POLLS OPEN 11/05: 2026 NER Board of Directors Slate
ELECTION WILL BE 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 2026 Board of Directors of the Northeast Region of Porsche Club of America.
Note: * indicates Candidates selected by the Nominating Committee
Please click on the candidate names to view their bios.
*VP Communications – Darin Smith
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.”
-2025 NER Board of Directors
I have been a member of PCA for almost 15 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 Carrera 4 cabriolet and now we also have a 2003 911 turbo and a 2023 Taycan in our stable of Porsches.
For the past 2 years I have held the position of VP Admin and Porsches and Coffee Chair. I have organized the following successful events:
- 2024 January Winter Warmer at Herb Chamber Boston
- 2024 Kachel Motors Tech Session
- 2024 Newcomers meeting, Herb Chambers Burlington
- 2024 Auto detailing clinic Q car care
- 2024 Treehouse Brewing Porsches & Coffee
- 7th Annual Summer Party at Lake Pearl
- Porsche Burlington Exclusive Yoga event for women
- 2024 NER Gala at Lake Pearl
- 2025 Winter Warmer @ Herb Chambers Boston
- 2025 Kachel Motors Tech Session
- Tech Session and F1 viewing party @ South Shore Autoworks
- 2025 German car day @ Larz Anderson
- 2025 Treehouse Brewing Porsche Cars & Coffee
- Porsche Day @ Larz Anderson
- 2025 Summer Party @ Kimbal Farms
- PCA National Treffen Boston meet and greet event with over 900 PCA National members in attendance.
While also running eight Porsches and Coffees during the driving months.
I have worked for Hagerty for the last three years and 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 President, I will endeavor to listen to the needs of the members of our club ensure cooperation between different parts of the club and assist the board to function in a harmonious efficient fashion. Our goal is to have a cohesive board who is forward thinking. To that end I am happy to be supported by the following slate of nominees:
Bob Leonhardt – Secretary
Ashley Flynn – VP Administration
Darin Smith – VP Communications
Joshua Reed – Treasurer
Dennis Friedman – VP Driving
Kevin Moran – Membership
During my many years as a member and serving on the board, I have heard from both in our region and also from Porsche owners outside our region one repeating theme. The club is run by a bunch of old men (not that I’m a spring chicken LOL) who are out of touch with the current trends in Porsche car ownership. Much like the brand itself, PCA needs to adapt to the needs of Porsche owners. Together with the fresh board of diverse ages that more closely represent our membership, we will bring new life to the club.
Also, as a club, we need to serve the geographies of our members, we should run events that our members want and most of all, we need to service ALL of our members. We will look forward not back at what we have done. I promise to continue to move forward with the times and we will be making continuous improvements and I will be listening even more keenly to what you, our members want from the club.
Here are some immediate concerns I will be focusing on:
- Working with the new club by-laws which were long out of date with PCA national recommendations and Policies and Procedures documents
- Working with the new board to start working efficiently and harmoniously and making sure there is clean handover from the current board
- Working hard with every leader to ensure all activities are represented fairly and have the budgets they require to operate
- Working to find new ways our region can integrate driving and non-driving events and lead PCA in marketing and promoting events
- Reconnecting our region to PCA national
- Ensure work commences on our new website
- Get more volunteers involved in helping the club run
- Build relationships with our sponsors and finding new sponsors
- Having fun!
As always, the club is run by volunteers, if you want a say in how we run the club, get involved! Many hands make light work and if you want to help or run an event please step forward and we will make it happen.
My name is Kristin Larson, and I am honored to be running for President of the Northeast Region (NER) for 2026.
As a long-time member and past officer of the NER Board, I am deeply committed to this community. I am running for President as I believe I am the best candidate to lead the NER Board into the next phase of our region.
I joined NER in 2009 with Dave Berman, and together we’ve shared a passion for Porsches and for the PCA community. Many of you know our car—the “Apple” car—at Driver Education (DE) events, where we actively participate as instructors and serve on the Track Committee. While DE has been our recent focus, we’ve also taken on leadership roles in Autocross and social events over the years.
