Inside the Boardroom

with

Barbara Nist

 

Las Vegas – Fall 2001

 

It is with great pleasure that I announce my 2002 lifetime appointments.  To the National Goodwill Committee, I have appointed Nadine Mc Innis who was nominated by her local unit for services to the East Kootenay area; Margaret Hinton for her outstanding services to player development on Vancouver Island; Paul McGough, member of the National Board of Governors from Whidbey Island; and Julien Levesque for arranging the benefit for 911 in addition to his services to the greater Vancouver area. Georgia and Jeff Farman are my appointees to the National Charity Foundation. District 19 is fortunate to have such outstanding volunteers.

 

Stephen Hosch, Past District 19 President, has been elected to a three-year term as First Alternate to the National Board of Directors and Don Mamula, Chairman of the National Board of Governors, has been elected to a three-year term as Second Alternate to the National Board of Directors.  District 19 is lucky to have these fine men participating at the National level.

 

 

As expected, Las Vegas was the largest Fall NABC ever with attendance of 16,818 tables in play.  The playing facilities were first rate.  Again our players have demonstrated their desire to travel to Nevada.  We are currently scheduled for Summer 2008 in Vegas and Spring 2004 and 2010 in Reno.

 

New CEO

 

Jay Baum has accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer of ACBL.  After an extensive search, the committee recommended to the BOD Mr. Baum.  Jay, a Gold Life Master, has been with the Omaha Visitor's and Convention Bureau for 28 years.  Mr. Baum was interviewed by the BOD and was unanimously approved as CEO.

 

 

Wayne Hascall, acting CEO and member of the BOD, has done an outstanding job volunteering his services and expertise.  I personally would like to thank Wayne and his lovely wife Joyce for all the time and effort that was given in our time of need.  Read the comments from ACBL Staff in this month's Bulletin regarding what a great leader Wayne has been.

 

Eric Kokish, expert bridge player, world-class writer, coach, theorist and long time volunteer, was honored as ACBL's 2002 Member of the Year.

 

Financial Issues

 

After significant losses in 1999 and 2000 (budgeted for with extra marketing and Easybridge money spent to stabilize ACBL membership), we are projected to make a profit of about $500,000 in 2001.  With record attendance in both Toronto and Las Vegas we had unbudgeted income and a one-time profit from the sale of our other building in Memphis.  The 2002 budget is a break even but includes sanction fee increases effective April 1, 2002.  TD Session Fee increases effective January 1, 2002 and a $1 per session increase in NABC entry fees.  No increase in membership dues. 

 

Duplicate Gin Rummy Proposal

 

The American Duplicate Gin Rummy Association presented a proposal for the Board's consideration whereby their company and the ACBL would become strategic partners.  The ACBL would provide record-keeping capabilities presently programmed and in place to track the standings and accomplishments of their online duplicate gin rummy game.

 

NABC Site Selection

 

Dallas, Texas has been approved for the Spring 2006 NABC at the Hyatt Regency March 29 through April 9.  Boston, Massachusetts has been approved for the Fall 2008 NABC at the Marriott Copley Place and the Westin Copley Place.

 

Vancouver should be getting a NABC approval in the next year.  Look for Spring 2008 or 2009.  Seattle will not be considered in the near future because they have priced themselves completely out of the market.

 

Alert Procedure

 

A new alert procedure has been approved and will be effective on March 1, 2002.  The changes are available on the website and in the Bulletin.  Management is authorized to make changes to the convention card to maintain agreement with the alert procedure.  It is expected that there will be no further changes to this alert procedure prior to January 1, 2005.

 

Masterpoint Recording Errors

 

Whenever an error in crediting masterpoints has been discovered and/or brought to management's attention, corrections shall be made as soon as possible.  This will not affect masterpoint races already completed or rank achieved already recognized.  A letter to the player(s) involved shall accompany the change if the adjustment is greater than ten masterpoints.

 

World Bridge Federation Membership Dues

 

A motion to reduce the membership dues from $.50 per member to $.30 per member was defeated.  While many of us felt that $.50 per member, which we had previously approved, was too high, we believed that WBF had prepared their budget knowing that we had supported a $.50 fee.

 

Masterpoint Increases

 

A motion to increase masterpoint awards by 20% for club games that start after 6 pm was defeated.

 

ACBL Recorder and NABC Appeals Book

 

The Board voted to retain Rich Colker as the ACBL Recorder on salary.  On a 13 to 12 vote the board voted to continue publishing the NABC Appeals Casebooks rather than just have them available on the website.

 

GNT and NAOP  

 

A motion to change the lowest flight for GNT and NAOP to 500 with no designation or reference to Non-Life Masters was defeated.  The change to 4 flights for the GNT was approved as a permanent feature of the GNT.

