Future of the NCRS.......
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Future of the NCRS.......
With the announcement of the founder (member #1), and his family members leaving the NCRS, what does the future hold for the group? 
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Apr 26, 2016, 01:10 PM
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
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From: Huntsville AL
OK, I'll just throw in another 2 cents....
I have been a member of NCRS since 1985. My relationship with NCRS (and it's members / leadership) has been up and down over the years.
I have judged many years, and many categories over the years. I have also contributed to many of the updates to NCRS judging manuals, as well as helping to work on the first edition of some manuals (1973-1974, 1975-1977).
I also have the distinction (I guess you can call it that) of having been asked to quit NCRS by both the President of NCRS, and the National Judging Chairman of NCRS, within a month of each other.
There is a former NCRS official that, to this day, will not talk to me.
Some of you may recall Dale Pearman. Dale was a real character, a long time member of NCRS, and just about as irreverent as anyone could be. Dale may be best known for his discovery, and subsequent restoration of the 1962 Corvette LeMans race car. The only 1962 Corvette to have ever raced at LeMans.
The last time I was physically in the same room with Dale (just before his passing) he extracted two promises from me.
1. He made me promise not to quit NCRS. He said you cannot change an organization from the outside.
2. He also made me promise to continue to push NCRS to publish their annual financial information. This is the info they file with the IRS as a non-profit organization.
After many conversations with various officials (including the one that will not talk to me), NCRS started publishing their annual financial information. I was one of the first to applaud and congratulate the organization on taking this step.
Dale was right, you cannot change an organization from the outside. And their have been a lot of changes, many of them good positive changes, since I first joined in 1985.
NCRS is about original cars, and restoring them to original condition. The judging is strict, and it needs to be. Seriously, how many Corvettes get touted at Barrett Jackson as an NCCC or Classic Chevy Club award winner. Now, just to be clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with either of those fine organizations, and I support their efforts to promote the car hobby.
But it is "NCRS Award Winner", "NCRS Top Flight", "NCRS Duntov Award" that makes people sit up and take notice.
NCRS is not for everyone, and for a brief while I thought it was not for me anymore (I was wrong), but no one can deny the impact that NCRS has had on the Corvette restoration hobby.
But we are not done. There is still plenty of work to do to make NCRS better than it is today, financially viable, and more in tune with attracting new members. That is a big challenge, but it is not impossible. It just needs the right people, properly motivated, and with a desire to make the organization better than when they found it.
I have been a member of NCRS since 1985. My relationship with NCRS (and it's members / leadership) has been up and down over the years.
I have judged many years, and many categories over the years. I have also contributed to many of the updates to NCRS judging manuals, as well as helping to work on the first edition of some manuals (1973-1974, 1975-1977).
I also have the distinction (I guess you can call it that) of having been asked to quit NCRS by both the President of NCRS, and the National Judging Chairman of NCRS, within a month of each other.
There is a former NCRS official that, to this day, will not talk to me.
Some of you may recall Dale Pearman. Dale was a real character, a long time member of NCRS, and just about as irreverent as anyone could be. Dale may be best known for his discovery, and subsequent restoration of the 1962 Corvette LeMans race car. The only 1962 Corvette to have ever raced at LeMans.
The last time I was physically in the same room with Dale (just before his passing) he extracted two promises from me.
1. He made me promise not to quit NCRS. He said you cannot change an organization from the outside.
2. He also made me promise to continue to push NCRS to publish their annual financial information. This is the info they file with the IRS as a non-profit organization.
After many conversations with various officials (including the one that will not talk to me), NCRS started publishing their annual financial information. I was one of the first to applaud and congratulate the organization on taking this step.
Dale was right, you cannot change an organization from the outside. And their have been a lot of changes, many of them good positive changes, since I first joined in 1985.
NCRS is about original cars, and restoring them to original condition. The judging is strict, and it needs to be. Seriously, how many Corvettes get touted at Barrett Jackson as an NCCC or Classic Chevy Club award winner. Now, just to be clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with either of those fine organizations, and I support their efforts to promote the car hobby.
But it is "NCRS Award Winner", "NCRS Top Flight", "NCRS Duntov Award" that makes people sit up and take notice.
NCRS is not for everyone, and for a brief while I thought it was not for me anymore (I was wrong), but no one can deny the impact that NCRS has had on the Corvette restoration hobby.
