Slate of Candidates - SER Board of Directors
Nominating Committee Chair Bob Beaty, JR, MMR, is pleased to announce the slate of candidates for the 2016 SER Board of Directors elections.
Beginning in 2016, you can vote electronically or by paper ballot, included in the Spring SouthErneR and available for download online. Electronic Voting opens the week of April 18, the same time the Spring SouthErneR is sent to all members of the SER.
Voting process additional information.
PRESIDENT
Alan Mole
NMRA # 137805
Mayda and I moved to Duluth, Georgia in November 2003 after over 28 years living and working in the Washington D.C. area. I retired from the World Bank in 1998 and am now an Associate Broker with Virtual Properties Realty.
My love of trains comes from my childhood in England as I watched steam trains on the main line (LNER) from London to Scotland. Since living in GA, I built the Mole Valley Railway in our backyard until September 2012 when it was taken down. Since then, and after selling off the G scale trains, I have moved indoors and am building an On30 layout in the basement.
I have served on the SER Board for 5½ years as Treasurer and Vice-President. I am putting myself forward as a candidate for President as I believe I can continue to organize and support its activities throughout the Region. As with the Piedmont Division, I would like to specially focus on member retention and in particular to those members in smaller divisions that have limited participation, as well as reviving interest in those who have dropped off the map in larger divisions. In addition I would like the SER to provide greater support, financial or otherwise, to divisional activities to attract new members to the hobby and ultimately to the NMRA.
As an at-large Director in the Piedmont Division BOD, I have served in numerous capacities as volunteer on the Train Show and Pilgrimage as well as providing financial support and advice to the Director of Finance for the past two years.
Alan Mole
VICE PRESIDENT
Buddy Black
NMRA # 138425
I am currently serving the SER as Director and Assistant Region Education Chair. I completed a two-year term as Gulf Division Superintendent in June. I received the 2012 SER President’s Award for outstanding service to the region. I have completed four AP certificates and am actively working on two more.
In civilian life, I am the CEO of an international aerospace company that I founded over seventeen years ago after completing eight years’ service as an Air Force flight-test engineering officer.
I am active in the NMRA at all levels. I have attended four of the last five NMRA national conventions and all but one of the SER Conventions and Board meetings for the past five years. I am an active member of the OpSIG.
One of the primary tasks of the region VP is coordinating meetings and conventions. I believe my skills as a manager, my experience attending both national and region conventions and my experience on the Board make me an ideal candidate for Region Vice President. I would very much appreciate your vote.
VICE PRESIDENT
Tom Cusker
NMRA # L05959
To the members of the SER. My name is Tom Cusker and I would like to be your next Vice President. I am a Life member of the NMRA and I have been involved in SER and Steel City Division activities for over 15 years.
At the regional level I served as the SER Convention Coordinator for 6 years. I served as an SER board member for three years and as the SER Secretary for two years. At the Division level I served as secretary of the Steel City Division for four years and as superintendent for four years. I was co-chairman of the Birmingham 2004 SER Convention, chairman of the Birmingham 2010 SER Convention and currently a member of the Birmingham 2017 SER Convention committee.
After working with so many of you in my various positions I have a good sense of what the members want from the NMRA and the SER.
The SER is one of the best Regions in the country. During my previous time involved on the SER board and working with President’s Beaty and Gelmini we made the SER one of the best regions in the NMRA. We went from a region that had a treasury that barely covered our expenses to one that has a surplus, the best Regional publication, the SouthErneR, a very active achievement program and a region that did not know where the SER convention would be from one year to the next to having our conventions scheduled out several years in advance.
I took a few years off from the SER board while I completed the work part of my life and finally retired in 2014. I now feel I have more time to devote to the SER and that is why I am running for the office of vice president.
I am asking for your support and your vote as Vice President to make things continue to happen in the SER.
Sincerely,
Tom Cusker
SECRETARY
George R Gilbert, MMR
NMRA # 073752
I am a candidate for the position of SER Secretary.
I have been a Southern model railroader for over 40 years and have been active in SER and NMRA activities for 20 years. In those years I have built a bunch of models, some even good. I have been privileged to win awards for some of those models. And I have had the opportunity to share some of my modeling interests in the pages of Railroad Model Craftsman and Light Iron Digest. My personal modeling interests are in late 19th and early 20th Century shortlines. My appreciation of what other modelers have done includes the entire range of this very engaging hobby.
