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Well, we just returned from the Grand. For me, it was my 8th Grand; for Mark is was his 23rd. Attending the Grand every year is something that we both look forward to every year. This was the1st year that we did not come home saying that we can’t wait until next year.
For the first time ever, the shooting was not enjoyable. We understand that nothing can be done about the heat, heck every place has a heat wave now and then. We understand that sometimes you are going to have cross calls and that the banks may back up from time to time. However, we shot 1200 targets each from Sunday to Saturday, only once did we make it through an event without a trap and/or voice call breaking down and having to walk off the line and wait. That is extremely frustrating to be at the Grand American, paying top dollar to shoot for the equipment to fail on every occasion. I am hoping that this was just bad luck on our part and that this was not everyone’s experience.
BUT, that wasn’t even our biggest issue. Watching the railroad process of the ATA first hand was both embarrassing and disappointing.
Bob Glatz had made some recommendations to the EC regarding some changes that would make the ATA run more efficiently and profitably. These recommendations were made when he helped Frank Rively get up to speed on the financial situation of the ATA. Apparently, these recommendations hit a real nerve with the EC, and the railroading began.
I don’t know about everyone else, but I believe that no one is perfect and that each of us have things that we could improve on both personally and professionally. If someone comes to me and says respectfully, “Hey, here are some things that may help better yourself or your organization, and here are the supporting documents where I found this information.” I am going to at least sit down and examine their findings, not railroad them and/or put duct tape on there mouth.
So, we went to attend the annual meeting. There were questions that we deserved to have answered. We care about what happens to the ATA and are concerned by the recent events. At the time the meeting started, we were not aware that Frank had been terminated from the ATA. However, Gary Sherrod slipped a comment in, almost under his breath, that Frank had been relieved of his duties. It was said so quickly and quietly that some people in the room even missed the comment at all. We were in absolute shock! From what we see, Here is a person that is truly looking at the betterment of the ATA. He gave up a good portion of life as he knew it, (Along with Patty) because he was that passionate about the ATA. What happens, he tries to fix things or at least bring them to everyones attention and gets kicked in the teeth again and again and again.
So, during a recess, Mark went to find our delegate as members are not allowed to speak during the annual meeting. Mark asked the delegate to specifically ask the question as to why Frank was terminated and what the plans were. Mark and the delegate had a brief conversation and the delegate said, we will see. So back in the meeting we went and waited and waited. No questions were ever asked.
However, a delegate from California, I do not know his name, stood up and spoke about looking at the complaint process stating that he thought that it should be reevaluated to eliminate conflict of interests that may exist in the process. He made some valid points. The president looked at him and said something along the lines of, “What, you have been a delegate for 2 months and you already think that you know everything and can change things?” Seriously, I would have looked at him and said you have been President for 11 months and how does that make you God? Railroaded again. I took it as the EC’s way of stating to the delegates that this was not to be voted on. So, no one said another word.
So, then there was the argument about the tournament director. The EC basically said “Because we said so”. I didn’t like it when my mom said that either.
Then the meeting ended.
Mark walked up to our delegate, shook his hand, and thanked him for NOT representing the shooters he should be. The delegate then said, well, I will explain everything to you next week. Next week??? Next week, where? Basically, that says to us that the delegates were instructed that they were to not ask any questions regarding the topic. Have the delegates read the by-laws?? They are the bosses, not the EC. They vote the EC in and can reverse and question any decision that the EC makes. That is how it is supposed to work.
We am not sure what we can do. But, we will be reading, writing letters, screaming from the rooftops and taking any action that we can find to get these questions/issues resolved.
For the first time ever, the shooting was not enjoyable. We understand that nothing can be done about the heat, heck every place has a heat wave now and then. We understand that sometimes you are going to have cross calls and that the banks may back up from time to time. However, we shot 1200 targets each from Sunday to Saturday, only once did we make it through an event without a trap and/or voice call breaking down and having to walk off the line and wait. That is extremely frustrating to be at the Grand American, paying top dollar to shoot for the equipment to fail on every occasion. I am hoping that this was just bad luck on our part and that this was not everyone’s experience.
BUT, that wasn’t even our biggest issue. Watching the railroad process of the ATA first hand was both embarrassing and disappointing.
Bob Glatz had made some recommendations to the EC regarding some changes that would make the ATA run more efficiently and profitably. These recommendations were made when he helped Frank Rively get up to speed on the financial situation of the ATA. Apparently, these recommendations hit a real nerve with the EC, and the railroading began.
I don’t know about everyone else, but I believe that no one is perfect and that each of us have things that we could improve on both personally and professionally. If someone comes to me and says respectfully, “Hey, here are some things that may help better yourself or your organization, and here are the supporting documents where I found this information.” I am going to at least sit down and examine their findings, not railroad them and/or put duct tape on there mouth.
So, we went to attend the annual meeting. There were questions that we deserved to have answered. We care about what happens to the ATA and are concerned by the recent events. At the time the meeting started, we were not aware that Frank had been terminated from the ATA. However, Gary Sherrod slipped a comment in, almost under his breath, that Frank had been relieved of his duties. It was said so quickly and quietly that some people in the room even missed the comment at all. We were in absolute shock! From what we see, Here is a person that is truly looking at the betterment of the ATA. He gave up a good portion of life as he knew it, (Along with Patty) because he was that passionate about the ATA. What happens, he tries to fix things or at least bring them to everyones attention and gets kicked in the teeth again and again and again.
So, during a recess, Mark went to find our delegate as members are not allowed to speak during the annual meeting. Mark asked the delegate to specifically ask the question as to why Frank was terminated and what the plans were. Mark and the delegate had a brief conversation and the delegate said, we will see. So back in the meeting we went and waited and waited. No questions were ever asked.
However, a delegate from California, I do not know his name, stood up and spoke about looking at the complaint process stating that he thought that it should be reevaluated to eliminate conflict of interests that may exist in the process. He made some valid points. The president looked at him and said something along the lines of, “What, you have been a delegate for 2 months and you already think that you know everything and can change things?” Seriously, I would have looked at him and said you have been President for 11 months and how does that make you God? Railroaded again. I took it as the EC’s way of stating to the delegates that this was not to be voted on. So, no one said another word.
So, then there was the argument about the tournament director. The EC basically said “Because we said so”. I didn’t like it when my mom said that either.
Then the meeting ended.
Mark walked up to our delegate, shook his hand, and thanked him for NOT representing the shooters he should be. The delegate then said, well, I will explain everything to you next week. Next week??? Next week, where? Basically, that says to us that the delegates were instructed that they were to not ask any questions regarding the topic. Have the delegates read the by-laws?? They are the bosses, not the EC. They vote the EC in and can reverse and question any decision that the EC makes. That is how it is supposed to work.
We am not sure what we can do. But, we will be reading, writing letters, screaming from the rooftops and taking any action that we can find to get these questions/issues resolved.
