Nominations are Open: The ARRL Director's Job (as told by them)

https://www.arrl.org/news/call-for-nominations-for-arrl-director-and-vice-director-2

According to the link, the following ARRL Director and Vice Director positions are open for election this year: Pacific, Rocky Mountain, South Eastern, South Western, and West Gulf Divisions. That's 1/3 of the ARRL's governing body.

While the ARRL’s announcement and guidance-to-apply is quite clinical, I took the opportunity to interview several past and present ARRL Directors, with the idea of gaining insight into their “League Life” once elected.

In the spirit of “opening the black box and peering inside”, I share what I learned with the hope that it will encourage others to step up and seek election themselves. If you do, follow the instructions in the link above.

I do not represent the League. I’m just a League member as many Zed readers are. The “official guidance” is found in the link above. The information below is simply a summary of my conversations with those mentioned and should not be construed as anything else.

• Attend Board Meetings: This is considered the "the bare minimum" duty. Representatives from organizations like RAC and IARU attend board meetings, fostering international cooperation in amateur radio.
• Vote on Agenda Items and Actions: Directors are responsible for making decisions during board meetings.
• Elect Executive Committee Members: Directors elect the Executive Committee (which runs the League in-between official board meetings). This includes the Executive Committee’s President, First and Second Vice Presidents, Treasurer, and International Affairs Vice President every two years.

• Hire the CEO: Directors are involved in the process of hiring the CEO, which includes forming a search committee and voting on candidates. This involves evaluating the CEO's performance and guiding them where needed with the goal of influencing operational leadership direction.

• Serve on at Least One Committee: The ARRL’s President assures that every director is assigned to at least one standing committee (Executive, Programs and Services, Administration and Finance, Ethics and Elections, or EMCOMM and Field Services).
• Potentially Serve on Ad Hoc Committees: Directors can also serve on temporary ad hoc committees for specific purposes (e.g., historical preservation, legislative advocacy).
• Generate Motions for Board Approval: Committees, with directors as members, generate motions that are then presented to the full board for approval and action. While travel was the norm in the past, a significant amount of collaboration and decision making is now done using modern teleconferencing tools such as Zoom.
• Produce Reports for the Board: Committees also produce reports, such as financial plans from A&F, for the board's review and approval.
• Perform Outreach to Members: This is highlighted as a "most beneficial task" and includes:
  • Holding town hall meetings.
  • Sending newsletters.
  • Posting on social media.
  • Attending hamfests and meeting club members and presidents. Directors can organize and represent ARRL at division, state, or regional conventions.
  • Gathering member feedback and representing their wishes.

• Appoint Assistant (not Vice) Directors: Directors have the ability to appoint assistant directors to help with outreach and club engagement. Assistant Directors are "assistants" with no authority, however becoming one can expose members to future elected roles.

Eligibility & Ethics

• Maintain Independence: Directors must avoid business conflicts of interest, especially with companies that manufacture, sell, or publish amateur radio equipment or content that competes with ARRL. This ensures decisions are made solely in the interest of members.
• Transparency & Integrity: Directors are expected to avoid prize drawings at amateur radio events to maintain impartiality. Many Directors turn this into a positive by gifting their tickets to young hams, encouraging youth participation.

Professional Boundaries

• Vendor Neutrality: Directors refrain from working with vendors or service providers that have contracts with ARRL, ensuring unbiased governance.
• Donor Relations: The ARRL’s President and CEO directly engage high-level doners with the expectation that Directors will focus on broader strategic and member-focused initiatives.

Governance & Collaboration

• Board Dynamics: Board meetings can be highly rewarding, especially when Directors collaborate effectively. Building strong, respectful alliances helps shape the future of amateur radio.

Public Engagement

• Speaking Engagements: Directors are encouraged to share their expertise within their division and beyond, especially on non-ARRL topics like technology, legislation, and legal matters (when qualified); doing so in a way that engenders a positive and encouraging message to the audience.
• Territorial Awareness: Travel to events within your division is supported (both philosophically and with a Division budget), and attending neighboring events is possible with coordination, communicating with the host location's Director proactively is a good thing. Major events like Dayton Hamvention are a great opportunity to represent the League on a national stage.

