Joseph E. Boling:   Both.

Michael L. Ellis:  Though effective management plays a vital role in the success of the ANA, I see the membership electing me more for policy-making. As a Board member, I would be part of a team tasked with managing the Executive Director and he, in turn, would manage the Association and its employees while enacting policies initiated by the Board.

Brian E. Fanton: The Board of Governors’ major role is to set policy for the ANA, and the management role is left to the CEO to run the ANA and manage the staff in day-to-day operations. The Board will oversee that these roles are followed and assisted so we can have a better ANA.

Patricia Jagger Finner: Both. Set the policy and mission as well as oversee the Executive Director.

Jeff C. Garrett: The role of the Board of Governors is absolutely for creating policy and to closely monitor the progress of management that has been hired to carry out that policy.  Decisions made by the Board can have very long term consequences.  If the Board becomes too focused on micro management, there will not be sufficient time or resources to effectively deal with critical issues that need to be addressed.  Oversight of management has obviously been one of the key problems in the last several years.  It is vitally important that the Board understands the financial direction of the ANA.  Rubber stamping can lead to disastrous results.  It is also difficult to engage new sponsors if there is a perception that the ANA mishandles its finances.  The new Board of Governors will need to pay close attention to its management as well as carefully consider new policies that will impact the organization. 

Thomas G. Hallenbeck: The purpose of the ANA Board of Governors is to make policy decisions and to make sure they are implemented according to the membership’s wishes. The Board has the responsibility of watching the management and directing the management, but not to be involved in the day-to-day operations. Of course it is the Board’s fiduciary responsibility to diligently watch all financial expenditures and to make sure they are always in the best interest of the membership as directed by the Board.

Alan Herbert: The Board should serve in a strict policy mode. Management is up to the Executive Director as part of his job. The Board members should avoid micro-management at all costs.

Paul Hollis:   I think it is definitely a policy-making role - here's why: There is a staff already in place that manages much of the day-to-day activities.  I see the Board of Governors bringing ideas forward that are a culmination of their experiences and what is happening in the hobby today.  We need a proactive Board with exceptional creativity and energy to implement new policies.

Chester L. Krause: The BOG directs the Executive Director to manage the ANA. We are not micro managers.

J.P. Martin: I think this question underscores the belief that the Board should concern itself with policy and not micro-management. The Board is the "proxied" voice of its membership. The Board should be responsive to the needs and interests of the members. The membership, through its Board, can change any or all bylaws, the direction, or focus of the ANA. We saw the power of the membership in the last election when they voted for a clear change of direction.

Clifford Mishler: The role of the ANA Board is to set policy and approve programs to be implemented by the staff at the direction of the Executive Director, with the President providing supervisory oversight of their implementation.

Walter A. Ostromecki, Jr.: The primary role of the Board is to serve as the policy making body for the ANA. Their duty is to put the ANA first! The Board must keep abreast of the progress and results on all approved policies and programs. The contact here is with and through the Executive Director. He is the one hired to manage the staff and carry out the Board implemented policies and programs. They are not there to direct the staff.

Additionally, the Board is also charged with the responsibility to address member concerns, assist committees in various ways, aid in the mediation process, seek funding and donations for educational programs and make sure the Association remains fiscally sound. They also can revisit any policy, and if need be, set a different course. They should also vet ideas and programs through the Advisory Council.

Thomas A. Palmer, Jr.:   ANA’s Federal Charter requires the Board to approve “policies, programs, and projects” and “act on the affairs of the Association”, so the Board can fill both roles.  However, ANA has a hard-working staff to conduct its day-to-day business, and a dedicated Executive Director to manage their efforts.  So, I believe policy-making is the more important role for a Governor.

Scott Rottinghaus: I would be elected to serve primarily in a policy-making role.  The Board should not micromanage the day-to-day operations of the ANA.  The Board sets the policy and the vision, and it is the responsibility of the Executive Director and his staff to implement these directives.  The Executive Director reports to the Board and the Board must hold him accountable for responsibly carrying out its vision for the ANA.

Jeffrey Swindling:   These two roles are not mutually exclusive in a well-run organization. The ANA needs someone with a fresh perspective and new ideas to effectively fulfill the educational mission of the ANA while keeping it fiscally sound. Policies should be enacted to ensure the future health of the ANA, including the protection of our endowment and outreach to potential new members.

Michael S. Turrini: Having been on the board of a credit union and served on other boards, the primary lesson learned is that board directors are ‘policy-making’, not management. A board hires the necessary personnel, provides for their respective duties, sets their perimeters, and then expects these responsibilities to be performed in a professional, prompt, and productive manner, while exercising the fiduciary obligation of questions and inquiries.

Wendell A. Wolka: Clearly, policy making. We have an excellent Executive Director whose skills are being well used in terms of both management of headquarters functions and the Association’s financial needs, opportunities, and requirements.  We don’t need nine micromanagers.