Archive for month: November, 2024

 

ELECTION IS LIVE AS OF 11/05 AND ENDS AT 11:55PM ON 11/15

ALL VOTERS WILL AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVE AN EMAIL WHEN THE ELECTION GOES LIVE – REGISTERED PRIMARY PCA NER CLUB MEMBERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE

PLEASE CONTACT [email protected] SHOULD YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR ENCOUNTER ISSUES

Below is the slate for the 2025 Board of Directors of the Northeast Region of Porsche Club of America.

*President – Glenn Champagne

*VP Admin – Mark Shane

VP Admin – Kevin Donaldson

*VP Driving Events – Jeff Croteau

*Treasurer – Andrea Smith

*Secretary – Bob Binder

Secretary – Betty Mae Mosley

*Membership – Co-Chairs Dan Gramm and Avril Silverman

*VP Communications – Co-Chairs Kevin Moran and Peter Palermo

Note: * indicates Candidates selected by the Nominating Committee

Please click on the candidate names to view their bios.

Thank you to all who have shared interest and cheers to another awesome year at NER that lies ahead!

Remember, “it’s not about the cars, it’s about the people.”

-2024 NER Board of Directors

 

President-Glenn Champagne

I am Glenn Champagne your region president and seeking vote for reelection.  I am a long-time NER member who served as VP of Administration in 2017-2018, and once again in 2022-2023 along with Betty Mae Mosley as Co-Vice Presidents of Administration.  During both tenures, Betty Mae and I worked to deliver diverse events throughout the region of interest to all NER members.  I reached out to many members for ideas. From that came sell-out events at venues in Boston, Newport, Metro West, and the south and north shores.  We brought on new strategic partners like Porsche Burlington and marquee partners like the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. 

I invest in early-stage high-technology companies in the Boston area and enjoy equities and options trading. My software career focused on database management and business intelligence as a techie, sales guy, and executive, and always loved the excitement of the start-up. I am also a director emeritus of Launchpad Venture Group and Lucy’s Love Bus . I live in Needham and Martha’s Vineyard where I fail miserably – or gloriously – to spend more time eating oysters on the beach.  In addition, I mangle and collect orange cones at NER autocrosses.  With the addition of my new-to-me 2019 991.2 4S, I joined the “I have more cars than parking spots” club.  Anyone know if there is a FB group?

Last year I called for “fresh eyes” that bring new ideas, new perspectives, new venues, new events and greater efficiencies in existing events and programs.  And we accomplished just that.  Among those accomplishments:

• After a difficult 2013, our driver education program had a very successful year through new and improved training materials, an innovative event registration policy for our Calabogie DE event, producing excellent turnouts and financial results.
• Reallocation of club funds from 0.1% money market funds to secure CDs yielding 5.00%, producing a ~1,300% return on investment.
• Two new venues for our signature Summer Party and Annual Gala events incurring significantly lower costs.
• Our website generates upward of 6000 visits per month showing recent increase visits from a younger demographic, many of whom driving two and four door cars.

I am NER’s 1^st non-DE president in at least 25 years. In the board’s executive meeting. In the board’s January executive session, I called for the board to re-visit our policies and procedures, board composition, term limits, voting & election processes. In late September of this year, it was brought to my attention from PCA’s national office that we will need to realign many of these issues with PCA standards and mandates.  This effort will begin in earnest January 1^st, 2025.

Diversity is very important to me as it is with PCA.  In addition to what is commonly known as diversity and inclusion, PCA treats all Porsches as equals.  It is therefore important that our board be composed of members from our performance driving programs, social driving programs, social events, and those driving any Porsche vehicle.

Times have changed. For a region with 3,600 members, we’ve made great progress this year but there’s more to be done. The board has begun to think & act strategically, an aspect long overdue and very important to me. I want to lead the board in this effort as the club continues to evolve.  There’s a lot of growth opportunities and innovative ideas ahead of us. Therefore, I respectfully submit myself for reelection as president.

But most importantly, we are here to fun, drive our cars, and share are passion for all things Porsche.

