Running for BOD against a group ticket?

[YankeeBBQ]

Originally Posted by Leatherheadiowa

Vinny, you are most likely very right. I just hate for KCBS be another good ol boys, my name is, don't you know who I am club.

Originally Posted by Leatherheadiowa

As a candidate for the KCBS BOD I wanted some input on running. This morning as I went through Facebook updates of what all happened at the Jack and other weekend contests I noticed that a group of four individuals have decided to run as a group ticket. This is what I read, "Regrettably wired bbq had some technical issues this weekend so we were not able to make our live announcement. Four of us have decided to run as a ticket for the KCBS board of directors. We all share the goal of making the actions of the BOD more transparent and more accessible to the general membership. Please use your 4 votes to elect Steve Farrin, Jeff Stith, George Mullins and Dave Compton."

I thought that it was an interesting concept but to me and a couple other small team competitors like myself thought that this strategy to run as a group was very similar to what the KCBS BOD looks like now.
I only know Dave Compton personally and I have spoken to him recently about his ideas for the board and I believe he can lend a great deal to the BOD. I don't personally know the others but I believe they are outstanding people and wouldn't do anything to diminish the KCBS as it currently stands.
I just wonder if the campaigning on message boards,paid advertising in the Bull Sheet, and swaying from my reasoning for running for the board is actually worth it when put up against a group.
I feel like a political candidate that has all the right answers with support from like minded people, but without:the finances, the right forum handle, wrong last name, not enough GC's, not owning a bbq establishment, or one of many other socioeconomic variables that I seem to be short of. This seems to be similar to modern politics and what people don't want.
It appears that the only things I have going for me is my love of bbq, the fact I want my son and future generations to enjoy the art of bbq, consistency in bbq education, and a more open and transparent KCBS.
I wonder what the opinions of others relating to this are. Go it alone until the election results are read, or withdraw and spend the time with my family?

I'm sorry you see something nefarious in 4 ppl with a common goal getting together to improve our organization. In my view your trying to make this look like something its not is more akin to what goes on in modern politics then anything we have done. You probably have more in common with the 4 of us than you know but rather than trying to get to know us you've decided to label us as the good ole boys. I wish you luck in the election and ask you to keep this about the issues and not about false perceptions.

Steve Farrin

[Jeff Hughes]

Originally Posted by Leatherheadiowa

I agree they all seem to be great guys but, none of them walk in my shoes as a competitor that competes in 8-16 contests each year, judge 2-6 contests each year, work full time, and then try to create a well rounded son.
The BOD needs people like Jeff, Steve, Dave, and George, but they could use someone lime me too. Adding four people that are like minded made add some transparency to the BOD but you are in the same situation you are in now, a group of buddies that play together and stay together.

You don't know much about these guys do you?

[swamprb]

Why not just come out here and introduce yourself? Give me a name to recognize before I make a decision. I am familiar with the 4 mentioned.
I cook far more PNWBA events than KCBS and the Bullsheet is pretty irrelevant to me (unless I'm interested in Bob Lyons Pacific Northwest column-NOT!)

I'm still pissed about the Pork Collars!!

Brian Moriarty
PNWBA Board Member

[ThomEmery]

There are what 10 candidates ?
This is no automatic thats for sure

[Leatherheadiowa]

I know one personally, Dave Compton. I couldn't say a bad word about him if I tried. I can't say a bad thing about anyone running. My point is that four people running collectively isn't nefarious. It is four guys with " a common goal". Four guys a common goal. How about three guys with a common goal, one guy with similar ideas but the one guy wants to preserve bbq for his son, his nephew, and everyone else's kids? four guys replacing four people that the others have made to sound unable to be individual voices.
That makes me an outsider and not worthy?
I guess I need to look for votes outside of this forum.

[ThomEmery]

If your looking for votes maybe you should share your name
Just sayin

[Leatherheadiowa]

Over the past several months I have had a chance to experience a great deal in life. One of those moments occurred days after cooking at KCBS contest at the Cass County Fairgrounds in Weeping Water, Nebraska. On August 25th at age 34 I suffered a massive heart attack that should have killed me right then and there. While in the ICU in a Des Moines, Iowa hospital I had some time to think about the thing I like in life, the things I love in life, and the things I do in life because I feel obligated, and those things that I have just always done.
Of all the things in life that I love including my family, friends, and my church, I realized that barbeque and the barbeque family I have known for the last 12 years ranks right up there and the fact that the family and friends that I love and adore enjoy the barbeque life opened my eyes to becoming a leader on the KCBS board.

I wouldn't wish my unfortunate health issues on anyone but, an eye opener is an eye opener. The fact that my eight year old Carson loves to barbeque as much, if not more than I do made me decide that now is the time to run for the KCBS Board of Directors.

The past and current board members have done a great job in building on many of the points of the KCBS mission statement but I feel that I can be an amazing voice in building on the KCBS mission statement, and I know I can bring personalized knowledge and attention to the teaching and preservation points in the mission statement that are going to be so very critical to the future members of the KCBS like my eight year old son Carson, my barbequing 4 year old nephew Peyton, and my teammate's newborn son Brock.

