Director's Message

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and all the ships at sea, the MUFON Symposium 2021 is set and picking up speed. The dates of August 27 to August 29 have been chosen, and the site is Las Vegas. The workload is growing, the excitement is high and there is great expectation for an incredible symposium. So, mark your calendars and get ready for a ride. You will be hearing lots more as things develop.

Last month I wrote that the world is reopening, and things are starting to move back to our pre-COVID way of life. It won’t be long before we can get back to our in-person, state and state section meetings, events and gatherings. Boy, do I look forward to that! As much as I want to attend these events, and it is very important to me to get in the field and meet the members eyeball to eyeball, whip things up, stir things up and be as much of a helper and “answer man” as I can, it was just not possible during the COVID restrictions, not to mention the transition from Irvine to Cincinnati, which is still in process, and there is always the issue of finances and time. However, I’m getting caught up on things, and time is becoming easier to come by. I would be happy to attend and speak at your function on a schedule permitting basis. Headquarters will do the best it can to help you grow and attract new members while retaining your current roster.

Finally, I have a correction to make con- cerning last month’s message. I wrote, “I remember appointing Steve [Hudgeons] as Texas State Director.” That should have read: “I remember Clifford Clift appointing Steve as Texas State Director.” Some- time what is running through my mind is not the same as what I type. In any case, Cliff made a great call.

It’s April of 2021, and the world is coming back on track.  Normality is returning to our lives all across the country.  Many states have fully reopened, and the rest will soon follow suit.

The same air of excitement is in full swing at MUFON. By the time you read this the plans for the 2021 Symposium will be wrapped up and put in place, and I hope to see many of you in Las Vegas.

Also, we will have the “MUFON Observer Corps” in place. This will apply to every member regardless of one’s level of involvement. It will recognize everyone as an Observer, complete with spotting charts and a reporting app. There will be more on this as it develops.
MUFON Radio will be returning to the airwaves and is targeted to air in April.

Also in April is the opening of a MUFON museum located in Pine Bush, New York.
 
The MUFON Journal continues to evolve with new features, focus and more items that will be both entertaining and educational.
I do have one unpleasantry to tell you about. Steve Hudgeons, who has given decades of service to MUFON, has chosen to resign from his duties at MUFON, citing health and family considerations as the reasons. I remember appointing Steve as Texas State Director in 2010, then as Director of Investigations in 2012, and finally as Director of International Development a few months ago.
Thank you, Steve, for all your efforts. MUFON wishes you only the best. Robert Spearing has been appointed as the new Director of Investigations International, and we wish Robert all the luck in the world.

So, as of April 2021, MUFON is in great shape. Membership is up, as is our stature and overall financial stability.
I thank all our members and supporters for their help and involvement. Stand by for further developments…

During a recent State Directors meeting the question was posed, “Is there a   document of some sort we could share with donors, members and volunteers that would show where our money comes from and how it is spent?”    That is a great question so I thought I would address it in this Director’s Message.

MUFON is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our financial data is a matter of public record. Although that financial data is only available to the Board of Directors, it can be viewed upon request from the IRS.
MUFON was created as and remains a VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION. It has never paid its Field Investigators and never will.  The Board of Directors, by law, cannot receive any pay.

MUFON receives its funding from a number of sources: The generosity of our donors, membership dues, book sales, the annual symposiums’ podcasts, MUFON TV, merchandise sales, state/national chapter fees, TV and movie production companies who pay for rights to use our materials.  And of course, our volunteers who give their time, skills, and knowledge without which MUFON would not be what it is today.  We cannot quantify their contributions, but they are essential to the existence of this organization.

The income that MUFON receives is used to fund the myriad of factors that keep the ship in the air. MUFON has its headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a field office in Irvine, California. We are in the process of closing the West Coast office and centralizing all operations in Cincinnati. This change will result in a tremendous reduction of the organization’s expenses. Not only will there be a considerable decrease in rent, but taxes and all ancillary expenses also will be a lot lower.

There are three people who are paid: The Executive Director, the Office Director and a part-time intern. There are a few contractors who provide specialized services and are paid on an on-demand basis.

MUFON is expanding its Case Management System, and when finished it will provide the largest searchable, translatable database of UFO knowledge on the planet. This is an expensive operation. The digitizing and transfer of files from around the globe alone could easily exceed $50,000. Providing the servers and platform to house the data are also substantial considerations. We are opening a MUFON museum, which is fully funded, in New York. We are expanding the MUFON laboratory, and we plan to put one on wheels and have it double as a mobile command center.

MUFON produces original TV productions, podcasts and a long list of services to deliver knowledge and information concerning the rapidly evolving UFO phenomenon.  MUFON publishes a top-notch monthly journal. The monthly cost to produce it can easily range from $6,000-$10,000.

