The International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO) was formed in 1980 and incorporated in 1985 as a non-profit organization. IGBO is dedicated to serving and educating its member organizations globally by promoting unity, communication, and fellowship throughout the international gay and lesbian bowling community.
With approximately 13,500 members, IGBO is the world’s largest single gay sports organization. We warmly invite interested bowling organizations, individuals, and other groups that share our ideals to join us.
IGBO is a business incorporated in the State of Washington in 1985 as the non-profit organization IGBO, Inc. This status carries significant legal and financial responsibilities. The Board of Directors, elected by the general membership, volunteer to accept these responsibilities at their own personal risk. IGBO assumes total legal responsibility for the two annual events it sponsors, signing contracts with hotels and bowling houses in the host cities of the Annual and Mid-Year events. This means IGBO, not the host Tournament Committee, bears the risk of potential lawsuits if there is an injured bowler or other legal issues, providing protection at a very real personal risk to the individual Directors.
During the 1980s, IGBO identified the need for a communications network to link the growing gay bowling community. The founders discovered this common bond in 1980, and within a year, IGBO was born and rapidly expanded. IGBO created and sustained this network through ongoing communications with every member organization, updating the directory and providing it to all members for their benefit.
Most tournaments on the IGBO calendar owed their success to this communications network. Only a few tournaments created their own self-sustaining networks, typically used to promote a single annual event. IGBO’s dedicated volunteers, including Directors and committee members, kept this network alive and current year after year. Without IGBO’s central link, many tournaments would likely have disappeared within a few years, and the fellowship that was a core part of the organization would have diminished.
IGBO sponsored two major bowling events each year: the Annual and Mid-Year Tournaments. During these events, the Board of Directors conducted business meetings and the general membership meeting. By 1986, it became clear that better and more consistent standards were needed to organize these events. A series of problems at the annual tournaments prompted voting representatives to urge IGBO’s Board of Directors to assume more control over the members’ tournaments. Over the next four years, IGBO gradually accepted full control over both the Annual and Mid-Year Tournaments, setting standards for the bidding process, tournament organization, and financial accountability to ensure that the membership remained the top priority. The Board worked with host committees to give them autonomy in creating events with their city’s unique imprint, continually evolving the system to correct weaknesses and improve the experience for members.
In 1988, IGBO created a Marketing Committee to develop tangible programs to promote IGBO to its members and the outside world. While efforts to promote new programs were often hampered by a lack of volunteers, IGBO saw some ideas through to development.
Origin
The International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO) began as an idea in 1980. Representatives from HOUSTON, LOS ANGELES, MILWAUKEE, NEW YORK CITY, SAN DIEGO and TORONTO met on August 29, 1980 in LA after receiving an invitation from the Inter-City Athletic Union of Los Angeles to participate in a joint bowling/softball tournament. The representatives agreed there was a strong need for an organization to help unify a growing gay and lesbian bowling community. From this meeting IGBO’s foundation was created.
At this meeting, Tom Hack (New York City) and David Theiss (Milwaukee) were elected to contact other cities that might be interested in joining IGBO. Milwaukee’s November 1980 Holiday Invitational Tournament (HIT) was selected as the site for the first organizational meeting, where a President and Secretary/Treasurer would be elected and Bylaws adopted. The first Board of Directors consisted of these two officers plus one representative from each founding city.
In Milwaukee, Hack and Theiss presided over the meeting to formally organize IGBO. In addition to the original six cities, ATLANTA, CHICAGO, MINNEAPOLIS, ST. PAUL and SEATTLE became members. It was agreed to designate Memorial Day Weekend as the time for an annual IGBO bowling tournament. The six founding cities presented bids to host the first event in 1981. HOUSTON was selected as the host for the first tournament.
NEW YORK agreed to develop the first Bylaws, and the format for the annual tournament was adopted. The first event consisted of three games each in singles, doubles, and team. Team strength consisted of five regular members and one alternate/substitute. The tournament was open to league members of the member cities.
Nominees for the first IGBO President were Tommy Davis (Houston); Tom Hack; and Gladys Lewis (Minneapolis). Hack was elected. Theiss was elected unopposed as the first Secretary/Treasurer. Both officers were elected for a one-year term.
Organization
IGBO was originally managed by a 13-member Board of Directors, composed of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and nine regional directors. The Executive Committee, consisting of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, was responsible for negotiating, approving, and fulfilling all financial and legal contracts between IGBO and other parties. The IGBO President must sign all IGBO contracts. Currently, IGBO is managed by a 10-member Board of Directors.
Directors are elected for a two-year term. The President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director-At-Large (if applicable) are elected by all voting members, while regional directors are elected by the voting members of their respective regions.
IGBO has several administrative and standing committees to assist the Board of Directors in managing the organization. The Site Selection Committee, composed of the entire voting membership, is responsible for selecting the host cities for the Annual Tournament and Conference. Committees are composed of volunteers from the membership, and any IGBO member can apply to serve. The President makes all committee appointments for a one-year term, except for the Site Selection Committee and the IGBO Newsletter, which is published and edited by the Secretary. All committees serve in an advisory capacity.
While the Board manages the day-to-day affairs of the organization, ultimate decision-making responsibility lay with the voting members who attend the General Membership Meetings. The voting membership decide all motions, elect the Directors, and select the host city for the Annual Tournament and Conference.
As of 2023, IGBO holds only one annual tournament, which takes place in May/June. However, a Mid-Year General Membership meeting is held online in November/December.
1981 IGBO Formed
In May 1981, Houston’s Montrose Sports Association hosted the first annual IGBO tournament/meeting, with bowlers from 16 cities attending. During this meeting, the first Bylaws Committee was formed, consisting of Mike Sorte (Seattle), Davis (Houston), and Steve Tracy (Dallas), tasked with drafting Bylaws for the next IGBO meeting. IGBO also established a rotating trophy for the All-Events Team champion, with San Diego donating the traveling trophy.
The next meeting took place during the November 1981 HIT tournament in Milwaukee, where Dallas was chosen to host the 1982 tournament. Dan Donovan (Minneapolis) was elected as the new IGBO Vice President.
1982
In 1982 IGBO achieved recognition for hosting the largest indoor gay/lesbian sports event of the time. More than 400 bowlers from 27 cities attended the tournament in DALLAS.
Elections:
- John Hammett (LA) was elected President. Other nominees were Hack; Davis; Richard Dauchy (Houston); and
- Evelyn Akers (Kansas City). Theiss was re-elected Secretary/Treasurer unopposed.
- CHICAGO and SEATTLE bid to host the 1983 event, and CHICAGO was awarded the bid.
1983
The 1983 annual meeting in Chicago marked a significant milestone for IGBO, solidifying its presence with the approval of 13 new member cities.
Elections:
- Jackie Baker (Dallas) was elected Vice President, becoming the first woman to hold an Executive Office in IGBO.
- John Weaver (Atlanta) was elected Secretary/Treasurer.
- Seattle and Columbus, OH, bid for the fourth annual tournament, with Seattle being selected.
