AMERICAN COASTER ENTHUSIASTS - 2020 ELECTION 2020 taken on these responsibilities and dedicated their Candidate efforts to help lead the club. While I have a vision, it Platforms requires the entire EC to create the reality. for In the past two years ACE has: • Launched a new website ACE Offices: • Expanded our member and industry communication efforts with improved IAAPA Expo coverage • Created the member-only online version of President ACE News Vice President ROBERT ULRICH • Given back to the community with charitable Turtletown, Tennessee efforts through the new “ACE Cares” initiative • Secretary Candidate Platform for President Started a well-received monthly podcast • Initiated a member recognition process with [email protected] and When elected your president two years ago • Continue to grow, now with over 6,000 members I advocated member participation, new member Treasurer recruiting, improved communication with members Personally, I am fortunate to have attended all of and the industry, and empowering entrepreneurialism the national events as president, and regional and to promote club “ownership” by all to demonstrate park events to the best of my ability. Presented in alphabetical why ACE is the premier coaster enthusiast social order, by office. club. The Next Term Since joining in 1995 I have continuously volunteered to help ACE become the best community While I am satisfied with ACE today, I think there All condidates submitted it can be. As an assistant (1997-2001), Southeast are still many areas for improvement. Elsewhere platforms for this publication. regional representative (2001-2010), region during this election is a bylaw change to add an director (2010-2014) and now as ACE president, operations director and redefine the membership my philosophy can be summarized as the “ACE director position. While ACE is recognized around Advantage.” As a member of ACE we should always the world within the amusement industry, I feel we’re Proposed unapologetically differentiate our excellence. not doing enough to acknowledge the individual members who really are the club. Constitution • ACE publications provide unique, creative and entertaining opportunities ACE is a unique social network, and there’s more and Bylaw • ACE is one of the few coaster enthusiast clubs to know more about you than just your coaster count. focused on history and preservation Through the email [email protected] we’ve Changes • ACE members are knowledgeable experts and started a set of member acknowledgment initiatives, influencers who help promote attractions and the first to send a small congratulatory gift to new events parents when they add a new baby in the ACE family. • ACE is a community of volunteers whose only I’m hoping we begin to share career achievements motive is their enjoyment of roller coasters and other significant events in our members’ lives. In the future, when the industry looks at ACE I want it to recognize not only the organization but also the The Accomplishments individual members with their unique talents and As president, my first goal was to recruit a team contributions, which make our club great. of directors who would take ownership of a specific area of expertise and lead it. Without the dedicated But don’t think of this as believing we are an Executive Committee to back me up ACE would not elite. If anything, I want to be more approachable be the exemplary club it is today. I cannot express and transparent. I think ACE is welcoming now but my gratitude enough to the individuals who have I’d still like to see us invite more people into the tent. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 PAGE 1 AMERICAN COASTER ENTHUSIASTS - 2020 ELECTION Additionally, I’ve been asked so many questions Con 43 has been postponed to 2021. We’ll their decisions be it in person or through other about how things work that I believe we could do meet the challenge to post the annual reports actions. I’ve had many friends speculate about a better job letting people know how decisions and hold the business meeting online, and also how life will be changed when this is all over. are made. have a way to answer member questions and I hope every ACE member continues to look communicate the candidate positions about forward to the next time we can get together, The Current Situation Is Temporary the 2020 ACE election. The online balloting whether it’s during an official ACE event or just process we’ve successfully used in the past is a an informal meetup. While I write this the world is in the midst of reassuring factor in this process. the COVID-19 crisis, and we’re hoping June can I hope to see you during much happier times still virtually enjoy the launch of “World Roller Even though no one knows when or what it in a queue. Stay safe and strong. Be healthy. Coaster Appreciation Month.” As a club we’ve will be like when the parks reopen, when they Thank you for your support and your vote. had to cancel the international trip, and Coaster do I think ACE should enthusiastically support 2020 in progress to try and engage with as many the events unfolding around the world began members in the process as possible. But, to transpire. I look forward to strengthening allowing members to take ownership of projects that relationship once we are able to convene and ideas brings more people into the successful together once again. As a club, ACE members operation of our club. Getting more people consistently raise near or at the top of all involved in volunteering and feeling invested in fundraising events we participate in, and it goes the club has been another of my favorite parts of to show how caring and involved ACEers are. serving on the Executive Committee. Another project I’m spearheading is the A new organization I created within ACE is inclusion of ACE information tables at parks the Youth Advisory Committee. It’s a group of during national events. The first occurrence of younger members who hold conversations and information tables was during the 2019 season JEFFREY NIEMIEC vet ideas with the goal of engaging with and and allowed us to interact with people who were Monterey Park, California attracting new members. While the coaster-riding intrigued by all the ACEers wearing badges on Candidate Platform for population is certainly diverse, many of the most lanyards. Interaction with guests varied by time Vice President avid fans of roller coasters and parks in general of day, but it allowed us to talk to people who are on the younger side. The membership of ACE were excited about coasters but have never • Region: ACE Southern California does not reflect this, and so the Youth Advisory heard of the club. If nothing else, some great • Formerly ACE Eastern Pennsylvania Committee attempts to address that disconnect. impressions were left on potential members and Region 2007-2017 Our work discusses the member experience they left with one of ACE’s business cards. from a youth perspective and if there is more we One of the best parts of serving as vice can be doing to make the club accessible and The most essential job performed by the vice president is the ability to meet and interact with relatable to younger people. ACE offers member president is chair of the Disciplinary Committee. members of this club. Over the past two years, I benefits to a wide array of coaster connoisseurs, When people are referred to me for a violation of have been able to meet more members as they and we as a club need to focus on attracting our bylaws, it is something I take very seriously. reached out with questions, suggestions or help those younger members, who can potentially be These are issues that compromise the integrity requests. Being able to serve in this manner has members and friends for decades. or functionality of our club. I’ve attempted to come with challenges and learnings, but acting strike a balance between fairness for individual as your vice president has reminded me why I ACE College Chapters is also a program that members coupled with what is best for the joined nearly 15 years ago: to share this passion took root within the past year. A pilot program club in the long term. As many of the issues with like-minded individuals who are willing to get operated at Beacon College in Florida for the pertain to social media, people need to be able up at 3 a.m., ride 28 times before getting off and 2019-2020 school year. From this first club to reasonably express themselves as they see clapping until their hands are raw for media day chapter at the college level, we have learned fit on personal pages while simultaneously at West Coast Racers. more about what college students are looking keeping the integrity of the club intact. As such, for within this kind of club environment. The ACE I am undertaking the project of drafting code of Over the past two years ACE’s membership College Chapters are always looking for more conduct articles that specifically cover social numbers have increased. I’m ecstatic to have students or college professors to undertake new media and online presence. ACE started over been in the room and part of the conversations programs at schools and continue to expand. As 40 years ago and pre-internet, but our code of and decision making that have tried to improve the program evolves, I am looking into ways to conduct must be kept current and respond to the the experience for members while raising the potentially partner with engineering programs realities of the world we operate in.