Bluegrass Region Porsche Club
Bluegrass Region Porsche Club

Historian – A New Region

Written by Phillip Doty

Region Charter approved by PCA Executive Council on February 2, 2003; Charter issued 2/22 2003

“It all began with a challenge.”  

(To understand where we are a group, we have to understand from where we came….)  My late wife, Cheryl and I have been members of PCA for over 40 years, starting out in 1978 with a tired 911, then joining the Northern New Jersey Region. We were transferred to Louisville in 1980 and our PCA membership was transferred to the Kentucky Region, where we were later both President of that Region.

For a number of years (in the late 1990’s) because of our long connections to Lexington, Cheryl and I began hosting several annual meetings of the Region’s central and eastern Kentucky members. These were at the Columbia Steak House on Alexandria Drive, usually in the winter time. Each time, the turnout was great, as was the enthusiasm. We looked forward to it each year as did our two children.

During our membership in the other Region, I continued pressed for more activities in Lexington, but consistently got no support, other than a tepid appointment of someone as a “regional contact, which never worked out.

In November of 2002, Lee Wegner and I attended a board meeting of the Kentucky Region in Louisville. Again, I pressed for more activities in Lexington, especially since the Region’s membership covered the entire state. The meeting got tense when I once again pushed for more activities in Central Kentucky. The leader of the meeting then said, “We are not going to do that. If you want, go form your own Region!” (or words to that effect.).

As I walked out with Lee, I turned to him and said, “It looks like we just got permission to form a PCA Region in Central Kentucky. Do you agree?” He said “Yes.” When I got home, I told Cheryl. Well, disrespecting a tall redhead from Lexington (or anywhere else) is not a good idea. Ever. So, she said, “Let’s do it.”

So, I began email conversations with other members, most of whom agreed it would be a good move. A few were hesitant, obviously so. On December 3, 2002, I wrote a check to the Lexington Herald-Leader for a one-time insertion of a classified ad in the “Autos” section, inviting interested Porsche owners to come to the Springs Hotel on Harrodsburg Road in Lexington for a meeting to consider forming a new Region. In a funny twist, the copywriter mis-spelled PORSCHE.

I next contacted a representative from Koni Shock absorbers to be the “lead in” for the meeting. So, on a cold wintery Sunday evening, I put up a PCA banner in the back meeting room and hoped. We had a nice turnout and the Koni rep did a great job. I had the attendees sign in with contact information. Some of the attendees were folks who had attended our previous meetings at Columbia Steak House. Others were Porsche owners looking for some mutual support and socialization.

With that, those of us who were involved knew we were on the right path. The meeting energized many of us to press forward on forming our own new Region.

But it was not going to be easy.

“The Work Begins…”


Following the discussion of the “challenge” that had been issued by some within the Kentucky Region in late Fall of 2002, our Bluegrass Region Historian, Julie Woods has recently located records showing that on November 3, 2002 an email was sent to a small group, discussing options for interested Porsche owners in Central Kentucky. Her records show there had been discussions about creating a “sub-Region” from the other Region. Emails show it was felt by many that a separate Region would be a better option.


Past Region President Ken Hold recalls his notes show there was a “Founder’s Group” email group, consisting of Becky Cleaver, Julie and Larry Woods, Ken Partymiller, Brian Kiser, Greg Schickel, Phillip Doty and Ken himself.


Brian Kiser (who later became Bluegrass Region’s first President) wrote at that time, “If you can do something to help the PCA grow within the state…then all of us benefit. A Central KY group would better serve the Lexington, Georgetown, Nicholasville, Danville, Richmond, Winchester, etc. area. better…so why not? This will have nothing but a POSITIVE benefit for all Porsche owners and PCA members.”


On December 3, 2002, after having confirmed with the Springs Hotel restaurant in Lexington as to space and hours, Phillip Doty wrote a check to the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper, purchasing an invitation in the classified ads. This ad appeared twice, December 8th and 15th . Phillip contacted a local representative from Koni shock absorbers to be our speaker.

