In order to give you an idea of who each of the team members are, everyone was asked to answer a few simple questions about themselves:
Here's what each team member would like to share with you.
All About Our TeamProposed Commander, STARFLEET
Hi, I'm Dave Blaser, and if you haven't guessed yet, I'm running as the proposed candidate for Commander, STARFLEET in our team.
For those who don't already know me, I've been in STARFLEET twice - the first time was 1992 through 1994, and the second time 1998 through to today, and have done a number of different jobs in my chapter, my region and in STARFLEET as a whole - on the chapters I've been part of, I've been everything from Second Officer up through Commanding Officer, currently serving as Chief of Communications on Bounty Station in Region 13; in Region 13 I've been the both the VRC Communications as well as Regional Coordinator, which means that I've served as part of the Admiralty Board and have contributed to making STARFLEET policy; and at the Fleet level I've been a Director in the Academy, Director of the FRC Communications, and currently am a member of the Executive Committee as the Vice-Commander, STARFLEET.
In my day-to-day professional life, I'm the manager of a 20 member team in one of Canada's largest IT Outsourcing and Managed Services company supporting a number of different well known clients - some of our clients are names that you'd immediately recognize in both business as well as home products, both in Canada as well as the United States, and possibly internationally. My job, as manager of the Wintel Multi-Client Team, is to ensure that our clients get quality services for their Windows server systems, and to make sure that their needs are appropriately addressed - my team has one of the lowest turn-over rates in the company, something that I attribute to the way that we interact together - we talk about what's going on, we all pitch in to help each other, and when things aren't going quite right, we stick together and support one another to make sure that we aren't being unjustly treated by other delivery teams
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What I really enjoy about Star Trek is that it gives us a chance to step out of our busy lives, away from all of our day-to-day troubles, and be entertained by the stories that tell us about who we are as a society. Star Trek has been a social commentary since it first came on the air in 1966, and it tells the story through the ages of what our society is struggling with at a particular time in history - it is about each and every one of us, and how we became who we are today.
My favourite characters in Star Trek are Captain Kirk and Scotty, each for two reasons, but maybe not for the reasons that you might think. Captain Kirk was the daring and brash young captain who always thought of his crew and his ship first, and himself second. Scotty was, as Kirk put it, a miracle worker - no matter what happened, he always managed to figure out a way to complete whatever challenge that was put in front of him. Those are the the first reasons I like both of those characters, the second is that Kirk and Scotty were portrayed by Canadian actors, and their portrayal of these characters in something that shaped our society demonstrated to this Canadian boy that the people of Canada do have something very important to contribute that is unique and can shape the world.
STARFLEET has, over the years, been through a lot and has, once upon a time, shaped Star Trek fandom. That's just one aspect of STARFLEET that I'm impressed with. Another being that when the chips are down for someone, when someone has had a personal tragedy, you can almost always count on someone in STARFLEET to help you through it, sometimes through supportive words, by just talking to you and helping you deal emotionally with what is happening, and sometimes by coming out and personally lending a hand. That is a major strength of STARFLEET: how you can always find someone who cares about what is happening with you and who is willing to do what they can to help.
As an organization, STARFLEET does pretty well, but there are always areas where we can improve, and that's what our platform is about. There are areas of communication that we need to improve on, we need to improve on how we support our chapters, finding better ways to provide services to our members while finding ways to stretch our dollar even further. These are all things which I think that our team can improve upon with your help and input.
Proposed Vice Commander, STARFLEET
Greetings, I’m Bran Stimpson and Dave Blaser has asked me to run with him as his proposed candidate for Vice Commander STARFLEET.
