Letter From the President

As we welcome the holiday season and the new year, I want to begin by thanking each of you for choosing ACE. As an ACE member you are part of a large community of coaster enthusiasts that are connected across the United States and internationally. Many of you have stepped up to volunteer for the many roles, big and small, that allow ACE to bring unforgettable experiences and joy to our membership. As our club grows, we want to make sure that we continue to reach, bring together and, most important, be responsive to our membership. With this in mind, I have reflected on an important question over the last few weeks as we launch our new membership engagement platform: What problem are we trying to solve?

The easy answer is that we want to engage our members. However, on a deeper level, we hope to build a shared understanding of how ACE works and how members contribute. Whether this be through providing ideas, feedback, informal assistance in the member’s region or more formally engaging in a committee or leadership role, a shared understanding of both ACE’s vision and operations will increase our collective success.

Given that collaboration elevates individual contributions to the club, committees are at the heart of the work of ACE. At the core of ACE is the Executive Committee. A group of individuals representing many facets of our organization, this team works interdependently to ensure that each individual leader is able to support their team at the highest level. If you aren’t familiar with the roles and responsibilities of the Executive Committee, please review our bylaws to learn more.

Before I became president of ACE, I noticed that there were few candidates for the elected roles on the Executive Committee. Additionally, there were few people with the knowledge or willingness to step into the other demanding roles on the Executive Committee. I personally wondered who would step into the communications director role when I wanted to resign — would I have to hold the position for life? I knew I could not maintain the level of dedication and time required for this role long-term and recognized that others might wonder whether there would be a volunteer to fill their role when they wanted or needed to leave it.

To solve this problem, the Executive Committee sought to expand the support system available to coordinators and managers. The expansion of committees offered a meaningful way to both extend this support and elevate the voices of more ACE members, while they simultaneously contributed to and learned about ACE operations.

Committees have many benefits for ACE including the following:

• Input and collaboration across more members
• Learning opportunities for members who wish to build their leadership skills
• Support and flexibility for those in leadership roles
• An entry point for new volunteers
• An opportunity to give back without the responsibility of a leadership position
• Expanded skills sets that the leader may not hold
• Delegation opportunities for ACE leaders

Committees are quickly becoming an integral part of ACE’s organizational structure.

Speaking of organizational structure, this winter, Membership Director Joseph Ciza is planning to restructure how ACE’s organizational chart is communicated on our website to help enhance member understanding. Here is a graphic to help clarify in the meantime:

View full-sized image.

Our organization is composed of four roles:

Committee members

Coordinators

Managers (including regional reps)

Executive Committee (directors and elected officials)

Committee members may support any coordinator, manager/regional rep, director or elected official if they believe that a committee can enhance their contribution to ACE. All of our volunteer leaders deserve support. Committees also offer those with more demanding work schedules the opportunity to lend their specific skill set to ACE. Without a committee, many could not dedicate the time required of the role.

Coordinators, managers and Executive Committee members are distinguished from committee members by the fact that they hold a responsibility to ensure that their duties, as outlined in ACE’s roles and responsibilities, are fulfilled. This includes ensuring that the committee is serving its purpose within the organization and that their committee members are contributing and participating. The difference between a coordinator and manager is the level of responsibility that the role demands.

I hope this explanation offers some insight into the expansion of committees and the important role that they serve. To circle back to where we began, our members and volunteers: You are the heartbeat of our work.

Many hands and hearts and minds generally contribute to anyone's notable achievements. — Walt Disney

— Elizabeth Ringas, ACE President