Thursday, September 5, 2013

From the Nominating Committee - Final Slate of Candidates for 2013

Judges Committee

2 positions – 3 candidates
  • Mike Gardner
  • Frans Slaman
  • Debbie Zappia
National Events Committee

4 positions – 4 candidates
  • Mary Dygert
  • Roni Hoff
  • Hal Lymus
  • Peter Oja
Nominating Committee

5 positions – 5 candidates
  • Ravi Iyer
  • Rifky Mackeen
  • Gary McGillivary
  • Kevin Nance
  • Betty Thomas

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Wednesday, October 17, 2012

USCA Nominating Committee - Candidates Nominated for 2012

USCA Officers

President - One position

Jim Alloway

Lyle Roetemeyer


Vice President - One position

Tim Burke

Frank Phillips


Secretary - One position

Marsha Ashbury

Michele Scarberry


Treasurer - One position

Sean O’Kane


Director of Judges - One position

Nathaniel Roque


National Breed Warden - One position

Mary Dygert

Johannes Grewe


Directors at Large - Four positions


Mike Diehl

Al Govednik

Claudia Romard

Dennis Vander Linde


Auditing Committee - Three positions

Lisa Clark

Brenda Farmer

Karen Garber


Board of Inquiry - ten positions

These candidates have been ranked according to a scoring system developed by the Nominating Committee.

Regular Members - Five


1 Sara Wallick

2 Nia Cottrell

3 Bill Bimrose

3 Mike Gardner

5 Trish Sansbury


Alternate Members - Five


6 Laurie Coppola

7 Tim Karchnak

8 John Horan

9 Sean Murphy

10 Diane Madigan


Judges Committee – One Position

Carla Griffith


World Championship Committee - Four positions

Carolyn Daniel

Mike Diehl

Rob Dunn

Tommy Gillies


The Nominating Committee is excluding the aspirant whose name is given below and who had indicated an interest in serving in the WCC.

She has been unwilling or unable to comply with the committees due diligence requirements. Given this the committee was of the unanimous opinion that she should not be considered for any position as circumventing the process would be otherwise unfair to all other candidates who were so compliant and to the protocols adopted by the committee in making their selections.

Lisa Jacquin



End

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Friday, August 17, 2012

Message from the Nominating Committee - 2012

We give below names of members who have expressed interest in the positions becoming available this year.


The Nominating Committee is currently following the protocol and procedures which has been successfully adopted over the last several years to conduct their due diligence to ensure that these candidates have the credentials, capacity and competence to serve. The final slate of candidates will thereafter be chosen for consideration by the membership which makes the ultimate decision. The Nominating Committee may also solicit additional candidates from the membership pool to include in the final slate. USCA process also allows candidates to be nominated from the floor.

Resumes received from the candidates are given in the link below such that the membership is also aware of their respective backgrounds.

We thank all aspirants and laud them for their willingness to serve the organization.


Rifky Mackeen

Chair - Nominating Committee



Click here for the Candidate Resumes (26 pages)



..................................................................................................................

USCA Officers




President - One position

Jim Alloway

Lyle Roetemeyer


Vice President - One position

Tim Burke

Frank Phillips


Secretary – One position

Marsha Ashbury

Michele Scarberry


Treasurer- One position

Sean O’Kane



Director of Judges - One position

Nathaniel Roque


National Breed Warden - 1 position

Mary Dygert

Johannes Grewe


Directors at Large - Four positions

Mike Diehl

Al Govednik

Claudia Romard

Dennis Vander Linde


Committees

Auditing Committee - 3 positions

Lisa Clark

Brenda Farmer

Karen Garber


Board of Inquiry - ten positions

(These candidates like others are currently shown in alpha order. However they will be ranked by the Nominating Committee after they complete the due diligence process)


Bill Bimrose

Laurie Coppola

Nia Cottrell

Mike Gardner

John Horan

Tim Karchnak

Diane Madigan

Sean Murphy

Trish Sansbury

Sara Wallick



Judges Committee - One position

Carla Griffith


World Championship Committee - Four positions

Carolyn Daniel

Mike Diehl

Rob Dunn

Tommy Gillies

Lisa Jacquin





End

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Monday, August 15, 2011

2011 - Final Slate of Candidates

The Nominating Committee has decided on the following candidates for the vacancies arising this year.

Judges Committee – 2 positions
Mike Gardner
Debbie Zappia


National Events Committee – 4 positions
Susan Dooling
Hal Lymus
Willie Pope
Claudia Romard


Nominating Committee – 5 positions
Ravi Iyer
Rifky Mackeen
Kevin L. Nance
Michele Scarberry
Betty Thomas



Signed

Rifky Mackeen
Chair - Nominating Committee

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Sunday, October 31, 2010

Winners - Regional Directors and President's Awards -2010

November 1, 2010

The General Education Committee will like to announce the 2010 winners of the Regional Directors and Presidents Awards.

Regional Winners

1. NEW ENGLAND REGION

Quinebaug SchH Club

2. PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION

Hundesport Alaska Inc

3. MID-CENTRAL REGION
Joint Winners

Machtig Strom
Cedar Valley Working Dogs

4. MID-EASTERN REGION

OG West Penn SchH Club

5. NORTH CENTRAL REGION

O G Bierstadt

6. NORTHEASTERN REGION

East Coast SchH Club


Presidents Award

The winner is - OG West Penn SchH Club

This year we are also awarding a prize for runner up which was awarded to - Quinebaug SchH Club

Prizes

Each of the Regional winners will receive a check for $250 along with a Plaque and Pins for the members. The joint winners will receive a cash prize of $150 each. The prizes will be sent directly to the club contact listed in the Nomination sheet

The President’s award winner will receive an additional cash prize of $350(making an aggregate cash prize of $600). The runner up will receive an additional cash prize of $100 (making an aggregate cash prize of $350).

These prizes are intended for the clubs to use as they consider fit and to assist their goals of promoting Schutzhund. Well done indeed.

We would also like to thank all of the Regional Directors who assisted us in identifying the winners and who encouraged their clubs to participate. We are hopeful that more clubs will participate in the future.

This was another GEC team effort lead by Marsha Asbury as the Project leader.


Regards

Rifky Mackeen

Chair - GEC

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Friday, August 20, 2010

Slate of Candidates – 2010

To - Sara Wallick - Honorary Secretary
From – Rifky Mackeen – Chair – Nominating Committee
Subject – Slate of Candidates – 2010
Date – August 18, 2010

I am enclosing the final slate of candidates which are being recommended by the Nominating Committee for consideration this even year. Resumes as submitted by the aspirants are available in all three of the USA communication channels – Blog, Website and Magazine (upcoming -September/October issue).

As the footnote indicates – “Although our due diligence included review of the resumes, telephone “interviews” when warranted and our knowledge of the candidate’s competency and credentials; we have assumed that they are all members in good standing. We have not verified if they have any disqualifications which will make them ineligible to serve.”

We have been totally objective in our decision process and to the best of our ability, have attempted to ensure that the listed candidates meet with the requirements of the specific posts for which they have indicated an interest.

We have not ranked the aspirants for the position of Directors at Large and have submitted all eight names, in alpha order. This we considered to be appropriate as two members of the Nominating Committee are also vying for the four available positions and we wished to preclude even the perception of conflict.

In the case of the Board of Inquiry, we have, this year, ranked the aspirants as five will actually serve and the other five will be alternates.

Notwithstanding our intent and our effort, we remain cognizant that our Slate of Candidates is only a recommendation for consideration by the membership. Additional names can and will be submitted from the floor.

Such that the USA can make progress in these challenging times, we hope that the best candidate(s) get elected for the various position(s) even if they decided to circumvent the Nominating Committee channel and go directly to the membership for consideration.

...........................


Even Year (2010) Nominations - proposed by the Nominating Committee ____________________________________________________________

President (One position)

Based on our due diligence which also included an “interview” with the two candidates; we were of the opinion that both candidates are viable and should be considered by the membership.

