- What do you see the role(s) of the Chair as being, and what do you believe you bring to the table in this regard?
I see the office of Chairman as the seat on the board that provides a locus of executive guidance and synthesized report to the membership as well as the greater fandom in addition to filling several flexible roles throughout the year. In short, he is the face of Kumoricon, someone with whom each and every individual attached to the organization should be able to resonate with to promote our general philosophy and goals. As the presiding officer for both Board Meetings and General Meetings, the Chairman sets the agenda and keeps the collective consciousness of our community on track towards long term success.
I have attended many different conventions over the past seventeen years. Some were Sci-Fi/Fantasy while others like Kumoricon were Anime oriented. From 2008 to 2010 I worked for Kumoricon as a volunteer, a coordinator, and a Manager under Programming and for the last two years I have served as Director of Operations. In addition I have been the owner of Epic Gaming, a LGS in South Portland, since September 2010 and have in that capacity sold wares through a vendor booth at a convention. During my time as an attendee, a staffer, and a vendor I've seen and experienced many of the myriad difficulties that organizations like our own face when trying to provide the best experience. I believe that my background gives me an advantage in tackling problems that Kumoricon will face in the coming year because I always try to look at each issue from as many different angles as possible. It is my ultimate goal to bring together the intent and aspirations of the many different voices our body contains to conduct the planning and execution of Kumoricon 2013 so that the result can reflect fully the hard work that we all put in.
Open ended I know but try for me.
Who are you?
A large part of this question has been answered above but I will add some facts to meet your interest. I am, to put it frankly, someone who likes to improve his surroundings. When I was in Gaming (later Console Gaming) I oversaw the abolishment of Bag Check and the reinvention of our checkout and tournament systems. In Operations I completely overhauled the organizational structure of the directorate and created a 24 hour uninterrupted schedule of services. Through the devolving of responsibilities and authority to lower levels we found ourselves able to absorb the entire Registration lineup on Saturday morning within an hour, respond, broadcast, and resolve seventeen Code Adam reports with only two ten minute warnings, and maintain communication integrity from Day -1 to Day +1. In my mind though there is always room to make things better and I walked away from Kumoricon 2012 with a laundry list of things that I will urge my successor to eagerly find solutions to.
And why, exactly, would you want to be chair? Be specific, give examples
I want to be Chair because I see a need. What I omitted in my answer to Robert was the fact that until I was informed of Beau's impending retirement the list of issues to be resolved in Operations was my own for the next year. However, I was approached and given support by my colleagues on the board and by my staff in Operations and from those votes of confidence I began to explore the ways that I could help by answering the call. After pondering the possibilities I now find myself standing before you, steeled to meet that challenge.
Tell us about a time about a great success you have had staffing the convention.
The greatest success in my opinion was removing the need for a bag check in console gaming. I remember in 2008-2009 when we still had to burn out 2-3 staff a year due to having to check and catalog each and every bag that came into the room. After removing that manpower drain it allowed us to focus completely on providing more stations and content for the attendees instead of theft prevention. I know with the bloom we experienced this year it would have overwhelmed the department if the old system was still in place and it made me smile to head down into the basement at peak hours this year and find it running smoothly.
Tell us about a time where you did not do as well as you had hoped with something as staff. How do you think you could have handled it better?
To be brief, I underestimated the effect that 100 additional staff would have on Con Suite's reserves this year. I talked with my fellow board members and with several staff as con came to a close and realized that even though we were scheduling regular food drops there were just too many staff to feed. Where my responsibility came in was that we knew in the final weeks leading to con that a sharp increase in our staff population was likely given the correlation between staff signups and general attendance. If I could do it again I would have budgeted 120 - 150% of our expected population to make sure that no one would go without.
If you had no resistance or restrictions, what is something you would like to do as Chair?
I would first ask in what capacity do you mean, but I will assume it is within the jurisdiction that Chair has in our organization, which is that of a board member. If I could encounter no resistance I would usher in a staged plan to end staff dues for returning staff in good standing without a signing restriction.
What is your definition of a successful administration?
A successful administration is one that meets its goals and maintains good standing with its constituency throughout its term. While harmony within the board is preferable, a healthy dose of ideological friction can also foment positive growth.
A Chair must not only be the face of con, but also must work hard as a mediator behind the scenes. Give us examples of you doing this.
In the past there has been the perception that Operations and Programming have been at odds with one another. However, by all accounts relations between the two directorates have warmed substantially during my two years as Director of Operations because of a marked effort between myself, Jaki, and our assistants to promote open communication. While there have been bumps along the way I'd like to think that we are closer to a lasting understanding than ever before.
Another way that I have been called upon as mediator is through being the highest representative for Operations. Through its MO, Operations by default responds and tends to the needs of other directorates and the attendees at large on an active basis at con. The way I crafted my directorate was therefore intentional, issues would scale the command chain and if I became involved it was because it required top level mediation. During the convention I found myself personally dealing with couriering of Badge requests, making sure panels had ID check security, making judgment calls regarding the allocation of communication devices, deciding when we would swell Yojimbo numbers to deal with crowding, and authorizing attendee badge refunds. In each case I was mediating between at least two parties and in the vast majority of resolutions each side found the solution to be amicable.
TJ, this question is specifically for you. You have a following in operations, that's not news. If you are elected Chair, are you going to give Operations favor, or do you intend on being a true neutral party when it comes to departmental disputes?
As has been stated before, I originally came from Programming and until I was elected Director of Operations I bled Purple through and through. Once it became my directive to represent Operations I did my best to embody the needs and hopes of those in my charge and two years later I doubt that one person would question who I represent. However, now that I am preparing myself for the possibility of becoming Chair I am tuning my treatment to represent the needs of every staffer in Kumoricon in addition to the nearly 5000 attendees we enjoy the support of.
