President’s Corner – November/December 2026
This year has gone by quickly, and this will be my last Presidents Corner as Club President.
I want to thank our Club Members, especially the Staff and Officers, for their support. It takes the entire staff to manage the Club’s business and the monthly activities that don't just happen on their own. I have been blessed with great teams during each of my four terms as President.
Many may not realize that there is a separate business side to managing the Club. The Nashville Corvette Club is designated as a “Not-for-Profit” organization, and with that State designation, we must comply with specific operational requirements.
I want to personally thank Amelia Workman for ensuring that, each year, the proper State of Tennessee forms are submitted, including information about our Board and any other information requested to remain in compliance with State regulations.
I want to thank Cooper Chilton for serving as our Club Treasurer for the past three years and keeping our Club financially strong and operating within our established guidelines and procedures. Cooper has ensured invoices are paid on time, annual renewal funds are tracked and properly accounted for. Cooper’s financial advice to the Board members and others has provided great insight, learning and value. This is his 3rd and final year as Club Treasurer, and we thank him.
I want to thank the remaining Board members for the part they played in several major Club decisions in 2026.
Ralph Montileone has served as Governor, acting as our voice to the National Council of Corvette Clubs, for 6 years and has again been nominated for his seventh term.
Finally, I want to thank Mike and Dolores Johnson.
Mike has served the past year as Club Vice President & Activity Director, and Dolores has served as Club Secretary for 3 years. Both have spent many hours arranging our cruises and selecting restaurants that satisfy us all.
Mike has been nominated for Club President for 2027. I hope the many hours he and I have spent working together have helped him understand how the Club operates and all its moving parts.
I feel good about several of the more important board decisions that were made in 2026.
The Board’s decision to continue requiring dual memberships with the National Council of Corvette Clubs was the right decision. As I shared at the Club Meeting last Spring, the Board spent many hours researching and evaluating the level of “value add” that NCCC provides to our Membership. The additional liability Insurance provided to our members, especially our Club Officers, was the tipping point. Whether you agree or not, I feel the Board’s decision was the right one.
The Board and Membership approved adding a new Club bylaw that I believe will help set the stage for the Club going forward: The outgoing President will serve a 12-month term working in conjunction with the Board in a non-voting, advisory role, assisting the new incoming President and Board members.
New board members face a steep learning curve, especially the President and V.P. Without a succession mentoring plan when officers change, this can create operational and compliance issues.
I will be the first past President to serve in this advisory non-voting role. I hope the support, advice, and experience I offer will be value-added.
In 2027, the Membership Director position will return to the Board with a voting role. This gives our membership a direct voice in how we operate the club. This long-overdue change will strengthen Board membership.
Finally, I thank you again for your support and confidence. I was proud to serve as your Club President.
I hope you will consider giving back to our Club by running for an Officer position or volunteering for a staff position. Sure, it takes some of your personal time, but in the end, you will gain a lot of satisfaction helping steer the Nashville Corvette Club into the future.
Best regards to everyone, and let me be the first to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Donna and I hope to see everyone at the Christmas Party on December 14th!