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Nominations 2021
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2021 9:38 pm
by Mick Norris
Nominations open
Members of the Board
President – Dominic Lawson is intending to stand
Chief Executive – Mike Truran is intending to stand
Director of Junior Chess – Alex Holowczak is intending to stand
Director of Women’s Chess – Chris Fegan is not intending to stand
Other elected posts
Chairman of the Council – Michael Farthing is intending to stand
FIDE Delegate – Malcolm Pein is intending to stand
Chair of the Governance Committee – Robert Stern is intending to stand
Re: Nominations 2021
Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 1:51 pm
by Chris Fegan
I am taking the unusual step of intervening on a thread on the Forum because after serving on the Board for 3 years I’ve concluded Mike Truran needs to be challenged and replaced as ECF Chief Executive.
Mike’s tenure pre-covid saw very limited progress in the Federation's performance, financially and operationally. He has made virtually no efforts in the areas of fundraising and sponsorship or in seeking to develop the remit of the ECF and indeed some of his actions have, in my view, attempted to neuter the organisation.
I was horrified when he proposed that the PIF funds be moved into a separate Chess Trust charity when we should be working on transferring them to the ECF for the direct benefit of members, another very low point was when he initiated the removal of the post of Director of Women’s Chess which I had to fight to get reinstated.
I and other Board members have had to put up with tantrums, numerous threats to resign and a litany of other unprofessional interactions with some members of the Board and the latest of these is the subject of a formal Official Code of Conduct Complaint under ECF Regulation 4 and ECF Regulation 5 which has been submitted by a fellow Director.
I’m delighted to announce that I am fulfilling the pledge I made when I was elected and I will not be standing again as ECF Director of Women's Chess, as a female candidate has been found, however I am currently considering my position for the forthcoming AGM.
Re: Nominations 2021
Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:09 pm
by NickFaulks
The notice has been corrected and now reads
Members of the Board
President – Dominic Lawson is intending to stand
Chief Executive – Mike Truran is intending to stand
Director of Junior Chess – Alex Holowczak is intending to stand
Director of Women’s Chess – Chris Fegan is not intending to stand
Director of Events – this is a new post
Re: Nominations 2021
Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:27 pm
by JustinHorton
Chris Fegan wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 1:51 pm
I and other Board members have had to put up with tantrums
How have other people found you behave in personal interactions Chris
Re: Nominations 2021
Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:36 pm
by Angus French
Chris Fegan wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 1:51 pm
I am taking the unusual step of intervening on a thread on the Forum because after serving on the Board for 3 years I’ve concluded Mike Truran needs to be challenged and replaced as ECF Chief Executive.
Mike’s tenure pre-covid saw very limited progress in the Federation's performance, financially and operationally. He has made virtually no efforts in the areas of fundraising and sponsorship or in seeking to develop the remit of the ECF and indeed some of his actions have, in my view, attempted to neuter the organisation.
I was horrified when he proposed that the PIF funds be moved into a separate Chess Trust charity when we should be working on transferring them to the ECF for the direct benefit of members, another very low point was when he initiated the removal of the post of Director of Women’s Chess which I had to fight to get reinstated.
I and other Board members have had to put up with tantrums, numerous threats to resign and a litany of other unprofessional interactions with some members of the Board and the latest of these is the subject of a formal Official Code of Conduct Complaint under ECF Regulation 4 and ECF Regulation 5 which has been submitted by a fellow Director.
I’m delighted to announce that I am fulfilling the pledge I made when I was elected and I will not be standing again as ECF Director of Women's Chess, as a female candidate has been found, however I am currently considering my position for the forthcoming AGM.
My guess is that a board without Chris Fegan in it is likely to be more harmonious.
Re: Nominations 2021
Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:40 pm
by John Upham
Chris Fegan wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 1:51 pm
I am taking the unusual step of intervening on a thread on the Forum because after serving on the Board for 3 years I’ve concluded Mike Truran needs to be challenged and replaced as ECF Chief Executive.
Thanks for posting in this place Chris.
For the record, could you reveal the rules of engagement agreed by the board with respect to this place?
Was there or is there any kind of gagging order or D-Notice?
Do you know if all members of the board were pleased to comply with this order or was there dissent?
Re: Nominations 2021
Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:48 pm
by Chris Fegan
Angus
I am not in the habit of calling other Board members a liar in written communications within the Board.
Chris
Re: Nominations 2021
Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:49 pm
by JustinHorton
John Upham wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:40 pm
Chris Fegan wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 1:51 pm
I am taking the unusual step of intervening on a thread on the Forum because after serving on the Board for 3 years I’ve concluded Mike Truran needs to be challenged and replaced as ECF Chief Executive.
Thanks for posting in this place Chris.
This reminds me, when there was another place, wasn't Carl barred from posting there? And was it Chris who described this place as "toxic"?