It was a cold, snowy Sunday evening on December 15th when Phillip, Cheryl, and their two children arrived early at the back dining room of the Springs Hotel Restaurant. They hung up a nylon PCA seal banner flag on the wall and welcomed our speaker from KONI Shock Absorber Company, wondering what would happen.

It was a cold, snowy Sunday evening on December 15th when Phillip, Cheryl, and their two children arrived early at the back dining room of the Springs Hotel Restaurant. They hung up a nylon PCA seal banner flag on the wall and welcomed our speaker from KONI Shock Absorber Company, wondering what would happen.

No need to have worried. Over 25 persons who showed up. Many were the same folks seen over the years at the annual gatherings at Columbia’s Steak House on Alexandria Drive in Lexington. All were appreciative and energetic of the idea of a new Region. We had a “sign in sheet” for attendees, and that provided new contacts and potential new members.


Interestingly, since all Regions are created from existing assigned territory (counties actually) we would need a “release” of some of the other Region’s counties. With 120 counties in the Commonwealth, and some already assigned to two other Regions, this was no small task.


All during December 2002 (and later, early January 2003), the emails continued to flow amongst numerous members. A review of them show they represented various opinions and hopes, along with experiences of veteran members. Later, several in-person organizational meetings were held in a meeting room at a Super 8 Motel by Wyndham in Georgetown, KY. This space had been secured through the wife of Wes Collins, who was a member.


During this time, the PCA Zone Representative was alerted to the possible creation of a new Region and he had no objections (his approval was critical), and indeed, he was excited about the Region serving the members in central and eastern Kentucky.


The emails continued to flow. We began to assemble the petition package for consideration by the Executive Council. We learned the next scheduled EC meeting was then set for February 2003. If we could not get chartered at that meeting, the next available meeting was the 2003 Porsche Parade in the summer. We now had a new deadline.


Region Name? Ken Partymiller brought this up in the email discussions. What’s in a name? As petitioners, THAT was our responsibility so that PCA’ s Executive Council could review the petition. “Lexington Region?” “Bluegrass Region?” Too generic and geographic. How about “Equus Region?” Good one, but would others understand the connection to horses? After some discussion, “Bluegrass Region” it was.

On December 17, 2002, Brian Kiser sent letter to the Kentucky Region president for endorsement of the Bluegrass Region’s charter application, including a list of 65 counties to be released by it to the new Region. ( This list had been arduously compiled by Becky Cleaver.)


At the December 29th meeting, discussions at the Georgetown motel meeting room addressed the need for a President and officers to move this forward. After some awkward silence, Brian Kiser spoke up and said that he would be the leader. With that, the group’s determination was solidified. Other officers were identified, and their names and titles were assembled.

Records show them to be:

President – Brian Kiser

Vice President – Greg Schickel

Secretary- Ken Hold

Treasurer- Robin Onishi

Activities Chair- Wes Collins

Membership Chair- Ken Partymille

Webmaster – Matthew Coburn.


On or about January 2, 2003, the Kentucky Region President personally endorsed the request for the new Bluegrass Region to be chartered and released the 65 counties to it. Upon learning of this decision, and as we were under a deadline, Phillip Doty immediately went to the Kentucky Region President’s business office in downtown Louisville to secure the written endorsement and release of the counties.
 

The petition package was sent to PCA National President Tom Bobbitt at PCA Headquarters in Maryland for processing. The Petition listed the four officers listed above. It also included 34 pre-existing members, as well as six new members. A follow up telephone call determined it was sufficient and it would be calendared at the next Executive Council meeting in February 2002 in Albuquerque, NM.


The “challenge” was now closer to turning into a reality for Porsche owners in Central and Eastern Kentucky.

Charter Members

Charter Petition Request Package
Charter Petition Letter
Charter Members

“Formation of the Bluegrass Region…”

With our Petition to the PCA Executive Council finally in the possession of the PCA National office in Maryland in early January 2003, it became a waiting game.  Sporadic criticism about our efforts continued from a few members of the other Region, but at this point, nearly everyone recognized the need for a new Region, and that abated.