It has been my privilege to serve as SER Director, AP Chairman, and SER Secretary in the past; I am asking for an opportunity to do so again. For many years I have served the Cumberland Division as their AP chairman. I am also a Board member and membership chairman of the Tennessee Central Railway Museum. I am involved in all these things because I have so much fun with Model Railroading. And I believe that we, who want to continue to enjoy this wonderful hobby, must do what we can to help nurture and grow the small world of model railroading. It is in our own interests that this continues to be a viable market, attracting the industry that supports us. We help when our clubs and organizations show the fun we are having and attract new people to our fun.
TREASURER
Sally Bando
NMRA # 146780
I am currently serving as your SER Treasurer. I am running for a second term.
My accomplishments since last election:
NMRA # 137805
Mayda and I moved to Duluth, Georgia in November 2003 after over 28 years living and working in the Washington D.C. area. I retired from the World Bank in 1998 and am now an Associate Broker with Virtual Properties Realty.My love of trains comes from my childhood in England as I watched steam trains on the main line (LNER) from London to Scotland. Since living in GA, I built the Mole Valley Railway in our backyard until September 2012 when it was taken down. Since then, and after selling off the G scale trains, I have moved indoors and am building an On30 layout in the basement.
I have served on the SER Board for 5½ years as Treasurer and Vice-President. I am putting myself forward as a candidate for President as I believe I can continue to organize and support its activities throughout the Region. As with the Piedmont Division, I would like to specially focus on member retention and in particular to those members in smaller divisions that have limited participation, as well as reviving interest in those who have dropped off the map in larger divisions. In addition I would like the SER to provide greater support, financial or otherwise, to divisional activities to attract new members to the hobby and ultimately to the NMRA.
As an at-large Director in the Piedmont Division BOD, I have served in numerous capacities as volunteer on the Train Show and Pilgrimage as well as providing financial support and advice to the Director of Finance for the past two years.
Alan Mole
VICE PRESIDENT
Buddy Black
NMRA # 138425
I am currently serving the SER as Director and Assistant Region Education Chair. I completed a two-year term as Gulf Division Superintendent in June. I received the 2012 SER President’s Award for outstanding service to the region. I have completed four AP certificates and am actively working on two more.
In civilian life, I am the CEO of an international aerospace company that I founded over seventeen years ago after completing eight years’ service as an Air Force flight-test engineering officer.
I am active in the NMRA at all levels. I have attended four of the last five NMRA national conventions and all but one of the SER Conventions and Board meetings for the past five years. I am an active member of the OpSIG.
One of the primary tasks of the region VP is coordinating meetings and conventions. I believe my skills as a manager, my experience attending both national and region conventions and my experience on the Board make me an ideal candidate for Region Vice President. I would very much appreciate your vote.
VICE PRESIDENT
Tom Cusker
NMRA # L05959
To the members of the SER. My name is Tom Cusker and I would like to be your next Vice President. I am a Life member of the NMRA and I have been involved in SER and Steel City Division activities for over 15 years.At the regional level I served as the SER Convention Coordinator for 6 years. I served as an SER board member for three years and as the SER Secretary for two years. At the Division level I served as secretary of the Steel City Division for four years and as superintendent for four years. I was co-chairman of the Birmingham 2004 SER Convention, chairman of the Birmingham 2010 SER Convention and currently a member of the Birmingham 2017 SER Convention committee.
After working with so many of you in my various positions I have a good sense of what the members want from the NMRA and the SER.
The SER is one of the best Regions in the country. During my previous time involved on the SER board and working with President’s Beaty and Gelmini we made the SER one of the best regions in the NMRA. We went from a region that had a treasury that barely covered our expenses to one that has a surplus, the best Regional publication, the SouthErneR, a very active achievement program and a region that did not know where the SER convention would be from one year to the next to having our conventions scheduled out several years in advance.
I took a few years off from the SER board while I completed the work part of my life and finally retired in 2014. I now feel I have more time to devote to the SER and that is why I am running for the office of vice president.
I am asking for your support and your vote as Vice President to make things continue to happen in the SER.
Sincerely,
Tom Cusker
SECRETARY
George R Gilbert, MMR
NMRA # 073752
I am a candidate for the position of SER Secretary. I have been a Southern model railroader for over 40 years and have been active in SER and NMRA activities for 20 years. In those years I have built a bunch of models, some even good. I have been privileged to win awards for some of those models. And I have had the opportunity to share some of my modeling interests in the pages of Railroad Model Craftsman and Light Iron Digest. My personal modeling interests are in late 19th and early 20th Century shortlines. My appreciation of what other modelers have done includes the entire range of this very engaging hobby.
