KCBS Board?????

Five and six for me, Thom. As far as a known name goes, Brethren status goes a long way with me because after a while you get to know a bruddah. Know what I mean?

I want someone who has cooked and rep'd a contest. Ideally more than one.

Communication is key. Timely, abundant, and clear (ahem... Mr. Cryptic...)

Merl Whitebook proactively informs us on Brethren and CBBQA boards and gets my vote over the other BOD's who never show their faces in online forums. Is Merl the only current BOD member that knows how to use online forums? How do the other people communicate? Smoke signals? Semaphore? Come on, BOD, get with the times already.

3, 4, 5, and 6 work for me...

3 - represent the people not only from your region but beyond, it's a great big membership out there.

4 - experience with non-profits are great, means that you care about things other than yourself. more to charity is always better. most of us have it good, help those that don't.

5 - having worn any or all of those hats (organizer, cook, judge or rep) just reminds you what it's like to BE them, and in my opinion makes for a better BoD member.

6 - open and available comunication is very important as well, since we all are a part of this organization, we like to know what is going on and how it will affect us.

You do great work Thom, from what I have heard and seen from afar.

Go get 'em ... if you're jumping in. Just don't get that sign for your back.

p.s. Linda Mullane is on here a LOT! I feel like she knows what's what on the "East Side", and I like to believe she votes as her constituents would like her to, it's why she was elected in the first place.

Professor Salt said:

Communication is key. Timely, abundant, and clear (ahem... Mr. Cryptic...)

Merl Whitehead proactively informs us on Brethren and CBBQA boards and gets my vote over the other BOD's who never show their faces in online forums. Is Merl the only current BOD member that knows how to use online forums? How do the other people communicate? Smoke signals? Semaphore? Come on, BOD, get with the times already.

Click to expand...

You will see a few on here just around election time

sledneck said:

you will see a few on here just around election time

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LOL!!! Kinda like the CBBQA!

professor salt said:

communication is key. Timely, abundant, and clear (ahem... Mr. Cryptic...)

merl whitehead proactively informs us on brethren and cbbqa boards and gets my vote over the other bod's who never show their faces in online forums. Is merl the only current bod member that knows how to use online forums? How do the other people communicate? Smoke signals? Semaphore? Come on, bod, get with the times already.

Click to expand...

bingo

Thom,

Communication is key, as well as responisveness. As someone has mentioned Merl is on here a lot, he also comes over to the GLBBQA forum and posts, that is the kind of BOD member that I would vote for. We all know that you have the cred to be a member and I for one would support your candidacy.

First let me say thank you for the very kind comments from many of you.

When I was elected to the BOD the meetings were closed to members and no agenda was posted. My first goals were to kick in the door to the Board Room and make it open to members. I also pushed to have published agendas for the members to be aware of issues. Those goals were accomplished.

I have failed to get the Board to allow telephone monitoring of the BOD meetings. It has been proposed three times and failed each time. If re-elected, I will bring it up again next year.

But the real reason for my reply is to suggest the quality to look for in a member of the BOD.

There are two types of members of the Board.

1. is the member of the BOD who says: I was elected to make decisions for the members and I know what is good for the members.

2. is the member of the BOD who says: I want to know how the members feel about issues and based upon the desires and needs of the membership, I will make the best decision I can for their benefit.

In our board I have heard too many times the first statement. I would encourage you to vote for candidates who subscribe to the second statement.

Thank you for your support.

Merl Whitebook
KCBS Board of Directors

Being a director is really a difficult position to be in. The basic idea of the Director is to make decisions for a business to make it successful. It is assumed, to a certain extent, that all the directors involved are there to make the business better, It is also assumed that the members of the organization also want the business to be successful and there in lies the conflict. success for a director is not necessarily success for a member. a good director in this type of organization is going to understand that the organization exists because membership supports it. and in order to have membership continue to support it there must be activities and goals that are supported by membership and directors. The role of director can really isolate you from the membership. After all you are the ones making decision and looking at issues and deciding what is "best" for the organization and membership. If you don't keep in touch, you lose the needs of the membership amongst the needs of the directors. Prolonged membership on the BOD takes people out of representing membership to developing their own silo's of leadership. Once the silo's are established, removing them or going against them can be problematic on many levels.

Ideally I'd like to see the Directors be directors but elected on a regional representative system. Divide the country into 7/9 or 11 regions and allow each region to nominate and elect a director, and each director be term limited to three terms. This encourages new blood, the removal of silos, as well as getting equal representation to all regions. so if you're going to lead, lead with an ear on membership but remember that to be a director means doing what is right for the business. A very difficult role indeed. Scott

Leadership

1 A name I recognize but know nothing about the person
I recognize Jim Jones but wouldn't want him on the board.
2 Willingness to wear a "kick me" sign on their back
chuckle, how true, but not important to me
3 Someone from MY part of the country
Very few people are from Fall River
4 Experience with nonprofit organizations
A definite plus but not a disqualifier
5 Experience as a Organizer, Rep/Judge or as a Cook
This is kind of what it is all about so experience here is necessary
6 Open, available, actually cares what the membership thinks
All good leaders do have these attributes.
7 Or........... What do you think is important?
Board members need to have ears larger then their mouths, and they need to ask questions rather than spout policy

Yakfishingfool said:

Prolonged membership on the BOD takes people out of representing membership to developing their own silo's of leadership. Once the silo's are established, removing them or going against them can be problematic on many levels.

