[Old Man Taylor]

I am not an outsider, having more than 25 years with the club. No offense to Tim Dye, but I am also very disappointed in both the change, and how it was handled. I know there was a lot of controversy in the 2009 election as well, but I have no knowledge of the 2012 process. If the information (change) can't be packaged well and disseminated to the club members, then it smells of politics, whether true or not. I felt the same way during the GMC fiasco years ago. At that time I sent letters to all of the key people administering the POCI, but it fell on deaf ears. I think we all get tired of "fighting the system".

[keith k]

I pretty much belong to the club just to receive the Smoke Signals magazine, and probably in a lesser sense to feel like I'm supporting the continuation of the Pontiac hobby in some small way. But mostly for the magazine.

I was happy with the improvements Don had made. I'll see where it goes with the new editor, and decide whether I want to continue "subscribing".

I don't feel I needed a vote, but do think it would have been nice, since this IS a "club", for the club leadership to have sent an email to members providing as much background and information as was possible and appropriate - before they start reading about it elsewhere. This is PR 101.

[einstein]

Ex member (1981) and 11 year technical advisor (1985-1996), attendee at conventions in Buffalo, Gaithersburg, Irvine, Dayton, Cleveland, Greensboro, Charleston WV and Overland Park KS. Probably forgot a couple. I was well known to some of the "name" guys. Was called to judge platinum at one convention, on a moment's notice. Missed the whole show to do that.

Helped start an independent club in Orlando around 92/3 when the "chiefs" in SW FL would not grant a charter. Got tired of the battling, it killed the fun.

As it stands now, between this forum and events like the TriPower Nats, as compred to the country club clique culture of dinosaurs I've personally witnessed in POCI, why does this club need to continue to exist?

[sdbob]

Thanks for the explanation, Merle. Don is setting the bar higher hope we get a good mag. I also hope for Don to stay around with his stories.

[72projectbird]

I really don't have a dog in this fight....But I'll tell you what, as a young guy who is looking for a club to join I can tell you it wont be POCI

[mrrat1]

POCI was going to hell....the Smokes became a joke. Don brought the "newsletter" back from the ashes!
I give thanks to Don for the revival.........I feel he should have had the upper hand for the contract!
Tim must of had one hell of a presentation to scoop the position. Well the pressure is on him now. I hope he does well.......it's his ship to steer for better or worse.

Good luck to Tim.........

[gtoric]

Originally Posted by 62cat

I honestly believe that most of the Board of directors are on it just so they can go to the convention for free and not for the best interest of the club.

Have you, or anyone you know personally, ever served as a national officer of any organization? I have, and I can assure you that attending a national convention in the capacity of officer or board member is no vacation, gratis or otherwise. From check-in to the final minute of the awards event, every member of the national governing body in attendance is in the cross hairs, so to speak. From day-long board meetings to putting out flash fire problems behind the scenes, a national convention is very busy and stressful for anyone in a leadership role.

While there are indeed varying degrees of commitment and intelligence identified with each national board member, their interest in the club's success should not be brought into question. If any member of the POCI has a problem with the way the organization is run, contact your own board of directors representative with those concerns. Anyone who does not voice his concerns deserves a club that not only doesn't respond to problems, they will end up with a club that can't respond to problems.

Originally Posted by 62cat

My wife supports our hobby and goes to many shows. POCI convention is her least favorite. My 24 year old sons least favorite show. And that's who they should be trying to bring in.

Exactly what are your wife and son's complaints with the POCI convention? Attending conventions of any organization is not everyone's cup of tea. A multi-day national convention is completely different from a local 6-hour show. How can the two possibly be compared?

Most people attend a show for one purpose, to participate in that show. Anyone attending a national convention does so to participate in a complex, multi-event extravaganza custom tailored for owners of a particular make or model automobile. They are very different types of gatherings.