Chris Fegan wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:48 pm
I am not in the habit of calling other Board members a liar in written communications within the Board.
Are you in the habit of discussing the contents of those written communications in public?
Re: Nominations 2021
Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:50 pm
by Chris Fegan
John Upham wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:40 pm
Chris Fegan wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 1:51 pm
I am taking the unusual step of intervening on a thread on the Forum because after serving on the Board for 3 years I’ve concluded Mike Truran needs to be challenged and replaced as ECF Chief Executive.
Thanks for posting in this place Chris.
For the record, could you reveal the rules of engagement agreed by the board with respect to this place?
Was there or is there any kind of gagging order or D-Notice?
Do you know if all members of the board were pleased to comply with this order or was there dissent?
John
I think this was in the Board minutes of a previous meeting but cannot off hand remember which one
Chris
Re: Nominations 2021
Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 4:32 pm
by John Swain
Chris Fegan wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:50 pm
John Upham wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:40 pm
Chris Fegan wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 1:51 pm
I am taking the unusual step of intervening on a thread on the Forum because after serving on the Board for 3 years I’ve concluded Mike Truran needs to be challenged and replaced as ECF Chief Executive.
Thanks for posting in this place Chris.
For the record, could you reveal the rules of engagement agreed by the board with respect to this place?
Was there or is there any kind of gagging order or D-Notice?
Do you know if all members of the board were pleased to comply with this order or was there dissent?
John
I think this was in the Board minutes of a previous meeting but cannot off hand remember which one
Chris
This has been discussed:
"Re: Seeking Clarity
Post by John Swain » Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:48 pm
So far as I can see, this was an issue last raised in the Board meeting on 28 August 2020 (No. 139):
11. Ecforum – MT
MT proposed that in line with previous guidance Board Members and ECF Officers reporting to
the Board or to a director must refrain from posting on Ecforum on ECF-related matters. Any
exceptions should be agreed with MT.
The proposal was approved with 7 in favour and 2 abstentions
.
It was noted that MF and NF were not officers reporting to the Board and that as such neither
of them was within the purview of the resolution.
AP 139/08 – MT to consider how the proposal for board members and relevant officers to
refrain from posting on ECF-related matters should be implemented."
It is interesting to note that frequent contributors to this Forum Michael Farthing (MF) and Nick Faulks (NF) were both in attendance at this Board meeting as "Observers and Guests"! As a supporter of free speech, I welcome their exclusion from this policy.
Re: Nominations 2021
Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 7:35 pm
by John Reyes
I thought you was still on the board till the AGM?
What is the role of the chief executive by the way?
Re: Nominations 2021
Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2021 1:46 am
by David Sedgwick
JustinHorton wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:49 pm
And was it Chris who described this place as "toxic"?
For the record, Chris has consistently stated that it was not.
Re: Nominations 2021
Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2021 8:24 am
by Chris Fegan
John Reyes wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 7:35 pm
I thought you was still on the board till the AGM?
What is the role of the chief executive by the way?
John
Many thanks for your questions.
As you rightly say,I am still a Board Member until the 2021 AGM, although I appointed an Alternate Director of Women's Chess in 2020 and I am hoping that she will be elected by Council at the AGM to replace me. I did this to ensure, as much as I can, that a Female ECF Member will replace me in line with the promise that I gave when elected at the 2018 AGM to find a female ECF Member to replace me and that I would then stand down and also to give her time to "shadow" me for a year and to learn about the role and to help me in decision making as well as to attend Board meetings -this is positive and proactive succession planning and is a widespread practice in the "outside world" but as far as I know is the first time it has ever been done in the ECF.
With regard to the role of the Chief Executive this is outlined in ECF Regulation No 2 and as I have indicated, it is the case that a number of Board members including myself think that Mike Truran has been a failure in fulfilling this role.
Chris
Re: Nominations 2021
Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2021 8:32 am
by JustinHorton
Chris Fegan wrote: ↑Sat Aug 21, 2021 8:24 am
As you rightly say, I am still a Board Member until the 2021 AGM
This being so, should you be discussing the contents of intra-Board communications on here?
Re: Nominations 2021
Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2021 8:43 am
by Chris Fegan
JustinHorton wrote: ↑Sat Aug 21, 2021 8:32 am
Chris Fegan wrote: ↑Sat Aug 21, 2021 8:24 am
As you rightly say, I am still a Board Member until the 2021 AGM
This being so, should you be discussing the contents of intra-Board communications on here?
I have only alluded to a public, although formal and Official ECF Regulation No 4 Standards of Conduct Complaint, (which is currently the subject of an official ECF investigation and inquiry by the ECF Non Executive Directors) into the conduct and behaviour of the Chief Executive and which is very relevant as he is seeking re-election.