Nominating Committee Candidates for USFA Office

[Greg_D]

There have been a number of requests for a platform from the group of officers proposed by the nominating committee. This is a response to that request.

To reiterate a few points about the nominating committee process… The nominating committee selects each of the six officer positions independently. Unlike the USFFC group, we were not put together by a single person, sharing that individual’s goals and vision. Rather, we went to the nominating committee as individuals, with our own experience and background and our own ideas about how to run the organization and what we believed would be the correct direction for US Fencing between 2008 and 2012.

As a result, we never came together as a group to formalize our agenda and proposed methods of implementation. We are in the process of doing that now, but it will take some time to complete. Our intention is to present a set of positions by the first week of April, including both goals for the next quad and those matters that must be tackled immediately. We are, of course, paying special attention to the fiscal health of the organization in both our short and long term thinking. We’ll continue to develop these positions into a draft strategic plan that we’ll present to the membership.

Should you have ideas that you believe should be incorporated into those plans please contact one of us directly or email us at usfanominees@gmail.com. We welcome your ideas and feedback.

Regards,

Kalle, Jerry, Ro, Mark, Greg and Brad
(Brief biographies follow in separate posts)

[Greg_D]

Kalle’s USFA activities began as her children began to fence competitively in New Jersey and at national events, though she did fence briefly at Smith College. She has served as the NJ division secretary and newsletter editor, and in a variety of roles at local, division, and national tournaments. In 2001 she was appointed as the chair of the Tournament Committee. During her tenure as chair, among many other activities, the committee has established scheduling and venue selection criteria and is exploring options for different tournament management technology. Venues are now selected earlier, and multi-year contracts are in place, which lead to cost savings for the organization. As TC chair she is an advisory member of the Executive Committee. She also works with the Tournament Configuration Task Force, a group that is looking into revised rating systems and alternative ways to provide additional and enhanced fencing opportunities for fencers at all levels. Kalle was the manager of the 2002 world team in Lisbon and a member of the 2007 Pan American Zonal Championships Directoire Technique. She received the 2007 USFA Service Award.

Kalle holds a doctorate in education from Harvard University; she has taught first and second grades, served as a supervisor of language arts, and was the Director of Test Development at the Educational Testing Service. At ETS she managed a staff of 250, which was responsible for the development of the SAT, GRE, GMAT, TOEFL and Praxis test questions. In addition, she served as the test development coordinator responsible for overseeing the design and implementation of the first nationally administered computer-delivered test, Praxis I, a test for teachers. Kalle is currently co-owner and executive director at The Gramon Family of Schools, where over 250 staff members work with 300-plus students. Two of the programs serve students with emotional disabilities while the other two address the needs of students on the autism spectrum; fencing classes are held for students at two of the schools. The schools have more than doubled in size over the past six years, providing Kalle with ample experience in managing growth and change. She is a member of the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges Traditional Reports Advisory Committee, and a frequent chair of accreditation visiting teams.

[Greg_D]

Jerry has been an active member of the USFA for over 25 years and received the USFA Service award in recognition of his service to the membership. He owns the Redlands Fencing Center in Oklahoma City, and has also started and turned over to his coaches four other clubs in Oklahoma. Jerry is a USFCA and AAI certified fencing master who has served as a national coach, traveling with US teams, including the US Paralympic teams, to international competitions. He was the chair of the Certification and Accreditation Board of the USFCA when the certification process was revised, codified, and made transparent for certified US coaches. At Coaches College Jerry taught the Business of Fencing. Jerry is a nationally rated referee with international experience at both able body and wheelchair world cups. As an FOC certified instructor he has developed a Sectional level program for recruiting, training and supporting referees. Jerry also has served as the chair of the Clubs, Divisions and Sections Committee, on the tournament task force, and as a member of the USFA Board of Directors.

Prior to becoming active in fencing Jerry owned a marketing and management consulting firm, working with small and medium sized companies to assist them with expansion, growth, and the marketing of their products and services. He also taught Basic Business Accounting at a vo-tech school and assisted in students’ job placements.

[Greg_D]

Ro Sobalvarro is the head coach of the Twin Cities Fencing Club in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he works with athletes at all ages and levels. He has developed national and international level competitors in all three weapons. Ro is a member of the national coaching staff and a former U.S. National Coach. He is currently Vice President of the USFA, has been a member of the Board of Directors, and of numerous USFA committees including the Tournament Committee, the International Committee, the Youth Committee and the Coaches Committee.

Ro lives in St. Paul with his wife Kathy, a physician, and twelve year old son Jamie.

[Greg_D]

In the past 39 years Mark has been associated with the Fencing Association as a volunteer, officer, coach and competitor. He has served as Division Chair for Inland Empire and then the Utah Southern Idaho Division for 18 years. He was the Pacific Northwest Section Chair for 19 years and a member of the Board of Directors for 16 years. Mark’s service also includes many years as a member and as chair of the Tournament Committee. He currently serves as a member of the Fencing Officials Commission, and has been a testing official for the past 16 years.

In 1986 Mark received his Provost Certificate in foil, epee and saber in Basel, Switzerland. From 1981 to 1991 he ran and coached the fencing program at Brigham Young University. He has organized and run numerous NACs and Nationals Championships

Currently Mark resides in Orem, Utah, with his wife Amy and their five children. He has worked in the field of health and wellness for the past 8 years.

