View Full Version : email from Brian King- ATC
The Old Fhart
03-28-2005, 21:23
I , probably like a lot of you, just got this email from Brian King. I always found him a good guy and helpful.
Because the Gathering truly has been the annual highlight weekend for me for 15 of the almost-18 years I've been at ATC, but what I'll be doing this October is uncertain, I wanted to let all of you know that I was not selected last Friday night for the "new" job as director of communications here. A highly rated guy from AOL with lots of electronic-media savvy will start in that position next Monday.
I have no doubt Laurie will continue the to-me essential relationship between ATC and ALDHA, and I had been planning anyway to encourage Mari Omland, the conservation director, to get involved and try to tap your many talents as well as she develops and expands those programs.
What comes next for me, I don't know yet. But, you all have been touchstones in my work/life, and I wanted to thank you for that and all you've taught me and let you know of this development before you see it elsewhere.
Brian
TJ aka Teej
03-28-2005, 21:54
Well, that sucks. Does the person replacing Brian know anything about the Trail?
SGT Rock
03-28-2005, 22:00
If he works at AOL we can expect ATC spam to become common place?
saimyoji
03-28-2005, 22:05
You can expect to pay $20-$30 a month for your Thru-hiker status. :D
I'm sure that the decision was carefully considered. But, when you think about it, it's all part of improving the visabilty of the ATC.
Changes are always tough decisions. Good luck to Brian in whatever his new role may be, and good luck to the ATC with all the changes going on there.
You've got trail~! :banana :banana :banana
AOL...& all things connected are .....SATAN works!
Great.
Walk the Trail, get a virus.
Great.
Walk the Trail, get a virus.
Is wanderlust a virus?
smokymtnsteve
03-29-2005, 11:05
Is wanderlust a virus?
I don't know the cause but wonderlust can B a chronic dis-ease.
an incurable condition :D
Jack Tarlin
03-29-2005, 11:39
With no disrespect at all to the new guy, it should be said plainly that Brian King is a wonderful man who has devoted a significant part of his life to the A.T., and we are all in his debt. I hope the new guy has big feet because he's got some very large boots to fill.
Amen to that, Jack.......Brian's going to leave an unfillable void.
If he works at AOL we can expect ATC spam to become common place?
Oh GREAT! In addition to AOL spam, does this mean now we will be disconnected from the AT at random critical moments?
As AOL stands for: "Always Off Line", will ATC soon stand for: "A Trail Crime"?
Wasn't impressed with the name change, not impressed with this change. :mad:
Wasn't impressed with the name change, not impressed with this change. :mad:
Organizational change is inevitable. Some is good. Some is not. No one is irreplaceable. Not me, not you, and not Brian. No disrespect intended to Brian. That's simply a fact.
ATC is in the very capable hands of Dave Startzell. He has a fine Staff working for him, and a Strategic Plan to guide the ATC into the future.
I have faith that Dave and the ATC Board Members are headed in the right direction.
Some people don't like any change. When Clinton was on the campaign trail during his first run for the Presidency, he met a man who was 100 years old. He said to the guy "Sir, I bet you've seen a lot of change in your life." To that the man replied "Yup, and I was agin every one of 'em."
True story.
Jack Tarlin
03-31-2005, 15:50
I must keep this short as I'm at work, but this is important:
I just received a short note from Brian King, in which he asked me to make some clarification remarks in. re. to his correspondence which initiated this thread:
*First off, Brian wanted to make very clear that he thinks the new official,
Marty Bartels, is bright, friendly, capable, and most of all, firmly committed
helping the Conference and the Trail.
*Brian said that he is committed to helping the Conference during this
transition period in any way he can, and he expressed support for Dave
Starzell.
*Best of all, while Brian stated that his future role is not entirely clear at the
present time, he said plainly that he "is not leaving anytime soon", which
surely comes as good news to all of us.
Lastly, and please note that these are MY comments and not Brian's, while it's great that folks are concerned over the ATC's future and are saddened by the re-posting or perhaps replacement of one of the Conference's most popular and most talented employees, I think some of the comments posted on this thread are a bit over the line: We here at Whiteblaze know nothing about the new official, other than where he was previously employed. So what if he worked for AOL? Does this mean that he isn't bright, efficient, reliabe, capable, and pricipled? Of course it doesn't. We should withold judgment here until we see exactly what transpires, and what happens at the "new" ATC.
For the moment, tho, Brian has told us that the new fellow is a nice guy, is excited about his new opportunity, and very anxious to get to work helping the Conference and helping the Trail. If Brian King is gracious enough to offer this assessment of Mr. Bartels, then I think it proper that the rest of us do likewise.
On a personal note, I wish Brian best of luck with all future endeavors, and I offer him great thanks for his work with the ATC, which goes back almost twenty years. And I welcome Mr. Bartels, who I am sure accepted his new position in no small part because he was anxious to be connected---and to help protect--- the Trail that we all care about so much.
Rocks 'n Roots
04-02-2005, 00:41
the Trail that we all care about so much.<!-- / message -->
Except, of course, the "Trail" as it relates to MacKaye and his wilderness purpose...
Sorry Jack, but I have real problems accepting someone who acts in such plain contempt towards basic Trail interpretations (and flames so vulgarly) posing as somebody representing the Trail community or a person in the position of judging its officers...
The Old Fhart
04-02-2005, 09:38
the Trail that we all care about so much.
Except, of course, the "Trail" as it only exists in RnR’s mind or his delusional Rants N Raves...
Sorry RnR, but I have real problems accepting someone who is completely and totally ignorant towards basic Trail history (and flames so vulgarly) posing as somebody representing the ghost of MacKaye or a person in no position of judging others...
Jack Tarlin
04-02-2005, 09:54
Rocks:
1. Rocks, this isn't about you.
2. How of earth have you reached the conclusion that anyone gives a damn
what you think?
3. I'm perfectly capable of expressing myself without vulgarity. One doesn't
to use indecent speech to describe you as an idiot.
4. Have a nice day.
TJ aka Teej
04-02-2005, 11:01
...I welcome Mr. Bartels, who I am sure accepted his new position in no small part because he was anxious to be connected---and to help protect--- the Trail that we all care about so much.
Except, of course, the "Trail" as it relates to MacKaye and his wilderness purpose...
It must really suck to be you, Roxy. For the good of the Trail, please continue to stay as far away from the AT and the AT community as possible.
I'm sure I don't know the BIG picture and that Mr. King has served the ATC well, but based on my one meeting with him at the 92 ALDHA gathering, his- they promised not to tell -defense of ATC actions did not impress me. The way Mr. King went about editing a friends guidebook for the ATC didn't help either. No hard feelings- when I become perfect, I'll expect the same of Mr. King. I wish the best for him but also welcome Mr. Bartels. Now if the ATC ever tries to squeeze out Laurie- THEN I'll have a problem!