DSC Board Elections

[mdwest]

Voting has supposedly now opened for DSC board elections.

Sadly it doesn't appear DSC has gotten its act fully together.

I received an email on Feb 20th saying that on the 21st I'd receive another email from "YesElections" with a specific title, and that voting would be opened..

No follow on email has been received (Ive scrubbed spam, trash, inbox, junk, etc..etc.. using both the specific title they provided and the email domain they provided saying where the email would come from)..

Anyway.. if anyone needs it.. here's a link:

https://www.biggame.org/dsc-voting-members-2025-director-elections/


Some concerns I have going into this election..

The new CEO said in January that he'd be communicating again with membership by late January or early Feb about changes planned for DSC.. to my knowledge no such communication has happened (I certainly haven't gotten an email, received a phone call, etc.. and I know they have my correct email address.. because I got his first email sent after ATL 2025.. and then the email on the 20th saying elections were about to open).. So.. what exactly is going on?

the other primary concern is.. make your own decisions.. but look at the people being considered for the board... (you'll have to do a little research on your own here)..

4 of the 5 people running for positions are on the current board (no change).. 2 of them were very much involved in the ATL decision that I am aware of (unsure about the other 2)..

the 5th person I don't know at all... while she has been in and around the outdoors industry for a while.. her resume gives me a bit of pause.. being the Chief People Officer for a company where some of your principal duties were overseeing diversity and inclusion programs makes me want to know a bit more about exactly who this person is, what their values are, and where they would push the organization moving forward.. Im not sure DEI belongs in a global wildlife conservation organization..



None of this bodes well for me.. DSC certainly made some mistakes in its recent history.. there is a reason the board had a major falling out and had members leave abruptly.. and a reason when the last CEO left he cited (its in the board minutes) that he was uncertain about DSC's future.. a reason why a recent President resigned while still in their term..

I have held out high hope that the organization (specifically the board) would have learned from these mistakes, and in the interest of the future of the organization would be making some course corrections in the interest of saving it..

Based on what Im seeing right now, that doesn't appear to be the case.. it very much looks like to me that they are instead doubling down..

 

[deewayne2003]

the 5th person I don't know at all... while she has been in and around the outdoors industry for a while.. her resume gives me a bit of pause.. being the Chief People Officer for a company where some of your principal duties were overseeing diversity and inclusion programs makes me want to know a bit more about exactly who this person is, what their values are, and where they would push the organization moving forward.. Im not sure DEI belongs in a global wildlife conservation organization..

Wow.... I looked into it

She's also an ambassador for "Sporting Lead Free"

WHO WE ARE — Sporting Lead-Free

Sporting Lead-Free is a non-political, educational initiative working to reduce inadvertent lead consumption by wildlife and people through the voluntary choice of lead-free ammunition and tackle.

www.sportingleadfree.org

 

[wesheltonj]

I received the voting email very early this morning. Not sure which one or ones to vote for. I do personally know one of them and another by name only.

DEI for Orvis and Lead Free, really?

 

[AimSmall]

So, I guess you do realize the DSC nominating committee will accept nominees from any member?

Did you propose any nominees?

Who were they and what were their qualifications?

 

[Green Chile]

Well...I have gotten numerous emails this week from DSC on banquet tickets, crawfish boils and other hoopla. I have gotten no emails from them on elections or significant updates.

 

[K-man]

My ballot went into my spam folder, I found it yesterday. Not much bio available on the nominees from DSC. I am a bit dismayed at the lack of communication from DSC as to the lackluster performance from the convention. And I am a Chapter board member! I hold out hope that the rest of the DSC board will get the ship righted and sailing well again

 

[mdwest]

So, I guess you do realize the DSC nominating committee will accept nominees from any member?

Did you propose any nominees?

Who were they and what were their qualifications?

A decade as a life member, a wife that’s been a life member for a decade, volunteer/DSC 100 for 6 shows… attended +/- 8-10 monthly meetings every year for years back when they were doing that.. personal relationships with past presidents, past board members, and the former CEO…

Yeah… there’s a pretty good chance I know what the process is…

If you’re in tune with how DSC works internally you already know the answer to your underlying question… as do others here that have been involved with the organization for years… (why weren’t others nominated)…

If you’re paying attention on AH and tracking posts by myself and others expressing concern, you also know the problems aren’t new, that numerous people (vendors and members) have communicated those problems with multiple board members and have made attempts to be involved in problem resolution to no avail.. almost everyone that has expressed concern for the better part of a year at this point has also expressed that they want the organization to succeed… but the organization appears intent on failure..

I don’t find it a coincidence that today I got a phone call from someone that was deeply affiliated with DSC for more than 20 years… that stated “the organization we used to know and love has ceased to exist and and will not ever return”… this person had a business relationship with the organization for a very long time and knows the current and past leadership most likely better than anyone that has participated in this and other threads on AH (recognizing that many participating know DSC extremely well)…

 

[jpr9954]

I got my ballot yesterday. Not saying anything about the quality of the existing board or the nominees because I really don't know but it was a joy to be able to vote online. Unlike the NRA which is still stuck in the 20th Century with only paper ballots, at least this is something the DSC is doing right.

 

[mdwest]

I got my ballot yesterday. Not saying anything about the quality of the existing board or the nominees because I really don't know but it was a joy to be able to vote online. Unlike the NRA which is still stuck in the 20th Century with only paper ballots, at least this is something the DSC is doing right.

Very valid.

 

[Green Chile]

I don’t find it a coincidence that today I got a phone call from someone that was deeply affiliated with DSC for more than 20 years… that stated “the organization we used to know and love has ceased to exist and and will not ever return”… this person had a business relationship with the organization for a very long time and knows the current and past leadership most likely better than anyone that has participated in this and other threads on AH (recognizing that many participating know DSC extremely well)…

That does not sound good!