At 04:41 PM 1/19/97 +0000, Dave Houser wrote:
>Just got back home from the annual Director's meeting of the New
>England MGT Register. We spent a rather cool weekend at the
>Northampton Inn in, where else?, Northhampton, Mass.
>The big news is that after founding the Register, with Frank
>Churchill, 34 years ago, Dick Knudson stepped down and Hank Rippert
>from Charlotte, North Carolina was asked to replace him. Dick felt it
>was time to pursue some other things he enjoys and will continue
>editing the Sacred Octagon. Hank acknowledged the shoes he has to
>fill are big ones but that all the work getting it to run right is
>already in place.
>Oh yes, he did say something about revising the logo to include a
>Dixie flag. (Just kidding)
>
>Good Luck and Thanks, Dick!
>
>Dave Houser
>
Dave, you beat me to the news flash. For those not into the national club
scene , this news is not that important.
However, to those in the hobby a long time, it is real news. Dick Knudson
is one of the most knowledgable and enthusiastic persons in the MG world.
In 1963 , he founded the NEMGT Register with Frank Churchill. He was the
guiding force from then to the present in shaping this international
organization. He invented the GOF, and has been a genius in devising events
and ideas to keep the hobby and GOFs fresh and interesting.
In the 1970s he took a sabbatical leave from his English Professorship at
Oneonta College to live in Abingdon for a year. He moved next door to John
Thornley, founder of the MGCC in 1930, and who was the head to the MG Car
company in the 50's, and 60's when the TD, TC MGA and MGB were developed.
Dicks personal knowledge and friendship with Thornley and all the other
greats associated with MG, gave him a wealth of knowledge beyond the
mechanics and nuts and bolts.
Dick is retired now, and the T register has been his main focus in life.
He knew better then anyone that he could not go on for ever, working 40 to
60 hours a week on Register events and business.
Now ,while still enjoying good health and his children and grandchildren ,
Dick has for seen the necessity to bring about new leadership and
continuity in the Register. Hank Rippert, has been very active in the
Register for over 25 years. He ran the first Register trip (Ocean to Ocean
in 1986, and the Skyline Soiree in l993) He has big shoes to fill, but
Dick will remain on as Editor of The Sacred Octagon, and Executive Director.
For those of us involved in pre 56 MGs, the passing of the Chair in the
Register this weekend, is quite an event.We all wish Hank Rippert well. We
can never thank Dick enough for what he has done for this hobby.
Mike Leckstein
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