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The 2015 Board of Directors - Candidate Statements

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Neile Weissman - Candidate for President of the NYCC

Support the Board

We accomplished a lot this year.

All programs and events, including refreshed versions of West Point, Ice Cream Social and All-Class and co-sponsored events like Garmin 510/810 training and Town Hall w/Polly Trottenberg and we got a wonderful new venue for monthly meetings!

Escape New York raised $25K for communities in which we live and ride.

A comprehensive update of Club by-laws has been submitted to Membership for approval. New budget protocols and line item discipline have significantly raised cash reserves without impairing programming. Together, they comprise a foundation of governance and fiscal stability.

Advocacy

NYCC continues to call for wider paths on the George Washington Bridge. We're collaborating with Bronx groups on Putnam Trail and Henry Hudson Bridge and organizing race and tri-clubs to sign onto the Central Park Protocol.

More, Better Rides

Benefitting from past efforts, rides facilitated by trains doubled from 2013.

2015

Board - Expand the use of committees to expand opportunities to volunteer, spread workload and extend institutional memory.

Advocacy - Continue advocacies-in-progress plus new ones critical to the Club's ability to provide activities for Membership.

Rides - Promote off-road, multi-day and co-listed rides. Review safety protocols. Strengthen the SIGs.

Thank you.

Brian Van Nieuwenhoven - Candidate for President of the NYCC

I believe a bright future for NYCC lies in an immediate commitment to volunteer service and organizational excellence.

As president, I'll empower club members to achieve greater successes with creative thinking. I'll inspire casual club members to find a place beyond permanent guest roles, by offering learning opportunities and organizational structure to build up our reserves of management volunteers. I'll spread the word that we all share the privilege of maintaining a deeply-loved institution now entering its 80th year.

I present as my qualifications: years of nonprofit and community leadership... a certification as a Certified Associate in Project Management from PMI... a professional background in technical and organizational competence... and two years of advocacy service for Transportation Alternatives.

Within NYCC, I possess broad knowledge covering different functional areas of the club. I served the full year as B-Rides Coordinator, produced the 2014 B-STS & Newcomers Ride, and served as the acting Content Editor of the club, in addition to leading dozens of challenging and rewarding rides a year. I’m closely familiar with NYCC’s advocacy progress and I aim to expand it.

I humbly request your vote so that we can focus on the above goals for 2015.

Jerry Ross - Candidate for VP - Rides of the NYCC

Dear Fellow NYCC members:

I am Jerry Ross.

I am deeply honored to have been asked to stand for election as Vice President – Rides.

I joined NYCC in 1992, did the B-SIG in 2006, and began riding intensively in 2010. For two years I have been one of the B-SIG leaders and I have led more than 100 rides over the years, a few in my early years and many more over the last four years. I am also proud to have played a part in encouraging others, particularly recent SIG participants to lead rides.

Our club does many things, but first and foremost are our rides. I think one of the most important things a VP-Rides can do is to encourage new people to lead rides; the more the better. The A, B & C ride coordinators and the individual ride leaders do the heavy lifting in this regard, and I see the VP position as coordinating their efforts, occasionally mediating issues like too many rides on the same rail route etc., although I expect that latter to be a very occasional and rare problem.

I also intend to encourage people to sometimes move out of their comfort zone: A C-rider doing a B-ride, a strong B rider checking out the A-SIG or even one of the racing clubs’ clinics. B groups should occasionally try pace-lining, when conditions warrant. It’s also important to encourage cross-over in the other direction. For example, some of my best memories of C rides were those led by an A rider; it’s a great way to motivate people to ride more.

Our club has grown over the 20+ years I have been a member because of the ride leaders and the rides they lead. I intend to do all I can to encourage that process.

Thank you for nominating me and I hope you vote for me.

Katharine Green - Candidate for Public Relations Director of the NYCC

I, Katharine Green, am very honored to be nominated for Public Relations Director of the New York Cycling Club. Cycling to me is as empowering as it is meditative. In my free time cycling is my preferred activity. It pushes me to challenge myself physically & mentally. When I’m on my bike nothing else matters, the mundane stresses of life simply melt away. The second I clip in I feel a rush of excitement, proclaiming out loud– Yahooooooo! Every ride is an adventure and the adventures are endless.

For the past 78 years, the NYCC has pushed me and thousands of others to become safer cyclist with its all-volunteer origination. It offers endless amounts of rides, weekend trips, a nationally recognized SIG training program & educational events for any level of cyclist. I have met so many smart, funny & interesting people the past year and a half I have been actively involved. I am thankful for all the efforts of past members who built such a strong organization and it’s refreshing to meet so many like-minded New Yorkers.