1984
IGBO’s Fellowship Award was unveiled at the 1984 meeting and tournament in Seattle. This award was established to recognize individuals who uphold and promote IGBO’s ideals of Unity, Communication, and Fellowship. The IGBO ’84 Tournament Committee donated the first Fellowship Awards to IGBO, deciding to present two awards for each year IGBO had been in existence. The first IGBO Fellowship Award winners were Jackie Baker, Eric Caplan (Atlanta), Gerald Hagan (Houston), Mal Garcia (San Francisco), Hack, Dexter Kunishima (Honolulu), Gene Sides (Washington, D.C.), and Theiss.
Elections:
- Tom Hack was elected Vice President.
The first stage of incorporation also took place in Seattle, and Louisville, KY, was selected to host the 1985 meeting.
Additionally, the procedure for selecting the host city for the Annual meeting and tournament was changed to be decided two years in advance.
During this time, Theiss petitioned the American Bowling Congress (ABC) to change its rules on all-events competition. The existing rule allowed only one all-events competition. Theiss proposed adding a singles all-event category and a team all-event category. Later in 1983, at its annual meeting, ABC approved the proposal. This was an important victory for IGBO, helping to establish its legitimacy with ABC/WIBC.
1985
IGBO, Inc. became a legally incorporated non-profit organization at the 1985 annual meeting in Washington. An attorney was hired to oversee legal matters, necessitating a revised set of Bylaws.
The office of Secretary/Treasurer was split, with Jim Foster (Atlanta) becoming Secretary and Marc Ericson (LA) elected Treasurer.
Dallas was chosen to host the 1985 Mid-Year meeting, while Las Vegas was awarded the 1986 Annual tournament. New Orleans was selected for the 1987 Annual tournament, winning over Long Beach and San Antonio.
1986
Las Vegas hosted the largest tournament in IGBO’s history, with over 1,000 bowlers participating. Due to numerous protests during the event, IGBO sought more control over the Annual tournament, establishing a Rules Committee to enforce IGBO, Inc. and ABC/WIBC regulations.
Following recommendations from the Bylaws Committee, the Board of Directors expanded to 11 members: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Director-At-Large, and six regional directors.
Elections:
- Ron Keel (New York City) joining as Vice President.
- Ed Chetaitis (Roanoke, VA; Northeast),
- Ken Sparks (Detroit; At-Large),
- Dick Uyvari (Chicago; Midwest),
- Randy Peterson (San Francisco; West),
- Ray Nastasi (Dallas; West Central),
- Allen Lowe (Miami; Southeast), and
- Daryl Carter (Vancouver; Canada).
Washington, D.C. was selected to host the 1988 Annual meeting, winning over San Francisco. A new Hall of Fame Committee was established at the annual meeting.
The position of IGBO Statistician was created, with Hack as the first Statistician, to develop a centralized bank of bowling averages for leagues and tournament scores.
Cincinnati hosted the 1986 Mid-Year meeting, during which voting representatives began looking to IGBO, Inc. to assume jurisdiction over the Mid-Year event.
1987
In 1987, New Orleans’ Kocktail Bunch hosted the Annual tournament, marking a milestone with Judy Thompson becoming the first female director of an IGBO Annual tournament.
The Rules Committee identified five violations of ABC rules, highlighting the need for IGBO, Inc. to have more direct control over the Annual and Mid-Year tournaments and to improve methods of verifying averages.
The IGBO Archives were established to preserve the organization’s history, with Vince Andrzejewski.
By the end of 1987, IGBO had 57 member cities in the United States and Canada.
1980s
In the late 1980s, the IGBO Board of Directors became an activist group, leading the organization in new directions to ensure growth. Key initiatives included:
- Providing information and services on AIDS and HIV infection.
- Prioritizing member needs and cost control at Annual and Mid-Year tournaments.
- Encouraging greater participation by women bowlers.
- Developing future leaders through a committee system.
- Enhancing the Newsletter as a premier communication tool.
In 1988, Warman resigned as Treasurer, and Allen Lowe (New York City) was appointed interim Treasurer. The Board met formally in Kansas City to organize for the Annual meeting, recognizing the need for more frequent meetings to address growing business issues.
The Northeast Region, led by Ed Chetaitis, held the first formal regional meeting to strengthen communication and guide IGBO’s future. Washington, D.C. hosted the 1988 tournament, featuring an international raffle for fundraising.
The Marketing Committee and Women’s Advisory Committee were established, the latter to increase women’s involvement in IGBO. The Hall of Fame Committee was eliminated, and a major review of IGBO’s Bylaws began, chaired by Jim Berry (Charleston, WV).
In 1988, IGBO initiated two important forums: the Women’s Forum in Kansas City and the “Safe Sex Is Fun Sex” workshop in Washington, D.C. Los Angeles was awarded the 1990 10th anniversary tournament after Houston withdrew.
The Fellowship Awards Committee introduced a formal nominating process to ensure merit-based selections.
The Board of Directors’ annual Achievement Award became a formal recognition of an individual’s contribution to helping improve IGBO.
1989
In 1989, IGBO lost three former directors to AIDS: President Tom Hack, Secretary Jim Foster, and Treasurer Marc Ericson.
In March, Calgary hosted the first official IGBO Board of Directors meeting outside the United States, preparing for the Annual meeting in Cincinnati. A formalized bidding procedure for the 1991 Annual event was developed, led by Bid Standards Chairman Steve Muha (Washington, D.C.), resulting in standardized guidelines for bid packages.
Cincinnati hosted the 9th Annual tournament, using a three-bowling house format for the first time.
Toronto won the bid to host the 1991 tournament, becoming the first Canadian city to do so.
The first phase of the Bylaws review process was completed and approved at the Annual meeting.
The Board of Directors’ Achievement Award was presented to Caplan for organizing the Annual meeting after Jones’ resignation.
IGBO initiated a formal audit procedure for the Annual tournament’s financial records.
In the summer, IGBO ’90 Directors Hammett and Michael Delgado resigned due to conflicts with the IGBO ’90 Tournament Committee and IGBO, Inc. Tim Connelly (Long Beach) and Jo Schadegg (Los Angeles) were selected as new co-directors.
IGBO signed its first corporate contract with American Airlines, providing discounts for IGBO bowlers. A second contract was signed with Omega Travel, though it was not renewed. President Keel and Vice President Carter joined the Board of Directors of the Federation of Gay Games to ensure IGBO’s active role.
Dallas hosted the Mid-Year meeting, and Milwaukee was chosen to host the 1990 Mid-Year meeting.
At the Mid-Year meeting, Keel announced plans for IGBO to sponsor panels for the international Quilt to honor members who died of AIDS, gathering over 450 names.
The IGBO Newsletter expanded its advertising and distribution, introducing a bulk distribution program and adding a second color.
1990
In preparation for the Annual meeting, the Board of Directors met in St. Louis.
A special 10th anniversary logo, created by Art Prillaman (Atlanta), was used throughout the year to celebrate IGBO’s history.
The Board named its annual service recognition award the Tom Hack Memorial Achievement Award, in honor of IGBO’s first President who died of AIDS in 1989.
