Steve Nadeau Letter and Response

Good afternoon! I've received permission to post Steve's letter as well as a response from Jim Ezell.


Promoting CASI by utilizing the current TICC Champion - By Steve Nadeau

The Nadeau household was very excited after Margaret won TICC for the
second time. To try and make the experience for Margaret as rewarding
as possible and also given the golden opportunity to promote CASI, I sent
a letter to the CASI Board of Directors to solicit their support. Here are
some excerpts from letter I sent in November:
"The experience in 2005 when Margaret won for the first time was
somewhat tarnished by the complete lack of participation from the board.
All of the opportunities she was presented with were created by myself.
There were zero opportunities presented to Margaret from the board and
no work was done at any real level to promote her. I was outspoken and
voiced concerns about promoting future champions and thought there was
some momentum from the board in that direction. Hearing comments from
the champions since then, it does not appear that much has changed since
2005 and everyone has pretty much done their own thing.
Coming from a sales and marketing background, I see this as a huge
opportunity to promote CASI. I would challenge anyone to find a better
personality then Margaret to promote the organization. Now having a
second win only heightens the opportunity. In the spirit of full candor, I
think CASI does a poor job of promoting themselves. Charity starts at
home and CASI should be focused on investing and promoting
themselves, which in turn will bring in more revenue allowing for more
charitable giving. A good start here would be to invest in and promote the
current 2 time champion.
I have already contacted dozens of media sources, both local and national,
as it is important to strike while the iron is hot. The only contact from the
board so far was a request from Roger for Margaret to go to Walmart and
get a picture taken for CASI sponsors. There was no offer to pay for this
service. Roger later then asked me to take the picture myself on a colored
background for editing purposes. This is not representative of CASI taking
this opportunity seriously. I would think at the very least CASI would like a
professional photo for marketing purposes with their sponsors.
If we are to get (and keep) high caliber sponsors, we need to provide more
then a good photo and maybe a banner. I would recommend that our
current sponsors are contacted to see if they would like to invite Margaret
to attend some type of corporate function (company cookoff etc.) or other
marketing opportunity. Margaret is willing to travel and use her personal
vacation to attend these events. I would recommend the cost of this travel
be negotiated between CASI and the sponsor. There are also many other
opportunities not involving current sponsors out there that can be obtained
if the effort is put into it.
As I said in the beginning that my goal is to make this experience as
rewarding as possible for Margaret. I can guarantee you that CASI
participating in promoting her will play a big part in achieving this goal.
CASI is going to get some excellent PR from the opportunities I create, but
we can take it to a much higher level if we all work to find and create the
opportunities together.
Please take this email in the positive spirit it is intended. My minor criticism
is in no way meant to be confrontational, but instead an effort to help make
improvements."
After sending the above letter I was informed there was a PR Committee
and later asked to join by Roger Foltz.
Roger said: "I would love for you to help us on the PR Committee, if you
would. Alan Dean, Dale Reinecker (also marketing background) are also
on the committee. I do advise Jim Ezell on most items, trying to get
sponsors involved when we can. I would like all committee members to
give me feedback on items to present to the Board at our January meeting.
At that meeting we will also discuss possible budgets for the coming year,
so I'd like to have your input on this also."
The "PR Committee" consists of a number of directors (including multiple
past champions). In the committee correspondences leading up to the
meeting, the only people taking part in the conversation were Alan, Dale
and myself. I also in good faith compiled a draft of thoughts and
suggestions for promoting CASI which I was told would be presented at the
January BOD meeting. Here is a copy of what I sent:
• Existing sponsors - All sponsors should be notified of the willingness of
the champ to travel to their events and take advantage of their sponsorship.
Costs incurred to be negotiated between CASI and sponsor.
• Corporate events
• Existing or new event to recognize CASI and the current champ.
• Trade show or festival for their industry.
• Chili cookoff in their hometown etc.
• Provide professional photos for their marketing purposes.