PCA has been part of my life since childhood. My parents were active members of NNJR since the mid 1960s, and some of my earliest memories are of attending events with them. They both held board and chair roles, and instilled in me the importance of giving back to your region. When my father passed away, NNJR retired his car number in recognition of his service—a powerful and emotional tribute. In 2016, our family was honored to be named PCA National Family of the Year.
I’ve served NER in many roles, including Treasurer, VP of Driving, President, Past President and various Track Committee roles. I’ve seen firsthand how much positive change can happen when strong leadership is combined with a passion for the club and its members. I believe there is always more work to be done—and I’m ready to do it.
As President, I will focus on increasing camaraderie within all aspects of the club, increasing transparency, and ensuring every member has a voice that is heard. Each Board member and Chair will be empowered to lead in their role, with a shared goal of better serving all members of NER. I will actively seek feedback from the membership and commit to open, honest communication in return.
NER thrives on the dedication and energy of its volunteers. Whether you’re new or have been around for decades, I encourage you to get involved—whether as a Board member, Chair, or committee member. This is your region.
As the owner of a small business, I understand the value of collaboration, compromise, and clear communication—all while staying compliant with organizational rules. I also understand the importance of having policies and procedures and have led to establish or refine them in many finance departments. These principles will guide me as NER updates its bylaws in alignment with PCA National.
Dave and I live in Acton, MA, with our dog JoJo. Outside of PCA events, we spend time walking JoJo, enjoying family, and staying connected with our extended NER family.
I am running in connection with Bill Seymour as VP Admin, Anker Berg-Sonne as Secretary and Dan Gramm as Membership. I respectfully ask for your vote. Let’s work together to bring leadership, integrity, and community to NER.
When approached about the VP of Administration role by the nominating committee, I quickly realized how well my background aligns with the needs of the club and was happy to accept. I bring diverse skills in charitable fundraising, organization, event planning, and member engagement which can help strengthen what PCA NER already does so well. My goal is not to change the culture we cherish, but to expand it — by gathering feedback, supporting existing programs, and creating more opportunities for members to connect socially. I hope to help grow our younger membership base and bring fresh perspective to the board.
My love for cars began as a young girl on my grandparents’ farm in rural Northern Maine. I was endlessly fascinated by anything with wheels — begging my grandfather for rides on the tractor, learning to drive the lawn mower, and most memorably, climbing into Pearl, his 1960s Mustang Fastback. The car, originally purchased and owned by my great-grandmother Pearl in Los Angeles, carried with it stories of her adventurous spirit. Although I never met her, driving that Mustang became a dream — and it sparked a lifelong passion for cars and driving.
While that Mustang is no longer with us, I’ve since built my own dream garage with a Racing Yellow 718 Spyder and a Lava Orange GT4 RS for the track. Joining PCA Northeast Region has been one of the best decisions my husband and I have made — we’ve not only enjoyed our Porsches to the fullest but also built lasting friendships with fellow enthusiasts. With our GT4 RS now fully broken in, we’re especially excited to join the Drivers Education program and deepen our involvement with PCA NER in the years ahead.
Professionally, my path has been a dynamic journey through service-related industry for the last 20 years. After studying nursing at Simmons College and working in the medical field, I pursued culinary school for the joy of cooking, which led to a career as a chef in Napa Valley. My greatest success came when I transitioned into the music industry, working on international tours as a production assistant before moving into artist and tour management. Ultimately, I settled down from life on the road and moved into private event planning for VIP clients in Boston.
The common thread through it all has been serving others; creating memorable experiences and bringing visions to life through thoughtful planning and execution. My work has ranged from intimate wine tastings, sold out arena concerts, to black tie fundraising galas raising over one million dollars in a single night. I’ve been fortunate to be on several charitable foundation boards over the past decade; combining my skill set with a passion for fundraising to promote worthy causes.
Over the past year, I have been able to work with Mark Shane as well as other members of the current PCA NER board to advise on events like the summer BBQ and upcoming winter gala. If you’re anything like my husband and I, we find ourselves meeting up with our NER friends on a regular basis to enjoy far more than “just” driving. We meet up for wine tastings, foodie nights out, sporting events, plus a heavy rotation of cars and followed by brunch! There are so many ways we can connect with our fellow PCA NER members. With such a diverse and interesting group of people, we should be doing so more often! As VP of Administration, I would be able to utilize my decades of event planning and fundraising experience to expand the scope of PCA NER social activities.