Levin, Mathew

Roetemeyer, Lyle

Vice-President (One position)

Groh, Craig

Secretary (One position)

Brigham, Nancy

Treasurer (One position)

O'Kane, Sean

Director of Judges (One position)

Roque, Nathaniel

National Breed Warden (One position)

Burke, Tim

Director at Large (Four positions)

Such as to avoid even a perception of conflict given that two members of the Nominating Committee are also vying for the available positions we show all aspirants in alpha order.

Alloway, Jim

Govednik, Al

Grewe, Johannes

Iyer, Ravi

Moacanin, Kathy

Ptaszek, Mark

Weller, Marie

Williams, Mike


Auditing (Three positions)

Ackerman, Raye Lynn

Shea, Beth

Taves, Kris


World Championship Committee (Four positions)

Franz, Dale

Hanrahan, Gary

Jaquin, Lisa

Volrath, Thomas

Judges Committee (One position)

Griffith, Carla

Board of Inquiry (Ten positions - Ten candidates)

Based on our due diligence including an “interview” with all ten aspirants, we have ranked them in order of our preference for the consideration of the membership.

Members

1 Wallick, Sara

2 Gardner, Mike

3 Bochenek, John

4 Sansbury, Trish

5 Murphy, Sean

Alternates

6 Roberts, Steve

7 Windus, Cathi

8 Coppola, Laurie

9 Matarrese, Lisa

10 Graf, Molly

NoteAlthough our due diligence included review of the resumes, telephone “interviews” when warranted and our knowledge of the candidate’s competency and credentials; we have assumed that they are all members in good standing. We have not verified if they have any disqualifications which will make them ineligible to serve.

end


Please ignore the "Read More"

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Wednesday, August 4, 2010

2010 Regional Directors and Presidents Awards

Sponsored by the General Education Committee (GEC)

The GEC of the United Schutzhund Clubs of America (USA) is pleased to announce the third annual Regional Directors and Presidents awards.

These awards were created to showcase and reward USA member clubs which show exemplary conduct with respect to its membership, the sport of Schutzhund and their canines. In addition these awards are designed to encourage every club to strive for a higher standard of excellence especially in addressing concerns of the general public. Clubs should always work towards providing greater clarity about Schutzhund and dispelling any anti-dog sentiment or breed specific resentment.

To simplify the process a worksheet replaces the previous list of questions. The point schedule has also been re-designed for a more accurate reflection of the merits of each question. The point values are not shown on the nomination worksheet.
Clubs may nominate themselves for the awards or may nominate another club in their Region. Alternatively they can be nominated by another club or by any officer from their respective region (Regional Director, Assistant Regional Director, Breed Warden, Regional Training Director, etc.).

Any interpretation of the rules and criteria will be made by the GEC. In keeping with the spirit of these awards; the decision of the GEC is final and they do not expect nor will they entertain any appeals from Clubs which consider that they have not been fairly judged.

Regional Directors Award

There will be one Regional winner from each of the ten regions. One of these winning clubs will also be awarded the President’s award signifying their number one role in the USA club hierarchy. In order to be included in the 2010 awards, all nominations in the form of completed worksheets must be received by me no later than September 15, 2010. Nominations will be acknowledged upon receipt and also forwarded to the respective Regional Directors. Winning clubs will be determined by October 15, 2010 with the goal that awards might be announced in November 2010 at the USA General Board Meeting.

Recipients will receive the following:
· Plaque/trophy for club house.
· Pins for each member.
· Cash award to be used as the club sees fit (2009 award was $250).

President’s Award

A selections committee consisting of the USA President, Vice President, Secretary and two active members of the GEC will choose, by simple majority approval, one of the regional clubs as the winner of the President’s Award. This nomination will also need simple majority approval of all members of the GEC. The Club so selected may be the one having the highest score but given the regional bias or weighting; the GEC will take other aspects into consideration.

Recipients of the President’s award shall receive the following:
· Plaque/Trophy for Club House.

· Cash award to be used as the club sees fit (2009 award was $350 in addition to the Regional Award of $250 aggregating $600).

Winning clubs may publish their award in any media meant to promote the interests of the club, USA and the GEC awards program. Likewise, the GEC will publish such details in the USA Schutzhund Magazine, on the USA website and on the Blog and in any other media they see fit in order to showcase the clubs and their activity.

We are hopeful this year that every club in each Region will participate. We ask that you share the details of how to win these awards with all the clubs in your locale. We look forward to receiving your nominations & filled out applications plus any comments about the awards program.

If you need to fax the completed worksheet you may do so but before 8 am or after 5 pm PST. We will be using GEC member Terry Fisk’s fax number (760-868-3388). You can also mail the worksheet to me at the address below. Please send me an email letting me know that you have faxed or mailed your entry.

Ideally, we will like to receive an email attachment of the worksheet but appreciate that this may not feasible for all. For a copy of the worksheet – please click here.


Sincerely,

Marsha Asbury2010 Project Leader
Address:
27846 Buena Vista Dr Rock Falls, IL 61071
815 625-6598 Phoneasburymd@yahoo.com

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Monday, June 28, 2010

Candidate Resumes - 2010 Vacancies

We have posted below resumes received from candidates who have indicated their interest in being considered by the Nominating Committee and subsequently by the general membership for the several vacancies arising this even year.

Few candidates submitted resumes which were beyond the 500 word limit. We have, as previously indicated, posted an abridged version. We have also linked their original submission to the posting in case anyone needs to review the full version.

The abridged versions will also be published in the Magazine and will appear in the September/October issue. They also appear in the web site.

May the best candidate win for the sake of the USA, its membership and of course its canines.

Regards

Rifky Mackeen
Chair – Nominating Committee

PS- Please ignore the words "Read More" at the end of each posting. My blogging skills are limited and am unable to remove this.

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Candidate Resumes

President


Matt Levin


Doing what’s right . . .


Matt Levin for USA President

Involved in Schutzhund since 1991.
Titled numerous dogs from nothing to SchH3, with one of them SchH3, FH.
SchH is a family sport as his wife Karolyn is a SchH3 Club member and his 14 year old daughter, Jessica is about to put her first SchH title on her dog.
Has shown in all USA national events, including the HOT Tournament and one time at the Canadian Nationals.
Handled all of his dogs for their conformation ratings and Breed Surveys.
Classified as National Level Helper twice and has been chosen to perform the helper work at several Regional Championships as well as front half at the UDC Nationals.
Tracklayer for several National Championships. Layed tracks and performed helper work at several Regional Championships.
Member of Hauptstadt SchH Verein for more than 15 years and many of those years as Training Director.
His club welcomes any dog that is capable of the work.
Been involved in BSL since 1990.
ASE certified Master Mechanic for 15 years. Service Manager of two Car Dealership Service Departments. Focus is always on customer service.

Platform

#1 Bring the organization back to the members.
That means the organization works for them, not the other way around.

#2 Make USA more accessible for the clubs and members. Leadership must be accountable and accessible.

#3 Build Membership
Recruit new members and bring back those who have left USA.
Improve services to retain current membership.

Detailed Plans have been developed in these areas:


Repeal the new amendment prohibiting our members from belonging to a “competing GSD organization”.
Implement electronic voting at the annual General Board Meeting
Phase in One Member/One Vote if the membership chooses it
Help for new members
Training the training helpers at the club level

As I look closer into the details of USA I am finding other areas that will need attention. As always, I will address the problems openly and develop a means for the membership to be able to have their voice heard more often than once a year at a General Board Meeting.

Just like the majority of our members in USA, I am not a world team member, I’m not a judge and I’ve held no other office in USA. I’m a member who has seen the path USA is taking and I’ve decided that it’s time to change the direction. It’s time for the grassroots members to take a stand and take their organization back. I’m open and available to the membership. I will listen to the members’ concerns and respond to them. It’s about time that we do what is right for the USA members.






Lyle Roetemeyer

Position: Re-election President, USA

Employment:

Various tier management experiences since with Kroger Stores since 1984.
Currently manage a very profitable department
Have completed many business, marketing and leadership courses related to business.

