Greetings to all fellow NCRS Members.
Earlier this year, the NCRS Executive Committee selected a small group of devoted NCRS members to form a strategic planning committee (SPC) to address two challenges that the NCRS is facing: (1) building membership, and (2) lowering the average age of our NCRS membership. This SPC includes Joe Scafidi, our newly elected NJC. As part of our discussions, the SPC has observed the success of C8 sales. The average age of the C8 buyer is 52 years old. The average age of NCRS members is 70 years old.
The SPC has decided that we need to find a way to include even the newest Corvette in the NCRS in some MEANINGFUL way. In other words, regardless of whether you own a 1953 Corvette or a brand new 2026 model, the NCRS offers a home for you. How can we accomplish this? The SPC has decided to take a hard look at our current Concours program to find the answer to this challenge. The SPC has listened to members' observations and complaints about the current Concours program. We do listen. Therefore, the SPC has decided to move forward with two major tasks: redesigning the Concours program to find a meaningful way for all Corvette owners to participate in this program, regardless of the year of manufacture, and reconsider the naming of the program itself and the two categories that have been developed for our Concours program.
Let me assure you that none of this in any way impacts our traditional Flight and Mark of Excellence programs. They will remain untouched by this new effort. For those of you who are devoted to the restoration and preservation of your Corvette, that won't change in any way. So fear not. If you want to hang out with me around the chromed bumper Corvettes, that won't change.
As you know, under the current Concours system, we accept only those cars having the same model years as we accept for Flight judging. Currently we do not accept any Corvette for Flight or Concours judging if it is newer than a 2007. By that limitation, we bar the newest Corvettes that are being purchased and driven by younger C8 owners. Others have suggested that the Sportsman program allows for C8 Corvettes participation. Although the Sportsman program is a nice program, it is not as robust as we would like a re-imagined Concours program to be.
Joe Scafidi has been asked to form a steering committee to develop a proposal to re-design the Concours program. Since this newly designed program will be managed by the NJO, it makes sense that Joe and his chosen team should lead the development. The only suggestions that the SPC has given Joe is to develop a program that embraces all Corvettes in a meaningful way, and the program should include judging both the car and its owner on his/her ability to successfully operate his/her Corvette's options. Judging will not include originality. If some of the newest Corvettes require a driving component, then the owner will be asked to drive with a judge to demonstrate the owner's ability to engage those driving options. That way, both the car and the owner are being tested. We have left the details to our NJC. We will also need a National Team Leader to oversee this re-designed and more robust program.
Now, as for the naming piece. There have been many comments about the name of the Concours program. Some have heavily criticized the name "Concours" as being a misnomer. Others have advocated for different names. Some seem just fine with the name. Fair enough. That's why approximately 10,000 emails were sent out on May 15th with an attached survey asking NCRS members with a registered email address in the NCRS date base to vote on name choices for the program itself and names for the two divisions. I used my Region VII Constant Contact account to send out those national surveys via email. One choice for each survey question included the answer: "Other". Unfortunately, the Constant Contact program does not provide a mechanism for putting in a write-in name. All a member can do is select "Other" if that member does not like any of the candidate names. If the choice of "Other" is statistically significant, then we will open up the possibility of adding different names to a future survey. If the choice of "Other" is a very small number, then that reflects only a small minority of members.
Thus far, out of 10,000 emails sent, approximately 1,950 members have responded to the survey. Only two-thirds of membership have even opened the email survey. If you feel that you did not get the survey, then check your SPAM account, or make sure that your current email address is in your NCRS profile. At no other time in the past has membership been given an opportunity to participate in a membership-wide survey. The SPC is listening to membership. How the survey results end is up to those members who participate. Your vote counts!
This initiative is an important step forward for the NCRS. When the new program is developed, we want membership to get behind this new program. After all, remember: we are all in this together!
Thank you,
Tony Stein
NCRS Vice President and SPC member
Earlier this year, the NCRS Executive Committee selected a small group of devoted NCRS members to form a strategic planning committee (SPC) to address two challenges that the NCRS is facing: (1) building membership, and (2) lowering the average age of our NCRS membership. This SPC includes Joe Scafidi, our newly elected NJC. As part of our discussions, the SPC has observed the success of C8 sales. The average age of the C8 buyer is 52 years old. The average age of NCRS members is 70 years old.
The SPC has decided that we need to find a way to include even the newest Corvette in the NCRS in some MEANINGFUL way. In other words, regardless of whether you own a 1953 Corvette or a brand new 2026 model, the NCRS offers a home for you. How can we accomplish this? The SPC has decided to take a hard look at our current Concours program to find the answer to this challenge. The SPC has listened to members' observations and complaints about the current Concours program. We do listen. Therefore, the SPC has decided to move forward with two major tasks: redesigning the Concours program to find a meaningful way for all Corvette owners to participate in this program, regardless of the year of manufacture, and reconsider the naming of the program itself and the two categories that have been developed for our Concours program.
Let me assure you that none of this in any way impacts our traditional Flight and Mark of Excellence programs. They will remain untouched by this new effort. For those of you who are devoted to the restoration and preservation of your Corvette, that won't change in any way. So fear not. If you want to hang out with me around the chromed bumper Corvettes, that won't change.
As you know, under the current Concours system, we accept only those cars having the same model years as we accept for Flight judging. Currently we do not accept any Corvette for Flight or Concours judging if it is newer than a 2007. By that limitation, we bar the newest Corvettes that are being purchased and driven by younger C8 owners. Others have suggested that the Sportsman program allows for C8 Corvettes participation. Although the Sportsman program is a nice program, it is not as robust as we would like a re-imagined Concours program to be.
Joe Scafidi has been asked to form a steering committee to develop a proposal to re-design the Concours program. Since this newly designed program will be managed by the NJO, it makes sense that Joe and his chosen team should lead the development. The only suggestions that the SPC has given Joe is to develop a program that embraces all Corvettes in a meaningful way, and the program should include judging both the car and its owner on his/her ability to successfully operate his/her Corvette's options. Judging will not include originality. If some of the newest Corvettes require a driving component, then the owner will be asked to drive with a judge to demonstrate the owner's ability to engage those driving options. That way, both the car and the owner are being tested. We have left the details to our NJC. We will also need a National Team Leader to oversee this re-designed and more robust program.
Now, as for the naming piece. There have been many comments about the name of the Concours program. Some have heavily criticized the name "Concours" as being a misnomer. Others have advocated for different names. Some seem just fine with the name. Fair enough. That's why approximately 10,000 emails were sent out on May 15th with an attached survey asking NCRS members with a registered email address in the NCRS date base to vote on name choices for the program itself and names for the two divisions. I used my Region VII Constant Contact account to send out those national surveys via email. One choice for each survey question included the answer: "Other". Unfortunately, the Constant Contact program does not provide a mechanism for putting in a write-in name. All a member can do is select "Other" if that member does not like any of the candidate names. If the choice of "Other" is statistically significant, then we will open up the possibility of adding different names to a future survey. If the choice of "Other" is a very small number, then that reflects only a small minority of members.
Thus far, out of 10,000 emails sent, approximately 1,950 members have responded to the survey. Only two-thirds of membership have even opened the email survey. If you feel that you did not get the survey, then check your SPAM account, or make sure that your current email address is in your NCRS profile. At no other time in the past has membership been given an opportunity to participate in a membership-wide survey. The SPC is listening to membership. How the survey results end is up to those members who participate. Your vote counts!
This initiative is an important step forward for the NCRS. When the new program is developed, we want membership to get behind this new program. After all, remember: we are all in this together!
Thank you,
Tony Stein
NCRS Vice President and SPC member
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