2025 Annual Meeting.

The NEQ Annual Meeting was held virtually via Zoom on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at 4 PM EST.

The meeting, originally planned at the Resorts World Catskill Resort in Monticello, NY, was conducted online in order to better invest club funds in growing HPDE events in response to research completed in 2024. The meeting focused on recapping the club’s achievements in 2024 and outlining plans for 2025.

The meeting opened by highlighting the club’s busy 2024 season, which included numerous driving days, the return of club motorsports, and two events at Watkins Glen.  2024 Events were reported on including social and high-performance driving schools.

Challenges in the HPDE marketplace were noted, including increased competition and rising facility rental costs. The club emphasized the need for creative solutions to maintain event attendance and financial viability. The financial report outlined a net loss of $9,800 for 2024. This was largely attributed to the reduced Watkins Glen event attendance, primarily as a result of NASCAR forcing a one-day event. Additionally, there were investments in club supplies and expenses related to merchandise. The formation of a finance committee and implementation of a budgeting process for 2025 were suggested to better manage the club’s finances. We discussed how cash reserves are being invested in a 4% interest-bearing money market account.

The nominating committee discussed its efforts to develop talent within NEQ and outlined initiatives such as creating committee descriptions, establishing a new merchandising lead role, and successfully conducting board member elections.

Marketing and communications reported on team expansions, including social media management and a focus on membership, noting that club membership remained stable at around 540 members in 2024. The club’s contact database expanded to 3,300 emails, and 36 new first-time drivers participated in events.

Social events were highlighted, showcasing new additions to the calendar such as the FCP Euro tour and the Dream Ride experience. We emphasized the club’s commitment to introducing variety and new experiences each year and called for more volunteers to help run social events smoothly.

The results from the 2024 member survey were reviewed and our 2025 committee chairs shared their objectives for 2025.

The Nominating Committee will be looking for members interested in participating in our different committees and volunteering at events.

Marketing & Membership discussed continued use of email blasts, freshening up our website, enhancing social media engagement and thinking creatively about merchandise. They also shared an analysis of 2021-2023 member and instructor return rates indicating we have significant opportunity to improve NEQ driver retention.

The Social Media and Driving Committee chairs reviewed the 2025 event lineup and we’re very excited to have such an active schedule! The Driving Committee also shared their 2025 initiatives to focus on the student experience and building relationships, exploring technology to improve event management and documenting and adding variety to classroom instruction.

Jeff Segal will continue to be our Chief Instructor, and Anthony Rivara and Jeff Bennett will continue to run our Instructor Candidate program in 2025. Lastly, we are excited to welcome new Board members, Jerry O’Loughlin and Glenn Robbins, and we welcome back, Alex Sunseri!

Our 2025 club officers are:

• President: Deb Berns
• Vice President: Eric Galvin
• Treasurer: Ryan Zavras
• Secretary: Simon Chan

Also on the Board:

• Doug Maule (Social Committee Chair)
• Monica Rigney (Nominating Committee Chair)
• Jerry O’Loughlin (Marketing & Membership Committee Co-Chair)
• Glenn Robbins (Marketing & Membership Committee Co-Chair)
• Alexandra Sunseri (Driving Committee Chair)

The meeting served as a platform for members to hear about the club’s activities and future plans, reflecting NEQ’s commitment to maintaining its family-like atmosphere while adapting to new challenges in the automotive enthusiast landscape.

Download the slide deck below