USA Membership/Accomplishments

Charter member River City SchH Club since 1984. Co-training director/helper.
Member, Western Ky. SchH Club. Training Director/Trial Helper.
Started Cumberland Valley SchH & Police Club.
Regional Director Mid-Eastern Region- 1999, 2001; assistant regional director prior to that.
Member, Nominating Committee, five terms (two terms as chairman)
Judges committee as member @ large 1 term
Vice-president USA, two terms (Filled vacancy of President after Jim Elder’s resignation)
President USA 2006-current.
Current member of USA Helper Committee.
Teaching Helper since 2004 (beginning of program), has trained >100 helpers since the inception of the program

National/Regional Event Organizing Accomplishments

Regional Championship 1996, 2005
USA World Qualifier 1999
Regional Breed Show 2002
AWDF Championship 2005
USA HOT/Youth OB Championship 2006
USA Sieger Show 2004 & USA National Championship on weekends back to back (first time every accomplished by one club)
USA National Championship 2002
USA Working Dog Championship 2009
Summary: 6 national events and 3 regional events serving as trial chairman (Lots of work)

Handler Accomplishments

Trained and titled seven GSDs

USA Leadership Accomplishments

Secured sponsorship of Royal Canin for the 2004 Seiger Show and then as USA primary sponsor.
Secured extension of the sponsorship of Tri-tronics
Rebuild bridges with the AWDF, currently serving as Vice President.
Helped with the development of the Youth Scholarship program by establishing a 501c3 tax status

Personal/ non USA related accomplishments

Married for 36 years
2 daughters and 3 grandsons (also involved with raising and training their own dogs).
Active in local community with little league and community education seminars for local school children and the local Explorer Club.


If elected, my focus for the next term will continue to be multi faceted with a focus on providing continued and new opportunities for our loyal members.

1) Corporate Sponsorships continued and new
2) Educational programs for youth members, adult members and especially training directors
3) Continuing strong support of the AWDF
4) Continuing the building of positive relationships within the WUSV, the FCI and the IRO
5) Continuing to build upon the success of our elected and appointed committees
7) Continuing to market USA with our advertising in national publications
8) Looking to other marketing resources through the development of a new website with technological capabilities to serve our members for many years to come.
9) Continuing to place a strong emphasis on promoting our working events, shows and breed surveys events as a tool for understanding proper breeding practices and promotion of the German shepherd dog

I appreciate the Nominating Committee’s efforts for USA and I am appreciative of your consideration of my declaration for the office of President.


(This candidate has submitted a longer resume. Please click here for the full submission. A shorter version has been posted).

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Candidate Resumes

Vice President



Craig Groh

You will find me; on the training field, the trial field, the conformation ring, in the whelping box, and in the meeting room. I have always been involved with all aspects of the sport, the organization and the breed.


I became a member of USA when I was a relatively young pup (1988).
It was the same back in the day just as it is today. If you look strong, fast and foolish enough they put helper pants on you, and then got out the Rottweiler. I’ve been doing helper work ever since. I’ve performed helper work at Regional and National events. I’m currently a classified Teaching Helper trying to pass it on.


I enjoy working with people providing support and education in all areas of the sport. Training new handlers and helpers and promoting a positive image of the sport to members and the general public. I have been fortunate enough to learn for some of the top trainers and breeders in this country and around the world. I am the Training director at my local club.


I also help encourage youth handlers to participate in and learn from the sport, as these young handlers and helpers are the future of the sport. Working with and promoting our youth members is my greatest passion in the sport today. I am a board member of the Schutzhund USA Youth Scholarship Fund.


I’ve titled 9 dogs in my tenure so far, all from scratch (HOT). I hope to return to National level competition soon.


My registered kennel name is von Grohaus. I have been able to produce second generation breed dogs that have achieved SchH III, KKL I, V ratings.


I completed my Performance Judging Apprenticeship in September 2005. I was able to apprentice under some of the most respected judges in the world. I received my United Schutzhund Clubs of America Performance Judging license in November 2005 and my SV license in July. 2009.


Some say I’m a glutton for punishment as I have been involved in all levels of this organizations bureaucracy over the years. I currently hold the office of Vice President. I also serve as one of USA’s delegates on the AWDF board.


It has been a pleasure to serve as Vice President for the past two years. During this time I have kept in close communication with our President and stayed abreast of all USCA business and issues so that I would be prepared to assume the office if necessary. I have also performed various duties as assigned by the President, served on various committees, and represented the organization when the President was unable.


During the past year and a half I have worked closely with the office staff, the executive board and the entire organization not to just bring about change, but to help move this organization forward on various fronts. We have streamlined operations throughout the organization and at the office through the use of technology and process improvements.


If elected again I will continue working for all of the members within the organization to exceed the goals that we have set. I try every day to give back to the organization, the sport, and the breed that his given me so much.


Thank you for your support.

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Candidate Resumes

Secretary


Nancy Brigham


Please consider this letter as my declaration for the position of Secretary for the United Schutzhund Clubs of America. I believe I am qualified for this position with over 20 years of Customer Service experience working with the public. My strongest assets are excellent communication skills, working with people and a hard worker.


My name is Nancy Brigham. I grew up in a suburb of Saginaw, MI, where I graduated from Arthur Hill High School and attended American Institute of Banking in Denver Co. I live in Saginaw, MI. I have been a member of USA since 1996 and titled my first dog in 2002.
I have been employed by Robert F. Sonntag D.D.S. For 4 yrs.. My current position is Dental Receptionist. I am responsible for providing quality, friendly service to patients/clients, greeting patients, scheduling appointments, answering phone calls, gathering and recording dental, medical and insurance information in patients electronic records using Kodak Practice Works Software, collect payments at time of treatment, assist in treatment rooms as necessary, responsible for all office correspondence using ms word and backup support for computer issues .


Here is a listing of volunteer positions that I have held through the years:


2009 USA Nationals Davenport, IA – Club Delegate
2009 USA Nationals Davenport, IA – Tracking Spotter
2008 WUSV Cincinnati,OH – Trial Secretary
2003 – 2004 USA Rocky Mountain Great Plains Regional Secretary
2002 – 2006 High Plains Schutzhund Club Treasurer
2000 – 2006 Trial committee chair for HPSC club trials
2000 - 2005 USA Club Trial Secretary
1999 – 2002 High Plains Schutzhund Club Secretary
1999 USA Nationals Reno, NV – Checked Tracking Lines
1998 USA Nationals Denver, CO was a member of the group for
Obedience
2001 UDC - Southwest Regional Show Chair
2000-2001 UDC - Membership Secretary
2000 UDC - National Show Chair
1999 UDC - National Show committee
1999–2001 UDC Delegate - AWDF
1999-2000 UDC - Recording Secretary
1999-2001 AWDF Merchandise Chair
1998 AWDF Championship Denver, CO– Hospitality committee
1998 WUSV Boston, MA – Answered questions and handed out information about Schutzhund at the AWDF Booth

Employment History


Robert F. Sonntag D.D.S. From 6/06 to present as a Dental Receptionist

Martin and Harman Family Dentistry from 5/03 to 3/06 as a Dental Receptionist

StorageTek from 3/01 to 9/01 as a Business Operations Specialist
Responsible for trouble shooting all International, Field and Headquarter calls. Assisted 2nd and 3rd level support with problem resolution.

Banc One service Corporation from 7/85 to 5/93 as a Client Services Representative
Served as primary point of contact and escalation point for all internal inquiries and problems on the network and banking applications.

Great Lakes Federal S&L from 3/77 to 2/85 as a Customer Service Representative

My intent as secretary is to honor the mission of USA, through the preservation of the German Shepherd Dog in accordance with the breed standard as a working dog, to support humane training and responsible dog ownership.

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Candidate Resumes

Treasurer


Sean O' Kane


I am currently a Career Union Firefighter and Arson Investigator with the Danville Fire Department in Danville, Illinois. (IAFF Local 429) I have been a firefighter there since 1999. Within the City of Danville I sat on a Revenue Subcommittee that dealt with a fire department budget of over 5 million dollars a year. I am the President of my union where I negotiate contracts and handle the day to day union operations for us. I created our unions first ever cash flow budget to deal with our $150,000.00 a year income / expenses. I computerized the AWDF’s budget process to allow easier access to income vs. expenses among our executive board. While our budget in the AWDF is much smaller we have to make every dollar count. This also applies to USA. Every dollar we spend is accounted for and justified for the betterment of the breed.

