Ladies and Gentlemen, I would love to announce my support for Ryan Adams running for the PASS Board in 2016-2018. You can read in detail about Ryan’s application at the PASS Election Site. I you want to find more details, consider visiting his personal site, where he address a lot of details and where you can make questions to him directly.

Both of 2 platform goals of Ryan are some of the key elements for the success of our global organisation: Youth Education & IT. Both of these goals are global, very down to earth (there is nothing groundbreaking from the first sight) and very achievable.

Ryan does not put any vision for the further PASS alignment or development, but I am convinced that we need to clean up the house a bit. We need to improve IT tools in PASS and for some time having Allen Kinsel on the board was the key of getting things done for those needed improvements, but right now looking at the PASS Board page, I can’t find the personal responsible for the IT. (Let’s see, if the next PASS President, Adam Jorgensen will do something about it)

So far I know, not a lot of PASS Chapter Leaders and/or SQLSaturday Organizers who are proud of our current tools. This definitely needs & can to be changed.

During my time at PASS as a community Evangelist I have worked with Ryan, though not much, but every single bit of my personal direct and indirect experience was very, very positive.

I have absolutely admired his work as a Regional Mentor and I have connected him with a couple of people in other regions, in the hope that they would learn a couple of things from him. I still remember hunting for him at one of the PASS Summit in order to present in person to a starting Regional Mentor in Europe.

Joining different User Groups in a Region together, starting to communicate and working on something bigger than a personal ambition or a local ambition – is really what you wish to have in your region.

Organising, creating, following through, connecting, sharing and learning are some of the key capabilities of Ryan.

As a member of PASS (or any other organisation for that matter), are you looking for someone who can do those things ? As a leader ? I do.

Besides those good characteristics, I see one other part of Ryan personality, that will make him the candidate I am supporting:

– Uncompromising: I am known for admiring people who fight for what they believe in, I do not appreciate the political tolerance without any ideal. Not to say that one should not change position or views, once proven wrong, but being able to take a stand for the matters of the core beliefs is a very important quality.

This might be controversial and even Ryan himself might not agree with my assertion, but that’s how I see him.

Final Thoughts & a couple of Warnings

With every bit of support, comes a responsibility and accountability.

I think everyone is tired of politicians promising something that they never intend to do, or taking credit for someone else’s work – even if people are openly saying that someone putting something on their target list or promises, does not make you someone worthy.

I do support Ryan and I will be definitely voting for him in the election.

I do invite and urge people to vote for him as well, because for me he is truly represents a community figure, with no compromises that a typical politician have.

BUT
When (and not if) Ryan wins, and after 2 years of work, I will hold him personally accountable for the portfolio that he will be assigned to (SQLSaturdays, BA, Chapters, …)
I will carefully read every post about the target and the progress of his portfolio and I will follow up directly & indirectly with my friends in the community.

And I do expect anyone picking Ryan or any other worthy candidate to do the very same way.

Because if you get people’s support, then you need to give them what they elected you for.

And because I expect nothing less from Ryan, I do urge you to support him.