2021 - Jim Bauer - Dallas

Unit 176 is pleased and proud to nominate Jim Bauer for the Oswald and James Jacoby Service Award. This is an award that is given to members who represent the best of service to the District and Jim, if you will pardon the pun, has done that in spades.

District service always grows from Unit beginnings. Jim has served 2 three-year terms on the Unit 176 Board. During that time, he served as Vice President and President multiple times. He also served as the Unit Game coordinator, at a time when that meant hauling supplies each month from Unit storage to the game site, giving him a true hands-on approach. He was chairman of the Nominating Committee for 5 years and in that time, his hard work and discerning eye brought some great candidates to the board. It is hard to say no when asked by Jim to serve alongside him. He was a member of the Unit Disciplinary committee for 10 years and handled issues with fairness and objectivity. He even found time to co-chair a sectional. It was a great financial success, although his co-chair admitted he refused to be in charge of the coffee. Even a great volunteer has his limits, it seems.

More recently, Jim and another one of our volunteers surveyed different venues for our regional tournaments to be sure the Unit was getting the best deal possible. Together they negotiated another 5 years of contract space for our Dallas Labor Day regional.

As Jim worked hard for our Unit, he also began to work at the District level. His interest in playing in the Grand National Teams led him to become the District GNT Committee Chair for two years. He also served as committee chair for an ad hoc committee created to establish goals and objectives for the District. He was appointed to represent Unit 176 on the District Board three years ago and continues to serve there. While in that position of the Board, he was appointed to chair yet another ad hoc committee, to review ways to reduce the costs of the Scorecard to the Units and develop and evaluated paper versus online methodologies. This resulted in substantial savings to Units that chose to go to digital only delivery, while maintaining costs to units who wanted to stay with paper issues. As a result, he was appointed and served as the Scorecard Committee chair for a year. Subsequently, he served on a follow-up ad hoc Scorecard committee whose recommendations were recently accepted by the District Board of Directors resulting in an all-digital format and a further reduction in the cost of publication.

Jim served as 2nd Vice President for District 16. We consider ourselves truly fortunate to have such able representation.

We would be remiss if we left out the honors Jim has already received. In October of this year he became an Emerald Life Master. He claims it is just from longevity, but his opponents know better. They also know that Jim is a true gentleman at the table, just a small part of the reason he has been presented the Texas Star (now known as the District Star) for service at the Unit level, but a huge part of his nomination to the National Goodwill Committee.

We look at Jim as the true definition of what it takes to win the Jacoby Award. He serves quietly but is always ready to take on projects that need leadership. We hope this helps the Award committee make a selection that will recognize his selflessness and dedication to the game of bridge.

2020 - Rebecca Brown - Unit 172

Rebecca Brown WINS D16 JACOBY AWARD

The San Antonio Bridge League, Unit 172, is delighted to honor Rebecca Brown with the nomination for the prestigious Oswald and James Jacoby Service Award for 2020. Rebecca became active in Unit 172 management in 2010 and has been a mainstay of our Board of Directors (BOD), serving as Secretary, Vice President, and, most recently, as President for the last four years. While serving on our board, she also has had a big impact on District 16 management, serving as Unit 172 representative to their BOD, as Executive Secretary (2012 – 2015), 1 st VP (2015 -2017) and President (2017 – 2019). Trained as a professional lawyer, psychologist, and mediator, she is certainly well-qualified to chair the District Disciplinary Committee, the position she assumed in 2020. Rebecca’s leadership has been evident for many years; this recognition is way overdue.

At the bridge table, Rebecca is a formidable opponent and a wonderful partner. Active in the mentee/mentor program, she always encourages newer players to study hard and play in different events. Indefatigable, her fingerprints are all over every unit function we hold. She chaired last year’s Kerrville Sectional and negotiates all the Unit’s hotel contracts for our tournaments. For the last eight years, Rebecca has written the Unit’s Scorecard column. She does a great job and makes it look easy! Thank you, Rebecca -- we salute you and appreciate all you do for San Antonio bridge.

2019 - Nancy Strohmer - Unit 174

NANCY STROHMER WINS D16 JACOBY AWARD

Nancy Strohmer is this year’s recipient of the Oswald and James Jacoby Service Award. Established in 1982, the award honors volunteers who have worked diligently at the unit level and risen to recognition at the district level after many years of outstanding service. It is District 16's premier Service Award.

