Eight seats on the PVA Executive Committee are up for election — and the candidates are ready to make their case.
By Robert Thomas Jr.
The April issue of PN is where you can read statements from the individuals who have decided to run for a position on the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) Executive Committee.
This issue features statements from the candidates who are up for election or reelection for fiscal year 2027, beginning on July 1, 2026.
To give you some information on the election process for the national PVA Executive Committee, there are nine positions, but only eight of them require an election from PVA’s national Board of Directors.
The immediate past president position isn’t one that’s voted on. It’s an automatic appointment to serve as an adviser, as well as to help serve any other needs at the national president’s request. It’s a transitional position from the executive committee back to being a member of the PVA Board of Directors.
The other positions are the national president, national senior vice president, four national vice presidents, national treasurer and national secretary. These are all key positions with their own specified roles and functions, ensuring that PVA runs well and is in compliance with our governing documents.
I know some of you may be thinking, “Why don’t you just tell us who is running for a position?” Unfortunately, I’m not privy to that information because the candidate statements go directly to PN magazine. So, really, I don’t know until they’re printed. Even though individuals send in candidate statements to the magazine in early February, someone can still be nominated for a position from the floor during May’s PVA Annual Convention
in Las Vegas.
It’s my hope that the current members of the executive committee are running again for another term because we’ve built such a cohesive team. Having the ability to operate in this manner ensures that we’ll come together and make the appropriate decisions that will continue to move PVA’s mission forward, while also setting a good example for future PVA Executive Committee members.
I encourage everyone to ask the candidates questions within the scope of their roles to help them and the PVA Board of Directors better understand what else we can do to work for our members.
As Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company, once said, “Coming together is a beginning; staying together is progress; and working together is success.”