Candidate Resumes

Director at Large

Jim Alloway

MEET THE CANDIDATE:

My name is Jim Alloway and I am running for Director at Large
of our United Schutzhund Clubs of America. I was born and
raised in Columbus, Ohio. When I was three years old my family
purchased our first GSD Pilot. The love affair with the breed
started early! I was introduced to Schutzhund in 1990 while in
college, and trained for two years with my first coach Ralph
Thompson. Ralph taught me excellent fundamentals and a deep
and abiding respect for the working ability and majesty of our
breed.

I’ve coached/helped nine dog and handler teams to National level
competition, successfully trained four dogs to at least a SchH1
level, performed helper work at more than 25 trials, been the
President/Training Director for our club in Columbus for ten
years, and have successfully hosted a Mideastern Regional and a
the 2010 Working Dog Championships. Currently I am
campaigning my SchH3 dog Tino vom grauen Bund.

PURPOSE STATEMENT:

My goal to become a Director at Large of the United Schutzhund
Clubs of America stems from my hope to continue the
advancement and growth of the sport of Schutzhund in furtherance of maintaining the German Shepherd Dog as a working breed. I have chosen to run for office now because:

1. I’ve been given a great deal by USA and Schutzhund and feel that now is a good time to give back.
2. I love the GSD and take the long-term preservation of the breed very seriously.
3. My accomplishments in business make me both a strong candidate and good representative.
4. I feel that I can bring fresh ideas, steady and sustainable growth, and innovation to the organization.

WHY JIM ALLOWAY?

1. Proven track record of organizational leadership.
2. Experience negotiating with leaders of large organizations including General Motors and Ford.
3. Can quickly and clearly analyze issues and recognize their level of importance within the larger picture.
4. Believe strongly in service leadership, teamwork, and delegation of responsibility.
5. Care greatly about the longevity of the sport of Schutzhund and its importance in maintaining the
working integrity of the GSD.

CORE VALUES:
1. Integrity – We don’t lie, cheat, or steal. No exceptions.
2. Excellence – We set high standards adopt a philosophy of continual improvement.
3. Teamwork – We will all achieve results by working cooperatively as a high-functioning team.
4. Respect – We will treat one another, at all times, with the same respect we expect.

I would greatly appreciate your support in my campaign for Director at Large. I have an open-door policy and would enjoy talking to anyone about his or her issues, concerns, input, or suggestions. Please call my cell phone at 614.736.2275.

(This candidate has submitted a longer resume. Please click here and here for the full submission. A shorter version has been posted).



Al Govednik



My name is Albert (Al) J. Govednik, & I'm very active in the working side of dog training. I was born on 17 January 1958, in Joliet, Illinois. (This is a suburb of Chicago, Illinois.) My wife Marcia is also active raising and training dogs. Currently Marcia has German Shepherd Dogs, as well as an Airedale terrier We both actively compete in SchH and S&R I became involved with my first dogs as a boy, working with my father & his hunting breeds. My real passion has been Schutzhund work. My breed of choice is since 1984 has been the German Shepherd Dog.
I have been the American Working Dog Federation president since 2004. During this time we have made great strides in relation to the working dog in America and abroad. Some of the accomplishments that we have made during this time include, most of our USA judges have become either FCI, and or SV recognized. We submit the names of our helpers for international consideration. Opportunities exist now for our members to participate and place in FCI world championship events. These include IPO, IPOFH, and RH world championships. Of note here is that all countries (even FCI countries) do not have an invitation to FCI working commission events. We have worked to create a standardized score book throughout our federation. This is quite important because it is now required to have a score book from the country you live in to participate internationally. As an example you must use USA stamped AWDF score book to compete on our FCI world championship team even if the dog is a German import with a SV score book. Lastly we have developed a strong working relationship with the FCI working commission. This helps us with rules, rule interpretations, securing judges, and numerous other things.