But we are not done. There is still plenty of work to do to make NCRS better than it is today, financially viable, and more in tune with attracting new members. That is a big challenge, but it is not impossible. It just needs the right people, properly motivated, and with a desire to make the organization better than when they found it.
Team Owner
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I have been told as you get older your priorities change. those members have been doing that for over 40 years now. im sure it takes a lot to keep that ship sailing right with all the big egos involved. someone will steep up and lead for many years to come. like I said NCRS isn't going anywhere anytime soon. while solid axles and mid years were the back bone for NCRS other gens will get more light. we are already seeing that with the new C5 manual
Thread Starter
Race Director
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"Dear Members,
As previously announced in my Winter Restorer column, Gary Mortimer retired at the end of his current term, which was effective on Thursday, March 17th. Gary's retirement was a Board decision, taken as a first step in addressing NCRS's financial situation, which is discussed in my Spring Restorer column.
The Board's plan was for Eric Mortimer to take charge of operations in Cincinnati, and we had offered him increased responsibilities. Unexpectedly, late Thursday afternoon March 17th I received an email from Eric announcing that he is resigning effective March 31st.
The Board spent Thursday evening and much of Friday putting together a plan to handle the various tasks formerly handled by the Cincinnati office. This plan will take some time to implement and there will undoubtedly be some bumps in the road, but with your patience and understanding we will get through this.
Best regards,
Mike Ingham"
Last edited by Don Rickles; Mar 20, 2016 at 09:25 AM. Reason: DB
Drifting
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As long as there is a market for original Corvettes, there will always be a place for the NCRS. Just look as sales prices of NCRS Top Flight cars compared to similar cars that have not been judged. Just because the majority of participating members is over 65 doesn't mean new retirees won't take their place as the years go on. It has always been an older man's sport, few have time to restore cars while they are raising children and working long hours.
Last edited by Loren Smith; Mar 20, 2016 at 09:53 AM.
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From: Rochester NY
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Gary's retirement was a Board decision,
The Board's plan was for Eric Mortimer to take charge.... Eric announc(ed) that he is resigning effective March 31st.
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From: Greenville, Indiana
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Change is good (and necessary) for an organizations health and survival. I'm sure NCRS will do just fine.
Race Director
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From: Shamong, NJ
I haven't been to a Chapter meeting in a few years, but the local Chapter has a meeting tomorrow night, and it might be worth attending, just to hear what's going on. The former NCRS National president is a member of our local Chapter, and may have some insight into what's happening at National.
Hey War Bonnet, have you talked to John Kane about the shake up? As the Director for Region III, John must have participated in those board meetings on Thursday and Friday.
Hey War Bonnet, have you talked to John Kane about the shake up? As the Director for Region III, John must have participated in those board meetings on Thursday and Friday.
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From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
I am going to say this once.
It was publically posted that the thread yesterday would be shut down, insinuating that the discussion of this topic is somehow taboo to me or someone else. I removed that remark because it was a public comment about site moderation and contained vague, untrue reasoning for it. As does this post.
It was pointed out in a complaint yesterday about the thread that the OPs name seemed fake and the vague opening post seemed designed to again stir the pot here. I agreed with that member and closed it. Every time I make a decision to close or not close it makes someone happy and someone not. I apologize to other members if they felt this decision supressed discussion. That was not the intent.
As I explained yesterday, I have zero interest in this discussion, although I'll admit the constant drone of NCRS bash/NCRS defending is tedious.
However, any time I have shut down these threads, it has been because the discussion had either deteriorated to pointless back and forth and/or featured exchanges of personal hostility that would have closed any thread on this forum.
Please feel free to discuss this topic without fear of the thread(s) being closed as long as the disrespect and hostility stays out of them, as well as commentary about moderating those threads. These parameters are asked of members in any thread in any section.
If you have additional questions or concerns, please address them by PM.
It was publically posted that the thread yesterday would be shut down, insinuating that the discussion of this topic is somehow taboo to me or someone else. I removed that remark because it was a public comment about site moderation and contained vague, untrue reasoning for it. As does this post.
It was pointed out in a complaint yesterday about the thread that the OPs name seemed fake and the vague opening post seemed designed to again stir the pot here. I agreed with that member and closed it. Every time I make a decision to close or not close it makes someone happy and someone not. I apologize to other members if they felt this decision supressed discussion. That was not the intent.
As I explained yesterday, I have zero interest in this discussion, although I'll admit the constant drone of NCRS bash/NCRS defending is tedious.
