2012 KCBS Board of Directors Election
Candidate: Dave Compton
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'm a KCBS Master CBJ and I've judged over 60 contests in the past 5 years. I've judged in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska and have spent Friday evening visiting at those contests at least two thirds of the time. I've been an ambassador to the cooking teams for the judges and I've tried to bring the two groups closer together. I see things from the eyes of a CBJ and through the eyes of a cook, also.I'm not a Rep or an organizer, I don't write books or hold classes - in short, there is no way for me to make a penny off of my membership on the BoD. I'm running because of my love of BBQ and my desire to help our sport grow and flourish.
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.
One of the major issues that I have is the disconnect between judges and cooking teams (I refuse to call it "animosity"). There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of interaction between the two groups and I think that has to change for the betterment of our organization and sport. I'd like to get cooks and judges to meet in a social setting on Friday evening at a comp. Maybe a pot luck dinner, maybe a meet & greet in the judges' tent, maybe just some judges showing up wearing name tags & talking to some cooks.I really feel that the two groups have more in common than they do in differences - they're like the two sides of a coin: separate you don't have that much but together you have something of great value.
The biggest challenges to overcoming this problem are apathy and the "someone else can do it" attitude. If no one else is willing to step up and start things going then I will try to start it myself.
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 these goals.
I'm going to try my best to make the BoD more transparent and open to the members. I want to have all of the committee members' names listed, not just the BoD member who chairs the committee. I want the BoD to manage, not micro-manage, our organization - let the Bod tell the various committees what they want accomplished then let the committee fill in the blanks on how to do It.We've got a lot of very talented members out there - let's utilize their knowledge to help our KCBS. I'm sure that we can find plenty of members who would love to have the chance to serve on one of the committees, let's give them that opportunity to do so.
My major long term goal is to get a continuing education program going so that all judges are taught the same and are trained the same no matter who taught their class or where it was. I also want to get a program where all of the rule changes / updates / clarifications are sent to all members via an e-mail blast - that way we are all on the same page at the same time. This, in turn, would make the Reps job easier if everyone had the same info. Publishing in the Bullsheet is great and the Reps' Advisories are too - as far as they go. If KCBS can send you an e-mail about a T-shirt then they can send you info to keep you at the very top of your BBQ game.
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 feel that I'm able to give more time and commitment to the BoD than almost any of the other candidates because I'm retired. I plan on being available to the members by e-mail or cell phone almost every hour that I'm not sleeping or judging a BBQ contest. My level of commitment has been demonstrated by the number of contests that I've judged and the time and miles that it takes me to do that - I love BBQ!5. Please describe your previous participation in KCBS activities and years of experience.
I started out cooking with a friend of mine in mid-2006 and I took my judging class in early 2007. Since then I have volunteered at two other CBJ classes and have judged over 60 KCBS sanctioned BBQ contests, usually taking my travel trailer to a campground near the comp and visiting on Friday evening. I'm well-known in the Missouri / Iowa areas for having my two wheeled cooler full of smoked cheeses that I hand out while I'm visiting.6. Please explain why you want to be a member of the KCBS Board.
I feel that being a judge and a part time cook gives me a chance to represent the CBJs and the small time cook teams on the BoD. Like I said earlier: I don't sell books or teach classes, I've really got no way to have a conflict of interest on the BoD. Also, I'm 63 years old and I don't plan on this being a 20 year seat - if elected I won't run for more than two 3 year terms - period!If we can't see some positive improvement in three to six years then I've wasted your time and mine. I promise to do my best not to waste anyone's time.