I believe that through some new efforts that I would like to champion through KCBS that the organization could grow the membership base every year for generations to come. I also believe that the teaching aspect of barbeque is an important facet of maintaining interest in barbeque. Just a few years back NASCAR was the hottest show on earth, growing leaps and bounds and things couldn't have been better. Just a few years later NASCAR has hit the proverbial brick wall and there are empty seats, shortened race seasons, teams disappearing, and drivers going from racing on Sundays to selling used cars Monday through Saturday. I don't want to see anything like what NASCAR has had happen to them happen to KCBS.
The economy can be blamed for a lot of things including the incidental spending by the general public, reduced spending by barbeque teams and contest organizers.
For most competition teams like the one I am a part of, we realize breaking even is a great thing and coming out ahead is even better. We continue to compete because WE LOVE BARBEQUE!
The reason I bring up the socioeconomic conditions is that, if we (barbeque lovers) don't find new and innovative ways to overcome these adversities barbeque as we know it could change for the worse. I believe that my addition to the KCBS Board of Directors would be a great way of attacking these issues proactively instead of waiting for them to happen and then having to react which is also much more stressful and typically very costly.
I also want to address remedial education for current judges, member benefits, and meeting transparency. You can hear about these issues in my announcement video.
Finally, over the next three and a half months I would like to get to know as many KCBS members as possible and would appreciate any, and all of your questions, comments, and KCBS platform ideas and I will respond to each of you in a timely manner. For up to date information and answers to others comments please visit my candidacy Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/BJ-Hof...89380814423633
I look forward to getting to know you all better and hope I can earn your votes!

Respectfully,

BJ Hoffman

[speedrcer1]

I will take each candidate as an individual and vote accordingly.
I will NOT be voting for a block and I strongly recommend the same for others.
If you feel strong with what you can contribute, continue your run.

Best of luck.

[Leatherheadiowa]

Thanks a bunch. I think every candidate has something to offer in the improvement of the KCBS BOD. I believe that as a judge that judges and a competitor that is like most competitors I could represent people like me best. An 18' enclosed trailer, homemade bunkbeds, a couple Country Smokers, and love of BBQ is what I am, and who I want to represent.

[White Dog BBQ]

Originally Posted by Leatherheadiowa

Thanks a bunch. I think every candidate has something to offer in the improvement of the KCBS BOD. I believe that as a judge that judges and a competitor that is like most competitors I could represent people like me best. An 18' enclosed trailer, homemade bunkbeds, a couple Country Smokers, and love of BBQ is what I am, and who I want to represent.

I don't know you BJ, so I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I think you are presenting the wrong image to potential voters. Quite frankly, it's coming off as whining.

You have a compelling story. You are clearly passionate about BBQ. Stick to that and don't worry about what the other candidates are doing. Yes, four candidates have elected to run as a team. So what? Nothing says that if someone votes for one of them they have to vote for the other three. Quite frankly, I suspect there will be a lot of ticket splitting. But if you focus on negativity and questioning the motives of other candidates, I think you're going to have a hard time developing support.

Erik

[Leatherheadiowa]

I respect your opinion. I guess I was overwhelmed by the fact of group campaigning. I have a great deal to offer to the casual KCBS members, as well as people that compete on a budget, and everyone that LOVES BBQ as much as I do!
Individuals and their ideas will be the way that the future of the KCBS will be driven and differing opinions and ideas will make that drive very interesting.

[Cue's Your Daddy]

You keep saying that the 4 candidates have the same views and will have the same good old boy persona. I find that to be totally untrue. I don't know any of these candidates on a personal level but I know them from being on the bbq brethren for WAY TO MANY YEARS. If u go back and read some topics that have been discussed in the past you will see that they do not have similar views all the time but just similar goals. I compete against steve farin and I know him but he has no clue who I am. Which is fine. But to say he follows a crowd is WAY off. Steve doesn't hold back in his comments. He is not affraid to say it like it is. And I have actually scene posts where steve and jeff stith don't agree on things and neither back down but they get there points out there. And I would definitely say they both have deferentt views, but once again all for the same goals. George to me is very level headed, even tho I may be very well off on that lololol. If you look at how he responds to posts its always in a cival way and always trys to understand what the poster is saying before commenting on a topic. I also know that when talking to Poobahs wife once, she made the point that there are very few people who SHE would say that SHE would offer a place in my house to and who care about phil. And she mentioned george as one of those people. I amnot going to mention the other people because it doesn't pertain to this story. IWas one of them YEAH BABY LOLOL. Dave Compton unfortunately I know nothing about but from what I read seems like the right person.
whenu vote for the president of the United States what do you really know about the candidate. Where do u get your info from. The media. Let's be honest. And the views of the candidates are usually scewed to what media is analyzing the candidate. With this forumyou can search on different topics and get a true understanding of the candidate. As of now I will vote for steve, george and jeff. I don't know much about dave yet but will research him. Seems like he is someone who is right for the job.

[CBQ]

LOL. Steve Farrin a good 'ole boy for KCBS? No way. These guys are running on a "ticket" because they want to really change the perception that the KCBS Board is a good 'ole boy network operating behind closed doors. I don't think you could find a more open and straighforward group of people.

That said: four people are running on a ticket? So what? If you have something to say, go ahead and run. I just wouldn't jump to conclusions about these guys based on how they are running.

[Jorge]

This is pretty simple for those that don't understand the point of Jeff, Steve, Dave, and myself running together. We have many common views about the direction we'd like to see KCBS move. And being far from having membership in the Good Ole Boys Club, we concluded that the four of us working together could more effectively spread that message to the voting membership. Nothing shady, underhanded, or an attempt at a play for power. That being said, we do know each other, and feel that if elected we can work together with each other and others to try to make a positive difference. The four of us were busy with a trip to Lynchburg for the past week to ten days. Now that we are home we will start addressing the issues that we collectively and individually feel are important.

In the future if ANYONE has questions about my motives or character they may feel free to contact me personally. Beyond that I intend to campaign based solely on the issues.

[rweller]

Originally Posted by speedrcer1

I will take each candidate as an individual and vote accordingly.
I will NOT be voting for a block and I strongly recommend the same for others.
If you feel strong with what you can contribute, continue your run.

Best of luck.

I agree, I will be voting on who I think can do the best job not on a block of candidates.