NRA Board of Directors - do you know any of them?

[fwafwow]

First, a reminder of the warning by @robby denning about politics....

The NRA has been the subject of a few recent threads, and some of the posts (including some by me) have been less than kind to the organization. I've recently joined and donated to Gun Owners of America and Firearm Policy Coalition, but I still think that the NRA is the most powerful, and could still be the best advocate, for the 2A. I am a NRA Life Member, but I am disgusted with how the organization has been run. The move to Texas is interesting, but from the NRA's own website, there does not appear to be any other plans for change.

I would prefer to not give up on the NRA, and I would love to find out a way to help, or encourage some reform. Sure, I'm just an individual who probably can't get anything to change, but I feel I should at least try. I believe the Board of Directors is the only group that has the ability to make changes, but I have no idea if they have any interest in doing so. I believe such an effort was made in the last few years, and failed, and that those who tried have resigned.

The current board members (as best as I can tell from the NRA - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2020/7/10/2020-nra-board-election-results) are listed below. Do any of you know any of them, and/or whether they are the kind of people who might believe that the NRA should change internally in order to best accomplish its mission? Not sure what to do if any would be candidates for listening, as an email from some random dude probably won't make a difference. But I'm open to ideas. #tiltingatwindmills #toomuchtimeonmyhands #2Aidealist?

Jay Printz
J. William Carter
Charles L. Cotton
Linda Walker
Judi White
Leroy Sisco
Howard J. Walter
Graham Hill
Mark E. Vaughan
Thomas P. Arvas
Ted W. Carter
Barbara Rumpel
Phillip B. Journey
Steven C. Schreiner
Todd J. Rathner
Richard Figueroa
J. Kenneth Blackwell
Carl Rowan, Jr.
Curtis S. Jenkins
Herbert A. Lanford, Jr.
Allan D. Cors
Clel Baudler
Robert E. Mansell
Patricia A. Clark
Mark Keith Robinson

Paul D. Babaz
Todd R. Ellis
Dave Butz
Ronald L. Schmeits

Niger Innis
Anthony P. Colandro

 

[ElkChaser338]

I’m also a life member of the NRA. The NRA had been very quiet the last year particularly during the election. This gives me the impression they are biding their time till we all forget or the next big thing happens and we all flock back to support them. I am skeptical of some of the reports that have come out as the media definitely has a bias against them. But their silence is also damning.

 

[zacattack]

Any other pro 2A groups worth joining and donating money to? Think I’ll send mine to someplace besides the NRA for a while.

 

[fwafwow]

Any other pro 2A groups worth joining and donating money to? Think I’ll send mine to someplace besides the NRA for a while.

I learned about Gun Owners of America and Firearms Policy Coalition from another post on RS.

 

[Mt Al]

I don't know any of them and appreciate that you don't want to give up on them. You have way more patience that most people.

If they want to be relevant in the future they'll publicly get rid of WLP, have a cheese and cracker lunch as they push him to the sidewalk and move forward. They need a complete rebranding/re-strategy, which takes courage, which is why it most likely won't happen. It's painfully obvious. IMHO, the only way that will happen is if the members force them to by holding back money and membership and, honestly, cancelling local banquets until they make a change. That's the only thing that will make them listen: money. Shame, the weapon of most politically minded people, seems to bounce off them. Blind loyalty encourages idiocy and corruption.

Not holding my breath.

 

[fwafwow]

I don't know any of them and appreciate that you don't want to give up on them. You have way more patience that most people.

If they want to be relevant in the future they'll publicly get rid of WLP, have a cheese and cracker lunch as they push him to the sidewalk and move forward. They need a complete rebranding/re-strategy, which takes courage, which is why it most likely won't happen. It's painfully obvious. IMHO, the only way that will happen is if the members force them to by holding back money and membership and, honestly, cancelling local banquets until they make a change. That's the only thing that will make them listen: money. Shame, the weapon of most politically minded people, seems to bounce off them. Blind loyalty encourages idiocy and corruption.

Not holding my breath.

I will continue to dig and perhaps update the list with some info about each in case it jogs someone's memory, or maybe they would know someone who might know them. The NRA website certainly doesn't make any attempt to make the names easy to find (at least that I could see or find from the search feature), apart from the publication cited above. And even then - no info about them, where they are from, etc.