Let me conclude by saying that because of our fund-raising efforts, donors, volunteers and some darn frugal management, MUFON is poised to unquestionably establish itself as the world’s provider of UFO data, research and knowledge.  Thank you for all of your efforts.

February is general known for harsh weather and drab atmosphere. The holidays are over, the lights and festive decorations have been packed away, and most of us are huddled down for the Winter. But there is one bright spot and that is Valentine’s Day. So, do not forget to let those closest to you know that you love and care for them. It’s a simple act that can mean so much.
Meanwhile, here at MUFON it’s a whirlwind of activity. With the renewed interest in UFOs and the mainstream approach to reporting and acceptance, MUFON continues to thrive. Our membership continues to grow, and our stature as one of the world’s most recognized repositories of UFO research and investigation remains strong—a shining beacon of UFO knowledge.
Not a day goes by that Team MUFON is not busy dealing with requests for interviews, information and appearances from both domestic and international news outlets, TV producers, publishers and talk shows. Additionally, we have scores of volunteers working on preparing more and more data to be entered into our CMS files; the volume of that data is approaching the point where MUFON might have to buy its own servers to handle the storage.
So, rest assured that MUFON is on course and picking up speed.

WOW! What a year!

Now, I would be fibbing if I tried to tell you I am not glad to see 2020 end. So, here we are in 2021, and things are looking a lot brighter for our world, our nation and, of course, MUFON. MUFON has been tempered in the fires of disruption and sadness but not despair or chaos.

We have emerged stronger and sharper than ever. And, we are evolving! Our communications and marketing are becoming more focused. Our website is being over- hauled and our plans for a global translatable database continue to develop. Our corporate headquarters has been relocated to Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, Ohio, just a few hundred yards down the road from “Hangar
1.” (Hangar 1 is actually Hangar 3, but the series producers thought Hangar 1 sounded cooler.) Cincinnati is a more central location, being that 80% of the population of the US is within a six-hour drive.
 
Our Irvine office is now referred to as the West Coast Field Office and will remain open and operational until the termination of our current lease.

Our Field Investigator Manual and State Di- rector Handbook are being updated to reflect our global scope. Even our logos are being
redesigned to maintain standard branding worldwide. A lot of this is already completed and will be going out to our State and National Directors.
 
New publications are nearing completion and hopefully will be in production and on the shelves very soon.
 
Now I want to wish all of you the happiest New Year and try to tell you, all of you, how important you are to MUFON. We might not have come through 2020 without your continued support, hard work and under- standing. Back in July, I told you to hang in
there with us and we would overcome the obstacles. Well, you did and we have! There may be troubles ahead because that is the way of life, but just like we have for 52 years, we shall continue to endure, prosper and evolve.

So, I was sitting at my desk suffering a severe case of writer’s block, trying to determine a suitable topic for the December issue, which of course leads right to “the Holidays.” I was thinking about all the things that MUFON, the organization, has to be thankful for despite the difficulties we all have faced this year. This list can go on and on.  First and foremost, however, has got to be our members. From general membership to Board of Directors and everyone in between, this group is top-notch. That does not mean we don’t occasionally disagree with one another. We do, but with very few exceptions we can disagree without being disagreeable. Believe me, that means a lot to any organization. Then there is the fresh, bright atmosphere sweeping through MUFON, the growing interest on a global scale, the impressive membership growth, the increased stature, acceptance, and respect of our organization; as long as we “stay the current course,” MUFON has a wonderfully bright future. 
As I stated, this can go on and on, but then another thought popped into mind…right after Thanksgiving comes…CHRISTMAS!! Yep, that’s right, in just a few weeks it will be upon us. And if you’re like most of us, you dread trying to find just the right gift for special people. Well, we may have a solution. Take a look at the MUFON store. We have items of every price range and taste. At least for Mufonians! Take for example our Crossland jacket for both men and women. It’s attractive, travels well and is quite warm. Despite its light weight, if worn over a sweater it’s good for all but the harshest winter weather. The MUFON zippered portfolio and the shoe caddy are big hits as well. Both are emblazoned with the MUFON logo. The portfolio can hold those precious field investigation notes, the latest sighting reports; the caddy can hold not only your athletic shoes, but travel supplies, snacks, and electronic gear. We have ladies’ t-shirts with the MUFON logo made of Swarovski crystal. (These are HOT!) Additionally, we have a large selection of hats, masks and gaiters. Finally, don’t forget the enormous selection of books we have in the bookstore. And remember that if you want to order over the telephone, we will be most happy to work with you.
See there! We just made your shopping dilemma a little less stressful.  And that in itself is one more thing to be grateful for.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good Flight!

