European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 2, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday March 2, 1990 the stars and stripes a a Page 9 of laughingstock to Hoover Here Ramstein club rebounds after scandal plagued years by Deedee Arrington Doke Kaiserslautern Bureau Ramstein a West Germany a in january 1988. Ram Stcin a enlisted club earned a $6 profit. It was t much. But the Small earnings signalled a turnaround from three years of whopping losses that totalled at least $2.9 million and prompted a sweeping review of clubs at the base by air Force criminal investigators. A it had its problems Quot said Merle Kelly who became club manager in Early 1988 and now Heads Ramstein s club operations Branch. A i was very reluctant to come Here at  Kelly said. A Ramstein was the laughingstock of the air Force. Who would want to come to a club that had lost $2 million Quot Kelly was one of a new team of players brought in to reshape and recharge the club s Bank statement services and reputation after a free spending frenzy on lavish parties and chartered flights to football games left it Chin deep in the red. The new team guided the clubs financial fortunes out of the Depths of mismanagement neglect and oversight with steady Success. By the end of fiscal 1989, the Ramstein club s fortunes had drastically improved it earned roughly $800,000 in that year. For fiscal 1989, the club had the second Best profit margin among no clubs in the command a 19 percent rate. The command goal is 10 percent. A we re More business oriented now. It s a whole different Era Quot said Gerald Cardinal the acting chief of morale and recreation at Ramstein. Former mar chief Robert Grimaldi who recently left Ramstein for a stateside Job and Cardinal played key roles in mar s recovery from the financial disaster that occurred under the previous leadership. Cardinal worked 2 a a years As a non appropriated fund financial management officer the custodian of mar program fund assets. A we did no to have enough Money Back in 86 to pay our Bills Quot Cardinal said. A now we have More than enough. We re expanding. We re the most financially Strong mar fund in the  the fund is so Strong that Ramstein mar officials Are considering opening an enlisted club Annex at nearby Kapaun air station about eight Miles away from the larger base. The air Force office of special investigations still is reviewing the clubs past performance which also had attracted attention from the Pentagon inspector general. The 1g report cited the former no club manager a who was not identified in the report a for his a disregard for. Rules and regulations engaging in unauthorized activities working with the former non appropriated financial management officer to manipulate accounting records to distort operating statements discarding internal controls and spending no club resources contrary to established business  under the leadership of former Gen. Charles l. Donnelly jr., Safe failed to Correct the problems because of its a overwhelming involvement in the activities Quot the report alleged. Cardinal said a combination of changes contributed to the club improvements. A it Wasny to just one thing Quot Cardinal said. A you come up with new programs raise prices if you have to. You have to control your labor. Buy smarter. Advertise More. A everyone has to think in terms of fiscal responsibility. You can to have one person in the division thinking fiscal responsibility and everyone else is amps Lynda Davidson Leonard Bouchy Lef Ramstein enlisted club manager and Merle Kelly head of Ramstein club operations show off the newly renovated dining room. Thinking the exact opposite. It wont  the clubs customers prove the management a Success. On monday nights often a dead night for restaurants customers wait 30 minutes for a seat in the Ramstein clubs airy formal dining room. On Friday nights As Many As 3,000 customers filter into the refurbished club to eat drink and be entertained by one of 60 acts tapped to appear. Throughout the month. Before the arrival of the new guard about 15 entertainment acts were booked each. A amps Lynda Davidson the Ramstein club s airy dining room is filled to capacity nearly every night. Customers often wait 30 minutes for a seat. Month. About 5,400 airmen belong to the club an increase of More than 2,000 since the scandal plagued Days of old when no one knew when it would be open for members use. Stepping up the flow of monthly dues payers took More than a membership drive. A club also needs Quality attractions to successfully compete with other entertainment centers for business. Kelly believes the club used to have nothing to offer its members. A then 1 got smart and hired Lenny Quot Kelly said with a Wink toward Leonard Bouchy. Bouchy a retired air Force chief master sergeant was managing the no club at Hahn a West Germany before he took the Job As Ramstein enlisted club manager in july 1988. A former employee of Bouchy sat Hahn called him a a motivator. He reinforces the stuff that ought to be. He was a manager who was always  since a recent $1.7 million renovation the multifaceted entertainment Center offers dining and dancing to patrons seven Days a week. Or customers can sip a drink and Converse quietly in a lounge with soft music. On other nights customers entertain themselves by singing their favorite hits to recorded music. Other offerings include Bingo and a weekly jazz Jam session. Both managers said they have not been pressured to generate More Money. Making Money however will become More necessary in fiscal 1991, when the clubs and some other activities lose appropriated fund support As mandated by Congress. But Cardinal said Ramstein a clubs already operate without those funds. A we took the position in 1987 to give no appropriated fund support to the clubs at All except for salaries Quot he said. A so come oct. 1, 1990, we re Way ahead of the