Most importantly, I want every member to feel welcome, valued, and inspired to enjoy their Porsche in whatever way brings them the most joy. Regardless of the election outcome, I look forward to meeting more of you at upcoming events and working together to make our region an even more vibrant community.
I’m running for VP Admin because I’d like to revitalize the scope of our non-
driving activities. In recent years, we’ve had some great events—the Summer
Party, Annual Dinner, and Newcomers Meeting—but beyond that, it’s mostly been
“cars and coffees.” When I served as VP Admin in 2013–2014, we offered more
variety: tech sessions, movie nights, museum and car collection visits, and guest
speakers (remember the State Police presentation?). I can’t promise specific events
yet, but I can promise to bring back that same energy and creativity.
I hear wonderful things about my opponent and am happy that new people want to
contribute to the club — but I believe my greater experience will allow me to
deliver more for our members in 2026.
I’ve been an active NER member since 1994 and have served on the Board for a
total of 10 years, including as President, Past President, VP Activities (Driving
Events), and VP Admin (Social/Tech Sessions). I spent six years as Autocross
Chair and continue to instruct in the DE program. My wife, Rosemary—the
“Lunch Lady” at Autocross—and I have also greeted members at the Annual
Dinner many times. I grew up in a Porsche household and still own my dad’s 1960
356B, along with a Cayman that has served all three of us—me, Rosemary, and our
daughter Nora—on the track and now on the street.
If elected, I will focus on:
• Listening to members: Repeating the membership survey (last done in
2011, 2015, 2018, and 2019) to understand what today’s members want.
• Improving communication: Strengthening transparency between the Board
and the membership.
• Protecting our heritage: Ensuring we remain a Porsche sports car club
even as we adapt to Porsche’s expanding vehicle lineup and an evolving
automotive world.
This year brings more changes to the NER Board and Bylaws than ever before. I
encourage you to vote—and I respectfully ask for your support.
I currently serve as Vice President of Communications on the Board of Directors, where
I have played a key role in enhancing member engagement and strengthening the
club’s communications strategy.
A dedicated PCA member since 2019, I’ve been an active participant in regional
events, fostering connections among members and promoting the spirit of camaraderie
that defines the Porsche community. My experience in communications and my passion for
the Porsche brand have made me a valued voice within the club. DE, AutoX, Social Events
including our collaboration with (Name the event space for the F1 Event).
This past year I’ve volunteered at the annual NER Ramble (which sold out in 4hrs.), was a
judge at the Newport Porsche Concours event (another historic event for NER), attended
Porsches in the Park and have attended countless cars and coffee events. I’ve worked with
multiple Porsche dealerships in the New England area on a variety of significant events
working to expand the PCA membership along the way. I have led and partnered a variety
of organized cruise events with current and potential PCA members as a way to connect
and celebrate the Porsche brand, before, during and after events take place, taking
engagement to another level.
I’ve had the privilege of attending the Porsche Magazine test drive events, PCA Treffen at
Sea Cruise welcoming 900 PCA members from across several regions into the Black Falcon
terminal Boston, multiple Porsche Day experiences at the track and have been in the driver
seat of a wide variety of models, strengthening his knowledge of not only the brand, but
driving the cars themselves. I’ve attended tech sessions where I’ve learned logistics but
also created memories with fellow PCA members. I’ve partnered and attended the annual
gala 2024. I have great insight and will always place great value on the roots of the club and
continue to be inspired around NER’s rich legacy into the current day. Bringing people from
a diverse background holding different points of view with a collaborative approach while
continuing to expand NER’s current membership has been a key component of my PCA
engagement, collaboration and fostering an healthier appreciation for those who may
come into the club with differing views and enthusiasm.
I am extremely skilled and able to utilize a variety of social media tools and outlets to meet
the needs of our newest members of our community. Leaning in my extensive knowledge
and expertise, I commit as a way to expand the club’s usage of new technology, networking
and creating new content and areas of opportunity for the Porsche enthusiasts, family,
friends and car owners, keeping the club as a whole, not just a few, fully engaged in various
car chats and partnerships when promoting events.
