New Life Member - Bryan Shedden

12 January 2016 / Words by Glenn Thomas & Mel Keller, Photo by Mel Keller

"The best way of keeping a secret is to pretend there isn’t one." Margaret Atwood

To spring a surprise on our famously well-organised President is no mean feat and so the presentation of Bryan’s Honorary Life Membership at the Club’s 25th Anniversary celebration was planned in the deepest secrecy. Vice-President Glenn Thomas prepared the motion in confidence and the Committee deliberated in hushed tones by phone and e-mail. The unanimous decision was quickly reached and kept well under wraps. Bryan joins our esteemed group of Life Members - Peter and Ruth Simpson, Jean Cook, Zan and Rod Menzel, Jeff Gehrig, Mike and Cobie Hicks and Paul Beerworth.

Citation by Vice President Glenn Thomas

The Club’s constitution, paragraph 5.2, sub-paragraph (c), empowers the committee to bestow Honorary Life Membership.

Honorary Life Memberships are an exceptional award that has been used to recognise significant contributions to the MX-5 Club of NSW by individuals that even surpasses the contributions made by the Club’s volunteer workforce.

Bryan Shedden joined the Club in February 2009 as an ordinary member and immediately and consistently distinguished himself. As an ordinary member, Bryan made regular contributions on the "Car Talk" forum that were aligned with the values of the Club and empathetic with the Committee efforts. Similarly, Bryan also carried these values and camaraderie into his participation within motorsport and social events.

Bryan joined the Committee in October 2010 as Publications Officer and realised further evolution of Club Torque magazine; raising the quality of the magazine to an exceptionally high standard while concurrently reducing many of the costs associated with the production. The magazine has further evolved under Bryan’s leadership to the standard where it is regularly recognised as potentially the best product produced by any comparable club.

Bryan progressed into the President position in October 2012 and built on the efforts of Past Presidents by evolving the management of the club. Under Bryan’s leadership and support, the Committee has further developed detailed budgeting and planning of expenditure so as to maximise the benefits delivered to the membership. To list just some of the achievements realised under Bryan’s leadership include: the realisation of the new club web site, introduction of “Club News” e-mails, restructuring the Club to facilitate the evolution of “Chapters”, effective handover of the motorsports management upon retirement of the previous brilliant team, the refinement of Committee role definitions and the instigation of a more co-ordinated approach to Club Regalia.

While the preceding information outlines some of Bryan’s achievements, I am aware of many more of Bryan’s activities that continually set the Club on a constant path to improvement and growth while remaining consistent with the Goals, Values and Mission of the Club.