Member Support & Philanthropy

• Annual Giving: Directors are encouraged to be members of The Diamond Club to demonstrate commitment and solidarity with members and donors.
• Member Access: Your contact information is published in QST, allowing members to reach out directly. This is a unique chance to hear from the community and make a real difference.

 

I have a friend that I hopes runs for the Rocky Mountain.

We have to get new people in

 

Do I need to be a member?

/ducks

 

Get ready for the next round of potential *good* Director candidate DQ's. I've seen this movie and know how it ends.

 

Thanks for posting this. I'm not interested: I've held many positions at my local club. Everything from President down, except V. President and treasurer. That takes way too much of my time already, I can only imagine how much time one of those positions would take!

 

Thank you for taking the time to write this. I read lots of griping about the state of the ARRL but I have no idea who to vote for to improve things. I'm grateful for people who volunteer their time and work toward solutions instead of just complaining.

 

KD7PIO USA

Jessica T Dowding
PO BOX 153
Moroni, UT 84646
USA

https://www.deseret.com/2002/4/4/19647162/utah-girl-talks-her-way-to-ham-radio-license/


Utah girl talks her way to ham-radio license
6-year-old is believed to be the youngest operator in the state
Published: April 4, 2002, 9:38 a.m. MST

By Deseret News, Elyse Hayes staff writer


BOUNTIFUL — Melinda Dowding says her daughter Jessica started talking when she was about 8 months old and hasn't stopped since.

The 6-year-old Bountiful girl, whose call sign is KD7PIO, is believed to be the youngest ham radio operator in Utah and talks to relatives and others on her radio for two or three hours every day. She passed the test to receive her amateur radio technician license in December.

"She's always been our talker," her mom said.


My vote would be for Jessica
Became a Ham at 6 Years of Age
Now in her late 20s early 30s would help
young people become Hams.

 

"Directors elect the Executive Committee (which runs the League in-between official board meetings). This includes the Executive Committee’s President, First and Second Vice Presidents, Treasurer, and International Affairs Vice President every two years."
Not quite accurate. The Executive Committee consists of five elected Directors, and also contains the President, First Vice President, and the CEO. The Second Vice President, Treasurer and IAVP are not members of this committee, but can attend (without a vote) the Executive Committee meetings (as can the remaining Directors and Vice Directors). It is correct that all are elected by the Board every two years. That will next happen in January 2026.

 

^ Good catch.

To all: don't delay if you have an interest in running for a Director or Vice Director position. Hit the link at the top of this article to be guided through the process.

 

[QUOTE="WG7X, post: 7154331, member: 134661"... I can only imagine how much time one of those positions would take![/QUOTE]
Interestingly, I asked that question of everyone that I interviewed. The replies were so diverse that I couldn't find a way to summarize in my article. As best I can say is that it's around 90 minutes a day (or evening) for around 5 days out of a week plus a couple trips to HQ a year. Yes, it can be more that that depending on how deeply engaged one wishes to become. Maybe someone with direct knowledge (a past or present D/VD) can offer more insight as a follow up post?

That level of commitment does not seem unreasonable to me, if someone is motivated to make a difference and help to mold the future of the ARRL directly (and our avocation overall).

 

Interestingly, I asked that question of everyone that I interviewed. The replies were so diverse that I couldn't find a way to summarize in my article. As best I can say is that it's around 90 minutes a day (or evening) for around 5 days out of a week plus a couple trips to HQ a year. Yes, it can be more that that depending on how deeply engaged one wishes to become. Maybe someone with direct knowledge (a past or present D/VD) can offer more insight as a follow up post?