It has been my privilege to serve as SER Director, AP Chairman, and SER Secretary in the past; I am asking for an opportunity to do so again. For many years I have served the Cumberland Division as their AP chairman. I am also a Board member and membership chairman of the Tennessee Central Railway Museum. I am involved in all these things because I have so much fun with Model Railroading. And I believe that we, who want to continue to enjoy this wonderful hobby, must do what we can to help nurture and grow the small world of model railroading. It is in our own interests that this continues to be a viable market, attracting the industry that supports us. We help when our clubs and organizations show the fun we are having and attract new people to our fun.
TREASURER
Sally Bando
NMRA # 146780
I am currently serving as your SER Treasurer. I am running for a second term.My accomplishments since last election:
- Set up a New Screen Printed clothing line for the SER
- Set up a New Embroidered clothing line for the SER
- Received the AP for Volunteer from Piedmont Division
- Doubled the pike ads in the SouthErneR
- Selling SER patches and DVD’s at events
I am enjoying the fellowship of being an SER officer. Have met many new people and have traveled around our Region.
DIRECTOR
Lawrence Burkholder
NMRA # 089846
Married (Marge), two daughters, and six grandchildren.
Loudon (Tellico Village), TN
Involved in model railroading since high school, but only seriously since I finally moved into a house with room for a layout and I retired and stopped almost continuous business travel in 1998. Have been Superintendent of the Smoky Mountain Division (Div. 12) for about ten years. New by-laws with term limits now in effect so I am starting my last year as Div. 12 Superintendent. Chairman of the 2012 SER annual convention in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Also currently President of the Knoxville Area Model Railroaders club. Working on the NMRA Achievement Program, with four certificates so far.
Former President of the Children's Museum of Oak Ridge Board of Directors. Was VP and General Manager of Pfizer's Oil Field Products Group in Houston for ten years prior to retirement from there in 1996. After that I spent two years in China starting up a pilot plant and sales office for Coultor, a Finnish specialty food additives company.
I believe my model railroad level of interest and experiences combined with my general managerial experience provide the necessary background to perform well as an SER Director.
DIRECTOR
Howard Garner, MMR
NMRA # L01425 00
I respectfully request your support as a Director of the SouthEasteRn Region of the NMRA.
I have been a NMRA member since 1965 and later became a life member. I have attended regional conventions from the west coast to the British Isles. I have also attended many national conventions starting in 1975.
I have presented clinics at many regional conventions (including other regions) and a couple national conventions. In addition I have judged models at the regional and national level. I have been superintendent of the Atlantic Division and the Palmetto Division over the years. At the regional level I have held the Achievement Program chair and the Registrar positions. Presently I am the Contest Chairman for the region. I have worked on several regional conventions, including being the chair of the Palmetto Express 2002 held in Greenville, SC. I recently was awarded the Master Model Railroader AP Certificate.
In my capacity as Contest Chairman and previously working on the Greenville convention, I have been attending several of the BOD meetings and have an understanding of many of the issues facing the SER. There are issues that need to be addressed of the next few years, and I believe that I can contribute to their solution.
Former President of the Children's Museum of Oak Ridge Board of Directors. Was VP and General Manager of Pfizer's Oil Field Products Group in Houston for ten years prior to retirement from there in 1996. After that I spent two years in China starting up a pilot plant and sales office for Coultor, a Finnish specialty food additives company.
I believe my model railroad level of interest and experiences combined with my general managerial experience provide the necessary background to perform well as an SER Director.
DIRECTOR
Howard Garner, MMR
NMRA # L01425 00
I respectfully request your support as a Director of the SouthEasteRn Region of the NMRA.I have been a NMRA member since 1965 and later became a life member. I have attended regional conventions from the west coast to the British Isles. I have also attended many national conventions starting in 1975.
I have presented clinics at many regional conventions (including other regions) and a couple national conventions. In addition I have judged models at the regional and national level. I have been superintendent of the Atlantic Division and the Palmetto Division over the years. At the regional level I have held the Achievement Program chair and the Registrar positions. Presently I am the Contest Chairman for the region. I have worked on several regional conventions, including being the chair of the Palmetto Express 2002 held in Greenville, SC. I recently was awarded the Master Model Railroader AP Certificate.
In my capacity as Contest Chairman and previously working on the Greenville convention, I have been attending several of the BOD meetings and have an understanding of many of the issues facing the SER. There are issues that need to be addressed of the next few years, and I believe that I can contribute to their solution.