Staff

Director, Membership Enhancement Division

Ed & Linda Johnson Home: (276) 628-5535 Cell: (276) 492-5535 Fax: (276) 628-5535 (call before faxing) MED4U@comcast.net

We are Ed and Linda Johnson and we are excited to accept the position of Membership Enhancement Division Directors and work with the National Staff and all members of GWRRA.  We reside in Bristol, Virginia home of the Bristol Motor Speedway.  Bristol is located on the border between Virginia and Tennessee.  We also have a farm in North Carolina that we use as our quite Get-Away!        We were married in August, 2000 during the Kentucky District Rally on the banks of the Ohio River.  Ed has been a member of GWRRA since 1985 and served as Chapter Director, Assistant District Director and District Director of Virginia in 1992-1993.  Since we became a team, we have served as Chapter Directors, Newsletter Editors, Special Project Coordinator and Treasurer of our home Chapter, VAH.  Prior to accepting this position we served as National Membership Enhancement Coordinators and as Region N Membership Enhancement Coordinators. We are life members of GWRRA, and both are Level 4 in Rider Education, Certified LTD Seminar Presenters and Certified Bike Show Judges.  We currently ride a 2000 Gold Wing SE (Red/Red) and have toured in 46 states and one Atlantic Province (New Brunswick).       Ed retired from the Virginia State Police in 2003 as a First Sergeant with 34 years of service.  Linda retired from the Washington County School System in 2005 after 27 years in the Business and Finance Department.  We have 3 children, 7 grand children and that does not include the grand dogs and grand cats!  Other than GWRRA, we are active in our church and our hobbies are collecting Hull Pottery and repairing all types of clocks (especially grandfather clocks).       Ed and I are excited to be serving the members in the position of Membership Enhancement Division Directors.  We have made many friends in GWRRA over the years, and look forward to making many more.  GWRRA is a great organization and we hope the work we do for the members will make it even greater.  If we can be of service to enhance your membership or your GWRRA experience, please feel free to contact us either by phone or email.    Our mailing address is: 20141 Inverness Way, Bristol, VA  24202.

 

Administrative Assistant

Clara & Fred Boldt (641) 484-5140 clara@pcpartner.net

We have been asked and have accepted the position of Public Relations Coordinators effective August 1st, 2006. What a great honor. We are looking forward to serving GWRRA and all our GWRRA Members in this capacity.      We are Clara and Fred Boldt of Toledo, Iowa. Fred and I were married in January 1967. We have one daughter, Sandy and her husband Jeff, who have 2 children, Kassi and Riley. We have one son, Brad and his wife Kathy; Brad has 3 stepchildren and 5 step grandchildren (making us VERY young great-grandparents).  Fred is retired from Fisher Controls in Marshalltown, Iowa and I own a safety-consulting firm, Twin City Safety in Toledo, Iowa.      We have been members of GWRRA and Iowa Chapter “I” since 1992 when we bought our first Gold Wing.  At chapter level we serve as Membership Enhancement Coordinators and Public Relation Coordinators as well as Newsletter Editor. At the District level we served as District Membership Enhancement Coordinators and Public Relations Coordinators. Fred and I participate in the Rider Education Levels Program and are Level 3’s. We have completed the LTD Horizons Program.  I am an American Heart Association and MFA Instructor.      As the new Public Relations Coordinators for GWRRA we will strive to “Make a Difference”, and welcome any and all comments, thoughts or ideas as to how we can better serve you (our members) in this position. Our first task will be assembling a press release kit for use at the Region, District and Chapter level.      Join our “Circle of Friends” and Participate!!

 

Couple of the Year Coordinators

Bruce & Gayle Babcock winging.duo@verizon.net

Hello, we are Bruce and Gayle Babcock and we live in Manassas, Virginia which is located about 35 miles west of Washington, DC.  We are transplants from Montana (Gayle) and New York (Bruce), but both of us have lived in Virginia now for over 40 years.      We were set up on a “blind” arranged date.  Although we knew of each other the dinner was supposed to be 6 people and everyone else bailed.  We dated for three months when we got engaged and were married seven months later.  At the time Bruce owned a 700 Honda Magna and had been riding for about 25 year.  Gayle had been on the back of a motorcycle once.  Bruce worked for the U.S. Postal Service at the time and was transferred in 1995 to Manassas to deliver mail and his first route included the local Honda dealership.      In July 1995 we purchased our first Gold Wing which we still have today.  In August 1995, we attended our first Gold Wing meeting at Chapter VA-I, Wings of Bull Run.  At that meeting we won the 50/50 drawing.  At that time GWRRA’s membership was exactly the same as the winnings from that first 50/50 and it was an omen of things to come.  We have been active members ever since.  In 1996 Gayle took the MSF beginner Rider Course and got her license.      In September 2000, Bruce managed to talk Gayle into letting him have a 2000 Blue SE Gold Wing.  Gayle now rides that original 1995 Red Aspencade Gold Wing.      We have held several positions to include Chapter secretary, Chapter Treasurer, Chapter Membership Enhancement Division Coordinator, Annual Bike Mall Show Coordinators, Assistant Chapter Directors (twice) and Staff Advisors.  We both have continued to be active members.  We are both certified Road Captains and each have maintained the Level IV Tour Rider since 2000.  We were also honored to be selected as the 2003 recipients of the Vernon L. Needham "Spirit of Virginia" award. We were honored to be asked to be Chapter VA-I’s 2005 Chapter Couple of the Year.       We were selected to be the 2006 Virginia District Couple of the Year and the 2006-2007 Region N Couple of the Year. We participated in the International Couple of the Year selection process, but that was not to be.  The Couple of the Year program was very dear to us even before we became a Couple of the Year.  We are honored to be the International Couple of the Year Coordinators and look forward to serving GWRRA and its members.