Nancy has served as President of the board of Unit 174 twice during her six years on the board. Under Nancy’s direction, the marketing effort to bring the Lone Star Regional back over 3,000 tables has ensured that the district will maintain its additional regional. Her work on the unit board has earned her the respect of not only its members but brought her recognition from each ACBL President who has visited the Lone Star Regional.

Nancy joined the District 16 Board in February, 2014 as Charity Coordinator. That year the district was awarded $30,000 from the ACBL Charity Foundation in grant money. Nancy continues to chair the Charity Committee organizing district-wide charity games and in 2021 the district will once again receive money from the ACBL Charity Committee. Nancy is Vice President of the ACBL Charity Committee and also serves as First Vice President of the District Executive Committee.

Nancy was a key player in the establishment of the District 16 Teacher Appreciation Day. Her dedication to the growth of bridge and its players is evident by her interest in all levels of promoting teaching the game and reaching out to new players. Her commitment includes sending her grandchildren to summer bridge camps. They are now junior players.

Nancy is known for all these accomplishments and for her warm smile and gracious heart. Congratulations Nancy on this well-deserved honor!

2018 - Tomi Storey - Unit 174

Tomi Storey Receives District 16’s Highest Honor

The Oswald and James Jacoby Award is District 16’s premier service award. It honors those who have worked diligently at the Unit level and then risen to the District Level after years of outstanding service. There is certainly no one more deserving than our very own Tomi and it seems only fitting that she won this honor at the Dallas Labor Day Regional (an event she calls her “baby”) in front of her friends and her bridge family.

Shortly after moving here in late 2000, she began volunteering and ran for the Unit board. She has served as secretary, vice-president, and President. She was appointed as our representative to District 16 and that started her District service, as representative, District STaC Coordinator, District Tournament Chair, Vice President and two years as District President. She remains on the Executive Committee, as Secretary. In the midst of all that, she has chaired sectionals, our yearly Labor Day Regional, and even fit in chairing the 2014 Dallas NABC. She swears running a National and a Regional in the same year is proof that she’s crazy.

Currently she is 2nd Alternate to the ACBL Board of Directors and in January, she will become 1st Alternate. This means she also serves on the ACBL Board of Governors. Add to that her appointment to the National Goodwill Committee and her Texas Star for service to our unit and you have a busy woman who dearly loves the game and the people who play it.

We are proud of you, Tomi, and salute your energy and enthusiasm to bridge. Thank you for a job well done.

2017 - David Pennington

David Pennington WINS D16 JACOBY AWARD

Carol Ann Wadley, right, president of the American Contract Bridge League, recently presented the Oswald and James Jacoby Service Award for 2017 to David Pennington at the Bridge Studio of Temple.

The Unit 233 board of directors nominates David L. Pennington for the Oswald and James Jacoby service award for volunteers who work to promote bridge at the District level. In addition to his exemplary service as Unit Representative to the District board for many years, he was elected Second Vice President in 2014.

David, a Silver Life Master, has been playing bridge and promoting the game at every level–local, unit, district, and national–since he started playing duplicate bridge in a game run by George Pisk at the University of Texas. He learned the intellectual, psychological, and social benefits of bridge and has continued to actively promote the game to everyone, including the most senior and the most junior potential player.

His personal odyssey has taken him into local, state and national leadership roles as a high school band director and fine arts director, president of the Texas Music Educators Association, and national liaison for the Phi Beta Mu Honorary Music Fraternity. After retirement from teaching, he became director of the Cultural Activities Center, an unique arts center in Temple, and a member of the Temple school board of trustees. While these activities do not seem related to bridge, they have served as a large platform for David to promote bridge:

a. While teaching school, he organized a noon bridge lesson series for teachers and students and taught young students and older citizens in several sessions of lessons in Temple and Waco.

b. In continuing his quest to promote bridge, he bought the sanction for a weekly novice bridge game and owned, managed, and directed the 0-600 Duplicate Club for 12 years, averaging about nine tables each week. During this time, to help novice players progress to a higher level, David started a mentor/mentee game on the 5thMonday where more experienced players could partner with newer players.

c. While serving as director of the CAC, he arranged for the three sanctioned bridge clubs to rent at a very reasonable rate one of the most beautiful and functional facilities in the state. He also arranged for Temple sectional tournaments to be held at the site. Year after year, bridge players who travel here cite the extraordinary facility as truly fabulous.

