Friends,
I am writing today to express my sincerest gratitude to the Viper Nation for my recent induction into the VCA Hall of Fame with several other more qualified inductees than myself. My almost 10 years on the National Board in the various positions has taught me much about the complexities of running such a large and diverse organization. However, every moment, even the ones which involved unpleasant or contentious matters, were worth the effort in helping to preserve this wonderful group of owners and enthusiasts.
I could spend pages thanking everyone and all my many VCA colleagues and my friends at Chrysler/Dodge for all they have meant to me, but please accept a HEARTFELT GLOBAL THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO OUR CLUB AND TO ME PERSONALLY. I hope I can continue to provide meaningful assistance to our leaders, members and friends to preserve what we all have worked so hard to build.
NOW THE IMPORTANT PART. Although many have already expressed their thanks, I wish to convey to our Viper Nation, my personal sentiments about Chris and Mary Marshall. Although we have been friends since 1999, these past two years of Chris' National Presidency have especially demonstrated to me and indeed many, many others, that despite all the important contributions by the legions of past VCA and Chrysler leadership,(and I apologize in advance to the Marv, Bobby, Lee, the VCA Board of Directors, Zone and Regional Officers and Regional Presidents and all who give so much for the VCA for not writing about each persons praise worthy contributions), NO ONE has given the VCA more of their lives than these two Viper fanatics. For those who were there, Chris and Mary, worked tirelessly to make the VOI 11 a truly fantastic and memorable event. UNLIKE ALL OTHER VOI'S THIS EVENT WAS A VCA ENDEAVOR FROM THE BEGINNING. PLANNED, ORGANIZED, FINANCED AND CONDUCTED BY YOUR VCA LEADERSHIP. While we are all much appreciative of the support and attendance from our manufacturer, Dodge, Ralph Gilles and his team and the many VCA vendors who helped the club in this important inaugural VCA VOI, make no mistake, Chris and Mary Marshall wove it all together and made it the universally acclaimed success it was.
Equally important, I, for one, was intimately involved in the VCA's efforts pre and post Cerberus sale of Chrysler and can testify to the days, weeks and months of work Chris put in to assure that our club's interests were aggressively protected and that each variation of potential new ownership knew of the critical importance of the Viper and VCA to Chrysler and Dodge in particular. Not an easy task, but one that was accomplished and we are thrilled to find that Chrysler, Dodge, VCA and indeed the Viper are not only still standing, but starting to flourish again. Thank Chris for that result!
On a more personal note, and I am sure to the Marshall's dismay, I must also reveal to our Nation of how they literally sacrificed their entire personal, professional and family lives for the VCA, most especially in the last 2 years. Both of these extraordinary persons have literally served as a surrogate JR. Thompson and have personally run the daily club operations, handled all the diverse membership issues that have arisen, ensured the integrity and operational efficiency of the club, all while planning and organizing the VOI 11 extravaganza, *** and President's meetings, and BTW,(in their "spare time") also supervising the complex start up of the VCA's new revenue producer, the Viper Parts of America company, (including literally working as unpaid company employees in receiving parts, selling and shipping same and all while maintaining required records and attending to all the administrative duties a VCA National President is responsible for...WHEW, and to think they did this all for us, AS UNPAID VOLUNTEERS!!!
I hope that EVERY VCA member and friend, EVERY Viper enthusiast, and all with whom are Viper Nation interacts with, will join with me in extending our heartfelt thanks to these two wonderful unselfish persons who have done so much for us.
Thank you to all who give so much.
God bless the Viper Nation, the VCA and all your families.
Bob Carroll
National President 2007-08
I am writing today to express my sincerest gratitude to the Viper Nation for my recent induction into the VCA Hall of Fame with several other more qualified inductees than myself. My almost 10 years on the National Board in the various positions has taught me much about the complexities of running such a large and diverse organization. However, every moment, even the ones which involved unpleasant or contentious matters, were worth the effort in helping to preserve this wonderful group of owners and enthusiasts.
I could spend pages thanking everyone and all my many VCA colleagues and my friends at Chrysler/Dodge for all they have meant to me, but please accept a HEARTFELT GLOBAL THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO OUR CLUB AND TO ME PERSONALLY. I hope I can continue to provide meaningful assistance to our leaders, members and friends to preserve what we all have worked so hard to build.
NOW THE IMPORTANT PART. Although many have already expressed their thanks, I wish to convey to our Viper Nation, my personal sentiments about Chris and Mary Marshall. Although we have been friends since 1999, these past two years of Chris' National Presidency have especially demonstrated to me and indeed many, many others, that despite all the important contributions by the legions of past VCA and Chrysler leadership,(and I apologize in advance to the Marv, Bobby, Lee, the VCA Board of Directors, Zone and Regional Officers and Regional Presidents and all who give so much for the VCA for not writing about each persons praise worthy contributions), NO ONE has given the VCA more of their lives than these two Viper fanatics. For those who were there, Chris and Mary, worked tirelessly to make the VOI 11 a truly fantastic and memorable event. UNLIKE ALL OTHER VOI'S THIS EVENT WAS A VCA ENDEAVOR FROM THE BEGINNING. PLANNED, ORGANIZED, FINANCED AND CONDUCTED BY YOUR VCA LEADERSHIP. While we are all much appreciative of the support and attendance from our manufacturer, Dodge, Ralph Gilles and his team and the many VCA vendors who helped the club in this important inaugural VCA VOI, make no mistake, Chris and Mary Marshall wove it all together and made it the universally acclaimed success it was.
Equally important, I, for one, was intimately involved in the VCA's efforts pre and post Cerberus sale of Chrysler and can testify to the days, weeks and months of work Chris put in to assure that our club's interests were aggressively protected and that each variation of potential new ownership knew of the critical importance of the Viper and VCA to Chrysler and Dodge in particular. Not an easy task, but one that was accomplished and we are thrilled to find that Chrysler, Dodge, VCA and indeed the Viper are not only still standing, but starting to flourish again. Thank Chris for that result!
On a more personal note, and I am sure to the Marshall's dismay, I must also reveal to our Nation of how they literally sacrificed their entire personal, professional and family lives for the VCA, most especially in the last 2 years. Both of these extraordinary persons have literally served as a surrogate JR. Thompson and have personally run the daily club operations, handled all the diverse membership issues that have arisen, ensured the integrity and operational efficiency of the club, all while planning and organizing the VOI 11 extravaganza, *** and President's meetings, and BTW,(in their "spare time") also supervising the complex start up of the VCA's new revenue producer, the Viper Parts of America company, (including literally working as unpaid company employees in receiving parts, selling and shipping same and all while maintaining required records and attending to all the administrative duties a VCA National President is responsible for...WHEW, and to think they did this all for us, AS UNPAID VOLUNTEERS!!!
I hope that EVERY VCA member and friend, EVERY Viper enthusiast, and all with whom are Viper Nation interacts with, will join with me in extending our heartfelt thanks to these two wonderful unselfish persons who have done so much for us.
Thank you to all who give so much.
God bless the Viper Nation, the VCA and all your families.
Bob Carroll
National President 2007-08
and well deserved!!!