Los Angeles hosted IGBO’s 10th anniversary tournament, featuring the first AIDS Memorial Service and the unveiling of IGBO’s contribution to the Quilt project. Over $3,500 was donated by members for the Quilt, including a $500 contribution from Ed Courtney (Atlanta).
Significant changes in the voting structure were approved, creating four membership classifications: Regular, Tournament, Organization, and Associate. Only Regular members were given a vote, with votes allocated based on league size. A new dues structure was also approved.
Milwaukee hosted the Mid-Year meeting/tournament, where the IGBO Handbook was published and distributed.
1991
In 1990, IGBO held its first Annual tournament outside the United States in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Key business decisions included extending Tournament Membership benefits to tournaments donating $1.00 per bowler to IGBO and announcing an IGBO Yearbook to detail member league averages, led by Bryan Eble.
The Southeast Region was renamed the Southern Region, and negative handicaps were added for bowlers with averages over 210.
The Quilt committee reported seven completed panels, unveiled at the Memorial Service.
Quilt Coordinator Paul Mankelow and outgoing President Ron Keel were granted Lifetime Associate Member status.
Marty Rogers became the second woman to hold an IGBO office as Director At Large.
New leagues admitted in Toronto included Friendship (Hartford, CT), Lambda (Oklahoma City, OK), Alexandria Women’s (Alexandria, VA), Not Ready for Prime Time (Columbus, OH), Niners (Ottawa, Ontario), Silver Spring Monday Mixed (Silver Spring, MD), San Francisco Business Women’s (San Francisco, CA), Music City Rollers (Nashville, TN), and Providence GALA (Providence, RI).
Tournament applications were approved for Music City Classic (Nashville, TN), OKClassic (Oklahoma City, OK), Heartland Classic (Kansas City, MO), and Rosebowl Classic (Portland, OR).
In November, Tampa hosted a successful IGBO Mid-Year tournament. Topics included ABC vs. IGBO Sanctioning, Convention Format for the Annual Tournament, Regional Redistribution, and Prize Fund Surveys.
Detroit was selected to host the 1992 Mid-Year Tournament.
New tournaments admitted included Los Angeles Silver Screen Invitational (Los Angeles, CA), Greater Hartford Annual Invitational Sweetheart Tournament (Hartford, CT), and Chicago Lesbian Invitational Tournament (Chicago, IL).
New leagues joining in Tampa included Garden State Gay Bowling (Jersey City, NJ), Twin Cities Friday (St. Paul, MN), Metro Detroit Friday Mixed (Detroit, MI), Pride League (Seattle, WA), On the QT (New York, NY), and Auckland Gay Bowling Association (Auckland, New Zealand).
Tampa concluded the weekend with the first IGBABE competition, a fundraiser for AIDS organizations, featuring entertainers from various cities. John Baity, Mr. Gay America 1983, representing Atlanta, won the competition with his sign language interpretation of Barry Manilow’s “Memories” from the play “CATS.”
1992
At the 1992 annual meeting in Dallas, changes to tournament averages were approved for consistency, and Oklahoma City was chosen to host the 1994 annual tournament.
IGBO mourned the loss of Dexter Kunishima (Honolulu), a beloved supporter and one of the first Fellowship Award winners in 1984.
The 1992 Mid-Year Tournament in Detroit had a lower turnout but was well-organized.
The membership decided to contribute up to $1,000 annually to the Names Project for Quilt maintenance.
A committee was formed to consider naming an award after Dexter Kunishima.
San Antonio was chosen to host the 1993 Mid-Year tournament.
Membership and Regional Redistribution were discussed for future planning. Four new Associate members, two new tournament members, and eight new or rejoining leagues brought the total number of member leagues to 105.
1993
In its thirteenth year, IGBO celebrated with its second-largest tournament in Atlanta, featuring 936 bowlers and over 50 guests. The annual meeting saw a record 93 of 105 member leagues represented, and Alan Olsen (Auckland, New Zealand) became the first non-North American Director-at-Large.
New members included St. Patrick’s Invitational (Memphis, TN) and leagues such as PGBL – South Jersey (Maple Shade, NJ), Dynasty Thursday (Vancouver, BC), Monday Nite Women’s (Houston, TX), Queen City Rollers (Charlotte, NC), and West Valley Invitational (Los Angeles, CA).
Policy changes included the creation of an Awards Committee, adjustments to the Scratch Optional Event divisions, and the new office of Tournament Treasurer.
The Tournament Director’s Forum and Women’s Social Hour were successful, and the weekend concluded with a banquet featuring entertainer Jimmy James and the IGBABE competition at the Backstreet Lounge.
At the Mid-Year tournament in San Antonio, IGBO approved the redistribution of regions from six to seven, with associated Bylaws changes to be finalized in Oklahoma City in 1994. The Newsletter underwent a transformation, with Benny Alfano (Tampa) appointed as the first business manager. Tucson, AZ, was chosen for the 1994 Mid-Year meeting.
Despite air conditioning issues, the San Antonio Mid-Year meeting was well-organized, featuring a Saturday banquet and a Sunday awards ceremony with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.
1994
The 1994 Annual Tournament in Oklahoma City was a pivotal moment for IGBO. The organization approved a new regional structure, leading to the resignation of all current regional directors for fresh elections. A Futures and Planning Committee was established to set and achieve organizational goals.
Sadly, the Quilt continued to grow, with over 900 names on completed panels and more names ready for future panels, reflecting the ongoing impact of AIDS.
Lifetime Associate Member status was granted to Tio LaBudd for his long service.
Philadelphia was chosen to host the 1996 tournament after compelling presentations.
A new cooperative effort with the International Gay Rodeo Association included a “Boots and Balls” party and fundraising opportunities.
A straw poll suggested setting the Mid-Year tournament over Veterans Day weekend.
The Mid-Year 1994 meeting in Tucson saw IGBO amending its name due to Washington state law changes and continuing its pursuit of tax-exempt status.
Lifetime Associate Member status was granted to Glenn Denis, and several new tournaments, associate members, and leagues were welcomed.
Tucson’s Halloween weekend featured a major AIDS fundraiser and a memorable costume contest.
1995
In 1994, IGBO held its annual meeting and tournament in Vancouver, British Columbia, marking the second time the event was hosted outside the U.S. Over 800 bowlers attended.
The Board reviewed and approved the reorganization of the Bylaws and Policy & Procedure documents.
Key initiatives included investigating archive storage, online access, and the status of Air IGBO.
“Up Your Alley” was chosen to market IGBO apparel.
The General Membership meeting reported 11 completed panels for the IGBO AIDS quilt, with names for four more panels, highlighting the ongoing impact of AIDS.
New leagues and associate members were welcomed, bringing total league membership to 152.
IGBO achieved 501©(3) non-profit status in the U.S.
The 1995 Mid-Year tournament in Lexington, Kentucky, focused on maintaining non-profit status. The meeting also highlighted the potential of the Internet for IGBO’s future.
Orlando, Florida, was chosen for the 1996 Mid-Year tournament. Six new associates, a new non-league organization, and 10 new leagues joined IGBO.
1996
IGBO’s 1996 Annual Tournament in Philadelphia was a significant event.
Lifetime Associate Membership was granted to Tarl Oliason and Michael Schemm for their efforts in achieving non-profit status.