[Greg_D]

Greg began fencing in January of 1985 at the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, TX and continued fencing at Texas A&M University (College Station, TX) and then later at Lone Star Fencing Center (Dallas, TX), Seacoast Fencing Club (Manchester, NH), and the Fencing Academy of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA). He primarily fenced right-of-way weapons, never at a national level. His highest levels (many years ago) were to get a “B” in saber and “C” in foil. Greg was the president of the A&M Fencing club twice (89/90 and 91/92) and was chair of the Southwest section twice (94/95 and 95/96). He has been an active national referee since 1993, having refereed Division I finals in all three weapons at least once. Greg has a “1” in foil, a “2” in epee, and a “3” in saber and holds FIE "B" referee ratings in foil and epee. He has been on the FOC, as secretary, since the 04/05 season. In the 90’s, Greg was a member of the USFA board of directors when the “big” board was still in place. More recently, he has been a board member since the 2004/5 season as a representative from the Congress.

Outside of fencing, Greg has a BS in Economics from Texas A&M University in College Station, TX and an MBA from Babson College in Wellesley, MA. He began his career in the financial services industry, working as a representative for Fidelity Investments where he was a National Association of Securities Dealers licensed representative and supervisor. Since moving away from dealing in securities directly he has allowed these licenses to lapse. After leaving financial services he was involved with corporate equity compensation for over five years – acting as both a vendor at Fidelity and Wachovia and as an in-house manager of equity programs for Tyco Electronics. Greg has recently started to work as the Manager of HR Global Programs for UTC Fire & Security (a United Technologies Company). In this role he has global responsibilities for a number of projects dealing with compensation, benefits, policies, and procedures.

[Greg_D]

Bradley Baker holds a BS degree from Johns Hopkins with a double major in Computer Science and Mathematical Sciences. For the past four seasons he has been the assistant fencing coach at Temple University, a top-10 Division I NCAA program, where he is responsible for the epee and sabre squads, as well as many team-related administrative duties. Brad additionally serves as adjunct faculty in the Kinesiology Department, teaching physical education classes in fencing and badminton.

Brad is an active points list-level competitor in men’s sabre, as well as a national and international referee in all three weapons. For the past three seasons he has served as a Regional Youth Coordinator and joined the FOC at the start of the current season. He was the Chair of North Atlantic Section for three seasons, 2002-2005, the latter two of which he was also the Sectional Representative to the USFA Board of Directors. Since leaving the Section, he has annually been elected to the Board as an at-large Representative from the Congress.

Brad currently lives in Pennsauken, NJ, with his wife Tyler.

[ivlobane]

Thank you, now it's easier to compare the slates.

[seven6ty]

I'd send an email, it's so simple and been said so many times now, it's hardly new. Anyways, the very first thing that concerns me is online registration for membership and competitions. Why in the heck has the USFA been so incompetent that they haven't been able to accomplish this one goal so far, and where does it stand on this committee's list of goals?

[the doc]

Whilst reading those bios, I wondered what their thoughts on the prospect of world peace are and is there going to be a swimsuit section?

[MyrddinsPrecint]

(Brief biographies follow in separate posts)

Sir, what you overlooked in certain bios is that both Mr. Dilworth and Mr. Baker are dead sexy.

[Peach]

Sir, what you overlooked in certain bios is that both Mr. Dilworth and Mr. Baker are dead sexy.

Oh, dear. Whut? My mind is boggled.

[jjefferies]

Sir, what you overlooked in certain bios is that both Mr. Dilworth and Mr. Baker are dead sexy.

Definitely a qualification for office these days.
Ooooh, I better watch it. There are republicans here.

[KD5MDK]

Oh, dear. Whut? My mind is boggled.

Tyler obviously thought that statement was at least half right.

[Inquartata]

Sir, what you overlooked in certain bios is that both Mr. Dilworth and Mr. Baker are dead sexy.

What? You are into necrophilia?!

[notalent]

What? You are into necrophilia?!

Low hanging fruit old man. I expect better from someone of your age and acerbic nature.

[HDG]

Low hanging fruit old man. I expect better from someone of your age and acerbic nature.

He did get to use a faux-Greek neologism.

[Inquartata]

Low hanging fruit old man. I expect better from someone of your age and acerbic nature.

Never you mind about how low my fruit hang, Mr. Prurient Interest!

[Mr Epee]

we went to the nominating committee as individuals, with our own experience and background and our own ideas about how to run the organization and what we believed would be the correct direction for US Fencing between 2008 and 2012.

As a result, we never came together as a group to formalize our agenda and proposed methods of implementation. We are in the process of doing that now, but it will take some time to complete.

Kalle, Jerry, Ro, Mark, Greg and Brad
(Brief biographies follow in separate posts)

I very much appreciate what Greg has take the time to publish here, but I'm confused by the way this is framed.

As Greg points out, the individuals selected by the NomCom were selected as individuals. Why then would they be putting together what is essentially a party platform? At this point, I don't see the need for a bunker mentality of them against us... since the "us" doesn't really exist.

Since this is an issue of individuals, it seems to me that individual statements of goals and priorities are much more relevant than simply agreeing on a common ideology.

[Peach]

As Greg points out, the individuals selected by the NomCom were selected as individuals. Why then would they be putting together what is essentially a party platform?

Well, not a platform, but at least at this point some information about the people nominated. And why is it being presented? Because the alternative slate and a number of the posters here have been demanding more information and at times implying that the dearth of information implied something. While I'm as paranoid as the next guy (well, maybe not, since this is fencing), I think I'll choose the Occam's Razor explanation.