As Membership Chair, I aim to continue building on the club’s strong foundation by focusing on member growth, retention, and engagement.
My vision includes expanding outreach to new Porsche owners, creating more opportunities for members to connect, and ensuring every member feels welcomed and valued within the North East Region.
One of my favorite things about being involved in PCA is bringing new Porsche members to
events and introducing them to networks of working professionals. Bringing more diversity
to PCA events is a passion for me and the ability to show new potential members PCA can
be a welcoming space for all is key in my continued vision for the future of NER! A vision to
create and building a new volunteer data base to coordinate members to engage and learn
where there skill sets can add value to new opportunities to develop the club in one way
of giving back via volunteerism.
I very much look forward to learning from this group of working professionals as well
maintaining the great rapport that has been built with my fellow Nominations Nominees!
Bob Leonhardt, Secretary
Ashley Flynn, VP Administration,
Darin Smith, Communications,
Joshua Reed, Treasurer,
Dennis Friedman, VP Driving,
Mark Shane, President.
My unwavering dedication, insight and enthusiasm for the Porsche Club of America,
Northeast Region has always exemplified the values that make the organization thrive. My
nomination reflects both my personal and professional commitment to the club and the
confidence of my peers in my confidence to continue to serve our NER members.
I respectfully, ask for your continued support and ask for your vote as the Membership
Chair for the 2026 board of directors!
My name is Dan Gramm, and I’m running for RE-ELECTION as Membership Chair for the Porsche Club of America – Northeast Region.
Over the past year, I’ve truly enjoyed serving our members — from preparing and publishing our club newsletters to welcoming new members to our 3,700-strong Northeast Region. It’s been a pleasure connecting with so many passionate Porsche enthusiasts and helping strengthen our community.
Originally from Stoughton, MA, I’m a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth with a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology. My professional background spans project management, technical sales, and business development, giving me a solid foundation in sales and marketing — skills that align perfectly with promoting our club and enhancing the value of membership.
Outside the PCA, I enjoy running, cycling, birding, nature photography, hiking, and snowboarding with my partner, Avril Silverman, who currently serves as my Co-Chair of Membership.
We’ve lived in Waltham since 2003 and have owned several Porsches over the years, including a 987 Boxster, 958 Cayenne GTS, 981 Boxster S, and most recently, a 9Y0 Cayenne S. You may recognize one of my Boxsters — a Guards Red 987.1 or Rhodium Silver 981 S wearing number 88 — on the autocross track in Ayer or cruising the back roads during our rallies and rambles since 2018.
I would be honored to earn your vote to continue serving the membership needs of our incredible PCA community alongside my fellow nominees, Kristin Larson for President, Bill Seymour for VP Admin and Anker Berg-Sonne for Secretary.
Hello, my name is Bob Leonhardt. I am excited to share that I am running for the role of
Secretary of the Porsche Club of America, Northeast Region and I would be honored to
earn your vote.
As for my background, I have been a proud resident of Wellesley, MA where I live with my
wife Lesley. We are recent empty nesters; our adult children, Bobby and Raluca also live in
the Metro Boston area. Still at home are our three spirited Cairn Terriers; Roza, Henry and
Chip.
I am thrilled to have this opportunity to run for the role of Secretary. The attributes required
for this role align with my professional skills, which I have learned and utilized throughout
my career. Specifically, I am currently in my 37th year working at Fidelity
Investments. Throughout my decades long career in executive leadership roles
spanning Client Services, Product Management and Relationship Management, I have
built a strong reputation for fostering collaboration across large scale (multi-million
dollars), high value initiatives, projects and diverse teams, driving effective product and
relationship management initiatives and Key Results As well, ensuring seamless
communication and administration of complex business processes through Microsoft
tools such as Teams and Excel. My leadership approach emphasizes teamwork,
transparency and shared accountability to deliver lasting results for clients and our
organization. I work in a very structured, policy and compliance driven industry. I look
forward to helping develop and administer procedures and protocol to assist in running an
effective club.
Furthermore, I bring valuable experiences from serving on several non-profit boards in
Wellesley, where I have contributed strategic insights and community focused
leadership. My passions – family, dogs, football, cars and my professional career at
Fidelity reflect my energetic and well rounded approach to life.
