Ufwda

[jeepcj]

There is some fun reading on the UFWDA forum. It seems the Pres. of the Utah clubs is raising lots hell in how buisness is done.

[TheYeti1775]

There is some fun reading on the UFWDA forum. It seems the Pres. of the Utah clubs is raising lots hell in how buisness is done.

Dang I must have a twin in Utah......
I would be raising questions as well, but that's based on just what I've read so far.
Here's the thread so people don't have to go searching.
http://www.ufwda.org/smf/index.php?topic=2364.0

[HAWAIICJ]

There is some fun reading on the UFWDA forum. It seems the Pres. of the Utah clubs is raising lots hell in how buisness is done.

Frank, I was going to contact you to see what is going on. I am on the email list for Gregg J. and have been receiving emails for 2.5 weeks from many people. Makes for an interesting read when coupled with the UFWDA Forum.

Dave

[TheYeti1775]

Frank, I was going to contact you to see what is going on. I am on the email list for Gregg J. and have been receiving emails for 2.5 weeks from many people. Makes for an interesting read when coupled with the UFWDA Forum.

Dave

Need to get on that list. Always been curious about those organizations (UFWDA & VA4WDA), hear them mentioned all the time within various boards but never had a real insight on there workings to get a true feel for what they do and where they do it.

From an outside prespective looks like a shortfall in funds for running the organization. Looks like VA4WDA stepped up with a 'donation' to help bail them out. But on the other hand, I can see where that Steve(Utah President) guy is coming from.

Anyone got a better prespective on it?

[jeepcj]

My ideas.

1) UFWDA has great intentions but very bad management. Carla (UNFWDA's lawyer and operation manager) has a great love of our sport and is a good lawyer, her managing skills are poor.

2) Marti (UNFWDA' s sales and business manager) it's just her job, does not own a 4x4 or a member of any club. She makes 30% on every dollar she brings in. Like adds in the Voice or the money you spent to be part of the Wheel In.

3) UFWDA sent out some e-mail that they where in dire need of cash to continue to operate at the current level. In comes Steve (Pres of the Utah club) and starts asking some questions about how things are run

3) Carla & Marti get very defencive and most of the BOD backs them up (myself excluded).

4) lots of finger pointing and bad mouthing each other. No cooperation at all. Other Association are say VA gets better treatment because that is where Carla & Marti live.

5) VA states that every member in the association is a payed member of UFWDA (is that true?)

6) Wayne (pres of United) bands members of the BOD from talking to Steve

7) Oh what fun and games

4) This

[georgia]

Sounds like the same drama that goes on with another club.

[georgia]

Ok so I have a question....
Is it worth it to sign up with either of these associations and pay to be a member or not?
Ive heard some controversity and really dont know anything about the details or anything about either orginaztion so Im askin here.
We want to do our part to help conserve the resources that are around us.

[Frankpapa]

Carla (UNFWDA's lawyer and operation manager) has a great love of our sport and is a good lawyer, her managing skills are poor.

From what I saw on that thread, her communications skills may be an issue too. The dialog really seemed to go downhill after her post.

Who actually does the legislative lobbying and outside representation on access issues? This is important stuff, but honestly, I haven't gotten to know UNFWDA well enough to get a sense of how this is being handled.

Thanks for bringing the info forward.

[TheYeti1775]

Ok so I have a question....
Is it worth it to sign up with either of these associations and pay to be a member or not?
Ive heard some controversity and really dont know anything about the details or anything about either orginaztion so Im askin here.
We want to do our part to help conserve the resources that are around us.

I think joining VA4WD would be better, it gives you the UFWDA membership as part of it. That and I'm more likely to participate at a local level vice a national level.


Bolded my responses within yours, please remember I don't know enough to have a legit opinion on the internals, its just an outsider view:

My ideas.

1) UFWDA has great intentions but very bad management. Carla (UNFWDA's lawyer and operation manager) has a great love of our sport and is a good lawyer, her managing skills are poor.

Perhaps No-Conf in her in as a manager, that was a lot of money being talked about on the thread. Has anyone ever audit the books seeing if there are other avenues to save the money and weather a downturn on income?

2) Marti (UNFWDA' s sales and business manager) it's just her job, does not own a 4x4 or a member of any club. She makes 30% on every dollar she brings in. Like adds in the Voice or the money you spent to be part of the Wheel In.

So a commission only Salesperson?
What kind of leeway in making sales does she have? (would need a copy of like the last issue of the Voice that came out to peruse what ads are in it currently)
If it is a commission only position, you could offer it in different regions. You know much like the sub-sections they have setup on the forum, than your ads are heavy East Coast base (think that was one of the compliants).
Let them compete against each other. Give a bonus to top sales person, keep say an additional 10% in escrow 5% to top dog 3% to second, keep the other 2% there to maintain a base.

3) UFWDA sent out some e-mail that they where in dire need of cash to continue to operate at the current level. In comes Steve (Pres of the Utah club) and starts asking some questions about how things are run

Personally when someone says they need cash to keep open/running at current levels, you should ask questions. Steve came off as raw, but I know I do as well. I thought they were quite honest and reasonable questions.

3) Carla & Marti get very defencive and most of the BOD backs them up (myself excluded).

Getting defensive on it, as you saw, didn't help a bit. It aggravated the situation more. It also caused others to begin to question it.

4) lots of finger pointing and bad mouthing each other. No cooperation at all. Other Association are say VA gets better treatment because that is where Carla & Marti live.

If VA gets better treatment, due to them living here perhaps they should ask the question is favortism going on? Honestly don't know, but if they have Regional Presidents/Representives/BoD shouldn't that be a self-correcting problem by their own activity and actions?

5) VA states that every member in the association is a payed member of UFWDA (is that true?)

Should be pretty easy to check a membership roster against what the UFWDA has.

6) Wayne (pres of United) bands members of the BOD from talking to Steve

I think that's the wrong route to go, it would more than likely cause more to leave than to have others join in. If the BoD won't talk to a Regional President, you got some issues going on.

7) Oh what fun and games

Wouldn't be the first or the last club to self-implode under its own weight.

4) This

Did ya forget to finish your thought?

From what I saw on that thread, her communications skills may be an issue too. The dialog really seemed to go downhill after her post.

Who actually does the legislative lobbying and outside representation on access issues? This is important stuff, but honestly, I haven't gotten to know UNFWDA well enough to get a sense of how this is being handled.

Thanks for bringing the info forward.

I would like to see the answers to those questions too Frank.

I guess the real question for BWJ standing outside looking in, is there anything we can do to help (outside of the just feed us money bit)?