Competition Division Members,

It is my wish to be considered for election to the Hot Air Competition Division Board as an At-Large member. My passion for competitive ballooning has led me to run numerous times for an HACD board seat. I have consistently offered up new and innovative ideas to current and past board members in the form of both conversation and written proposals. My experiences in a vast array of competitive events, both domestic and international, have helped me develop creative ideas and approaches to recommend for consideration. I certainly recognize that the HACD board handles a wide range of issues and believe my prior experience on multiple executive boards has prepared me to face those issues and offer relevant solutions.

While I will concede that I am young, I am certainly not inexperienced. Having been both pilot and crew at the highest level of competition for the past ten years, I have been exposed to some of the great minds in our sport. It is my belief that a younger board member could help challenge the way the current board views today’s most pertinent issues and will offer a high level of energy and spirit of volunteerism.

One way I have acted upon my passion for competitive ballooning is the formation of a website (www.balloonpong.com) dedicated to chronicling all types of competitive balloon events and the social camaraderie shared by those who attend. This type of site has been a vision of mine for the past couple of years and if elected it would be my hope to work with the HACD board to further utilize readily available media outlets to keep members informed of current events.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that it is most important to see the continued development of fresh approaches to the challenges facing our sport. If elected, I am committed to providing competitive ballooning and the HACD my highest level of energy and volunteer efforts. I am eager to serve the HACD as a board member. Below is a brief summary of some of my balloon related accomplishments and experiences.

• NABA Rookie of the Year 2004
• BFA Rookie of the Year 2005
• First alternate to 2006 World Championship for the U.S.
• Crew 2004, 2006 World Championships
• Competed in Luxembourg, Japan (Twice)
• Flown in Australia, Puerto Rico, Luxembourg, Germany, Japan
• 3-time top 5 finisher at a national championship (2 BFA, 1 NABA)
• Co-Sponsor, BalloonPong.com

Respectfully submitted,

Chase Donner