Quote Originally Posted by Trevor Janz View Post
This is excellent. I just wanted to chime in. Jeff Skiles and I are looking at taking the Chapter Leadership Academy on the road. Many chapters cannot afford to send their leaders to Oshkosh for the weekend workshop. We are considering breaking the country down by regions...having a Chapter host the "Leadership Academy"...and then invite other EAA Chapters within a certain mile radius.

Any thoughts?
No offense, but I think that headquarters would probably stand to learn quite a bit more from chapter leaders than vice-versa. I do not know many chapter leaders who wait to be told what to do, since they generally have a lifetime of leading businesses, families, community organizations, etc.

What IS needed however are experienced chapter leaders to serve as regional directors to keep chapters motivated, help them communicate with each other, and provide ideas. Since they are local, they can react quicker and already have well-established networks. The EAA already does this with YE Field Coordinators, with its freelance ad salespeople, and the AOPA has done this for years. The recently re-established Sport Aviation Association (from Paul P.) is quickly setting up state representatives to help tap into existing networks. Why not pay these regional directors on pure commission based on member and chapter retention as well as chapter and member growth? It will only be a net plus for the organization nationally and locally.