I’ve been with STARFLEET since 1998. I joined STARFLEET because I had been transferred to the Naval Base in Norfolk VA and I had been part of a non-STARFLEET chapter in Maine. I met with the USS Maat and although was not able to attend meetings very often, Tammy made me feel like part of the family. Several years later I returned home to Maine and decided to become involved with the Region 15. I became their Regional Communications Director and then things snow balled from there. In my time in STARFLEET I have served on many levels from member of a chapter to Region 17 Regional Coordinator, to Vice Chief of Computer Operations. Currently, I serve as the Member Services Helpdesk Administrator under the Office of the Vice Commander, 17th Brigade Officer in Charge, Region 17 Communications Director, and Commanding Officer USS Tiburon. Most of you that are aware of my name have probably opened a help desk ticket that I hopefully cleared up for you. During my time running the Helpdesk I have been able to learn quite a bit about some of the little issues within STARFLEET, those issues that drive each of us insane when we run into them. I hope to be able to take what I have learned and step up and work to resolve those issues so that they are not as annoying to the membership.
In my personal life I currently reside in the great city of Denver, Colorado where I just recently switched careers. Before the switch I was an Aviation Security Supervisor contracted with the City and County of Denver at Denver International Airport. Currently, I am training to become a National Sales Support Representative with Sprint/Nextel. As much as this seems like a fairly large career change it really is not. Customer Service is the focus of both those jobs and pretty much my entire career. I am in hopes to be able to use those service skills to serve the membership of STARFLEET.
I have been a fan of the STAR TREK franchise since the beginning of Next Generation. My mother has told me that I enjoyed the movies and shows prior to that, but I did not really get into STAR TREK until Next Generation. If I was forced to choose some favorite characters I would choose Riker from Next Generation and Captain Sisko from DS9. I very much enjoyed the final seasons of Deep Space 9 where everything was not as idyllic as the previous series had indicated. I enjoyed how the rougher times changed the characters and forced them to do things that were not always prim and proper. As for Riker I have always enjoyed his casual friendly leadership style. I can identify with his approach to dealing with people.
It has been said by many people standing where I stand and it has been said in many ways, but with the membership there is no STARFLEET family. I want to work on ensuring that issues that arise addressed quickly and resolved in a manner that will retain the member who had the issue. There is nothing worse than learning that we have or are about to lose a member because they could not access the database. Now many might see that as a silly reason to leave but compare it to leaving a mechanic because he never quickly gets back to you, or anything else along those lines.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and look over our team’s website. Please feel free to contact any member of the team. Take into account that some of us work some odd shifts and it may take a little time to get back to you. I do promise that I will get back to you on any questions, comments or suggestions that you might have.
Proposed Chief of Operations
Hello! My name is Joe Sare. I currently live in Waterford, Michigan (Region 13). I’ve lived in Michigan nearly my entire life. I have a ton of different hobbies, but obviously one of them is Star Trek and Sci-Fi. Aside from Star Trek, I enjoy shooting at the firing range, amateur radio, hockey (watching mostly I’m getting too old to play), and taking random road trips.
I became a fan of Star Trek during the original airing of TNG when I was 10 years old. My dad was a fan of TOS and the earlier movies, but I didn’t pay too much attention when I was that young. My dad also introduced me to the world of computers from a very young age, so my dad sparked some of my more technical interests. My first computer as a kid was a TRS-80 Model 4, but I learned on the Model 1 (which you had to build your own cabinet for).
What do I like and enjoy about Star Trek? Well, that’s a pretty complicated answer actually. I have a lot of interests which you’d call ‘high-tech’, so that’s one of the aspects that I enjoy about the show. I rather enjoy the fact that two of my hobbies (Star Trek and Amateur Radio) have both sparked many of the technological advances that we use on a daily basis now. One of the other aspects of the show I really like are the little lessons that the show teaches us. Where else can you find such a diverse group who can work together, on the same team with basically no internal fighting, to solve a common problem?
I’ve been a STARFLEET member since January, 2003. I am one of the founding members of the USS Sinclair, which we started back in July, 2001 as an independent fan club. We were looking for some help and direction as a fairly new group, and we discovered STARFLEET and joined shortly after. I’m still the Commanding Officer of the USS Sinclair to this day.
