The decision to part ways with former AOPA President Darren Pleasance by the Board of Trustees was unanimous and Pleasance participated in drafting the press release that announced the move, two members of that board told an audience of about 100 Saturday. Charlie Lynch, who has been on the board for a year and Dale Klapmeier, who was recently named to the board, took part in a town hall meeting at the AOPA-sponsored Buckeye Air Fair and Fly-In in Arizona. Most of the meeting was taken up with reports from staff on the various priorities and accomplishments of the organization, and the surprise departure of Pleasance two weeks ago was not on the agenda. It dominated the brief Q and A session at the end, however. “It was a really hard decision to make,” Klapmeier said, adding that it was under consideration for a significant period of time. “The board didn’t just wake up two weeks ago” and make that decision, he said. Below is a recording of the meeting made on a cellphone by a member. One of our talented readers has cleaned up the audio much better than we were able to and it is below:
Both directors heaped praise on Pleasance personally as a “great guy” but declined to elaborate on the specific reasons for parting ways. Klapmeier did say that that although Pleasance is a “dynamic” person, “that is not just what it takes to run an entire organization like that.” He did not elaborate. Lynch mentioned some of the attributes they’re looking for in his replacement, however. The new president “will be very focused on both the strategic and tactical and have a sense of urgency and being responsible with all of our dollars,” Lynch said.” No timeline was given on hiring a new president, and in the meantime his duties are being split by two senior staff members, Chief Financial Officer Jill Baker and Senior Vice President of Membership Strategy and Growth Katie Pribyl. Pribyl moderated the town hall.
The trustees also sidestepped a question about how much AOPA is paying an outside communications firm to help the organization navigate the leadership transition. “We absolutely bring in additional support to ensure that our leadership and ourselves are doing what’s right,” said Lynch. Klapmeier asked that members quell their “passionate” reaction to the unpopular move and not cancel their membership. He also asked that any fury over the decision be directed at the board and not at any of the roughly 200 employees still at work every day making the organization tick.
The rank-and-file employee may well be working hard but they’re “ticking” out of sync with what the membership wants. Doesn’t the Board ‘get’ that? Pleasance wasn’t the problem; he was the messenger and they ‘shot’ him for saying what they didn’t want to hear. That the decision was “unanimous” merely underscores that the entire Board needs to go. A few disillusioned members leaving is one thing; a huge number leaving year on year speaks loudly … but the Board isn’t listening. We are witnessing the death knell of a once proud Organization. If I were an employee, I’d be seeking alternative employment.
This whole thing is beyond fishy. The more I read about it, the more fishy it gets. None of it adds up.
How about contributing an opinion piece on this subject? I’d love to read your perspective.
I think we all would!
There is an element to this Q&A that is not just annoying but insulting. It’s the ‘folksy Mr. Magoo-ish’ approach these two on the stage have to their communication style and content. You aren’t talking to a bunch of uneducated people, we do notice you talking in circles, you offer no substantive details to anything, and your compliments to good questions is glad handing.
I was there in person. They ran out the clock on the Q&A by spending most of it spouting superflous information. Oldest tactic in the book.
100%. I’ve been in Senior Leadership roles at multi-national corporations, small institutions, and non-profits. I have handled cybersecurity breaches, dealt with sexual misconduct allegations, and managed other serious risks that involve confidentiality and major legal/financial risk. While I’ve seen wealthy and successful individuals be very bad at their job, its an extreme stretch to think that the entire AOPA Board is so completely out to lunch that their responses to-date are what they *want* to be saying. It reads to me like they are very concerned about legal jeopardy and are finding themselves backed further and further into a corner. The question is, how much of that corner is their own making?
We’re left with a lot of theories and red string; and as long as that’s all the members have, its likely people will keep filling in the blanks with their own ideas (regardless of merit).