 

Inter-Club Championship Games

 

ACBL Management is authorized to sanction and conduct inter-club championships that are administered online but played live.  The masterpoint awards for this event are the same as inter-club championships administered manually. In addition to a club's regular club championships, the club may participate in an additional four (4) inter-club championships administered online.  A club may not use one or all of its regular, quarterly club championships to participate in inter-club championships administered electronically.

 

Mini-Spingold

 

Masterpoints awards for the Mini-Spingold will be 75 points for first place in the 0-1500 category and 100 points for first place in the 0-5000 category.  There will be no restriction in the number of days; the event will end as dictated by the total number of entries.

 

Red Ribbon Pairs

 

In 2002 the Red Ribbon Pairs will be conducted on the 2nd and 3rd full day of the Summer NABC concurrent with the second and third day of the Life Masters' Pairs.

 

Ranking in Membership Organizations

 

New members that have had memberships in other bridge organizations or continue to hold membership in other bridge organizations MUST report both that affiliation and the rank achieved.  Failure to report these will result in loss of any points or titles won that were not won in open events.  Such new members will not be eligible for events or races that are below the comparable rank that they have achieved in other organizations.

 

Senior Event Age Classifications and Stratum

 

Senior events may be stratified by age (55-65-75) or masterpoints by not both.  Stratification is limited to not more than 3 strata.  If stratified by age, the age of the younger person of a pair or the youngest member of a team will determine the strata.  If stratified by age, the masterpoint awards will be 80% for 55+, 70% for both 65+and 75+  Senior events may be held with minimum age restrictions of 55, 65, or 75.  Any two age-limited events may be held simultaneously.

 

Annual Senior Masterpoint Race

 

The Annual Senior Masterpoint Race shall be determined by points won in regionally-rated or higher Senior events for which any portion of the masterpoint award is red, gold and/or platinum.

 

Mini-Life Masters' Pairs

 

Management shall make arrangements to add two events to the Summer NABC schedule.  Each event will be conducted concurrent with the six-session Life Masters' Pairs.  One event is limited to Life Masters with no more than 1500 masterpoints and the other is limited to Life Masters with no more than 5000 masterpoints.  Except for the masterpoint restrictions, the conditions of contest of each event will be identical to the six-session Life Masters' Pairs.  The masterpoint award for both events will be calculated using the current formula for a Nationally rated event that has no pre-determined masterpoint award.  There is a cap on the first place award of 50 mps for the 1500 event and 75 mps for the 5000 event.

 

Snowbirds

 

Management will actively publicize and provide a simple procedure regarding a snowbird's option to remain a permanent member of one of the units in which he/she resides. 

 

New Member Rebates

 

New member rebates have been canceled.  There will be an incentive program provided to recruiters, but this particular program does not appear to be working and is costing ACBL a substantial amount of money annually.

 

Juniors

 

Student coupons will be given to those who have not had their twenty-second birthday or those that have offered proof that they are full time students and have not reached their twenty-sixth birthday.  Such proof shall be given in advance of entry purchase to the office of junior affairs.  The new coupons provide a $5.00 discount on entries purchased.

 

Expenses for a junior team NPC to accompany the junior team to Salt Lake City for the attraction arranged by the WBF to promote the entrance of bridge as a sport to the 2006 Olympics will be paid from the Junior Fund monies.

 

Reduced price student membership and benefits will be available only for students that reside in Zone 2 on a full time basis.  Exceptions are residents living abroad for full time schooling or children of parents that are full time residents, living abroad. 

 

The College Bridge Championship is discontinued.  The cost was prohibitive for the number of Colleges involved.

 

ACBL Associate Membership

 

Management will develop a class of membership for persons who are not residents or citizens of an ACBL country who do not reside in the geographical area of a chartered ACBL Unit or who are members of a National Contract Bridge Organization in a non-ACBL country.  Such members will have no "political" rights and may incur additional fees for some membership services.

 

Board of Directors' Expense Reimbursement

 

As the current financial crisis has passed, the stipend paid to the Director Members and the Chairman of the Board of Governors will be returned to the $750 per trimester previously awarded starting January 2002.

 

Board of Directors GNT Participation

 

Members of the BOD may now represent their districts at the National level of the GNT in evening sessions of the event as long as there is no officially scheduled board function.

 

Elections

 

I have been elected to another 3-year term as a member of the Education Foundation.  Currently District 19 is well represented on the Foundation.  Dudley Brown has been serving as President and I have been serving as Vice-President.  I was also elected to a 3-year term as alternate representative for the Western Zone to the Executive Committee.

 

We should have a great year for bridge as we begin the new schedule with Vancouver in January, Penticton in June, Puget Sound in August, and Eastern Washington in the fall.

Hope to see you at the tables.

 

Sincerely

 

Barbara L. Nist

District 19 Representative

National Board of Directors