Clubs/position(s):


United SchH Clubs of America '86-
USA Executive Board Member '96-
USA Executive Board Member at large '00-
Mid-Central Regional Director '96-'00
Assistant Mid-Central R.D. '93-'96
USA Judge #23 '96-
FCI approved judge Dec.'06
USA liaison to the AWDF '97-'00
AWDF Director of Judges '00-
AWDF President '04-
Training director Machtig Strom SchH. Verein '95-
Winner of the first Egon Vollrath sportsmanship award '01
Executive Director of the American Dog Owner Association '06-
Expert witness in the state of Iowa in animal behavior '03-
Delegate to the FCI working commission '04-
German Shepherd Dog club of the Quad Cities '95-'07
American Dog Owner Association executive board member '05-

Club accomplishments:


Since forming my USA club, Machtig Strom S.V. in '95, I have encouraged all breeds to participate in working events. We have had 170 new working/obedience titles on multiple breeds. These breeds have included Rotts', Airedales', Labs', Dutch Shepherds', Mals', Bouv's, Am Staffs', Golden Retrievers', Dobes, Bulldogs', Border Collies', & a few others.

(This candidate has submitted a longer resume. Please click here for the full submission. A shorter version has been posted).



Johannes Grewe


USA member since 1981.
SV member since 1964.
SV Working Dog Judge from 1974 to 1981.
USA Working Dog Judge since 2003.
USA Conformation Judge since 1997.
USA Koermeister since 2002.

Served the past 2 years as Director at Large.

I have been assigned to work on relationships with AWDF and FCI working dog commission. The last two years I have attended all meetings with these two organizations. I also have been assigned two work on relationships with the WUSV and SV. During this time I was able to accomplish SV recognition of USA Working Dog Judges. I attended WUSV meetings for the last three years.

The official language of the FCI working dog commission and the WUSV is German. I do speak German very well and I do know the German culture and attitude of the German people.

If I get nominated and elected I would like to continue working with AWDF, FCI, SV and WUSV. It is my goal to work on SV recognition for our conformation judges and koermeisters.



Ravi R. Iyer


My Vision for USA:

My vision for USA is an organization that takes genuine leadership in setting the standards for the GSD in the US as a total dog that can excel in service and companionship of its human partners. I believe that in the capacity of Director-at-Large I would be able to serve both USA the organization and its membership in a manner that brings all parties together in a collaborative spirit that re-establishes USA to the position that it should rightfully enjoy as the premier GSD organization in the Americas. One of the areas I would focus on would be the expansion of involvement with our youth and I see the sport of schutzhund as an excellent tool to use in youth development. I believe that this single area would directly serve to increase membership, increase the sports popularity as well as raise the visibility of our organization at both local and national levels. To this end I would work closely with current, past and new members of the organization as well as committed individual members to achieve these goals.

I have been a member of USA since Aug 2005. In addition to my membership in USA, I am also a member in good standing of the Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde (SV) since Dec 2009. Professionally I am a practicing physician and am presently serving my 2nd term as Vice Chairman of the Dept. of Medicine at Reston Hospital Ctr., Reston, VA

In the sport of Schutzhund and in the field of the German Shepherd dog breed I have been engaged in and accomplished the following:

I am full member of the USA Club: Blitzburg Hundesport Club, located in Berryville (Winchester) VA, since 2007 to present date.

I am presently serving my 2nd term on the Nominating Committee of USA (Nov 2007 –to- Oct 2011). I have procured multiple trophy sponsorships and secured corporate sponsorships for USA events as well as continue to support performance and conformation events at the national, regional and club levels by procurement of sponsors and other assistive activities.

I have titled my current dog from BH to SchH3 (HOT) and became a member of the Schutzhund 3 Club in May 2008 as well as earning the USA Sports Medal in Silver. I have qualified for the USA GSD Nationals in 2008 and 2009 and have competed at the USA GSD Nationals. I have shown in 3 USA Sieger shows as well as successfully breed surveyed my own dog per the SV standards to the level of “lifetime Koerklasse1”.