d. Before becoming a club owner-manager, David served on the Unit board of directors for eight years, twice as president, and was chair of the Temple sectional tournament several times. He is meticulous in every detail from the pre-arrangements to the food, to the loading and unloading of tables, and for any unexpected emergency. He makes everything seem easy when it really is not. For many years, he made hundreds of seasonal decorations from used playing cards for our unit and club events which were a festive part of our tradition.

e. In May 2011, after the death of long-term owner/manager Julia Bales, he volunteered to manage the Sul Ross DBC in Waco, holding three games per week. In May 2013, he chaired as a volunteer a 299er sectional tournament in Waco as a fund- raiser for the Unit. He chaired a 499er in May 2014. This has been instrumental in building camaraderie among players in Temple and Waco.

f. Because of his leadership at the Unit level, he was appointed Unit representative to the District 16 board of directors. His reports back to our Unit are thorough and make us feel connected to the larger organization. He is wonderful at explaining not only what is happening but why. In Jan. 2014, he was elected 2ndVice President of the District board.

g. David participates in NAP and GNT games as well as sectional, regional, and national tournaments. He reconnects with old friends from UT games and makes new ones. He has played in nationals with people he met from all over the country and always calls a local bridge club for a game when he is visiting, both in and out of the state. One year his team won the GNT Flight B stratification and represented District 16 at the Nashville national tournament. He is an ambassador for District 16 and Unit 233 at every step.

h. Because of his sustained and exceptional leadership, he was selected by the Unit for the Texas Star Award for service, and the 2011 Temple sectional Swiss team game was named in his honor.

2016 - Paul Cuneo - Unit 174

Unit 174 is proud to congratulate Paul Cuneo for being chosen to receive the District 16 Jacoby Award, the District’s highest honor.

Paul retired from Shell Oil Company in 2002 after a 33 year career. In Paul’s last position, he was Chief Information Officer for Shell Oil Products Company. In this position he was responsible for all Information Technology for the company and reported to the CEO. Paul holds a Chemical and Petroleum Refining Engineer degree from Colorado School of Mines. He has lived in Houston since 1990.

In addition to volunteering at Executive Service Core Houston, Paul volunteers with Between Jobs Ministry at Northwest Bible Church where he is a Deacon and serves on the Bilma PUD Board.

Paul has tirelessly worked to serve the unit and the district, doing whatever needed to be done. Some of his most notable accomplishments were:

• In support of Unit 174 Paul
  • was first elected to the Unit 174 Board of Directors in 2009,
  • served as Unit President in 2010 and 2012,
  • was responsible for introducing Gold Rush Pairs and Bracketed Swiss team events in 2011, which have proven popular with players,
  • revised the Lone Star Regional schedule to use a morning/afternoon schedule instead of an afternoon/evening one, which has also proven popular with the players,
  • was instrumental in having the Lone Star Regional attendance exceed 3,000 tables in 2010 for the first time since 1999 and keeping it there since, eventually reaching 3529.5 tables in 2013,
  • negotiated agreements to hold the Lone Star Regional and three sectionals each year at the Westchase Marriott at a very attractive cost through 2020,
  • chaired or co-chaired many sectional tournaments and chaired or co-chaired four Lone Star Regionals,
  • reached out to other units and regional chairs asking for their input on running successful tournaments and incorporated those learnings into Unit 174’s procedures,
  • constantly helped to set up and tear down for tournaments, lending a hand wherever it was needed, and
  • updated the Unit Procedures manual to incorporate improved operational methods for the Unit.
• In support of District 16, Paul
  • traveled to visit with players and Board members from all units during the year promoting membership growth and improved new member retention,
  • began editing and publishing the D16 I/N newsletter in 2015,
    o assisted the USBF by negotiating a contract for the 2018 Open Team Trials in Houston,
  • served as a past District 16 Vice President and President,
  • has served as Education Chair for the District since 2010, and has used this position to promote policies that support teacher and director training,
  • has been the Unit 174 representative on the District board since 2010, and
  • was recently elected as First Alternate District Director to the ACBL Board of Directors.

We know the award was richly deserved!