On February 2, 2003, Phillip Doty attended the National Board meeting in Albuquerque, NM since he was on the national staff as Procedures Committee Chairman. Prior to the five-person EC meeting on Saturday, he asked the National Secretary Kurt Gibson if there were any last-minute questions about the petition, and learned there were none.

At the lunch break, Phillip spoke to Kurt Gibson. He smiled and said the Petition request had been first on the agenda and it had been unanimously approved. Phillip then immediately telephoned Ken Hold and Cheryl with the good news.

Later, Kurt Gibson said that the petition for the Bluegrass Region had been obtained in record time (less than three months), as no other Region had been chartered so fast!!

The Region charter was approved by PCA Executive Council on February 2, 2003; charter issued 2/22 2003. The long-sought Charter was eventually sent to the then Region President, Brian Kiser and was later framed. Region charter approved by PCA Executive Council on February 2, 2003; charter issued 2/22 2003

Now the REAL work begins…

We needed a newsletter to be communicate with the members. Ah… the story behind the name. Cheryl Doty was working in media matters in her then-current job so she sorta, kinda, volunteered to be the first “editor.” She had been the editor of the Kentucky Region newsletter for several years, receiving several National PCA awards in the 1990s/

 Name? Cheryl wanted to call it Burgoo.” (She was also a great cook and chef.) For those outside of the Commonwealth, that is a frontier-based stew, with numerous ingredients that is marinated and slow cooked for days before serving. Since the Region has so many diverse members, each with opinions that could come together in a newsletter, she contended that “Burgoo was appropriate. (The fact it is a featured dish each year during the April and October meets at Keeneland was no small connection, either.)

Like the Region name, Equus,” that was originally proposed, I replied that while appropriate, Equus was not descriptive to those outside Kentucky. I made the same argument about Burgoo.” Disagreeing with a tall redhead is always a dangerous predicament. I (gently…) countered about the uniqueness of that term and it not being recognized. I counteroffered Rumble,” to reflect the discontent that many members of the new Region had felt over being ignored. After a few days, she surprising agreed. So, Rumble it became (and still is!).

The first issue was printed and mailed to the Charter members and others. Events were discussed and planned. Later, Phillip Doty prepared and personally filed paperwork for incorporation with the Secretary of State’s office in Frankfort. Now were “legal.”

First Issue 11/2002
Articles of Incorporation Page 1
Articles of Incorporation Page 2

The origin of the Region logo is also fascinating. It was designed by then-member Joey Police, perhaps at the request of first President Brian Kiser and first appeared on the paper member ID badges. Later, member Ed Steverson and his firm Abracadabra Signs reproduced it on the hard plastic name badges. There is no known hidden symbolism in the eastward running horse.

The Keeneland Concours and the New Bluegrass Region.

The new members were enthusiastic. At one point, we held a meeting at the home of Becky Cleaver to discuss a ‘car show’ possibly at Keeneland or some similar venue.

In attendance were several Charter members, and Region member Tom Jones. After preliminary discussions, Tom spoke up and said, (words to the effect) “If you want a car show that’s fine. If you want to do a Concours, I can help.” With help from many Bluegrass Region members, the first Keeneland Concours d’Elegance (originally called “The Lexington Concours”) was held in June 2003 at the Keeneland racetrack, where Porsche was the featured Marque.

Over the years, the Keeneland Concours, along with the Car Corral donations, have contributed over a million dollars to the UK Children’s Hospital.

Twice our Region has hosted the PCA National Executive Council for its semi-annual meeting. Our newsletter and webpage, operated by Julie Woods have received national awards. In 2022, the Region hosted it first multi-Region event, “PCA Friday,” in conjunction with the Keeneland Concours. Along the way, we have hosted Tech Session, drives and donations to charities that benefit many in the Central and Eastern Kentucky counties

So, from the issuance of verbal challenge in the Fall of 2002 to chartering in early 2003, and many events and efforts, the Bluegrass Region has, like its namesake, outperformed itself in many ways.

And, now, you know the rest of the story….