Today’s issue is a little late due to cloudy weather and spotty Internet service. The good news is that we’re having a little rain shower for the first time in about two months. Yea!!!

NEWS

“My name is Kelly Brignon and I would like to announce my candidacy for the CASI Board of Directors. I have been a CASI cook for six years and CASI has become a family affair. I cook with my husband Gary and our daughters Zoe and Paige. I am from Waxahachie, TX and I serve as the Great Pepper of the North of Waco (NOW) Pod. I am also a member of the Top of Texas and Cowtown Pods. My husband and I own T & B Demolition in Irving, TX. I have been in the construction accounting field for fifteen years and we have been in business for six years.

I have given a lot of thought to a position on the CASI Board of Directors. I feel that CASI is at a crossroads that is driven by both its history and its need for growth and change. One of the most challenging issues my husband and I face as business owners is the balance between doing what has worked in the past and evolving in a way that continues to guarantee success for the business. First and foremost, CASI is a business and should be run as such. I strongly believe that my business experience, coupled with my accounting background, will benefit CASI should I be elected to the Board. I have been responsible for our financial statements, daily operations and all aspects our business’s insurance since its inception. I am convinced that my experience in the above fields will be an asset to CASI, especially right now when everyone is experiencing financial hardships. I believe in cutting costs on items that are not profitable and spending money in the areas that can help CASI reach out to existing and new cooks, the charities, and our sponsors. The cooks, new and established, along with the charities and sponsors are what make CASI work. We need to explore different ideas in our effort to let people know who we are and what we do in order to revive our organization.

I believe that membership should be a focus of the incoming and current Directors. I think that giving incentives to cooks and Pods signing up new members is a great way to revive our membership numbers and again, reach out to new cooks. CASI is here to raise money for charity. The more people we have cooking chili, explaining our mission to the public and to the charities in need of an organization to help them raise money, the more exposure we are going to receive. This applies to our sponsors as well. In this economy, we must explore every avenue and idea available to us to continue to generate revenue for CASI and all that it is responsible for, including the Scholarship Fund and TICC.

CASI is an organization I strongly believe in. However, I feel that the way we’ve been doing things could benefit from some fresh perspectives. I am not a fan of reinventing the wheel, but I believe that change can bring positive results. I feel that our Board should be more accessible, transparent, and accountable for the decisions made on behalf of CASI’s cooks, charities, and sponsors. I believe an annual review of our year end financial statement should be conducted by an outside accountant. CASI is too large of an organization to not have reviewed financials at the very least. As a Director, I would strive to look at all of the operational budgets of CASI and see where we could benefit from cost cutting measures. I know that I’m young and maybe a little too idealistic and that not everyone will agree with me. I don’t believe any of us benefit from not asking questions, and not challenging the way things are done. The only way we are going to grow as an organization is to constantly look for ways to improve how we manage ourselves. Innovation is the key to survival for any business, and CASI is no exception.

I ask that you support my nomination with your vote and allow me to bring my strong work ethic, business experience, and positive attitude to CASI and the Board of Directors. I will serve CASI in any capacity that is asked of me. I am fully aware that you cannot make everyone happy and you are always going to ruffle some feathers. I do believe that focusing on finding a solution to CASI’s challenges is the only way we will survive as an organization. CASI is doing something right or it would have fallen apart years ago. By taking a look at what is working, tweaking what needs improvement, and giving everyone’s voice merit, we will solve more problems than if we just sit around and complain at our cook offs, and go home without a real solution being found. I do not feel that the Board of Directors should be a vehicle for personal politics or agendas. As a Director, my only concern will be CASI and the integral people that make it successful – the cooks, charities, and sponsors.

Please feel free to email any questions or concerns to me at kbrignon-tbdemo@sbcglobal.net, or call me at 469.628.8840. Thank you for your time and consideration.” Kelly Brignon

POTPOURRI

Happy Birthday to Donna Dillon. Happy Anniversary to Frank and Barbara Fox.

“The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

News items and pictures for the CHN can be emailed to pepperdean@ctesc.net