SAHPA AGM 2023 – Nominees

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Good morning,

The SAHPA Office has received the following nominations for the Chairman and Treasurer roles. Paid-up members will be given an opportunity to vote using the SimplyVoting system in the coming days. The final results will be announced at the SAHPA AGM on the 31st October at 18:30.

Table of Contents

Nominations for Chairman

Louis Stanford (current chairman)

  1. Who am I (a brief background and interests description):
    I am a recreational paraglider pilot, with aspirations to learn hang-gliding. I am motivated to address the very real issues that are threatening our collective privilege to fly. I have no commercial interests in the sport, nor do I have any intentions in this regard.
  2. Why I think I should be elected to the committee in that particular role (what you want to achieve):
    I have led SAHPA through a difficult transition where commercial interests have been removed from SAHPA’s operation (as described in my Chairman’s Annual Report). This was a very necessary and positive move to protect the sport as it ensured that commercial risks and liability were returned to the schools. This transition is not yet complete, and there is a lot left to do. I aim to complete this transition so that SAHPA can focus on serving recreational pilots better. In particular, I would now like to focus on rebuilding the club structures and encouraging the development of a competition series for Basic & Intermediate pilots. This would require that we apply to SASCOC to become the official National Sporting Body and also an application to the National Lotto for funding.
  3. My qualifications/experience for the role are:
    Professionally, I am a strategic advisor specialising in Governance, Risk and Compliance. I work with corporate clients to solve governance and compliance-related problems and also conduct independent forensic oversight on public-sector tenders. I have served as the SAHPA Chairman for the past year, and as technical advisor to the SAHPA committee since 2018.

Mias de Klerk

  1. Who am I (a brief background and interests’ description):
    I have been Paragliding since 2002, started Powered Paragliding in 2008 and became a paragliding instructor in. In 2009 I travelled to the Chech republic as part of the National PPG team and decided to also instruct PPG shortly after returning from the event. I have been full time involved in free flying since 2010 and I am also a father and keen trail runner and general mountain lover.
  2. Why I think I should be elected to the committee in that particular role (what you want to achieve):
    Based on the keen observation of developments in the free flying environment over the last 15 years, I am convinced that we have come to a point where we can establish an exciting free flying movement that can take us into this new world of outdoor adventure sport that is sweeping the globe. Not only South Africa an amazing location for free flight with a beautiful landscape and amazing weather but we also boast a population of inherently adventurous people with a deep appreciation and connection to Nature.
    I have a great relationship with a number of free flying fanatic both locally and abroad and we have a common goal.
  3. My qualifications/experience for the role are:
    Please follow this link to my CV-
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lpA5rbmiVhnOlcFJ-PNTgKbcOsi2p0pw/view?usp=drivesdk.
    I served on the SAHPA committee from 2014-1018 in the roles of Vice-chairman, PPG Representative and NSO. I have a clear understanding of SAHPA’s role and the needs of the community it serves.

Nominations for Treasurer

Steve Burd (current treasurer)

  1. Who am I (a brief background and interests’ description):
    I started paragliding in the early years of 1989 and witnessed the growth in both the sport and technology. I thoroughly enjoy free flying and being at one with nature, also sharing the experience with students from both a tandem perspective and those wanting to learn on their own. I hold a PG instructor and TFI rating.
  2. Why I think I should be elected to the committee in that particular role (what you want to achieve):
    Over the past few years as SAHPA’s treasurer, SAHPA has managed to keep membership fees flat yet still strengthen its balance sheet and generate operating profit by ensuring proper financial diligence. I believe we can fund initiatives in the coming year with the proviso that such initiatives benefit the broader membership, represent value and have a sponsor willing to run with it. Sahpa continues to streamline the financial and management processes and looks forward to reaping the benefits of the recently implemented online membership processing system and backend data. I believe SAHPA continues to bring about strategic change and direction through a unified team and will continue to play an active role in achieving such coherency, particularly as SAHPA transitions to a financial servicing model and finalises the adoption of regulatory change.
  3. My qualifications/experience for the role are:
    I am a chartered accountant with a masters degree in business administration, having worked in South Africa, Namibia, London, Germany, Eastern Europe and Australia. A brief summary of work experience includes: articles with Deloitte, started a Namibian office for Deloitte, London based Finance Director for subsidiaries of FTSE listed Company, Australia based Business and Financial Consultant, Head of Risk & Forensics at Old Mutual South Africa, Rest of Africa and Emerging Markets, for all risk types (strategic, operational, financial etc) and now full time TFI.

Michele Lodi-Fe’

  1. Who am I (a brief background and interests’ description):
    I am an Italian national and I moved to Cape Town with my family 7 years ago. At the time I was the Global Compliance Officer for KPMG, the international accounting firm. I am now retired and enjoy my recreational paragliding which I restarted again 61/2 years ago (yes, restarted: I got my first paragliding licence in Switzerland in 1987 when we were just flying down the Alps – no thermalling, no collapes). I love nature, traveling and I am a keen Texas Holdem poker player. I am the father of five sons, two of them live here with me in Cape Town
  2. Why I think I should be elected to the committee in that particular role (what you want to achieve):
    Other than managing SAHPA’s financial resources, making sure that we have robust financial controls and procedures, that proper annual budgets are prepared, that financial reports are accurate and transparent, all of which are the typical roles of a treasurer, I will strive to work closely with the other committee members to ensure that our financial resources are channelled to the promotion and development of recreational paragliding, hang-gliding and their powered versions. I am dedicated to upholding the highest standards of financial management, transparency, and accountability within SAHPA. With my qualifications, experience, and passion particularly for paragliding, I believe that I am well-suited for the role of Treasurer.
  3. My qualifications/experience for the role are:
    I am a Fellow Chartered Accountant of ICAEW (the UK Accounting institute) and have been in the auditing and risk management business for 40 years. I am also the Chairman of the Glen Paragliding Club and the Treasurer of the Glen Country Club.

How to vote

The Simply Voting system sent out an email at approximately 17:00 on 11 October 2023. This email included an Elector ID (your ID number) and a unique password so that you can login to the system and vote.

If you have not received this email, please contact the SAHPA Office for assistance.