2016 USBF Election
This Fall the USBF will conduct an election to fill 2 seats on its Board of Directors. The seats are for a three-year term commencing January 1, 2017.
USBF Board members must be currently active USBF members, having paid the 2016 annual active or resident member dues of $50.
This year we sought nominations through Bridge Winners and the USBF Nominating Committee has met and interviewed potential Board candidates. The Nominating Committee slate will be posted shortly.
In addition to those candidates nominated by the nominating committee, candidates may be nominated by petition. Twenty-five or more Active or Resident Members of USBF may nominate an Active or Resident Member for a Board position. To file a petition nominating a candidate, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the name of the candidate and the names and email addresses of the people making the nomination on or before October 25, 2016. If there are no petition candidates, the candidates nominated by the Nominating Committee will either be elected without the need for an election (if there are only two nominees), or will be the entire slate of nominees for the election.
See the election timeline below for when things happen. Download the Election Procedures and Board Member Expectiations for more complete information about the election
Any Active USBF member interested in being on the ballot who has not been nominated by the Nominating Committee should go to About USBF and read the final paragraph on the page (Election Information), which directs you to the relevant documents.
ACTION | Relation to BMD* | Date | Week Day |
Nominating Committee reports to Elections Committee |
31 Days before BMD | 10/24/16 | Monday |
Nominations Close | 30 Days before BMD | 10/25/16 | Tuesday |
Last Day for Petition Candidates | 20 days before BMD | 11/4/16 | Friday |
Eligible Voter List Posted on Web site** | 15 days before BMD | 11/9/16 | Wednesday |
Last day to protest voter list** | 7 days before BMD | 11/17/16 | Thursday |
Ballot Mailing Date (BMD)** | 11/24/16 | Thursday | |
End of voting period** | 12/24/16 | Saturday | |
Announce Results | 1/1/17 | Sunday | |
Last Day for protest of election |
10 days after results announced |
1/11/17 | Wednesday |
* BMD = Ballot Mailing Date
** Necessary only if more candidates are nominated than there are positions open.
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World Bridge Games Gold for US Women & Seniors
Congratulations to the USBF Women's & Senior teams who won gold medals in the 2016 World Bridge Games in Wroclaw, Poland.
The Women's team: Lynn Deas, Beth Palmer, Kerri Sanborn, Janice Seamon-Molson, Sylvia Shi, and Tobi Sokolow, with David Sokolow as NPC, finished the Round Robin in second place in their group, and went on to win all of their KO matches by substantial margins (91 IMPs in the Round of 16, 35 in the Quarterfinals, 29 in the Semifinals and an impressive 74 over France in the Finals). The team dedicated their win to Juanita Chambers, who was on the team for the Women's USBC, but died before this event took place.
Receiving their medals: Kerri Sanborn, Tobi Sokolow, Janice Seamon-Molson, Lynn Deas, Beth Palmer, Sylvia Shi
The Senior team: Bob Hamman, Hemant Lall, Zia Mahmood, Chip Martel, Jeff Meckstroth, and Reese Milner, with Petra Hamman as NPC and Jacek ("Pepsi") Pszczola as coach, finished the Round Robin in first place, won their Round of 16 match by 172, their Quarterfinal match by 30, their Semifinal match by 92 and their Final match (also against France) by 38.
Receiving their medals: Reese Milner, Jeff Meckstroth, Petra Hamman, Hemant Lall, Bob Hamman, Chip Martel, Pepsi Pszczcola, Zia Mahmood
The USBF Mixed team (Brad Moss, Sylvia Moss, Alex Ornstein, Sue Picus, Michael Seamon, and Sheri Winestock, with Philip Alder as NPC, finished in fourth place.
The USBF Open team (Kevin Bathurst, John Diamond, Eric Greco, Geoff Hampson, Justin Lall, and Brian Platnick, with NPC Oren Kriegel) lost a contentious match to Spain in the Round of sixteen.
Congratulations to all of our teams in Wroclaw!
If you're wondering about the shopping bags in the player's hands, those contain a gift of Polish sausage :-)
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Martel to Replace Lair on Senior Team for 2016 World Bridge Games
Mark Lair has withdrawn from the Senior Team that won the Senior USBC and was nominated to represent the USBF in the 2016 World Bridge Series in Wroclaw, Poland. In accordance with USBF General Conditions of Contest requirements when a player withdraws, the USBF Credentials Committee and USBF Board have reaffirmed the nomination of the remaining members of the team as the USA team for the Senior Teams in Wroclaw and have also approved the team's request to add Chip Martel to the team, to play with Bob Hamman.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU and to our other teams in Wroclaw!
Bob Hamman, Reese Milner, Petra Hamman (NPC), Jeff Meckstroth, Hemant Lall, Mark Lair, Zia Mahmood
Chip Martel
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Nominating Committee Seeks Applicants for USBF Board
USBF Nominating Committee Chair Robb Gordon has announced that the Nominating Committee is now taking applications from USBF Active members who want to be considered for nomination to the USBF Board.
There are 3 open seats on the 7 member USBF Board for the 3-year term commencing January 1, 2017.
The USBF Bylaws provide that a nominee must be an Active member of the USBF, having paid dues for 2016.
Gordon asks prospective nominees to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before August 31 to express interest in being nominated.
Any Active USBF member who is not nominated by the Nominating Committee can become a nominee by followiong the petition method set forth in the USBF Bylaws.
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