Dennis Russell announced the creation of IGBO’s website, with Sherry Work as Web Master.
The Mid-Year 1996 tournament in Orlando focused on “re-engineering” IGBO’s operations. A new bid application format was approved to reduce costs for bidding cities. The Marketing & Finance Committee was re-activated to manage fundraising activities.
Passport Travel was approved as IGBO’s travel agency.
Five new leagues and seven Associate members were admitted.
1997
In January 1997, IGBO’s Board met in Las Vegas to begin re-aligning services to better meet members’ needs. This led to the creation of a Mission Statement, approved at the Annual Tournament in Nashville:
“IGBO, an international gay bowling organization, provides educational services, communication avenues, and social opportunities to promote the sport of bowling and to enrich the lives of individuals through leagues and tournaments worldwide.”
Coors Brewing Company became IGBO’s first official corporate sponsor, contributing $20,000 for 1998 tournaments and educational activities. The Board also approved a new Cleveland committee to host the 1998 Annual Tournament.
Forums in Nashville addressed IGBO’s relationship with affiliated tournaments, aiming to develop a supportive service package. A second special Board meeting in Cleveland continued this re-engineering process.
The Mid-Year 1997 tournament in Toronto saw Dennis Russell resign as Secretary, with Gary Shope appointed Interim Secretary and Tom O’Dell filling Shope’s term as South Plains Director. Ross Nagata was elected Director of the Southwest/Pacific Basin Region.
A third special Board meeting was scheduled for early 1998 in Phoenix to focus on IGBO’s relationship with member leagues. Eight leagues and one Associate member were approved for membership.
1998
The 1998 Annual Tournament in Cleveland was pivotal for IGBO. The General Membership approved extending voting membership to tournaments, a key outcome of a two-year re-engineering process. Denver was selected to host the 2000 tournament, marking IGBO’s 20th anniversary.
Lifetime Associate Membership was granted to Bill Harrison and Tommy Windsor. New Associate members and leagues were welcomed, and the Southwest/Pacific Basin Region was renamed Southwest/Pacific Nations.
The Mid-Year 1998 Tournament in Long Beach introduced breakout sessions and approved “Say It Proud Sportswear” as the new merchandiser. Honolulu was chosen to host Mid-Year 1999.
For the first time, tournaments became voting members, with 15 tournaments joining IGBO. Two special Board meetings in Phoenix and Washington, DC, continued the re-engineering efforts.
1999
The 1999 Annual Tournament in Washington, DC, saw Columbus, OH, selected to host the 2001 tournament. Six new leagues and numerous tournaments were granted membership status.
The Mid-Year Tournament in Honolulu featured updates on the Gay Games VI and new sponsorships with Coors Brewing Company and United Airlines. An additional quilt panel was added to the Names Project in San Francisco.
Three new leagues and 14 tournaments were approved for membership. Special Board meetings in Houston and Los Angeles continued the re-engineering process.
2000
The 2000 Annual Tournament in Denver marked IGBO’s 20th anniversary. Quilt panel #13 was replaced, and panel #16 was added to the Names Project quilt. South Florida (Ft. Lauderdale) was chosen to host the 2002 tournament.
Alan Olsen and Jim Howell received the Fellowship Award, with Olsen being the first recipient from outside North America.
The Mid-Year 2000 Tournament in Minneapolis saw Houston and Auckland selected to host Mid-Year 2001 and 2002, respectively. New initiatives included a formalized operating budget and a decentralized renewal process. Two individuals were granted Associate Member status, and a dozen new leagues and two tournaments were approved.
2001
The 2001 Annual Tournament in Columbus, OH, saw Phoenix selected to host the 2003 tournament.
Six individuals were granted Associate Member status, and eight new leagues and one tournament were approved. The Fellowship Award went to Darrin Casola and Toby Pineau.
At the Mid-Year 2001 in Houston, San Diego was chosen to host Mid-Year 2003. Three individuals were granted Associate Member status, and a dozen new leagues and six tournaments were approved.
2002
The Annual Meeting & Tournament in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, saw St. Louis, MO, selected to host the 2004 tournament. Sharon Stump was re-elected as Vice-President, and Jeff Heiden was elected as Secretary.
New Regional Directors included Joe Brown, Greg Edenfield, David Felton, and Ted Lorenzen.
Three individuals were granted Associate Member status, and seven new leagues and two tournaments were approved. The Fellowship Award was presented to Heath Costain and Rev. Belva Boone.
The Mid-Year 2002 event in Auckland, New Zealand, marked the first time it was held outside continental North America. Fort Worth, TX, was chosen to host Mid-Year 2004. Nine new leagues and two tournaments were approved. The Tom Hack Service Award was presented to Stephanie Johnstone and Alan Olsen.
2003
The Annual Meeting and Tournament in Phoenix, AZ, saw Milwaukee chosen to host IGBO’s 25th Anniversary event in 2005.
Sharon Stump was elected as IGBO’s first female President, and Stephanie Johnstone became Vice President, marking the first time two women served on the Board simultaneously.
Eleven new leagues and three new tournaments were approved, bringing total memberships to 163 leagues and 63 tournaments.
San Diego hosted a record-setting Mid-Year 2003 with 560 bowlers.
The passing of past President Darryl Carter was announced.
Archivist Gerald Hagan and Treasurer Ron Suttora began digitizing 23 years of historical data.
IGBO also started creating standardized rules for future Gay Games bowling events.
Calgary was selected to host Mid-Year 2005. Storm signed a two-year sponsorship contract and launched a Storm “Ambassador” program. IGBO became the first GLBT bowling organization to join the Bowling Proprietors Association of America and had a booth at their annual convention.
At the mid-year, Five new tournaments and fourteen new leagues were approved for membership.
2004
The Annual Meeting and Tournament in St. Louis, MO, selected Kansas City, MO, for the 2006 event.
Eleven Bylaw changes were accepted, and membership with the Federation of Gay Games was continued. Six individuals received Associate status, and two new tournaments and four new leagues were approved.
The Mid-Year Meeting in Fort Worth, TX, selected Detroit, MI, for the 2006 Mid-Year event.
Eleven individuals received Associate status, one new tournament was approved, and eight new leagues were granted membership.
Bill Moore and Todd Denmark received the Tom Hack Service Award.
2005
IGBO’s 25th Anniversary gathering in Milwaukee, WI, featured a historical display by co-founder Gerald Hagen.
Denver, CO, was chosen to host the 2007 Annual Tournament.
Sharon Stump was re-elected as President, and Reggie Ware was elected as Treasurer. New Regional Directors included Rich Kraemer, Rob Silliman, Rob Hisey, and Claude Sloan.
Eighteen new Associates were admitted, one new tournament and two new leagues were approved.
Earl Haney and Rick Steiner received the Fellowship Award.
The Mid-Year tournament in Calgary concluded the 25th Anniversary celebrations, with Oklahoma City, OK, selected to host Mid-Year 2007.
One new Associate and seven new leagues were approved, along with one new tournament.
The Tom Hack Service Award was presented to Ron Suttora and Dick Cooper.
