Memphis Board Meetings

Memphis was a great town to host an NABC. Bridge play was held in the Convention Center close to all the downtown hotels. There were lots of wonderful restaurants. The number of tables in play beat the estimates. The local committee did a wonderful job on hospitality. Players also had the opportunity to visit the bridge museum at the ACBL offices.

There is some talk about returning on a regular basis to this location because of the proximity to ACBL headquarters, allowing ACBL staff to assist in the event and attend Board of Directors meetings.

Finance

The Operating and Capital Budgets for 2018 were officially approved at this meeting and the bottom line is good, showing a projected excess of income over expenses in 2019 of $621K. Our new Executive Director, Joe Jones, has been working hard to streamline operations and get expenses under control. We had some large one time expenses in 2018 to make up for, but I am optimistic that we are moving in the right direction.

New plans are in the process to incentivize teachers and clubs to increase membership. Our clubs and teachers are the lifeblood of the organization and it is imperative that we find ways to reward them for bringing new players into the game. New dollars have been allocated in the budget towards this end.

Governance

A new plan for restructuring the governance of the ACBL was introduced. The plan would reduce the size of the board from twenty-five to nine members. The nine member board would be responsible for financial and strategic decision making. This plan will take four years to implement since New York law does not allow any elected person’s term to be shortened. The ACBL is incorporated in New York and is subject to New York's non-profit regulations.

Under this new plan the Board of Governors would be replaced by a Senate composed of two members from each District and this new body would be charged with all bridge-related matters.

I am in favor of any reasonable plan to reduce the size of the current board of directors. Having served almost three years on this board I can testify to the difficulty of governing with a large board.

Bridge

A motion was passed that forbids players convicted of premeditated collusive cheating to ever be readmitted to the ACBL. An additional motion that was passed forbids the ACBL Board of Directors or management to consider readmission of a player after expulsion for a period of 10 years after the conviction.

A presentation was made to the ACBL Board by Steve Weinstein and Brad Moss requesting that names of convicted cheaters be removed from all ACBL records and that the pairs and teams who finished second be moved up and declared winners of these events.

A motion allowing the voluntary relinquishment of these titles by teams that won events with players who were later convicted of collusive cheating was passed. The Motions suggested by Brad and Steve were tabled til Las Vegas in the hope that teams will step up and voluntarily set things right.

A new Masterpoint Committee was appointed that includes District 4 member, Harold Jordan. This new committee will meet electronically and take over the work previously done by ACBL board members.

A motion to make the ACBL provide child care at all NABCs was defeated. My personal view is that the ACBL should not be in the child care business, but management has stated that they will provide child care when possible.

Lots of District 4 players did well at the Memphis NABC - Congratulations to all and a special shoutout to Lou Glasthal, whose team won the 0-10,000 KO event!!

District 4 Winners at the Memphis NABC in National Events

0-10,000 Knockouts: 1 - Louis Glasthal

Baldwin North American Pairs - Flight A: 10 - Meyer Kotkin, Jay Apfelbaum

Leventritt Silver Ribbon Pairs: 13 - Martin de Bruin, David Hoffner; 44 - Richard Popper

0-10,000 Swiss Teams: 10 - Bharat Rao

Kay Platinum Pairs: 26 - Connie Goldberg

Lebhar IMP Pairs: 20 - Richard Popper; 45 - Philip Goulding, David Hoffner; 47 - Dan Boye, Larry Sunser; 55 - Joann and Bob Glasson

NABC+ Fast Pairs: 18 - May Sakr

Jacoby Open Swiss Teams: 8 - Marty Seligman

Silodor Open Pairs: 23 - Connie Goldberg

Smith LM Women's Pairs: 6 - Donna Morgen, Patricia Civale

Rockwell Mixed Pairs: 32 - Bob Glasson, Joann Glasson

District 4 Top 10 Winners in Regional Events

Thursday Open Pairs: 2 - Marty Seligman

Educational Foundation KO Bracket 1: 2 - Benito Garozzo

Friday Gold Rush Pairs: 3 - Michael Minoff, Glenn Fuhrman

Friday-Saturday KO Bracket 2: 2 - Alison Shoemaker, Lisa Mita, Deborah Crisfield, Helen Walker

Saturday Afternoon 299er Pairs: 3 - Patricia Estadt, Ron Price

Saturday Morning 299er Pairs: 4 - Patricia Estadt, Ron Price

Saturday Compact KO Bracket 1: 1 - Benito Garozzo

Saturday B/C/D Swiss: 1 - Michael Minoff, Glenn Fuhrman

Resnick Open Pairs: 9 - Randall Berseth, Anne Taylor

Monday Open Pairs: 1 - Bharat Rao

Monday-Tuesday KO 3: 1 - Lisa Mita, Alison Shoemaker

Tuesday Side Pairs: 3 - Wayne Rosenberger, Andrew Rosenberg

Wednesday Morning 49er Pairs: 1 - George Kieffer, Barbara Kieffer

Wednesday Swiss Teams: 5/6 - Benito Garozzo

Wednesday Open Pairs: 7 - Neal Satten

Saturday Swiss Teams: 4/5 - Mitchell Snyder, Susan Morse, John Dickenson

Saturday Compact KO Bracket 1: 2 - Marty Seligman

Sunday Side Pairs: 3/4 - Dennis Wick

Sunday A/X/Y Swiss - X: 4/5 - Ala Hamilton-Day, James Carroll

Sunday Side Pairs: 2 - Caroline Hughes, Thomas Hughes

Sunday Bracketed Flight B Teams 2: 2 - Deborah Crisfield, Lisa Mita, Helen Walker, Alison Shoemaker

Sunday A/B/C Swiss Teams: 5/6 - Marty Seligman

Sunday Evening Swiss Teams: 1 - James Carroll, Ala Hamilton-Day

Sunday Afternoon 299er Pairs: 4 - John Early, Barry Daubenspeck

Saturday Daylight Open Pairs: 8 - Michael Zeller

Friday Compact KO 1: 4 - Marty Seligman

Thursday Morning 49er Pairs: 2 - George Kieffer, Barbara Kieffer