In 2000 I also became a police officer working in Oakwood and Westville, Illinois. I have always been interested in being a K-9 handler for a police department so I purchased my first German Shepherd, Apollo, from a police friend of mine. There I got my start. Along with police dog training with their training group, he put me in touch with Illinois Schutzhund and Police Club. I was hooked!!!

Some of our club members took me in (Cele Danner / Jim Sears) and taught me what they knew about the sport and training dogs. They also trained with Gene England in Kentucky once a month so I started going with them to training. My interest in the German Shepherd Dog continued to grow.

From there I could not continue the expense of traveling so far to train in Kentucky. I found a police officer in Indianapolis, Indiana named Mike Diehl. I began training with him and got a new dog named Bautz v.d. Brocherhohe. He was a SchH 3 dog that I certified in patrol / narcotics with NAPWDA. (North American Police Work Dog Assn.) Mike Diehl was the perfect fit for me with his police K-9 and Schutzhund experience. I have since been able to call him a good friend and traveled over the past few years to see him become a force to be reckoned with in Schutzhund. With what I have learned from my mentors I have been lucky enough to have certified 5 police service dogs and 1 arson detector dog through NAPWDA.

My very good friend Cele Danner was the Treasurer for the AWDF and from there I met Al Govednik, President of the AWDF. I wanted to get more involved and asked him what I could do to help. In 2007 I was asked to step in as Secretary for AWDF. I accepted this position, later deciding to run for AWDF Treasurer after Cele Danner stepped down. I was elected in 2008 to the Treasurer’s spot with the AWDF. From there I got more involved with the political side of our dog sport we all so love. I want to make a difference and be able to help preserve the German Shepherd Dog for generations to come. I have no hidden agendas. I just want to make a difference. I am excited to have been elected as USA Treasurer and appreciate all the support I have been shown since being elected. I ask for your vote in November. If you have any questions please feel free to call or email me anytime.

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Candidate Resumes

Director of Judges



Nathaniel Roque


USA Judge #30
USA / SV Trial Judge



During my 14 years of involvement in Schutzhund I have titled eight (8) dogs at all levels of the sport including Handler Owner Trained from Bh to SchH 3 , FH and FH 2, entering and competing in more than eighty (85) trials with various dogs at the Club, Regional and National Championships, earning more than forty (40) Schutzhund III Titles as well as numerous SchH 1 – 2, IPO 1-3, FH and FH2 titles including:



2002 & 2007 Southwest Regional Champion
2002 USA Universal Sieger
Member of the USA SchH III Club
USA Bronze Sports Medal
USA Silver Sports Medal
USA Gold Sports Medal
USA Master Sports Medal


In addition I have been active at both the local and national level for the United Schutzhund Clubs of America, the following positions, Director of Judges, Vice President, Regional Director, Assistant to the DOJ, Training Director for the Southwest Working Dog Association, Officer in three additional Southwest Region Clubs, United Schutzhund Clubs of America, SV Trial Judge and a American Working Malinois Performance Judge, Director of the United Schutzhund Clubs of America Helper Program and Teaching Helper.

Since obtaining my judges license in 2002 I have judged more than 80 Trials and Championships including the:



2004 South East Regional Championship
2005 Rocky Mountain Regional Championship

2005 AWMA National Championship

2006 USA North American Championship
2006 USA Handler Owner Trained Championship (HOT)
2007 American Working Dog Federation National Championship
2008 USA Handler Owner Trained Championship (HOT)
2009 Mid East Regional Championship
2009 New England regional Championship
2009 USA National Championship

I am passionate about the preservation of the working heritage of our dogs and believe that it is the responsibility of all of us as breeders, owners, trainers and especially judges to maintain these traits in our chosen breed of dogs. I am grateful and honored to be invited and allowed to evaluate working dogs in competition. I promise to do the best that I can, consistent, fair and correct judging within the current rules for all dogs and handlers that I evaluate.



661.269.2539. workingdogs@att.net

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Candidate Resumes

National Breed Warden



Tim Burke

Hello,I would like to thank the membership for the opportunity to serve them and the organization for the last four years. A lot has been accomplished and I look forward to continuing to work on behalf of the membership improving our breed and our organization with your help.


As your National Breed Warden I have:


1) Added microchips as acceptable identification for shows
2) Approved artificial insemination
3) Moved the stalled breed registry documents out of the office and into our members hands
4) Restructured the Sieger show to make it more efficient and profitable
5) Removed the registration requirements for local shows to attract more entries
6) Met with the SV and strengthened our relationship
7) Attended the WUSV meetings
8) Attended the FCI World Championships


I am the Director of Fastrax Corporation which has locations in Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada. The primary purpose of Fastrax is to retrain injured and unemployed workers to return them to the workforce. My wife Dawn and I started the business over six years ago and it has grown into one of the largest and best adult education companies in Nevada. The schools are fully accredited and offer short term training programs in Computers, Web Design, Accounting, Construction Administration, Medical Billing and Coding, and Green Technologies. As an employer, I understand the value of good employees and how important each person is in achieving the company’s objectives. As a business owner and entrepreneur, I understand how important it is to continuously improve and promote your product.
As we move forward we need to concentrate on getting more useful information into our members’ hands so that their breed programs can be improved.


Specifically:


1) Move the database to a web based system where our members can access specific information, especially for dogs bred, trialed, and shown in the USA.
2) Add online catalog creation capabilities
3) Add the ability for members to update their dogs information
4) Add a breeders area for advertising and announcements
In addition, we need to require that our breeders conform to our”Code of Ethics”. Our members are under attack from groups who want to regulate and/or eliminate hobbyist breeders. We need to hold our breeders to a high standard and bring those breeders together to fight against needless regulations.


I appreciate if you would again give me your support at the GBM this year for National Breed Warden.



Ronald G. Harris


I would like to submit my name for nomination as National Breed Warden of USA.
I have been a member of USA since 1990. I have competed at all levels in both Conformation and Schutzhund. I am a three time member of the SchH III Club. I believe that my experience in both aspects of our sport makes me uniquely qualified.

My experience includes:

• I competed in 8 USA Sieger Shows with dogs that I raised, trained, and titled to SchH III. My dog, VA Lars v Wilhendorf, SchH III FH KKl 1, was the 1st dog bred, raised, and trained here in the US to be awarded a VA rating and the 1st to be ranked in the top (spitzen) group at the Bundessiegerzuchtschau.
He achieved this rating as Junghund in 1995 and as Gebrauchshund in 1997 and 1998.


• I bred, raised, and trained Lars’ grandson, V Arnot vom Tiefen Teich SchH III FH 1, KKl 1. Arnot retired 9x SchH III, having trialed at all levels including the HOT Championship, AWDF Championship, and Northeast Regional Championship. He also received a “V” rating at the USA Sieger Show in CT. I also raised, trained, titled, and showed V1 Keely von Wilhendorf SchH 1 KKl 1, Arnot’s mother.


• I am now competing with Guyot von Bachhaus SchH III, who I raised from a puppy. Guyot is now 12x SchH III and has earned respectable scores at 2 Regional Championships, including a podium placement in 2008, 2 National Championships, and the 2009 AWDF Championship.


• I am a founder and the president of Rivanna SchH and Police Club. Since we started in 2003 our club has held 13 trials, several helper seminars, and the Regional Helper Seminar. Members of our club, most of them “newbies,” have earned more than 60 schutzhund and advanced tracking titles. This number does not include the several dozen BHs.


• In “real life” I have an AB in mathematics, an MS in computer science, and was one of the founders and senior executives of a successful financial information company. When I retired in 1999 we had grown from 5 to 5000 employees, operating in virtually every country in the world where securities are traded.


I believe that we can have an open, transparent discussion among the EB and with membership about problems, solutions, and programs. I believe that in 20 years I have demonstrated a commitment to the German Shepherd dog in all its aspects. I have bred, trained, and handled in trials and shows at the club, regional, national, and international level.

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Candidate Resumes

Director at Large


Jim Alloway

MEET THE CANDIDATE:

My name is Jim Alloway and I am running for Director at Large
of our United Schutzhund Clubs of America. I was born and
raised in Columbus, Ohio. When I was three years old my family
purchased our first GSD Pilot. The love affair with the breed
started early! I was introduced to Schutzhund in 1990 while in
college, and trained for two years with my first coach Ralph
Thompson. Ralph taught me excellent fundamentals and a deep
and abiding respect for the working ability and majesty of our
breed.

