AMA dismisses employees

[Paul Danik]

 
 
I saw this on the Cycle News website.  I sure have enjoyed Greg and Bill's work over the years, sorry to see this happen.  Tim has helped the POG with our tax status paperwork and I can tell you he is a fine person, I wish them all the best.
Paul
   
 
INDUSTRY NEWS - AMA Dismisses Three Veterans
By Henny Ray Abrams
Who Goes Where? 12/10/2007  

AMA CEO Rob Dingman is putting his personal stamp on the organization. Dingman dismissed three long-serving individuals, two employees and the AMA's legal counsel, over the span of four days last week.

AMA legal counsel Tim Owen was the first to be dismissed. Owen was not an AMA employee, but he'd served the association for the past 17 years. Last Tuesday, December 4, Owen was called into Dingman's office and told it was his "last day on the job."

On Friday, two of the longest serving AMA employees were let go. Greg Harrison, senior vice president of membership and marketing, and Bill Wood, senior director of communications, were asked to leave the AMA headquarters at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, December 7.

According to someone familiar with the dismissals, they "changed the locks, canned them and then ordered them escorted out of the building so they couldn't talk to anyone."

Harrison had been with the AMA for 28 years. Much of that time was spent editing "American Motorcyclist," the AMA's magazine. The magazine was currently being edited by Wood, a 25-year AMA veteran.

The dismissals follow the departure of AMA board chairman Dal Smilie. Smilie left the organization last month. He's told friends that it was done for family reasons, but others remain skeptical.

Attempts to reach both Wood and Harrison were unsuccessful. Harrison, through an intermediary, said he would have no comment at this time. Another magazine staff member also declined to comment through an intermediary.

But several people within the organization said it was permeated by a culture of fear, with many other long-serving employees worried about their job security. The widespread belief is that anyone associated with the former management is being put on notice that it will no longer be business as usual.

"The AMA's an institution, not an organization," one longtime observer said. "I think they're attempting to deinstitutionalize it by getting rid of anyone."

Attempts by Cycle News to reach AMA Vice President Director of Communications Kerry Graeber were unsuccessful.


 
 
 

[firstturn]

Very sad.  I knew Greg and Bill and had a lot of respect for each of them.

Ron Carbaugh

[Dwight Rudder]

Remember it was just a couple years ago they let Roger Ansel go for standing up for the riders.
What is with the AMA these days ?
Dwight

[Mick Milakovic]

I don't think it's just these recent years.  Jody Wiesel at Motocross Action has never had kind words for the AMA, specially when it comes to taking care of the riders.

[Paul Danik]

More from the Cycle News website.
Paul

INDUSTRY - AMA Asked to Reinstate Employees
By Larry Lawrence
Bring Them Back 12/11/2007  

Appeal for Action by the AMA Board

There comes a time when a person has to disregard personal gain and do what is right.

I serve as media manager for the AMA Superbike Championship. I have a long association with the AMA dating back to the early 1990s when I first began doing media work at select AMA Superbike events. In 1995 I was hired as AMA Pro Racing's communications manager, a position I held for two years. To this day I work for the AMA as a contractor, not only for Pro Racing, but also for AMA Sports (the amateur racing division) and the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

I also serve as a chairman on the Motorcycle Hall of Fame election committee and am a biographer for the Hall.

This past Friday, Dec. 7, the AMA dismissed Greg Harrison, senior vice president of membership and marketing, and Bill Wood, senior director of communications. This came as a great shock to me and a host of other people in the industry.

I have been unable to determine the reason for their dismissal.

Anyone who knows Greg Harrison and Bill Wood knows two men who are among the most loyal, competent and outstanding men who have worked for the AMA. I personally know them to be persons of great integrity. I've seen them at work for years. They've labored behind the scenes, without fanfare, to solve big problems. I used to rib them at Daytona every year because they had the staff of the American Motorcyclist stay at hotels 50 miles away from Daytona, just so they could save the AMA money.

Greg and Bill have done nothing but work faithfully for the organization for decades and neither would do anything to harm the AMA. They've received excellent reviews every year in annual evaluations and now suddenly they're no longer of use to the AMA?

Something does not add up.

Not only does their dismissal make no sense, but my understanding is the way in which they were let go was mean spirited and insulting.

The person behind the firings is new AMA president/CEO Rob Dingman.

