Happy New Year to everyone and welcome to the 2009 IMAC season. On behalf of the entire executive board and regional directors, it’s our pleasure to roll-out the new IMAC website for your utilization and review.

This is the first of in a series of monthly presidential reports. I would like to recognize the former executive board and regional directors for their dedication and countless hours of service to IMAC.

We salute you: Dan Rathbun (president), Ken McGuire (vice president), Bobby Folsom (secretary), Phil Vance (treasurer), Keith Bodeau (NW regional director), Albert Santiago (NE regional director), Bob Hudson (NC regional director), Ken Gregory (SW regional director), Rick Byrd (SC regional director), and Don Hamilton(SE regional director).

The newly elected executive board and the regional directors hit the ground running just after the elections and have created the policies and procedures for the 2009 season. Please take the time to read and review the minutes of our many meetings. Highlights include standardization of the IMAC Regional Points Series (IRPS), introduction of a new national Seniors Point Series, a revision of the IMAC Contest Guide, and selection of Dave Smith’s Score! scoring program as the Official IMAC scoring program for all events.

I would also like to introduce these very important IMAC committees, their chairmen, and respective members:

At this writing, the AMA Convention in California is now a wrap.  A couple of firsts at this event – SW Regional Director Tim Attaway delivered our first judging school of the season and also rolled out the preliminary version of an IMAC Judging certification exam. Our Education committee will be building on this experience to develop a national certification exam.

All of the regions have judging seminars scheduled with many talented, passionate presenters giving their time to ensure your success. Please step up and reserve your spot today at your next closest judging seminar.

Your Board has a full agenda for this year including:

• Phase II of the IMAC website – automating calculation of the IRPS points and posting of contest results
• Online Education/Judging certification program
• International Expansion Program
• Updating IMAC policies
• Review and updating the AMA Rulebook (2009 is a Rules Cycle year)
• AMA Nats in Muncie

This month I’d like to recognize three individuals that have made a tremendous contribution to IMAC.

We salute Vic Rice who brought to life the contest registration concept. Vic created the program and hosted it on his on web server prior to the release of this new website. Vic - we wish to express our sincere thanks for leading the way with the contest registration concept.

We salute Mike Stoner for his years of scoring program support and his many countless hours of dedicated service to this organization! Mike led the way with one of the first scoring programs used in IMAC contests. Mike’s Excel-based program is being retired now. Dave Smith’s Score! program will be the Official IMAC Scoring program and will form the basis for the next phase of the website integration.

We salute Roy Barrow from the Memory Bank, Inc. who is our national webmaster and serving as Marketing director. Roy has delivered this state-of-the-art website and continues to advise on web technology and marketing of the site. Roy has very deep roots in IMAC and understands IMAC’s needs.

Each month we will highlight a vendor who supports IMAC.

Drum Roll please………and the Vendor for the month of January is..

Bob Ritchey from Smart-Fly.com. Quest Engineering & Development, Inc.

I’d like to recognize Bob for his continuous donations of Smart-Fly products to the many IMAC contests across the United States.  Bob and staff make it their business to download the monthly IMAC contest calendar and send unsolicited pilot prizes in support of our events!

Bob and Smart-Fly.com - we thank you for you support!

Well as you can see this board is “Full Throttle” and will continue to deliver on our campaign promises for the betterment of  IMAC. We encourage your participation in any capacity. We are currently seeking talented writers and photographers in the IMAC community.  We will post more info on how you can contribute shortly.

See you on the flight line…

Don