ACE 2026 Elections - trsr

As a member of the American Coaster Enthusiasts for 23 years, I am running for treasurer. In those 23 years, I have been an assistant regional representative in Florida for five years and a regional representative in Florida for eight years.

Based on ACE’s constitutional description of the officer positions, I feel I am qualified to serve on the ACE Executive Committee as treasurer because of these reasons:

• I am currently serving as treasurer on my neighborhood  homeowner’s  association since 2021 (five years).
• I have managed bookkeeping records for multiple small businesses.
• I have managed multimillion-dollar technology project budgets, which included requisitions, procurements and payment disbursements.
• I balanced multiple regional ACE event budgets to hold a net-zero profit by negotiating costs and forecasting event attendance.
• During my tenure as regional representative, I provided my region’s annual financial reporting to ACE’s treasurer.

My professional background includes holding a master of business administration degree and multiple certifications in cybersecurity. I have held the position of treasurer in my neighborhood’s homeowner’s association since 2021. In that role, I have balanced annual budgets, successfully managed multiple community improvement projects and reconciled all financial accounts. Over five fiscal cycles, I have maintained low member dues, with only a single increase of approximately 10%. I have also secured nonmember funding and grants from our local government and successfully managed multiple community pool improvements, including the addition of a shaded structure, new furniture and an upgraded security system. I have experience working with government agencies on procurement and financial requests that support large-scale hardware and software initiatives. I have led over a dozen multimillion-dollar projects and successfully delivered results for both information technology and cybersecurity stakeholders.

I have immensely enjoyed volunteering for ACE. The opportunity for me to volunteer for ACE started in 2013 as an assistant regional representative in the Florida region, where I built our region’s social media presence. In 2018, I became the regional representative for Florida, where I successfully rebuilt ACE’s relationship with Universal Orlando Resort and hosted multiple filming events with them. As the current Florida regional representative, I have created and hosted unique and engaging events, including marathon ride events on Cheetah Hunt at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and White Lightning at Fun Spot America Orlando. I organized affordable waterpark events at Island H2O Water Park and Aquatica Orlando following the COVID-19 shutdowns, as well as a backstage preview tour of Ice Breaker at SeaWorld Orlando prior to its opening in 2022. I have also balanced event budgets with a goal of net-zero profit by negotiating costs with parks and accurately forecasting attendance. This included planning for prizes, marathon ride medals, meals and exclusive tours. While many events were highly successful, I also navigated significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the pandemic, I worked with Island H2O Live in Kissimmee to help bring ACE members back to Florida parks and continued delivering high-quality events at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Fun Spot, SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica.

I share my love of roller coasters and my passion for ACE with my wife and our two children by frequently visiting Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, SeaWorld Orlando and Legoland Florida. I began my ACE journey as a teenager 23 years ago and attended ACE events with my grandfather in Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio. In 2007, I moved to the Tampa Bay area to pursue a career in technology and frequently visited the theme parks in Tampa and Orlando during my free time. Today, I manage cybersecurity projects for a reputable cancer research center located in Tampa. My son, who is almost six years old, is now tall enough to start riding the larger coasters, and his favorite so far is Cobra’s Curse at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. My daughter is only two years old but looks up to her brother and can’t wait to start riding roller coasters with him.

As your next treasurer, I will focus on continuing the excellent work of Chris Tilsley. Chris has built a strong foundation for ACE’s financial success, and I intend to build upon it. My primary priorities include strengthening regional support for tax and accounting resources and ensuring that ACE continues to meet and maintain full compliance with IRS standards. Additionally, I would like to continue expanding ACE’s involvement in preservation efforts and the support of both existing and historic roller coasters. I have several fundraising ideas to help achieve this goal, including special park events, galas, nonpark gatherings and enhanced social media campaigns.

In summary, my background in accounting, procurement, business and project management and ACE event planning has prepared me well to serve as treasurer on the ACE Executive Committee. I look forward to continuing my volunteer service as an ACE officer. Our members and community are what make ACE strong, and I am committed to supporting that continued growth and dedication. 

I am seeking the role of treasurer and a seat on the ACE Executive Committee because I offer a rare combination of professional financial governance experience, extensive nonprofit board service, more than 20 years of volunteer service to ACE and hands-on treasurer responsibilities at the regional level. Together, these experiences position me to serve immediately and effectively as ACE treasurer.

A 25-Year Commitment to American Coaster Enthusiasts

My relationship with American Coaster Enthusiasts spans more than two decades and reflects a deep, long-standing commitment to the organization, its members and its mission. I joined ACE in 2000 and, over the years, have remained continuously involved as both a volunteer and leader. From 2005 through 2022, I served as Mid-Atlantic assistant regional representative, and since 2022 I have proudly served as the Mid-Atlantic regional representative.

Beyond my regional responsibilities, I have consistently supported ACE through behind-the-scenes volunteer work, including the Region Director Task Force team and merchandise operations. In particular, I have played an active role in mini-store merchandise sales at Spring Conferences and several winter events over the past five years. I have also invested a great deal of time over the past year working with the ACE Operations team on the new ACE website (Higher Logic), including analysis and deployment of regional event functionality.

