Page 9 - March 2021 Barbecue News Magazine

a Brinkman and started getting serious about cooking meat over open fires. He loves ribs so most of what he cooked was ribs. He learned from the best master, experience. He did this for 5-6 years going through his first Brinkman and getting another one. While at a Microsoft conference in Los Angeles he overheard some folks talking about being judges. He assumed they were law judges, but it turned out they were BBQ judges, from Florida. Thus, he learned about FBA while in Los Angeles. At an FBA contest in Callahan, he took the judge training and became a certified judge. His first contest to judge was Smoke on the Water, in Winter Haven. This is still his favorite contest and he serves as the lead Rep at this contest now. The proceeds from this event sponsor the Boys and Girls Club of Polk County. Ed also be- came certified with KCBS and judged some of their contests as well. He is also an SCA certified judge and has judged some of their events. He was cooked and judged any chance he could to start building up his experience level. In 2016 he decided to become a rep. Dennis Schmidt was a big help and was his mentor during this training period, and his early rep years. As he built up his rep credentials, he was asked to become a Lead Rep, which he did. And today he al- most always serves as the Lead Rep at the contests where he presides, for FBA. Ed received a surprise phone call from then President of FBA, Jim Elser. FBA badly needed an IT Committee Chair, and they were having some serious prob- lems with their computer systems. Plus they were in the process of updating their web site and needed help there as well. Since this is Ed’s background and profession, he agreed to help them. He still chairs this committee as well. Later he was approached to run for the Board, and he was elected. This experience led to him being nominated for Vice President. He is currently in his second 4 year term in that office.
Ed has a hobby of collecting vinyl records. He currently has a collection of 766 records and his collection is valued at over $26 thousand dollars. He has all types of music and
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still plays many of these records for his pleasure. I person- ally judged many contests where Ed was the Lead Rep, and he does an outstanding job. His contests are very well or- ganized and normally run like clockwork. Minimal prob- lems, always on schedule, everything is in its place, and just the way you want to see a competition BBQ run. His conduct is very professional and always treats the cooks, judges, organizers and his other reps with respect and pro- fessionalism. I felt he should have a Profile presenting his qualifications to the BBQ World. He is a welcome member of the Cooters n Smoke BBQ team, and you will usually see him contributing to their success at non-FBA contests, usually KCBS. Due to the rep shortage Ed has recruited and then trained several new rep’s and continues to build up the rep community for FBA. Probably a little incentive there to relieve some of his many contests. He deserves a break. Most recently in St Augustine, at a non-sanctioned event, he was helping with table assignments, table captain and judging responsibilities to help the organizers to have a well-run event. All in a day’s work for Lead Rep Ed. We are all truly grateful for all that Ed has given back to com- petition BBQ in Florida and elsewhere. That you Ed She- manski.
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