If you read this week's onnector email you may have noticed that I'm one of the six candidates who have applied for the PASS Board of Directors this year. Campaigning hasn't officially started yet - the Nomination Committee is still in the review process - but I'd like to at least share a little bit more about who I am and why I made the decision to apply.

Meet Me

Born, raised, and still a Florida native, I graduated with a degree in Computer Science from Florida State University in 1999. I started working as a VB 6 developer where I was first exposed to SQL Server 7.0. It didn't take long before I shifted from writing VB to writing TSQL. The more I learned, the more I got hooked, and from that point on I've always considered myself a DBA. Over the years I've managed both servers and people and learned a ton both technically and professionally.

Married for 12 years, my wife (also a Florida native, a rarity these days!) and I have been blessed with 3 kids. I'm a huge space geek and living in Orlando - just 45 minutes from Kennedy Space Center - helps feed my hobby. When I'm not in front of a computer or chasing rockets I'm either busy doing something PASS related or helping out with Cub Scouts where my wife and I run our son's Webelos den.

Now that you know more about me...

Why I Want To Serve On The PASS Board

Going back about six years ago, I had no idea who or what PASS was except that their logo was on the SQL 2005 system views poster from SQL Server Magazine. In 2006 I moved to Orlando and a coworker introduced me to Andy Warren (Blog | Twitter). That introduction opened the door to start attending OPASS, speaking, and blogging. Between then and now I went from being a consumer - your everyday average DBA who gets the job done - to being a contributor by speaking at SQLSaturdays, User Groups, and the PASS Summit, starting a User Group (MagicPASS), helping plan a brand new conference (SQLRally) bearing the PASS brand, and most recently was recognized as a Microsoft MVP.

Along the way I've had the chance to open doors for people in the same way that Andy opened the door for me. There is an incredible sense of pride and fulfillment in seeing the same spark ignite in someone the way it did for me. PASS has been an enabler for me to get where I am today and I feel like I'm ready to pay it forward by helping to give as many other people those same opportunities as I can. So with that in mind I'm running to help carry the torch forward - to help PASS do what it does even better.

What's Next

If you haven't visited the 2011 election portal yet I encourage you to do so. Between now and November 22 everyone who submitted an application has to complete a personal interview. Once the interviews are done the Nomination Committee will recommend a slate of candidates to the current Board of Directors. Upon approving the slate campaigning and voting is scheduled to run from December 6-20 and the election results will be announced on December 28.

I hope that you pay attention to the elections and cast your vote when it comes time!