 

[fwafwow]

This may be of interest: https://www.savethe2a.org/

 

[adventure907]

I have guided an NRA board member that is on your list, and I know from talking to him that there is indeed a group of board members that have been actively promoting the change that is needed within the organization.

In my opinion, removing Wayne LaPierre as the CEO should be of the highest priority.

 

[elkliver]

Regarding the banquets and not attending what most folks dont realize is that most of those are the Friends of the NRA and all money raised goes towards grants for shooting sports gun ranges education etc. Your local gun range anywhere has most likely been a recipient.

I do think change is in order for the organization though

 

[caesAR15]

Shoot, where do I begin...

Yeah... I know some them. I was heavily involved on the 2A front at the state level. I'm a past president of the Iowa Firearms Coalition (IFC), the NRA Affiliate for the State of Iowa. I stepped down from my position approx 18 months ago for a variety of reasons but left on very good terms with our Board. We had a tremendous number of pro-2A victories in Iowa during my time with IFC - legalizing Stand Your Ground, suppressors, short barrel rifles/shotguns, increasing youth shooting opportunities, stopping all gun control bills introduced, etc.. I say this with complete humility, we had a great team and I was just one piece of the puzzle. I mention it because on the off chance someone doesn't want to believe me these are all verifiable data points that can be confirmed via 3rd party sources.

Months before I resigned from my position with IFC I had served on a Clubs and Organizations panel for the NRA educating other state and local level NRA affiliates and associations on how they can recreate the successes we've managed in Iowa. I was also at the NRA Annual Meetings and the meeting of the members when Lt. Col. Ollie North was run out of Indianapolis ('19 NRA AM host city) by Wayne LaPierre & Co. I was there when they moved the goalposts on BoD reform candidate Adam Kraut, just like they did in 2018, and the year before that.

Here's my assessment:
The executive element of the NRA is corrupt. It pains me greatly to say this, but it's as plain as that. This corruption is enabled by a 76 person Board of Directors. Let that sink in for a second, 76 directors, I challenge you to name one legitimate organization with a board that big. Regardless, the NRA Board of Directors as it stands right now is a BoD in Name Only. They exist to rubber stamp Wayne LaPierre's orders, this has become painfully clear since the purge that took place following the 2019 Annual Meetings and the incestuous Ackerman McQueen breakup. Think junior high girl level drama, but mix in millions and millions of dollars... I could go on, and will if anyone has any specifics they'd like to know more about, just tag me and I'll do my best to provide an honest response.

I want to believe that the NRA can be saved. Without them, 2A movement in this country is greatly diminished. All is not lost but greatly diminished. However, I'm not sure the NRA leadership is capable of honest self-reflection let alone reform. I am still a member and have no intention of relinquishing my membership. In fact, it's all the more important now that we members are engaged -- the number one thing you can do is make sure you vote in the BoD elections. Any NRA Life member or above can vote in this election, as can any annual member who's been a member for 5 consecutive years. It bears repeating, if you are a voting NRA member, please, please do not disengage no matter how frustrating things appear. Your activism is likely the best hope for reform. Bullet voting (look it up) for reform BoD candidates matters and getting other voting members to do the same is just as critical.

Who to follow/support:
Save the Second - don't be deceived by what appears to a small social media following, Save the Second is a leader on the NRA reform front. Rob Pincus, a fairly well-known firearms instructor, is arguably the most well known within this organization. I've trained with Pincus, I've spent hours with him discussing the state of the NRA and reform efforts, and hold him and the rest of the Save the Second leadership team in very high regard. Note: Pincus won't sugar coat things. He can be brutally honest, so if your feelings are prone to be hurt easily, consider yourself warned (this applies to all things, not just NRA matters FYI). Look to Save the Second for honest information as it happens on what's going on with the NRA.

Firearms Policy Coalition - this is where my money goes now. They're doing the Lord's work on the legal front throughout the country. They're filing proactive, Pro-2A lawsuits almost weekly in states across the country. Adam Kraut, mentioned above, moved on from attempting to reform the NRA and linked up with FPC guys. They're doing outstanding work in the courts, an area where the 2A fight is slowly morphing too.

