Interview with Executive Board Candidate Brian Lafferty

EV: Do you feel like the governing structure of the USCF works? If so, why (do you think that)? If not, is it changeable and what should it be changed to?

BL: The governing structure works, but not well. Ideally, the USCF would not have the Delegates as the board of directors, especially with the full board, as it were, meeting only once a year. I would favor a board of 10 to 14 members serving much as boards do in other non-profit organization.

I would also have a very clear ethics/conflicts of interest policy that each board member would be required to sign yearly.

Many of these issues and possible solutions can be found at http://www.betteruscf.org/

EV: If you were going to make cuts in the USCF budget, where would they come from?

BL: I would hope that once the draining affects of litigation with Ms. Polgar and Mr. Truong are behind us, no cuts would be needed. One of the biggest problems in the past has been getting an accurate handle on the finances of the organization. Now that the USCF office has switched to a Peachtree accounting program, the numbers in our financial reports should become more meaningful allowing for cogent budget decisions that have simply not been possible in the recent past.

EV: Which other person do you tend to agree with most frequently in USCF politics?

BL: Probably Joe Lux and Wayne Praeder. But, agreement isn’t really the most important issue. Listening, actively listening, to others with differing opinions is more important. Listening, followed by honest, transparent consensus building should be the default decision-making process for all board members.

EV: Do you think it's a conflict of interest for Bill Goichburg to be President of the CCA and of the Executive Board? If so, do you think it’s also a problem? If not, why?

BL: A qualified, yes. However, it is a conflict that is out in the open. As long as it is out in the open generally and specifically as to instances when the conflict impacts matters being voted on by the board, problems can be averted. It can be dealt with by the other board members in their decision making process. Also, Mr. Goichburg should recuse himself from any vote on tournament matters that directly affect his business interests. Indirect interest are less clear and would have to be addressed by open board discussion as they occur.

EV: What specific areas of interest do you have within chess (scholastics, fund-raising, finance, rules, top players, organizing, FIDE, publications, etc.)?

BL: First of all, I do like to play chess and do so over the board every week. I am not driven to play rated chess as much as I am playing with challenging players in G60+ games. I’m also interested in correspondence chess and am captaining a team, the New England Blizzard, in a team server tournament being run by CCLA.
Organizationally, I have started and run an elementary school chess program at my daughter’s school (photos below) and I am active in the Massachusetts Chess Association, particularly distributing free chess sets to school and community organizations.

I would be very much interested in doing fund raising and assisting with grant writing for the organization. I have some expertise in that area having taught grant writing on the graduate level in the Masters of Public Administration program at American International College in Springfield, MA.

I would like to see the educational abilities of the organization enhanced to provide ever increasing resources to all areas of the chess community, especially scholastic, prison and community based chess programs.

EV: What 2 or 3 initiatives would you try to implement if you were elected?

BL: 1. The propagation of a clear ethics policy for board member and the means to enforce same without spending significant resources on litigation in the courts. Mandatory arbitration before the American Arbitration Association of ethical disputes, including board member removal, should be considered.

2. I would seek sponsorship to create a Chess Training Center where our top junior players could spend time (summers and school vacations) studying with paid trainers in an environment that would include chess, cultural enhancement (the arts, performing and study opportunity) and just plain fun.

3. I would also look for ways to increase team competition by supporting interclub matches (possibly server) locally and regionally. These might even be unrated to draw in new players to the organization.

EV: If you could change one USCF rule, policy, or procedure, what would it be?

BL: Make clear that, as much as possible, all business of the organization is to be conducted with absolute transparency so that the members will know exactly how their organization is being run.

EV: What does the USCF do best and what is it worst at?

BL: Best: ratings, tournament support, scholastic support.

Worst: lack of complete transparency in operation and adherence to the highest standards of ethics by all involved.

EV: How much work do EB members do in a typical week and what does it consist of?

BL: That can be subject to wide variation and debate. Ideally, such a position should average about 20 hours a week or a little less. This assumes an effective staff that is left to do the organization’s work without micromanaging by the board. The assignments of board members will vary by their interests and abilities.

EV: What 5 personal characteristics / qualities / skills do you think are most valuable in an EB member?

1. The ability to actively listen;
2. The desire and ability to set reasonable goals in concert with others;
3. The ability to work toward goals through a consensus approach;
4. The ability to admit mistakes and seek solutions.
5. The ability to laugh at oneself.

more on Brian Lafferty

Just a note about these interviews: I am happy to do one for any* EB candidate. Email me if interested.

*who is unambiguously against both rape and child prostitution