2006
IGBO’s annual Meeting and Tournament in Kansas City, MO, selected Atlanta, GA, for the 2008 event.
Stephanie Johnstone was re-elected as Vice President, Larry Sanchez as Secretary, and Ron Suttora as Treasurer.
Ray Krasneck, John Kincheloe, and Mark Greenwood were elected as Regional Directors.
Five new associate members were accepted: Marva Sampson, Gene Bower, Monte Holtz, Steven Homer, and Jim Lee. Seven new leagues and one new tournament were approved.
Ron Suttora and Michael Ferguson received the Fellowship Award.
The Mid-Year Meeting in Detroit, MI, selected San Diego, CA, for the 2008 Mid-Year event.
Two new associate members were accepted: Bill “PURL” Heaver and Greg Edenfield.
Seven new leagues were approved.
Toby Pineau and Gerald Hagen received the Tom Hack Award.
2007
The 2007 Annual Meeting and Tournament in Denver, CO, selected Las Vegas, NV, for the 2009 event. Greg Edenfield was elected President, and Steve Mathis as Treasurer. Regional Directors re-elected included Rich Kraemer, Rob Silliman, Rob Hisey, and Claude Sloan, with Tim Tkacik elected for the Pacific Northwest.
ROK Enterprises was chosen as IGBO’s new merchandiser. Sixteen new Associate members were approved, along with six new leagues and four new tournaments.
The Mid-Year 2007 event in Oklahoma City, OK, selected Syracuse, NY, for Mid-Year 2009. Contracts with Storm and Midwest Airlines were renewed. A record seventy-five new Associate members were approved, along with nine new leagues.
Mike Tamburrino and Brian Elley received the Tom Hack Award.
2008
The 2008 Annual Meeting and Tournament in Atlanta, GA, selected Columbus, OH, for the 2010 event. Stephanie Johnstone was re-elected as Vice President, and Larry Sanchez as Secretary. Tim Tkacik, Ray Krasneck, and John Kincheloe were re-elected as Regional Directors.
ROK Enterprises was chosen as IGBO’s merchandiser for one year. Thirty new Associate members were approved, along with seven new leagues.
Ronnie Grist and Earl Martin received the Fellowship Award.
The Mid-Year 2008 event in San Diego, CA, selected Washington, DC, for Mid-Year 2010. Barbara Chrisman of Storm Bowling Products attended. Forty-three new Associate members and sixteen new leagues were approved.
The Tom Hack Award recipients were Sharon Stump and Jim Tsugawa.
2009
The 2009 Annual Meeting and Tournament in Oklahoma City, OK, selected Toronto, Ontario, for the 2011 event. Greg Edenfield was re-elected as President, and David Felton was elected as Treasurer. Regional Directors re-elected included Rich Kraemer and Rob Silliman, with Kirt Herronen and Bradford LeHew newly elected.
Bowled Over Promotions was chosen as IGBO’s merchandiser for one year. Fourteen new Associate members and seven new leagues were approved.
Larry Pike and Dick Uyvari received the Fellowship Award.
The Mid-Year Meeting in Syracuse, NY, selected Rochester, NY, for Mid-Year 2011. The relationship with Storm Bowling Products was extended, marking a 10-year sponsorship. Fifty-eight new Associate members and eight new leagues were approved.
The Big Easy Annual Ten-pin Invitational Tournament was welcomed back. The Tom Hack Service Award was presented to Jerry Lovell and the Oklahoma City host Committees of 2007 and 2009.
2010
The 2010 Annual Meeting and Tournament in Columbus, OH, kicked off IGBO’s 30th anniversary celebrations. NJ/NY was selected to host the 2012 event. Rob Silliman was elected Vice President, L.E. McLemore as Treasurer, and John Kincheloe as Secretary. Regional Directors elected included Tim Tkacik, Donny Tang, Ray Krasneck, and Joey LeBlanc.
President Greg Edenfield announced the completion of relocating IGBO’s records after the passing of Archivist Gerald Hagan. Tom O’Dell and new Archivist Toby Pineau were acknowledged for their assistance.
Storm Bowling Products, Bowled Over Promotions (BOP), and Tidy Fitz extended their sponsorships. Eighteen new Associate members and seven new tournaments were approved. Mark MacBain and Michael Kondalski received the Fellowship Award.
The Mid-Year Meeting in Washington, DC, selected Seattle, WA, for Mid-Year 2012.
The organization was redistricted, adding two new regions: Mid Atlantic and Rocky Mountain. Seventy-nine new Associate members, four new leagues, and two tournaments were approved.
Paul Burnett and Brian McKee received the Tom Hack Service Award.
2011
The 2011 Annual Meeting and Tournament in Toronto, ON, selected Tampa, FL, for the 2013 event. Greg Edenfield was re-elected as President, and L.E. McLemore as Treasurer. New Regional Directors included Ken Scaddan, Mark Macbain, Alex Gregory, Larry Sanchez, Curtis Martin, Donny Tang, and Greg Frey.
Barbara Chrisman of Storm Bowling Products attended, and Station Casinos Lanes was named the Official Las Vegas Destination of IGBO. Australian representatives also attended.
Eighty-five new Associate members, five new leagues, and two new tournaments were approved.
Special awards were given to Dick Uyvari and Ray Nastasi. Rob McDaniel and Jerry Sesco received the Fellowship Award.
The Mid-Year Meeting in Rochester, NY, selected Dallas, TX, for Mid-Year 2013. Sixty new Associate members, fifteen new leagues, and three new tournaments were approved.
Tim Keller received the Tom Hack Service Award.
2012
The 2012 Annual Meeting and Tournament were held in Jersey City, NJ, and New York City, NY. Las Vegas, NV, was initially selected to host the 2014 event, but later withdrew. Tucson, AZ, stepped in to host the 2014 Annual Meeting and Tournament.
Rob Silliman was re-elected as Vice President, John Kincheloe as Secretary, and several Regional Directors were re-elected.
Bill and Barbara Chrisman of Storm Bowling Products attended. The board extended agreements with Station Casinos and Bowled Over Promotions (BOP).
Fifty-six new Associate members and four new leagues were approved.
Todd Denmark and Stephanie Johnstone received the Fellowship Award.
The Mid-Year Meeting in Seattle, WA, selected Jacksonville, FL, for Mid-Year 2014. Ninety-one new Associate members and seven new leagues were approved.
Skip George received the Tom Hack Service Award.
2013
The 2013 Annual Meeting and Tournament took place in Tampa, FL. Two cities, Albuquerque, NM, and Omaha, NE, bid to host the 2015 Annual Meeting and Tournament, with Omaha being selected.
Bob Hart from Storm Bowling Products attended the General Membership Meeting.
The Board approved a one-year partnership with Embroidery for All Occasions for IGBO’s 300/800 awards.
Kim Shephard from Sydney represented Australia.
Membership Approvals:
- 82 new Associate members
- New leagues: TGIF Double Rollers (Indianapolis, IN), Salt Lake Goodtimes (Salt Lake City, UT)
- New tournaments: ORBIT Tournament (Raleigh, NC), Silicon Valley Invitation Tournament (San Jose, CA)
The 2013 Mid-Year Meeting and Tournament were held in Dallas, TX. Pittsburgh, PA, was selected to host the 2015 Mid-Year Meeting and Tournament.