I am therefore intimately conversant with the challenges as well as the requirements of competitors as well as organizers in the various aspects of the spectrum of both the Conformation and the Performance under the SV standards for the German Shepherd Dog.

As USA member, Sportsman, Physician and as an individual, I have always adhered to a standard of ethics that far exceeds the levels generally expected of my peers.

KATHY MOACANIN

Statement of purpose:

I respectfully submit my resume for consideration as a Director at Large for
The United Schutzhund Clubs of America.

History with USA --


Member for 26 years
Titled numerous dogs, including two different generations of my own breeding
Registered my kennel with USA – von Herzensfreude
Served on the Public Relations Committee (co-wrote the original USA promotional brochure)
Designed the original AWDF logo when it was just getting started
Served as a club president for nine years
Guided untold people in their quest to get into Schutzhund
Served as the Co-chair of the Magazine Committee for four years and in the process
helped USA save nearly $90,000 plus increased revenue through ad sales
I ran my t-shirt business, devoted to the sport of Schutzhund and the German Shepherd Dog,
for 17 years. I sold my designs at SchH events across the US and through an
on-line store, which put me in a unique position to interact closely with USA’s membership


Why I want to be a Director at Large for USA --

I was club president for one of the most successful SchH clubs in the country for nine years. For 17 years I operated Top Dog Designs. I speak one-on-one with current and prospective USA members on a regular basis, often counseling them on puppy purchases, training issues, club suggestions, etc. During my tenure on the Magazine Committee I became acutely aware of what the general membership wants in their organization. I am passionate about including ALL members in “the loop” as far as is possible.

Through my club leadership, my business, and my commitment to the sport and the GSD breed, I understand the needs and desires of the general membership of USA. All too often I've heard, "I have no voice. No one listens. I've offered my help over and over and no one responds.” There are proper channels to be heard and I want to make that process clear. It is my mission to help more USA members feel like their voice is heard, their suggestions matter and their help is appreciated.

As Director at Large, I want to use the skills I demonstrated on the Magazine Committee to create a team that will build a new, improved website. The USA website needs to be the place that our members can go and easily get their questions answered. It needs to be the place any GSD owner can go - to find a breeder, what to ask the breeder, how to train their little “monster”, feeding suggestions, training suggestions and where to find a club that would suit them. We can make our mark as THE GSD organization to follow and support.

My ideas for USA are many and I can promise the membership that I will be a voice for them.

Mark A. Ptaszek


Please consider this letter my expression of interest to serve as an at-large board member of the United Schutzund Clubs of America (USCA). My interest and intent is to honor the core mission of the USCA, i.e., the preservation of the German Shepherd Dog in accordance with the breed standard as a working dog, humane training and responsible ownership and breeding. My personal and professional background positions me to be of service and support to the USCA’s mission and organization.

Regarding experience and contribution, I have been involved with Schutzhund for 12 years. I am a member of Der Michigan Schutzhund Verein and active with other clubs in my area. Training experience includes achieving SchH3, FH and AD, all handler owned and trained. Contributions include serving as a helper for local trials, a tracklayer for local and regional events as well as the H.O.T., authoring local club by-laws, writing the foundation document of the current Mid-East Region by-laws, and volunteer service at the past World Championship held in the USA.

The focus of my 35 year professional life is public service. My experience includes but is not limited to operational, technical, managerial and executive experience in law enforcement, corrections, mental health and the courts. I have knowledge and experience with organizational strategy, management and organizational structure, communication, human resources, performance assessment and quality assurance, policy development, application of technology, public support and professional positioning, and the legal, legislative and political environments.