 

Chapter of the Year Coordinators

Bob and Karla Greer Home: (770) 473-1316 Cell: (770) 630-2328 Fax: (770) 473-1316 CHOYcor@comcast.net

We are Bob and Karla Greer and we are proudly serving as your Chapter of the Year Coordinators.      We were married in January of 1969.  After 20 years in the Army, Bob retired and we now reside just 20 miles south of Atlanta in Jonesboro, GA.  We have four wonderful children and seven delightful grandchildren all living within a few miles of us.  Bob works for the Department of Veterans Affairs at the Regional Office in Atlanta.  Karla retired to enjoy the grandchildren and spend time with her mother who lives with us.  With four of the grandsons old enough to play sports, we spend a lot of our time going to games year round and love having big family dinners and get-togethers.        We joined GWRRA in 2001 and began attending our home Chapter, GA-A in which we are still actively involved.  We jumped in with both feet and soon began holding positions at the Chapter level such as Ride Coordinators, Assistant Chapter Directors, Chapter Directors, Couple of the Year and Membership Enhancement Coordinators.  We were selected as the Georgia District Couple of the Year and held the position of Motorist Awareness Coordinators and Membership Enhancement Coordinators on the Georgia District staff.  We also served as Assistant District Directors for Georgia before moving to Region “A” as the Membership Enhancement Coordinators and Region Chapter of the Year Coordinators.  We are both Senior Master Tour Riders (Level IV) in Rider Education, Certified LTD Seminar Presenters and Certified Bike Show Judges.  Bob rides a 2002 Silver Gold Wing named Belle.  Karla gave up her two wheels in May ’09 and now rides a 2009 Gold Wing Trike she calls Lily.        We have been “Rally Bums” from the beginning.  We love attending and getting involved at rallies and have met so many wonderful people all across Region “A”.  While serving in the position of GWRRA Chapter of the Year Coordinator, we look forward to making new friends across the nation and beyond.         We have so many great Chapters in GWRRA.  As the GWRRA Chapter of the Year Coordinators, we hope to encourage these Chapters to document their FUN activities and special events and compete in the Chapter of the Year program where Chapters get the recognition they deserve.  We look forward to working with Ed and Linda Johnson in the Membership Enhancement Division.  If we can be of service to guide you in the Chapter of the Year program, please don’t hesitate to call on us.

Special Projects Coordinator

Mort & Ruth Smith (770) 517-1354 coolmort@msn.com       Hello, we are Mort & Ruth Smith from Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. We are members of GWRRA for 23 years. We have four children, seven grandchildren and on great grandchild. Mort is retired from Mack trucks and I am a domestic engineer. We ride a 1989 Honda Gold Wing Trike and love it.           We have served GWRRA in many positions. Presently we are on the Northeast Region B staff as Public Relations Coordinators and on the Pennsylvania District Staff as Membership Enhancement Coordinators. We enjoy our positions and the never-ending opportunity to meet new people and serve in the best motorcycle association in the world.           We are honored that June Agee has asked us to join her staff as Membership Enhancement Special Projects Representatives. We have worked with her for four years and have a great admiration for her an her outstanding knowledge of GWRRA and her position as Membership Enhancement Director.           We look forward to working with June and her staff. We consider this another new and exciting adventure in our many travels in GWRRA.

