Update on FY 2025 Board of Directors Election

Rick Ackley

My name is Rick Ackley. I have been a Solivita resident since June 12, 2018.

I am retired and my work background was as follows:

• 30 years in information technology rising from a computer operator to my final position as a systems administrator in hospitals, a law school, and manufacturing environments (Attained professional designation as a certified Information Systems Auditor – CISA)
• 15 years as a facilities manager responsible for the operation, construction management and overall maintenance of a multi story building in Winston-Salem, NC.

Outside Activities

My “outside activity” experience is considerable and I will try to capsulize it in the following section.

• 1977 to 1980 Junior Achievement advisor for a high school group in Portland, Maine
• 1981 – 2018 North Carolina
• Youth basketball program coach, member of governing board (various positions)
• Board member for a community center (various positions including 12 years as president)
• Youth football program coach, league representative board member (various positions including 4 years as president)
• 31 years as a HS football official, clinic leader and rules interpreter for northwestern North Carolina
• 24 years as a HS basketball official and clinic leader
• Active for many years in my church as a choir member and several board opportunities
• I am currently a member of the Court Expansion Committee

Personal Summary

I have been an instructor for the Smashers in various capacities for the last 4 ½ years and have truly enjoyed it. My goal as a board member is to help pickleball to grow in Solivita and to find ways to add more fun aspects to our program. I am particularly interested in the training program and am anxious to find ways to improve it.

Gene Burch

I moved to Solivita in 2011 and have made numerous contributions to the Solivita community through my interests in pickleball, horseshoes, fishing and classic cars.

For pickleball,

• I was a USAPA Ambassador for Connecticut from 2012 – 2015.  I provided outreach and training to local towns and helped them to obtain grants for their startup pickleball programs.
• I have been an instructor of the sport since 2012 for newbies and other focused clinics (CT & FL).
• I have served as an Advisor to the Smashers Pickleball Board for the past five years, helped on numerous Smashers events and submit the monthly Reflection articles.
• I was the Event Manager for the Polk Senior Games 3-day Pickleball Tournament in 2024 and will do the same in 2025.
• I am the current Chair of the Court Expansion Committee.

I have been the Secretary and Vice President of the Solivita Fishing Club and Secretary of the Solivita Horseshoe Club.  I have been a Committee Member of the annual Solivita Car Show for twelve years and the Event Lead for the past eight years and will be again in 2025.

I retired in 2011 from RTK Environmental Group LLC, an environmental testing and consulting company in Connecticut and N.Y.  As a partner, I provided inspections, training, consulting and marketing for lead, mold, asbestos and air quality.  I was a founding member of the National Association of Lead Inspectors and helped establish current CT State Lead Laws.  I provided expert witness testimony for lead and mold/IAQ cases and served as a speaker at numerous national indoor air quality conferences.

I would like to be considered for a seat on the Smashers Board of Directors.

Elaine Greenzang

My name is Elaine Greenzang.  I have lived in Solivita since January 2022.  I have played pickleball since I moved here.  I am also on the women’s and coed softball teams.  I have played sports my entire life and coached my daughters softball and basketball teams.  I worked as an administrative assistant for 20 years at Suffolk County Department of Health.  I would love to help with coordinating events or just giving my help when or where needed.