Second Amendment Foundation - Alan Gottlieb and his team have been fighting the good fight for decades outside the NRA wire and do a bang-up job. Supporting 2AF with your time, money, or talent is far from a waste.

Your state-level 2A org - I've got a real soft spot for these folks, they are me in essence. These groups are often woefully underfunded, understaffed, and undervalued, yet their work is critical. The NRA largely leaves these groups to fend for themselves - last I knew they had 2 NRA staff members assigned to their Clubs and Associations division. 2 staffers for 50 states' worth of organizations... to me that's just bonkers. I'm biased, but I believe the states are every bit as critical as the federal level. A word of caution on state-level groups, however: there are several states where you have do-nothing groups that talk a big game about 2A rights, fundraise off of their tough talk, but fail to ever deliver any results. There's this weird family act (based out of Iowa, sadly) run by the Dorr family that starts 501c4 political action groups, takes people's money, and really does much of nothing. Last I knew they were active in Iowa, Minnesota, Georgia, Ohio, Wyoming, and probably a few other states. Point being, just because someone says the things you want to hear doesn't mean you should just throw them money when they hold their hand out (and the Dorr family most definitely will). Do a little research, ask around.

I personally don't support Gun Owners of America. Anytime there's a family element (Larry Pratt and son Erich Pratt both hold leadership positions within GOA) within an organization my suspicions become heightened. GOA is another group known for their tough talk, and while they do some things their rhetoric to victory ratio is off balance in my opinion.


TL;DR-
NRA leadership is woefully corrupt. If you're a voting member, stay a voting member and vote only for reform candidates. Give your time, treasure, talents to other 2A orgs, I've listed several good ones above.

Tag me if you agree/disagree/have questions, I'm happy to share what I know. Mods, if I've managed to overstep and get into the political realm in any way, please message me and I'll do my best to edit and color within the lines

 

[fwafwow]

@caesAR15 thank you for such a detailed response. I feel much better about my donations to Save the Second and the Firearms Policy Coalition, and I will look into the Second Amendment Foundation. I also appreciate the comments about the state level organizations (I'm in Georgia and almost donated to that organization this past weekend) and GOA (to which I recently joined/donated...). I also made contact with a former board member who recommended looking into the NSSF PAC.

 

[gabenzeke]

Any other pro 2A groups worth joining and donating money to? Think I’ll send mine to someplace besides the NRA for a while.

Firearms Policy Coalition gets all the money I can spare until the NRA pulls it together.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[gabenzeke]

I should have mentioned....if you have Twitter, the FPC is totally worth following. They provide constant updates on the myriad of lawsuits they file and they're constantly looking to file more. Send them every penny you can.


One note that is a bit concerning....they have implied some sort of challenge to Pittman Robertson. I get where they're coming from, and technically they're probably right that it's not the right way to fund conservation efforts. However, selfishly, I'd like to leave it as is and I can't think of any way to make those funds up if it was struck down. For now, I'll continue to donate as I see the threat to 2a as a more immediate threat. Food for thought.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[fwafwow]

Firearms Policy Coalition gets all the money I can spare until the NRA pulls it together.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

FPC has the strongest (albeit very annoying) email solicitation efforts. But they can't seem to reply to inquiries, even from a member. I've been asking for their most recent Forms 990 (the most recent I can find was for 2017) but my emails have gone unanswered. Based on what I can determine, FPC is the least conflicted of the 2A organizations, but more recent info would provide me with more comfort.

 

[Rich M]

We just had a shooting - which gun rights groups were vocal?

I saw NRA mentioned in the Media (also saw 2 others referenced as opposing red flag laws) - they came out against the gun & red flag law that got passed. Hopefully they get their shit together about this proposed semi-auto ban.

 

[AKDoc]

Shoot, where do I begin...

Yeah... I know some them. I was heavily involved on the 2A front at the state level. I'm a past president of the Iowa Firearms Coalition (IFC), the NRA Affiliate for the State of Iowa. I stepped down from my position approx 18 months ago for a variety of reasons but left on very good terms with our Board. We had a tremendous number of pro-2A victories in Iowa during my time with IFC - legalizing Stand Your Ground, suppressors, short barrel rifles/shotguns, increasing youth shooting opportunities, stopping all gun control bills introduced, etc.. I say this with complete humility, we had a great team and I was just one piece of the puzzle. I mention it because on the off chance someone doesn't want to believe me these are all verifiable data points that can be confirmed via 3rd party sources.