If it was egregious misconduct, why wasn’t this a termination and some reference to it stated by the Board?If it was minor misconduct and the Board wanted to avoid a scandal, why haven’t they at least made passing references with phrases like “upholding the highest standards for our members”? There are plenty of ways this could be signaled, while maintaining plausible deniability – yet they haven’t done so.If it was that Darren had leadership weaknesses which compromised the organization, why didn’t the Board try to hire assistants or bolster the SLT to shore up those weaknesses (random example: if Darren was great for culture but bad with tech, why not bring in a CIO/CTO to handle some of those strategic initiatives? Or if he was bad with budgets and business-planning why not bolster the CFO team and ask them to take a strong hand in those things)?If Darren’s travel and outreach was blowing the AOPA budget, why didn’t the Board (and CFO) put a stop to it earlier? I could see a Board wanting to bury this because of the personal/professional embarrassment factor; but then why would you elevate the CFO after the dismissal, since the CFO is partly to blame for the lack of oversight?
At this point it feels like something is going to have to leak, or be openly admitted, or wind up in court, before the mob can be quelled. How bad will the damage to AOPA have to get before the legal jeopardy is seen as the lesser of two evils? We may never know…
[Footnote: For some reason the bullet-point formatting on my comment was removed some minutes after I posted; its now much harder to read – but I am not able to go back and edit it to fix the formatting… Argh!]
Paul, looks like after the AOPA Buckeye Air Fair “flaming crater,” members who were hanging on out of habit are now looking for the exit.
Paul, we all share that opinion, and in addition many of us are disgusted with the way the bylaws have effectively disenfranchised the membership. Change is essential, and we will do our best to demand it.
Unfortunately, none of us has the talent to express his opinion as eloquently as you can. I hope you will make at least a brief exit from your well-earned retirement to pen an article or two about this situation. AvBrief is one available forum, of course, but I’m sure you and Russ know how to get the message into other publications and websites.
Help us, Obi-Wan….
Paul, I hate to say this, but this really does smell like “cause” not “culture” to me.
Are any employees talking off the record? What are they saying?
“That the decision was “unanimous” merely underscores that the entire Board needs to go.”
100%. It is always the board at fault when board-run organizations fail. And I say that as someone who is on two volunteer boards (granted, no where near the size of AOPA, but large and small organizations follow roughly the same “physics” just like large and small aircraft).
Good points and well articulated, Larry. I’ve been a member for 60 years and feel the same way. The ARRL (American Radio Relay League) for ham radio operators, of which I am also one, is going through the same thing right now. It’s troubling to watch two large, proud old organizations not doing well.
Funny … I’ve been a ‘ham’ since ’61 myself and know the parallel ARRL story.
These guys are clowns.
“[Klapmeier] also asked that any fury over the decision be directed at the board and not at any of the roughly 200 employees still at work every day making the organization tick.”
Oh, don’t worry, Dale, we are. So much so that I think we’d all like you all to be fired and replaced. And just like “The board didn’t just wake up two weeks ago”, neither did the membership – this has been a long time coming.
Well, this confirms my decision to let my membership lapse in July. The entire board needs to go and the bylaws need to be changed so that the board is not king and untouchable by members since members have no control for all practical purposes.
After 48 years of membership, I’m calling it quits. I’ll use EAA as my aviation organization. AOPA has lost touch with my type of aviation. I think way too much money goes to high salaries.
So Dale Klapmeier wants AOPA members to take their anger and frustration out on the Board of Trustees rather than just cancelling their membership. Thanks, Dale, but I AM directing my outrage at Board members for their intransigence with the only weapon I have available, which is cancelling my 53 YEAR membership. My disgust knows no bounds.
You can bet I’ll be at AOPA HQ in Frederick on May 12 to cast my vote in person. Then on May 13th I’ll be cancelling my membership as a protest. Did I mention I’ve been a loyal supporter of the organization for 53 years?
Given the facts, the entire A.O.P.A. Board must be replaced. Not an emotional comment, simply a business decision.
The Pleasance firing and then hiring a damage control company by the Board speaks volumes of their ineptitude… the “rigging” of the so called “election” of Board members makes it virtually impossible to initiate meaningful reform… my membership will not be renewed in April…
I find it quite telling that the board members in attendance were the two newest board members, doing exactly what Darren had told the board was required to keep the membership momentum turning in the right direction. I would think the board chairman’s attendance at this first event would be a mandatory competent gesture to face the membership and demonstrate his accountability and leadership. But he didn’t do that.
