January 15, 2008

Northwest Chess Business Manager to move to Oregon

Note: The Business Manager’s planned move does not affect the previous press release about the listing in the Verizon Yellow Pages. The phone number listed will continue to operate as a voice mail number, and a message will be added directing callers to the NWC website (nwchess.com).

Northwest Chess (NWC) Business Manager Eric Holcomb informed his family before the holidays, and now informs the chess community, that he is planning to move to Bend, Oregon to begin a new “semi-retired” life. The move is expected to take place shortly after the final day of the Washington State Chess Championship (February 18). Eric previously worked for The Boeing Company full time from 1984 to 2002, and part time from 2003 to 2007. He started as NWC Business Manager in January 2003.

Although Eric intends to continue as NWC Business Manager, assistance will be required in a couple of areas:

1. The WCF and NWC have a post office box on 4th Ave South in Seattle, which is necessary because that post office is used to mail the magazine each month. Mail received includes the monthly mailing statement, address changes, and occasionally membership dues and other correspondence. We will need a volunteer who can check that box at least twice per month, and resend all important mail to Eric monthly, preferably before the monthly mailing list is prepared. Compensation will be provided for resending the mail, as well as reasonable mileage expenses if not on your usual route.

2. Eric has a sizeable accumulation of magazine back issues from the past 5 to 6 years. These will be condensed into about 12 boxes. A new custodian for these back issues is desired. Ideally, the custodian should also be responsible for distribution of magazine sample copies within the Seattle-Tacoma area, including at major WCF events such as the Washington Open. Extra magazine copies are sent by Snohomish Publishing each month via UPS. Eric will request that these copies be split into two half-size boxes, with the Puget Sound area custodian receiving half of the extra copies. The new custodian should be prepared to take possession of the back issues at the state championship in Seattle in February.

If you are interested in performing these functions, please contact Eric as soon as possible at Eric@Holcomb.com.

Until Eric announces a new business address, please continue to send membership renewals and other NWC payments to Eric’s PMB in Kent, WA. Mail forwarding will be established at the time of moving. Thank you!