I was appointed as the Regional Vice Coordinator of Operations for my region (R13) in 2006. During my time as the R13VRC of Ops, I worked with several groups to try to promote the organization and get them to make the transition for their group into STARFLEET. This resulted in two new chapters for the region. I have also served as the R13 Regional Coordinator since September 2008, when our RC at the time was appointed as the Vice Commander, STARFLEET. Since assuming the office of RC, I’ve worked with the Detroit Science Center when the Star Trek Exhibition was in town to provide volunteers, and made several media appearances to promote the region. I’m also currently one of the 4 AB members serving on the bylaws committee, writing a draft for a new set of bylaws (Constitution) and MHB which are in compliance with NC law.
What do I really like about STARFLEET? Well, there are a ton of things that I like… I have taken quite a few courses at the Academy, because I enjoy it. I’m an active Marine, because I enjoy to more ‘military flavor’ since I was in the US Marine Corps in my younger days. Not to mention, the SFMC looks very darn good! They’re (or we’re) very squared away (organized). I obviously like to participate at the regional level, and enjoy serving on the AB.
Proposed Chief of Communications
Hi, I'm PJ Trotter and I live in Tecumseh, Oklahoma, USA (it's about 30-45 min SE of Oklahoma City) with my husband Greg, 2 Cats (Josie & Marmalade) and Daisy, the official spokes dog for IC2010. When I am not working, I enjoy reading, going to movies, going on cruises and collecting cows and moose. In my day-to-day life I am the Circulation Manager for a small town weekly newspaper (The Tecumseh Countywide & Sun). In August I will celebrate 16 years in 'Fleet. I have held numerous positions on all levels of STARFLEET, from chapter Spokes "cow" to the 1st International Charities Coordinator and Promotions coordinator. Currently I am a member of the USS Marko Ramius in the Arkansas Sector of Region 12. Although I have fond memories of TOS, my first "actor crush" was Scotty, and a sense of excitement when I watched NextGen, I fell in love with the Star Trek universe again when DS9 premiered. Who would have thought that a show could survive by giving a window into the daily lives of a cast of characters as diverse as any soap opera? Yes the series was a bit of a guilty pleasure but, it also introduced me to the Bajoran people. I felt a kinship and later based my "alter persona" on the qualities I gleaned from the show. Their deep faith in the "Prophets" even as everything was taken away helped me in a way to cement some of my beliefs too. It sounds like a broken record, but what I like and love about STARFLEET is the members. I have met many people that I call good friends. I also enjoy just the diversity of beliefs held by those members and the opportunity to interact with them. I met them through my interactions on the chapter, regional and international levels, and hope more people take the time and opportunity to experience this diversity for themselves. Keeping this in mind, I feel that the organization as a whole has room for improvement. When in the case of the Communications department we need to improve the Communique in the areas of timeliness as well as making it accessible to all members. Also we may need to look at changing the format as well as looking at more advertising to help supplement the costs of putting out an edition as well as bringing more a feel of a newspaper/magazine staff rather than just treating it as just another newsletter. Proposed Commandant of STARFLEET Academy
Hello to all members of STARFLEET. Many of you who know me know that I’m not totally new to STARFLEET or STARFLEET Academy. For those of you who don’t know me…I am Admiral Peg Pellerin who resides in Winslow, Maine (yes we do have indoor plumbing), which is in Region 15. For the past twenty-three years, I have worked as an Educational Technician in the Special Education Department of the Winslow School System. I have worked with all ages and levels of challenges from K through 12. I have been married for 36 years and a mother of two daughters, ages 33 and 28. I have been a member of STARFLEET for the past 28 years. Time flies when you’re having fun and I truly mean that. I’ve enjoyed commanding my own chapter for over ten years, the USS Equinox, which unfortunately decommissioned due to people moving away, most to other chapters. I’ve held past positions of OTS Director for 10+ years and Dean of the Institute of Leadership for 2+ years. I am currently the Director of both the Vulcan Orientation College and the Vessel Readiness Certification Program. I hold the position as Dean of the Institute of Alien Studies as well and have been the STARFLEET Academy Commandant for the past two and a half years. One of the many questions asked of me when someone finds out I am a member of the largest Star Trek Fan Club in