VP Admin Mark Shane

I have been a member of PCA for almost 13 years and owned my first Porsche (in this country) for just a bit more than that. My love of the Porsche brand and in particular the 911 started when I was just a boy. My poster car was the original 911S. When I found out how much it cost my dreams of owning one were shattered, or so I thought. When I started working in the summers I believed – if I save hard maybe I might be able to afford a 911 one day. But every few years as I was earning more and more the price of a 911 was going up and up, much to my chagrin.

I learned to drive in air-cooled VW beetles of my father and even owned a super-bug myself which I tuned with a Weber carburetor and after-market exhaust. My first brand new car that I bought with my own money was an early model Subaru sedan that was only front-wheel drive in those days. Do you start to see a pattern here? All my cars had boxer engines up to that point. I even owned an Alfasud, which I think never made it to the USA. It had a 1.6 liter boxer engine, so I still did not break the pattern. Finally, after waiting and saving for so many years, I bought my first 911 in Australia. It was a 1987 911SC.

In the intervening years I had a couple of company cars and some filler cars until I came to the USA where my first car was Subaru WRX. It was a great all round car for New England and we had many adventures together.

Thanks to the encouragement of my lovely wife Aya, I secured my first 911 in this country, a 2002 911 Carerra 4 cabriolet and now we also have a 2003 911 turbo and a 2019 Macan in our stable of. Porsches.

For the past 2 years I have held the position of Porsches and Coffee Chair and have volunteered and helped organize other social events with the current joint VP Admins Glen and Betty-Mae. Apart from my passion for cars, I have held executive positions on the boards of various bands I was in. Music is one of my other passions.

If I am elected as VP Admin, I will endeavor to listen to the needs of the members of our club and try to keep our social events relevant to as many people as possible, while always being on the lookout for a variety of fun new events.

VP Admin – Kevin Donaldson

My name is Kevin Donaldson, and I’d like to thank you all for considering me for the VP of Admin role in our club. I’ve been a long-time NER member, and my passion for Porsche started at 19 with my first Speed Yellow 986. Since then, I’ve owned twenty different Porsches, with my current pride and joy being a PTS Maritime Blue 991.2, which took best in class at this year’s Concours d’Elegance in Newport. I believe in driving and enjoying each of my vehicles, whether it’s at track events or fundraisers such as Dream Ride for Special Olympics.

Professionally, I serve as a business leader, advisory board member, and business owner across multiple industries. My innovative approach inspires proactive and creative action, fostering growth both personally and in business. I love connecting with fellow enthusiasts at events that celebrate the brand we all cherish. A memorable moment for me was when I sold my beloved 986 to the same salesman who sold me my 991.1, after he fell for it just as I had.

We’re all united in NER by our shared passion for Porsche. Each member brings unique skills to the table, and together, we can contribute to the club’s greater good. Thank you again for considering me and for the opportunity to share my skills with you all.

VP Driving Events – Jeff Croteau

Greetings to my fellow driving enthusiasts in the Northeast Region of the PCA!

My name is Jeff Croteau, and I am flattered to be approached and nominated to run for the VP of Driving for NER for 2025.

Over the past ten years, I have met many of you at NER autocross events at Fort Devens or perhaps at our HPDE events. I started driving autocross because my kids were getting their driver’s licenses, and I wanted them to learn the limits of the vehicles they drive and develop better car control. I have three children: Alex, Brianna, and Emily. I participated in autocross for a few years with Alex and Brianna. Alex is an aggressive competitor and is an outstanding snowmobile driver. He’s a great all-around athlete but habitually used ‘digital foot throttle’ in my 991. Alex was either fully ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’ the gas. In his last event in my 991, he spun and went backward, almost striking a building – all on GoPro, too! That was his last event in my 991.

My daughter, Brianna, however, was much smoother with the throttle. She takes direction very well and is very coachable. She won the novice class in my 991 on her second time at autocross and then heard about the DE Ground School. We attended the NER ground school the following spring, and from that point on, we became hooked on the PCA driver education experience. My youngest, Emily, is an even more competitive athlete than the other two, runs half marathons for fun, and plays Club Lacrosse for UNH while pursuing her nursing degree. Brianna has made it clear to Emily that HPDE is her thing to do with Dad, so Emily and I mountain bike together.

