Q&A Excerpt

I was asked this question in January 2007. It was published in my January 2007 ChessCafe.com column.

Why did you decide to run in the next USCF Executive Board election?

I love chess and I cannot stand by while US Chess and the USCF suffer from the unprofessional conduct of some of its officers. We have to do better and gain back lost sponsors and supporters. Drastic changes are in order for this federation to move in the right direction.

With four open seats, the future of the USCF depends on the upcoming Executive Board election. The USCF is one of the most important chess organizations in the United States. It is supposed to be a role model for other groups. For positive change to happen, the members must vote in the most qualified candidates with the highest level of professionalism.

We need strong leadership to rally the entire membership. That is why I decided to run and that is also why I asked some of the most qualified people to help. I cannot do it alone. It takes a team of people in order to be successful.

I searched for people with specific talents and a passion for chess, who have the integrity, professionalism, and experience to do what is right for US Chess and the USCF.

Paul Truong: He is a very unique individual, with an incredibly inspiring life story. His ethics, integrity and passion for chess is second to none. He is also one of the most knowledgeable people in chess marketing and PR. Paul has been the mastermind behind many of the incredible projects for the Susan Polgar Foundation and he is my most trusted advisor. Without proper and professional marketing and PR, chess will go nowhere and no sponsorship will come. He will be instrumental in restoring the good reputation of the USCF in order to increase revenues through additional memberships, sponsorships and advertising, etc.

Dr. Mikhail Korenman: He is well-respected by many and he has certainly proven himself in many areas. He was the mastermind behind the Chess for Peace project and is a member of the USCF Scholastic Council. He has the experience, talent and passion to help the USCF. We need strong cooperation between adult, college and scholastic chess, and Dr. Korenman has the perfect personality and demeanor to succeed in this area.

NM Randy Bauer: He has been actively involved as a chess player, coach, director, writer, editor, and elected state and national representative for over thirty years. He is a life member of the USCF, a national master, former Iowa state champion and Minnesota junior, junior high and senior high champion. As a competitor, he has won over thirty Grand Prix tournaments. Randy has over twenty years professional experience in budget and finance, including nearly seven years as budget director for the State of Iowa. During that time, the State received multiple national awards for innovation and excellence in its budget processes and financial reporting.

As I mentioned last month, the new candidates must be able to:

* Restore the respectability and credibility of the USCF.
* Restore a balanced budget.
* Restore the strong cooperation between adult, collegiate, youth and scholastic chess. The USCF needs to support and promote all its membership categories.
* Recognize that the USCF is in need of Professional Marketing.

It is up to us to take back control of the USCF. The members have the power to elect the best people to fix the problems.