I, along with many others inside the AMA, are not pleased at all with the atmosphere of fear Dingman has created among the loyal and hard-working AMA staff. My friends at the AMA, who've I've known and worked with for years, are afraid to talk to anyone about what's going on. The threat of being fired is apparently being held over everyone's head. There seems to be no dissenting opinion allowed from Dingmans' company line. Some even fear their email and voice mails are being monitored and the leadership has done nothing to fight that impression.

My dealings with Dingman have been few. We met for the first time at Laguna Seca during the MotoGP weekend. He sent me an email asking what I thought of the new vision for the AMA. I thought it a little strange that he would ask my opinion after the new vision had already been announced. Perhaps he could have asked me beforehand so he might have been able to take differing points of view into account.

Instead of truly wanting my opinion, I took it to be an effort to find if I was loyal or not to his vision.

You may be thinking this sounds like open revolt of AMA personnel against its own leadership. You would be correct in that assumption.

As a concerned AMA member, and a person who works for the AMA, I am calling for the AMA board to take immediate action and reinstate Greg Harrison and Bill Wood.

I speak for many inside the AMA by also asking the board to hold Mr. Dingman responsible for the destructive atmosphere of fear that permeates the headquarters in Pickerington.

This is the right thing to do.

A positive, open and productive atmosphere needs to be restored to the AMA so that the association can return to doing its job of being the voice for motorcyclists in America.

Sincerely

Larry Lawrence

AMA Superbike Media Manager

[email protected]


 

[firstturn]

Just my opinion and my actions;
  I think Larry Lawrence has expressed the view of many that can't speak for themselves.  I personally feel that AMA has done a very bad job at filling the shoes of Ed Youngblood.  FIrst guy was fired for telling fairy tales and now I guess Dingman's name actually has a meaning other than just being a name.
  I feel like AMA has tried to go such high profile on picking a CEO that it has obviously forgot that it needs someone that can lead rather than just have the title of leader.  Since Mr. Youngblood retired I have only been active in helping the Museum waiting to see what direction the actual AMA would settle into after a new leader was nominated.  Well the first one was a misfire and now Dingman is like having someone walking around the halls of the AMA with a open agenda to fire who ever he feels isn't on his team or totally agrees with his vision (I guess he defines "a vision" as in firing anyone who defies you or doesn't agree with your direction).
  Well we will see if this is America and if I can say what I want without losing my life membership to AMA.  It use to fun to visit with people like Greg and offer input and find out what was in the future for AMA(Ed Youngblood actually introduced me to Greg many years ago).  Now I guess we are big time and we just depend on CEO new releases.  I too hope the board reels in Dingman and actually tries to get absolute input form Mr. Youngblood on finding a replacement or better yet let Mr.Youngblood run the AMA from his laptop.....it would be better than we have now.

Well I feel a lot better now and will try and see what happens next, since I have said what I have said, and as usual will stand behind what I have said.


Ron Carbaugh

[Lew Mayer]

Who actually hires the CEO? Is it a Board of some kind? I'm showing my ignorance here.

Lew Mayer

[OhioTed]

Sounds like typical Big Business to me.  You can put in years of faithful service, be a Company Man all the way, break your back for them.  It doesn't matter.  Next thing you know, some new Jamoke comes in and decides to eliminate your job/doesn't like your looks/decides you are too old or are making too much money, whatever.  Bottom line is, you're OUT, and for no good reason.  Then, they just plug in some kid, fresh out of college, for half your salary.  Aint life grand?

[454MRW]

Sounds a lot like my last job at R.R. Donnelley Printing. New Ceo hired from a previous competitor that "supposedly" Donnelley bought out and in all reality "merged" into their big company, or more likely was swallowed by it, then fired or talked into retirement all of the higer ups or big salary experienced personnel, then wondered why the new guys didn't know squat about keeping things running smoothly, although profits came up. Happiness to them is a big picture profit and overworked employees that hate their jobs and quit so they don't have to give them a raise when they hire part time employees to take their jobs with no benefits! Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S

[Jeff D]

I challenge anybody to find someone...anyone...who has an unkind word for Ed Youngblood that isn't a bald-faced lie.  Likewise for Mr. Harrison and Mr. Wood.  Successful businessmen with morals and integrity surround themselves with quality, honest, moral people.  It appears to me that quality, morals and integrity are words that are quite unfamiliar to Mr. Dingman.  Thank goodness I received my life membership years ago and don't have to pay any dues to Mr. Dingman's so-called "organization."  He needs to GO!