Membership Approvals:
- 72 new Associate members
- New leagues: Tuesday Mixed League (Farmington, MI), 3 River Rollers (Pittsburgh, PA), All Mixed Up (Norcross, GA), Sunday Tea League (Kernersville, NC), Pride League (McAllen, TX)
2014
The 2014 Annual Meeting and Tournament took place in Tucson, AZ. Albuquerque, NM, was selected to host the 2016 Annual Meeting and Tournament.
Elections:
- Vice President: Mark MacBain (Syracuse, NY)
- Secretary: Bill Roman (Chesapeake, VA)
- Pacific Northwest Regional Director: Steve Martinez (Seattle, WA)
- South Plains Regional Director: Joey LeBlanc (San Antonio, TX)
- Northeast Regional Director: Paul Scheib (Rochester, NY)
- Regions 8 (Southern) and 12 (Mid-Atlantic) did not elect new directors; the President will appoint them before the fiscal year starts.
The Board approved a 3-year contract with Connections Housing as IGBO’s official hotel negotiator. Robert Wood, VP of Sales for Connections Housing, presented to the General Membership.
Membership Approvals:
- 102 new Associate members
- New leagues: South Sound Gay (Tacoma, WA), Triad Pride Bowlers (Greensboro, NC), Game On Bowling Organization (W. Sacramento, CA), The Classis (Winnetka, CA), Sunset Combo (Ft Worth, TX), Thursday Summer Doubles (Omaha, NE), Thursday Night Out (Albuquerque, NM)
- New tournaments: Bridgetown Invitational Tournament – BIT (Portland, OR), Game On Bowling Organization Tournament – GO-BOT (W. Sacramento, CA), HUGS (Lakewood, CA), Prairie PLOW Tournament (Wichita, KS)
Fellowship Award: Ron Sperry (San Diego, CA) and Ray Nastasi (Dallas, TX)
2014 Mid-Year Meeting and Conference Highlights
The 2014 Mid-Year Meeting and Conference were held in Jacksonville, FL. The membership did not approve a site for Mid-Year 2016, reopening the site selection process.
Elections:
- Pacific Northwest Regional Director: James McLain (Federal Way, WA)
- Southern Regional Director: Scott Stiff (Orlando, FL)
- Donny Tang agreed to remain as Mid-Atlantic Regional Director until the 2014 Annual Meeting in Omaha.
Membership Approvals:
- 148 new individual members
- New leagues: Rainbow Bowl (Keene, NH), Auckland Gay Bowling Organization (Auckland, NZ), The Unbowlievables (Stockton, CA), Front Range Sunday Night Rollers (Lafayette, CO), LGBT (Let’s Go Bowling Together) (Las Vegas, NV), DIGLIT Doubles (Thornton, CO)
Bylaw Changes: - Deletion of the Tournament Account Committee
- Rewording of the Fellowship Award Committee
Tom Hack Service Award: Rob Silliman (Chelsea, MA) and Steve Frable (Arlington, VA)
2015
The Annual Meeting and Tournament were held in Omaha, NE. During the Friday General Membership Meeting, the membership selected San Francisco, CA, as the host for Mid-Year 2016 and Ft. Lauderdale, FL, for Annual 2017. Joey LeBlanc (San Antonio, TX) was elected as President, and Terri Paulk (Decatur, GA) was elected as Treasurer. Several regional directors were elected or re-elected, including Ken Scaddan (North America Heartland), Paul Scheib (Northeast), Judy Thompson (Southwest Pacific Nations), Joseph Puckett (South Plains), Curtis Martin (Upper Mississippi Valley), Jeremy Glasser (Mid-Atlantic), and Greg Frey (Rocky Mountain).
Hank Boomershine from Storm Bowling Products and Kim Shephard from Sydney, Australia, were notable attendees. Membership approved 148 Associates, 2 Leagues, and 1 Tournament. The Fellowship Award recipients for 2015 were Lucien Rene (Toronto, ON) and Jeff Weinberg (Edison, NJ). The Mid-Year Meeting and Conference were held in Pittsburgh, PA, where the Board extended its partnership with Storm for another two years, marking their fourteenth year together. Greg Edenfield (Charlotte, NC) was elected as the Southern Regional Director. The membership approved 124 new individual members, 7 new leagues, and 2 new tournament members. Tim Tkacik (Camas, WA) received the Tom Hack Service Award.
2016
The Annual Conference and Tournament were held in Albuquerque, NM. The membership selected Oklahoma City, OK, as the host for Mid-Year 2017. Mark Mac Bain (Syracuse, NY) was re-elected as Vice President, and Bill Roman (Chesapeake, VA) was re-elected as Secretary. Other regional directors elected or re-elected included Bart MacMillan (Pacific Northwest), Skip George (Southern), Joseph Puckett (South Plains), and Mark Craig (Mid-Atlantic). Hank Boomershine from Storm Bowling Products and Kim Shephard from Sydney, Australia, attended the event. Membership approved applications for 152 Associates and 3 new leagues, including the first member from the European Union. The Fellowship Award recipients for 2016 were Gregory Hughes (Atlanta, GA) and Lyn Dwyer (Canton, MI).
2017
In 2017, the Annual Conference and Tournament were held in Fort Lauderdale, FL. During the Friday General Membership Meeting, the membership selected Denver, CO, as the host for the Annual 2018 Conference and Reno, NV, as the host for the Mid-Year 2018 Conference. Joey LeBlanc (San Antonio, TX) was re-elected to his second term as President, and Terri Paulk (Decatur, GA) to her second term as Treasurer. Jerry Sesco (Hillard, OH) was elected to his first term as North America Heartland Director, Paul Scheib (Rochester, NY) to his second term as Northeast Director, and Richard Foster (Tucson, AZ) to his first full term as Rocky Mountain Director. Regions 9 and 11 did not have a quorum present, so the sitting Directors will complete their term and the President will appoint a replacement until the next General Membership Meeting in Oklahoma City, OK.
Bob Hart from Storm addressed the attendees and presented a check to the organization. The membership approved 205 new Associate members and welcomed four new leagues, including the first members from Great Britain: Champagne Memorial (Newport, KY), Diverse City Bowlers (Brighton, East Sussex, GB), Stonewall Sports Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA), and Honeymooners (Madison, WI). One tournament, the Western Cup (Calgary, AB), was also accepted into membership. The Board passed changes to the P&P to simplify the renewal process, change the renewal cycle to the calendar year, and align the P&P with current practices. They also eliminated the late fee for renewals, increased the Tournament Part II dues to $0.75 per participant, and clarified the intent to limit the IGBO Award Shirt program to IGBO members.
