SB QST @ ARL $ARLB025
ARLB025 Pacific Division Vice Director Steps Down; Appointment Fills
Vacancy

ZCZC AG25
QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 25  ARLB025
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  June 17, 2009
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB025
ARLB025 Pacific Division Vice Director Steps Down; Appointment Fills
Vacancy

Citing family and business reasons, ARRL Pacific Division Vice
Director Andy Oppel, N6AJO has submitted his resignation. President
Joel Harrison, W5ZN, has appointed Jim Tiemstra, K6JAT, of Oakland,
California, to serve the remainder of the current term through the
end of 2010.

Oppel had served as Vice Director since being appointed in 2003 to
complete the term of Bob Vallio, W6RGG, who became Director upon the
death of Jim Maxwell, W6CF.

In a message posted to the East Bay Section Web page, he commented:
"I regret to inform you that family and work issues have forced me
to resign as your ARRL Pacific Division Vice Director. I have
enjoyed being able to serve you in that capacity for the past 6+
years and as East Bay Section Manager for 3 years prior to that. I
very much appreciate the support and friendship offered by many of
you and I hope I still get a chance to see many of you from time to
time."

First licensed in 1970 as WN9ELU, Tiemstra, an attorney, is an
Amateur Extra class licensee. He has also held the call signs WB9ELU
and N6OIK. "I'm thrilled at the opportunity to serve an organization
that I have been a member of for my entire Amateur Radio career,"
Tiemstra said.  "I have known of and supported Pacific Division
Director Bob Vallio's efforts at the League for many years, and look
forward to the opportunity of working with him in those endeavors. I
am deeply honored to be chosen to fill the vacancy left by Andy's
resignation.  Because Amateur Radio certainly has enriched and added
value to many aspects of my life, I am elated to have the
opportunity to contribute something back to the hobby. The future of
Amateur Radio is at a critical crossroads that will involve our
appeal to youth."

Tiemstra told the ARRL that his favorite Amateur Radio activities
are "contesting -- I seem to have more wallpaper than wall -- DXing
with 300 confirmed entities and DXpeditions, a poor but adequate
excuse for a vacation. I have operated as 3D2TJ, PJ2/K6JAT and
KH6/K6JAT and from V26DX, but I have long been involved in the
public service aspects of Amateur Radio."

As a member of the Oakland ARES group, Tiemstra responded to the
1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and the 1991 Oakland Hills firestorm. He
worked with Oakland area hams and city officials to gain RACES
recognition and was instrumental in forging a formal Letter of
Understanding. In addition, he assisted Oakland ARES/RACES in
successfully championing a proposal to use post-firestorm, bond
Measure I funds to acquire and install Amateur Radio equipment in
the Oakland's Emergency Operations Center and each of its 30 fire
stations. This has been dubbed the Emergency Communication Ham
Operation (ECHO) system. Tiemstra also served as Oakland's RACES
Radio Officer for more than 14 years.

In 1998, Tiemstra acted as the incorporator of the Oakland Radio
Communication Association (ORCA), an ARRL affiliated club; he was a
founding director and became its first president. He is a member of
ORCA's board of directors and trustee of the club's call sign WW6OR.
Tiemstra is a member of the Northern California Contest Club (NCCC),
the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA) and 10-10
International. Tiemstra and his wife, Lilah, KE6EHD, have twin boys,
Robert and Matthew, KI6IHP.
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/EX