[miguel]

I received my password and notification of election from USHPA today. The notification says that two Region 2 candidates tied for a second open seat and SOPs require them to hold a special election. The voting lasts from 2-1 to 2-15.

[Bob Kuczewski]

I assume they're not using Range voting!!     

[Bob Kuczewski]

Miguel,

I saw your post on hanggliding.org:

Bump for the Thursday crew.
Don't be apothetic.
Get your ushpa number and password and go here to vote.
the voting link is at the top of the page.
Mike needs YOUR vote.
It takes all of a minute.

Is that Mike Jefferson? If so, I think he'd be a great choice for Region 2!!!

[miguel]

Miguel,


Is that Mike Jefferson? If so, I think he'd be a great choice for Region 2!!!

Yes, it is Mike Jefferson. I think he has a stiff spine and will not drink the kool-aid.
I hope hg pilots will vote. Most Region 2 hg pilots are apathetic. The pg pilots all vote.

[Bob Kuczewski]

Mike Jefferson

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I have been a USHPA hang glider pilot since the year 2000. There are many reasons why I feel I would make a great Regional Director for the USHPA. As an Advanced and Tandem Instructor, I have taught over a thousand individual hang gliding lessons. I have personally signed up and taught more than two dozen active USHPA pilots. Last year I helped start a new USHPA chapter dedicated to finding new hang glider training sites in the San Francisco bay area. In 2010 I hosted an instructor clinic where 4 local pilots earned their Basic Instructor ratings. Some of these new instructors have started their own hang gliding schools and are currently making scores of new USHPA pilots. I believe these things show my great desire to develop and administer programs that foster the growth of the association membership and the public acceptance of the sport.

I have recently sold the most popular and second largest hang gliding school in northern California and have decided not to teach again. However, when I am a Regional Director I will have more time to continue to promote our sport. I will insure that the USHPA rating programs are active and easily accessible to all members wishing to participate. I will work cooperatively with the Examiners, Observers and Instructors in my region and support their efforts to rate unrated sites. I will support the efforts of all Instructors and Observers in the USHPA.

If you are a member of region 2, I ask you to please vote for me. Working together, we can make a difference.

During the first election process, I conceded to Patrick to make things easier on the hard working USHPA staff and the election committee. Now that a run-off is going to happen, I will be happy to take the Regional Director position if I am elected. Thank you for your consideration.

Thank you,
Mike Jefferson

Patrick Hajek

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For those who have never met me up at launch or hoisted a few beers with me, allow me to introduce myself. I started paragliding in 1990 on a used 1988 eleven cell square paraglider that I paid $800 for. Over the last 20 years, I have owned many gliders, participated or witnessed impressive goals/developments and also, seen my share of carnage. I am an active pilot in the Bay Area who typically flys over 100 hours a year with a focus on mountain XC flying and enjoy participating in at least two sanctioned paragliding competitions a year at various sites in North America.

My first foray into politics was in 1994, having been elected as the first Paraglider Pilot in my local flying club, serving the 150 member hang gliding and paragliding members. During that time, I have worked to bridge the two foot launched communities and promote foot launched free flight and to increase our local sites.

My professional background is in Engineering Physics and over the last decade, I have and currently work as a staff scientist at a large federally funded laboratory in the San Francisco/Bay Area. This background has provided a valuable insight into large bureaucratic institutions and producing results within this environment.

My goal is to effectively serve both our Hang Gliding and Paragliding communities in Region 2, to expand site access, and to promoting free flight. Specifically:

    (1) Work on re-opening Toll House to both PG/HG communities.
    (2) Incorporate the fine work of the NorCal Free Flight Film Festival into
          a symposium with USHPA and other local groups i.e. WOR, BAPA, Sonoma Wings,
          to a forum for discussion and promote our sport to the outside world and reverse the
          current USHPA member attrition rate.

See you on the hill.