I’ve coached/helped nine dog and handler teams to National level
competition, successfully trained four dogs to at least a SchH1
level, performed helper work at more than 25 trials, been the
President/Training Director for our club in Columbus for ten
years, and have successfully hosted a Mideastern Regional and a
the 2010 Working Dog Championships. Currently I am
campaigning my SchH3 dog Tino vom grauen Bund.

PURPOSE STATEMENT:

My goal to become a Director at Large of the United Schutzhund
Clubs of America stems from my hope to continue the
advancement and growth of the sport of Schutzhund in furtherance of maintaining the German Shepherd Dog as a working breed. I have chosen to run for office now because:

1. I’ve been given a great deal by USA and Schutzhund and feel that now is a good time to give back.
2. I love the GSD and take the long-term preservation of the breed very seriously.
3. My accomplishments in business make me both a strong candidate and good representative.
4. I feel that I can bring fresh ideas, steady and sustainable growth, and innovation to the organization.

WHY JIM ALLOWAY?

1. Proven track record of organizational leadership.
2. Experience negotiating with leaders of large organizations including General Motors and Ford.
3. Can quickly and clearly analyze issues and recognize their level of importance within the larger picture.
4. Believe strongly in service leadership, teamwork, and delegation of responsibility.
5. Care greatly about the longevity of the sport of Schutzhund and its importance in maintaining the
working integrity of the GSD.

CORE VALUES:
1. Integrity – We don’t lie, cheat, or steal. No exceptions.
2. Excellence – We set high standards adopt a philosophy of continual improvement.
3. Teamwork – We will all achieve results by working cooperatively as a high-functioning team.
4. Respect – We will treat one another, at all times, with the same respect we expect.

I would greatly appreciate your support in my campaign for Director at Large. I have an open-door policy and would enjoy talking to anyone about his or her issues, concerns, input, or suggestions. Please call my cell phone at 614.736.2275.

(This candidate has submitted a longer resume. Please click here and here for the full submission. A shorter version has been posted).



Al Govednik



My name is Albert (Al) J. Govednik, & I'm very active in the working side of dog training. I was born on 17 January 1958, in Joliet, Illinois. (This is a suburb of Chicago, Illinois.) My wife Marcia is also active raising and training dogs. Currently Marcia has German Shepherd Dogs, as well as an Airedale terrier We both actively compete in SchH and S&R I became involved with my first dogs as a boy, working with my father & his hunting breeds. My real passion has been Schutzhund work. My breed of choice is since 1984 has been the German Shepherd Dog.
I have been the American Working Dog Federation president since 2004. During this time we have made great strides in relation to the working dog in America and abroad. Some of the accomplishments that we have made during this time include, most of our USA judges have become either FCI, and or SV recognized. We submit the names of our helpers for international consideration. Opportunities exist now for our members to participate and place in FCI world championship events. These include IPO, IPOFH, and RH world championships. Of note here is that all countries (even FCI countries) do not have an invitation to FCI working commission events. We have worked to create a standardized score book throughout our federation. This is quite important because it is now required to have a score book from the country you live in to participate internationally. As an example you must use USA stamped AWDF score book to compete on our FCI world championship team even if the dog is a German import with a SV score book. Lastly we have developed a strong working relationship with the FCI working commission. This helps us with rules, rule interpretations, securing judges, and numerous other things.

Clubs/position(s):


United SchH Clubs of America '86-
USA Executive Board Member '96-
USA Executive Board Member at large '00-
Mid-Central Regional Director '96-'00
Assistant Mid-Central R.D. '93-'96
USA Judge #23 '96-
FCI approved judge Dec.'06
USA liaison to the AWDF '97-'00
AWDF Director of Judges '00-
AWDF President '04-
Training director Machtig Strom SchH. Verein '95-
Winner of the first Egon Vollrath sportsmanship award '01
Executive Director of the American Dog Owner Association '06-
Expert witness in the state of Iowa in animal behavior '03-
Delegate to the FCI working commission '04-
German Shepherd Dog club of the Quad Cities '95-'07
American Dog Owner Association executive board member '05-

Club accomplishments:


Since forming my USA club, Machtig Strom S.V. in '95, I have encouraged all breeds to participate in working events. We have had 170 new working/obedience titles on multiple breeds. These breeds have included Rotts', Airedales', Labs', Dutch Shepherds', Mals', Bouv's, Am Staffs', Golden Retrievers', Dobes, Bulldogs', Border Collies', & a few others.

(This candidate has submitted a longer resume. Please click here for the full submission. A shorter version has been posted).



Johannes Grewe


USA member since 1981.
SV member since 1964.
SV Working Dog Judge from 1974 to 1981.
USA Working Dog Judge since 2003.
USA Conformation Judge since 1997.
USA Koermeister since 2002.

Served the past 2 years as Director at Large.

I have been assigned to work on relationships with AWDF and FCI working dog commission. The last two years I have attended all meetings with these two organizations. I also have been assigned two work on relationships with the WUSV and SV. During this time I was able to accomplish SV recognition of USA Working Dog Judges. I attended WUSV meetings for the last three years.

The official language of the FCI working dog commission and the WUSV is German. I do speak German very well and I do know the German culture and attitude of the German people.

If I get nominated and elected I would like to continue working with AWDF, FCI, SV and WUSV. It is my goal to work on SV recognition for our conformation judges and koermeisters.



Ravi R. Iyer


My Vision for USA:

My vision for USA is an organization that takes genuine leadership in setting the standards for the GSD in the US as a total dog that can excel in service and companionship of its human partners. I believe that in the capacity of Director-at-Large I would be able to serve both USA the organization and its membership in a manner that brings all parties together in a collaborative spirit that re-establishes USA to the position that it should rightfully enjoy as the premier GSD organization in the Americas. One of the areas I would focus on would be the expansion of involvement with our youth and I see the sport of schutzhund as an excellent tool to use in youth development. I believe that this single area would directly serve to increase membership, increase the sports popularity as well as raise the visibility of our organization at both local and national levels. To this end I would work closely with current, past and new members of the organization as well as committed individual members to achieve these goals.

I have been a member of USA since Aug 2005. In addition to my membership in USA, I am also a member in good standing of the Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde (SV) since Dec 2009. Professionally I am a practicing physician and am presently serving my 2nd term as Vice Chairman of the Dept. of Medicine at Reston Hospital Ctr., Reston, VA

In the sport of Schutzhund and in the field of the German Shepherd dog breed I have been engaged in and accomplished the following:

I am full member of the USA Club: Blitzburg Hundesport Club, located in Berryville (Winchester) VA, since 2007 to present date.

I am presently serving my 2nd term on the Nominating Committee of USA (Nov 2007 –to- Oct 2011). I have procured multiple trophy sponsorships and secured corporate sponsorships for USA events as well as continue to support performance and conformation events at the national, regional and club levels by procurement of sponsors and other assistive activities.

I have titled my current dog from BH to SchH3 (HOT) and became a member of the Schutzhund 3 Club in May 2008 as well as earning the USA Sports Medal in Silver. I have qualified for the USA GSD Nationals in 2008 and 2009 and have competed at the USA GSD Nationals. I have shown in 3 USA Sieger shows as well as successfully breed surveyed my own dog per the SV standards to the level of “lifetime Koerklasse1”.

I am therefore intimately conversant with the challenges as well as the requirements of competitors as well as organizers in the various aspects of the spectrum of both the Conformation and the Performance under the SV standards for the German Shepherd Dog.

As USA member, Sportsman, Physician and as an individual, I have always adhered to a standard of ethics that far exceeds the levels generally expected of my peers.

KATHY MOACANIN

Statement of purpose:

I respectfully submit my resume for consideration as a Director at Large for
The United Schutzhund Clubs of America.