And on what basis do they expect us to believe their statement that the board was unanimous in terminating Mr Pleasance? This whole episode started with misrepresentation and has been handled poorly. I didn’t hear anything that gives me any reason to trust anything that is communicated from the board. Regaining that trust should be one of their top priorities.
“And on what basis do they expect us to believe their statement that the board was unanimous in terminating Mr Pleasance?”
Additionally, it is possible for a unanimous board decision even when some board members personally disagree with the decision; there is sometimes pressure for dissenting board members to “vote with the flow”.
Add to that, a quorum doesn’t need the full board to be present. That means it could have been a unanimous vote, sure, of those present.
Also a good point.
Fishy sums it up. The association will loose more members and that is exactly what needs to happen.
Have my pop-corn in hand—watching from the sidelines…..
AOPA lost me years ago when the wine club came online. It had become abundantly clear to me that AOPA’s focus was not on the factors than affect my flying, and that I was NOT their target audience.
So–I voted with my feet.
Would I go back??—possibly, but I have seen no reason for me to as of late. And this new “issue” of transparency at the Board level really makes me uninterested in offering any support.
I’ll never have or fly a multi-million $$ plane—or even have a wizz-bang, all glass, IFR, does everything for you panel. AOPA has shown again and again that my type of flying is more a burden to them than a segment that needs or deserves their support.
I’ll just stick with EAA for now……
“Klapmeier did say that although Pleasance is a “dynamic” person, “that is not just what it takes to run an entire organization like that.”
Well, if there’s anyone who can speak about timid, insipid and opportunistic “leadership,” it’s certainly Dale Klapmeier…
Doubling down. Good move.
Doubling down on your bad move is now par for the course. Shows how tough you are.
and that always works too ….
33 years AOPA. I’m about done. The dues, especially if you are also a member of other affiliates who have kept costs low… Hate to turn down another 30 year ball cap at OSH. AOPA doesn’t represent me anymore.
I will not be renewing my membership. I think their decision may be very costly to the organization as a whole.
If AOPA is no longer fulfilling its published Mission Statement, perhaps another, more thoughtfully engaged and uniquely interested entity will step in to fill the void. Russ?
I second Russ!
“Klapmeier asked that members quell their “passionate” reaction to the unpopular move and not cancel their membership.”
Why do leaders/politicians always try and use some variant of this idea when they are being held accountable for bad decisions they have made? Does this response of decreeing to the people who are ultimately your bosses in the grand scheme of things ever work when they don’t trust you? How often do people who you have no control over respond positively when told to shut up and do what they’re told? This is the icing on the cake for me… unfortunately I just renewed my membership just before this all happened… but unless this situation is resolved satisfactorily by the end of the year I’m out after 30 years… I hope that doesn’t happen. But I suspect it will.
–Open letter to AOPA Board of Trustees–
Dale Klapmeier (AOPA Trustee) recently said Darren did, “…not have what it takes to run an organization like this.” To everyone –except seemingly the AOPA Trustees– Darren is exactly what is needed to run AOPA. Sharing this opinion is not just the vast majority of AOPA members, it also notably includes the majority of AOPA staff. AOPA staff know what’s going on behind the scene. They know if a CEO’s actions are positive or not and their upset at the firing of Darren says a lot.
Darren has led organizations much smaller, as well as substantially larger than AOPA over his years for multiple world class organizations. Saying he doesn’t have what it takes to lead AOPA is disingenuous and uninformed. And somewhat ridiculous.
Klapmeier’s above statement, in opposition to most members and AOPA staff, indicates the AOPA Trustees are out of touch and lack what it takes to run AOPA. Add to this the Trustee’s lie about Darren’s departure being mutual and subsequent hiring of a PR firm to manage damage the Trustees wholly created –using my and other members dues money– is unacceptable.
