|
My Home Page
I have been a member of the USCF and an active tournament player since 1956. I first met Bobby Fischer the same year. I am one of the best known chess personalities in the US. I have attended several World Chess Olympiads and am well known internationally as well.
I have a legal and financial background. I have been the registered principal of a Wall Street securities firm. I argued orally a case before the United States Supreme Court, the last non-lawyer ever to do so, and I won the case 9-0. SEC vs. Sloan, 436 US 103 (1978).
I want to build up, expand and improve the USCF, especially in the area of Scholastic Chess. We need to provide a chess program and chess curriculum for the schools, especially since many schools are requesting this. There is suddenly a tremendous interest among children in learning chess and in competing in chess tournaments. We need to move aggressively to try to fill that demand. We need to develop programs, courses and teacher certifications for the schools. I want to bring back School Mates magazine, which was abolished as a cost-saving measure.
At the same time, we need to drop Internet chess. There is too much competition and we have missed the boat. Let them go to the many available Internet chess servers.
I want to reduce adult membership dues back to $39 and to leave scholastic dues at $19, while abolishing the no-magazine option. All members must receive a magazine.
I favor re-organization and financial reform in the USCF. Fortunately, we have the right man to do this in Frank Niro. For at least the last seven years I have been nagging the USCF office about its persistent failure to adopt Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Finally, the USCF has agreed to do what I have been demanding ought to be done. The new financial reports will for the first time adhere to GAAP. The USCF has lost money six years in a row. I believe that I can help turn this around.
We cannot continue to view scholastic chess as a loss leader. One of the main reasons the USCF lost money six years in a row was that we were servicing scholastic members at below cost. On a more positive note, there has been a great expansion in the popularity of scholastic chess. It seems like every school and every library wants a chess teacher now. We are in demand and we must exploit these opportunities.
Sam Sloan
|
|