Corey Linton

1. Why do you want to be a member of the KCBS Board of Directors?
   It is as simple as I want to give back to KCBS and help Contest Organizers. 15 years ago, I started as a KCBS Contest Organizer knowing nothing about KCBS, the sport of competition barbeque or how to organize a sanctioned BBQ contest . KCBS was by my side in the early years, helping guide me through the entire process. Over the subsequent years, I have become a resource for all organizers and I believe KCBS would benefit to have an organizer’s point of view on their Board of Directors.
    
2. Identify the major issues ( Cook, Judge, Organizer, Rep or Backyard Cook) in which you are involved.
   The main issue I see as an Organizer is the lack of networking. Over the years, I have reached out to contest organizers, asking to share and exchange my team contact list with their team contact list. A small number of organizers chose to share their contact list with me, which I truly appreciate. However, the majority of organizers did not reply, or if they did, they refused to share their team contact list with me . With so many contests dropping, and other contests losing their core teams, many organizers may need to connect with other organizers. In my opinion, this would help build team contacts, sponsor contacts, judge contacts, rental contacts, and other event details. Our organizer collective goal should be to organize the best KCBS contest we can, not to isolate one another.
    
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.
   In our era, technology should become a more useful tool for those in the BBQ world . Sanctioning a contest online, instead of through a paper process. Providing organizers, teams, and judges the online tools to register for multiple contests at one time. This could be through the KCBS web site and /or a KCBS App, with an online payment option, mutually benefiting both teams and organizers. Providing organizers another platform to promote their contest and connect with other organizers. Utilizing a texting format to distribute individual team standings, and other general information from contests . Mass text updates from KCBS, or give the organizer the ability to send out a mass contest text, to teams, judges, reps, and volunteers My long term goal associated with using technology is to shrink the BBQ world allowing everyone to network quicker and more efficiently.
    
4. The KCBS Board of Directors is a working board that spends 10-20 hours and possibly more per month in furthering the mission of KCBS depending on your role as a member of the board. If elected, please explain “ Your level of Commitment, Time and Energy “ in your role as a director.
   My passion is KCBS and the sport of barbecue. Over my 15 years as a KCBS member, I have been able to incorporate the barbecue community into my work schedule and life. I am an active organizer of one of the largest KCBS contests in the Midwest, Smoke in the Spring. I have served on the KCBS Judge Committee and the KCBS Sanctioning Committee , as an Organizer representative . I am the Co-Organizer of the 2020 KCBS World Invitational. I presented at the Organizers Session of the 2020 KCBS Conference (Jan), and will again present at the Organizers Session at the conference in November. I have volunteered at many BBQ contests I have judged several BBQ contests . I like to visit BBQ contests to build a personal connection, while recruiting a new team or visiting with one of my BBQ team friends. I enjoy experiencing other BBQ contests, because you never know where you will find new ideas.
    
5. List how you have participated in KCBS and for how long?
   I have been a KCBS member for 15 years. During those 15 years, I have been a contest organizer. The contest I organize is Smoke in the Spring, Osage City, KS. I have grown the contest in to one of the largest KCBS contests in the Midwest. Starting at around 40 teams, and continuing over the last 5 years we have had 100+ teams, from 10-12 different states, including in a team registered from Canada and a Rep-In-Training from Australia.
   
   I served as the Organizer Representative, on the KCBS Judge Committee and the KCBS Sanctioning Committee each for one full year, but different years. I was the presenter in the Organizer Session, at the January 2020 KCBS Conference. I will present again at this year’s Organizer Session, at the November 2020 Conference. I am the Co-Organizer of the KCBS World Invitational BBQ Contest, November 2020. I have helped mentor numerous contests, by providing information and guidance, along with what to expect with setting up a sanctioned BBQ contest.
    
6. What skills do you possess that might help the KCBS Board of Directors in its mission, ie, Accounting, Legal, Marketing, etc.? How do you see using these skills as a KCBS Board of Director member?
   I am an event /program planner /organizer, as the Parks and Recreation Director in Osage City, KS. Cultivating an event /program from the initial idea, following it through to the very end, and then reflecting on what worked and did not work at the event is my job. I am prompt in my communication to the public, teams, judges, and reps I am used to being criticized by the public, but I understand how to use the criticism and spin it into a positive outcome. During my 15 years as a KCBS organizer, I have collaborated with teams, judges, reps, other organizer , and board of director members I look forward in doing what I can to help the sport of barbecue.