Dear Club Members, Sponsors, and Friends,

It was late evening.  The CVR Board Meeting was taking longer than usual to complete its agenda.  The discussion turned to initiatives focused on encouraging more Porsche owners to become CVR members and to enjoy the approximately seventy activities it hosts annually.  As membership chair, Lisa Parker listened attentively.  Although some of the new board members’ recommendations were already implemented or were previously found to be ineffective, Lisa welcomed their ideas and emphasized the importance of their perspectives.  She was friendly and cultivated a collegial atmosphere.  Her behavior did not surprise me.  She has been a consistently patient, respectful, and accessible club leader for more than thirty years. 

My initial interaction with Lisa occurred at the annual CVR Member Sampler in 1993, which was the first club event I attended.  She was the host of the Sampler and greeted everyone warmly.  She enlivened the proceedings with her enthusiasm and engaging sense of humor.  Lisa guided activity-chair presentations seamlessly throughout the day and coordinated a mini-Porsche concours in the venue’s parking lot.  The New Member Sampler was an excellent gateway to my future involvement in the club.

When I met Lisa, I had no knowledge of her stature in CVR.  She is humble, not given to self-aggrandizement.  Nevertheless, her leadership, accomplishments, and contributions are prominent in the club’s history.  She became a member in 1986 and assumed responsibilities for the CVR Goodie Store from 1987 through 1991.  During those years, she brought the Goodie Store products from home to every Monthly Meeting and back, usually in her 1987 Porsche 924.  She served as membership chair from 1991 through 1993 and as race registrar for our Club Race in 1994 through 2010.  She was also the registrar for the annual Zone 1 Race at Watkins Glen International from 2005 through 2010.  In 1995 and 1996, Lisa was not only vice president of track but also vice president of programs.  Back then, the vice president of programs was a one-person undertaking.  The position is now supported by multiple activity chairs focusing on Monthly Meetings, special events, and community service.

Lisa’s vision, dependability, and temperament won the acclaim of many club members, especially of club leaders who knew well the complex challenges of her responsibilities.  She was elected CVR president in 1998 – 1999.  Enjoying great respect and popularity, she was re-elected as president in 2004 – 2005, during which time she was also a principal volunteer on the club’s 50th Anniversary Yearbook Committee.  She contributed to the yearbook’s design and coordinated the selection of photos.  In 2007, Lisa was a recipient of the CVR Enthusiast of the Year Award; in 2010, she was the recipient of the Frank Carrington Award, the club’s most prestigious recognition.  In addition, she received the CVR Board Service Award in 2022 for her outstanding tenure as board member.  Lisa volunteered to succeed Deb Cloud this year as the vice treasurer and registrar of the CVR Club Race.  She remains membership chair, a position she has held for a second time since 2008.

Peg Mayer has been Lisa’s colleague and fellow volunteer for many years:

“From our experiences together, the most fun for me was being part of Lisa’s Club Race Registration Team.  I started working with her up in the tower.  Watching Lisa work as the registrar was inspiring.  She was organized and relaxed.  She knew how to handle, with style, all the adrenaline and egos that walked through our registration line – – very impressive.  In addition to all the hard work, we managed to have many laughs and a lot of fun.  

Lisa always thinks about others and works extensively to make sure their needs are met.  She is a wonderful person and a good friend.”

In addition to her volunteer work and leadership roles, Lisa had extensive experience in Driver Education, which she began years ago in a 1974 911 Targa.  Her first instructor was Fred Staudinger, whom she admires for his competence and unflappability.  It did not take long for her to become a DE instructor. Over the years, only a small number of women have participated in DE; among them were Mary Tietjen, Pam Kudra, Susan Vaccaro, Lori Connor, Peg Mayer, Linda Goodman, and Sue Young.  Lisa remembers, “DE was quite interesting years ago when the track was a ‘man’s place.’  Many men, however, were quite impressed with the skills demonstrated by the women DE instructors.”  Peg Mayer recalls, “Since not many women participated in track events, it was fun to have Lisa as a partner in crime.”

Geoff Muggleton, a forty-year club member, has known Lisa for decades:

“At the Club Race, Lisa was always found working in the tower.  She was also always at the Monthly Meetings, greeting everyone with a big smile and warm welcome.  I have not attended Monthly Meetings in several years; however, I did go with my wife to the annual banquet in Portland in 2018.  We walked over to Lisa’s table.  She jumped out of her chair and practically ran up to us with the biggest smile and excitedly welcomed us.  It really made me feel special – – a memory I will treasure always.  She is a genuinely warm person who deserves to be acknowledged as someone special.”

Complementing her DE and track experiences, Lisa participated in many autocross events and a number of tours, and rallies. She has also attended PCA Parades. In 2022, she was selected to be a national PCA scrutineer. Scrutineers are responsible for the safety at races by ensuring all cars are placed in their correct race class, based on engine modifications, tires, weight, and other variables. They also write race-related incident reports. Of the thirty-six PCA scrutineers, three are women.

