Our Meet Chairman, Steve Montgomery, is putting the final touches together so you’ re sure to have an exciting time. The new judging format will be used( refer to Avanti Magazine, Issue 121, page 10). The Judging committee headed by Jim Pearce will be interested in your reactions.

I know of a few members who are driving cross- country. I lo ok forward to hearing your travel adventures at the meet and seeing them published in the Avanti Magazine. If you can’ t make it to the National Meet in Sacramento, consider taking advantage of something closer to home. Is there a local chapter nearby? If not, check your 2003 Roster. You may find someone who owns an Avanti who lives a few blocks away or on the other side of town. Have your own Mini Meet! Before you know it, you’ ll have enough members to start your own chapter.

By June, we will have a New Chapter and possibly TWO thanks to the initiative of several members, and the direction of Don Jones, our chapter coordinator. Official announcement will take place during the Board Meeting in Sacramento.

Your Chapter Presidents reviewed the Business Plan and they offered some great feedback. Hopefully, they have shared with you the vision of AOAI. We welcome your comments and participation to help shape the direction of the club. The final version will be presented to the members at the board meeting in Sacramento and then printed in the Avanti Magazine.

Enhanced Communications: The monthly conference calls have been extremely successful! The BoD look forward to the calls even though we’ ve had some three hour calls in the beginning. We have accomplished many things like appointing a new Membership Director and the new Chapter Coordinators along with Committees to focus on Finance, Judging, Marketing / Promotions and Recognition. These committees have established a Budget, Business Plan, Chapter Starter Kit, Membership

Questionnaire, New Welcoming Letter, Recognition Criteria and distributed a 40th Anniversary Promotional Package including“ The Avanti Story,” to multiple publications and editors. 2000 + Walking Billboards: In about nine months, we will have more than 2000 walking billboards across the 50 states and around the world, after you all renew and start wearing your complimentary AOAI T-shirt, for only $ 10 each, you can get additional shirts for your family and friends. Shipping is paid by AOAI. See the AOAI membership form in the back of this issue for more details.

This past Saturday in May, I was proudly wearing the AOAI T- shirt when the guy from Autozone said,“ Hey, my Dad got an Avanti in the garage” who ironically only lives five miles from me. I got his dad ' s name and number so I could invite him to an Indiana Chapter event and get him an AOAI application. The shirts are working! Wear yours proudly and I hope you have the same experience. If so, please share them with Lew Schucart so he can publish them.

Membership Questionnaire: Thanks to those who responded. Jason Ford is compiling your responses for a presentation at the Board Meeting in Sacramento. Initial results are interesting. Get yours mailed in if you haven’ t done so already. The final results will be published in the next issue.

40th Anniversary Promotional Campaign: Keith Phildius successfully put together the 40th Anniversary Promotion package with a copy of the“ The Avanti Story” brochure to encourage multiple editors to provide to their readership with the unique Avanti automobile story.

The Avanti Story: Don Jones created a masterpiece! Don compiled the Avanti history in a concise four-page brochure with the Avanti picture on the cover from the original April 1962 Studebaker press release. Those who attend the Sacramento meet will get a sample in their meet bag. All members will receive a copy with the Summer / Fall issue.

Are you a Webmaster? If you are good with creating and maintaining a webpage, AOAI could use your help. Lew Schucart got the AOAI website set up but has had little time to maintain it, given the tremendous amount of time

See BAKER, Page 36

4 AVANTI Magazine Spring / Summer 2003 Issue 122