Hopefully, 2019 has started well for everyone and there is excitement with what lays ahead. I know I am looking forward to the new year, particularly as the new president for the club.
Harvey was a great mentor as the previous president. His passion, concern and interest in advancing the club was genuine. His successes have created a path for those of us that follow behind him. I am excited that Harvey will continue to serve on the club’s board where we’ll benefit from his ideas and vision.
For those who don’t know me, I’m originally from Novelty, Ohio, a place between Cleveland and the Amish country of Middlefield, OH. My wife Tonya and two boys (Zachary and Brody) moved to Iowa 20yrs ago when I joined Pioneer Hi-Bred as a research scientist. I continue to work there where my team is responsible for creating the molecular tools to express DNA fragments comprising genes in corn and soybean plants. For Tonya, the move to Iowa was a return to her family roots as her grandfather was born in Fairfield, Iowa.
My interest in cars started with my father. In 1969, he bought a 1930 Model A and restored the rusty field-find to show quality. My brother shows the car today. In 1970, Dad took the family to Hershey where I was captivated by the Stanley Steamers. Since then, I’ve enjoyed all the different directions cars can take one’s interest from pop culture, to social culture, to technology advancements. Wal-Mart’s most recent commercial with the iconic cars (e.g. Bumblebee from Transformers) coming to pick up purchases shows how central the automobile is to American culture, even today.
The Board has already had its first meeting of the year and it was a full agenda. We’ve outlined some goals and activities for ourselves. This year’s activities will include things like our breakfast and lunches that the club already enjoys. But we will also look to make some enhancements to gain the interest of less active members and attract new members. The Board will also seek more connectivity with members for their input on activities. Harvey passed along a photo album from the very beginning of our club in 1971. The club has obviously evolved since, but the spirit of those times is something we want to continue through an inclusive process with each of you.
All the best,
Scott Diehn, President
AACA Des Moines Region
