| During the last year, we’ve been rummaging through all manner of archived ICAS documents to determine which of them to load on this new website. As a college history major and a fan of ICAS trivia, I found the minutes of past ICAS Board meetings to be a never-ending source of trivia and insights on our air show industry.
In some cases, it is simply interesting to read about the issues and challenges that ICAS and the air show community were wrestling with during different periods in its history. And, on occasion, some of the details provide remarkable insight into just how much ICAS has changed during the last 30+ years.
For example, the minutes of the ICAS Board meeting in February of 1977 include a summary of an extensive discussion on whether or not ICAS should take the plunge and rent a typewriter at a cost of $120 per year. During that same meeting, citing recent growth of the organization, the Board weighed the pros and cons of retiring the two-drawer filing cabinet had been using with the idea of acquiring a new four-drawer filing cabinet. These kinds of discussions bring into sharp focus the fact that ICAS has enjoyed explosive growth in the last 30 years.
Spend just a few minutes looking through these minutes and I’m sure you’ll be struck – as I was – by the fact that, even after thirty years, some things never change. Recurring themes throughout the history of ICAS include the cost and availability of liability insurance, fuel prices, the need for a comprehensive air show safety program, and the membership’s interest in forging closer ties with the three North American military jet teams.
It’s also remarkable and humbling to read the names of individuals who have served on the ICAS Board during the last three decades: Tom Poberezny, Art Scholl, Gary McMahon, Rick Grissom, John McGowan, Joe Hughes, Bill Bordeleau, Chuck Newcomb, Jim Gattis, Charlie Hillard, Jim Driskell, Dick Schram, Leo Loudenslager, Julie Clark and so many others. These are our industry’s legends and leaders. Their hard work, focus and commitment during the organization’s earliest years paved the way for the air show community’s subsequent growth and success. If ICAS has become an organizational rallying point in our business, it’s because these people volunteered their time and expertise to help lead the organization when that leadership was badly needed. It’s hard to imagine how different things might have been if they hadn’t stepped up and done their part when they were called on to serve.
Anyway, if you’re interested in reminiscing or reading more about how the organization was governed at different points in its history, take a look at our collection of meeting minutes from more than 125 different ICAS Board meetings between 1976 and 2008. You can find it by clicking on “About ICAS” in the top navigation bar and then clicking on “Leadership.” The link to the Board meeting minutes can be found at the end of the copy on this page.
|
