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ITM annual meeting features Ron Sieck & aviation

Reprinted courtesy of The Grinnell-Herald Register November 3, 2008
The Iowa Transportation Museum board held its annual meeting in Grinnell College’s Old Glove Factory building Oct. 21. Election of officers for the year 2009 was held, with Gerry Schnepf, Ian MacGillivray and William Pritchard being re-elected to the positions of president, vice-president and secretary, respectively. Richard Bice of Marion, Iowa, currently an ITM board member, was elected a treasurer. Bice succeeds Grinnell Mayor Gordon Canfield who has served as treasurer for the past four years. Canfield will continue to serve as a member of the ITM board.

Schnepf gave a detailed report of how the ITM had grown from the time it was conceived in 1999 by Dr. Stan Ring, a professor at Iowa State University. Schnepf explained how after reviewing other sites, Grinnell was selected because of its rich transportation heritage and the potential that the remaining building of the Spaulding Buggy and Wagon/Car Manufacturing plant offer as a museum site for telling the story of Iowa’s transportation history.

Mark Hudson the original executive director of the museum was the first to obtain federal and state grants for the project. The architectural firm of RDG in Des Moines was recruited to develop a plan for the restoration and stabilization of the buildings.

Since that time an online Transportation Heroes program and an exhibit plan have been developed as the project continued to receive financial support through grants, pledges, and private donations. Even though work did not progress continuously on the buildings, the concept of the Iowa Transportation Museum has always been in a forward movement, he said.

Schnepf recognized the thousands of hours and miles donated by volunteers, various committee members, advisors and board members. In August 2008, the ITM contracted with Michael Audino and his Associates of Charitable Giving in West Des Moines to launch the state-wide fundraising committee. Most recently a local fundraising committee was developed for the campaign in the Grinnell area to begin Nov. 1, 2008.

The theme for the 2008 annual meeting was “Aviation.” Ron Sieck, a local pilot and winner of the 2008 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Award, shared with the ITM board members, advisory committee and guests a presentation on how he built his bi-wing plane at his home and his family’s support for the project. Sieck currently houses his airplane at the Grinnell Regional Airport.

Jack Byers, a Grinnell native known for his ability to restore cars, was recognized by the ITM board for his assistance in the restoration of the 1913 Model 40 Spaulding car. The restoration of the car is continuing under the direction of Pat Brooks, a former Grinnellian who now lives in Marshalltown.

Chuck Brooke, current executive director, said the ITM will have some major announcements concerning the Transportation Heroes program in the near future.