October 2010
FMCA’s Executive Board is made up of four nationally elected officers “” the national president, senior vice president, secretary, and treasurer “” and the 10 national vice presidents, who are elected by their respective areas. (The immediate past national president also serves as a non-voting member.) Following are abbreviated resumes for the five national vice presidents who were recently elected or re-elected.
Andrew Balogh, F316832
Northwest Area
Andy and his wife, Kathie, joined FMCA in 2002. In 2010 Andy was elected to complete the term of the prior national vice president, Northwest Area, and recently he was elected to serve a two-year term in the office. He and Kathie are members of the Vancouver Islanders, Roamin’ Catholics Northwest, and Bernie & Red chapters. Andy served as national director for the Vancouver Islanders from 2009-2010, president from 2005-2009, and alternate national director from 2004-2009.
Andy acted as rally master for the Northwest Area Rally in Albany, Oregon, in 2009, and he served on the parking layout crew for the Northwest Area Rally in Albany in 2008. He also served on the parking layout crew for the International Area Rally in Quartzsite, Arizona, in 2010 and for the Western Area Rally in Indio, California, in 2010. He was the captain of handicap trams at the international convention in Redmond, Oregon, in 2007. He has been the Governmental and Legislative Affairs subcommittee coordinator for British Columbia since 2008.
Andy worked as the manager of technical services for 10 long-term-care facilities in Vancouver Island, British Columbia. He managed, co-coordinated, and prioritized maintenance, repair, and capital projects for staff, contractors, and construction crew; was responsible for the portfolio five-year capital financial plan; and was personal manager for up to 76 engineering, electrical, and hull department personnel.
He served 29 years as a chief marine engineer in the Canadian Forces (Navy). As fleet chief, he maintained responsibility for guiding and assessing squadron engineers in technical capabilities, including corrective and planned maintenance of all major propulsion, ancillary, and auxiliary equipment. He oversaw construction of the Fire Fighting Training Facility at CFB Esquimalt for the Canadian Navy. As president of the Pacific Camping Club, he helped to build and maintain two West Coast campgrounds for Canadian and U.S. military personnel.
Andy has been a member of both the Elks and the Eagles for many years.
Andy and Kathie have been married 27 years, and they have two sons and two grandsons.
Bobby Lee Donald, F107800
Western Area
Bobby recently was elected to his second two-year term as national vice president, Western Area. He has served on the Membership/Member Services Committee since 2008. He was selected to serve as a member of the Management Committee in 2009 and currently is serving in that position. He also is a member of the Convention Committee. He previously served on the President’s Council (now the FMCA Review Council) for three years.
Bobby joined FMCA in 1988, and he and his wife, Shirley, belong to several chapters. Bobby served as president for the Venturians and Beat the Odds chapters. He was alternate national director for the Komfort Kruisers. He also belongs to the One Hundred Plus chapter, as he has recruited 104 FMCA members. He has attended 21 FMCA conventions and volunteered in every area except Youth. He volunteered for 15 years on the Parking Layout Crew. He has been rally master and co-rally master for the Western Area Rally in Indio for several years. He worked the FMCA booth at the RVIA show in Pomona, California, eight times. He served on the Bier Garden Crew at the California Chapter Oktoberfest for several years and last year was parking captain.
Bobby holds associate of science degrees in engineering and business management. He spent 38 years working for NASA and Public Works in the U.S. Navy. After retiring, he served as campground host for five years. His community involvement included serving as commander of U.S. Naval SEA Cadets and umpire for Miss Softball America, and he is an active life member of American Legion and vice commander in his local VFW. Bobby enjoys fishing; bowling on a team; and, of course, FMCA conventions, area rallies, and attending as many chapter events as possible.
Harry “Sonny” Gillespie, F192819
International Area
Sonny and his wife, Carole, joined FMCA in 1995 and have owned two Type C and five Type A motorhomes. They attended their first international convention in 1995 and have not missed one since. At the conventions, Sonny has served as chief of security, security captain, and crew leader, and as a volunteer in the areas of trams, handicapped trams, coffee hour, greeters, and the ice cream social. He was the host area vice president for FMCA’s 2009 convention in Perry, Georgia.
Sonny currently is serving as chairman of the Membership/Member Services Committee, a position he also held for 2009-2010, and he served on the Evac Benefit Special Committee, as well as the Convention Committee.
He served the International Area Organization (INTO) as assistant rally master for three rallies and as rally master for two, including the upcoming 2011 INTO rally in Goshen, Indiana. While attending eight of the nine INTO rallies, Sonny served as captain of security; volunteered for trams, food service, and utilities; and has been a member of the INTO Budget Committee. He was elected to the INTO Nominating Committee twice, and served as chairman once. He and Carole have attended approximately 30 other area rallies.
The Gillespies belong to 18 chapters, 13 of which are in the International Area, and they are charter members of four. As a member of the Elk International chapter, Sonny was elected president, vice president, national director, and alternate national director, and he was elected to the Nominating Committee of several chapters. He has been a wagon master and a volunteer at numerous chapter rallies during the past 15 years.
Sonny and Carole have two children and two grandchildren. Their daughter, Laurie, is also a member of FMCA with her own Type C motorhome. Sonny and Carole have worked within their community by serving meals at Christmas to the handicapped, raising funds for cancer research, and providing services as counselors for the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Sonny currently belongs to Elks Lodge #1740 in Hemet, California. He and Carole celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at FMCA’s convention in Pomona, California, in February 2008.