History with USA --


Member for 26 years
Titled numerous dogs, including two different generations of my own breeding
Registered my kennel with USA – von Herzensfreude
Served on the Public Relations Committee (co-wrote the original USA promotional brochure)
Designed the original AWDF logo when it was just getting started
Served as a club president for nine years
Guided untold people in their quest to get into Schutzhund
Served as the Co-chair of the Magazine Committee for four years and in the process
helped USA save nearly $90,000 plus increased revenue through ad sales
I ran my t-shirt business, devoted to the sport of Schutzhund and the German Shepherd Dog,
for 17 years. I sold my designs at SchH events across the US and through an
on-line store, which put me in a unique position to interact closely with USA’s membership


Why I want to be a Director at Large for USA --

I was club president for one of the most successful SchH clubs in the country for nine years. For 17 years I operated Top Dog Designs. I speak one-on-one with current and prospective USA members on a regular basis, often counseling them on puppy purchases, training issues, club suggestions, etc. During my tenure on the Magazine Committee I became acutely aware of what the general membership wants in their organization. I am passionate about including ALL members in “the loop” as far as is possible.

Through my club leadership, my business, and my commitment to the sport and the GSD breed, I understand the needs and desires of the general membership of USA. All too often I've heard, "I have no voice. No one listens. I've offered my help over and over and no one responds.” There are proper channels to be heard and I want to make that process clear. It is my mission to help more USA members feel like their voice is heard, their suggestions matter and their help is appreciated.

As Director at Large, I want to use the skills I demonstrated on the Magazine Committee to create a team that will build a new, improved website. The USA website needs to be the place that our members can go and easily get their questions answered. It needs to be the place any GSD owner can go - to find a breeder, what to ask the breeder, how to train their little “monster”, feeding suggestions, training suggestions and where to find a club that would suit them. We can make our mark as THE GSD organization to follow and support.

My ideas for USA are many and I can promise the membership that I will be a voice for them.

Mark A. Ptaszek


Please consider this letter my expression of interest to serve as an at-large board member of the United Schutzund Clubs of America (USCA). My interest and intent is to honor the core mission of the USCA, i.e., the preservation of the German Shepherd Dog in accordance with the breed standard as a working dog, humane training and responsible ownership and breeding. My personal and professional background positions me to be of service and support to the USCA’s mission and organization.

Regarding experience and contribution, I have been involved with Schutzhund for 12 years. I am a member of Der Michigan Schutzhund Verein and active with other clubs in my area. Training experience includes achieving SchH3, FH and AD, all handler owned and trained. Contributions include serving as a helper for local trials, a tracklayer for local and regional events as well as the H.O.T., authoring local club by-laws, writing the foundation document of the current Mid-East Region by-laws, and volunteer service at the past World Championship held in the USA.

The focus of my 35 year professional life is public service. My experience includes but is not limited to operational, technical, managerial and executive experience in law enforcement, corrections, mental health and the courts. I have knowledge and experience with organizational strategy, management and organizational structure, communication, human resources, performance assessment and quality assurance, policy development, application of technology, public support and professional positioning, and the legal, legislative and political environments.

Presently, I serve as the Undersheriff (chief operating executive) of the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office in Ann Arbor, Michigan; an organization in excess of 300 employees with a 25 million dollar budget serving a population of 350,000. My duties include, but are not limited to, oversight of all police operations including canine. Our organization has hosted the regional annual training (detector and patrol dogs) and meeting of the United States Police Canine Association for the past two (2) years. I regularly train my SchH1 bitch with local police canine officers. My professional affiliations include the Michigan Sheriff’s Association, International Association of Chiefs’ of Police, Michigan Association of Chiefs’ of Police and the United States Police Canine Association.

My education includes a degree in education, graduate study in the social impacts of technology, and extensive managerial, professional and technical training. I have served as a trainer in my professional fields and adjunct faculty in public administration at the University level. My experience includes service on State and local boards and committees. Consulting experience has focused on personnel selection, general law enforcement and police/mental health collaboration.

It would be an honor to serve the membership of USCA. I hope you favorably consider my expression of interest. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Marie Weller

- Member in good standing of USA and Golden State Schutzhund Clubs since 8/1995.
- Associate Member of Southwest Working Dog Association (Acton, CA) since 2005
- Club level board member since 1997 (Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President)
- Regional level board member for 10 years (Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Regional Director)
- Assistant to the USA Helper Committee Chairman since 2004 (Attend and manage documents for National Helper college)
- I have been HOT on most of my dog’s to date, and 90% of those were also bred by me.
- USA Club breed warden and tattooer since 1999.
- Have attended as a delegate or Regional Representative for 9 of the past 10 years at the USCA General Board meeting. This keeps me up to date on the current issues and concerns with the maintenance of a premier organization.
- Committee Member of the USA Nomination Committee since 2005 (I am currently in my 3rd term)

I am a Bachelor’s prepared Registered Nurse and have been working in the field of Public health for 12 years currently. I DO NOT make my living from dogs, puppies or dog products. I am passionate about the German Shepherd Dog’s abilities and want to make sure that those abilities are what are continued in the breed. And with that preserve the “Testing” of the dog’s abilities by EARNING Schutzhund titles.

I am known for speaking my mind and I do not have any hidden agendas. I have worked closely with several members of the current board and am aware of the tasks that are currently assigned to the Director at Large positions by the USA president.


I feel the above qualities and work ethic will make me a valuable member to the USA board in a position such as Director at large.

Mike Williams

I would like to formally add my name as a candidate for one of the spots as Director at Large. I feel that I have a lot to give to this organization and I feel that at this point a DAL spot would be the best fit for me. I have included my resume for your consideration. I have been active with dogs of several breeds/sports since 1980. I own my own company in which I manufacture and market several different canine nutritional products and have done so since 1990. I love the sport of schutzhund and the German Shepherd breed. Actually I’m addicted to it. I feel that together with my business contacts and experience in the dogs that I can be an benefit to not only the organization but also the sport of schutzhund.

Personal:

Born 1961 in Fort Dodge, IA. Graduated Highschool 1980.
Attended University of Iowa 1980-1983. Studied Business.
Moved to Reno, NV. 1983
Owned and competed with American Staffordshire Terriers from 1980-1995.
Member of Silver State American Pit Bull Club, 1983-1985 (UKC)
Married 1987-present.
Have 2 daughters. One is a junior at University of Iowa, (pre-pharm) one is a junior at Fort Dodge Senior Highschool.
Bought my first German Shepherd in 1995.
Achieved first schutzhund title in 1997.
Have achieved passing titles on 10 dogs.
Have competed in Regional events 4 times.
Have competed in National events 2 times.
Completed USA helper certification in 2005, basic level.

Business:

First job after college was Lion Manufacturing in Sparks, NV. Was a ‘Planner’ in the Industrial Engineering department. Worked there from 1983-1988. Lion manufactured industrial forklifts.
Went into partnership with my brother 1988. Reno Firewood and Fence. 10 employees.
Started separate business in 1991. Williams nutrition. Sold and marketed Champion Nutrition products, Unipro, APRL.
Started Canine Performance Nutrition in 1992-present.
Moved operation to Fort Dodge, IA. 1995.
We manufacture and market 6 separate canine nutritional products.

Read More...

Candidate Resumes

Auditing Committee.


Raye Lynn Ackerman


I would like to submit my resume for the Auditing Committee of United Schutzhund Clubs of America.

My name is Raye Lynn Ackerman. I grew up in Martins Ferry Ohio, where I graduated from Martins Ferry High School. I attended Ohio University, Wheeling Community College, and Belmont Technical College. I have attended and received certificates from ABA classes and West Virginia Bankers Association Classes, throughout the years.

A little bit about my personal life. I live in Bellaire Ohio with my husband Jim Ackerman. We have been married for 29 years. We both graduated from Martins Ferry High School, class of 1973.

I have been employed by The Citizens Savings Bank for 32 years. My current position is Vice President, Loan Administration and Servicing. Citizens Bank is a division of The Citizens Savings Bank, Martins Ferry Ohio. I am responsible for the loans being processed and serviced.

I have 7 employees who report directly to me. I am responsible for the balancing of the entire Loan portfolio, which includes Commercial, Consumer Real Estate, Consumer, and Floor Plan loans. My department is responsible for processing and servicing ALL new and existing loans. In addition to balancing internal checking accounts, general ledger accounts, insurance accounts, escrow accounts, and the daily processing of new and existing loans. I must submit monthly a reconciliation report each month of these accounts. I process and remit on a monthly basis the Secondary Market Portfolio for Freddie Mac.