I am also a life long car enthusiast of performance automobiles (my drivers license test
was taken in a ‘73 Corvette Stingray). I joined the PCA in 2006, shortly after purchasing my
first Porsche, a 2006 Cayenne S. My passion has only grown since then; I now own two
911’s spanning multiple generations (1986 3.2 G-Body and a 2026 GT3 about to leave the
port of Emden in Germany). In addition to the above we have a 1976 Bronco, 1958 Chevy
Apache and a Shelby Cobra Continuation car.
Having met many of the board members and my fellow nominees, Mark Shane, Joshua
Reed, Kevin Moran, Dennis Friedman, Ashley Flynn, and Darin Smith at various events over the years, I would be honored and privileged for you to consider me for the role of
secretary of the PCA NER board.
I am running for election as Secretary of the NER board because the Secretary responsibilities need to be tightened for the following reasons:
- Minutes have not been published in a timely manner. At the time of writing this bio there are no published minutes for July, August and September 2025
- I am not aware of a non-financial document retention policy and export. Per the bylaws the Secretary is responsible for preserving non-financial records.
Being an NER board member means a willingness to personally drive the club’s success. I began volunteering in 2017 when we modernized our communication avenues within the club and never stopped contributing to NER. I still have additional ideas on how to enhance the information flow to all members..
My Track Record of Service (4 Years on the Board): I spent three years as Membership Chair and one as VP of Communications. Key accomplishments include:
- Launched the Sim Racing League (with Robert Galejs), creating an affordable, high-performance alternative for all members and complementing real-life driving events.
- Revived family engagement by bringing back Gimmick Rallies (with Lisa Burke).
- Continued my role as Newsletter Editor (with Larry Levin).
Beyond the Boardroom: My commitment is year-round. I co-chair our Rally program (currently with Bill Seymour) and maintain a vital historical membership database that provides the board with critical insights into regional growth and demographics. I am deeply involved in Autocross, Concours, and social events, and I instruct at both the National PCA Sim Racing level and Ross Bentley’s Speed Secrets Sim Racer Academy.
My Commitment as Secretary: My pledge is twofold: first, to flawlessly execute the Secretary’s duties—scheduling, documenting, and publishing minutes on time, every time. Second, to audit and modernize our non-financial record-keeping to ensure organizational stability. Above all, I will bring a mindset of continuous improvement and broad, out-of-the-box thinking necessary for the Region to navigate and succeed in a changing environment.
I am proud to be running with Kristin Larson for President, Bill Seymour for VP Admin, and Dan Gramm for Membership. Let’s work together to restore leadership, integrity, and community at NER. Your vote will make a difference.
My name is Joshua Reed and I am pleased to be nominated for Treasurer of PCA NER.
I became a member of PCA NER in 2024. While I spent 2024 driving my, new to me, Agate
Grey 992.1 911 Carrera S, my goal in 2025 was to become active in the club. The year
started out with “class” at DE Ground School and progressed with me participating in
Porsche Cars & Coffee, multiple Autocross events (including winning the novice class
during an event), and HPDE at Palmer and Watkins Glen. These experiences introduced me
to the vibrant PCA NER community, inspiring me to potentially invest more time in the
club’s operations as Treasurer and advance our club’s objectives.
With over 30 years of finance experience including roles as company CFO, VP Finance at a
Fortune 100 company, and early years spent in Financial Services, I am well equipped to
manage PCA NER’s finances with transparency and precision. As a current board member
and Audit Committee Chairman for a company, I also bring governance expertise to
support our board’s strategic decisions. My expectation is as Treasurer, I will be in a
position to leverage my operating experience to “keep the trains running” and director
experience to contribute to the dialogue at the board level. All this while serving with
integrity and recognizing the board’s responsibility to serve its members.
My wife and I, somewhat recent Massachusetts transplants from New Jersey, became
empty nesters with our only child going off to college on the West Coast. This was the
impetus to take a breath and recognize that I now have time (sort of) to enjoy a Porsche and
connect with the club. Beyond the car, we enjoy being outdoors, traveling when we can get
our plans together, and dining out.
Thank you for your support and vote for Treasurer.