Sonny graduated from Fullerton College, received his lifetime teaching credentials for California from UCLA, and has taught classes at both the college and high school levels. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserves and did active duty in the Army, attending jump and ranger school for a total of eight years. After working for the California Highway Patrol for 33 years, he retired as a supervising senior officer, having served on the Presidential Protection Detail for 10 of those years.
Otho Tew, F152425
Eastern Area
Otho was installed as national vice president, Eastern Area, at FMCA’s 80th International Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, in July 2008, and he recently was re-elected to a second two-year term. Since Otho took office, he and his wife, Alice, have traveled extensively, representing FMCA and the Eastern Area. Since 2008, Otho has served as a member of the Membership/Member Services Committee, and he has been a member of the Audit Committee since 2009.
From 2007-2008 Otho was senior vice president of the Eastern Area Motorhome Association (EAMA). In that position he assisted the Eastern Area national vice president with financial planning and all aspects of the Eastern Area Rally (GEAR) and served as rally master in 2008.
From 2004-2007 Otho was southern regional vice president of EAMA. He and Alice hosted the North Carolina Chapters Rally in Concord, North Carolina, in June 2006. He was volunteer coordinator for FMCA’s 76th International Convention, also held in Charlotte/Concord, North Carolina, in 2006.
Otho and Alice were instrumental in forming new chapters and assisted the Eastern Area national vice president in forming others. They currently are members of the Coastal Tarheels, Colonial Virginians, Eastern GeocOachers, Eastern Gourmands, Eastern Suncatchers, and Tennessee Primetimers chapters and charter members of Freightliner Chassis Owners Club.
The Tews have visited many chapters in the Eastern Area and participated in many chapter anniversary celebrations. They also attended and volunteered at the Northeast Area Rally 2008, Essex Junction, Vermont; Southeast Area Rally 2009, Brooksville, Florida; South Central Area Rally 2009, Shawnee, Oklahoma; and Rocky Mountain Area Ramble 2009, Farmington, New Mexico.
Otho served 20 years in the United States Air Force, retiring in 1974. He specialized in aircraft and missile electronics. Much of that time he served as shop supervisor and in quality control. He helped to write technical manuals at Litton Industries in California while serving on special assignment at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. After retirement from the Air Force, he worked for Kelly-Springfield Tire Company in Fayetteville, North Carolina, for 16 years. He then studied for and received his captain’s license from the U.S. Coast Guard. He and Alice operated their own deep-sea charter fishing business for nine years.
Otho and Alice are native North Carolinians. They have been married more than 56 years, and they have four children, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. They are members of Brunswick Islands Baptist Church, where Otho has served as a deacon, training director, Sunday School teacher, and leader of the hospital visitation ministry. Their traveling adventures began while Otho was in the Air Force and continued when they purchased their first motorhome in late 1991. Otho enjoys playing golf and watching Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) basketball.
Jon Walker, F268778
Great Lakes Area
Jon and his wife, Sondra, joined FMCA in 1999. Prior to his recent election as national vice president, Great Lakes Area, Jon served as senior vice president of the Great Lakes Area MotorCoach Association (GLAMA). He is a charter member of the Great Lakes Converted Coaches chapter and served as their national director. He has attended every summer international convention and G.L.A.S.S. rally since becoming a national director. In addition, he has been a volunteer for these conventions and rallies. He was a member of the GLAMA Bylaws Committee during the formation of the area association. In GLAMA, Jon has served as the Great Lakes Area Non-Chapter Members Liaison to the national office. In this capacity, he formed the new Winnebago and Friends chapter. He also served as chairman of the GLAMA Nomination Committee.
At the national level, he served as a member of the Review Council for two years. He has been a member of the Governmental and Legislative Affairs Committee since 2009. On this committee, he did the research and worked on the campaign that was successful in stopping the U.S. Forest Service from eliminating discounts to seniors visiting U.S. national parks and forests. His last GLAMA responsibility was national volunteer coordinator for the summer international convention in Bowling Green, Ohio, in 2009.
Jon was a public school principal in southern Illinois for 10 years. He also was a corporate commercial jet pilot for Miles Laboratories and Bayer Corporation for five years in Elkhart, Indiana. For the past 22 years, he has owned his own mailing/office automation distributorship, serving northern Indiana and southern Michigan. He attended the University of Alabama and Southern Illinois University. He has a bachelor’s degree in social science and a master’s degree in public school administration.
Jon and Sondra have been married for 43 years. They have one son, Matthew, who works for Ecolab Corporation in Chicago, Illinois, and one daughter, Susanne, who works for an Elkhart, Indiana, county program as a psychological therapist. They also have two grandsons, with a third grandchild on the way. Sondra retired after serving as a high school English teacher and department chairman for 37 years. Jon has been active in the Elkhart Kiwanis Club, serving on their board of directors for more than 10 years. He has served as a voluntary probation officer for Elkhart County and has been a longtime member of the Elkhart Chamber of Commerce. He also is a past president of the Elkhart County Radio Association. Jon and Sondra are very active in St. John’s Episcopal Church. Jon has been a senior warden and has served on the church vestry.