ARM Founders and Board of Directors

Our Founding

In the early 1980's, five local railfans noticed that there was no official or organized attempt to preserve and protect the artifacts relating to Arizona's railroad history. By 1983, these five railfans founded and incorporated the Arizona Railway Museum as a non-profit (501-C-3) organization dedicated to the preservation of Arizona's railroading history.

Founders (listed alphabetically)

Governance

The Arizona Railway Museum is governed by a Board of Directors (plus lifetime Founders). The term of office for each Director is two years with half of the seats being elected each year (a staggered board). Each year, the Directors nominate and approve candidates for the positions of President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary.

2025 Board of Directors

Note: Board members elected at the Annual Membership Meeting held in January.

Previous Boards

• 2024 Board of Directors

  Larry Benedict	President / Secretary
  RJ "Bart" Barton	Vice President of Operations (Founder)
  Steve Whisel	Vice President of Administration
  Craig Shields	Treasurer
  John Peterson / Andrew Bartholet	Director
  Dianne Roberson	Director
  Pete Russo	Director
  Andy Szabo	Director

• 2023 Board of Directors

  Larry Benedict	President / Secretary
  RJ "Bart" Barton	Vice President of Operations (Founder)
  Steve Whisel	Vice President of Administration
  Craig Shields	Treasurer
  Pete Cook	Director / Editor "Chandler Branch"
  Dianne Roberson	Director
  Pete Russo	Director
  Andy Szabo	Director

• 2022 Board of Directors

  Larry Benedict	President / Secretary
  RJ "Bart" Barton	Vice President of Operations (Founder)
  Steve Whisel	Vice President of Administration
  Craig Shields	Treasurer
  Andy Szabo	Director / Editor "Chandler Branch"
  Dianne Roberson	Director
  Rob Smalley	Director
  Pete Russo	Director
  John Meise	Director at Large (non-voting)

• 2021 Board of Directors

  Larry Benedict	President
  RJ "Bart" Barton	Vice President of Operations (Founder)
  Steve Whisel	Vice President of Administration
  Craig Shields	Treasurer
  Andy Szabo	Director / Editor "Chandler Branch"
  Dianne Roberson	Director
  Rob Smalley	Director (appointed 8/14/21)

• 2020 Board of Directors

  Larry Benedict	President
  Tom Klobas	Director
  RJ "Bart" Barton	Vice President of Operations (Founder)
  Steve Whisel	Vice President of Administration
  Craig Shields	Treasurer
  Andy Szabo	Secretary / Director / Editor "Chandler Branch"
  Dianne Roberson	Director
  Al Wenger	Director

• 2015-2019 Boards

  2019: Larry Benedict (President), Tom Klobas (Director), RJ "Bart" Barton (VP Operations - Founder), Steve Whisel (VP Administration), Craig Shields (Treasurer), Andy Szabo (Secretary/Director), Stan Garner (Director), Dianne Roberson (Director)

  2018: Larry Benedict (President), Tom Klobas (Director), RJ "Bart" Barton (VP Operations - Founder), Steve Whisel (VP Administration), Craig Shields (Treasurer), Andy Szabo (Secretary/Director), Stan Garner (Director), Jim Byrne (Director)

  2017: Larry Benedict (President), RJ "Bart" Barton (VP Operations - Founder), Steve Whisel (VP Administration), Craig Shields (Treasurer), Andy Szabo (Director), Stan Garner (Director), Tom Klobas (Director), Jim Byrne (Director)

  2016: Tom Klobas (President - non-voting), Larry Benedict (Director/Assistant to President), RJ "Bart" Barton (VP Operations - Founder), Steve Whisel (VP Administration), Craig Shields (Treasurer), Karen Chmiel (Executive Secretary), Andy Szabo (Director), Stan Garner (Director), Fred Stout (Director)

  2015: Larry Benedict (President), RJ "Bart" Barton (VP Operations), Steve Whisel (VP Administration), Craig Shields (Treasurer), Karen Chmiel (Executive Secretary), Mark Redmond/Andy Szabo (Director), Stan Garner (Director), Fred Stout (Director)

