KCBS Board of Directors Meeting Agenda for June 9, 2026

KANSAS CITY BARBEQUE SOCIETY

BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING AGENDA

Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 6:00 PM CST

Membership Requests to Address the Board:   

• None

Call to Order – Paul Buob

Roll Call: 

Carol Bigler, David Qualls, Donna Fong, Jeanne Titus, Luke Darnell, Blake Moore, 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

Discussion of any items removed from Consent Agenda:

Chief Executive Officer’s Report:

• CEO Report attached.

• The Board may take actions based on Topics and Discussions from this report as New Business.

Old Business:

• 2/4 Meat Business - Paul Buob

New Business:  

• James E. Award Agricultural Center contract extension - Rod Gray

• Use of Propane - Paul Buob

• Short videos on judging consistency reiterate rules - Paul Buob

Closed Session Agenda:  

Discussion of legal, financial, personnel, and real estate.

• Contest application for re-sanctioning - Rod Gray

• Report submitted regarding member conduct - Rod Gray

• opportunity for partnership - Paul Buob

After Closed Session:

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	ST/Country
Chicken & Ribs BBQ Smoke-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS)	6/21/2026	6/21/2026	AUSTRALIA
Chicken & Ribs BBQ Smoke-Off (ONE MEAT CHICKEN)	6/21/2026	6/21/2026	AUSTRALIA
BBQ Fest Market Plaza	7/12/2026	7/12/2026	PANAMA
Chippewa Valley Ribfest (BACKYARD ONLY)	8/7/2026	8/8/2026	Montevideo	MN
Trillium BBQ Throwdown	8/8/2026	8/9/2026	Canton	MA
Vine St BBQ Competition & Fest (BACKYARD ONLY)	8/15/2026	8/15/2026	Park Ridge	IL
Great Lakes Smoke Showdown BBQ Cook Off (COMPETITOR SERIES)	8/16/2026	8/16/2026	Lapeer	MI
Elizabeth Backyard BBQ Showdown (BACKYARD ONLY)	8/28/2026	8/29/2026	Elizabeth	CO
Meat & Tater BBQ Fest (ONE MEAT RIBS)	9/4/2026	9/4/2026	Boise	ID
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest	9/30/2026	10/3/2026	Kansas City	KS
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	9/30/2026	10/4/2026	Kansas City	KS
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Kids Que	9/30/2026	10/3/2026	Kansas City	KS
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides	9/30/2026	10/3/2026	Kansas City	KS
Keystone Classic Cookoff	10/2/2026	10/3/2026	Harrisburg	PA
Hub City BBQ Fest	10/2/2026	10/3/2026	Jackson	TN
Royal Oak Invitational (COMPETITOR SERIES) (PRIVATE EVENT BY INVITATION)	10/15/2026	10/17/2026	Roswell	GA
Roast N Boast (OPEN FORMAT)	10/30/2026	10/31/2026	Columbus	MS
Grills for Gratitude Honoring our Hometown Veterans and Heroes	11/6/2026	11/7/2026	Plant City	FL
Mile High BBQ Fest	6/11/2027	6/12/2027	Littleton	CO

 

Sanctioning Committee

Committee Members: Jeanne Titus

No report for this period.
 

CBJ Committee

Committee Chair: Blake Moore 

Members: Blake Moore, Loudon, TN, Committee Chair; Bill Jones, Richmond,

Va; Kent Harriss, Lake City, FL; Joe DeBella, Henrico, VA; Andrew Peercy, Franklin, TN:

Kim Waddell, Clinton, MS; Tony Ucciferri, Concord, CA; Debra Gage, Germantown, TN;

Mike Curtis, Kennesaw, GA; and Ron Keefover, Secretary. Also attending were ex

officio members Paul Buob, President, KCBS Board of Directors; and Donna Fong,

BOD member, Alameda, CA.

 

The KCBS CBJ Committee met on May 27, 2026, to review the successful World Invitational in Lebanon, Tennessee, where raffle and 50/50 fundraising efforts generated an estimated $9,300 for the KCBS Scholarship Fund. Committee members highlighted the strong participation of international teams and the support they received from U.S. competitors. The committee also discussed expanding youth outreach through organizations such as 4-H, FFA, and culinary schools, with efforts already underway to introduce younger participants to competitive barbecue through educational programs and contest experiences.

