Candidates For Director At Large

2005

We are presented with a unique opportunity at this election. Of the 11 candidates running, 7 have records of supporting the types of policies that will both make CFA strong and protect our Siamese breed. This gives our Breed Council the unique opportunity to vote-in a Board that will be able to work together without distractions to get CFA on track, utilizing the strongest assets CFA has to offer: its variety of pedigreed breeds.

At the moment there are not any issues that directly affect our breed but we should still be concerned with who is elected to the Board, as they will affect CFA overall policies. A Board, whose core belief is that the strength of CFA comes from the strength and solidity of its breeds, can only benefit our breed. We need an organization that will market the concept of a pedigreed cat that derives its breed status from like ancestors. This will create the strong organizational support we need to generate a solid market for our pet kitten sales and bring spectators to cat shows, therefore helping our hobby to flourish.

Our Board must be united in the belief that the pedigreed cat is the center of our organization. With this unity they will work together to find ways to make that the focal point of CFA. In addition they will protect our pedigrees, give support to breed councils and reach out to all areas in the public arena to promote the CFA cat. This will help us, as CFA is the only large cat registry to recognize the Siamese as a breed and not simply a color. The more focused and active CFA is in promoting its breeds, the more the public will be educated regarding the Siamese.

To accomplish this I would like you to consider actively supporting the following candidates: Stan Barnaby, Joanne Cummings, Joan Miller, Bob Molino, Wayne Trevathan, Don Williams and Annette Wilson.

Remember we are electing a Board of Directors, not a slate of judges. All of the above have shown their commitment over and over again to CFA and to moving it forward. They have demonstrated their abilities to promote this organization and its policies. They believe in the pedigreed cat, and will work as a strong team to make CFA even more prominent in the cat fancy world, thereby ensuring the promotion of the Siamese as a breed.

This is not to say that the other candidates are not good people, fine judges and excellent diplomats for CFA. But their vision, when it comes to the value of the pedigreed breed is not consistent with this breed council's needs. They often seem to use other associations as models for how to promote change in our show standards or breed interpretations, or the most fundamental concept of all, how our breeds are viewed.

Please think about how important it is to have a united Board, united behind the principals that will promote and protect our Siamese breed. Consider this when you vote in your clubs this election, and ask you clubs to consider putting their support behind the seven candidates that will support the ideals and concepts that will benefit our breed and CFA as a whole.

Respectfully,

Debbi Stevenson
Siamese Breed Council Secretary
4 Byard Street
Johnstown, NY 12095
518-762-1465, fax: 518-762-1406
shimasu@citlink.net