I joined PCA and NER in 2005 after purchasing my first Porsche, a 1995 911 coupe. Prior to
that I had been a member of BMWCCA, Mass Miata, and Renegade Miata clubs. However,
my car journey started much earlier.
Memorable moments include sitting in the backseat of my parents 1958 Chevy Impala
convertible. Most of the time I was on my knees facing rearward using the handles on the
convertible top as my own video game. I also remember riding in my uncle’s 1957
Thunderbird when he took me to an Oriole’s game. Soon it would be my turn to drive, and the
car I used most often was a 1964.5 Mustang convertible – gold with a black convertible top and
an automatic transmission on the floor between the bucket seats. But I wanted to drive a
stick-shift, and as a birthday treat, my brother let me drive his 1967 Corvette. I still marvel at
his composure as I stalled out over and over again attempting to make a 270º right turn on a
slight incline after a full stop. Nevertheless, I finally mastered the art of 3-pedal driving, and
became the proud owner of a 1967 Volvo P1800. Well, calling myself the owner is s bit of an
overstatement, since my parents paid for it. They must have thought I was a Saint, and let me
take it back to college that fall.
Reluctantly, I sold the P1800 when I got married, and replaced it with a Peugeot 504 with 4
speeds on the column and a manual sunroof, that we picked up in France on our honeymoon.
On 7/4/1976, I celebrated the country’s 200th birthday by buying a 1970 Mercedes 280SEL.
When I complained that the engine was missing and idling poorly, my mechanics Hans and
Manfred prescribed putting my foot to the floor more often to clear out the carbon buildup.
That worked great, until one day on the Perimeter Highway in Atlanta when I floored it and
heard a horrendous thunk. I pulled onto the shoulder to see a rod sticking out of the engine
block and a puddle of oil. Speaking of Atlanta, my company car when I was working there in
the late 1970’s was a Renault LeCar.
Nothing too interesting in the 1980’s, although we did have a Peugeot 505 and a Saab 9000
rather than the conventional people movers of the period. As the 1990’s dawned, early in my
career as a self-employed consultant, I could finally afford something fun and bought a 1992
Acura Integra. I put down a $500 deposit to get on the list for the original Boxster, but my
pragmatic side won out, and I acquired a BMW 530i instead. That was the first car I took to a
HPDE in 1999, and soon thereafter, purchased a 2001 Miata to scratch that itch – but only
after 2 seasons of autocross with the Renegade Miata Club. Then I began time trialing with
COM Sports Car Club, and won my class in 2007. Which brings me back to that low mileage
911 I purchased from Hatch & Sons in January of 2005. My wife agreed that I should keep the
Miata since the Porsche was too pristine to thrash around on the track – it still had the
cosmoline on its suspension parts!
I had been bitten by the track bug pretty bad, so I sold the 911 and purchased a 2006 Cayman
S. I went quite far down the slippery slope with track mods, and in 2014 my wife announced
she would no longer drive in the Cayman with its GT3 racing seats, stiffened suspension, and200 rated low profile tires. After a brief dalliance with a 2007 Aston Martin Vantage V8
Cabriolet, I purchased my 2015, naturally aspirated, Lime Gold Metallic Boxster S.
If I haven’t lulled you to sleep yet, presumably I’ve made a case for my gear head bonafides,
but there’s a whole other side to earning your vote for me as VP Driving Events. So what have
I done to contribute to the various organizations that I’ve been involved with over the years?
I’ve been a Board member of several non-profits, and the Past President of my congregation in
Hingham. I also served for 6 years on the Advisory Committee in Hingham and was elected to
the School Committee there. I was Karting Chair for the Boston Chapter of the BMWCCA,
and organized a few South Shore Tours before chairing the Ramble for 7 years. I’m pleased to
say that we built a nice team on the Ramble that enabled a fairly smooth transition when I
stepped down.
I see my role as making the people I work with look good, and given the caliber of the people
volunteering with NER, that shouldn’t be too hard. I’m there to help, but it’s their show, and
I’ll mostly stay in the background while providing whatever they need to be successful. After
20 years in NER, and lots of experience with other volunteer-driven organizations, I look
forward to working with the next generation of leaders at NER.