A major focus of the meeting was improving Certified BBQ Judge (CBJ) training and scoring consistency. Members reviewed recommendations for enhancing judge education, including the creation of short instructional videos addressing common judging mistakes, scoring standards, table etiquette, and contest procedures. The committee also discussed accountability for judging errors, plans for a CBJ Town Hall meeting in July, and the development of volunteer training resources to improve contest operations. The next committee meeting is scheduled for June 24, 2026.

 

Contest Representative Committee

Committee Chair:  Carol Bigler

Committee Members: 

 

Rules Committee

Committee Chair: Randy Todd

Committee Members: 

No report for this period.

 

Finance Committee

Committee Members: Thomas Gearhart, Paul Buob, Luke Darnell, Jeanne Titus, Rod Gray.

Overall Financial Update

 

Overall Financial Update

April 2026 YTD Financial Highlights

Year-to-date results through April are significantly ahead of the prior year. Total income

reached $395,011, up $52,528 (15.3%) from $342,483 in 2025. Key drivers included

growth in Contest Income ($71,786 vs. $52,633) and a substantial increase in

Sponsorship revenue to $81,488 (vs. $27,879). The sponsorship uplift was primarily

driven by an unanticipated $75K contribution from US Soy, an item we had flagged as

potential upside in the May member meeting. Membership Dues were modestly lower at

$203,169 vs. $235,656, while World Invitational entries contributed a healthy $60,770

thanks to opening registrations earlier than prior years.

Cost of Goods Sold was well controlled at $77,279 (down from $82,478), producing a

Gross Profit of $317,732, a $57,727 (22%) improvement. Operating expenses rose to

$237,951 from $208,266, driven mainly by higher TOY payouts and professional fees.

Net Operating Income reached $79,781 (up 54%) and Net Income totaled $79,884 (up

54% from $51,968). While the bottom line is somewhat inflated due to the timing of the

US Soy sponsorship (a portion of which will support program delivery later in the year),

we expect results to normalize through the summer as contest activity ramps up and

costs remain well managed and relatively flat. Overall, this positions the organization

favorably against the full-year 2026 budget and underscores the positive momentum

from contest growth and accretive sponsorship wins.

 

May 2026 YTD Financial Highlights

KCBS maintained positive momentum through the first five months of 2026. Total

income reached $491,279, up $20,837 (4.4%) from $470,442 in the prior year. Growth

in Contest Income ($98,934 vs. $82,997) and Sponsorship revenue ($85,988 vs.

$49,370) helped offset lower Membership Dues ($262,339 vs. $304,077) and World

Invitational entries. The sponsorship increase continues to reflect the $75K US Soy

commitment noted earlier as upside potential.

Cost of Goods Sold decreased favorably to $185,271 (from $204,725), driving Gross

Profit up to $306,009, a $40,293 improvement. Operating expenses rose to $302,878

(from $283,367), largely due to the timing of World Invitational expenses hitting in May,

along with higher TOY payouts.

Net Operating Income turned positive at $3,130 compared to a prior-year loss of

$17,651, and Net Income reached $3,258 (vs. a $17,351 loss). While the May net is

lower than the strong April YTD position, this is expected given the concentration of

World Invitational costs this month. We anticipate normalization through the summer as

 

contest activity continues and costs remain well controlled. Overall, the organization

remains on solid footing relative to the 2026 budget.

 

Member Meeting Financial Highlights

KCBS leadership provided a strong update on the organization’s financial position and

strategic direction at the May member meeting, underscoring its ongoing commitment to

transparency, operational efficiency, and long-term sustainability. The Treasurer

emphasized that true financial success is measured by lean operations and self-

sufficiency on core revenues, rather than reliance on sponsorships. Sponsorships

remain valuable only when they deliver incremental member benefits. Over the past four

years, KCBS has meaningfully improved efficiency and is progressing steadily toward

greater self-sustainability. This direction was validated by an independent third-party

financial deep-dive conducted in 2025, which delivered a strongly positive assessment

of revenue practices, internal controls, QuickBooks setup, and overall financial

management. This was the first comprehensive external review in the organization’s

history. The consultant offered actionable recommendations, many of which are already

being implemented.

2025 Results showed disciplined execution. Total revenue of $1,137,312 (modestly

below the prior year), with solid growth in Contest Operations to $360,161. Membership

dues contributed $404,087, and other income (including sponsorships and internal

events) totaled $373,064. Expenses were tightly controlled, resulting in Net Operating

Income of $50,118 (4.4% margin, improved from 3.5% in 2024) and Net Income of

$54,391 (4.8% margin). The Board-approved 2026 budget targets revenue of just over

$1,020,000 and a conservative Net Income of approximately $5,120, with noted upside

potential already emerging from contest growth and strong World Invitational

performance. Key long-term priorities remain financial independence, accretive

sponsorships, continued efficiency gains, and enhanced reporting to support better

decision-making. Overall, the organization is aligned on delivering maximum value to

members while building a more resilient financial foundation.

