A Board of Directors is a requirement for non-profit status and is mandated by the PDGA bylaws. In addition to semi-annual summit meetings, the Board and staff conduct monthly teleconference calls and ongoing communication to accomplish required business. Some of the Board’s main activities include: setting PDGA policies; hiring and supervision of an Executive Director responsible for headquarters, staff, and ongoing operations; financial management including annual budget; identification of responsible future Board members; and representing the membership’s visions for the future of the sport and the association.

Two at-large Board member positions will be elected this year and the two candidates receiving the most votes will serve three-year terms from September 1, 2017 to August 31, 2020. For additional information on the PDGA elections process, refer to www.pdga.com/elections.

2017 Board Candidates

• Fernando Brown, #20093 - Texas
• Robert Decker, #17745 - Kansas
• David Foss, #68895 - Virginia
• Nate Heinold, #49340 - Illinois
• Fishhead Tim McCrory, #21964 - Texas

Fernando Brown, #20093

• Location: Cibolo, TX
• Born: 1977
• Gender: Male
• Education: Pursuing bachelor’s degree
• Occupation: Outdoor Recreation Specialist for the Air Force
• Professional Experience: 8 years managing Outdoor Recreation programs for the Army and Air Force
• Disc Golf Experience:
  • 20 years playing experience, 12 years in Open Div.
  • Former British Disc Golf Assoc. Board Member
  • Current Innova Ambassador Team Member

Candidate Statement:

What I would like to focus on if I am elected:

There are two goals that I would like to work towards if I am elected to the Board of Directors. One would be to expand the level of engagement we have with the youth. I feel that the next generation of disc golfers is where we need to focus as we try to take our sport to a bigger stage. We need to actively encourage participation in our events regardless of the field size, provide more incentives to encourage membership in the PDGA, and examine all means of introducing the sport to schools as an intramural activity. The second area I would like to focus my attention on would be how the PDGA can better standardize tour events and provide more resources to the clubs and TD’s that put them on. I feel that as a global organization with the ability to track the demographics of all participants in events throughout the year, we have some leverage to work with on attracting sponsors. I would feel that we can use that leverage to gain more sponsors to help us funnel resources out to those who are putting on our showcase events. Standardization of these events in areas of how they are run, organized, and offered will allow us to better define what we can offer the sponsors in exchange. I feel that these two goals work hand in hand. As we work towards introducing the sport to the school age children, the recognition that comes with that will help in engaging potential sponsors. Along with that, being able to guarantee that sponsors will see a certain level of professionalism tied to every event that would be promoting them, would give us the ability to bring them in, and take our sport to the next level.

Why I feel I am qualified for this position:

I have been actively involved with the sport for the better part of the last 20 years. I have played competitively as both an Am and Open player, and toured throughout Europe and the US. I have served on the Board of Directors for the British Disc Golf Association, co-founded the Essex Disc Golf Club, and always have been an active member of any established club in the areas that I have lived. I have experience in expanding, upgrading, and installing new courses. Additionally, I have also worked to with schools and various youth organizations to introduce the sport. Professionally, I have been in recreation management for the Army and the US Air Force for the last 9 years. Working as a Recreation Specialist has given me the opportunity to learn how to do the most with limited resources, as well as the importance of youth engagement as means of increasing a programs value within the community. I believe my professional experience combined with my experience in the sport will enable me to serve the PDGA membership well as a Board Member.

Candidate Video

Robert Decker, #17745

• Location: Wichita, KS
• Born: 1954
• Gender: Male
• Education:
  • I have a Bachelor’s of Science degree with an emphasis in accounting from Wichita State University. I have been required to have at least 40 classroom hours of continuing education each year since I received my permit to practice as a CPA in 1978. Since our business has many nonprofit clients such as the PDGA, many of those annual hours include classes specifically targeted to advising and auditing nonprofit clients. I have attended the AICPA National Governmental and Nonprofit Conference seven of the last eight years and I hope to do so again this year.
• Occupation: I am a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in private practice. I passed the CPA exam on my first try in November 1976.
• Professional Experience:
  • I have 42 years of experience as a practicing CPA in public practice providing tax, auditing and advisory services to a wide variety of clients. I am currently a principal of our firm (www.abbb.com). As a Certified Public Accountant and former business owner with substantial experience in dealing with the business needs of various types of nonprofit and for-profit entities, I have a set of professional skills and knowledge that is valuable to the PDGA. In addition, my years as a practicing CPA and years of serving on various management teams have provided me with the ability to listen to all sides of a discussion and to formulate ideas and actions that incorporate the best of all opinions.
• Disc Golf Experience:
  • I am a Disc Golfer that loves to play the game, run tournaments and assist with the growth of the sport.
  • I have served on the PDGA board of directors since January 2005. During two of those years, I served as your President. Otherwise, I have served as financial director and treasurer.  During this nearly 13 years of service: I have gained valuable insight into the complex operations of the PDGA; the varying needs of its members & the sport of disc golf; and an understanding of the history of the PDGA & how it has come to this point in its existence.

