RUSA Board Election Reminder + Introduction (Phil Fox)
Phil Fox
Howdy Utah Randos! My name is Phil Fox, and I’m one of the five nominees for the 2024 RUSA Board of Directors Election. While I've ridden with some of you in France or other rando events over the years - I may be a new name and face for many. My full candidate statement (here) goes into more detail regarding my journey to randonneuring, but I wanted to connect with you directly as to what my candidacy means for the Utah scene.
Like the other candidates, I am passionate about the growth of American randonneuring and committed to building upon its rich history. My professional background is in market research, marketing strategy, and community engagement. Adding this unique expertise to the RUSA board would improve how we design our programs to better serve your needs as RUSA members and bolster the health of our community. Three immediate areas of focus include:
Engagement: We need to facilitate more dialogue between RUSA and our membership. Engagement surveys can provide much needed context to trends in our participation data and better assess how we are doing at both the national and local levels... as well as among new riders and returning riders! The intention is to foster more data-driven decisions, agility and transparency in how we serve the diverse needs of our members. Not only will this strengthen the club’s sense of community but more importantly help us better attract, engage and develop the next generation of American randonneurs. I've started a research outline here to gather feedback on. Would love to hear your thoughts!
Connectivity: While randonneuring is about personal challenges, it’s also about the camaraderie and the connections made along the way. A more active social media presence and an expanded RUSA member directory can foster those connections we make on the road. We must prioritize coordinating our Strava, Zwift, Instagram, Facebook and other web content to drive much needed awareness and excitement for our clubs, programs and events. Y'all have some of the greatest topography to explore. Let's promote that!
Gamification: We have the opportunity to refine RUSA’s online presence to promote our wide array of randonneuring challenges with digital badges, personalized dashboards and milestone trackers. By making our awards more accessible, fun and engaging to track, we can motivate our clubs and members to socialize these celebrated achievements in randonneuring. After all - you cannot improve what you don't measure. And you cannot celebrate what you don't track. See below for an example of how I stay on top of my American Explorer progress.
“If you want to go fast, then go alone. If you want to go far, let’s go together!” I am committed to bringing fresh perspectives, energy, and a renewed sense of community to RUSA. Let’s embark on this journey together and we can reinvigorate what’s possible in American randonneuring.
If you haven't already - please do check out Deb's interviews linked on the RUSA election page and cast your vote here. The election runs until November 30. Less than two weeks to go!
Curious your thoughts and I hope to earn your support in the ongoing election.
Phil Fox
#12365
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