By Olaf Krop, Chairman of the Board
After a continent–wide search, the MDI Board of Directors elected a new Executive Vice President. On October 13 the Board unanimously elected Geoff Tomlinson (Eastern Canada Region) to the post of Executive Vice President, effective January 1, 2017. In this new position, Tomlinson will report to President Stan Snow, and will train with him to take over as MDI President, pending a Board interview and election, on December 31, 2017. Tomlinson is a very qualified and experienced leader, having successfully completed most volunteer positions in MDI. He is currently the Executive Officer to Snow, and was VP of Regional Operations prior to being selected as XO.
Tomlinson was elected after a thorough search of all of MDI Members, where almost 100 men were contacted. Of these qualified men, 15 stepped up, three were selected as finalists and Tomlinson was chosen. The committee to select the candidates included representatives from every region, including all the past presidents who are MDI members. The committee was led by the immediate past president, Sandy Peisner. The other two finalists, Jason Campos-Keck and Ben Estes, were also very qualified, and the Board thanks them for stepping up.
The process to select the Executive Vice President is thorough and extremely important, as the EVP will lead the MDI Operations for at least two years after completing a 1-year training cycle. President Snow continues to be a very capable leader, and will continue to serve as President until the end of 2017. Having a man in training for up to a year is new for this position. Continuity between presidents is taken very seriously by the Board of Directors.
As the first EVP in many years, the idea is to create a smooth transition from the outgoing President and to the incoming President with a year long training.
“I’m humbled and a little frightened by the amount of responsibility that comes with being the future President of MDI,” said Tomlinson. “My immediate responsibilities will be assigned by the existing President Stan Snow with the intention of moving his agenda forward and of having me be fully trained and ready to assume the role of President over the next year.”
The MDI Board of Directors is comprised of 11 men, nine of whom are elected representatives from regions, and the President and the Chairman. The Board meets monthly to discuss the long-term future of MDI, to evaluate any external threats to the organization (like lawsuits or audits), and to ensure we have the resources and governance necessary for the continued pursuit of the mission of MDI.