[70oldgoat]

Originally Posted by gtoric

Have you, or anyone you know personally, ever served as a national officer of any organization? I have, and I can assure you that attending a national convention in the capacity of officer or board member is no vacation, gratis or otherwise. From check-in to the final minute of the awards event, every member of the national governing body in attendance is in the cross hairs, so to speak. From day-long board meetings to putting out flash fire problems behind the scenes, a national convention is very busy and stressful for anyone in a leadership role.

While there are indeed varying degrees of commitment and intelligence identified with each national board member, their interest in the club's success should not be brought into question. If any member of the POCI has a problem with the way the organization is run, contact your own board of directors representative with those concerns. Anyone who does not voice his concerns deserves a club that not only doesn't respond to problems, they will end up with a club that can't respond to problems.



Exactly what are your wife and son's complaints with the POCI convention? Attending conventions of any organization is not everyone's cup of tea. A multi-day national convention is completely different from a local 6-hour show. How can the two possibly be compared?

Most people attend a show for one purpose, to participate in that show. Anyone attending a national convention does so to participate in a complex, multi-event extravaganza custom tailored for owners of a particular make or model automobile. They are very different types of gatherings.

I do not know anyone associated with the administration and/or management of the POCI. I am a newcomer to POCI (and GTOAA) as a dues paying member only.

But, in my other life I was involved in many types of multi day "conventions" and events. I can tell you from experience...

...X2 what gtoric says in above quote.

Being involved in organizing and running one of these events is no easy chore. Many long hours for all concerned.

For their part, the leadership should have an easy and effective means of collecting post event feedback. The feedback system should be effortless for participates and leadership might then consider publishing the legitimate concerns along with any solutions they have in mind. This way those who have comments and concerns will know they are being heard.

[beemergary]

Just maybe Don will come up with a new Pontiac Performance Magazine in his spare time now.

[twooldgoats]

Originally Posted by Deadhead

....... You don't need a convention or a Smoke Signals when you have Norwalk and PY. ......

When all the dust settles, this is the bottom line. The times they are a'changing.

Jim

[Jerry H.]

Originally Posted by beemergary

Just maybe Don will come up with a new Pontiac Performance Magazine in his spare time now.

Agreed. He should have a captive audience.

[Alvin]

Rec'd this email renewal notice, and again, nary a peep from POCI regarding the OP topic here. Why?



When viewing this portion of the POCI renewal tease message above immediately note all of Don's work, influence and touches.

But still not a simple email from POCI regarding the Smokes change, why?

[1973ramairman]

WOW I WOULD HAVE NEVER SUBSCRIBED TO SMOKE SIGNALS IF IT WHERE NOT FOR DON KEEFE. I read is articles in HPP and thought what a job to have , knowing all these cool thing's about Pontiac's. I don't know who was responsible for the " IN MY WORDS" column in HPP but in tried and sent in info about my car. Luck would have it that the 50th anniversary of the GTO was happening and the editor's and writer's where looking for a 73 GTO . RIGHT PLACE RIGHT TIME . CHRIS PHILIPS contacted me and set me up to see DON KEEFE , I was so impressed with him his kindness, knowledge and respect about my car and the things that I did , he new right away . He explained about the FORMULA X CAR ,I had never seen or heard of it at that time , but DON told me about it and how close mine looked. I was very happy to hear about this I thought this guy knows his stuff . We my wife and I had a great time together with DON and his wife very nice and friendly people. Don asked me just before we where leaving if I was part of POCI and read any SMOKE SIGNALS publication's . NO I had not and he told me about the club and the magazine. AGAIN I was very impressed with him and his attitude and love for the club , he wanted to expand it he explained his reason's ( we need new people from where ever and need new'er Pontiac owner's as well ) . I think he is right , not all people love the old pontiac's , nor do I, I got attached to the mid 70's and 80's cars not the best in the company's history, but it's what I as a teenager at that time liked. MY bedroom wall was covered in 73 to 80's Pontiac's, I liked the past but early pontiac's 20's to 50's I had no interest. Even the 60'S only some I liked , so I would assume that it was still the same for younger people in the late 80's to 2010. PONTIAC'S ARE PONTIAC'S JUST BECAUSE .SOME PEOPLE THINK NO PONTIAC'S WHERE BUILT AFTER GM decided to build a company wide engine and not the Pontiac blue it's crazy. The club needs new blood and that's what DON WAS PUSHING FOR . But I think POCI IS STILL FULL OF THE OLD BOY'S PONTIAC CLUB. I hope I'm wrong but we will see . I am committed to POCI FOR 1 YR because of DON. AS FOR DON I WISH HIM THE BEST and if he does start something else, I will as one follow.