Public opinion matters and recently cyclists have received a lot of negative press. The public needs to be reminded that safety and the safe teaching of cycling is an integral part of the NYCC. I know I can represent our organization to win and maintain public support of the NYCC and cyclist in general. I am familiar with the club structuring & mission - graduating from the B-Sig this spring - to lead club rides & volunteer at Escape New York. My biggest strength is my ability to stay positive in any situation. I feel it is important to maintain a positive, educational & safe environment within the club, and with my well spring of energy and enthusiasm I look forward to representing NYCC as Public Relations Director. I look forward to working with the Board of Directs to maintain our group internally while developing and distributing materials to the public to keep NYCC relevant in today’s challenging environment of safe bicycling as a means of recreation, companionship, fitness, and transportation. I pledge to volunteer my time as Public Relations Director to the NYCC and I look forward to helping ensure its legacy for the next 78 years.

Thank you and I look forward to seeing you out on the road!

Katharine

Yvette Kosic - Candidate for Special Events Coordinator of the NYCC

My name is Yvette Kosic. I've been an NYCC member since 2011. I'm a born and raised NY'er. Born in New York City, raised in Brooklyn and currently living in Staten Island. I've always loved biking and some of my fondest memories of growing up in Brooklyn are of biking up Ocean Parkway (with the exception of the frequent stops due to turning cars. Those were just a pain in the ass, even back then). So fast forward a few years.... No, add some more years. Okay, fast forward A LOT of years, and my first real biking ride was with TNT's Tri-Coast Century Ride. I realized then that I wanted a different experience from the biking rides I was doing previously. The problem was finding others that loved it as much as I did, could ride on my schedule and most importantly knew the routes (I'm a horrible navigator). That's when one of my TNT mates told me about NYCC. I signed up, did the SIG and was hooked. I remember meeting Ellen Jaffe at the SIG graduation dinner and telling her what an amazing club it was. How impressed I was with its organization and how I couldn't believe this was all done by volunteers. I knew I wanted to get more involved. And through the years, that has only grown. I want to give back to this club as a way to show my appreciation for what it has given me. And what it has given me is: Skills - to ride better and safer than I had ever rode before; Routes - to places I would never have found, but for those rides. Those rides that were too long, too short, too hilly, too flat, but always beautiful and amazing - and I wouldn't have it any other way. And most importantly, Company - a group of people who just want to ride, and are willing to get up at a forsaken hour, to go to crazy far places, in weather that at times is way too cold, or way too hot, so they can just ride - you know crazy people - so I never have to ride alone. So that is why I want to volunteer for the special events coordinator, because it is my way of giving back. To ensure that others get to have as an amazing experience as I have had. Oh, I’m also fairly certain I have some useful skills that will help in the successful execution of the required job responsibilities.

So to sum up -

I love New York and I love biking and I love NYCC !! nef said!! Now get outta here!!

Sam Lunetta - Candidate for Director of Escape New York of the NYCC

Greeting fellow Club members. I have been a member since 2012 and an Active Rider since 2013. I most recently did the B-SIG this past spring. I am honored to have been nominated for the position of Director of ENY for 2015. It is a great ride and contributes to a number of great causes. I have participated in the ride the last two years, first as a participant and this past year as a Marshall on the 100 mile Route.What do I bring to the table? I have been involved in the Live Event Industry for 30+ Years. I currently work at Michael Andrews as an Account Manager. In my current position I work with a diverse client base producing: Galas, Corporate Meetings, Product Launches, Concerts, Experiential Marketing Events and any other type of event our clients may ask for us to assist them with. I have experience working with the NYC Mayor’s Office, NYC Parks Department and NYPD for Events in and around Manhattan. One time I even got a Street Activities Permit in Less than 12 hrs. the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Events are what I do.

What are my Goals:

1) ENY is a great ride and we should build on the success of the past.

2) Increase Sponsorship.

3) It is our Largest Public Event

a. Great Opportunity for PR

b. Great Opportunity to drive Membership

c. Great Opportunity to involve our Friends and Families.

I look forward to working with many club members and the 2015 Board to produce another successful Escape NY Ride.

Kitty Dare - Candidate for A-Rides Coordinator of the NYCC

Having graduated from the A-SIG and A-Classic I’d love to serve as a board member.

While I’m an art historian at heart, my day job revolves around helping companies sort through governance issues. While that may sound like a snooze, I find it fascinating! The word "governance" derives from a Greek word that means "to steer" and was used first in the metaphorical sense by Plato. So a key theme is trying to figure out how to steer society toward a better future.

Since my day job involves mostly working on problems like this, cycling is my much beloved physical outlet and I would love to help NYCC in any way I can!

I have previous board experience having served as Vice President of INFORUM at the Commonwealth Club (if you listen to NPR, you’re often listening to INFORUM programs).

Thanks for your vote!

Kitty

(Note: this list will be updated as additional statements are provided.)

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