the world is which Star Trek did you like and who is your favorite character. That’s easy. I was a young teenager when STAR TREK the ORIGINAL SERIES came out. That will always be my favorite. As you might be able to tell by my duties of STARFLEET Academy, I’m an avid fan of Vulcans, thus an ardent fan of Spock. I enjoyed all the movies that starred the original series characters. Yes I even liked the very first movie; not my favorite one, but I liked it nonetheless. I thoroughly enjoyed the latest STAR TREK movie and Zachary Quinto, to me, made a perfect younger Spock. I joined STARFLEET after watching the movie “Wrath of Khan” and have never regretted doing so. I have made so many friends of whom I have yet to meet personally. My favorite portion of STARFLEET, however, is the Academy. It is so much a way of feeling the experience of a STAR TREK Fan club, gaining trivia knowledge as well as real world knowledge. You have to take the courses to understand exactly what I mean. Working within the Academy gives me the sense of family, camaraderie and team. As much as I feel the current administration has made many gains, I still feel we need to communicate more with the members of STARFLEET as well as better communications between the EC and AB. Communication is the key to a healthy membership, a healthy STARFLEET. Proposed Chief of Computer Operations
My name is Chris Carothers. I live in Baltimore, MD with my wife Karen and my two cats. I spent most of my life as a military brat, my father having spent 20+ years in the US Air Force. When I’m not working I love to read, play games, watch movies, and act (on both stage and screen). My current profession is as a Medical Assistant, though this wasn’t my first career choice. Before getting into medicine I studied computers. I eventually earned an Associate’s Degree in Computer Networking at Northern VA Community College. I enjoyed learning all aspects of computers from how they worked, to programming, to networking, to computer and network security. My father had a large influence on my learning computers as he has worked with them most of his life and he taught me a lot about them since I was a kid. After receiving my degree, I worked several jobs that allowed me to practice my skills of computer repair and troubleshooting. Ultimately though, I was unable to find a computer job that would pay me enough to live on so I moved into the medical field. Through my work in medicine I have learned many skills including how to handle angry and difficult people. I have been in STARFLEET for just under 12 years. I have served in various positions on chapters including OIC of a Marine Strike Group. I also assisted in the running of the return of the Trek Olympics in 2010 and intend on continuing to work with that project. I am currently serving as the Executive Officer and Chief Medical Officer of the USS Richthofen in Region 7. I was first introduced to Star Trek by my mother when I was a kid. My first episode ever was the TOS episode Devil In The Dark. I loved the stories and the characters. From that point on I was hooked. If I had to choose a favorite episode of all time, I would have to choose the TNG episode The Inner Light. I loved the idea that Picard lived almost an entire lifetime in the space of 25 minutes. And his connection at the end with the flute was just a great Trek moment! What I enjoy most about STARFLEET is that it gives fans of Trek a chance to meet new people who share their love of Trek in all of its incarnations. STARFLEET has evolved so much over the years and do love the direction it is going but there is always room for improvement. I think that the database needs improvement and expansion. So I am thrilled to get the chance to work on getting that done during this term! I also intend to listen to members and hear what they have to say about improvements that are needed. Sometimes one person can miss a problem that another person finds right away. Proposed Chief Financial Officer
Linda M. Olson, wife of Wade Olson, mother of Dominique Lacey and Jonathan Oakley, grandmother of Nathan and Micah Lacey. I live in Cherry Lake, Florida and work in Valdosta, Georgia.
My current occupation is as a Teller Supervisor/Vault teller for a local bank in Georgia. I have had many years experience is handling finances for various businesses and clubs. I have been a Cub Master and Den Leader for BSA, a Girl Scout leader, board member, awards chair and trainer for my GSUSA neighborhood where balancing a check book became second nature. I have also been an AYSO Soccer Coach and Referee. I was general manager for the Ripley's Believe It or Not! properties in Gatlinburg, Tennessee for several years, also managed a collectible store in the same town. Have worked at the Gatlinburg newspaper back when we type set with punch tapes and hand cut the color spreads. Other odd jobs I have had include a magician's assistant and a lighting operator for a local band.