2015 - Charlie Price - Unit 176

We nominate Charlie Price to be the 2015 recipient of the Oswald and James Jacoby Award.  Though unit 176 has nominated Charlie before for this award, we feel so strongly about his many and varied contributions, that we enthusiastically submit for your consideration Charlie Price to be this year’s recipient.  Charlie has not only met the criteria set forth, he enthusiastically plays locally and in major tournaments with both his peers and aspiring players who have the courage to ask him to be their partner.  I use the term courage from the perspective that many “gold” players intimidate younger/learning players, and Charlie greets them with enthusiasm, encouragement and support.  As we believe building the base of players for the future is crucial to the success of bridge; this perspective, we believe, gives added emphasis to the quality of his many years of service to unit 176 and District 16.

To give some chronology to Charlie’s service, in the 90’s, he chaired 2 of the most successful Dallas regionals at the DFW airport hotel – and this was a challenging location!  For the first of these, he gladly stepped in and took over at the last minute, successfully saving a tournament in trouble.  Then in 1997, he was the Finance Chair for the Dallas Nationals, a terrific successful NABC.    During this time, he served several terms on our Unit Board, during which he served as Vice-President, President and unit representative.  Charlie has also continued to be available for valuable advice and counsel at both the unit and district levels to those who seek his esteemed counsel.

For district 16, Charlie has served as:

• Executive Secretary
• 2nd Vice President
• 1st Vice President
• President
• Tournament Committee Chair

Charlie has consistently been willing to enthusiastically help and serve wherever and whenever asked of him.

Lastly, we note that Charlie has taught bridge as a credit course at Austin College for many years.  This not only successfully starts young players, but he further requires them to play in our Dallas January Sectional.  This gives them tournament experience and a sense of the vitality of the bridge community.  We observe as a credit to Charlie’s enthusiasm that many of these students play much more than is required of them at these tournaments.  Unit 176 wants to officially recognize Charlie for his dedication, service and enthusiasm.

2014 - Martha DeCou- Unit 187

Congratulations to Martha DeCou , winner of the 2014 Oswald and James Jacoby Service Award. This award presented at the Labor Day Regional is given in memory of Oswald and James Jacoby and is in recognition of an indi-vidual's outstanding volunteer service to District 16. Martha was honored with this award for service to both the South Texas unit and to District 16.

We thank Mary Ross for the following testimonial.

“We realize service to the District is involved as well as to the Unit. Martha is a member of the District 16 Board of Directors and attends the breakfast meetings when she can. She was a member of the ACBL Goodwill Committee in 2007. We feel that as the "backbone" of Unit 187 she is also serving the District in that if she were to leave bridge the Unit would proba-bly not fare well. She really does al-most everything here - she of course is tournament chairman which includes the sectionals, and the past 3 or 4 regionals and she will again be chairman of the 2014 regional. She plans all the special games here in our Unit and works diligently in an effort to get as many players to attend as possible. She even takes care of the snacks, drinks, coffee, etc. needed at the Bridge Club. She is an enthusiastic bridge teacher for our new players. As a result we have been able to add a number of new ACBL members and increase the size of our games. Also she is a director and when need be handles our club games. Of course she has been President of the Unit in the past and has received the Texas Star Award and also the Unit Goodwill Award. Unit 187 certainly would not be thriving as it is if it weren't for Mar-tha De Cou and if anyone deserves recognition for the years of work here she certainly does. "

2013 - Carol Schoenhals - Unit 197

2012 - Lew Levy - Unit 174

Unit 174 nominates Lew Levy for the District 16 Jacoby Award.  Lew has provided outstanding service to the Unit and to District 16.

Lew was elected to the Unit 174 Board of Directors in 2002 for a three year term.  In his first year, Lew was Unit Vice President.  In addition to his other duties, Lew was charged with reviewing and improving the Unit's financial system.  The result was a total revamp of the Unit's accounting system. In order to implement the new system, Lew took on the additional role of  Unit Treasurer.  He performed that role for several months until a permanent replacement could be recruited and trained.  The resulting system enabled the Unit Board to more effectively manage its financial affairs, and allowed the Unit membership to understand the sources and uses of Unit funds.

During Lew's first year on the Board, the Unit President resigned because of health issues, and Lew became President.  He completed the unexpired term, and was elected for a complete term as President the following year.  During his term in office many innovations were introduced including sale of event naming rights for Regional and Sectional events, computerization of the Unit's Policies and Procedures, and updating the Unit Membership Directory.

In the year following his service on the Board, Lew served as Chairman of the Unit's Nominating Committee.

In 2006, District President Dewitt Hudson asked Lew to take on the role of Executive Treasurer.  Lew accepted the assignment and installed a modified version of the financial system he had developed for Unit 174.  The result has been that District Board members are now able to manage their financial affairs with confidence.  Lew continues to serve as District 16 Executive Treasurer to this date.