Citizens Bank is active in many government lending programs, such as SBA, Ohio Capital Access Program (OCAP) and Grow Now. I am responsible for reporting and remitting, setting up these accounts.

I also serve on many committees such as compliance, training. We have many internal and external audit exams which I am heavily involved each time. This also includes exams from the FDIC, and the State of Ohio.

I was treasurer of a local non profit club for 18 years. I was responsible for collecting all monies for dues, accounts payable and receivables, sending invoices each month to members. Being accountable for monies taken in during functions was a must. I reported on a monthly basis to the executive board and then again to the general membership of about 35 members.

My involvement and membership in USA started in 1992 with my husband Jim. We are members of O.G. Buckeye Schutzhund Club. Jim is Treasurer. I have been by his side training throughout his successful career. I am currently training a female from our breeding, Carley von Eiche Berg, (Pinkey).

Jim and I were very active in both World Championships in Boston and Cincinnati. We have successfully participated in many of our club’s National Sieger Show, Regional Championship and H.O.T. Championship, to name just a few. Each and every trial O.G. Buckeye hosts, we are there helping out in some way.

I believe with my experience I will be a benefit to the auditing committee of USA.

Beth Shea


My first German Shepherd came to me as a late Christmas gift in 1962 when I was thirteen. Since that time German Shepherds and the GSD world has been the one constant in my life. My involvement with German Shepherds has brought me gifts of great dogs and wonderful friendships.

I have trained and trialed my dogs in herding, obedience and schutzhund. I have also trained and handled my dogs in the conformation ring. I currently share my home with three dogs - Nemo , 11.5 years old, a son of Lasso Nuenberg; Remy, 7 years, a Dutch import from KNVP lines and her daughter Seffe. Remy and I just finished our Sch3 H.O.T qualifying me for the Sch3 club. She is also my working service dog as I have a mobility disorder. I am training Seffe as a successor service dog and while she has also shown a lot of talent for herding that training is on hold until I find a new job.

Over the years I have been a member of many local German Shepherd and Schutzhund clubs and have served in most positions at one time or another - secretary, vice-president, treasurer, seminar and meeting coordinator and trial secretary. I also served for five years on the National Herding committee of the GSDCA as part of the group that was instrumental in bringing herding competitions back to AKC breeds. While I am no longer a member of GSDCA, my thirty years of membership in that organization allows me a unique view of the history and politics and relationships of the various German Shepherd organizations in the United States.

I will bring a varied background to any position I am nominated for. By training I am a lawyer but have not practiced for quite some time, instead pursing careers in government, education and the private sector. My most recent experience lies in working as a law library director for private law firms. This is a job much akin to running a small business in that it demands skills in fiscal , personnel and material management. In addition to providing all library services, some of the additional areas I was responsible for included contract negotiation for electronic resources; budget development. tracking and reporting; accounts payable and training of staff and new associates in the use of computer resources. It is a job that requires a high degree of skill with computers and I have served on several informational technology committees. I have donated my time and expertise to professional and community organizations as well. I currently serve on the advisory board of the International Association of Assistant Dog Partners and have served for the past four years on the grant committee of my local credit union. While I believe my expertise and skills could be best used on the Audit Committee , I would be willing to consider another position.

Kris Taves


I have been involved in USA for 20 years at the national, regional and local level. I am a member of the Schutzhund 3 Club. Twice I have been selected as back-half SchH 3 helper at the North Central Regional Championship (96,99). I served as president of the Minnesota Valley Schutzhund Verein for two consecutive terms (96,97). I was elected to the USA Board of Inquiry in 1999 and 2000. I left the chairmanship of the BOI having been elected to serve as North Central Region Director in 2001. I have served numerous terms on the USA Auditing Committee.

I am honored to be considered again for service to the United Schutzhund Clubs of America.

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Candidate Resumes

Board of Inquiry

(Two blocks of posting due to Blogging constraints)

John Bochenek
(Incumbent) - 2010 elections

Region/Club(s): Mideastern Region / Metro-Detroit SchH Club and Der Michigan SchH Verein

Biography:

My name is John Bochenek and I currently serve as a Board of Inquiry Committee Member and wish to return to the position for another term. I live in Milan, Michigan and have been married to my wife Angelic for the past 8yrs. Together we have a 2yr old son named Deacon James. I have been employed with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Detroit for the past 6 years as a Regulatory Biologist / Project Manager overseeing construction projects which impact upon Waters of the United States. During the course of my job, I routinely interpret and enforce laws regarding the protection of wetlands and other natural resources within in the Corps of Engineers jurisdiction. I feel this experience has helped during my past term on the Board of Inquiry and will continue to ensure that only fair and unbiased decisions will be delivered from the 2010-2011 Board of Inquiry Committee.

Relevant Experience / Associations:
USA Board of Inquiry Committee Member – 2008-present
Metro Detroit Schutzhund Club (USA Club) – Training Director - 2008-present
Der Michigan Schutzhund Verein (USA Club) – Vice President - 2005-present
Federation American Bulldog (FedAB) - AWDF Breed Club – Treasurer - 2007-2010
FedAB – AWDF Delegate – 2008-2010
FedAB – Judge/Helper Committee Chair - 2007-2010
American Working Malinois Association (AWMA) – member - 2007-present
Trial Helper Experience: (7) National Championships, (3) USA Mideast Regional Championships, and (9) USA Club trials

Email: johnbochenek@hotmail.com Phone: 248-860-5340

Laurie Coppola

My name is Laurie Coppola. I currently serve USA on the Board of Inquiry and would like to run for that same position again. I believe that we are an organization that should be run by it's membership and as such the onus is on the average member to step up and offer their service to the organization where they can. While serving this current term on the BOI, I strive to serve with fairness, integrity and accountability at each step of the process. In the sport I have trained and titled HOT dog(s) from the BH level to the Sch3, IPO3, FH level. I have competed multiple times at the national level with multiple dogs. In "real life" I am a registered nurse in a very busy Pediatric Intensive Care Unit that serves 3 states and 25 counties. We are a teaching hospital and part of my duties as a charge/transport/cardiac nurse is the development and education of new resident physicians, as well as a transport RN that goes into outlying hospitals and transports back critically ill children via ambulance or helicopter. I am honored to have served USA this past term and I look forward to serving again in the future.

Michael Gardner

Removed at Mikes request - August 12, 2011


Molly Graf

Margaret Graf "Molly" - 41 years old, single, homeowner, business owner, Schutzhund sport enthusiast. - USA member since 1992. - Trained/titled 5 dogs from 0 to Schh3,FH, and breed survey, conformation ratings. - 3 of these dogs were bred by myself. - One dog from my breeding has his HGH title, and is working toward his Schh titles. - Breeding under the kennel name vom Eichenluft since 1995. ALL of the dogs in my breeding program are Schh titled, hip rated, conformation rated and most of them breed surveyed. - Schutzhund sport competitor at club, Regional and National level. Also a competing member of the 2004 FCI World Team with a dog of my own breeding/training/titles. - Bronze, Silver, Gold and Masters' Gold Sports Medal Recipient. - USA Tattooer and Breed Warden for many years - Northeast Regional Breed Warden and BAC member for the past 9 years. - USA Seiger Show competitor, and supporter/competitor for Universal Seiger. - I am honest to a fault. Hard-working, making a living working hard and earning my income. I have never cheated or lied to gain any accolades, titles or scores. I train my dogs with motivational methods. I help with my region as much as I can. I have a reputation for standing my ground and helping those who need help. I do not tolerate people who abuse their animals, cheat or lie to gain points or accolades. When I state my opinion it is only when I am confident my opinion is correct and from first-hand experience. I enjoy helping people and freely give information based on my own experiences and knowledge. I am very interested in a position on the BOI.

