It’s that time of year again when we begin consideration and voting for the open board member slots of the Buffalo Triathlon Club. Bios are published here on the blog and online voting begins in November. Announcements of the winners will come as voting completes and new or reelected board members will be installed at our club banquet in January.
How Many People Are on the Board and How Many Slots are Available?
The BTC board consists of 11 members, and each term is 2 years, with half of the terms expiring each year. The following 5 board members have 1 year remaining on their terms, and will continue to serve on the board for 2018:
- Alisha Gannon
- George Hackford
- Mark Knerr
- Joe Pautler (current vice president)
- Mark Sommers.
The terms of the following 6 board members are expiring, and they will need to run for re-election if they want to continue to serve on the board for 2018-2019:
- Jennifer Bell (current president)
- Amy Benedict (current secretary)
- David Federspiel
- Erin Sheehan
- Karla Sommers (current treasurer)
- Lisa Trapasso
Who has currently been nominated or chosen to Run for a 2018/19 Board Seat:
Click on each candidate name to see their bio and information
- Amy Benedict (Currently Serving)
- Dave Federspiel (Currently Serving)
- Karla Sommers (Currently Serving)
- Brad Hilimon
- Helga Ivanova
- Denise Perry Salmons
- Mary Songster-Alpin
- Renee Sossong-Brady
More information on Board Member Duties and Activities
Board members meet once per month (for approximately 2 hours, usually over dinner at a local restaurant), and keep in touch via email and in-person to manage the overall direction and administration of the BTC. Tasks that are overseen by the board include such things as weekly club workouts (swims & bricks), club events (Spring Thing, Ontario Scenario, etc), organization of the annual banquet and other social get-togethers, processing memberships, newsletter & blog, apparel orders, negotiating sponsorship and partnership agreements that include discounts for BTC members, accounting and budget management, BTC asset management (tent, bike boxes, safety equipment, etc), administration of the web site and Facebook page, BTC library management, and more!
My name is Karla Sommers.
4 years ago I was introduced to the BTC by a co-worker of mine Mark Sommers. I had a strong believe I will be an Ironman one day…at that time I could not swim to the other end of the pool, I never owned a bike (my dad had a severe bike injury and made sure non of us kids ever owned a bike or learn to bike). The only thing I knew was to run some middle distances, despite couple broken bones, ACL replacement and meniscus tear. Little did I know that many of the BTC members I met while working out and at some races and events will become my closest friends and family.
My name is Brad Hilimon, that “tall guy” you’ve probably seen at numerous BTC events the last four years. I was nominated to run the for BTC board. Five years ago I never would have imagined that someone would want me to help run a triathlon club but I will throw my name into the election and see what happens. Like many people I didn’t get into this until I was in my 30s but over the last four years I’ve come to like the sport more than I ever expected to.
I have been a member of BTC for 5 years. When I joined BTC I was brand new to this sport. I had no idea
Hello, my name is Mary Songster-Alpin.
Dear Fellow BTC Family Members,
It’s that time of year again when we begin consideration and voting for the open board member slots of the Buffalo Triathlon Club. This year, the deadline for candidate nominations was October 31st. Bios will be published here on the blog as they are received with online voting beginning in late November. Announcements of the winners will come as voting completes and new or reelected board members will be installed at our club banquet in January.
My name is Joe Pautler and I have been a member of the BTC since 2005. I joined the club because I wanted a safe way to practice open water swimming before my first sprint triathlon, but I quickly found that the club had FAR more to offer than just that. I became very active in the club and established great friendships with the other members. I am sometimes asked why I devote so much time and effort to the BTC, and the answer is quite simple. I have benefited greatly from the previous and current members of the club and I want to make sure that the club continues to stay strong and provide those same benefits to the existing and future members for many years to come. The success of the BTC is due entirely to the members and volunteers that contribute to it. It is great that we have so many people that are eager to donate their time and services for the betterment of the club, and I just want to do my part. Here is a quick list of some of the ways that I have contributed to the BTC over the years:
When I’m not swimming, biking, and running, I work for the University at Buffalo as the Technical Program Manager for the data network. I am responsible for the technical oversight (planning, design, budgeting, implementation, etc) for all of the routers, switches, firewalls, etc, that provide Internet access and network connectivity to more than 120 buildings on the 3 UB campuses (Amherst, Main St, and down town). Our network provides services to approximately 30,000 students and 6,000 faculty and staff. I live in Depew NY, with my wife Paula and our guinea pigs Chip and Cadbury. Paula is also quite active in the BTC. She has completed many running races and also really enjoys riding her bike. She did her first (and probably last) triathlon at the Summer Sizzler in 2011, just so she could say that she did one. She is not a big fan of open water swimming. In 2013 she completed the Disney World Goofy Challenge (half marathon and full marathon on consecutive days) as well as the Disney Coast to Coast challenge (requiring a full or half marathon in both Disney World and Disney Land in the same calendar year).