Lew was a member of the committee responsible for the 2009 Houston NABC.  His role was to organize the fund-raising activities for the tournament.  The Unit achieved its financial goals despite the lack of a major sponsoring underwriter.

In addition to being president of Houston Unit 174, Lew served as president of two other ACBL units,  Honolulu, Hawaii and Bellingham, Washington.

2011 - Larry Davis - Unit 207

The unit 207 board has reached a consensus that Larry Davis would be an outstanding candidate for the Oswald Jacoby award. He has tirelessly worked for unit 207 and the district for many years. He has chaired or co-chaired every regional since 1996 and chaired or co-chaired numerous sectional and limited point sectional events. He has served on the unit board, been a tournament coordinator, served as nomination committee member, been the NAP coordinator, been the editor for our news paper, etc.

Larry has been our go to guy when we have to move supplies to tournament sites and has negotiated marvelous contracts for tournaments which has saved many thousands of dollars for the unit.

He started our 0 to 100 tournaments, started a new senior citizen game in South Austin and is currently trying to start a non life regional in Austin. He started a liaison program for our outlying clubs and this may be a reason for some of our unit growth.

Larry's district activities include:

• Was Unit 207's district representative for years.
• Served as president and made considerable effort to writing thoughtful letters for each issue of the Scorecard giving ideas/suggestions to the units based on his considerable unit-level experience.
• Worked with the District Treasurer and The Scorecard Chairman to resolve Scorecard finances and accounting issues.
• Met with representatives of the "small units"to hear and attempt to resolve their cares.
• Appointed GNT, Publicity, and Conduct/Ethics Committee Chairmen. He also served as District 16 Vice President, briefly on scorecard Committee and again as our representative for many years. Larry has worked tirelessly for the growth and betterment of bridge.

2010 - Tom Corlett - Unit 233

Unit 233 has selected Mr. Thomas (Tom) Corlett as our nominee for the District 16 Jacoby Award. During any given week Tom is actively teaching bridge lessons for 30 minutes before regularly scheduled club games, playing in every available club game (often with novice players who love the chance to play with him), playing in every possible sectional and regional tournament in Texas and beyond, and attending almost every NABC.

At every tournament associated with District 16 Tom can be seen encouraging novice players as well as others and eagerly introducing newer bridge friends to perennial tournament attendees. He is such an ambassador for the sense of camaraderie that extends among fellow bridge players whether at the club, unit, district, or national level. He is the “go to” person for answers to questions about bridge strategy, bridge etiquette, bridge conventions, and bridge statistics. He is such a “pied piper” for this game.

Tom served a three-year term on the Unit Board of Directors from 1992-1995 serving as vice-president his first year and as president for one year. He was elected as Unit representative to the District Board of Directors for a three year term in 1997 and re-elected for two more three year terms. During this period he faithfully shared reports of meetings with the Unit Board of Directors.

He co-chaired the Waco sectional tournaments in 1999, 2004, 2005, and 2006 with exemplary results.

In 2000, Tom was one of three District 16 representatives elected to the ACBL Board of Directors and has been re-elected continuously up to the present. As a member of the District 16 Board of Directors, he served as vice-president in 2003 and president in 2004. In October 2000 he was awarded lifetime membership on the ACBL National Goodwill Committee. In 2009 he was unanimously awarded the Texas Star Award for Central Texas Bridge Unit 233.

Tom Corlett represents all that the District 16 Jacoby Award stands for in offering service, support, expertise, and love of the game from the smallest unit game to the largest tournament in District 16 and beyond.

2009 - Bert Onstott - Unit 174

Unit 174 is proud to present Bert as a candidate for the Oswald and Jim Jacoby Award. Bert's passion for bridge is proven by his never ending work for both our unit and the district. He has done more for bridge in unit 174 in six years than most of us do in a lifetime. Below, we have listed only a few of the many things Bert has volunteered for, supported, and helped with:

1. In support of Unit 174, Bert served six years on our board, including two terms as President. While on the board,
   1. He chaired 12 sectionals and two regionals.
   2. When he wasn't chairing the tournaments, he was there early to set up tables and stayed late after the tournament to tear down the tables and crate supplies. That is approximately 30 tournaments, plus additional help with NAP and GNT.
   3. Bert set up online group email for intra-board communication as well as online file storage for board record keeping. This will enable future boards to archive all past records.
   4. Bert created a spreadsheet template for tournament planning and profit and loss accounting.
   5. Bert developed a web based, data-base driven online partnership desk for unit members. This has proved to be very helpful for players in our unit to find partners any day of the week, or for people visiting our unit from out of town.
   6. Bert served as unit photographer.
   7. Bert was coordinator for bridge in schools, and taught bridge to junior high and high school students.
   8. Bert was instrumental in initiating a program that attracts social bridge players to duplicate. Two such events have been held, and both were very successful. The first one had 21 tables, and the second one had 16 tables. New players signed up with the ACBL, and all participants had a good time.
2. In support of District 16,
   1. Bert has served as the district webmaster. In the first two months of the job, he revamped and updated the district web site.
   2. He created a program to automate the process of removing the names of those who opt out of receiving a paper copy of the Scorecard.

THERE ARE THE MANY REASONS WE ARE PROUD TO NOMINATE BERT

2008 - Ira Hessel - Unit 172

I don‘t know how many people have asked me, “What is that?” when I've said that so and so won the Jacoby award. Well, it‘s the highest honor that district 16 awards to an individual each year for outstanding service. This year it was awarded to a most deserving individual, Dr. Ira Hessel of San Antonio.

Ira has been an active volunteer of the bridge community for twenty some odd years. His many achievements include: Unit 172 board member, editor of “The Winning Finesse” (unit newsletter), starting the University of Texas at San Antonio collegiate bridge club and generously giving his time to write and publish the fourth of July regional daily bulletins.

He served on the scorecard committee for eighteen years until he resigned last year so he and Ellen could take on the enormous job of editing the Scorecard!

He serves as unit 172 district representative and participates in all unit and district events and is a most frequent winner with Ellen, his favorite partner in crime and life. Ira lends his support in all district NABC fund raising events, notably in chairing the George and Carole Dawkins memorial silent auction.

The committee is very proud to award the 2008 Oswald and Jim Jacoby award to Dr. Ira Hessel.

Toni Snow

2007 - Dewitt Hudson - Unit 183

There is no one more deserving of this award than Dewitt. Dewitt H. Hudson, Jr., is a retired Colonel with more than 23 years in the United States Army. He is a Silver Life Master and has been actively involved in contract duplicate bridge since 1970. Col. Hudson is a dedicated teacher who is always willing to help anyone. From his beginner's classes he has introduced many newcomers into the duplicate bridge environment. He sponsored his entire class for their first tournament last spring. Always, he is willing to spend extra time with the learning process. Dewitt has mentored many novice players, among whom are - Travis and Lidy King, Bob Kennemer, Nedra Sims, Junene Johnson, Virginia Reinier, and countless others. Dewitt has given many unpaid hours of encouragement and invaluable information to almost everyone in District 16. He has also been instrumental in organization of new groups within the District.

Since becoming President of District 16, Dewitt has attended 28 tournaments in our District. This is quite a big job and deserves a great deal of praise. At the beginning of his tour as President, District 16 was 21 out of 25 for Membership and Retention. Presently, District 16 ranks as 4th out of 25 for Membership and Retention, with the goal of being ranked #1 a deinite possibility for the near future. Dewitt's influence has been widespread, as is reflected by the increased interest toward ACBL membership, especially programs increasing membership in the youth, and also the senior group.

There is no one more dedicated to the enrichment of ACBL and our district than Dewitt Hudson. The following highlights some of the more outstanding work that he has been accomplishing behind the scenes:

1. Instructor at University of Texas at Arlington - Continuing Education Program
   1. Teaching Basic Bridge classes in the evening for several years, and encouraging his students to join ACBL.
   2. Teaching an Advanced Class in the morning
2. Board of Governors - Member of National Board of Governors for over 7 years. Submits articles in Scorecard to inform the membership of activity or actions of Board of Governors.
3. As a member of ACBL Educational Foundation assisted with providing funds for Stephenville, TX, Bridge (Laura Nash) to purchase supplies for her new bridge group. Also, was instrumental in assisting with Bryan and College Station (Barbara Nance) receiving funds to help with youth programs.
4. President District 16 for 2005 and re-elected President for a second term 2006.
   1. During his tenure as President, Dewitt has presented certificates to 8 Mayors and 2 Mayor Pro Tem (Temple, Midland, Abilene, Waco, Humble, Richardson, Grapevine and Fort Worth). Expressions of appreciation to the bridge group and Dewitt for their contribution to the community were heard everywhere.
   2. Letter of Appreciation to tournament chairperson and president of various units in the District.
   3. Expresses concern for all members with a problem in District - "Words From the President."
   4. Visited 26 units, sectionals, and Regionals in District 16, plus 2 Nationals.
   5. Largest Tournament in Mexico (Puerto Vallarta) in years.
   6. Worked with Staff to have all units represented for the 17 Texas Star Awards.
5. Participates in Unit 183 Fort Worth games several days a week and is a regular attendee at the Saturday night games. The Fort Worth Bridge Studio is greatly benefited because of the tireless efforts of Dewitt.
6. As a mentor, he is superlative, always going above and beyond the norm to encourage and teach novice players, and he is also very patient with slow learners, always encouraging them.
7. Programs to beneit the youth have been a priority for Dewitt Hudson. He has actively encouraged youth participation by organizing beginner's classes on various college campus, as well as high school. Seniors have also been recipients of his efforts to improve and encourage participation in ACBL activities.
8. Dewitt personally assisted in coordinating with District 7 for STAG charity games to support bridge players in Orange and Beaumont. He also set up a special fund that accepted donations, raising $3700.00 to support the Beaumont and Orange facilities that were damaged by Hurricane Rita.

In 2000, Dewitt was appointed by District 16 to be Lifetime Goodwill Member. As a member of Goodwill committee he has attended all meetings and wears his pin at all sectional, regional and national events. No one in District 16 is more qualified or more deserving of the Jacoby Award than Dewitt Hudson. I am a member of ACBL and attend regularly at Unit 183 Fort Worth Bridge Studio. Thank you for your consideration of this nomination of Dewitt Hudson.

2006 - Rosemary Kelley - Unit 207

Rosemary Kelley has been a vital part of the bridge community for many years, both at district and local levels. She first served District 16 as GNT Chairman in the early nineties. During her six-year tenure she was instrumental in revamping the GNT program by creating new conditions of contest and making it profitable. She continued her involvement in the district for many years with unparalleled hard work and dedication, serving as Treasurer, Vice-President, and eventually President. Just one important contribution she made included the creation of the District Executive Treasurer office.

Rosemary's energy and impressive level of commitment are also evidenced at the local level. In addition to serving on the Boards of San Antonio Unit 172 and Austin Unit 207, she co-chaired Regionals in 1995 and 1996. Rosemary played a key role in restoring fiscal balance during a critical part of Unit 207's history. Her many contributions include creation of the club's tax-exempt status.

This past year, Rosemary rallied a group of dedicated and generous bridge players to establish Austin's own Bridge Center. With a home of its own, Austin Bridge is now enjoying impressive growth. An essential element of that growth is due to the teaching program Rosemary has instituted, along with a set of Bridge Plus games. She is a popular teacher who welcomes new players with a warmth and interest that ensures their return.

2005 - Toni Snow - Unit 174

Since moving to Houston from Midland/Odessa in the mid-1980's, Toni Snow has actively volunteered her time and energy culminating with co-chairing the Houston 2002 NABC. She has been especially active in encouraging and teaching new players and is a frequent volunteer lecturer and mentor. Her humor and vitality make bridge fun and encourage new players to have a good time and come back again.

Toni has served on the Houston Unit board as both a member and as an officer. She has chaired and co-chaired several tournaments and often helps out with hospitality, new player services, etc. At the District level, she has been chairman of the Scorecard committee for many years.

In addition to being general associate chairman of the 2002 NABC, Toni chaired the Entertainment committee and was responsible for selecting and negotiating the menu for each night's after game snacks as well as the pre-game food for the Senior events. She planned and contracted the nightly entertainment and even wrote the murder mystery skit that was presented on Friday night. Now she has volunteered to help chair the upcoming 2009 NABC.

2004 - Betty Starzec - Unit 174

Betty Starzec, of Houston, was presented the 2004 Oswald & Jim Jacoby Service Award at the Dallas Labor Day Regional in Richardson. Betty was the District's Education Liaison and Membership Chair for many years, meeting with and coordinating the efforts of Unit Membership Liaisons to improve ways of working with and mainstreaming new players. Although Betty was an ACBL employee and eligible to receive salary, she presented numerous Teacher Education Programs in both Houston and San Antonio at cost.