Not too many years ago HQ began receiving communications from one of our MUFON members in France. He was concerned over the lack of information being received by the various European UFO groups from MUFON. The Académie d'Ufologie is the leading UFO organization in France, if not most of Europe.  It has had communications with MUFON in the past but felt that as the years have gone by the flow of information fell silent. It contacted us to consider reestablishing our communications and reviving MUFON’s presence in Europe.
Shortly after that initial email, another communication was received concerning a gentleman in Germany who referred to himself as the Director of MUFON Central Europe or something like that.
Now some red flags were up and waving. We have had no such group, nor any such director. I was not the only one in management that was concerned. We have enough problems domestically with unauthorized use of our name, much less worldwide.
I contacted our French representative and inquired if he was familiar with this gentleman. Not only was he familiar with the gentleman but stated that he is one of Europe’s most well-known and highly respected ufologists, with a very large following. He further suggested that rather than confronting him, why not use the opportunity to extend our hand in friendship? Well, we really started investigating this matter and what we found was a real eye-opener.  The two gentlemen mentioned above were in fact MUFON National Directors offering official MUFON representation in Europe. They were appointed by Walt Andrus back in the 70s and have been loyal ever since.
In the years following those initial contacts, we have stepped up communication and interaction with outstanding results. The flow of information and the camaraderie are incredible. (Thank heavens for computer-based translators.) We quickly reaffirmed these gentlemen’s positions with MUFON, and their promotional efforts have been exciting, to say the least. Word spread fast and more groups began coming on board.
As of this writing, MUFON now has National Directors, complete with fully functional operating groups and fully trained Field Investigators, in 46 countries. And those groups are growing.
Now, with the advent of Project Aquarius and other recent research projects, MUFON continues to be a leader in global UFO research and study. Our database continues to grow on a daily basis as do our operations both foreign and domestic.
 
None of this would be possible without a network of Field Investigators, State and Provincial Section Directors, State and National Directors and all those who assist and support them.
So, I want to thank every one of our volunteers—both foreign and domestic—for the incredible dedication and hard work you contribute to our mission.
You are the greatest!

It was a month ago, almost to the day, that I sat on a flight from Cincinnati to Irvine and wrote my first “Director’s Message” in seven years. It just does not seem that long.
That was a very trying week, but rest assured that MUFON is stable, strong and running well. In the last month our membership has continued to grow. The number of new visitors to our website is up 50%. New followers are up 33% and post views are up a staggering 13,000%
In this month’s message, I want to impress on you that the board of directors and I are listening to your concerns and suggestions and are trying to make them happen.
Deciding to fund the expansion of the MUFON laboratory is one of the things we have done so far. Many of you may not know that MUFON has a Tier 1 lab. We do, and it is about to expand. Funding is in place for additional equipment and greater capabilities. There is even some consideration being given to a mobile response unit for “on site” investigations. Funds also have been earmarked for other research projects in the near future.
We are reaching out to other established UFO research groups to set up cooperative projects where ideas and data can be jointly evaluated and acted upon. We hope to host round table meetings and panel discussions encompassing participants from around the globe.
We are planning to take advantage of the knowledge of our member groups to develop protocols for dealing with issues such as harassment, sexual or otherwise, diversity and inclusion.
We owe so much of our success to volunteers that we have established a page in our monthly journal to give recognition to our state and national chapters and the people who drive them.
We are thankful for every one of you.

Heartache, uncertainty, tears, disappointment, war and strife: It seems like MUFON has been through it all. And, we have! After 51 years MUFON has been through a lot. We have seen the good, the bad, the ugly and just about everything in between.

Regarding the recent unfortunate developments, we need you to know that the MUFON Board of Directors and staff were totally blindsided by the events. Though in shock, they moved quickly to address the issue.

But through it all we have continued on our mission. We have emerged from the darkness, risen up from the valley of tears and survived the constant attacks of our detractors—we have deflected the slings and arrows of a multitude of malcontents. However, the mothership we call MUFON has held its course and become faster, stronger, more powerful than any of those who try so hard to disrupt our mission.

Why?

Because of you! Our membership, our supporters, our volunteers, our backbone!

MUFON shall emerge from its troubles because we are strong. We can overcome our difficulties through it all, we understand the power of WILL, pure unwavering WILL! The absolute belief that we will endure, and we will continue the mission. And with that applied WILL, HOPE shall emerge and guide us through the dark night.

This is not the first time I have been called on to step into the position of executive director under less than perfect conditions, and I am humbled to accept the mantle.

There will be changes ahead, as there must be if we are to continuously evolve, strengthen and grow.
So, hang with me MUFONians. I am good at this and I promise that we will come out more competent, stronger and respected than when we came in. MUFON is in good hands with a sound board of directors, staff and dedicated leaders. We will go further than we have ever gone before.