VP Communications – Darin Smith
Hello, Good People! I’m honored and extremely humbled to be a candidate for the VP
of Communications position of PCA NER. In that connection, I respectfully request that
you consider my candidacy.
Legend has it that my first spoken word was “car”. I have no idea whether that is true
but, for the sake of a good story and an inability to properly fact-check, let’s run with it!
Regardless, what I can honestly say is that I’ve been captivated by automobiles and
motorsports from a very young age. I blame my dad. Apart from watching tape-delayed
highlights of the Indianapolis 500 on ABC’s Wide World of Sports in the mid 70’s
between cliff diving and jai-alai, I have fond memories of riding in the back of my dad’s
Triumph TR6 on the way to watch sportscar racing at Bridgehampton Race Circuit on
Long Island, NY. The glorious wail of an inline six-cylinder engine at full chat emanating
from quad exhaust pipes just inches from my ears was intoxicating to five-year-old me.
Note, to those of you who are familiar with TR6’s, you know that they are true two-seat
roadsters. Thus, I sat fully exposed on a parcel shelf (literally!) behind my parents
where my sole and hugely important job was to snap the buttons on my father’s leather
driving gloves before we took off. There were no seatbelts or other safety features in
the back suitable for any human being, never mind a young kid who would surely flop
around uncontrollably in the event of an “off”. Nowadays, my folks would be arrested for
child endangerment if they engaged in such abhorrent behavior. The downside to beingcloaked in bubble wrap as a youth is that my inner Evil Knievel would have never been
born! As a result, I am forever grateful to my parent’s Woodstock Music Festival
sensibilities…they were there…allegedly.
From these beginnings, I have been fortunate enough to experience many memorable
auto-related events, including attending Lewis Hamilton’s first Formula 1 win at the 2007
Canadian Grand Prix (humorously, as an invitee of Ferrari), being a guest of Roush
Fenway Keselowski Racing at the inaugural NASCAR street race in Chicago,
participating in HPDE’s at several local tracks, as well as Watkins Glen International
and Barber Motorsports Park, being able to recite most of the lines in The Gumball Rally
– the greatest movie in cinema history — and, finally, purchasing a Porsche 911 and
becoming a PCA NER member in 2022. Cars and motorsports are important parts of
my life. With your help, I’m hoping to add a PCA NER leadership position to my
cherished car experiences.
On the more personal side, I’ve been happily married for 28 years to my high school
sweetheart and been blessed with two amazing daughters…both of whom are true car
enthusiasts (yeah, I know, what a surprise). Professionally, I am a corporate lawyer.
Most recently, I spent 15 years at a Fortune ten company where I, among other things,
led the Mergers and Acquisitions legal team in connection with transformational and
highly complex deals. Prior to that, I was a partner at a large law firm headquartered in
Boston. I’ve also been on the Board of Directors of several non-profits in the education
and healthcare spaces.
As the potential VP of Communications and member of the PCA NER Board, I believe
that my passion for cars, especially the Porsche marque, combined with real-world
experience leading and being a part of highly effective and enthusiastic teams whose
members bring different points of view, skills, and visions, can help PCA NER continue
to achieve the desires of the collective such that each member sees something on the
“PCA NER Menu” that appeals to his/her individual palate. We can take a page out of
Porsche’s very own playbook when the company, to remain solvent and relevant,
pivoted from air-cooled to water-cooled engines, or expanded its product offerings to
include vehicles other than sporty 356’s and 911’s, or relatively recently began to focus
on production versions of electric cars after over a century-long hiatus now that
technology has advanced greatly to make e-vehicles a reality. Purists may scoff, but, in
my opinion, there is something endearing to striking a proper balance between
evolution, expansion, refinement, and growth on the one hand, and tradition, history,
custom, and ritual on the other. However determined, such balance should be defined
by the people. I’m hopeful that each member is further encouraged to utilize his/her
voice to assist with the look, feel and direction of PCA NER going forward. The irony is
that, should I be elected VP of Communications, the actual content of the
communications, although likely distributed by me, will, in fact, be authored by the
membership. I intend to be the messenger for your message.
In sum, I believe that my background and diverse skills in areas such as
communication, project management, strategy, corporate governance, and internal and external collaborations can be beneficial to the Club.
Thank you very much for your consideration.
