Date: 5/17/2007 4:48:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Vikki@audiclubna.org (Vikki Leary)
To: Vikki@audiclubna.org

File: oledata.zip (35521 bytes) DL Time (TCP/IP): < 1 minute
May 17, 2007
Dear Audi Club Member,

Audi Club North America ("ACNA") is the largest group of Audi enthusiasts in the world. From its humble beginnings in 1984, the club has grown to nearly 10,000 members.

As you know, ACNA membership passed an amendment to Article V.5.2 of its Bylaws in December 2006. The amended Article V.5.2 provides that "[m]embers may not serve on the Board of Directors as an Officer or Director in an appointed or elected capacity for more than nine consecutive years." Any member that serves nine consecutive years as a director or officer may then run for a position as an officer or director after a one-year absence from the Board of Directors.

Mike Fisher and Craig Liechty have both served longer than nine years in an appointed or elected capacity as an officer or on the board of directors. Mike Fisher has served as a director or officer in an elected or appointed capacity from 1997-2006. Craig Liechty has served as a director or officer in an elected or appointed capacity from 1998-2006. Because of the change prompted by the amendment to Article V.5.2, the Club informed Mike and Craig that they were no longer on the Board of Directors, via letter in January 2007. While they are not eligible to serve on the ACNA Board this year, Craig and Mike will be able to run in the next election and serve in 2008.

The purpose of the amendment to Article V.5.2 is to help the club to grow and expand under new leadership. It also gives the membership opportunities to become involved in the organization in a leadership capacity, allowing them to bring new skills and fresh ideas to develop the organization. We hope to see new faces on the Board next year, and hope that more members will participate in the election process. Member participation and input is vital to the future of Audi Club North America.

In the interim, the Executive Committee has appointed Giovanni Tomasi of the Northeast Chapter and Dean Esmail of the Rocky Mountain Chapter to fill the Director vacancies left by Craig and Mike.

Audi Club North America is grateful to Craig Liechty and Mike Fisher for their many years of service as ACNA directors. We also want to thank the many chapter leaders for their continued efforts to build ACNA as an enthusiast organization that appropriately reflects the quality of the Audi brand.

Sincerely,


Keith Anderson, President

Audi Club North America

Wether they were forced out or not, only they know...

There's a couple threads about it over on the Chicago regional forum. Personally, I think the whole situation stinks. The EC has overstepped its authority time and again, violating bylaws, state laws, the ACNA code of ethics and simple human decency with impugnity. I wrote the following letter to the EC and CC'd it to the BOD and ACNA chapter reps.

Mr. Anderson,

I just saw this letter. I am dismayed and angered by this for a number
of reasons.

1. Article 5.2, of the ACNA bylaws also states:

Any vacancies occurring in the Board of Directors shall be filled by a
vote of the majority of the directors then in office.

Neither you nor the Executive Committee has the power to appoint anybody
to the board of directors. Doing so in such a manner is a direct and
flagrant violation of the ACNA bylaws.

2.) The dismissal of Mr. Leichty and Mr. Fisher is the subject of a
lawsuit at this time. In the face of this, how can you knowingly violate
the bylaws and maintain that you are acting with the best interest of
the club?

3.) John Horner finished 3rd in the election and Dean Esmail 4th. If
anything Mr. Horner should have been appointed.

4.) What happened to the promise that you would make no attempt to
remove either Mr. Leichty or Mr. Anderson from the BOD should the
amendment to article 5.2 come to pass? You made this promise to all the
chapter representatives during the rep meeting in October 2006. We voted
based upon your promise. How can we believe what you have written in
this letter when you have so clearly gone back upon your word?

This is indeed a sorry chapter in ACNA history. If the reason behind
article 5.2 of the bylaws is to help the club grow and promote new
leadership, then perhaps we should start with the ACNA Executive
Committee that knowingly violates the bylaws and by doing so opens the
club to further liability.

If you want more information, including the lawsuit filing, click the link below. There's email lists there too, should you feel that you want your opinion known.<ul><li><a href="http://www.porridgehead.com/acna">ACNA Lawsuit information</a></li></ul>