Chiles Cridlin

1 - Why do you want to be a member of the KCBS Board of Directors?
As a current board member and BBQ competitor, KCBS is my organization of choice. It has given me the opportunity to cook coast to coast, allowed me to lead committees to develop programs such as JCUP (Judge Update Certification Program), JSSP (Judge Series Steak Program), and take part in revising our rules and judging procedures. I feel competition BBQ is one of the most wholesome, family-oriented hobbies a person could have.   Yes, there are still challenges that must be overcome if this organization is to thrive. It would be a privilege to continue to donate my time and expertise to help KCBS grow, so that current and future members may have the same opportunities and experiences that I have received.

2 – Identify the major areas (Cook, Judge, Organizer, Rep) in which you are involved.
In addition to my current KCBS Board responsibilities, I am the head cook of “Wolf’s Revenge BBQ”, competing in 20 or more sanctioned events each year. I have assisted organizers with planning contests, and have enjoyed hosting more than 25 judges for their “cooking with a cook team” Master Certified Barbeque Judge requirement.

3 – Identify your major short-term goal and the major long-term goal, if elected to the Board of KCBS and your plan to implement change or improvement in order to carry out each of these goals.
Short term, I would like to see KCBS work to adopt a nomination process for the selection of future BOD candidates that is transparent to the membership, fair, and protects the interests of both the membership and KCBS as a whole.
Long term, I am looking forward to working with the BOD to develop a new SCORE program to include updates requested by our Reps and members. This new version of SCORE should include features such as electronic signatures for judges (no more carrying around books for signatures), pre-population of category, team and judge lists, multi-day contest overall calculations (for the reps), and other requested features as agreed upon by the BOD.
I would like participate in developing a marketing plan to attract new members, encourage more public participation and provide more sponsorship opportunities for KCBS.   Having the public involved gives KCBS great exposure opportunities for attracting new judges and cook teams alike. Cook teams would be encouraged to participate more in programs such as “People’s Choice” or cooking demonstrations for sponsors.

4 – The KCBS Board of Directors is a working board that spends 10-20 hours and possibly more per month in furthering the mission of KCBS depending on your role as a member of the board. If elected, please explain “Your level of Commitment, Time and Energy” in your role as a director.
In the past three years as a BOD member, I have spent hundreds of hours working tasks, duties and responsibilities as assigned. My level of commitment does not stop when the meetings are over or projects are complete, but continues out on the competition circuit where I regularly receive questions and feedback from our members. If elected, I look forward to continuing my commitment.
5 – List how you have participated in KCBS and for how long?
I have been competing as “Wolf’s Revenge BBQ” for more than 12 years and was certified as a judge more than 10 years ago. I am a lifetime member of KCBS.

6 – What skills do you possess that might help the KCBS Board of Directors in its mission, ie, member?
As a small business owner of a technology company that has been in operation for more than 15 years, I have working knowledge of managing budgets, compliance, and most of all, exceeding customer’s expectations when it comes to responsiveness, service and delivery. As an active cook team and certified barbecue judge, I have a solid understanding of what our members look for both in and out of the judging tent. With three years’ experience on the KCBS BOD, I have working knowledge of what our business partners (sponsors) look for.
In accordance with the mission statement of KCBS, I “celebrate” barbecue almost every other weekend out on the competition circuit. My work with JCUP and JSSP helps “teach and preserve” barbecue. Finally, my active participation in contests and social media helps “promote barbecue as a culinary technique, sport and art form”. #IAMKCBS