ljconant3@gmail.com

This is my 3rd year on the Unit 176 Board. I was Treasurer for 2 years, and am now serving as President. I grew up in Northern California, and graduated from Stanford University in 1974. I moved to Chicago immediately after graduation to pursue an MBA at the University of Chicago, and spent the next 5 years as a corporate banker. George (husband) and I met on a blind date, and moved to Dallas with his job. I worked in the corporate world until the birth of our first child, and then opened a children's clothing store, which I owned for 13 years. I “retired” because I thought I needed to be home saying, "no”.

All 3 of my children are now working and living in Dallas, so life is good. I have been playing duplicate bridge for 5 years, and love the new friendships and the challenges of the game. I look forward to getting to know all of you. I’m here to serve you and appreciate your comments and suggestions.

Vice-
President

skeeter303@yahoo.com.

I’ve been on the Unit 176 Board for 5 years now – I’ve been Secretary, served 2 years as President, and am serving my 2nd term as Vice President now. I moved here 10 years ago from New Orleans and go back often to visit my daughter and grandchildren. I'm also a rabid Mavericks fan and go to as many games as I can during the season. My honey Bryan Storey and I like to travel and since both of us play, we attend several regionals and nationals each year. I'm retired now, so I'm hoping to play even more!

I think one of the most important things we can do as board members is to be accessible to the players. I always try to introduce myself at the table and I hope you will do the same. We can all do a much better job representing you when we know your opinions, so please voice them!

skflick@sbcglobal.net

This is my 3rd year on the Board, and my 2nd year as Secretary. I am a native of New Jersey which I have been told on many occasions is obvious from the minute that I open my mouth! I earned a B.S. from Georgetown University. I have been married 33 years to my husband Tim. We have one daughter. After having made my home in 8 states and one foreign country, I landed in Dallas 7 years ago, bringing with me years of sales and community volunteer experience. When I am not indulging my bridge addiction at the various studios around town, you can find me ringside, cheering on my husband as he competes in AKC dog agility. I am happy to be a member of the board of Unit 176 and I hope anyone with questions, concerns, or comments will please come speak with me.

I was raised in the Houston area and moved to Dallas about 2 years ago. I have been playing duplicate bridge since 2005 and achieved Life Master status in March 2011. When I'm not playing bridge, I have a small CPA practice and I volunteer with my golden retriever Lola and visit the elderly. I've also been asked to serve on the Unit 176 finance committee and will be working on the financial goals and objectives. I truly enjoy bridge and would like to serve the Dallas bridge community on the Unit Board.

stevieb6929@yahoo.com

I'm Steve Birnbaum and I'm currently serving my fifth year on the Unit 176 Board. I was born and raised in Dallas, am a realtor, and I'm married with two grown kids. I've been playing bridge for 10 years now.
(Tomi's added note: Steve sent me this short and sweet bio, but he is far too modest. He forgot to mention that he has served for those three years as our membership chairman. When you get an e-mail reminding you about our unit games and tournaments, those are from Steve. He has cleaned up and expanded our database and when we needed to ensure all members were in good status in order to qualify for a new tournament, Steve went to work. Our communications are constantly improving, thanks to Steve.)

cowartcastle@att.net

I was born and raised in a suburb of Boston, Mass.   Following graduation from high school, my father’s employment moved the family to Houston in 1952 where I lived and remained employed until we married and George’s employment brought us to Richardson in 1968.  By this time, George had taught me to play bridge and I was hooked.  Our club level play was initiated by Harry and Claire Weisz and their Valley View games.  A court reporter friend indicated he was desperate for help.  Preferring to be a stay-at-home mom, I jumped at the opportunity to learn to transcribe the shorthand produced by a court reporter’s stenotype machine.  For approximately 35 years, I maintained a home office producing transcripts of court proceedings for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the last years specializing in death-penalty cases.  I retired in 2003, but my intense interest in criminal law did not dissipate with retirement, so with George’s and the family’s support, I have embarked on a second career.   I am a criminology major at UTD with the goal of eventually aiding entities such as the Public Defender’s Office, The Innocence Project, as well as doing specific case research.   A significant addition to our list of hobbies,  George and I bowl weekly in a couple’s league.

During the years our three children were completing their education, marrying, and expanding our family to four grandchildren, George and I enjoyed our love for bridge with local, regional, and national tournaments.   The friends and acquaintances we have acquired during these years of involvement in the world of bridge have enhanced our lives immeasurably.   As a board member, I would like to encourage the idea that bridge is more than a game, but also a means of touching people’s lives.   Taking the time to get to know the faces around the table, it is very possible a commonality exists other than bridge.

greims@sbcglobal.net

I am a retired telephone engineer after 31 years service with Southwestern Bell. Currently, I do various odd jobs including handyman work and wall covering installation. I am also the guy that transports and sets up tables and equipment for our Dallas bridge tournaments. This is my fourth year as a member of the Dallas Bridge Association Board of Directors.
I was born in Springvale, Maine and moved to the Dallas area in 1967. I am married with one son and a three year old grandson. I truly enjoy the competitive challenge of duplicate bridge, along with the many new friends and acquaintances I have because of bridge. I also have a great love for the outdoors, including fishing, archery, golf, volunteering at the Dallas Arboretum, and walking my dog, Addy.

harpiii@aol.com

Born and reared in Dallas, TX, I returned to the unit 176 Board after a year's hiatus.  I graduated from Highland Park High School, received a BS from Yale Univ. in electrical engineering, received an MBA from SMU in finance, and am a CPA. I am a realtor with Ebby Halliday real estate.  I have served as treasurer of multiple Dalllas area  YMCAs, treasurer of The 500 Inc, treasurer of the Dallas Theater Center, treasurer of the Dallas Symphony Guild, treasurer of the Dallas Housing Finance Corporation, and treasurer of the Turtle Creek Chorale. I have been playing duplicate bridge almost 10 years, am a Silver Life Master, and have a special proclivity for team events.  I love bridge, and I am willing to focus time, energy and attention to making the game fun, available and accessible to all those attracted by the social interaction and mental stimulation - irrespective of a player's skill level.

jublo_2000@yahoo.com

It was June, 1970. My roommate and I had entered an ACBL-sanctioned event supporting a local charity, and we finished 4th! We were told that to have our fraction of a masterpoint recorded, we would have to join the
ACBL. So we joined. I don't think my roommate renewed her membership
after the first year or two, but I have been a member ever since. I was
hooked! Over the years bridge has seen me through one marriage, two children (Victoria and Bonnie), and three careers (college professor, bank vice president, and database administrator). It has been a wonderful source of good friends and good times. Now that I have retired, it is time to giveback to the game that has meant so much to me. This is my first year on the board. Currently I am the unit's NAP and GNT coordinator, and I write the Unit 176 column for the Scorecard. I plan to do what I can to ensure the smooth operation of the Unit and to maintain its appeal to all members, newcomers and veterans alike.