Thom -- why weren't you featured in this month's Bullsheet? I don't think I saw your bio or questionnaire in there.
It will be in next months.
Here you go.
1. I believe that the strongest skills I possess are team building and problem solving. As CBBQA past president and board member, I helped change the organization of the association from one that was lead by one person to one that was a collaborative group effort. In addition, I have a very active leadership role in my church and have served as a founding member and past president of a local service club. In each of these ventures I have worked with volunteers, paid staff and outside vendors in setting and reaching goals. As a KCBS board member, it is my hope that I would be able to use these skills to promote more collaboration among the KCBS board members toward reaching long-term comprehensive goals.
2. As a cook, judge and contest organizer, I have found that one of the major issues facing the KCBS is the civility or lack thereof of the board members. This issue affects all levels of the sport because the KCBS board is setting the direction in which we are moving. Currently the board seems content to remain divided and fight every issue, no matter how small or trivial. We are facing a transition as our sport continues to grow, and though it is true that we will face growing pains, surely we can do better than acting divisively. I believe we will be able to move past this era of dissention by showing each other the respect we deserve and listening to each other. It will be hard to change the past ways of the board as old habits die hard, but I believe that my involvement will be beneficial.
3. I see the continued expansion of events and the further improvement of the KCBS website should be among the major goals of the KCBS board. The improvement of the KCBS website is something that can be accomplished in the immediate time frame by adding a Members Only area with an event-centered informational forum in which members will be able to talk directly with event organizers and find out contest specifics (this will not be a forum for chitchat). The continued expansion of KCBS events can be accomplished in the long run through the nurturing of new organizers with events such as the organizers round table like the one that I conducted in Mesquite, NV.
4. If elected to the board I would be very committed in both time and energy to the projects of the board as well as relations with the public and members. As a member of the CBBQA as board member and past president, I did not miss any board meetings. Also at one point I was a moderator for six different barbeque forums. I really enjoy being active in the BBQ community and will maintain this level of activity as a board member.
5. I have been involved in the KCBS as a cook, contest organizer and judge (CBJ# 7988 ) for the last six years.
6. Competition barbeque is in a wonderful time of expansion and I would love to give back to barbeque by serving the membership in this season with honest, team-oriented and unselfish devotion to the greater good of the sport.
