Changing of the guards

[Timothy B]

i am very happy to have chosen to attend the latest Evergreen Board meeting. i've attended quite a few for a myriad of reason, many times it's a curiosity on the direction of the organization. Attending board meetings as a member is certainly a worthwhile endeavor in my opinion, but that line of thought could have me rambling ad nauseum. Perhaps i'll take up that up with another post down the road but for now i'd like to focus on the departure of Jon Kennedy and the arrival of Glenn Glover.

With the sudden departure of John Lang the prospects laid before the current Board were probably downright dreary. While there has been no official remark of the discontent from the effects of Langs leadership along with him taking his marbles and playing elsewhere, the sentiment among board and staff moving forward has been one of quiet frustration, and acknowledgment of picking up the pieces left from his wake.

And from that, nobody in my opinion did more in the past year for the good of Evergreen than Jon Kennedy. Overall he was assigned the thankless task of tackling not only his own responsibilities, but establishing and helping to redefine the direction of the club by taking the helm. Whether you agree or disagree with certain elements of his decisions, i for one appreciated the fact that Jon would entertain ideas, re-opened the gates for ideas and support to come from outside of his self, led with his ego aside and a genuine interest in the people he engaged, and a spirit of sometimes unbridled idealism that could sweep even the most skeptical soul toward a call to action.

These are certainly quality elements that i will miss as he departs. Sure he would let out a complaint from time to time about his workload, which would certainly gain little sympathy from me or other volunteers who endeavor forth with no pay. But the reality is that Jon certainly was getting paid peanuts to juggle big issues while holding down the fort so to speak. If his pay was doubled with benefits, my tone would certainly have a bit more room for criticism in the form of a good natured kick to the pants on his way out the door, but seriously for such little money, for such a job that is so very often times without gratitude, let alone pay, he exceeded expectations. Whereas his predecessor fell way short with much higher expectations. But the key here is that Lang entered when Evergreen was on a high, and Jon knowingly entered when Evergreen was at an unprecedented low, and should be credited for many successes we enjoy long after the fact.

At the meeting Kennedy spoke for quite a while. Maybe too long haha, but that goes to show that his passion for mt. biking is genuine.

Two key statements i found interesting within his farewell speech. First was his interest in entering Diamondback with an advocacy point of view. i really think this is a valid ideal, and one that could really be good for mt. bikers if it catches on. From someone who's been mt. biking for a while you notice that the focus of industry is on the short sighted flash of what is hot and what is not. But what really fuels the body of mt. biking is the ability to have fun trails to ride. At the end of the day he's being assigned to the task of selling goods, but i think having Jon in there to help reshape the tone and approach to that is a good thing.

The other statement was an ongoing question of the sustainability of a smaller organization like Evergreen, when it's Executive Director leaves. And the potential upheaval it presents. There is no template for continuity so there is always a potential for setback, a vacuum for resources, and a squandering of opportunity as the scrambling commences to replace the person at the helm. This question to me is highlighted towards my thoughts in advocacy in general. There are many many advocates that hold valuable information and experience and for whatever reason discontinue their efforts. This is a constant problem that effects every level of advocacy in my opinion, and it will be interesting to observe what ideas spring forth on that topic as i believe there are a number of current advocates that are entertaining solutions on this topic.

One solution is just pure dumb luck, if you really examine the success of the local mt. biking community there are certain folks who come in to help fill a void in a big way. Don't let this secret get out, but this has happened over and over again in our history. And as often is the case these persons go with little to no fanfare. Such is the case for Glenn Glover. Inside certain circles Glenn is credited for providing results, and solutions that help bind efforts that are in danger of splitting apart. That's been his "modus operandi" throughout his time with Evergreen. His fingerprints are all over Colonnade, and along with Dennis Little, he can be specifically credited to the success of the relationship with the New Life Church, the Freeride Park and XC trails there in Black Diamond.

On a personal level i found that his extremely sobering honesty and rational view are integral in his approach. A quality i found significant was his accountability not so much his task of accounting he performed while volunteering on the board. It's very rare and also a subtle quality to identify in a person, but in my view and the view of others, there is no questioning the mans integrity.

Still doesn't mean i have to agree with him in all of his future decisions. But beyond the carbon copy ideal of sometimes inappropriate tired corporate "rah rah" support, i would hope persons provide Glenn with honest feedback. i personally feel that Glenn has a great capacity to listen, and put extra effort into understanding, which manifests into results. Certainly Evergreen is lucky to have Glenn step into this role temporarily, i think the mountain bike community will be richer for this to have occurred. Most everyone who is paying attention to these things agree that this is extremely fortuitous and that the most unlikely yet most qualified candidate for this position has agreed to fill in.

We will be continuing the discussion on the leadership role of the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance most likely within the year of yet another person to step in. However i think it's without question that we should expect a more efficient less dramatic transition the next time around.