 

2026 KCBS World Invitational Financial Highlights

The 2026 KCBS World Invitational delivered strong financial performance, exceeding

budget on both revenue and net contribution to the organization. Total revenue came in

at $133,938 versus the projected $132,150, driven by slightly higher contest entry fees

($113,888 actual vs. $112,100 projected) while sponsorships performed exactly to plan

at $20,050.

On the expense side, the event was managed efficiently, with total expenses landing at

$125,258, and $4,562 under the projected $129,820. Prize purses were paid as

budgeted ($73,425), and event expenses came in meaningfully lower than forecast

 

($51,833 actual vs. $56,395 projected), reflecting disciplined cost control across areas

such as staff travel, consumables, porta-potties, and facility-related items.

The event generated a projected net of $2,330 but delivered an actual net contribution

of $8,680 to KCBS, a $6,350 positive variance and a solid outcome for the organization.

Overall, the 2026 World Invitational was both a competitive success and a financial win.

 

 

 

Foundation Committee 

Committee Chair: Paul Buob

Committee Members: 

 

Nominating Committee

Committee Chair: Randy Todd

Committee Member: 

No report for this period.

 

Technology Working Group

Committee Chair: Luke Darnell

Committee Members: David McAllister.

No report for this period.

 

Hall of Fame Workgroup 

Committee Chair: Thomas Gearhart

Committee Members: Carolyn Wells.

No report for this period. 

 

Organizer Working Group

Committee Chair: Donna Fong

Committee Members: Organizer Kathy Trainor (Taunton, MA),  Organizer Christie Vanover, Organizer Jim Palmer (Riverside, CA), Organizer/Rep Bill Jones (Richmond, VA), Representative Julie Poe (Sacramento, CA), Chair Donna Fong, and CEO Rod Gray. 

 

The Organizer Workgroup met for its second meeting on June 2nd. Members present were Organizer Kathy Trainor (Taunton, MA),  Organizer Christie Vanover, Organizer Jim Palmer (Riverside, CA), Organizer/Rep Bill Jones (Richmond, VA), Representative Julie Poe (Sacramento, CA), Chair Donna Fong, and CEO Rod Gray. 

 

Aaron Huentelman from Mister Brisket spoke to the group about the Mister Brisket Competition Grant Program. We reviewed a small correction for the current Organizer Guide. Donna will finalize a guide of Christie's Organizer Planner spreadsheet which will be available on the Organizer Portal. Also on the portal will be a document that provides guidance to Organizers on how to communicate with judges, based on Bill Jones' article in this month's Bullsheet. The workgroup reviewed and commented on a draft of the organizer video. Donna is waiting on a Wyndham to provide documentation for KCBS members to receive a 15% Wyndham hotel discount. Organizers will also be able to contact a dedicated Wyndham agent who can block rooms for a contest. Donna has reached out to Sunbelt Rentals who has provided an initial quote on generators, lighting, fencing and spider boxes for organizers.  We reviewed MES survey results and Hall of Fame criteria.

 

The next meetings are scheduled for 8/4/26, 10/6/26 and 12/1/26 at 6:30pm Central. We will continue our efforts to reach out to organizers who need assistance. Anyone needing Organizer support can email dfong@kcbs.us.

Marketing and Membership Workgroup

Committee Chairs: Donna Fong and Blake Moore

Committee Members: MCBJ Kent Hayes (KS), MCBJ Mark Tuttle (ID), MCBJ and Rep Debbie Spray (TX), CBJ John Serpico (MA), and MCBJ Royce Johnson (CA)

 

The KCBS Membership & Marketing Committee met on May 19, 2026, to discuss initiatives aimed at growing KCBS events, membership, and organizational partnerships. The committee reviewed progress on creating short promotional videos and supporting materials designed to help civic organizations such as Rotary, Lions, and Kiwanis Clubs better understand and engage with KCBS-sanctioned events. Members also discussed expanding outreach internationally, exploring merchandise and print partnerships, updating organizer resources, and identifying new sponsorship and revenue-sharing opportunities.