During the awards banquet, Theresa “Tre” Mason (Rockland, MA) and Michael Witt (Rancho Mirage, CA) received the Fellowship Award. Oklahoma City, OK, hosted IGBO for the Mid-Year event over the US Veteran’s Day week. The General Membership did not consider bids to host upcoming events, and the bid process was extended. IGBO welcomed seven new and returning members, including CT Pride Bowlers (Wallingford, CT), Asheville Pride Bowling Organization (Asheville, NC), Bowl United (Orlando, FL), Easy Pick Ups (San Diego, CA), Flaming Pins (St. Louis, MO), Heartland LGBT Tuesday (Omaha, NE), and Heartland LGBT Sunday (Omaha, NE). Regions 9 and 11 held Regional Director elections, and Michael Letender (San Diego, CA) and Clark Thompson (Cameron, WI) were elected to fulfill the remaining terms in their regions. Steve Mathis received the Tom Hack Service Award for his many years of service to IGBO.
2018
The Annual Conference and Tournament were held in Denver, CO. During the Friday General Membership Meeting, the membership selected San Antonio, TX, to host the Annual 2019 event, Detroit, MI, to host the Mid-Year 2019 event, and Seattle, WA, to host the Annual 2020 event.
Mark MacBain (Syracuse, NY) was elected to his third term as Vice President, and Rob Silliman (Chelsea, MA) to his first term as Secretary. Bart MacMillan (Vancouver, BC) was elected to his second term as Pacific Northwest Director. Skip George (Atlanta, GA) was appointed to his second term as Southern Director as the Region did not have a quorum to elect. Joseph Puckett (Irving, TX) was elected to his second term as the South Plains Director. Clark Thompson resigned his position as Upper Mississippi Valley Director, and President LeBlanc appointed Curtis Martin as acting Director until elections can be held at Mid-Year in Reno, NV.
The membership approved 121 new Associate members and welcomed five new leagues into membership: Random Draw Doubles (Seattle, WA), Capital Area Pride Bowlers (Schenectady, NY), Gay Games (Pacifica, CA), Sydney Rams Tenpin Bowling (Mascot, NSW, Australia), and We Are Everywhere (Annandale, VA). The membership also accepted two tournaments into membership: San Jose Invitational Tournament (San Jose, CA) and Missouri and Kansas Invitational Tournament (MAKIT) (Olathe, KS). The Board passed changes to the P&P to clean up sections related to the responsibilities of the Regional Directors and amended the Annual and Mid-Year rules to comply with recent USBC rules regarding Sport and Challenge condition averages. The membership passed a Bylaw to clarify quorum requirements for Regional Caucuses to facilitate elections.
Fellowship committee honored Amando Hernandez (Morristown, NJ) and Greg Frey (Albuquerque, NM) as the newest recipients of the Fellowship Award.
The 2018 Mid-Year Conference and Tournament took place in Reno, NV, at the National Bowling Stadium. This marked the first time in IGBO history that an event was completely run by current and past members of the IGBO board, seeing as there was no local presence in Reno. There were no bidding cities for future events at the GMM, and Skip George was re-elected as Southern Regional Director. The membership also approved 125 new associates and six new leagues into membership: Friday Night 3 Way (Columbus, OH), Ten Week Trios (Seattle, WA), Ten Week Wine League (Seattle, WA), Friday Night Trios (Fountain Valley, CA), The Metroplex Bowling Association (Dallas, TX), and TC Pride Bowlers (Bloomington, MN).
2019
The Annual Conference and Tournament took place in San Antonio, TX. This was San Antonio’s second time hosting an IGBO event in our 39-year history. Elections were held at the GMM, and the following people were reelected: Joey Leblanc as President, Terri Paulk as Treasurer, Jerry Sesco as Regional Director North American Heartland, Paul Scheib as Regional Director Northeast, Mike Letendre as Regional Director Southwest Pacific Nations, and Richard Foster as Regional Director Rocky Mountain Region. Todd Denmark was voted in as the new Regional Director for the Upper Mississippi Valley.
Two new tournaments, the Paul Bunyon Invitational Tournament in Bloomington, MN, and the Hamilton No Tap Tournament in Burlington, Ontario, CA, were voted into membership. The membership also voted on a bylaw change to allow a Board member to hold office for more than 7 years if the director is unopposed for election and the current director receives more than 75% of the vote in a contested election. Las Vegas, NV, submitted a letter of intent to host Annual 2021. This year’s fellowship recipients were Greg Edenfield and Gabe Him.
The Mid-Year Conference and Tournament were held in Detroit, MI, marking Detroit’s third time hosting an IGBO event. There were no elections this time, but Joey LeBlanc appointed Tim Tkacik to serve out the remainder of the term for the Pacific Northwest Regional Director due to the untimely passing of Bart MacMillan. Three new leagues were voted into membership: GALA-Providence (RI), First Coast Freedom (Jacksonville, FL), Monday Twisters (Oklahoma City, OK), and F.O.W.L. (Studio City, CA). Two new tournaments, The Mermaid Classic in Norfolk, VA, and Menopause/Manopause in Jacksonville, FL, were also voted into membership.
The Board passed three bylaw changes to update suspension notifications to be on the website, remove the prohibition of Board members serving on Annual/Mid-Year committees, and change the deadline for bylaw submissions. A P&P was also voted in to add the stipulation for an IGBO bowler with no league average but an IGBO Tournament average. No letters of intent were submitted for 2022. Curtis Martin and Bart MacMillan were the recipients of this year’s Tom Hack awards.
2020
The 2020 Annual Conference and Tournament which was scheduled to take place in Seattle, WA was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2020 Midyear Conference and Tournament which was scheduled to take place in Long Beach, CA was also cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
For the first time in IGBO history, we were able to hold a Virtual GMM with Zoom. One new Tournament was voted into membership, and it was the Triple Pay Tournament in New Braunfels, TX and Rochester NY was selected to hold IGBO Annual 2022. Fellowship and Tom Hack Awards were moved to Annual 2021 Las Vegas. Also all Executive elections were moved to Las Vegas 2021.
2021
The 2021 Annual Conference and Tournament took place in Las Vegas, NV. This was Las Vegas’s second time hosting and IGBO event in our 41 year history.
Elections were held at the GMM and the following people were elected/re-elected to positions on the Board.
Rob Silliman President, Judy Thompson Vice President, Kelly Clark-Ball Secretary and reelected as Treasurer, Terri Paulk. Reelected were Jerry Sesco NAH Regional Director, Mike Letendre SWPN Regional Director, Todd Denmark UMV Regional Director and elected were Gene Egan NE Regional Director and Fernando Pacheco RM Regional Director.
IGBO made history in that with these elections, this is the first time three women are serving on the Executive Board.
Also voted into Membership was one new Tournament, SuperSlam, Houston, TX.
IGBO received two letters of intent, one from Seattle, WA for Annual 2023 and one from Long Beach, CA for MY 2023.
Recipient of the Tom Hack award was Bill Roman, and recipients for the Fellowship award were Pat Cloonan and Judy Thompson.
2022
The 2022 Annual Conference and Tournament took place in Rochester, NY. This was Rochester’s second time hosting an IGBO event in our 42-year history.
Membership selected Seattle, WA (Re-bid) to host IGBO Annual 2023; Reno, NV to host IGBO Annual 2024,
Membership voted to accepted updated bylaws to be effective January 1, 2023. Bylaws were amended to bring them into current times and remove unnecessary processes.
Elections were held at the GMM and the following people were elected/re-elected to positions on the Board.