• 2010-2014 Boards

  2014: Larry Benedict (President), RJ "Bart" Barton (VP Operations), Steve Whisel (VP Administration), Craig Shields (Treasurer - appointed, non-voting), Karen Chmiel (Executive Secretary), Andrew "Andy" Szabo (Director), Mark Redmond (Director), Russ Lassuy (Director), Stan Garner (Director)

  2013: Larry Benedict (President), RJ "Bart" Barton (VP Operations), Tom Klobas (VP Communications), Russ Lassuy (VP Physical Plant/Executive Secretary), Karen Chmiel (Treasurer), Andrew "Andy" Szabo (Director), Mark Redmond (Director), Steve Whisel (Director/Curator)

  2012: Larry Benedict (President), RJ "Bart" Barton (COO - Founder), Tom Klobas (VP Administration), Craig Shields (Treasurer), Andrew "Andy" Szabo (Executive Secretary & Locomotive Foreman), Karen Chmiel (Director), Mark Redmond (Director), Steve Whisel (Director/Curator)

  2011: RJ "Bart" Barton (President/COO - Founder), Tom Klobas (VP Administration), Michael "Mike" Margrave (VP Legal Affairs), Craig Shields (Treasurer), Andrew "Andy" Szabo (Executive Secretary & Locomotive Foreman), George Barker (Director), Mark Redmond (Director), Karen Chmiel (Director)

  2010: Tom Klobas (President), RJ "Bart" Barton (VP Operations - Founder), Michael "Mike" Margrave (VP Legal Affairs), Craig Shields (Treasurer), Andrew "Andy" Szabo (Executive Secretary & Locomotive Foreman), George Barker (Director), Ken Dickinson (Director), Mark Redmond (Director)

• 2005-2009 Boards

  2009: Tom Klobas (President), RJ "Bart" Barton (VP Operations - Founder), Michael "Mike" Margrave (VP Legal Affairs), Craig Shields (Treasurer), Hal Whitehead (Executive Secretary), Andrew "Andy" Szabo (Locomotive Foreman), George Barker (Director), Ken Dickinson (Director)

  2008: Tom Klobas (President), RJ "Bart" Barton (VP Operations - Founder), Michael "Mike" Margrave (VP Legal Affairs), Craig Shields (Treasurer), Bruce Stadwiser (Executive Secretary), Andrew "Andy" Szabo (Locomotive Foreman), George Barker (Director), Ken Dickinson (Director)

  2007: Tom Klobas (President), RJ "Bart" Barton (VP Operations - Founder), Michael "Mike" Margrave (VP Legal Affairs), Andrew "Andy" Szabo (Chief Mechanical Officer), Craig Shields (Treasurer), Bruce Stadwiser (Executive Secretary), Russell "Russ" Lassuy (Director), Ken Dickinson (Director)

  2006: Tom Klobas (President), RJ "Bart" Barton (VP Operations - Founder), Michael "Mike" Margrave (VP Legal Affairs), Craig Shields (Treasurer), Bruce Stadwiser (Executive Secretary), Andrew "Andy" Szabo (Director), Russell "Russ" Lassuy (Director), Hal Whitehead (Director)

  2005: Michael "Mike" Margrave (President), Tom Klobas (VP Administration), RJ "Bart" Barton (VP Operations - Founder), Harold "Hal" Whitehead (Executive Secretary), Craig Shields (Treasurer), Russell "Russ" Lassuy (Director), Bruce Stadwiser (Director), Andrew "Andy" Szabo (Director)

• 2002-2004 Boards

  2004: R.J. "Bart" Barton (President - Founder), Mike Margrave (VP Legal), Dennis Warren (VP Financial), Craig Shields (Treasurer), Hal Whitehead (Secretary), Tom Klobas (Director), Russ Lassuy (Director), Bruce Stadwiser (Director)

  2003: R.J. "Bart" Barton (President - Founder), Mike Margrave (VP Legal), Dennis Warren (VP Financial), Craig Shields (Treasurer), George Holt (Secretary), Hal Whitehead (Facility Manager), Sydney Holt (Director)

  2002: R.J. "Bart" Barton (President), Mike Margrave (VP Legal), Dennis Warren (VP Financial), Sydney Holt (Treasurer), George Holt (Secretary), Hal Whitehead (Facility Manager), Steve Whisel (Director)

Note: In 2004 one Founder relinquished their seat on the Board of Directors, allowing the addition of one elected Director.