• Custom banner for their company logo and current champ details. Cost to
be split between sponsors participating. Champ to take to CCOʼs and
venues.
• Chili Cookoffʼs - Invitation to be published in TT and Blogs to all cookoff
promoters.
• Application to filled out with eligibility criteria. Some criteria suggestion:
• Large public venue. Confirmed from previous years.
• Large number of cooks. Confirmed from previous years.
• Local news and newspapers notified in advance and offer for
interviews.
• Organized recognition and planned participation of champ at event.
• Participation to be negotiated between CASI and champ.
• Travel and living cost to be covered and negotiated between CASI and
promoter.
• Some cookoff possibilities:
• CA State
• Louisiana State
• Ladies State
• DFW: Cowtown, Stop/drop/roll, etc
• Texas Open (and other states)
• East Coast
• Midwest
• Other venues - Non chili cookoff venues and trade-shows to be contacted
for guest appearance.
• Meat industry
• Spicy/Fiery Food venues (chile, salsa, BBQ etc.)
• Fancy Food Show and other food shows
Food competitions
• BBQ cookoffʼs
• Publicity - TV, radio, print and digital medium. A continuous marketing
campaign should be made all year long to promote CASI and the TICC champ.
• TV morning shows, both local and national
• Daytime and evening shows, Ellen, Leno, Letterman etc.
• Food Channel (multiple shows)
• Radio, local and nationwide
• Magazines, travel, food etc.
• Blogs, food, travel etc.
In February, after learning that nothing was brought up nor discussed
about marketing of TICC champions at the January Board of Directors
meeting as promised, I sent another email to the Board of Directors. Here
is a copy of that letter:
"Hello again BOD et al,
It is now February and we are 4 months into the new chili year. I was
hoping the BOD would have grabbed a hold of the golden opportunity in
front of them did everything in its power to try and utilize Margaret for
marketing CASI, but alas it has not happened. As a matter of fact there
have been ZERO results.
After sending the email below, I was asked to join a marketing committee.
I was told this was an opportunity for me to help CASI with a plan for
marketing the champ. I was also asked to submit my ideas for the BOD
meeting that took place last month. I was told that this was a high priority
on the agenda and that a plan would be submitted and voted on. I
submitted in good conscious my ideas and suggestions (see attached).
After the BOD meeting was held I inquired as to what was agreed upon. I
was told by Roger that "Nothing specific was discussed & nothing specific
was agreed". This came as a major disappointment to me. I asked to
be removed from the committee, as I get all the exercise I need riding my
bike. Unfortunately I feel that many times these committees are formed as
a means to move forward on the days agenda. The committee
without good/proper leadership then becomes nothing more then a little
girls tea party with all show and at the end of the party nothing changes.
I learned last week that Bruce Foods was looking for a good photo of
Margaret to use for a banner, recipe card and other marketing purposes. If
you recall in my previous email I was asked by Roger to take the picture
myself and I explained this was not the actions of someone taking this
opportunity serious. While on the committee, I researched and submitted
to Roger the cost of having a professional picture taken for marketing
purposes and for the sponsors utilization. Roger told me he would submit
to the BOD. There has been no response and looks like a missed
opportunity with one of our premier sponsors.
I would encourage the BOD to lose the pomp and circumstance and take
action. There is a wonderful opportunity in front of you."
It is now August and the Board of Directors did not act on anything that
was suggested nor create any opportunities to promote CASI. Margaret
was not once contacted by the Board of Directors.
So here we are again and another wonderful opportunity to give CASI
some much needed exposure pissed away. This is not about entitlements
for the current champ. It is about ways to promote CASI and also create
some real value for it's current and future sponsors. Isn't that what the
board is in place for? To be quite honest I am not clear what the mission
of the Board of Directors is. Do we really need administrative jobs to be
board positions? Important roles such as CASI sponsorship and what
CASI does with it's money (Scholarship) are not even board positions.
Marketing is non-existent and unfortunately an afterthought. The entire
Board of Directors was copied on all of my correspondences. I have heard
time and again that "it has always been this way" etc. CASI members
need to start questioning the rolls of the board and it's directors and define
some clear goals on how to move CASI forward, instead of the recessive
state it is in now. Shirt size should not be a criteria.
Regards,
Steve Nadeau

