KCBS Board Meeting Agenda for 13 January 2026
Kansas City Barbeque Society
Board of Directors’ Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 6:00 PM CST
Membership Requests to Address the Board:
- None
Roll Call:
Chiles Cridlin, David Qualls, Donna Fong, Jeanne Titus, Luke Darnell, Lex Vanegas, Paul Buob, Randy Todd, Thomas Gearhart; KCBS Office: Rod Gray
Absent: NA
Board Pledge:
Recognizing barbeque as America’s cuisine, the mission of the Kansas City Barbeque Society is to celebrate, teach, preserve, and promote barbeque as a culinary technique, sport, and art form.
I accept my duties as a KCBS director to further the KCBS mission so that truth, justice, excellence in barbeque, and the American way of life may be strengthened and preserved forever.
Declaration of Quorum
Consent Agenda:
Notice concerning Committee Reports. Some committees do not meet monthly. If a report is presented, it will be included as an attachment to the agenda.
- Minutes of previous BoD meeting
- Contest Report
- Sanctioning Committee
- Judging Committee
- Contest Representative Committee
- Rules Committee
- Technology Committee
- Foundation Committee
- Nominating Committee
- Hall of Fame Committee
- Working Groups:
- Organizers Working Group
- Membership Subcommittee
- Backyard Working Group
- Sponsorship Working Group
- World Invitational Working Group
- Organizers Working Group
Chief Executive Officer’s Report:
- CEO Report attached.
- The Board may take actions based on Topics and Discussions from this report as New Business.
- None
- Resolution R-01-13-2026 ref. Foundation Committee report (Chiles Cridlin).
Discussion of legal, financial, personnel, and real estate.
- Strategic SWOT analysis (Paul Buob).
- CSC report (Thomas Gearhart).
The Board may take any necessary actions, including motions on any or all matters discussed in closed session
Board Comments
Adjourn or Suspend
Attachments and Reports
Contest Report
| Contest | Date | City | State/Country |
| 2nd Annual Curley Que Classic | 7/25/2026 | Kailua | HI |
| 38th Annual Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out | 9/19/2026 | Kearney | MO |
| All American BBQ Throwdown | 8/1/2026 | Westland | MI |
| All American BBQ Throwdown (ONE MEAT RIBS) | 7/31/2026 | Westland | MI |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest | 3/21/2026 | Kansas City | MO |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue Rub Contest (COMPETITOR'S SERIES) | 4/12/2026 | Kansas City | MO |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue Sauce Contest (COMPETITOR'S SERIES) | 4/9/2026 | Kansas City | MO |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue Steak Cook-Off | 3/21/2026 | Kansas City | MO |
| Barbeque on the Bow Festival | 9/6/2026 | Calgary | CANADA |
| Big Knob BBQ & Cash Fest | 5/23/2026 | Rochester | PA |
| Blue Bombers BBQ Pitmaster Showdown | 7/1/2026 | Winnipeg | CANADA |
| Blue Compass RV BBQ Bash | 5/2/2026 | Marriott-Slaterville | UT |
| Boost & BBQ | 9/19/2026 | Odessa | MO |
| Cars & BBQ Festival 2026 | 8/15/2026 | Tallinn | ESTONIA |
| City of Madison BBQ Party (formerly Madison Ribberfest) | 8/22/2026 | Madison | IN |
| CTO Smoke & Iron | 8/1/2026 | Bentonville | AR |
| Dodge City Days Smokin' Saddles BBQ Comp (OPEN FORMAT) | 7/25/2026 | Dodge City | KS |
| Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival | 9/26/2026 | Jonesboro | AR |
| Embers and Ice Pitmaster Championship | 5/24/2026 | Calmar | CANADA |
| Goose's Annual Pitmaster Showdown | 7/11/2026 | Papillion | NE |
| K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY) | 7/11/2026 | Kennett Square | PA |
| Kora Kares for Kids | 8/16/2026 | Hiram | ME |
| Kora Kares for Kids (ONE MEAT RIBS) | 8/15/2026 | Hiram | ME |
| Marietta River City BBQ (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) | 4/24/2026 | Marietta | OH |
| McLouth BBQ Blowout 35th Annual | 6/6/2026 | McLouth | KS |