Candidate Statement

I am an Ace Club member and have participated in 8 of the last 12 Am Worlds and was also invited to the 2006 Pro Worlds.  In addition, I was the president or treasurer of the Air Capital Disc Golf Club in Wichita Kansas from 2001 through 2015 and was instrumental in negotiating, with the city, the expansion of several courses. During that time, I also ran a multitude of local “club nights” as well as many tournaments.

As a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) (www.abbb.com) and former business owner, I have substantial experience in dealing with the business needs of various types of nonprofit and for-profit entities, I provide the PDGA board with a valuable set of professional skills and knowledge. In addition, my 42 years as a practicing CPA and years of serving on various management teams have provided me with the ability to listen to all sides of a discussion and to formulate ideas and actions that incorporate the best of all opinions. This ability has helped me work in a positive way with the various different beliefs and approaches brought to the board by its other members.

I have served on the PDGA board of directors since January 2005. During two of those years, I served as your President. Otherwise, I have served as your financial director and treasurer. During my nearly 13 years of service, the PDGA has grown in size by an approximate multiple of five and has become a financially stable nonprofit organization.

Because of my tenure on the board: I have gained valuable insight into the complex operations of the PDGA; the varying needs of its members & the sport of disc golf; and an understanding of the history of the PDGA & how it has come to this point in its existence. This is knowledge that few others can provide to the board.

In addition to my experience on the PDGA board, I was the president or treasurer of the Air Capital Disc Golf Club in Wichita Kansas from 2001 through 2015 and have been instrumental in negotiating, with the city, the expansion of several courses. During that time, I also ran a multitude of local “club nights” as well as many tournaments.

This combination of local and national disc golf experience enables me to view the growth of the sport from many points of view and gives me an understanding of the needs of our members, volunteers and staff.

I hope to continue using this knowledge and insight to assist our very capable board of directors in guiding our organization and the sport of disc golf into the future.

I would appreciate your vote.

If you would like further information about me, or my business, please visit my business website at www.abbb.com or e-mail me at [email protected].

Again, thank you for your vote.

David Foss, #68895

• Location: Burke, VA
• Born: 1978
• Gender: Male
• Education: B.S. Secondary Social Studies Education, Bowling Green State University, 2001
• Occupation: History teacher
• Professional Experience:
  • 7th Grade History Teacher, Mark Twain MS, Fairfax County (VA) Public Schools, 2002-present (dep’t chair 2007-12, 2016-present; Faculty and Staff Advisory Council, 2002- present; Fairfax County Textbook Adoption, 6th and 7th grade committee chairman, 2009 & 2016).
• Disc Golf Experience:
  • Co-Founder and Board of Directors, NOVA Disc Golf Association, 2014- present. Oversaw the growth of the club to over 200 full members and 1,000 followers on Facebook. Experienced TD of PDGA and unsanctioned events, including logo design, marketing, and sponsorship solicitation. Built successful after-school disc golf program at Mark Twain Middle School with PDGA Innovation Grant.

Candidate Statement:

I’m proud to be a founding member and co-director of the Northern Virginia Disc Golf Association. Like the PDGA, our club has seen rapid expansion over the last few years. This is a result of our constant work to meet the needs of our members through exceptional programming as well as welcoming and acting upon constructive feedback. The skills I’ve built and challenges I’ve faced running such a large club make me an ideal candidate to be your representative at the national level.

As your representative on the PDGA Board of Directors, my focus will be on the following areas: (1) recruitment, (2) retention, (3) relationships, and (4) ratings.

Recruitment. I believe that sustaining the recent, significant growth in PDGA memberships will be a major focus for the Board of Directors in the coming years. I will present two programs that will help the PDGA continue to increase its national footprint:  (A) a membership referral bonus where current members receive a discount on renewal when referring a new member; and (B) a new PDGA Developmental League program, ideally in partnership with local nonprofits and civic organizations, to attract underrepresented groups such as women and juniors to the sport.

Retention. I am a firm believer in the value of the True Amateur format, especially for new and developing players. As a PDGA tournament director who has implemented the True Amateur format I have seen the encouragement this provides to these players, and the useful gear it puts in their hands keeps them coming back for more. The continued promotion and expansion of this style of tournament should be a point of emphasis at the national level.