In my regional leadership roles, I have effectively served as the Mid-Atlantic region’s treasurer — managing funds, tracking income and expenses, supporting event budgeting and ensuring proper reporting and accountability. These experiences give me a practical understanding of balancing financial rigor with the realities of a volunteer-driven organization and of working closely with the Executive Committee, association manager and volunteers across ACE.

Nonprofit Experience

Beyond ACE, I have served in leadership roles within the Boy Scouts of America, including assistant scout master, Pack Committee chair and Unit Fundraising chair. As committee chair, I led volunteer boards in planning annual activities and worked closely with the treasurer on budgets and expense oversight. As Fundraising chair, I oversaw goal-setting, incentive planning and execution in support of unit operations. This work provided hands-on experience managing charitable funds, expenses and volunteer accountability.

I currently serve as vice president of my local chapter of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, a nonprofit with an executive structure similar to that of ACE. Our chapter focuses on fundraising to support scholarships, requiring close collaboration among officers and careful financial stewardship. Together, these roles have strengthened my understanding of fiduciary responsibility in nonprofit governance.

Professional Experience Supporting Strong Financial Governance

I bring more than 25 years of professional experience in highly regulated and financially complex environments. I currently serve as a senior delivery lead at Bank of America, where discipline, accuracy, transparency and strong internal controls are essential. My work involves executive-level reporting, financial documentation standards and governance practices that align closely with the treasurer’s responsibilities.

Earlier in my career, while consulting with Allianz Insurance, I supported the regional chief financial officer and controller, managing finance-related initiatives, evaluating cost structures and improving financial processes that delivered measurable savings. Across roles at Capital One, Wachovia Securities and Bank of America, I have consistently worked as a project manager and process engineer, supporting budget forecasting, variance analysis and the translation of complex financial data into clear insights for leaders. This experience directly supports the treasurer’s duty to produce accurate monthly reports and communicate ACE’s financial position.

Budgeting, Planning and Financial Stewardship

Budget development and oversight are core responsibilities of the treasurer. I bring extensive experience building and managing budgets, forecasting expenses and understanding the financial impacts of strategic decisions. I hold an MBA from The College of William and Mary, with formal training in managerial finance and strategy, and have been a certified project management professional since 2007.

At ACE, I would apply this background to develop realistic, data-informed budgets in collaboration with the Executive Committee, balancing ambition with sustainability and ensuring timely approval ahead of each fiscal year.

Event Pricing, Cost Awareness and Member Value

Event pricing is where financial stewardship directly affects member experience. Throughout my career, I have evaluated cost drivers, vendor pricing and operational efficiencies to support informed pricing decisions. At ACE, I would bring this same discipline to collaborating with the president and events director to review admissions costs, food service expenses and fundraising considerations. The goal is to ensure registration fees are fair, transparent and aligned with both member value and organizational sustainability.

My long-standing experience planning over 50 ACE events and managing regional event budgets reinforces the importance of accurate accounting, attention to detail and clear communication among volunteers and staff.

Executive  Committee  Collaboration and Values

ACE’s Executive Committee expectations resonate strongly with how I approach leadership. Throughout my career, both professionally outside of and within ACE, I have collaborated across teams, fostered positive stakeholder relationships, delivered on commitments and upheld organizational mission and governance  standards.

I am detail-oriented, responsive and process-driven — qualities that support timely expense reviews, accurate reporting, smooth audits and documented transition planning for future treasurers.

Personal Statement

I grew up in Virginia as part of a large Greek-American family, where values of teamwork, discipline, honesty and service were foundational. From early family visits to Busch Gardens Williamsburg to building lifelong memories at parks with my spouse and children, the amusement industry has always been central to my life.

ACE has extended that passion into a community. Volunteering for ACE has always been about helping members have meaningful experiences and strengthening our partnerships with parks. As my children have grown more independent, I am eager to continue investing my time and skills to help ACE thrive and welcome new families and enthusiasts into the organization.

When considering what volunteers should serve at the highest level for ACE (the Executive Committee), seek out those with a long-standing commitment to ACE. Seek out volunteers who actively support their fellow volunteers. Seek out the servant leaders.

Throughout my career, I have been recognized for reliability, follow-through and collaboration across diverse teams. I am an independent thinker who relishes connection with others. I understand that trust is built through consistency, transparency and responsiveness — qualities that are especially important in a volunteer-driven organization.

Conclusion

I offer ACE a treasurer with more than 20 years of dedicated volunteer service, hands-on treasurer experience and deep professional expertise in financial governance, reporting and operational discipline. I understand ACE’s culture, respect its mission and bring the skills and commitment necessary to safeguard its financial health while supporting its continued growth. Feel free to reach out to me at evangelosringas@aceonline.org, and I’ll be happy to address any questions or ideas.