Jeff DeBell

[Ernie Phillips]

Lew,  Here's how the AMA is organized:

The Board appoints the President/CEO

The AMA Board of Directors consists of 12 members. Six individual Directors are elected by the general membership in their respective regions and serve three-year terms. Six corporate Directors are elected by the corporate membership and serve two-year terms. The AMA Board of Directors meets four times a year

Board of Directors

http://www.amadirectlink.com/whatis/trustees.asp

Corporate Members

http://www.amadirectlink.com/whatis/corpmbrs.asp

Rob Dingman made a policy statement in September outlining his vision and that was   -- Change!   I don't think he would be so bold as to fire the "old hands" without the Boards knowledge/approval.  If he acted solo, he may be on the way out.

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[Jeff D]

I would suggest each of us in support of Greg and Bill take a few moments to write to each member of the Board of Directors and voice our displeasure.  I am.

Jeff DeBell

[Paul Danik]

My hat is off to Ed Youngblood and Larry Lawrence for putting it all on the line and standing up for what they believe in.
Paul

The following is off the Cycle News website.
 
INDUSTRY - Former AMA President Reacts to Employee Dismissals
.
Why? 12/12/2007  

The following letter is from former AMA President Ed Youngblood:

December 11, 2007

Mr. Don Rosene

Chairman, Motorcycle Hall of Fame Committee

400 West Potter Drive

Anchorage, AK 99518

Dear Don,

On December 7, 2007, two of the hardest-working, best, and most loyal employees the American Motorcyclist Association has ever had were fired and escorted out of the building like criminals. One had served 25 years and the other 28. Never mind that the employees in question have been key to driving membership, magazine circulation, and magazine revenue to all-time highs. Never mind that they were utterly loyal to the Association and served it well, even during the period of confusion and instability it has experienced in recent years. Beyond this cruel incident, it is my belief that the current leadership of the Association has established a reign of terror over the professional staff as a whole.

In my opinion, the current regime is monstrous, and I am simply dumbfounded that the AMA Board of Directors seems tolerant of this style of management, if not complicit. It has caused me great pain to watch the deterioration of the AMA, but I expect my unhappiness is nothing compared to that of the employees, volunteers, and supporters who have been directly affected by it. There is very little I can do about this situation except cease to be a party to it in any direct or indirect way.

For this reason, it is with deep sadness that I resign my position as Chairman of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Ambassadors and Promoters Committee, and my membership on the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Pioneers Committee. Furthermore, with the firm belief that the current AMA leadership will apply any resources provided it toward the destruction of the Association, and eventually the destruction of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, I will make no further financial or in-kind contributions until a more caring, conscientious, and responsible leadership is established at the levels of both the administration and the Board of Directors of the AMA.

Sincerely,

Ed Youngblood

Past President, AMA

Member, Motorcycle Hall of Fame

CC: AMA Board of Directors,

AMHF Board of Directors,

AMA President


 
 
 

[firstturn]

Thanks Paul for the update....just like I have stated above...the day of mutual respect at AMA for its employees and members are past. The days of Ed Youngblood not tolersting this type of behavior on his watch show by his most difficult actions taken above.  Ed is the person who got the ball rollong on the Museum....I was there the day before it opened and saw the pride.  But we can rebuild.  Ed guided us through worse that this.

 Now that this has happened I hope that the Board is held just as much responsible as the CEO and that heads should roll by recalling the board or getting some immediate answers.  I have long felt that the board must be a mutual admiration society.  Sorry if I offend  people that I have either met or know on the board....but at this point there is no respect from this corner for any of them.  Another point is if someone on the board would have stood up and revealed that this type of fear was going on this entire mess would have happened.  Very strange that there isn't some type of Human Resources reporting method to curb this fear activity??  And if the board claims they were not aware of the the firing before hand I think we should file this under "board not being involved" and "loose cannon CEO".  Well that is for this hour....stay tuned.

Ron Carbaugh

[Larry Perkins]

Brother Ron,

Tell us how you really feel.  I knew I would get to say that about you someday.[8D]

Larry P