Houston Buick Club, Reorganization Announcement!!!

[CaptainInsane-O]

Guys & Gals, as of today June the 1st 2004, I am officially stepping down from my position as Director of the Houston Buick Club. Unfortunately I just have too many other obligations right now (starting a car club outreach at my church, going back to college) to be able to devote the time necessary to keep the club operating in anything close to resembling an organized state. I will definitely continue to stay as active as possible with the HBC and along with a dedicated group of concerned members, have instituted some solid steps to not only help breathe new life into the club, but get us back on the right track so that the HBC can once again be an organization y'all can be proud to call yourselves a member of.

To this end the following has occurred:

1. Last month I met with a core group of devoted HBC members and we discussed the club's current & future status, what actions needed to be taken to get the club reorganized and running smoothly again and came up with a set of goals for what it would take to get these things done. To this end, a Board of Officers (all volunteers) has been appointed for the 2004 - 2005 calendar year

as follows:

HBC Director: Steve Campbell

Asst. Director: JR Wills

Secretary-Treasurer: Nick Sloop

Trustees: Paul LeBlanc, Michael LeBlanc, Victor Kohanski, Doug Connor

2. At 4:00pm on June the 26th the club will be holding a General Membership meeting at Dixie's Classic Diner (15323 Gulf Fwy Houston, TX 77034-5336, Phone: 281-481-5130, they are on the northbound I-45 feeder just past Dixie Farm Road) to discuss the following in more detail, update our membership records, collect club dues and take any questions and/or suggestions from you the members of the HBC.

3. As stated above, as of June the 1st, 2004 the HBC will once again be officially collecting membership dues. The 2004 - 2005 club dues will be $20 per member (includes significant other and any children under 18.) For a copy of the Houston Buick Club membership application please email Steve Campbell at:

scampbell729@houston.rr.com

Copies of the membership application will also be available at EJ's Buick Bash on June the 5th and at the Membership Meeting at Dixie's on the 26th. To mail them in please include a completed membership application, make checks payable to Nick Sloop & send to:

Houston Buick Club
C/O Nick Sloop
11323 Hillcroft
Houston, TX 77035

4. The club calendar year will run from June the 1st to May the 31st. There will be a club board & membership meeting held on the 3rd Thursday of each month, the location of which will be announced at least two (2) weeks prior to each meeting. We will be planning upcoming meetings & events, reviewing the status of the club bank account and discussing any ideas, suggestions, or feedback from the members.

5. We will have an official Houston Buick Club bank account established; club income and expense records will be maintained, reconciled and reported to the membership on at least a quarterly basis. The club Director and the Secretary-Treasurer are responsible for the accuracy and timeliness of said reports. We will also establish the club as a non-profit organization; we will keep you informed at to the status of this as more information is received.

6. The club will work towards re-establishing a presence on the World Wide Web by creating a club website.

7. The HBC will post a newsletter (HBC Times) to the email list on a bi-monthly basis (1st edition out by August 31st) and on the (future) club website. This newsletter will feature a profile of a HBC member & their Buick/s as well as member submitted tech tips & how to articles, a "High Octane Food" recipe, a rundown of upcoming club meetings / events and a list of upcoming car shows & races around the Houston area.

8. Board elections, which will occur within 30 days of the end of the club calendar year, will be held for each of the club's Board of Officers positions on an annual basis. Board terms will be limited to two (2) consecutive years for all positions. The Director Emeritus will also agree to continue on with the club as a Board Trustee for one year to help ensure the transition to a new board goes smoothly.

Membership benefits include: The Houston Buick Club email list, a bi-monthly online newsletter (HBC Times) featuring a club member / car profile and participation in an annual car show & chili cook-off with trophies / plaques. Benefits also include awards for & recognition of outstanding members (those who go the extra mile to help fellow club members, etc...); candidates for this honor will be nominated & selected by the HBC membership. Members will also receive numbered HBC Membership I.D. cards, which entitle club members to discounts at area businesses such as Conley's Performance Plus and the Parts Dept at Gay Buick. We are also working on having some club merchandise made, such as hats & t-shirts which will be available for sale to the membership.

Please understand that our efforts to reorganize the HBC are heartfelt and genuine; that our goal is to provide a venue for Buick enthusiasts to socialize and interact with others who appreciate the performance and beauty of General Motors' finest line of automobiles the Buicks. With volunteerism and active participation from officers AND members alike, the Houston Buick Club WILL be a success and once again a club in which you can be proud to be a member. We are very excited about the events we have planned AND in the works for this year and hope to see everyone at the Membership Meeting at 4:00 pm on June the 26th at Dixie's Classic Diner: (15323 Gulf Fwy Houston, TX 77034-5336, Phone: 281-481-5130)

Sincerely,

Doug C. and the 2004 - 2005 HBC Board of Officers