Charles Hiltunen Archives -

Charlie Hiltunen Elected 76th Director

The final seat on the NRA Board of Directors was filled yesterday as the election for 76th Director closed. Charlie Hiltunen of Indiana won 389 to Tom King’s 194 with a smattering of votes for the rest of the candidates who did initially win a seat on the Board. Charlie was part of the NRA 2.0 Team and had many volunteers handing out his cards, buttons, and other campaign materials. Not only that but I rarely saw Charlie as he was out campaigning. King, as well, campaigned hard and had numerous members of the Old Guard helping him campaign.

The results are below. With Hiltunen’s election, NRA 2.0 or the reformers took 20 out of 30 available seats. We go into Monday’s Board meeting with a significant majority so long as those who have supported reform in the past don’t go wobbly.

The full results are as follows:

Charles Hiltunen … 389

Tom King … 194

Greer Johnson … 43

Kim Rhode … 29

Lucretia Hughes Klucken … 28

Frank Tait … 22

Isaac Demarest … 22

Charles Rowe … 16

Gene Roach … 12

Steven Dulan … 11

Jeffrey Fleetham … 10

Lane Ruhland … 10

Ronald Schmeits … 10

David Mitten … 9

Regis Synan … 8

Richard Todd Figard … 6

Mark Shuell … 5

TOTAL 824

For 76th Director

The reformers aka NRA 2.0 have coalesced on supporting Charles Hiltunen III for the 76th Director. As Frank Tait notes in his Substack post, he is fully supporting Charlie for the 76th Director. He asks that anyone considering supporting him to please support Charlie.

As I’ve said earlier here and elsewhere, I am disappointed that Frank Tait didn’t make the cut. He would have been a valuable addition to the Board based upon his experience with non-profit boards, finance, and audit. As he finished 32nd in the race, two more resignations or deaths put him on the Board.

Charlie is an attorney, lobbyist, instructor, and shooting coach. In addition, he is the President of the Indiana State Rifle & Pistol Association and is the Chair-elect of the Crossroads Council BSA. He touches all the bases and I think he should be elected as the 76th Director. That he, Frank, and Todd Vandermyde didn’t make the cut greatly surprised me.

We don’t know who will be his primary opponent but I suspect it will either be Tom King or Ron Schmeits.

As a reminder, anyone who is a NRA member attending the Annual Meeting in Atlanta is eligible to vote for the 76th Director. I understand voting is in Room 403 on the 4th Floor of Building B of the Georgia World Congress Center which is where you pick up your credentials for the Meeting of Members. Voting closes at the conclusion of the Meeting of Members.