That level of commitment does not seem unreasonable to me, if someone is motivated to make a difference and help to mold the future of the ARRL directly (and our avocation overall).[/QUOTE]

As a former director I can say 20-40 hours a week. It can feel like a 2nd full time job, if you are still working for a living, and dig in to the directorship like most directors do. - KØBBC

 

^ That is a dedicated Director!

I was slow-walking a follow-up to offer other Directors (past and present) to chime in. As I spoke with Directors while assembling this article, it became obvious to me that they put in whatever time they thought was prudent. Some, more than others.

The ARRL's IRS990 form says that Directors average 10 hours per week (something that was echo'd by those I spoke with). Clearly, those with more available time and energy can/will put in more. As with all worthwhile things, it comes down to desire and capacity. This is an opportunity to be a voice at the governance table, guiding the ARRL into the future.

According to the ARRL (in the link embedded in the article above), "any full member residing in a division where there is an election may request an official nominating petition package in writing, either by letter or via email, to execadmin@arrl.org. The request must reach the ARRL Secretary no later than noon EDT on Friday, August 8, 2025."

I recommend that if you (or someone you know) have/has even a passing interest, send that email now to receive an official nominating petition before the Noon 8/8/25 deadline. You have an additional week (noon 8/15/25) to complete it and submit it if you choose to run.

In a nutshell...

8/8/2025 (Noon): The deadline for the ARRL's Executive Administrator to receive your emailed request for a nomination package.
8/15/2025 (Noon): The deadline for your completed nomination package to be received electronically (email attachment) by the ARRL's Executive Administrator.
9/1/2025 (Noon): The originals (not electronic copies) must be received by the ARRL's Executive Administrator.
9/18/2025: The ARRL's Executive Administrator/Secretary will notify all nominees for a given position who (if any) else are also candidates for that position.
9/29/2025 (Noon): OPTIONAL: Candidate deadline to submit a 300-word statement and a photograph if they desire those to be made available to voters in accordance with instructions that will be supplied.

 

do we have to travel to HQ and be a lifetime member to run this position?

 

As I understand it, yes there is travel to HQ periodically (2x per year sounds right) however I believe that travel expenses are budgeted for (as a Director, you have a budget). Most other meetings and communications take place electronically.

The qualification to run does not include life membership. Take read through the link above for more detail.

Remember too, Directors can appoint Assistant Directors (not to be confused with Vice Directors, who are also elected). If you (or anyone) is just a little apprehensive of the work load, you have the ability to appoint official volunteer help.

Lastly, the election is for Vice Director as well. I've not interviewed any of them so I can't offer similar insight on what they do other than they can represent the Director when the Director is unable to be present.

 

Ev,

First, thank you for a well written and thoughtful article. Your time and efforts in crafting and researching this are greatly appreciated; well done!

It seems to me that any large institution, like the ARRL, over time develops its own 'personality', like a human being. It can become fixed in its ways, like IBM or Kodak, and then it can become very difficult to change. Values that are embraced by one generation of leaders are perpetuated in the next generation of leaders. Further, behaviors that are tolerated, or ignored, by members are also perpetuated in the next generation of leaders; if they 'get away' with it once, they'll do it again and more so. I am reminded of a bloodless coup d'état that occurred in a local club perhaps 20 years ago, or so. Certain liberties were taken by the leadership, and change was both necessary and overdue; such is the case with the League at this time (in my opinion).

Like you, I am a dues paying member. For the most part, I see the League doing good things, or trying to do good things. On occasion, there are failures. In the past I have found persons in positions of authority unwilling to listen, responding in a dismissive or condescending manner, or worse - not responding at all. Perhaps they thought, "If I don't respond, the problem will simply go away."

Your 'call to action' by getting involved is both necessary and appropriate. 'New blood' in the form of young, intelligent, motivated leaders are sorely needed. There are a few qualifications that are not officially listed, but should be. These include a very thick skin, an active amateur operator, determined to addressing difficult and entrenched problems, and a deep rooted commitment to full transparency and member engagement.

I'd consider a leadership position myself, except for the fact that my skin is too thin and my brain is far too small.