I will also push for a survey directed at first- and second-year members of the PDGA to ensure we are meeting the needs of new PDGA members. Both as a teacher and in my role on the Board of Directors of my local club I have seen the positive results that come from data-driven decisions and believe this will be a key component in helping the PDGA retain new members.

Relationships. I will encourage the PDGA to also survey the entirety of its current membership, evaluating areas for growth and development based upon the feedback of its members. I would also push for a more active role for the PDGA on social media, incorporating Facebook Live or Reddit AMAs that can generate national discussion and elicit actionable feedback.

Ratings. Since the implementation of the first ratings system in 2002, 70,000 disc golfers have joined the PDGA. I believe than an independent review of the current ratings system by a team of mathematicians and statisticians should be conducted to determine if the current rating system has maintained its validity through this massive expansion. If improvements can be made, we should determine where and how those improvements can be implemented.

I have been dedicated to the growth and proper management of our sport in Northern Virginia. I look forward to bringing this same level of skill and dedication to serving as your representative on the PDGA Board of Directors.

Candidate Video

Nate Heinold, #49340

• Location: Washington, IL
• Born: 1986
• Gender: Male
• Education: MBA, Illinois State University; CPCU
• Occupation: VP, Ledgestone Insurance
• Professional Experience:
  • I have an MBA (Masters Business Administration) from Illinois State University. Since completing my MBA I have been the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Ledgestone Insurance. I am responsible for all things marketing and sales and have grown my client base from 0 clients to over 1000 in a 7 year period. I have also achieved many insurance designations, including what is the equivalent of an insurance master's degree, the CPCU. I have also served on the boards of other organizations, including the Rotary Club and the Washington Chamber of Commerce. I was the President of the Chamber of Commerce in my last year of service.
• Disc Golf Experience:
  • I have been playing disc golf for 17 years and have been running tournaments for 7 years. Since 2011 I have been the tournament director of the Ledgestone Insurance Open presented by Discraft. We have successfully grown this event from 105 players to nearly 1000. We have grown the professional purse from $2,500 to nearly $100,000 in that time period. This event is one of the largest and most lucrative events in the country. In addition, I have helped raise funds for local courses and have personally helped pay for baskets at Northwood Park, McNaughton Park and Wildlife Prairie Park.

Candidate Video

Fishhead Tim McCrory, #21964

• Location: Austin, TX
• Born: 1964
• Gender: Male
• Education: High School Graduate
• Occupation: Texas occupational licensed Irrigator
• Professional Experience: Management, media relations, business.
• Disc Golf Experience:
  • 1st PDGA State Coordinator of Alaska (2 terms). TD, tournament & charity events. Have played disc golf for 39 years.

Candidate Statement:

I have been active in disc golf for over 39 years. I originally was a player in Cincinnati Ohio in 1978. I move to Alaska and co-founded the Alaska Disc Golf Association. My ADGA number is 001.

I was the first state coordinator for the PDGA in Alaska and also a two-time state coordinator. I've run numerous tournaments for many years. I started the Frozen Turkey Tourney that has donated several tons of turkeys to the homeless shelter in Anchorage over 13 years.

I've been both a player and a TD and have seen how tournaments are run with the ins and outs and what's needed to improve them.

I am also a board member of the Heart Of Texas Tour in Texas. The HOTT tour is a yearly circuit in Texas where there are six events played with points added up and a final tournament in which bonus money is awarded. The HOTT Tour is in its 10th year.

I am co-founder of the Texas Camping Championships, a 24 team, 10 player, match play format disc golf tournament that has over 240 players as well as several spectators.

I am an active member of six disc golf clubs, and involved in many community based disc golf events for charity.

My passion for disc golf continues to grow and my Disc Golf family is something I cherish deeply. 

Mission Statement:

My goal as a board candidate is to be an ear and voice of every active PDGA member.

I want to promote, through media and other outlets, the growth and Love of disc golf.

I would like to see how the PDGA can make it easier for TDs to feel as if they have a partner in running a PDGA event on behalf of the PDGA.

I feel that my insight of the working operation of disc golf events will be an easy transition in this process.

The PDGA is a growing organization that has seen the effects of social media and the need to embrace the ever changing views.

An open door will always be there for anyone to talk with me and express their concerns and opinions. I feel as if I would be a bridge between the gap of players and the board.

I take every job with the pride I have always have in my work ethic.

In closing, I love disc golf and the PDGA.
I'm one not to coward and run when faced with adversary.
I look forward to the challenge of making players proud to be part of an organization they can look up to and to help the continuing growth and recognition of the greatest sport.