Nominating Committee Announces Call for Interest for Executive Board Candidates

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During the August 2020 Special Delegates Meeting, the Delegates adopted a recommendation from the Governance Task Force to create a Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee (“Committee”) will:

• Recruit candidates to stand for election to the Executive Board
• Vet the prospective candidates
• Endorse candidates who receive the Committee’s majority approval. The endorsed candidates will be presented to US Chess Voting Members.

For the 2021 Executive Board election, the Committee will make recommendations for prospective candidates who will be permitted to use the Committee’s endorsement as one element of their campaign marketing. The Committee’s candidate recommendations in no way preclude others from self-nominating for the election. All candidates for the Executive Board (endorsed or not) are required to obtain signatures on their petitions for office. That petition form is available here. (A fillable petition form is also available.)

The Committee, composed of six Delegate-appointed and two Executive Board-appointed members, recently began meeting. The Committee has established the following steps for US Chess members to express their interest in becoming an endorsed candidate:

1. Read the background information on becoming an Executive Board Member in the US Chess Bylaws, Article VI:
   1. Eligibility (Section 2),
   2. Responsibility (Section 3)
   3. Nomination (Section 5)
2. Read the US Chess Executive Board Member Expectations document
3. Complete a Candidate Interest Form by Midnight (Central Time), November 8, 2020

The Committee seeks interested candidates who bring the following leadership experience and skills:

• Governance Skills and Abilities. Experience in governance and policy development, which includes providing strategic direction, monitoring organizational effectiveness, overseeing financial and budgetary issues, and determining critical programmatic policies and directions.
• Leadership. Demonstrate leadership experience as a member of one or more relevant non-profit or for-profit governing Boards with similar goals, or comparable leadership experience.
• Knowledge and Experience. A blend of knowledge, skills and relevant experiences in areas such as development (fundraising), business and finance, marketing, public relations, communications and program evaluation. 
• Capacity and Propensity to Give. Ability and willingness to contribute financially that reflects your capacity and personal commitment to give, and to provide personal contacts and influence to help US Chess achieve its mission and goals. 
• Dedication to US Chess Goals. Demonstrate genuine interest and/or experience in the vision, mission, cores values and strategic direction of US Chess.
• Teamwork Skills. Ability and willingness to partner with Board members and staff of varying viewpoints and backgrounds to reach consensus on complex problems and issues.
• Time Commitment. As part of a working Board, members can expect to routinely commit as many as 10 hours/week and attend monthly online meetings and possible quarterly in-person weekend meetings. Board members must travel and participate in Board meetings, committee meetings, and other events throughout the country.  Board members will be expected to attend 80% of Board meetings each year.  While this is an unpaid position, US Chess reimburses travel and subsistence expenses (as requested) in connection with official US Chess business.

Since all candidates for the Executive Board are required to obtain petition signatures from a diverse pool of US Chess members, the Committee recommends beginning this process as soon as possible. All completed candidate petitions are required to be submitted to Click here to show email address or postmarked and mailed to Governance, US Chess, PO Box 3967, Crossville, TN 38557 by 11:59 pm (CT), December 31, 2020. There are no exceptions.