| MN Masters BBQ | 8/29/2026 | Pierz | MN |
| ND BBQ Championship | 5/2/2026 | Fargo | ND |
| ND BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) | 5/1/2026 | Fargo | ND |
| No Smoke, No Glory | 7/12/2026 | Zagreb | CROATIA |
| No Smoke, No Glory (ONE MEAT BRISKET) | 7/11/2026 | Zagreb | CROATIA |
| No Smoke, No Glory (ONE MEAT RIBS) | 7/11/2026 | Zagreb | CROATIA |
| Pitmasters in Paradise | 4/26/2026 | Auburndale | FL |
| Polish Open Grill and BBQ Championships | 6/6/2026 | Mazowieckie | POLAND |
| Puckaway Pigfest | 9/12/2026 | Montello | WI |
| Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) | 6/20/2026 | Morris | IL |
| Rock Lane Presents Grills Gone Wild | 10/24/2026 | Branson | MO |
| Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY) | 4/25/2026 | Stanley | WI |
| Smoke in the Mitten | 5/2/2026 | Westland | MI |
| Smoke in the Mitten (ONE MEAT RIBS) | 5/1/2026 | Westland | MI |
| Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE) | 6/6/2026 | Glencoe | AL |
| Smoke N for the Kids (Day 1) | 8/15/2026 | Troy | IL |
| Smoke N for the Kids (Day 2) | 8/16/2026 | Troy | IL |
| Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY) | 8/22/2026 | Fairbury | IL |
| Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) | 9/13/2026 | Guntersville | AL |
| Smoke Ring | 9/27/2026 | Spencerville | CANADA |
| Smoke Ring (ONE MEAT RIBS) | 9/26/2026 | Spencerville | CANADA |
| Smokin Ribs for the Kids (BACKYARD ONLY) (Contest 1) | 8/29/2026 | Cherry Valley | IL |
| Smokin Ribs for the Kids (BACKYARD ONLY) (Contest 2) | 8/29/2026 | Cherry Valley | IL |
| Smokin Ribs for the Kids (ONE MEAT RIBS) | 8/28/2026 | Cherry Valley | IL |
| Tri City BBQ Fest | 9/19/2026 | Denison | IA |
| Twin Smoke | 5/16/2026 | Vilnius | LITHUANIA |
| WhistleStop BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) | 10/17/2026 | Huntsville | AL |
Sanctioning Committee
Committee Members: Luke Darnell.
No report for this period.
Judging Committee
Committee Members: Donna Fong, Chair; Randy Todd, Co-chair, Paul Buob, ex officio, President, KCBS; and Rod Gray, ex officio, KCBS CEO, Jeanne Titus, Advisory Rep; and members Myron Berry, Cliff Brockman, Joe DeBella, Ron Keefover, and Bryan Stewart.
No report for this period.
Contest Representative Committee
Committee Members: Jeanne Titus, Lex Vanegas, Charlie Brinza, Laurie Tweten, Bob McKee, Dave McAllister, Kelly McIntosh, Dave Druetzler, Sarah Wickham, Debby Gage.
No report for this period.
Rules Committee
Committee Members: Randy Todd, Chair; Thomas Gearhart, Co-Chair; Paul Buob, President; Rod Gray, KCBS CEO; David Puckett, Charlie Brinza, Mike Wozniak, and Ron Keefover.
No report for this period.
Finance Committee
Committee Members: Thomas Gearhart, Paul Buob, Chiles Cridlin, Lex Vanegas, Rod Gray.
2025 Financial Results
The previously shared financial results covered the 11-month period through November 2025. December has not yet been posted, so no formal year-end P&L is available. Informal review of the numbers indicates KCBS is on track to finish 2025 with approximately $50K in net income. A full year-end update will be provided offline once December is finalized and shared with the Board.
The Finance Committee met on January 7. Primary topics included review of the Clean Sheet Consulting (CSC) report and the draft 2026 budget.
Clean Sheet Consulting Report
- The Committee recommends proceeding with implementation of the "must-do" recommendations from the CSC report.
- Further discussion is needed on revenue deferral policies to ensure they align with KCBS operations (e.g., deferral may be appropriate for lifetime memberships and large events like the World Invitational but not for standard $45 annual memberships).
- CSC has invoiced for completed work but remains well under the approved Statement of Work ceiling. The Committee recommends utilizing remaining funds to engage Dave from CSC for assistance with implementation.