Bill Johnson, a club member with considerable DE experience, has been substantially influenced by Lisa’s conscientious work and positive attitude:

“Lisa has had a very positive impact on my activities with CVR and beyond. I started driving our 1987 924S at DE events in 1996 and became an instructor in 1997. I remember the pre-track DE meetings over breakfast near Lime Rock. Lisa was one of the organizers. She was engaging and cheerful and set a welcoming tone for all the drivers. As I worked my way through different levels of driver proficiencies, Lisa was a constant presence at the events. I remember going to the Lime Rock tower to register for the CVR races, and she was always there, making sure the process went smoothly. She has always been professional while balancing the strong relationship we have developed. Her presence is a high spot of my race weekends. She and her family have become friends beyond CVR events. My life has been better because of her influence.”

Bill’s statement about his friendship with Lisa and her family reflects her successful integration of raising two wonderful children, Sarah and Michael, with club involvement and driving experiences.  Michael expresses fond sentiments:

Dorothy Vail Buxbaum, who was the chief DE instructor for the Metro Region for several years, verifies Mike’s statement about close relationships between Lisa and other club members:

Sue Young, Enthusiast of the Year Award recipient and longtime activity chair of community service, considers Lisa a friend who was “always compassionate and caring.”   She and Lisa drove together to board meetings for many years.  Sue commented, “I enjoyed many fascinating and informative conversations with her about CVR and PCA.  Her perspectives and sense of humor on all subjects were interesting and always on point.”

Several club leaders have extolled Lisa for her leadership, often citing her critical role as CVR’s membership chair. Dick Strahota, club president in 2018 and 2019, is one of her many admirers:

“Lisa has served CVR and PCA for longer than I’ve been a club member – – and that’s a long time!  She is often the first CVR representative a new member meets.  There could not be a more enthusiastic, knowledgeable, organized, positive, and helpful ambassador of our club.  The annual New Member Sampler is one of Lisa’s enduring legacies.  Early on, she recognized that encouraging new members to sample all of CVR’s program offerings is key to positive member engagement and retention.  As a result, a very large number of people have Lisa to thank for their becoming active club members.  

It’s been an honor to serve with Lisa on the CVR Board over the years.  She has continuously acted with the highest level of integrity and with the best interests of the club and its members at the center of what she does.  She has always been among my most trusted and reliable colleagues within CVR’s leadership.”

Raising a family while sustaining leadership roles in CVR and PCA would, alone, be an exceptional accomplishment.  It is remarkable that Lisa performed those responsibilities while working during the last forty years in the insurance industry.  Her current corporate work involves the management of regulatory compliance.  Lisa has also been active in community-based volunteer work, supporting veterans, women in actuarial professions, and ethnic minorities.  In addition, she somehow finds the time to be a certified indoor spin (cycling) instructor.

Lisa gives credence to the proverb, “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it.” Paul Kudra, former CVR president and Carrington Award recipient, has been Lisa’s fellow board member for thirty-five years. He has observed first-hand her competence and indefatigability:

“Lisa’s contributions to CVR cannot be overstated.  She has been an integral part of the club’s growth from the mid-80s to today.  Her unwavering enthusiasm, dedication, and leadership have helped expand CVR into the super-club it is today, ranking among the very top PCA regions.

An example of how Lisa has always approached things with a can-do, helpful attitude occurred last year.  On behalf of the CVR Board, I was on a mission to produce the new CVR Board Service Awards.  Each award is a customized photograph of a recipient’s own favorite Porsche.  Lisa was in the first elite group of board members scheduled to receive the award.  

I pedaled my bicycle to Manchester Community College, where Lisa hosted the first CVR New Member Sampler years ago.  Upon returning home from my ride, I saw a beautiful sunset approaching – – a perfect time for taking photographs.  On the spur of the moment, I telephoned Lisa and asked if she could meet me that evening.  Without hesitation, Lisa responded, “Sure!”  She dropped everything, washed her gorgeous arrow- blue Carrera, and drove the thirty-mile trip to the college.  She patiently waited throughout the photo shoot, which involved endless car positions and camera settings.  Lisa turned the forty-minute shoot into a memorable occasion with a great conversation between two long-time friends.  That’s the same way she approaches all CVR events, putting others first and making sure everyone has a great experience.  No wonder our club continues to grow and thrive; it’s people like Lisa with leadership, vision, and inexhaustible enthusiasm.”

When I began writing this article about Lisa, I was inclined to describe her by using the metaphor, “in the footsteps of Olive B. Toombs.” Olive, a Cheshire resident, was one of the charter members of the Porsche Club of America, a founder of the Connecticut Valley Region, and its first president. Like Lisa, she enjoyed driving her Porsche, navigating club gymkhanas in her 356 cabriolet sixty years ago. The metaphor, however, would not capture Lisa’s unique contributions to CVR and the depth of her kindness. It is rare for members of a club to be beneficiaries of a person who has unselfishly volunteered for thirty-five years to the betterment of their organization and to their personal fulfillment. Lisa’s commitment is epic. She has made the club’s motto, “…it’s about the people,” ring loud and clear.