Presently, I serve as the Undersheriff (chief operating executive) of the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office in Ann Arbor, Michigan; an organization in excess of 300 employees with a 25 million dollar budget serving a population of 350,000. My duties include, but are not limited to, oversight of all police operations including canine. Our organization has hosted the regional annual training (detector and patrol dogs) and meeting of the United States Police Canine Association for the past two (2) years. I regularly train my SchH1 bitch with local police canine officers. My professional affiliations include the Michigan Sheriff’s Association, International Association of Chiefs’ of Police, Michigan Association of Chiefs’ of Police and the United States Police Canine Association.

My education includes a degree in education, graduate study in the social impacts of technology, and extensive managerial, professional and technical training. I have served as a trainer in my professional fields and adjunct faculty in public administration at the University level. My experience includes service on State and local boards and committees. Consulting experience has focused on personnel selection, general law enforcement and police/mental health collaboration.

It would be an honor to serve the membership of USCA. I hope you favorably consider my expression of interest. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Marie Weller

- Member in good standing of USA and Golden State Schutzhund Clubs since 8/1995.
- Associate Member of Southwest Working Dog Association (Acton, CA) since 2005
- Club level board member since 1997 (Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President)
- Regional level board member for 10 years (Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Regional Director)
- Assistant to the USA Helper Committee Chairman since 2004 (Attend and manage documents for National Helper college)
- I have been HOT on most of my dog’s to date, and 90% of those were also bred by me.
- USA Club breed warden and tattooer since 1999.
- Have attended as a delegate or Regional Representative for 9 of the past 10 years at the USCA General Board meeting. This keeps me up to date on the current issues and concerns with the maintenance of a premier organization.
- Committee Member of the USA Nomination Committee since 2005 (I am currently in my 3rd term)

I am a Bachelor’s prepared Registered Nurse and have been working in the field of Public health for 12 years currently. I DO NOT make my living from dogs, puppies or dog products. I am passionate about the German Shepherd Dog’s abilities and want to make sure that those abilities are what are continued in the breed. And with that preserve the “Testing” of the dog’s abilities by EARNING Schutzhund titles.

I am known for speaking my mind and I do not have any hidden agendas. I have worked closely with several members of the current board and am aware of the tasks that are currently assigned to the Director at Large positions by the USA president.


I feel the above qualities and work ethic will make me a valuable member to the USA board in a position such as Director at large.

Mike Williams

I would like to formally add my name as a candidate for one of the spots as Director at Large. I feel that I have a lot to give to this organization and I feel that at this point a DAL spot would be the best fit for me. I have included my resume for your consideration. I have been active with dogs of several breeds/sports since 1980. I own my own company in which I manufacture and market several different canine nutritional products and have done so since 1990. I love the sport of schutzhund and the German Shepherd breed. Actually I’m addicted to it. I feel that together with my business contacts and experience in the dogs that I can be an benefit to not only the organization but also the sport of schutzhund.

Personal:

Born 1961 in Fort Dodge, IA. Graduated Highschool 1980.
Attended University of Iowa 1980-1983. Studied Business.
Moved to Reno, NV. 1983
Owned and competed with American Staffordshire Terriers from 1980-1995.
Member of Silver State American Pit Bull Club, 1983-1985 (UKC)
Married 1987-present.
Have 2 daughters. One is a junior at University of Iowa, (pre-pharm) one is a junior at Fort Dodge Senior Highschool.
Bought my first German Shepherd in 1995.
Achieved first schutzhund title in 1997.
Have achieved passing titles on 10 dogs.
Have competed in Regional events 4 times.
Have competed in National events 2 times.
Completed USA helper certification in 2005, basic level.

Business:

First job after college was Lion Manufacturing in Sparks, NV. Was a ‘Planner’ in the Industrial Engineering department. Worked there from 1983-1988. Lion manufactured industrial forklifts.
Went into partnership with my brother 1988. Reno Firewood and Fence. 10 employees.
Started separate business in 1991. Williams nutrition. Sold and marketed Champion Nutrition products, Unipro, APRL.
Started Canine Performance Nutrition in 1992-present.
Moved operation to Fort Dodge, IA. 1995.
We manufacture and market 6 separate canine nutritional products.