Meet Our New Director of Operations

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By: Chris Fairchild | APBA Vice President | Jun 5, 2019

Hello APBA, 

Headquarters was notified at the end of May that Director of Operations Sarah Ealy was leaving. This left us with a too familiar void at HQ for a director.  We reached out to a person who had been spoken to, prior to Sarah, about the job, who at that time was not ready to take the position. Something we are struggling with is when an "outsider" tries to fill this position we as an organization present many unique situations that they don't understand. WE understand how and how we got to where we are. Our new interim Director has been an active participant in boat racing, and involved in many aspects of the sport. She has now:

• Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Florida Gulf Coast University
• Business Management degree from the Lutgert College of Business, an AACSB accreditation
• Five years of professional experience managing for union theatre companies
• Active member of APBA for 13 years
• Exposed to APBA inner workings for her entire life
• Raised by a family of boat racers, blood and chosen
• Strong managerial skills
• Excellent under pressure
• Knowledge of proper lighting, sound, and projection equipment necessary for a successful national meeting
• Social Media management and design
• Extensive work with Microsoft Office applications, video editing, and technological repairs 
• Assisted in various aspects of pre-race and race day organization, including scoring and race chair
• Experience within Stock, Modified, PRO, J, and OPC categories
• High moral and ethical values with employers, fellow employees, and personal friends

Rebecca Nichols has accepted this interim position, even with all of our President's reservations. (Incidentally, he was not involved in this decision.) APBA has made a commitment to her through the National Convention of 2020. We are also looking for a permanent replacement, and naturally Rebecca will be on the list if she so chooses. APBA has looked outside the "family" with no success and only frustration; maybe a candidate from inside the family is worth a try. I hope you all welcome Becky into her new position, as she will need our help and cooperation. You can reach her at bnichols@apba.org with any questions or concerns.

Thank you for your time and see you at the races.

Chris Fairchild

Vice President