Given the circumstances and the Trustees’s divergence from majority opinion that Darren was exactly what AOPA needed, they should either step down or provide evidence Darren wasn’t doing his job. And provide that evidence without further corporate speak or PR manipulations. AOPA is a non-profit and in theory the Trustees work for it’s members. Transparency is needed.
Aaron Benedetti
AOPA #04618163
What follows is the full town hall exchange. It helps explain why the board has not restored confidence, even if some of this may simply be the limits of what they think they can say in public. They lean on “we can’t talk about it,” repeat “unanimous” and “urgency,” then ask members not to cancel while still dodging the clearest credibility test: what changed, and what the PR damage control cost.
————————
Transcript:
Member: Can you explain where Darren is now, whether there’s any reconsideration of bringing him back full-time, and the real reason he’s not here?
Charlie Lynch, Trustee:
Thank you. Darren’s a great guy. As we look forward for our next leader, we need someone with a real sense of urgency and a multifaceted skill set, externally and internally, across the entire organization.
The next leader must have a very detailed strategic plan because there are a lot of issues facing our industry, our association, and the public.
We need someone focused on both strategic and tactical execution, with urgency, and responsible stewardship of both our operating dollars and our foundation dollars.
I would love to say more, but you all know we can’t really talk about why someone is let go. We worked out a press release with his help. This was not a surprise to us, and the press release was not a surprise to him. If the press release didn’t answer every question, that’s because we can’t answer every question.
We are trying to move forward. I know there’s anger and frustration from members directed at the board, and I accept that. We’re going to take a close look at ourselves.
I met Darren at Oshkosh and again later. He’s a nice guy and easy to work with, but being a good person isn’t the only requirement for leading an organization of this size. These decisions are not easy.
Dale Klapmeier, Trustee:
I can guarantee you the board didn’t hire him and then wake up two weeks ago and randomly decide to let him go. These are very hard decisions. There’s a lot of discussion and communication involved before something like this happens.
I also want to say that much of what I’m reading online focuses frustration at the board, and that’s fair. But it should not be directed at the staff. The roughly 200 people who work at AOPA are dedicated and passionate about protecting general aviation. They work every day to make sure we can fly, keep our medical certification, get insurance and financing, build hangars, buy airplanes, and avoid unnecessary fees.
I’m also seeing people say they’re going to cancel their membership. Please don’t do that. If you cancel, you’re hurting your own interests.
It’s like canceling your homeowner’s insurance because you’re upset your house doesn’t look as nice as you hoped. That doesn’t help you. Don’t cancel your membership. Work with us. Engage with us. Help us improve where we need to improve. Everyone here, and everyone not here, needs this organization to stay strong. Numbers matter in Washington. They matter when we advocate.
Member:
I’ve been a member for 10 years and care about the organization. But the firing of Darren Pleasance reveals governance issues that need to be addressed.
I have two questions:
1. Are you planning to self-impose term limits? If so, what would they be?
2. How much did you pay the PR organization for damage control?
Charlie Lynch, Trustee:
Thank you. Some things online aren’t accurate, such as claims about trustees serving 40-plus years. About half the board has been on the board three or four years.
We’re not just turbine aircraft owners. The board represents a cross-section of general aviation, including piston pilots.
On term limits and governance, good governance is very much on our radar. It has to make sense internally and externally. It must be credible to members, donors, and partners. Governance matters when foundations evaluate whether to fund programs.
Yes, we are focused on this. We also have several major priorities this year that must be addressed. Governance is high on the list in terms of how we operate going forward.
I participated in meetings and reviewed notes. If there had been anything unethical or improper, I would have fought like hell. I consider myself an ethical person. There was no funny business.
The decision was unanimous. There was no split vote. It did not happen overnight. There were long conversations. The board concluded there is urgency and a mission we must accomplish.
Regarding the PR firm, during leadership transitions it is standard practice to bring in communications support to ensure compliance and proper handling of the transition. Yes, we brought in additional support.
Member:
What was the cost? Was it something like $100,000?
Dale Klapmeier, Trustee:
Aviation is emotional. We fly because we want to fly. Passion drives us. We’re working through this.