This encourages new blood, the removal of silos, as well as getting equal representation to all regions.

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I agree with your thoughts. I think you are dead on.

Merl said:

First let me say thank you for the very kind comments from many of you.

When I was elected to the BOD the meetings were closed to members and no agenda was posted. My first goals were to kick in the door to the Board Room and make it open to members. I also pushed to have published agendas for the members to be aware of issues. Those goals were accomplished.

I have failed to get the Board to allow telephone monitoring of the BOD meetings. It has been proposed three times and failed each time. If re-elected, I will bring it up again next year.

But the real reason for my reply is to suggest the quality to look for in a member of the BOD.

There are two types of members of the Board.

1. is the member of the BOD who says: I was elected to make decisions for the members and I know what is good for the members.

2. is the member of the BOD who says: I want to know how the members feel about issues and based upon the desires and needs of the membership, I will make the best decision I can for their benefit.

In our board I have heard too many times the first statement. I would encourage you to vote for candidates who subscribe to the second statement.

Thank you for your support.

Merl Whitebook
KCBS Board of Directors

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Thank you for proving my point, Merl. As a KCBS member, I would like to ask you which other BOD members support position #2?

I think all of us at some point wear that sign. And yes I am out here as well, when time allows. Anyone who knows me knows I am out for the betterment of KCBS, the cooks, the organizers and even the judges. Let's try to keep this organization the best. I am not running for re-election until next year but you can email me anytime and I WILL listen.

I have had the kick me sign on for years and wear it proudly, I am involved , though I do not post often, I am always lurking to see what members feel we need.... I am on several of the committees..... I will post my responses to the questionaire that KCBS send out... I hope that is ok with Phil....

Instructions: Please answer each question. Provide a brief and concise answer to each of the following questions. Your answers will be published in the KCBS Bullsheet and on the KCBS Web site.

1.Please describe the skills you possess (which you believe are stronger than the other candidates) which would make you an asset as a board member, in dealing with the challenges facing KCBS, and give an example of how those skills would serve the KCBS board of Directors and its membership.

I have been a leader in many charity and non charity organizations; I have a large interest in BBQ as it is my passion. I know most of the players who are influential and are willing to help and advice, I have been a board member of the local California BBQ association since its inception, I am a doer and will work my hardest to obtain the goals that we set at the board level, I will work with the membership to see what and where they feel we need to go as a National organization. Members need a voice.

2. If you are a Cook, Judge, Rep or Backyard Cook, please identify the major KCBS issues concerning, one of areas in which you are involved. Describe the major issue, your strategies to correct or improve the issue, and what you see as the biggest challenge to the success of your plan.

Some may not agree with me but, I want to work to make meetings open to members to listen in on (on their own dime) (exception= personnel matters) I will work to make the financials open to any member to see (it is their money; they should know how it is spent). I will also work with members having a phone line and my number available for members to call who have issues that they want to talk about and get assistance with.

3. Identify your major short term goal and the major long term goal, if elected to the Board of KCBS and your plan to implement change or improvement in order to carry out each of thesegoals.
Short term: I would like to see the membership get information ASAP on what is going on at the board level. I would also like to see a more regional support group, we have different issues in various parts of the Country and it would be nice to have the support of a more local board member working with the membership who may be able to relate to the problem.

Long term: I would like to see a chat room where we will have board members available to respond to membership questions without having to wait forever.



4. If elected please explain “your level of commitment, time and energy” for committee projects and monthly reports, board meetings and attendance, as well as representing KCBS to the public and being responsive to our members.

I would not put my hat in the ring if I did not intend to participate at the level needed to be an asset to the organization, I will if elected be at the meetings, talk to the membership, run my committee, have my reports to the Board and the Membership ready and on time. I will do whatever it takes to make this a better organization to be a member of.

5. Please describe your participation in KCBS activities and years of experience.

1. I have been an Organizer of contests for more than 10 years.
2. I have been a Rep for 10 years.
3. I am a Judging class instructor.
4. I was the KCBS State rep for California, Arizona and Nevada when the program existed
5. I am a member of the KCBS committee for Reps.
6. I am a member of the KCBS committee for new ideas
7. I am a Master Judge
8. I have been competing for over 10 years

6. Please explain why you want to be a member of the KCBS Board.

I feel that it is my responsibility to help the Organization that supports my passion; I love BBQ, the people and feel that it is a part of my life and would like the opportunity to make it more enjoyable and help it to grow even more over the next 3 years if elected.

My phone number is (619) 520-5741
My e-mail is gene01@cox.net


Feel free to contact me if you would like more information.
Gene Goycochea

From the KCBS website:
KCBS post 2009 Board Nominees

November 1, 2008


The following members have been nominated as candidates for the 2009 BOD elections:

Sonny Ashford NE
Mike Budai KS
Thom Emery CA
Gene Goycochea CA
Don Harwell SC
Wayne Lohman TN
Merl Whitebook OK

We will be posting the election questionnaires on the web site and in the Bullsheet at the end of the month.