“Roamin’ Rich” Dinkela, a popular social-media promoter of Route 66 based in the St. Louis area, defeated longtime Route 66 Association of Missouri president Tommy Pike of Springfield during the group’s election Saturday.
Judy Wallmark, former secretary of the Lebanon-Laclede County Route 66 Society and also of the St. Louis area, defeated incumbent association secretary Tonya Pike, who is Tommy Pike’s daughter.
The election took place at Mills Center in Lebanon after being rescheduled from Jan. 12 because of a snowstorm. Dinkela had announced months earlier he was running for president and urged association members to attend the meeting so they could vote.
Gary Sosniecki of the Lebanon association reported in a Facebook post:
Vote totals were not announced publicly, but according to a member who was shown them privately, Dinkela won the president’s race 83-54. Wallmark was elected secretary 90-46.
Jim Crooks of St. Louis was re-elected vice president unopposed with 112 votes. Ruth Keenoy of St. Louis was unopposed for a first term as treasurer. She received 120 votes. Kennoy succeeds Robert Schulz of Waterloo, Ill., who resigned earlier.
Jax Welborn posted this video of Dinkela giving remarks after his election:
Dinkela announced he would run for president in the fall after he said he learned the association years ago had turned down an offer to take over ownership of a small stretch of original Route 66 in Springfield in exchange for nominal maintenance.
The Missouri Department of Transportation eventually sold the parcel to a convenience-store chain that will preserve most of the original road, but the addition of asphalt shoulders won’t make it as pristine.
By my recollection, Tommy Pike had led the Route 66 Association of Missouri for about 20 years. He was there when I first became heavily involved in the Mother Road during the early 2000s.
UPDATE 1/28/2019: Sosniecki posted a thorough report of the election here.
Voting was by secret ballots, which took more than an hour for a committee to count.
After the announcement that Dinkela had won, Tommy Pike said: “I want to thank my daughter and my wife for their support all these years. And the board members . . .”
Dinkela offered “100–percent thanks to the Pike family” for all they’ve done for the association. Pike, who was walking away from the lectern at the time, made a sarcastic remark in response.
Dinkela continued that he truly appreciated what the Pikes had done. “I’m sure there are bitter feelings right now. I’m not going to reciprocate.”
(Image of “Roamin’ Rich” Dinkela at the Route 66 Association of Missouri meeting Saturday in Lebanon by Gary Sosniecki via Facebook)
Thank you to the outgoing officers for their service, and best wishes to those newly or re-elected.
Late congratulations to Rich; just recently discovered his 8 year old YouTube videos and am impressed.I did a Route 66 trip following the Ross and McClanahan state map collection thinking I was staying true to the original route. Rich has performed a great service to the research, definition and restoration of the real Route 66