Professionally, I have been a consulting engineer in crash analysis and automotive safety for the past thirty years. I started my career at Exponent’s Test and Engineer Center in Phoenix, AZ, and have conducted hundreds of full-scale crash and rollover tests using Anthropomorphic Test Devices (test dummies). My analyses are used in litigation settings that involve on-road and off-road vehicles and in legal matters with product defect or insurance negligence claims. I have testified as an expert witness in state and federal courts nationwide in accident reconstruction, crashworthiness, automotive component design, and occupant protection. The experience I have gained while driving in HPDE events has bolstered my academic understanding of vehicle dynamics, handling, and stability – not to mention the fantastic experiences and great friends I have made over the past several years.

I live in Milford, MA, with my wife, Amy, and when I am not driving at HPDE, I enjoy boating, fly-fishing, hunting, riding off-road ATVs and side-by-sides, and my other passion, snowmobiling. I am a 24-year member of a sportsman club in Milford, MA, and I served as the treasurer for that organization for over 12 years.

My professional experience and volunteer tenure with the sportsman association have provided me with significant exposure to corporate governance, the need for strategic thinking by board members, and the tactical direction pursued by the various committees that make up the organization. If selected for the VP of Driving, I will bring positive energy and enthusiasm to the Board of Directors. I am open-minded and will provide a fresh perspective to NER to ensure a reasonable balance to all NER events as an advocate for all our driving experiences. I want to increase the awareness of HPDE in and out of the northeastern Porsche community. I will promote our events to attract a diverse group of drivers to include men and women, across all ages and backgrounds.

I hope to receive your vote as VP of Driving in the Northeast Region of the PCA.

Treasurer – Andrea Smith

My name is Andrea Smith and I am originally from Plymouth, Massachusetts but hold a dual citizenship with the United States and Ireland. I hold two undergraduate degrees in Aviation Flight Operations and Aviation Management, as originally, I had dreams of flying for FedEx or UPS. I have been flying since I was 16 years old and have been very passionate about aviation, however shortly after graduating I switched my career choice and received my Master’s Degree in Accountancy. I have been working for the past ten years in Accounting and have recently started studying to sit for the Uniform CPA exam. Currently, I’m living in Tewksbury, Massachusetts with my partner, our three cats and bird, working as a Senior Accounting Manager for a global manufacturing company.

While my excitement for flying is still alive, in the last three years, I’ve also become quite passionate about cars – namely Porsche. My partner and I own two Porsche’s – a Taycan and a Macan, and we love taking our matching gentian blue set to PCA car shows! It’s become a great way to meet new people who have the same passion for Porsche that we do.

 It is because of this newfound love for the Porsche community that I find myself excited to volunteer for the 2025 PCA NER Treasurer position. I believe that with my background and expertise, I can be an asset in this role.

Secretary – Bob Binder

My name is Bob Binder and I am excited to be nominated for Secretary of NER for the upcoming year. My wife Marcia and I have been members of NER since 2012 when we purchased our first Porsche (1987 white 911 with a whale tail). My passion for Porsche started many years ago. In fact, I first started driving manual transmission cars while in college and working as a parking lot attendant at a high-end country club on Long Island. The owners of the Porsches and VW Beetles would toss over the keys and say “Have Fun”. I promise you: no clutches or trannies were damaged in the process!

Marcia and I began to attend social events but became hooked on DE when we won a raffle at the annual DE Ground School in 2017. At our first event we shared a car, an instructor (Dave Berman) and a helmet (Marcia’s Mother’s Day present that year was her own helmet). We now attend multiple DE events each year – in addition to a 2009 911 cabriolet, we own a 2010 Cayman S which we have modified and dedicated to the track. While we love driving on the track, a huge part of our enjoyment of these events is socializing with the people (many of whom have become very good friends). In addition to DE, we continue attend social events with the Porsche club throughout the year.

I am a veterinarian and have been in practice for 45 years. During my career, I have worked on animals large and small, although most of my career involved worked on people’s pets (dogs, cats, rabbits, reptiles, and rodents). For over 20 years, I also treated injured native wildlife as a pro-bono service. I owned an animal hospital in Saugus, MA for 30 years. When I purchased the practice in 1987, there were 4 staff members and 2 veterinarians. Over the years, I was able to hire and retain a staff of 5 veterinarians plus 16 staff members. My approach to practice was to be honest and compassionate and to maintain the highest standards of care. My approach as an employer was to be the kind of boss that I always wanted to have for myself. My management style was to be collaborative with my employees by having weekly staff meetings to discuss clinical, interpersonal, and management topics with resolution coming from obtaining a consensus that was compatible with our core values. I sold the practice to a corporate entity 7 years ago with the proviso that there would be no changes made to the culture of the practice. I have been mostly retired for the past 5 years, but still maintain a close relationship with many former employees.