Months before I resigned from my position with IFC I had served on a Clubs and Organizations panel for the NRA educating other state and local level NRA affiliates and associations on how they can recreate the successes we've managed in Iowa. I was also at the NRA Annual Meetings and the meeting of the members when Lt. Col. Ollie North was run out of Indianapolis ('19 NRA AM host city) by Wayne LaPierre & Co. I was there when they moved the goalposts on BoD reform candidate Adam Kraut, just like they did in 2018, and the year before that.

Here's my assessment:
The executive element of the NRA is corrupt. It pains me greatly to say this, but it's as plain as that. This corruption is enabled by a 76 person Board of Directors. Let that sink in for a second, 76 directors, I challenge you to name one legitimate organization with a board that big. Regardless, the NRA Board of Directors as it stands right now is a BoD in Name Only. They exist to rubber stamp Wayne LaPierre's orders, this has become painfully clear since the purge that took place following the 2019 Annual Meetings and the incestuous Ackerman McQueen breakup. Think junior high girl level drama, but mix in millions and millions of dollars... I could go on, and will if anyone has any specifics they'd like to know more about, just tag me and I'll do my best to provide an honest response.

I want to believe that the NRA can be saved. Without them, 2A movement in this country is greatly diminished. All is not lost but greatly diminished. However, I'm not sure the NRA leadership is capable of honest self-reflection let alone reform. I am still a member and have no intention of relinquishing my membership. In fact, it's all the more important now that we members are engaged -- the number one thing you can do is make sure you vote in the BoD elections. Any NRA Life member or above can vote in this election, as can any annual member who's been a member for 5 consecutive years. It bears repeating, if you are a voting NRA member, please, please do not disengage no matter how frustrating things appear. Your activism is likely the best hope for reform. Bullet voting (look it up) for reform BoD candidates matters and getting other voting members to do the same is just as critical.

Who to follow/support:
Save the Second - don't be deceived by what appears to a small social media following, Save the Second is a leader on the NRA reform front. Rob Pincus, a fairly well-known firearms instructor, is arguably the most well known within this organization. I've trained with Pincus, I've spent hours with him discussing the state of the NRA and reform efforts, and hold him and the rest of the Save the Second leadership team in very high regard. Note: Pincus won't sugar coat things. He can be brutally honest, so if your feelings are prone to be hurt easily, consider yourself warned (this applies to all things, not just NRA matters FYI). Look to Save the Second for honest information as it happens on what's going on with the NRA.

Firearms Policy Coalition - this is where my money goes now. They're doing the Lord's work on the legal front throughout the country. They're filing proactive, Pro-2A lawsuits almost weekly in states across the country. Adam Kraut, mentioned above, moved on from attempting to reform the NRA and linked up with FPC guys. They're doing outstanding work in the courts, an area where the 2A fight is slowly morphing too.

Second Amendment Foundation - Alan Gottlieb and his team have been fighting the good fight for decades outside the NRA wire and do a bang-up job. Supporting 2AF with your time, money, or talent is far from a waste.

Your state-level 2A org - I've got a real soft spot for these folks, they are me in essence. These groups are often woefully underfunded, understaffed, and undervalued, yet their work is critical. The NRA largely leaves these groups to fend for themselves - last I knew they had 2 NRA staff members assigned to their Clubs and Associations division. 2 staffers for 50 states' worth of organizations... to me that's just bonkers. I'm biased, but I believe the states are every bit as critical as the federal level. A word of caution on state-level groups, however: there are several states where you have do-nothing groups that talk a big game about 2A rights, fundraise off of their tough talk, but fail to ever deliver any results. There's this weird family act (based out of Iowa, sadly) run by the Dorr family that starts 501c4 political action groups, takes people's money, and really does much of nothing. Last I knew they were active in Iowa, Minnesota, Georgia, Ohio, Wyoming, and probably a few other states. Point being, just because someone says the things you want to hear doesn't mean you should just throw them money when they hold their hand out (and the Dorr family most definitely will). Do a little research, ask around.

