EAA Ch.54 March Board Meeting

Monday, March 3, 2025

Minutes

1. Call meeting to order at: 7:02 pm

2. Members attending:  Marlon Gunderson, Jay Schrankler, Ed Trudeau, Emma Hanson, Bruce Olson, Bob Collins, Bill Schanks Jr, Evangelos Savvas, Scott Hanson, Jon Pierce-Ruhland, Jon Dekko

1. Officer’s Reports

   1. President – Marlon Gunderson

      1. February 10 Member Meeting – Al Kupferschmidt Interview by Bob C.

      2. New member Jon Pierce-Ruhland (Navajo in Bliska hangar)

      3. Ch.54 member & Sr. AME Matt Cooper offer to speak re: med issues

      4. non-member Brett Thompson offered some mostly aluminum/riveting tools.

      5. LEAAC Feb.24 meeting.  Luke Peterson re-upped as User co-chair. Jeff Holtz (LE Council) replaced Mary McComber (Bayport Mayor) as community co-chair.

      6. Joe Harris promoted out of MAC Reliever Director position. Replacement TBA.

      7. $425 YE credits available Mar.1

      8. Applied for Airventure Pancake breakfast host lottery (late May).

   2. Vice President – Jay Schrankler
        Planned Programs:

      1. March: Jay Schrankler-Choosing the right Avionics for your mission

      2. April: Carl Ziegler -21D resident will discuss various AP topics

      3. May: Sebastien Heintz, CEO Zenith Aircraft

      4. June: Picnic BBQ and Presentation by Dr Dan Johnson “How to Crash Confidently” about pilot physiology (tentative).

      5. July: John Mohr-MInnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Member

      6. August: Post OSH recap, cookout. walking hangar tour (3rd Monday!)

      7. September: Combat Helicopters-Barry Hammarback and the Huey story

      8. October: The Perlan Project by Dan Johnson and one other presenter

      9. November: open

      10. December: Holiday party and trivia contest

      11. January: 2026 Matt Cooper (Tentative)

   3. Treasurer’s Report – Emma Hanson

      1. Treasurer:  Report February 2025: Reviewed and approved

      2. Financials

   4. Secretary - Ed Trudeau

      1. February meeting minutes - Reviewed and Approved, Marlon/Jay

      2. Members update: 6 March Renewals, 96 Active, 81 inactive

2. Coordinators/Directors Reports, if any

   1. Facilities – Bob Collins.  (See report), Motion up to $50 asbestos testing, Bob/Ed, Approved,  Motion to replace damaged tree in yard: Marlon/ Jay-Approved

   2. Membership – Scott Hanson, moved inactive members to Inactive on Roster Mgmt

   3. Young Eagles – Dale Seitzer: Bob reported: check EAA youth protection program

   4. Flying Start – Evangelos Savvas, May 17, same program as last year

   5. Education – Jeff Dale

   6. Events – Bill Schanks- Airventure camping paid, Fly-outs starting- putting on calendar

   7. Ray Scholarship – Bruce Olson - EAA decision-We were Approved: Applicant Elisha Redmann- $12,000 Scholarship. Option for additional 25% scholarship if we want it.

3. Old Business

   1. Need for standard chapter scholarship information/solicitation and candidate selection process.  (Ray and Air Academy) – volunteer request in President’s column. No bites yet.
      Bob C. created draft plan for application process/timeline. (See timetable)

   2. Fundraising
      Shortfall of raised funds relative to scholarship interest
      We are getting unsolicited donations; suggests interest in support of what we do
      Potential for more income from marketing of our efforts to potential donors

      1. Development Director to drive this?  No bites

      2. Emma & Jay volunteered to work donor acknowledgement ideas-Posting list of names in clubhouse

   3. Tool Library admin to be developed by Bill Schanks.  Will send out a list of tools.  

   4. 2025 Air Academy applicants

      1. Ellory Berniard – scholarship recipient,  all set for summer 2025

      2. David Phernetton (Phyllis Jaworski) – accepted, invited by EAA to apply for ‘Campership’. Camperships to be announced in March by EAA
         We can consider helping with the balance.  Marlon requested a ‘Candidate Marlon/Background’.

      3. WoonYi Hanson – waitlisted for Air Academy, possibly next year due to age

   5. Board nominees for November elections

      1. Anyone not willing to re-up please notify Marlon

   6. Chapter logo stickers.  Dan Bathke inquired about need or desire for logos because he knows a guy…  Got a quote:    $100 for 100, $150 for 200, $270 for 500
      Membership expressed interest at Jan. meeting. Bruce will rough-up design-May

   7. Air Venture Camping: Bill Schanks organized, sold out, with waiting list.

4. New Business

   1. Facilities related (see March facilities report, link above)

      1. Possible ceiling asbestos issue & course of action

      2. Window related cold air intrusion course of action

      3. Failed air conditioner course of action

      4. East side damaged tree course of action

   2. Fly-In Fundraiser planning structure and kickoff in March

      1. Suggest Fly In Coordinator + committee structure

      2. Propose committee initial meeting March 7,8,14,or 15. (Fri or Sat)

         1. All team leads welcome

         2. Committee to grow as roles filled

         3. Invitation at membership meeting(s)

   3.   Chapter Awards nominations: Vickey nominated YE, Bob for Webmaster & Newsletter
        Chapter Achievement Awards | EAA

1. Next Board meeting:  Mon, April 7, 2025  7:00 pm

2. Motion to adjourn - Bob/Scott: Approved 8:21 pm