Marcia and I live in Melrose with our female Golden Retriever Blue. During the winter, our passion is downhill skiing, and we spend a fair amount of the winter skiing at Alta, Utah. Over the years, my family and I have skied most of the major resorts in the United States. During our travels, we have made many friends in the skiing community and have had the opportunity to make friends with and learn from some of the best ski instructors in the country. We have two adult daughters, and they enjoy hearing about our exploits on and off the track. I feel that my experience and approach will make me an asset to the NER Board. People that know me can tell you that, while I have expertise in various areas, I am always interested in learning new things. My approach to problem solving involves listening, offering suggestions after critical evaluation, and being willing to compromise for the greater good. I hope that I can earn your vote.

Secretary-Betty Mae Mosley

My name is Betty Mae Mosley and I seek your vote for reelection as NER Secretary!

My day job allows me to thrive and do splendid work as a Human Resource Talent Hiring Consultant at Fidelity Investments. In this role, I have the privilege of hiring over nine hundred associates year over year on behalf of Fidelity’s diverse workforce via our phone distribution centers across the country. I have recently celebrated 21 years at Fidelity Investments this past September and believe that is an important milestone. As a leader, I have the privilege of holding a variety of leadership roles in our Employee Resource Group based out of both our Boston and Smithfield, Rhode Island locations. As a Professional Development and Global Leader, I continuously collaborate very closely with our Emerging Leaders focused on shared initiatives, programming while being incredibly successful, creating, implementing, and building bridges with our internal and external partners across the country. Most recently, our continued efforts around obtaining the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) Scholars Licensing Program where we engage heavily in direct collaboration with a variety of collegiate partners such as Bryant University, SNHU, CCRI, URI, UMASS. 

As my day job translates to NER, I am seeking your vote to continue to ensure that all voices of the club are fully represented by way of advocacy via the board as the collective continues to do the splendid work on behalf of ALL MEMBERS, not a few. Finding ways to improve our efforts within our car community has always been a thoughtful approach when collaborating with our sponsors, business partners and most importantly you the MEMBER! As a leader on the Fidelity’s Human Resource Leadership team, I not only excel in my role bringing in top talent, but I am also very successful utilizing my skills towards building rapport, navigating differing styles of communication and the ultimate goal is to leave experiences better than I found them and that is what I bring to the board as secretary.

As secretary seeking reelection, I understand the importance of having meaningful and productive conversations while experiencing to ensure we are working towards a sense of community. I do this, in part by creating lasting relationships intentionally. I along with Glenn have ensured a smooth transition to Mark Shane, our VP of Administration. I am and have always been a champion whether it is volunteering on the Porsche NER Board, Fidelity’s Social Impact through our outreach program or simply supporting efforts through NAACP Martha’s Vineyard. 

I believe in working collaboratively, most importantly respectfully and always showcasing respect through meaningful dialogue, having fellowship with my colleagues and peers allows everyone to come to the table as their authentic selves and this allows everyone to thrive and prosper while contributing to a positive/engaging work environment as we do the work on behalf of NER.

I have enjoyed and helped at so many of our events over the years such as The Ramble, The Concours, various rallies, The Gala, Summer party. I even enjoyed watching Glenn set records for most cones hit in Autocross. And more importantly, the friends and relationships built along the way.

Active listening is key whether that be during my day job, or my volunteer work in NER. Make no mistake, the work we do is extremely important and has a great deal of value when supporting relationships! My experience over the past two decades at Fidelity have allowed me to continue leaning into my volunteerism and allowed me to create, lead and inspire others to explore meaningful opportunities whether professional or personal. 

While in my day job, I continue to mentor/coach our newer associates I find it rewarding with working through foundational differences with other leaders who are highly engaged at NER, NAACP and Fidelity Investments to create a safe space for many voices which is the goal of this club. We all happen to love cars, but at the end of the day, we are creating human connections, sharing meaningful experiences building bridges where are feel welcome. 