- The Committee further recommends inviting Dave to a future Board meeting (virtually, potentially February or March) for a high-level overview of the report and to answer Board questions.
- A copy of the report will be sent to the Board.
- World Invitational entry fees will be moved from the operations account to preserve cash until needed for event expenses.
- Rod consulted with KCBS's banker regarding the maturing $110,000 CD. Recommendation (endorsed by the CEO and Treasurer): allow automatic rollover into a new three-month term. In April 2026, consolidate idle low-yield money market funds into higher-yielding short-term CDs which will allow higher returns while maintaining liquidity and quick access to capital if needed. Signature cards will be updated when new officers are elected.
- Potential payroll savings by bringing processing in-house via QuickBooks (aligned with CSC recommendations for upgrading to QB Plus for additional non-payroll functionality).
- Potential insurance savings through engagement of a broker.
- Work continues between the current Treasurer and CEO; the incoming Treasurer will assume responsibility in February.
- The Treasurer and CEO have aligned on a recommended 2026 budget (draft included in agenda packet for review).
- The budget must be Board-approved and presented to members at the annual meeting within 90 days of new Board installation.
- Key assumptions/notes:
- Includes payroll and benefits for all current staff; no additional hires anticipated in 2026.
- Projects a modest $3,300 net loss for 2026, primarily due to anticipated loss of key sponsorships.
- Opportunities exist to achieve positive results through growth in contests, World Invitational entries, public-facing event profitability, renewed business affiliate program, ad hoc sponsorships, advertising, merchandise sales, and/or further expense reductions.
Committee Members: Chiles Cridlin, Nancy Goldsmith, Bill Jones, Matt Greer, Beth Salz, David Qualls, Rod Gray, Paul Buob
Scholarship awards review schedule
- 2026 Scholarship discussions.
- Active as of January 1st, submissions already being received.
- Scholarship reminder for BullSheet advertisements.
- Social media and email blast early January, email sent 1/7/2026.
- Ole Hickory Pits has committed verbally for 2026.
- Contact Ole Hickory Pits for formal commitment.
- Need to send the State of NY the validations for recipient from 2025.
- Check with office regarding 1099 submission.
- Planning to use 2025 as a template for 2026.
- Limit email blasts to CONUS (US based) members only.
- Consider using non-current US based members again.
- The Foundation is looking to establish continuity. Currently, there are no BOD members that have indicated interest. Headhunting tactics among the qualified candidates that could be interested in running.
- Planning needs to start for 2026 WI Pop-Up Shop.
- All donation receipts have been delivered. Next year, we need to follow the onsite check-in spreadsheet to make giving receipts easier.
- Codicil to will or estate planning needs be added to the KCBS website, consider a December BullSheet article to announce its addition along with estate planning. Also, tax planning articles were included in the November BullSheet.
- Request to remove the George Stone scholarship from the Foundation web page, the funds have been fully dispersed via scholarships.
- First Business Bank Certificate of Deposit $63,106.95, renewable in May of 2026.
- First Business Bank Savings account balance $26,598.74 as of 12/31/2025.
- The KCBS Foundation is working to present the BOD a resolution for the establishment of an investment account.
Committee Member: Jeanne Titus.
No report for this period.
Technology Working Group
Committee Members: Lex Vanegas, Chiles Cridlin, David McAllister.
Discussed KCBScore updates/release and possibility of looking at alternative scoring system collaborations.
Hall of Fame Committee
Committee Members: Thomas Gearhart, Chiles Cridlin, Carolyn Wells.
No report for this period.
Organizer Working Group
Committee Members: Donna Fong, Chair; Julie Poe, Jim Palmer, and Christie Vanover.
No report for this period.
Membership Subcommittee
Committee Member: Luke Darnell.
No report for this period.
Backyard Working Group
Committee Member: Thomas Gearhart.
No report for this period.
Sponsorship Working Group
Committee Member: Luke Darnell.
No report for this period.
World Invitational (Public Facing) Working Group
Committee Members: Paul Buob, Jason Cole, Eric Cantrell, Blake Moore, Cliff Brockman, Rod Gray.
No report for this period.