Re-elected: Judy Thompson – Vice President, Kelly Clark – Secretary, Tim Tkacik – Region 6, Steve Frable – Region 12.
Elected: Doug Harding – Region 8, Dan Finfrock – Region 10, Wes Daniel – Region 9 (elected for 1 year to complete term)
Voted into membership were five new leagues and two new tournaments:
- Friday Night GBL – League
- Diversity Rollers – League
- Funtimers – League
- Delmar Mixed Classic – League
- Wednesday Fun League II – League
- Texas Super Slam – Tournament
- HUGS Doubles – Tournament
The Board announced that the IGBO Newsletter would be revived and will be a completely online publication sent out every quarter.
Diversity is a big priority for IGBO this year. Discussions are being held about removing gender-based awards, being open and welcoming to transgender and gender non-conforming members.
The Mission statement was also revised this year to reflect the focus on diversity:
Vision
We, the International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO), aim to foster a safe and inclusive environment for the entire LGBTQ+ community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and their allies) as the bowling organization of choice for the international community.
Mission
IGBO seeks to promote the sport of bowling and enrich the lives of individuals through league building and tournaments around the world. IGBO is guided by the principles of community, inclusion, and solidarity as we:
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- foster educational opportunities to local communities about bowling, LGBTQ+ history, and other topics of importance;
- build communication avenues between member leagues, joining LGBTQ+ communities together in solidarity; and
- plan social opportunities to promote the sport of bowling and to enrich the lives of individual athletes through leagues and tournaments.
Non-Discrimination & Participation Statement
IGBO recognizes access to sport as a human right. Community is a primary pillar of IGBO and cannot be fulfilled if any member of our community is intentionally or unintentionally excluded. We strive to continually listen, learn, and adapt to ensure every member of IGBO has a sense of belonging in our community.
IGBO promotes gender inclusion by recognizing an individual player’s self-identified gender; and avoiding gender-based distinctions or divisions in sporting activities, while considering member countries’ cultures. IGBO is committed to celebrating each athlete’s accomplishments and skill, regardless of gender identity.
The 2022 Mid-Year Tournament was held in Washington, DC. Because of rising costs of travel and hosting tournaments and conferences, this will be the last Mid-Year tournament.
There were no elections at this general membership meeting.
Focus of this meeting was primarily on updating technology including a complete redesign of the IGBO website, launching the new Tournament Average Database (TAD), and exploring options for tournament registration that can be used for IGBO Annual tournaments as well as local tournaments.
A vote was held on postponing the implementation of the new IGBO Bylaws and recently updated IGBO Policies and Procedures until July 1, 2023, to give members a chance to review both documents and provide feedback to the board.
The following members were voted in at this general membership meeting:
- Strike Out Sunday – League
- Jersey Rainbow Classic – Tournament
- E.L.V.I.S. Tournament – Tournament
- San Diego LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce – Organization
Recipient of the Tom Hack award was Richard Foster.
Members participated in a volunteer event working at a local food bank on Saturday morning.
There have been two newsletter editions sent out since the Annual in May.
2023
The 2023 Annual Conference and Tournament took place in Seattle, WA. This was Seattle’s third time hosting an IGBO event in our 43-year history.
Membership chose Las Vegas, NV to host the 2025 Annual Conference and Tournament.
The Board presented a new redistrict plan to the Membership which will take effect July 1, 2023.
New Regions are as follows:
- Region 5 – North American Heartland (Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky)
- Region 6 – Rocky Mountain (Albert, Saskatchewan, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico)
- Region 7 – Northeast (Main, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey)
- Region 8 – Southern (Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi)
- Region 9 – West Coast/Pacific Nations (New Zealand, Australia, Germany, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California)
- Region 10 – Central Plains (Manitoba, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska)
- Director-at- Large: Associate Members and Special Projects (this position will be voted on in 2024)
The Board presented a new fee structure plan to the Membership which will take effect for the 2024 renewal period. The fee structure is as follows:
- League Bowlers = $3 per bowler at the time of renewal
- Tournament = $2 per bowler calculated by the previous tournament’s attendance. New Tournaments $50. Elimination of Part II Dues.
The General Membership voted to end our membership with the Federation of Gay Games and a press release was issued announcing this.
Elections were held at the GMM and the following people were elected/re-elected to positions on the Board.
- President (re-elected by acclimation): Rob Silliman
- Treasurer: Richard Perez
- Region 5 North American Heartland: Bill Huepenbecker
- Region 6 Rocky Mountain: Fernando Pacheco (re-elected)
- Region 7 Northeast Region – Gene Egan (re-elected)
- Region 9 West Coast/Pacific Nations: Seve Ingram
- Region 13 Central Plains Region: Fred Waterman
Note: Region 11 was dissolved in the re-districting plan and Rocky Mountain region was renumbered to Region 6. A new vote for Regional Director will be held at the 2024 General Membership Meeting.
Two New Leagues were voted on and approved for membership:
- GALA League – Northeast Region
- Pride Bowlers of New Jersey (PBNJ) Leage – Northeast Region
Two New Tournaments were voted on and approved for membership
- Long Island Pride Invitational – Northeast Region
- Seniors Handicap Invitational – Central Plains Region
2024
The 2024 IGBO Annual Tournament and Conference was held in Reno, Nevada. Bowling was conducted at the USBC National Bowling Stadium.
The General Membership was held on Friday, May 17, 2024.
The meeting commenced at 9:04 AM with opening comments from President Silliman, followed by board introductions and agenda changes. The Secretary completed roll call at 9:20 AM. A regional caucus was held, during which Fernando Pacheco, Doug Harding, and Alan Emmons were elected as Regional Directors for Regions 6, 8, and 10, respectively.
Quorum was established with 130 voting members present, surpassing the minimum requirement of 80.
A presentation by a Storm representative highlighted the importance of submitting regional tournament applications and celebrated a valued 20-year partnership.
A by-law change was approved to adjust vote counts based on membership size, eliminating half votes. Additionally, a new Director at Large position was created on the Executive Board.
The minutes from the Seattle meeting were approved, and the Treasurer’s report was accepted. Tournament reports included updates from Reno and Las Vegas, which is on track to meet its fundraising goals.
In new business, Denver was selected to host the 2026 annual bid, with the motion passing by acclamation. Letters of intent were received from Kansas City (2027), Jacksonville (2028), and Detroit (2029)
Board elections were held and Raffy Rodriguez was elected Vice President, Kelly Clark was re-elected Secretary by acclamation, and Tim Locke was elected Director at Large after a second vote.
New tournaments and leagues were approved, as follows:
- Rocket City Invitational Tournament (Huntsville, Al)-
- Mo Vic match point (Fort Worth)
- Rainbowlers (Las Vegas)
- Split happen (Kalamazoo)
- Pride Pins (Lansing)
The session concluded with an open floor discussion addressing topics such as non-USBC league rules, fundraiser awards, and handling USBC suspended bowlers.
2024 also saw a new membership renewal system introduce to streamline the renewal process for leagues and tournaments. Overall, the system was a success and after an initial learning curve was useful to tournament and league reps.