Jim Ezell's response:

I would like to take a few moments of your time to address the comments espoused by Steve Nadeau.

Since the late 90s, I have been very unhappy with the utilization and recognition of the TICC champion. I do not think that is a secret. Public Relations is and has always been, in my view, the biggest weakness of CASI. The vocal nature of Mr. Nadeau's pleadings is just a more eloquent culmination of years of dissatisfaction by the champions. It has been my frustration to observe this discontent and not act on it accordingly. It is difficult to financially justify a PR campaign when our membership is spread so thinly over a vast geographic area. We have thus had to depend primarily on free press or public appearances in select venues. The cost of advertising is constantly brought up to the board and the cost usually does not seem to justify the anticipated outcome. We have also never been able to attract that special person to the board that would have a knack for making this magic. Perhaps some of the detractors would like to come over to the dark side and experience the reality of board/membership interaction. Remember, this is not a Margaret Nadeau issue, it is a CASI issue.

Four years ago, I was charged by the Great Peppers to come up with a way to fund and reward the TICC Champion in a monetary amount. I have submitted a proposal to address that issue. I also put together a package of gift items for the winner that I felt was long overdue.

Two years ago, I gained board approval to submit on a case by case basis, funding requests for the winner to travel to events I believe to be in the best interest of sponsorship. The board has gone along with these requests although sometimes the dollar amounts were not what they could have been.

I have always conveyed, as part of the sponsor presentation package, that CASI would be happy to provide the current or a former TICC champion at any event chili or non-chili where a benefit would be felt by that sponsor. The photo issue is a non starter as everyone knows that stage photos are a vital part of our ceremonies at TICC.I always emphasize that our representative would be glad to promote the sponsor and its association with CASI. In addition, I always remind sponsors that this feature is available to them after TICC. Below is the context of the email sent to some 50 sponsor representatives Dec 14 of last year immediately following Margaret's win.

Subject: Availability of TICC Winner


To all our valued sponsors.
Our 2009 Terlingua International Chili Champion, Margaret Nadeau, has graciously agreed to make her time available for sponsor functions or related cookoff events in the coming year. If you have something coming up that would benefit you by having this CASI Champion there, please contact Margaret and see if arrangements can be made.
Margaret is a two time Terlingua Champion, having also won it all in 2005, She is a beautiful and talented person who has much to offer in promoting CASI and our sponsor products.
As most of you know, CASI is a charity and we do not give prize money to our winners. If you would like an appearance, we would of course like you to help her with some of the expense she may incur.
This is a win win situation for your company and CASI and we would love to share our winner. Please contact Margaret at mnadeau@gvtc.com or myself at jezell8642@aol.com if this might interest you.

Thank you for your support, and Best Wishes for a prosperous New Year.


Jim Ezell

I guess the major thrust of where I am going with this is evidenced by the Four Point Proposal I have placed before the membership for consideration at the upcoming Great Peppers Meeting. Much of the thought and reasoning that went into this proposal came as a result of the situation outlined by Mr. Nadeau. I have been working on it since the early part of the year for submission at the summer board meeting and action at the GP meeting. The four points are:

Membership
Great Peppers Meeting
Scholarship Funding
Recognition and rewarding of TICC Champion

I will be available at the GP meeting to address this proposal and defend it. I welcome any comments or criticisms on this proposal by any member and have been attempting to travel as much as I can lately to interact with more members. The only other point I will address is the insinuation that sponsorship is somehow demeaned by not being handled as a board position. If there is discontent with this current status I can resign, as I serve at the pleasure of the board and membership.

In closing, lets use this situation as a positive and work toward the betterment of our organization. We are not perfect, but we have come a long long way since my early years with CASI. We have a limited, dedicated, diverse and sometimes vocal membership. Each and every member has earned his or her right to be critical of management. Criticism is part of the venue and comes with the job description each aspiring director must accept. Before you "Throw the Bums Out" make sure the talent pool is the real deal. All a former director has to show for countless hours of service is a plaque and a satisfaction that somewhere they made a difference. Please forgive the abundance of ( I's) in this memo, but I am not speaking for the CASI Board of Directors, but as a non-board contributing member that greatly enjoys my association with CASI.

I do not have a distribution list as to where Steve's memo went, so I would appreciate this reaching as many CASI members as possible.