I personally don't support Gun Owners of America. Anytime there's a family element (Larry Pratt and son Erich Pratt both hold leadership positions within GOA) within an organization my suspicions become heightened. GOA is another group known for their tough talk, and while they do some things their rhetoric to victory ratio is off balance in my opinion.


TL;DR-
NRA leadership is woefully corrupt. If you're a voting member, stay a voting member and vote only for reform candidates. Give your time, treasure, talents to other 2A orgs, I've listed several good ones above.

Tag me if you agree/disagree/have questions, I'm happy to share what I know. Mods, if I've managed to overstep and get into the political realm in any way, please message me and I'll do my best to edit and color within the lines

Thank you for taking time to share your experiences, insights, and suggestions...all of which you presented very objectively, yet not pulling any punches nor watering it down excessively to ensure "political correctness", which I like. Very well done, sir...and I think you "colored within the lines" exceptionally well...LOL!

I totally agree with your positions regarding the executive element of the NRA (which needs to be immediately purged and replaced with choices to establish true integrity in the leadership) and the "Board" (which needs to be rebooted and restructured to provide genuine oversight of executive leadership into the future). Change is desperately needed and unfortunately long over-due IMHO...which I say as a long-standing (and presently not very proud) NRA Life Member.

 

[mi650]

First, a reminder of the warning by @robby denning about politics....

The NRA has been the subject of a few recent threads, and some of the posts (including some by me) have been less than kind to the organization. I've recently joined and donated to Gun Owners of America and Firearm Policy Coalition, but I still think that the NRA is the most powerful, and could still be the best advocate, for the 2A. I am a NRA Life Member, but I am disgusted with how the organization has been run. The move to Texas is interesting, but from the NRA's own website, there does not appear to be any other plans for change.

I would prefer to not give up on the NRA, and I would love to find out a way to help, or encourage some reform. Sure, I'm just an individual who probably can't get anything to change, but I feel I should at least try. I believe the Board of Directors is the only group that has the ability to make changes, but I have no idea if they have any interest in doing so. I believe such an effort was made in the last few years, and failed, and that those who tried have resigned.

The current board members (as best as I can tell from the NRA - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2020/7/10/2020-nra-board-election-results) are listed below. Do any of you know any of them, and/or whether they are the kind of people who might believe that the NRA should change internally in order to best accomplish its mission? Not sure what to do if any would be candidates for listening, as an email from some random dude probably won't make a difference. But I'm open to ideas. #tiltingatwindmills #toomuchtimeonmyhands #2Aidealist?

Jay Printz
J. William Carter
Charles L. Cotton
Linda Walker
Judi White
Leroy Sisco
Howard J. Walter
Graham Hill
Mark E. Vaughan
Thomas P. Arvas
Ted W. Carter
Barbara Rumpel
Phillip B. Journey
Steven C. Schreiner
Todd J. Rathner
Richard Figueroa
J. Kenneth Blackwell
Carl Rowan, Jr.
Curtis S. Jenkins
Herbert A. Lanford, Jr.
Allan D. Cors
Clel Baudler
Robert E. Mansell
Patricia A. Clark
Mark Keith Robinson

Paul D. Babaz
Todd R. Ellis
Dave Butz
Ronald L. Schmeits

Niger Innis
Anthony P. Colandro

This is the group who recently unanimously re-elected WLP. That speaks volumes.

Benefactor life member here.

 

[fwafwow]

This is the group who recently unanimously re-elected WLP. That speaks volumes.

Benefactor life member here.

Yep. In the time since I made the OP, I’ve given up on any voluntary change from within.

 

[tony]

Patron life NRA member
Crazy thought, what if the NRA board is trying to kill off the NRA? They know ol Wayne is hated and is trouble for them. Finances donations, membership, is in the shitter. The board knows this and yet the re elect the main problem.

 

[Yarak]

Left the NRA many years ago when they worked with our corrupt sheriffs association to kill a bill that would bring us back to constitutional carry
I've seen nothing good come from them in this state since and I know I'm not the only one who dropped all support for NRA because of this