RV & Camping SIG Representative

Not Current Assigned

Classic Wing Representative

Bob MacBird & Susan Van Matre (936)539-2264 wingnuts@consolidated.net Hello. I am Bob MacBird. My good friend, Susan Van Matre and I live in Conroe, Texas, just north of Houston in SE Texas. I have been a member of GWRRA since 1989 and Susan joined in 1990. We are both Lifetime members. We ride with GWRRA Chapter M-2 in Spring, Texas and are charter members of that chapter, having joined in 1990 after their kickoff. I served as Newsletter editor from 1993-1998, then as Chapter Educator 1994 -1995. Susan and I served as Assistant Chapter Directors 1995 -1996, Chapter Directors 1996 - 1998, and Senior Chapter Directors 1998 - 2000. Susan also served as Blood bank Coordinator for a number of years for our chapter until the blood bank program was discontinued. I got a 1975 GL1000 in 1994 that have restored to a full-dress beautiful show condition. Because of my interest in the Classic Wings, in 2002, Susan and I were asked to take over the Classic Wing Special Interest Group and get it going strong. I like to think that we have been successful in that effort, since I see much interest in the message boards on the two web sites we have and continually hear about how the Classic Wing S.I.G. has helped people restore their older Gold Wings and increase their enjoyment and pride when riding them. Our seminars at Wing Ding's and local rallies are well-attended and well-received. We look forward to helping this Special Interest Group continue its growth into the future as these Classic bikes grow in value and appeal. We can be reached at wingnuts@consolidated.net.

Cyber Wing Representative

Not Current Assigned

Lady Rider Representative

Barbara "Blondie" Malone 732-202-8883 bmalonechow@otimum.net      I belong to GWRRA, NJ Chapter F, more fondly known as F-Troop.  As you already know I represent Lady Riders for Region B and NJ District, I am a level IV Rider, my ride is a Candy Red 2003 1800 Wing, I do most  of my own work on the bike, I caught the chrome/light virus and have made many additions to "Big Red".  I love riding, I have served on numerous committees for my chapter and am the surviving half of my chapters 2001 Couple of the Year.  I enjoy all that GWRRA has to offer it's members.  This past summer I completed a 2000 mile motorcycle trip with Goldwing friends through PA, Canada and NY, what a blast that was.  The trip included the NY Rally in the Finger Lake region of NY, I also attended the PA and NJ District rallies and MD Winter Thing and the DE Hobo Stew, Fun Shops, etc. last year.  I am looking forward to attending many GWRRA events this coming year including Wing Ding 2008 in SC and especially getting the opportunity to ride the "Dragon's Tail" in that area.

Ham Radio Representative

Brian & Yvonne Johnston   (810) 387-4024   w8tfi@aol.com      We are, Brian & Yvonne Johnston from Yale, Michigan.  Yvonne was from Royal Oak and I am from Southfield, Michigan. We meet each other in 1979 at house of a friend in Southfield, Michigan but did not know that we meet each other until I met her again in 1986 when she came to the Apartment Complex I managed, to spray for bugs.  After talking on several more occasions, we found that we met each other at her friends’ house several years prior.  We also found out that we knew the same people and hung out with the same friends. It is a “small world after all”.  We were married in 1986 and we have one daughter Lacey.  I work for the Detroit Newspapers in Michigan. Yvonne works at the Local Dollar General here in Yale, Michigan.      Yvonne and I joined GWRRA in 2000 and but didn’t start participating in Chapter life until we moved from Hazel Park, Michigan in 2003 to Yale, Michigan.  We are serving as Chapter Educators for our Chapter B2 of Imlay City. Yvonne is also the Newsletter Editor and I’m also the Chapter Web Master.  We are having so much fun with Chapter Life. We did not know what we were missing until we got involved!!       Now, how was the Ham Radio SIG “born”? Why is Ham Radio of Special Interest? Good questions!! I first spoke with June Agee, Membership Enhancement Division Director, after posting an email to the GWRRA administrator on the Message Board about starting a  Special Interest Group (SIG) for Ham Radio Operators.  The Administrator forwarded my email to June Agee.   June in turn contacted me to see what, if any, interest was out in the GWRRA family for this SIG.  I then posted a Message on the Tech Board and asked anyone interested in starting a new SIG for Ham Radio Operators to contact me.  The response was tremendous.      June then called me at home to talk about this new group and after a couple of very pleasant conversions she then asked us if we would be interested in being her Ham Radio SIG Coordinators.  We are very honored June has asked us to be a part of the Membership Enhancement Division TEAM and look forward to helping the Ham Radio Operators SIG grow.      I have been a Ham Radio Operator for 30+ years; I have completed a lot of different Modes in Ham Radio (RTTY, Packet, CW, Slow Scan TV) to mention a few.  I have 2 Meter/440 Radio on my Goldwing that I interfaced to the intercom and hand controls myself and have enjoyed many times talking to other Hams via 2 Wheel Mobile.

Trike Representative

Bob & Linda Larsen   (352) 746-3413  bob303@tampabay.rr.com        We are Bob & Linda Larsen, the GWRRA International Trike Special Interest Coordinators, and our job is to provide GWRRA Trike Riders an additional avenue, outside of their Chapters, for having FUN, meeting new FRIENDS and to help provide and coordinate ways to work with our trike riders in getting the TRAINING and EDUCATION they may need or want to become a more skillful and better trike rider.

 

 

 

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