 

A significant portion of the meeting focused on increasing support for event organizers and Certified BBQ Judges (CBJs). Topics included developing recognition programs for CBJ milestones, pursuing partnerships with county fairs, major events, and corporate sponsors, and creating a stronger value proposition for organizers. The committee also reviewed efforts to analyze contest and participation data to better understand trends, identify growth opportunities, and support the long-term expansion of competitive barbecue. The meeting concluded with plans to continue these efforts and reconvene on June 16, 2026.

 

World Invitational (Public Facing) Working Group 

Committee Chair: Blake Moore

Committee Members: Paul Buob, Jason Cole, Eric Cantrell, 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.

With the passing of Resolution R-04-14-2026, the organization needs to take the

following necessary steps:

• Review, finalize, and publish a website news article and comprehensive FAQs as

soon as possible. 

• Coordinate distribution of FAQs to all Contest Representatives and the Rep

Advisory Group. 

• Schedule and promote a series of virtual town halls for live Q&A sessions with

members, reps, organizers, and other stakeholders. 

 

• Assist in developing a scheduled social media content calendar (weekly posts

Recommended) to reinforce key messages, address common questions, and

maintain transparency throughout the transition. 

 

• Include an update (or a summary) in the Bullsheet.

 

The committee is prepared to help in any way, but we need KCBS CEO and staff

support to ensure smooth implementation.

 

Also, we are requesting Rules Committee support to draft a single unified rules

document that applies to the 2-meat/4-meat formats. We respectfully request that draft

rules be presented to the Board for a vote during the October 2026 meeting.

 

Lastly, we are requesting Technology Committee support to verify our assumptions

regarding SCORE updates to accommodate the approved two separate TOY points

chases. We believe updates required will be minimal. We respectfully request that any

required changes and associated cost be presented to the Board for a vote during the

September 2026 meeting.

 

 

Monthly Experience Survey (MES) Results – April 2026

 

Member sentiment continued its positive trajectory in the spring months, reaching new

all-time highs. The overall score rose from 4.07 in April to 4.14 in May, the highest

monthly score recorded since the survey launched in August 2024. In May, we achieved

several historic milestones:

 

53.19% of respondents gave KCBS a perfect score of 5 (highest ever).

87.53% rated their experience as neutral or better (score of 3 or higher).

77.81% rated it 4 or better.

 

Both the 87%+ neutral-or-better and 77%+ positive thresholds represent all-time highs.

These results reflect sustained improvement across the board and are a direct

validation that the organization is listening to member feedback through the MES and

taking meaningful action to improve experiences. This level of progress does not

happen overnight, it is the result of hard work by staff and the Board, combined with the

transparency and responsiveness that members have clearly noticed and appreciated.

These strong scores reinforce that our focus on operational efficiency, better

communication, and member-centric initiatives is delivering real results. We will

continue monitoring trends and acting on the input received.

 

Looking ahead, we need to get several Board members cross trained in sending

the survey. I’d like to request volunteers interested in this task.

CEO Report

Key Highlights -

 

Despite challenging weather conditions, early survey results show exceptionally high satisfaction with the 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational. Overall experience is rated 4.64 out of 5, with Contest Representatives, KCBS Staff, Volunteers, Award Ceremonies, and Hospitality receiving the highest marks. The primary opportunities for improvement involve reducing non-essential announcements during cooking hours, enhancing the festival atmosphere through vendors and activities, improving site communication and load-in logistics, and expanding opportunities for social interaction among teams. Most importantly, more than 80% of respondents indicate they will likely return next year, demonstrating strong support for the event and confidence in its future. 

The final team count was 151 teams from 32 states and 7 countries.  The James E. Ward Agricultural Center saw three days of competition.  Here are the event numbers:

World Chicken Finals - 74 teams

World Rib Finals - 79 teams

Wells Cup - 117 teams

Dessert - 32 teams

Jack Daniel’s Cocktail Contest - 45 teams

Youth Que

10 & Under - 10 kids

11 - 16 - 7 kids

Backyard Series Invitational - 47 Teams

Master Series Invitational - 82 Teams

Despite the added challenge of an event scheduled ahead of us this year, shortening our ability to prepare onsite and load in teams ahead of the weekend, the KCBS Staff, Contest Representatives, and multitude of volunteers, made it work.  From load-in and team check-in, to judge coordination and execution, we were a well oiled machine. Our ability to adapt to changes and make the best of things, paid off in spades.  