KCBS Competition Enhancement Working Group
Committee Members: Thomas Gearhart, Blake Moore, David Puckett, Josh Yagel, Pat Larisey, Garry Edwards.
The Board previously approved rule changes for the 2026 season, removing restrictions on existing Backyard teams as Phase 1 of the transition to a unified competition structure. These changes have not yet been communicated to the membership. The Working Group has prepared draft communication materials, including a news article for the KCBS website and comprehensive FAQs explaining the rationale, timeline, and member impact.
Request to KCBS Staff
To ensure transparent and proactive communication, the Working Group urgently requests staff support to:
- Review, finalize, and publish the drafted website news article and FAQs as soon as possible.
- Coordinate distribution of FAQs to Reps and the Rep Advisory group.
- Schedule and promote virtual town halls for Q&A with members, reps, organizers, etc.
- Help create a scheduled social media post calendar (weekly cadence recommended).
- Inclusion in the next Bullsheet edition.
| Score | Members Voted | Percentage or Total |
| 1 | 13 | 3.9 |
| 2 | 27 | 8.11% |
| 3 | 48 | 14.41% |
| 4 | 90 | 27.03% |
| 5 | 155 | 46.55% |
| Total | 333 | 100% |
| Score | 4.04 | |
CEO Report
Key Highlights:
With the holidays behind us, the KCBS Hall of Fame and Annual Awards Banquet are full steam ahead. With about six weeks until the event, staff met onsite with the hotel, designed the supporting graphics and created the necessary pieces, ordered the awards, and massaged the details. Registration is brisk and we’re excited to return to the Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza. The Kansas City Streetcar extends south beyond the hotel and includes a stop at the hotel. This will enhance the Kansas City experience for our banquet guests this year.
Changes are coming to the 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational. This year we’re introducing the World Chicken Finals and the World Rib Finals on Friday night. Both events are by invitation only, and we’re opening it up to the best of the best. The qualifying details are explained on the KCBS website, but there are several paths to participate. To my knowledge, this level of inclusivity has not been seen in competition barbeque.
The CBJ Townhall was a complete success. Donna Fong, CBJ Chairperson, and the entire CBJ Committee hosted a well-attended, well received meeting. There were many great questions from the attendees that generated informative and sometimes spirited conversation. If you were unable to attend, the full recording is available in the Recent New section of the KCBS website.
The KCBS Board of Directors election is underway. The polls opened on January 1 Due to a programmer issue; there was a minor delay. Email communication and social media posts are scheduled through January 15, the last day to vote. Polls will remain open until 12:00 AM. Unless we receive a request for a paper ballot, Jeanne Titus, the Nomination Committee Chairperson, plans to announce the results on January 16 after all candidates have been contacted.
Together, these efforts align with KCBS’s ongoing focus on member value and event development.
Membership
As of January 9, 2026, KCBS membership stands at 14,860, up from 14,800 reported on December 5.
December’s expired-member postcard campaign resulted in 14 renewals. Postcards for January expirations will go out this week.
Contests
1 contest completed in 2026
227 contests scheduled for 2026
4 contests canceled for 2026
CBJ & Table Captain Classes
11 CBJ classes scheduled in 2026
6 Table Captain classes scheduled in 2026
Marketing & Communications
- Bullsheet: The January issue of the Bullsheet was emailed to 13,189 recipients. The digital publication was opened by 6,213 members as of 1/8/26, reflecting a 47.11% open rate.
- Current Follower Counts (8 January 2026):
- Facebook: 79,253 (up 36 followers)
- Instagram: 27,239 (up 74 followers))
- X: 22,150 (down 13 followers)
- Facebook Performance:
- Views: 136,957, reported as down 11% in the previous 28 days via Facebook
- Interactions: 4,845 reported, up 32% in the previous 28 days via Facebook
- Website Performance (January 2026):
- 4,620 clicks from Google Search
- 114K impressions
- Top-clicked pages:
- Homepage: 2,890 clicks
- Explore Events page: 453 clicks
- WI page: 260 clicks
- Judging Classes page: 207 clicks
- Top Search Queries
- KCBS: 1,514
- KCBS BBQ: 680
- KCBS Events: 145
- Device usage:
- Mobile: 3,440
- Desktop: 1,500
- Tablet: 98
- Top countries:
- United States: 90%
- Canada: 4%
- Italy: 1%