2024 NEQ Election: Meet our Candidates

On the nine-seat Board of Directors of the NEQ chapter of ACNA, three seats become available each year. As a member-driven organization, this election will decide who will represent you for your club.

This year the seats will be vacated by Matt Wilson, Greg Miceli, and Anthony Rivara. We would like to thank all three of them for their contributions and commitment to the club.

We are honored to present this year’s slate of candidates. The three candidates for 2024, in alphabetical order, are:
 – Jerry O’Loughlin
–  Glenn Robbins
–  Alex Sunseri

The qualifications and bios for these candidates are below.

With three seats and three candidates, this year’s election is uncontested,

Monica Rigney
Member, NEQ Board of Directors
Chair of the Nominating Committee

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Jerry O’Loughlin

Years in NEQ
2
Previous Service with NEQ
Driver
Marketing Committee Member
How did you discover NEQ and what was your first event?
I have known Gio Tomasi and Alex Sunseri for 30+ years and we share similar passions for skiing and driving so Gio just needed to give me a taste.
Gio brought me to Palmer and let me drive his car. Initially it was a completely overwhelming experience that quickly became an addiction after a few events.
Tell us about the car(s) you like to drive on track
My first car was an ’08 Audi S4 which got me started. After 6 track days I was in conversations with Jeff S which lead me to Pete at ASF and I am now a BMW Spec e46 owner. I prefer rear wheel drive cars as they are more fun.
What are the things you value most as an NEQ member?
The thing that matters most to me is the quality of the people at NEQ. They say that you make very few friends after age 50 but that definitely does not apply to this group. It is the primary reason I have focused on NEQ events and then got involved with the Marketing and Membership committee. I have participated with Chin, HOD, BMW NJ, NNJR PCA and NEQ clearly has a more welcoming and friendly membership. It is much more fun to drive and hang out with people that you enjoy to be around!

I have also noticed the desire to improve the club and each driver’s experience. This is an important trait for everyone’s enjoyment and the future of the NEQ organization.
As a prospective Board member, where would you like to focus your skills and interests?
There are a lot of similarities between the objectives of my previous company, a youth lacrosse club and training academy, and NEQ. We were a startup that needed to differentiate ourselves in the market. We did this by developing players’ individual and team skills. We created a level system (1-4) that focused on different skills and criteria. As the player(driver) progressed he/she was evaluated and moved up or stayed at that level. In order to do that we had to create a training curriculum for the players(drivers) and a way to train the coaches (instructors). The coaches, like NEQ instructors, were part timers with other priorities so we had to be flexible and creative as they too could coach for other programs.

We built it from scratch so we had to create and build a brand. This involved creating logos, swag, and marketing programs to attract players and coaches. We tracked retention rates and constantly focused on improving the customer’s experience.

Given the similarities I know that I could make a significant impact in the marketing and membership area and also be helpful in other areas. I look at NEQ as a small business that is competing against the other non and for profit clubs. We have several advantages over the other clubs that we need to take advantage of.

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Glenn Robbins

Years in NEQ
16 years
Previous Service with NEQ
Driver
Instructor
Helped develop marketing materials with Matt Wilson
How did you discover NEQ and what was your first event?
My first track days were with the NAAC chapter of the Audi Club. When they stopped organizing HPDE events I discovered NEQ could fuel my addiction with even more dates and locations.
Tell us about the car(s) you like to drive on track
My current track car is 2001 Toyota Celica GTS with significant modifications for safety and performance. Without formal training as a mechanic I managed to successfully install a supercharger. While it will never be a really fast car, it’s light, nimble and can get out of corners reasonably quick.
What are the things you value most as an NEQ member?
I’ve been to events hosted by many different organizations and by far, NEQ has the best combination of fun, safety, camaraderie and social opportunities.
As a prospective Board member, where would you like to focus your skills and interests?
Without previous experience on the board, I’m hoping to see what challenges the club faces and offer my skills to assist. I’m ready for another unique challenge that helps improve the NEQ experience for all.

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Alex Sunseri

Years in NEQ
25 as a kiddo at the track, 15 as a driver.
Previous Service with NEQ
Board Member/Officer
Committee Member
Driver
Event Master
Event Volunteer
Instructor”
How did you discover NEQ and what was your first event?
My dad, Gio Tomasi got me involved with NEQ when I was a kid small enough to fit behind the roll cages to clean the back window. From there, I just loved the track, cars, and most importantly the community. I did my first track day at LRP in 2010 when I was 18 and 1 day. I would not recognize life without NEQ and driving in it.
Tell us about the car(s) you like to drive on track
I am a textbook momentum driver. I learned the craft of track driving in our 1987.5 Audi Coupe GT (also know as Roxy or Wigget’s car). In that, you might as well get out of the car and walk up the hill of the boot if you mess up the toe at Watkins Glen. Now, I spend most of my time in our 2003 Mini Cooper S, Charlie. After about 10 years of fine tuning, he is one of the most perfectly set up track cars.
What are the things you value most as an NEQ member?
One of the most cherished things in my life in the relationships I have created with fellow NEQers. You can go to a lot of different groups for track time, but I have dedicated so much of my time over the years to NEQ because of my track family. Attending any NEQ event is like going home.
As a prospective Board member, where would you like to focus your skills and interests?
I am very excited to take on a role within the driving committee. My experience across many different track groups has given me perspective on how we can continue to offer a competitive experience in an increasingly saturated market. HPDEs are our life blood and we have always been known for putting on some of the best events. I hope to support the growth of the program to ensure that is true for years to come.