Thank you

Jim Ezell
Sponsor Chair
Former CASI President and Director


I have to say that both of these individuals have made excellent points and at the very core of the disagreement, agree that more should be done to promote the TICC Champions and CASI as an organization. Steve, like many of us, is in the unfortunate position as being cast as "just a cook", whereas Jim Ezell has the history with and ear of the Board of Directors. In other words, he's viewed as more than "just a cook". Jim is also a businessman and I'm sure he, along with the other business minded individuals on the Board, have felt that after careful consideration, it would not be beneficial to take certain monetary steps to promote CASI and the TICC Champion. However, as a business woman, I believe that sometimes you've got to spend money to make money. Maybe the board members of a Not for Profit organization would be willing to give up their bar tab or room/transportation reimbursements in order to help with advertising costs. Why not explore the possiblity of having advertising donated? It's a write off and if I can get it for our 3 day cook off in February, I feel quite possible an organization such as CASI could get donations as well. Or even better, why can't a sponsor offer that as a part of their sponsorship package - or why not market that to the sponsors? Kind of like the "Friends of CASI" sponsorship program, that in the interest of full disclosure, T & B Demolition is a part of.

What bothers me the most about this issue is the first person to respond wasn't an active Board Member, it was a past board member who still works to promote CASI and bring in and retain sponsors. I feel quite sure that no one wants to get into a public blog war, but where is the BOD response to Steve's concerns? Once again, it seems that "just a cook" is the one putting the thoughts and ideas together only to be subjected to a deaf ear by the Board. While I feel that it is Janice's obligation to post an opinion that a CASI member asks her to publish, was there a response from her or another Board member to Steve's concerns? At what point will the Board start listening to the members and actually act upon their suggestions. Why are Jim's proposals met with so much enthusiasm while Steve's suggestions were continually cast aside? In reality, they aren't that different and they both seek to better CASI's exposure to potential sponsors and to the general public. Why, when so much of the behind the scenes work is volunteer, would the Board of a Non Profit, Charitable organization, fail to capitalize on one more person willing to spend their time and talents bettering the organization that they support and believe in?

Other than my slightly bizarre view of sponsorship, I support Jim Ezell 99% of the time. The only comment in his response I disagree with is this (and I'm copying/pasting so I don't get it wrong):
"Perhaps some of the detractors would like to come over to the dark side and experience the reality of board/membership interaction"

This is where I become less pro CASI Board and more pro Membership. The reality of the board/membership relationship is that the board continues to do as they wish and ignore, for the most part, the voices of the CASI cooks. Since I have been involved in CASI and since I've been active in the lovely "politics" of chili, I've witnessed many cooks reaching out to Directors asking to be heard. Depending on who they are and where they cook, and who their closest Director is, they may or may not be taken seriously. More often than not, they have been branded a "complainer", a "negative voice". Now I know that there are troublemakers and as I've said in the past, bitter, bitchy old people (not talking about ANYONE in particular - just a generalization), but for every pain in the Board's ass, there must be a few cooks who take the time (like Steve Nadeau and Jim Ezell) to carefully and thoughtfully word their criticisms and suggestions in the interest of making CASI bigger and better. How did we all get lumped together? Why is it easier to just brand all of us as negative, critical, pains in the ass? I don't know how many times I've heard a board member say, "I get emails from so and so all the time", followed by the ever popular roll of the eyes. Well, what the hell did you think you signed up for? This is an organization that is member driven and member supported. Like Jim said, criticism comes with the territory. It's like we have a board full of egotistical, feelings on the shoulder people who can't handle any idea that didn't come from them, any suggestion that conflicts with their ideas, or the mere mention that we, GASP, do things differently than we used to.

Steve took time out of his life to make suggestions, offer ideas and help, and he was met with....wait for it.....APATHY!!!!

Jim Ezell takes time out of his life on a regular basis to offer suggestions and ideas and the Board falls all over themselves promoting his proposals.

Why is there a difference between the two and how much longer is the membership going to allow who the Board will or won't listen to, does or doesn't pay attention to...choose to or choose not to take action to make CASI stronger?

We've got roughly four weeks to decide the direction we want our organization to take going forward. I know I gripe and complain, but I'm certainly not afraid of voting for people who I think will make a difference and against people who I think will only look good in that year's colored shirt ;)

Regardless of what side you're on, or who you agree with, I commend both Jim and Steve for taking the time to care enough about CASI and share their ideas and suggestions so that CASI can move forward as a more recognizable charitable organization. Jim continues to promote CASI and look for sponsors to support our hobby. Steve is doing what he can to market and advertise not only CASI, but the TICC Champion, in an effort to promote "Chili, Charity and Fun".

Have a wonderful day! Paige and I both survived the first day of school and no one gave me any weird looks when I picked her up....whew!!!

Keep it real, folks........

Kelly