As a PCA national officer told me, “We are a social club with a car problem.” and we must remember this as leaders in the NER community. 

I will continue to be a champion of NER’s vision as the club continues to move forward into 2025.

I look forward to my continuation of building that vision for current and future members, and most importantly, fostering positive relationships, conducting myself professionally, always holding others accountable during interactions with our members.

I recently traveled to Beaune France and indulged in wonderful wines and yes of course, since I was a member of the International Wine and Food Society years ago, I still enjoy fine wines and shipped back to share alongside good friends during those fabulous dinner invitations. Outside of volunteering on behalf of NER and NAACP, I spend my time with my wonderful partner Glenn, family and great friends in both Needham and Martha’s Vineyard, with our beloved cat, Jabba the Hutt!!!

Membership – Co-Chairs Dan Gramm and Avril Silverman

Our names are Dan Gramm and Avril Silverman and we are honored to be nominated for Co-Membership Chairs with The Northeast Region of the Porsche Club of America.
You may have recognized our #88 Boxster winding around the Autocross track in Ayer and on the main streets and backroads of the many wonderful rallies and rambles held by the club since 2018.

Dan, originally from Stoughton, MA, is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, and has a diverse background in sales and marketing. Avril, originally from Dublin, Ireland, has her Masters from University College, Dublin, and works in system development in the financial investment industry.  Our combined experience make us a dynamic duo to spread the word and grow the membership of our club.

Outside of the PCA, we enjoy running with our hometown running club, the Waltham Trail Runners, bicycling, birding, nature photography, hiking and snowboarding the slopes of New England and beyond.
We have lived in Waltham since 2003 and owned a 987 Boxster, a 958 Cayenne GTS and a 981 Boxster S. We are currently on the hunt for another Cayenne to add to the stable.

VP Communications – Co-Chairs Kevin Moran and Peter Palmero

My name is Kevin Park Moran, and I am honored to be nominated for the role of VP of Communications for 2025. I am the Owner, Director of Operations, and CFO of a MA based Youth Sports Organization and I am an entrepreneur. In my role as Director of Operations I handle day-to-day communications through social media as well as Sports Operating system PlayMetrics with over 200 members year-round. I also regularly communicate with people of various backgrounds as entrepreneurs in real estate development and have extensive experience building relationships and managing various projects at a time.

 I have been a PCA member since 2019 and have owned two Porsches, a 2012 991.1 Carrera S and now a 991.2 GT3.

 Over the past five years I have learned a lot from peers through NER and built relationships with many different people in the Porsche community. I have traveled to the Atlanta Porsches Experiences, attended the annual BBQ, Gala and many Porsche social events throughout the years. I have seen how NER has the potential to connect car enthusiasts, and those experiences have inspired me to get involved and help facilitate the future of NER.

 I look forward to sharing my skill set and enthusiasm for the Porsche brand along with my co-chair, Peter D. Palermo.

Peter D. Palermo, Jr. is the Founder, Visionary and CEO of Dream Weaver Presents: – a MULTIMEDIA service company established in 1992. He has been leading his company for more than 30 years making a significant impact in the communication industry by leveraging its extensive experience in multimedia services to create engaging and innovative experiences. Through its Event Management division, the company orchestrates memorable events that facilitate effective communication between brands and their audiences. In Artist Management, they nurture and promote talent, enhancing the visibility of artists and their work, thereby enriching cultural dialogue. Additionally, their Digital Marketing division employs strategic communication techniques, utilizing social media and digital platforms to connect brands with consumers, drive engagement, and amplify messages in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. This multifaceted approach enables Dream Weaver Presents: to shape narratives, foster connections, and drive impactful communication across various channels.

I am the current owner of a custom modified 2015 Panamera GTS and prior to that a 2009 Cayenne GTS. I am rounding out my first year as an active PCA member but have been an enthusiast since a young boy with a poster of a black 1985 wide body 911 Turbo. (I still have that poster hanging in my garage.

I look forward to sharing my skill sets and enthusiasm for the PORSCHE brand along with my co-chair, Mr. Kevin Moran