New Section Manager for Montana

Paul Stiles, KF7SOJ, will become ARRL Montana Section Manager on October 1. Stiles, of Billings, was the only candidate after nominations for the position were re-solicited this spring, and will serve an 18-month term. He will take over the position following George Forsyth, AA7GS, of Great Falls, who decided not to run for a new term after serving since 2013. There are no contested seats in the summer SM election cycle.

These incumbent Section Managers had no opposition and were declared re-elected to start new terms on October 1: Jack Ciaccia, WM0G (Colorado); Jack Tiley, AD7FO (Eastern Washington); David Benoist, AG4ZR (Georgia); Diana Feinberg, AI6DF (Los Angeles); Carol Milazzo, KP4MD (Sacramento Valley); Bill Hillendahl, KH6GJV (San Francisco); Paul Gilbert, KE5ZW (South Texas); Dan Ringer, K8WV (West Virginia), and Monte Simpson, AF7PQ (Western Washington).

ARRL Contest Program Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE

Paul Bourque, N1SFE, of Middletown, Connecticut, has joined the ARRL Headquarters staff as Contest Program Manager. He succeeds Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, who recently was promoted to the post of ARRL Radiosport and Field Services Manager. Licensed since 1994, Bourque’s interest in radio began when, as a youngster, he listened for distant AM stations, and he later developed a career involving various aspects of broadcasting.

“Originally, I wanted to be a DJ, but I ended up being drawn to the technical/engineering side of the radio business,” Bourque said. His journey into Amateur Radio started during his time as the host of an overnight free-form rock music show at WWUH Radio at the University of Hartford, and the station’s general manager, John Ramsey, W1JNR, pushed him to get his license.

Because being an Amateur Radio operator had opened several professional doors for him, Bourque said, “The opportunity to give back to this hobby as Contest Program Manager really appealed to me.”

— Paul Bourque, N1SFE

Bourque, who grew up in Newington, remarked that working at ARRL Headquarters “is like coming home.” In his early years as a radio amateur, he was more of a casual contester, and it “was about making contacts,” he conceded. Today, though, he has become passionate about getting people active and on the air. As Contest Program Manager, Bourque wants to find ways to get newer hams into contesting, and to dispel the idea that you need tons of equipment to participate.

Outside of Amateur Radio, Bourque’s his other interests include cooking, astronomy, photography, and meteorology.