2017 Minnesota State Chess Association

Election for the Executive Board

Each year the Minnesota State Chess Association (MSCA) holds an election for vacant and expired seats on the Executive Board. Each member is elected for a two year term. There are seven members of the board. Alternately three or four members are elected by the general membership of the MSCA. Any current MSCA member is eligible to vote. Official election date is at the Annual membership meeting held in conjunction with the Minnesota Open each February. This year’s meeting is on Friday, February 17, 6:00 PM, at the Crowne Plaza Northstar in Minneapolis, the site of the Minnesota Open.

Board members David Kuhns, Dan Voje, Chris Kalina and Nathan Hoover are up for re-election.

Instructions:

Print and clip the ballot below or download the PDF ballot, and vote for up to four candidates. Place the ballot in an unmarked envelope and seal the envelope. Place that envelope in a mailing envelope, and on the back of the outside envelope print legibly and sign your name and include your USCF or MSCA ID number. Mail to: Minnesota State Chess Association c/o Chess Castle, 1121 Jackson St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413, (OR bring it to the Chess Castle or to the Minnesota Open prior to the start of the membership meeting (5–6PM, February 17).

You must be a current member as of February 17. To check your membership status or to purchase or renew your membership on line at www.minnesotachess.org, or at the times and places stated above (Chess Castle or Minnesota Open).

Candidate Bios (PDF) and Election Ballot (PDF)

2017 MSCA Board Candidate Statements submitted by the candidates:

Chris Kalina (I): Chris Kalina is running for the board, but is electing not to submit a bio Daniel Voje (I): Daniel Voje is running for the board, but is electing not to submit a bio Nathan Hoover (I): I plan to use my knowledge and skills as an organizer, director, and player to help make chess the best in Minnesota.

David Kuhns (I): I have served on the board of directors of the MSCA for nearly 40 years, in a variety of positions, currently serving as president of our great organization. Accomplishments: 64 years as a chess player. 47 years as a tournament player. 44 years as a tournament director. Member of the US Chess Rules and Ratings Committees. Chairman of the US Chess Rules Committee. Organizer of the 1982 and 2000 US Open Chess Championships. Elected to the Minnesota Chess Hall of Fame. Received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the US Chess Federation. You all know who I am, and you all know that I have committed my time and energy to the betterment of Chess in Minnesota. I support all candidates running for the board of directors. I will not speak against any of them, as they all are persons with the same desire as myself: To support and encourage the play of chess at all levels, and to share our love for the game with you. When asked about my goals when comes to chess organization, I always reply: “To keep doing what I am doing for chess, until my life memberships expire… and don’t tell me when that is!”

Chuck Handlon: To the Minnesota State Chess Association Board, I would like to be run for a MSCA board position in 2017. My qualifications for board include a lifelong interest and passion for chess. This started in elementary school during the “Bobby Fischer” era and continued as a member of my high school varsity team. I have been the Century High School Chess Club advisor and coach since 2001. I have limited experience with United States Chess Federation tournaments but have brought a Century team to the MSCA State Tournament for over 15 years. Around 2001 the Rochester Area Scholastic Chess League was formed. I have been the Secretary – Treasurer. My responsibilities include the organization of RASCL funds, communication and press releases for events, ordering trophies and medals and being a liaison between the Rochester chess community and the Rochester Public Schools. I believe the skills I have developed working with Rochester chess for over 16 years are well suited to being a MSCA board member. I am hoping to use my contacts to promote and grow scholastic chess in Minnesota especially in “outstate” districts.

Donald Hooker Jr: I’m running for the board because of skills I can offer the MSCA as a coach and lifelong chess player. I am fascinated by how chess can mean different things to different people. Chess has changed my life, and my own perspectives on chess continue to evolve. I first learned how to play when I was three years old. I loved chess—it was a way I could use my imagination and pretend the little pieces were battling to the death. As a teenager, chess was an escape for me when I was feeling down or I wanted to do something fun. As an experienced chess coach of six years, I see chess as a vehicle for youths to build critical thinking skills, while raising their self-esteem. We are in the middle of a scholastic chess boom, and it is time to strike while the iron is hot. We need to make more youth friendly tournaments. I also think it is very important to emphasize rapid chess in a world where three out the five events on the Grand Chess Tour will be rapid tournaments. I have the passion and drive to lead this new age of MN chess.

Ian Stone: Hi! My name is Ian Stone and I’m a student at the U of MN studying genetics and Chinese. I’m running for the MSCA board because I want to commit more time to chess and to help our chess community continue to grow through promotion of the game. I have been playing in MSCA events since high school and I have dedicated a large part of my college career to helping the University of Minnesota Chess Team expand and flourish. Through my instigation of the Big Ten Chess League (BTCL), I have developed many chess contacts across the US and learned how to organize tournaments both online and in-person. These experiences led to my creation of the Golden Gopher Open tournaments, which had high participation rates and incorporated the talents of our top titled players in Minnesota. I hope to continue developing as a tournament organizer and being able to lend my fresh perspective to the Board to continue helping chess while improving my own game!

John Thomson: I am seeking a term on the MSCA board. I support the MSCA as a coach and work with the MSCA website and registration system. I support the Chess Castle on the board and the Castle website. I also assist with the High School League and the Junior High League websites. Occasionally I help out as a USCF local TD. Our outstate chess community also knows I am a supporter of outstate chess. However, it’s my 6 years’ experience as a public charter school board member that would be beneficial to the MSCA board. If I haven’t met you, please say hello at an upcoming event.

Eddie Wasserman: Chess has been a passion of mine for the last 5+ years, and the MSCA is responsible for many of the opportunities presented to me in the MN chess community. It would be an honor to help the MSCA in any way possible as gratitude for the positive experiences I have gotten in MN Chess. I have been one of the most active participants in MN chess events the last few years. I have started coaching as of 2015, teaching chess to kids in several different schools and motivating some of them to start playing in scholastic tournaments. My recent teaching experience has inspired me even more to participate in the overall function of our beloved chess community. With my activity in playing chess and my instructional experience, I can bring practical advice to the MSCA and help with issues that may affect the board and players that will keep the MN chess engine running as smoothly as possible. I appreciate your time reading my statement and hope you will consider me for the MSCA board.

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MSCA BOARD ELECTION BALLOT:

VOTE FOR UP TO THREE CANDIDATES

Minnesota State Chess Association Board of Directors Election February 2017

Vote for up to FOUR candidates:

( ) David Kuhns, incumbent
( ) Dan Voje, incumbent
( ) Chris Kalina, incumbent
( ) Nathan Hoover, incumbent
( ) Chuck Handlon
( ) Donald Hooker Jr.
( ) Ian Stone
( ) John Thomson
( ) Eddie Wasserman
( ) Write in ____________________________