I joined STARFLEET in February of 1994 as a member of the Shuttle LeConte which later became Bennu Station in Region One. I had always been a fan of STAR TREK TOS and was very impressed by the public service that the local chapter accomplished. My first official duty on the chapter was to fill the office of Public Affairs Officer and arrange many of the public service projects. Shortly after that I became the Co-Chair of the R1 Summit committee and we held 8 very successful R1 Summits in the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area. I was also the treasurer for the chapter and the region when I married Wade and moved to Region Two where I am now a member of the USS Relentless.
I was the Co-Chair for the 2009 IC in Greensboro NC and am currently the Chief of Summit for R2 as well as the FINCOM of the SFMC. This office was developed last year and I was moved to it after many years of holding the office of FORCECOM. I have concentrated most of my efforts on the SFMC side of the house but feel that the cross over to Naval side will not be a burden. I have completed all the Flag Rank courses in the Academy and many courses in the Vulcan Science Academy and the SFMCA.
I was originally a fan of TOS and found SPOCK and SCOTTY to be my favorite characters. But it didn't take long for me to get interested in Next Generation. That seemed to be more of an ensemble cast and I really enjoyed all the cast and characters. But Deep Space Nine intrigued me. I liked the way they developed the back stories of the characters. I started watching Voyager when it first began, but then I moved to Florida and we don't actually have broadcast television. (I know it is hard to believe, but true) So I haven't been able to follow the franchise much in the past 6 years. I guess I have always been a little inclined toward the odd man out. Some of my favorite characters are Spock, Worf, Deanna, Data, and Odo. You get the picture, not your everyday run of the mill humans.
To me STARFLEET is an organization with a lot to offer an individual. I have many wonderful friends that I have met over the years and they have enriched my life tremendously. I met my husband at the IC in Cherry Hill, NC. I have friends all over the world. Some of them I may never actually get to sit down with and share thoughts and stories face to face, but through the magic of the internet and the structure of the organization, they are as close as my monitor. I still feel strongly about making our planet a better place for generations to come and feel that much of what STARFLEET is about accomplishes this goal. I started the Reading Challenge for the SFMC several years ago as a means to encourage members to pick up books and enjoy them, to further the education process and encourage adult literacy. I have participated with other members in marches and walks for Alzheimer's, Diabetes, March of Dimes, Relay for Life, and many other worthwhile causes. We have collected canned goods and clothing, blankets and pet food. We have cleaned roadsides, rivers, hiking trails, and lakes. We recycle cans, bottles, cardboard, plastic and glass. In our various uniforms we have visited hospitals, nursing homes, and brought smiles to faces that sorely needed them. We have marched in parades, ridden on floats, and supported our local communities in ways I can not even remember. If this were all that the organization did it would be enough to leave a positive mark on our world.
However, through the network of STARFLEET we cry with our friends and fellow members in times of sorrow, rejoice in happy times and help with problems of all sorts. We are bound together as an extended family. Even people who have left STARFLEET are still held in the gravitational pull of those who remain. Once you become a member your life is touched in ways you can not imagine. I would like to see those influences be positive and see more activities that members can participate in together locally, regionally and internationally. In todays world good things are important and I feel that STARFLEET is a good thing.
As many of you who are familiar with STARFLEET will undoubtedly have noticed, we haven't included a proposed Chief of Shakedown Operations.
Because the members of STARFLEET will be voting on a proposed set of revised bylaws for the organization which notes that Shakedown Operations will be merged into the Operations Department, we have chosen not to fill that position at the present time.
If the proposed bylaws are not approved by the members of STARFLEET during the 2010 election, and our team is elected to office, we will choose to fill the position at that time.
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Our Team |