[trishieldchief]

With Don not steering this mag anymore, I am out and am not renewing.

[gtohurstjudge]

The previous two posts eloquently express why the timing of this unnecessary
move by the POCI board of directors is a disaster. It explains the coming s**tstorm
precisely. Congratulations POCI Board of Directors! Don got the membership in POCI close
to 10,000 members. It will be very telling to see what the numbers look like next winter.
If they fall to 8500 again...... I think they are going to have some serious explaining to do.
I remember thinking to myself when Don's editorial announced all the new members in the club,
I wonder what bonehead move POCI will make to crush this wave of enthusiasm? It sounded
to good to be true, and unfortunately, it was. Just when Don was comparing himself to George
Peppard's charcter on the A-team, with the plan coming together, little did
Don know that the POCI board was putting together measurements for his cement overcoat.
One more point.......I think Don is taking this kick in the teeth much better than most people
would under these circumstances.....Kudos to Don for taking the high road.

[57Chieftain]

Originally Posted by trishieldchief

With Don not steering this mag anymore, I am out and am not renewing.

Ditto.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[Stuart]

Seems to me a lot of people are quickly jumping to conclusions here...I'm sorry to see they didn't award the contract to Don, but it was a competitive bid and only one party can win - in business, this sort of thing happens every day. Without knowing the specifics of each bid, or how the different portions of each bids were weighed when the board made their decision, it's impossible to say why they chose Tim's bid over Don's. I say give Tim a chance to prove himself, before simply throwing up your hands and quitting.

[Alvin]

Post #98 here on PY as this reply is written...and still not a single peep direct from POCI on "the change of direction", but several rec'd reminding to send $$$ to renew.

[Don Keefe]

Originally Posted by gtohurstjudge

The previous two posts eloquently express why the timing of this unnecessary
move by the POCI board of directors is a disaster. It explains the coming s**tstorm
precisely. Congratulations POCI Board of Directors! Don got the membership in POCI close
to 10,000 members. It will be very telling to see what the numbers look like next winter.
If they fall to 8500 again...... I think they are going to have some serious explaining to do.
I remember thinking to myself when Don's editorial announced all the new members in the club,
I wonder what bonehead move POCI will make to crush this wave of enthusiasm? It sounded
to good to be true, and unfortunately, it was. Just when Don was comparing himself to George
Peppard's charcter on the A-team, with the plan coming together, little did
Don know that the POCI board was putting together measurements for his cement overcoat.
One more point.......I think Don is taking this kick in the teeth much better than most people
would under these circumstances.....Kudos to Don for taking the high road.

Thank you- the kind words are appreciated. I have no plans to do anything other than remain grateful for the support that I have received from the Pontiac community. You have all been wonderful and I am very lucky to have so many people in my corner.

[Steve Barcak]

Originally Posted by Stuart

Seems to me a lot of people are quickly jumping to conclusions here...I'm sorry to see they didn't award the contract to Don, but it was a competitive bid and only one party can win - in business, this sort of thing happens every day. Without knowing the specifics of each bid, or how the different portions of each bids were weighed when the board made their decision, it's impossible to say why they chose Tim's bid over Don's. I say give Tim a chance to prove himself, before simply throwing up your hands and quitting.

Have been in and recommended POCI since 1979. I could not agree more with this post from Stuart.
I will wait to see what the new Editor does before I condemn or compliment the worlds largest Pontiac club's leaders for their decision.
POCI needs our support. If we have issues with the club ( we probably all do to some degree ), than take it up with the leadership.
Don was not POCI, he held a position in the club. The club existed prior to him and will last beyond him or anyone for that matter.