Dear Members, Sponsors and Friends,

One of my most delightful prerogatives as CVR president is to announce that Linda Goodman and Eric Grossman are the 2021 recipients of the Frank Carrington Award, the club’s most prestigious recognition. The award is bestowed periodically on members who distinguish their service by impressive competence and steadfast commitment, resulting in exceptional contributions to the club. It is in honor of Dr. Frank Carrington, CVR president from 1979 through 1982. Frank modernized several aspects of the club, expanded driver education and originated Zone 1 Tech Tactics – – at the time, one of only two such events in the entire United States. It was the genesis of the national PCA Tech Tactics.

I became aware of Linda’s leadership in CVR during my first year of membership in 1993. I attended a three-day Zone 1 Tech Tactics in the winter of that year at a hotel in Springfield, Massachusetts. Linda chaired the event. I did not realize that she always did so in partnership with Eric, her only assistant. They were a committee of two. They planned and hosted Tech Tactics annually for six years, from 1989 through 1994. It was a mini-convention of Porsche-related topics that drew as many as 200 attendees throughout and beyond Zone 1. Porsche luminaries came from all over the United States to discuss many excellent topics with the audience. The topics ranged from prevalent, high-profile issues related to the Porsche brand and manufacturing to arcane Porsche-relevant subjects that few people previously contemplated.

Tech Tactics reflected Linda and Eric’s exceptional organizational skills. Its execution was flawless, from registration and transitions from session to session to dining accommodations and car-related displays. As noteworthy as those aspects of the event were, the most impressive was their resourcefulness in securing a broad spectrum of highly respected vendors and several presenters of national acclaim. Names of the presenters are familiar to many CVR members: John Paterek, restoration expert; Alan Caldwell, technical specialist; Bruce Anderson, mechanical virtuoso; and Automobile Associates of Canton’s Jim Newtown, restoration and concours authority. Jim was the winner of multiple Manhattan Trophies, a greatly coveted award. PCA gave the trophy for many years to the overall concours winner at its annual Parade. One of the most enthralling presentations was Alan Caldwell’s hour-long explanation of wiring, accompanied by several complicated schematics, in early-model 911s. It was memorable to me because I did not initially think the topic would even remotely interest me; nevertheless, I was spellbound.

From 1994 to 2010, I did not attend CVR events because of my work schedule and family responsibilities. Instead, I kept abreast of club matters through Challenge and Panorama. I especially lamented missing the club’s Monthly Meetings because the topics were often captivating. I always enjoyed, however, reading Linda’s monthly column, “From the Regions,” in Panorama. She began the column in 1997 and continues to write it today – – 24 years of reliable news. Of course, Eric has been her copy editor throughout.

When Prescott Kelly announced his retirement as club historian last year, Linda came to mind immediately.  Her knowledge of the club and her skill as a writer qualified her eminently for the position.  To facilitate the transition from Prescott to her, I picked up several boxes of club documents at Prescott’s house.  Before I delivered the boxes to Linda last spring, I perused their contents.  I planned to spend a rainy afternoon doing so; however, because the contents were so interesting to me, I spent three days reading and reviewing them.  To my surprise, Linda and Eric’s names repeatedly appeared among the most prominent club leaders throughout the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s.  I had not known the extent of their contributions.  They were among a group of leaders whose work resulted in CVR’s selection as the 1984 PCA Region of the Year, work that began during the halcyon days of Frank Carrington and culminated when Steve Winkler was president.

Linda and Eric joined CVR in 1981. They became co-editors of Challenge with Pam and Paul Kudra in 1982. The partnership with the Kudras continued for seven years. The team reconceptualized the publication from a modest mimeographed newsletter, which was collated on a dining room table, to a computer-generated magazine with breathtaking graphics and stop-motion photography. The metamorphosis captured widespread attention. As a result, Challenge won the PCA Heinmiller Award in 1988 as the best regional magazine in the nation.

In addition to editing Challenge throughout the 1980s, Linda and Eric became devotees of driver education for two decades.  They served as DE instructors during most of that time.  Eric was chief instructor for three years.  Linda led the club from 1889 through 1993 in successive terms of vice president, president and past president.  During those years, she concurrently fulfilled the obligations of elected office, volunteered as DE instructor, co-edited Challenge and chaired Tech Tactics.  In addition, she was the leader of special events from 1994 through 1996.  Eric was also a primary leader of the club, elected president for a two-year term in 1985 and 1986 and functioning as past president in 1987 and 1988.  Like Linda, he was continuously busy.  For example, when he was past president, he also volunteered as chief DE instructor and co-editor of Challenge.  Because Eric acquitted himself so well in leadership positions, board members beseeched him to complete Fred Sears’ term as club president in 1997 when Fred moved to Pennsylvania.  After Eric completed the term, he again assumed the duties of past president for two years.

In light of Linda and Eric’s accomplishments, it is not surprising that Jim Newton describes them as a “true undercover PCA power couple … the only goal was to make the CVR/PCA experience better and more enriching for the future of the club and its members.”  Dick Strahota, former CVR president, states, “If you look up ‘CVR/Porsche enthusiasts’ in the dictionary, you should see a photo of Linda and Eric.  They are outstanding ambassadors of the club and the brand.  I never heard anyone say an unkind word about them, which is quite an achievement for leaders who were instrumental in effecting change.  They modernized the club in a quiet, measured and effective way.  They are very deserving of the Frank Carrington Award.”