The following people are the current national officers of the VJEMC. These people have an extensive background in new and vintage motorcycles, publishing,
accounting practices, legal and tax issues, printing, website design and maintenance, motorcycle mechanics, and more. Please direct your club related questions
to these people via their e-mails, or to the national VJEMC office
at:
877-853-6210
John DeBeck currently resides just
west of Green Bay, Wisconsin, and has been involved with vintage motorcycles since graduating from high school in 1985.
A certified grade 7-12 social studies teacher, he has not taught in a classroom since 1992 because he is the President and CEO of North American Youth Sports,
a firm that runs youth basketball tournaments in over 100 cities around the country. He has also coached girls basketball for the last 20 years, at all levels
from grade school through the U-19 Team USA women's' national team. As coach of the national squad, his girls won four straight world championships from 1995-1998.
Twenty of his former players have played or currently play professionally in the WNBA, as well as others overseas. Many of his former players have gone on to play
NCAA Division One basketball on scholarship. His ability to build a major national corporation from the ground up as he has done with NAYS, having established
branches around the country, gives him the knowledge to be able to do the same thing as we build the VJEMC branches in larger cities and areas around the country
as well.
John also has extensive knowledge in non-profit law and tax issues, having helped over 20 other groups set up and establish non-profit agencies. He has been the member of many boards of directors and has gained additional knowledge about how to best serve the VJEMC through his participation in these other entities.
In 2002, John founded the Motorcycle and Model Railroad Museum of Wisconsin, which has plans to move into their own facility in the near future. His own collection of vintage motorcycles, along with those of other Wisconsin area vintage motorcycle enthusiasts and guest displays, will be featured as a focal point of the museum, along with a 3,000 square foot HO scale model railroad layout, which is being designed and constructed in cooperation with the staff and enthusiasts at Enginehouse Services in Green Bay, WI. This ongoing project will soon become a focal point of tourism in the metropolitan Green Bay area. A neat aspect of the M & MRM is that all of the motorcycles in the permanent collection will be maintained to run, so as to allow them to be used in parades, shows, fundraisers, and other events.
In 2004, John released his latest book, his autobiography, "Never Underestimate the Heart of a Champion," published by Halfcourt Press, which tells of his life working with amateur and professional athletes and some of the joys and pitfalls he encountered as he built NAYS into the largest company in the world that is solely focused on basketball for youth. He has also written two children's books that are no longer in print, and will be releasing a novel in the spring of 2006, "Prayer Shot at the Buzzer." John has also written numerous articles for trade and professional journals, as well as newspapers.
John lists his other interests as travel, dining out at ethnic restaurants, reading, attending high school, college, and pro sporting events; museums and historical things, collecting rare US coins, playing most sports, and outdoor activities when it is warm. Even though he lives in Wisconsin, he hates winter because he can't ride, and because all of the old sports injuries rear their ugly heads in the cold weather!
Scott Blaney - VJEMC Board Member
Motorcycle
interests/knowledge - It probably goes without saying, I love
all motorcycles. My head is on a swivel anytime I hear or see
something with 2 wheels. More than the mechanics and technical
specs, I appreciate the designs. With an education in art, I have
an appreciation for the less ordinary models, I enjoy conversation
about the lines and colors.
Family
information - (i.e.: wife/kids) - I
have a wife (Jean) of 17 years
and 2 kids (Ian 12) and Elle (5).
Educational background - I graduated high school in 1982 from Ashwaubenon High in Green Bay, WI. I Attended UW-Stevens Point to pursue my interest in art. After 2 years at UWSP, I transferred to UW-Milwaukee for a degree in architecture, and also continued on to graduate school at UWM for a masters degree in architecture.
Employment -I worked in Milwaukee for about 7 years after college after which we decided to relocate back closer to home and family in Appleton. Currently I work as an architect at Martin Ganther Group/Ganther Construction in Oshkosh.
Bikes you have in your collection or want list bikes - My bikes seem to come and go more often than most. I tend to buy an sell a lot of bikes! The most interesting project I have currently is a boyhood replica of mine, a 1976 CR125M that I am putting back together for show. I also really enjoy the smaller street bikes, which explains the Ninja 250R I just had to have.
Hobbies outside of motorcycles - I have been the curator of an antique booth for the last several years where I feed my habit of collecting and selling 50's, 60's and 70's furniture and house wares. I have also been known to inhale a lot of lead paint and asbestos from remodeling my old home as well as others.
Anything else interesting that you would like to share! ? - I love swap meets! I have attended Mid-Ohio for about the last 12+ years straight as a vendor, I was going there before it was even held at the new location.
Ways in which you feel you can help improve the VJEMC - I hope to bring a new angle to the club, I just am not certain what that is yet! I love swap meets and hope to get more involved helping to grow Iola. I also have a business plan in my head for a motorcycle related business that needs to blossom. I am excited and will to help with anything and everything related to this club!
Motorcycle interests/knowledge
My love for
motorcycles started when I rode a Honda Dream that belonged to a
friend of mine in the late sixties. Unfortunately for me, my father
was an Allstate Insurance agent and motorcycle ownership was out of
the question (gotta love accident statistics).
Finally in the late eighties (with Dad still admonishing) I bought
my first bike (Honda NT650 Hawk GT). Since then I