Andrew Okun
Western Region Candidate

I am running for the AGA board because I would like to help (a) reconnect the Southern California go community with the AGA (b) help the AGA manage its growth and take advantage of the many opportunities we have now to spread the game and (c) to encourage the AGA to find new ways to support and reward its members, volunteers and organizers.

I took up go in 2002. I quickly came to love the game and it is now my principal hobby. When I looked for AGA tournaments to play in, however, I found that there were nearly none in Southern California , one event a year compared to one a month in some other parts of the country. I began involving myself in various go organizing activities and started a quiet effort to increase AGA activity in Southern California , an effort that has met with some success.

With experience in business and investing, journalism, legal journalism and behind-the-scenes political activism, I would bring a range of useful skills to a board position, including comfort with financials, clear use of the written word and an amiable demeanor. As a member of the board of directors of the California League of Conservation Voters for the last eight years, I have had the good fortune to be part of one of the most effective advocacy organizations in California politics.

The AGA is a rapidly growing organization, with some growing pains, many excellent opportunities and not quite enough organizers and volunteers to take advantage of them all. Aside from the board's core roles of maintaining financial strength, growing membership and continuing successful activities like the E-Journal, the ratings system and Congress, the following are areas I would like to see the board address.

1. To do more to reward players for success and give them incentives to strive. The rank certification program is a good start.

2. To incorporate Internet play inAGA activities. The AGA already makes very effective use of the Internet in other ways, but most go games in the US are likely now played online and yet we hardly involve ourselves in them at all. There are obvious issues but I think they can be addressed.

3. To provide more training, encouragement and rewards for local go organizers. Even with the Internet, face-to-face play appeals to many players. They will attend local events if you organize them and will organize local events if they know how and see other people doing it. We should do all we can to mint new volunteers.

4. To develop the stronger administrative and governance structures it needs to adapt to its growing membership and broadening scope of activities.

My go activities and accomplishments:

1. I am an AGA Life Member and 2k player.

2. I am an active member of Santa Monica Go Club for six years and frequent teacher on beginner nights.

3. I participated for two years on the AGA rank certification committee.

4. I ran the first ever Santa Monica Coffee Cup tournament in 2007, will run the second in June 14, 2008 .

5. I organized West Coast section of 2008 Toyota/Denso Oza Tournament, with a $25,000 budget, as part of which I

-- Found a beautiful venue.

-- Organized extensive promotion both through traditional methods and website, souvenir book, e-mail and banner ads on go sites.

-- Produced the biggest West Coast Oza turnout to date.

-- Dealt with the Nihon Ki-in and its visiting professional, players of all strengths from all over the country, sponsors, advertisers, the other organizers and a large cadre of volunteers.

-- Maintained a precise budget for both coasts and, together with other organizers, brought the Oza events in significantly under budget.

6. I have organized other Southern California go events including a Japan Expo booth, the first ever Los Angeles Cherry Blossom Festival booth, and the first workshop for many years with a visiting Japanese professional.

7. I currently maintain the Southern California AGA equipment supply, assist when needed with Southern California membership issues and assist and encourage other local events like the Orange County Go Tournament and New Year's Day Little Tokyo event.

8. I assisted with printing of 7 th Edition of The Way to Go.

9. I organized a Southern California E-Journal game recording team for the Cotsen and Oza events.

10. I organized and coached Crossroads School team for participation in the Ing Schools Team Tournament.

11. I maintain an e-mail list of Southern California players to promote local events.

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