Support from our partners played a major role in this year’s event being successful.  The United Soybean Board was well represented onsite with Pat Giberson, Brad Cochran, and Joe Murphy in attendance.  The addition of the USB Combine Awards is something the teams look forward to and appreciate.  Jim Compart was in attendance for the World Rib Finals, even presenting the winners with their awards and prize money.  Jack Daniel’s sent Jeremiah Rice and Andrew Donovan to learn more about the event and participate in the judging process.  It was great to meet both of them.  The other sponsors not in attendance were equally as important to our success.  A heartfelt thank you to YETI, Candy Weaver, Tina from Sam’s Club, David Bousak of Butcher BBQ, Myron Mixon of Myron Mixon Smokers, Heath Riles of Heath Riles BBQ, Travis Clark of Clark Crew BBQ, Dusty Ware of LFG BBQ & Outdoor Supplies, Alex Knight of Ole Hickory Pits, Weber, Aaron of Mister Brisket,  Bob Gonzalez of Smokin’ Brothers and Gateway Drums, Turtle Box, Tim Scheer of Blues Hog BBQ, Mitch Benjamin of Meat Mitch, Sani Ones, Wampler’s Farm, and LMNT.  

The staff is settling back in and working on wrapping up from the World Invitational.  Sherry Byler did an outstanding job covering for all of us while we were in Tennessee.  Once things are back in order, and ahead of the American Royal in October,  we’ll turn our focus to process improvement, elevated administrative organization, and the daily challenges of KCBS operations.  

The International Operations group is traveling to Poland this week for a CBJ class and contest.  We continue to see increased interest from South American countries anxious to bring KCBS style events.  Here are the current 2026 numbers for our international events:

Master Series - 52

Backyard Series - 6

One Meat - 24

Competitor Series - 1

CBJ Class - 6

Lighthouse Software Group has begun making changes and improvements to our MemberLeap membership management system.  The entire staff attended a webinar to understand the changes made and improvements expected.    

At the end of the day, these efforts point to the same priority: delivering better events and stronger value for our members.

 

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Membership

As of June 5th, 2026, KCBS membership stands at 14,959 down from 15,030 reported on May 7th. 

April’s expired-member postcard campaign resulted in 41 renewals. Postcards for May expirations were mailed this week.

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Contests

147  events completed in 2026

               362 events scheduled for 2026

 18  events canceled in 2026

 

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CBJ & Table Captain Classes

               24  CBJ classes scheduled in 2026

12  Table Captain classes scheduled in 2026

 

 

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Marketing & Communications 

Bullsheet
The April issue of the Bullsheet was sent to 13,295 recipients. The digital publication was opened by 6,542  members as of 6/4/26, reflecting a 49.21% open rate.  The open rate remains below previous numbers.  In researching this, Microsoft is still putting a quarantine on KCBS email to their email addresses, which include .msn and .hotmail. We believe this relates to mass emails sent last fall for the raffle, and we’re working to get it corrected.  This month is another outstanding issue of our digital publication, in my opinion.

Social Media (as of 5/7/26)
Engagement and audience growth continue across all platforms.

• Current Follower Counts

Facebook	79,763 followers, up from 79,602
Instagram	27,608 followers, up from 27,561
X	22,236 followers, up from 22194
Total social media followers:	129,607, up from 129,357 (+250)

• Facebook Performance

• Views: 352,953, up  from 302,017, reported as a  17% increase in the previous 28 days via Facebook

• Engagement:  18,177, an 18% increase from the previous 28 days  

• New followers: 158 net new followers in the previous 28 days (uncertain of the discrepancy in reporting)

Website Performance (per Google Search Console - March 2026)

• 13,334 total clicks (up from 10,500 last month) from Google Search
   

• 112,205 total impressions, (down from 113,000 last month)

• Top-clicked pages:

  • Homepage: 9,007 clicks, up from 7,551 last month

  • Explore Events page: 1,331 clicks, up from 1,088 last month

  • World Invitational page: 670 clicks (not registered the previous month) 

  • Judging Classes page: 376 clicks, up from 272 last month

  • Judging Requirements page: 180 clicks, down from  200 last month
     

• Top search queries:

  • kcbs 5,547, up from 4,730 last month

  • kcbs bbq 1,716, up from 1,382 last month

  • kcbs events 620, up from 524 last month
     

• Device usage:

  • Mobile: 10,399, up from 7,878 last month

  • Desktop: 2,651, up from  2,372 last month

  • Tablet: 284, up from 229 last month
     

• Top countries:

  • United States: 11,481 clicks, 91,816 impressions

  • Canada: 831 clicks, 3,958 impressions

  • Italy: 284 clicks, 958 impressions