However, any time I have shut down these threads, it has been because the discussion had either deteriorated to pointless back and forth and/or featured exchanges of personal hostility that would have closed any thread on this forum.
Please feel free to discuss this topic without fear of the thread(s) being closed as long as the disrespect and hostility stays out of them, as well as commentary about moderating those threads. These parameters are asked of members in any thread in any section.
If you have additional questions or concerns, please address them by PM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
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2017 C3 of Year
Always very kind to me!If our discussion remains civil, there's no reason to remove it....
I haven't been to a Chapter meeting in a few years, but the local Chapter has a meeting tomorrow night, and it might be worth attending, just to hear what's going on. The former NCRS National president is a member of our local Chapter, and may have some insight into what's happening at National.
Hey War Bonnet, have you talked to John Kane about the shake up? As the Director for Region III, John must have participated in those board meetings on Thursday and Friday.
Hey War Bonnet, have you talked to John Kane about the shake up? As the Director for Region III, John must have participated in those board meetings on Thursday and Friday.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 10,189
Likes: 206
2018 Corvette of Year Finalist
2017 C3 of Year
I am going to say this once.
It was publically posted that the thread yesterday would be shut down, insinuating that the discussion of this topic is somehow taboo to me or someone else. I removed that remark because it was a public comment about site moderation and contained vague, untrue reasoning for it. As does this post.
It was pointed out in a complaint yesterday about the thread that the OPs name seemed fake and the vague opening post seemed designed to again stir the pot here. I agreed with that member and closed it. Every time I make a decision to close or not close it makes someone happy and someone not. I apologize to other members if they felt this decision supressed discussion. That was not the intent.
As I explained yesterday, I have zero interest in this discussion, although I'll admit the constant drone of NCRS bash/NCRS defending is tedious.
However, any time I have shut down these threads, it has been because the discussion had either deteriorated to pointless back and forth and/or featured exchanges of personal hostility that would have closed any thread on this forum.
Please feel free to discuss this topic without fear of the thread(s) being closed as long as the disrespect and hostility stays out of them, as well as commentary about moderating those threads. These parameters are asked of members in any thread in any section.
If you have additional questions or concerns, please address them by PM.
It was publically posted that the thread yesterday would be shut down, insinuating that the discussion of this topic is somehow taboo to me or someone else. I removed that remark because it was a public comment about site moderation and contained vague, untrue reasoning for it. As does this post.
It was pointed out in a complaint yesterday about the thread that the OPs name seemed fake and the vague opening post seemed designed to again stir the pot here. I agreed with that member and closed it. Every time I make a decision to close or not close it makes someone happy and someone not. I apologize to other members if they felt this decision supressed discussion. That was not the intent.
As I explained yesterday, I have zero interest in this discussion, although I'll admit the constant drone of NCRS bash/NCRS defending is tedious.
However, any time I have shut down these threads, it has been because the discussion had either deteriorated to pointless back and forth and/or featured exchanges of personal hostility that would have closed any thread on this forum.
Please feel free to discuss this topic without fear of the thread(s) being closed as long as the disrespect and hostility stays out of them, as well as commentary about moderating those threads. These parameters are asked of members in any thread in any section.
If you have additional questions or concerns, please address them by PM.
Thank you for those words!
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
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Army
As long as there is a market for original Corvettes, there will always be a place for the NCRS. Just look as sales prices of NCRS Top Flight cars compared to similar cars that have not been judged. Just because the majority of participating members is over 65 doesn't mean new retirees won't take their place as the years go on. It has always been an older man's sport, few have time to restore cars while they are raising children and working long hours.
Older man's sport is right and we'll have to see if some cadre of 65 year olds is waiting in the wings to step in. I turn 65 in two months and have been shedding professional and volunteer duties rapidly to spend more time with family, etc..
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 10,189
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2018 Corvette of Year Finalist
2017 C3 of Year
Sales prices of TF Corvettes doesn't address the 'financial situation' of the NCRS. Unrelated.
Older man's sport is right and we'll have to see if some cadre of 65 year olds is waiting in the wings to step in. I turn 65 in two months and have been shedding professional and volunteer duties rapidly to spend more time with family, etc..
Older man's sport is right and we'll have to see if some cadre of 65 year olds is waiting in the wings to step in. I turn 65 in two months and have been shedding professional and volunteer duties rapidly to spend more time with family, etc..
Last edited by Don Rickles; Mar 20, 2016 at 03:22 PM.