La Jolla Unit Board Members

Officers

President/Education Randy Fadem. 2011-2013 Term. I was drafted in college to learn bridge when the others were short one bidding fiend. Picked it up again thirteen years later and haven’t stopped. Coming here, new to San Diego, bridge has been a gift for meeting people and becoming acclimated and more comfortable in my new surroundings. I enjoy the game; its challenges, rigors, the competitiveness; working with a partner (or sinking with a partner). I’ve also taught a lot of beginner’s bridge back East; the bidding is different here; so it’s opportunity to open up and re-think some of the basic ingredients of bidding. I've also been invited to participate in the Mentor Program at Adventures and have enjoyed that the past several months. Vice-President/Webmaster Matthew Kidd. 2010-2012 Term. A cosmic ray physicist turned bioinformatician, he has been playing bridge on and off since 1986, but much more so since moving to San Diego in 2004. He wrote the ACBLmerge program and has been active in the bridge teaching at La Jolla High.

Treasurer Chuck Wilson. 2010-2012 Appointment. Born and educated in Kansas, where I still have a 500-acre farm inherited from my parents. A mechanical/nuclear engineer, I worked for 20 years in support of the U.S. nuclear testing operation at the Nevada Test Site northwest of Las Vegas from 1972-1992. Since then have been employed at 3 different San Diego technical/engineering companies, currently SAIC. Started playing bridge in 1952, learning from my parents who played party bridge, but they never played duplicate. Have served 2 different stints on the La Jolla bridge unit board: the first from ~1980-88, the second from 1996-2003. Secretary Marge Hughes. 2011-2013 Term. Grew up in southern Illinois playing all kinds of card games other than bridge with my family. Learned bridge in the 1960’s and played party bridge occasionally. Started duplicate when we retired and moved to La Jolla in 1995. Has a busy life with 4 children and 11 grandchildren. Enjoys traveling, gardening, reading, music, and crossword and jigsaw puzzles.

Chairpersons

Club Manager/Tournament Chair Bill Grant. 2010-2012 Term. Learned to play bridge during winter nights at his Michigan State University dormitory. College bridge remained dormant until he discovered duplicate in 1985. A recently retired high school math teacher, he now spends most of his time playing bridge and traveling, often concurrently. He returns to his old high school campus every spring, to teach bridge to math students who are done with their Advanced Placement exams. Partnerships/IN Ron Ignelzi. 2011-2013 Term. Fondly remembers when he was in grade school, the Thursday bridge nights hosted by his Mom, an avid life-master. Began playing duplicate in the 1990s, as a way to get his snowbird Mom out to the Soledad Club for her favorite pastime. As a more serious player, he won the La Jolla Mini McKinney in 2004 (5-20 MP) and 2005 (20-50 MP) and placed in many regionals and sectionals. A retired neurosurgeon, he chairs two national panels that guide research funding. Vacant. 2010-2012 Term.

Partnerships/Caddies Chair Cass Donovan. 2010-2012 Term. Began playing bridge when she was attending Creighton College in Omaha, where she met her husband who is a pediatrician. She began playing duplicate in 1997. After working as a pediatric nurse in Iowa she moved to La Jolla. Hospitality Chair Janet Ansfield. 2011-2013 Term. Started playing bridge many eons ago at the University of Illinois, continuing at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Became a serious player, after moving to California in 1981. Previously served on the board from 2002-2007. Her husband is a non-player who enjoys hearing about us contestants. Formerly in social services, she is now a travel agent. Billie Greene. 2010-2012 Appointment.

View Former Board Members