Lisa Matarrese

Hello my name is Lisa Matarrese and I would like to be considered for the Board of Inquiry position with United Schutzhund Clubs. I live in Diamond, Ohio with my husband of 20 years, Pat, and our two children, Jessica, 18 and Cheney 17. I have been employed by H&R Block for 10 years where I am a Senior Tax Advisor. Prior to that I was employed by the State of Ohio at the Bureau of Workers Compensation, as a Claims Representative. When my children were younger I served at the Secretary for my sons Youth Wrestling Program for 5 years. I was the Treasurer of their Hotstove Baseball/Softball program for almost 6 years. It is my nature to help. I helped my husband start our Schutzhund club, Northeast Ohio Working Dog Association in 1999. We started with the two of us and two others, and I'm proud to say we now have over 20 club members. I organize at least two Schutzhund trials per year, including a regional event, and helper seminars. Pat is the training director of our club, so between working all of the club dogs and training his personal dogs, that leaves me to be responsible for all other aspects of our club. I make it my top priority to know the rules and keep current with changes. I have been the trial secretary for over 25 trials, including several regional events. I am not afraid to ask for help, or double check to make sure things are being done correctly. I am also a USA Tattooer for several years now. I feel like USA is on a good path with their breed registry. My husband and myself register all of our dogs and our litters with USA/SV, all dogs are A-stamped. Our dogs are always shown at USA conformation shows. We utilize everything that USA has to offer. Following the rules to keep the standards high with USA and the German Shepherd breed is very important to me. Having a USA club and being a member of USA for a big part of my life means I am responsible for educating others. It is important that I answer every phone call and email, I understand that I might be able to open one more persons life to schutzhund with a few simple answers to their question. It was a privilege to help at the WUSV in Cincinnati, what a superb event! Our youth program is such an important means of growth, the youth are our future.One suggestion I have that I believe would create greater USA membership is to offer seniors a discounted membership. I have spoken with several seniors that no longer physically participate in the sport, but would love to get a USA magazine every other month! Many seniors of course have limited budgets. I believe that it is impossible to grow without opening our minds to new ideas and accepting change. Change is the one constant thing! Good communication is a must. I feel that I have a lot to offer, it would be an honor for me to be able to contribute more of myself to being an officer of USA. The German Shepherd dog is my life, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I have been a loyal member of USA for nearly 15 years, I have no other club affiliations, I have no criminal history, no felonies, maybe a speeding ticket , but that would be it! I have an open mind and I am eager to help.

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Candidate Resumes

Board of Inquiry

(Two blocks of posting due to Blogging constraints)

Sean Murphy

Please consider this letter as my declaration for the position of BOI for the United Schutzhund Clubs of America. I believe I am qualified for this position with over 15 years of experience working as a manager/team lead, and have had to deal with conflict resolution. I am also the treasurer for South Michigan Schutzhund and Police Club.

My name is Sean Murphy. I grew up inTecumseh, Michigan, where I graduated from Tecumseh High School and attended Washtenaw Community College.

I currently live in Clinton, Michigan, and I have been a member of USA since 2004 and titled my first dog in 2007 to a BH. Unfortunately, this dog wasn’t able to be titled, however I am currently working a young working line shepherd with a lot of promise! I am a 0 time member of the SchH3 club, and have served on no committees in USA prior to this. I am a National level helper and have been chosen to try-out for 3 National level trials. I have been picked to work the front half in two of those trials. I have also been the front half helper for the Mid East Regional Championship for the last two years, and have worked numerous club trials.

I have been employed by the University of Michigan as a Senior Network Planning Analyst. I have been employed by the University since 1999. Prior to that I was a Field Support Engineer for a start-up internet company.

I hope you will consider me for this position of BOI. I feel it is necessary that any conflicts which come before this board should be carefully investigated and any necessary punishment should be just.

smurph@umich.edu

Steve Roberts

Removed at the request of Mr Roberts - April 25, 2011

Trish Sansbury

I would like to submit my resume for the Board of Inquiry of United Schutzhund Clubs of America.

My name is Trish Sansbury. I live in Ohio and I am currently the President of OG Buckeye Schutzhund Club and the Secretary of the Mid East Region. I have been a member of United Schutzhund Clubs of America since 1986. I have trained 3 dogs to a Sch3, 2 dogs to a Sch2, 1 dog to a Sch1, 1 dog to an FH, and 1 dog to an FH2. Every dog I have titled is HOT. I am currently training Devony, my Sch1 female, for her Sch2 and I am getting her father, Jax v Lindesfarne Sch3 FH2, ready to compete in the FH Championship. I have been breeding under the USA registered kennel “de Locherie” since 2004 and Devony is from my own breeding. I just recently submitted paperwork for my Gold Sports Medal, although I earned the points for it in 2003.

I have been a Professional Dog Groomer for 30 years and I have owned Dog Daze Grooming Salon in Cleveland, Ohio for 10 years. My business is a sole proprietorship and I am responsible for every aspect of its operation. I do all my ordering of merchandise and supplies, bookkeeping, and scheduling, along with grooming the dogs.

I am very active with OG Buckeye Schutzhund Club and volunteer for every trial, seminar, and activity we hold. I also have volunteered at Regional and National Championships as well as the 2009 World Championship in Kentucky.

I am submitting my bid for the Board of Inquiry because of a strong desire to support USA and I believe with my experience I will be a benefit to it.

Please accept my nomination for the Board of Inquiry.

Sara Wallick

After spending the last five and a half years as USA Secretary and working with the members of the Board of Inquiry, I have a deep appreciation for how important this committee is to our organization. USA needs members on the BOI who have analytical minds and have the ability to evaluate facts—and who are totally impartial. I feel I posses those qualities, and would appreciate having an opportunity to serve USA as a member of the Board of Inquiry.

Cathi Windus

(Member of the Noble Canine Schutzhund Club in the Mid Central Region)

I would like to volunteer for one of the open positions for Schutzhund USA.
I have been a member of 3 different clubs. Central Iowa Schutzhund Club, Iowa Hundesport Club and Noble Canine Schutzhund Club.
I have hosted varies Schutzhund training days for the Mid Central Region. I have been trial secretary, Club President, Club Vice President and Club Secretary.
I have planned, attended and participated in Helper Certification training. I have planned and hosted various training seminars in the region.
I have assisted in forming 2 clubs in our region.
I am involved in mentoring 3 youth members in our current club.
I want to increase the knowledge of the sport of Schutzhund in the United States and increase the number of youth members.
I am willing to be involved in the execution of future projects and education programs. I am willing to serve on any committee where I can assist the organization.

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Candidate Resumes

Judges Committee



Carla J Griffith USA # 26 SV Judge



I would like to stay on this committee because I was on this committee with Mark and I feel that I will be able to help the new director of judges. As the only Judge on this committee I have been very active . I have had my Judging license for 12 years and I'm also a teaching Judge, with this experience I feel that I can help with any problems or suggest better ways to do things. Thank you for your consideration.

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Candidate Resumes

World Championship Committee

Dale Franz


Summary: Dedicated dog owner with 20 years of pet / rescue / foster / service and most recently working dog training. A relatively new member to Hundesport, owner of a European working line GSD, with a strong appreciation of Schutzhund USA’s contribution toward the German Shepherd Dog’s purpose (as defined by Max von Stephanitz).


Experience: Breeds owned / fostered include Jack Russell Terrier, Border Collie, Australian
Shepherd, Labrador Retriever and German Shepherd dog.


Method: Positive operant conditioning - complemented by established leadership structures in an active family oriented environment.


Goal: Represent United Schutzhund Clubs of America as required.

I have had the unique opportunity to observe the 2009 National Trial and interact with senior leaders in your the organization, and as a new member was struck by the amount of criticism and complaints surrounding the venue and event. As a volunteer of Schutzhund USA my primary message will be to enhance the positive messages surrounding our sport, and ensure that leaders and participants understand the powerful perceptions that are established in new and future members by the “politics” and negative comments. In addition, I believe that the “infighting” amongst various working dog associations negatively impacts membership and participation for all organizations.

I believe USCA should establish a mission / vision statement which rises above the current fray and clearly states the goal of focusing on enabling environments and legislation toward: "Schäferhund ist und muß Gebrauchshundezucht bleiben!" -Max Von Stephanitz (roughly translated - The German Shepherd is and should always be a working dog).

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