AN "OPEN LETTER" TO THE INCOMING APTA PRESIDENT

Dear Mark Fischl:

Congratulations on your nomination to the office of President of the American Platform Tennis Association. You will be the second resident of Long Island to be elected to this post. I was privileged to hold the office from 1988-1992. I am struck by the similarity of the circumstances under which we have been called into the leadership of the Association.

First, our experience on the Board of Directors prior to our nomination was only one year. Each of us has barely had our "feet wet" when we faced the oceans of problems before us. As I took office, there was no Executive Director. The Board just prior to my nomination had dismissed the incumbent. Your situation is similar although I grant you, not exactly the same. Even though you are advertising for a replacement for Carolyn Tierney, you have an "interim" Executive Director, Marjorie Hodson, in place.

When I took the reins of office, I found considerable administrative problems. For example, I found that many "members" who had not paid dues to renew their membership were still on the Associations mailing list. The opposite was also true. New members did not receive mailings because their names and addresses had not been added to the list maintained by an outside mailing house. While I don’t believe the current APTA records are in any way as much in disarray as this, moving to a new office location with replacement equipment, is bound to be disruptive. I strongly suggest that the name and address membership list be carefully reviewed as the new dues billing period commences on July 1st.

I find it somewhat amusing that there is a similarity in the confusion with the telephone number. I remember distinctly finding an obsolete telephone number on many of the Association’s publications. At that time there were lots of complaints about no one answering member’s calls. The phone just rung and rung. The old number either had not been reassigned by New Jersey Bell or to whomever it was assigned, the person was never at home to answer it.

Some of your phone numbers will have the same problem. The fax number, for example, is new and so is the local number used in New Jersey. I recommend that all of the APTA publications that have incorrect telephone numbers be destroyed. I regret the waste and cost of replacement that the Association will have but being accurate is important.

I also recall that the financial picture of the Association when I took office was somewhat precarious. At one of our first Board of Directors meetings I proposed increasing the dues. The Directors did not greet the proposal with cheers as you can imagine. It was just like a politician increasing taxes after being elected. The increase was approved, however, and we started down the road to a stronger financial base. Your situation is considerably different. Because of the large League-based membership that has been developed, a dues increase for other memberships will not add significant revenue to the Association’s coffers.

The Association’s financial dilemma seems more to be about expenses than revenues. Platform Tennis Magazine, while it has raised the image of the Association, has also cost it dearly. The promise of advertising dollars by Wayne Dollard in his proposal for the publication five years ago has not materialized. Something different has to be done to cover this cost.

I would suggest that a subscription to the magazine be offered to APTA dues paying members at a "discounted" amount but separate from the dues. Some members may want to subscribe to the magazine at a special rate and other may not. Meanwhile the magazine could be more strongly promoted outside of the APTA membership at a full subscription price. Maybe many players would not join the APTA and just subscribe to the magazine. The arrangement with Dollard Publishing Company must be revised to reflect this new situation.

The matters I have noted here are just the "tip of the iceberg" as I see it. You are going to have your hands full. I wish you the very best as you undertake your new responsibilities and offer my counsel and assistance at any time you may desire to call upon me.

Warmest regards,

Charles E. Vasoll

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