In an election that concluded on June 16, membership of the Video Software Dealers Association reelected current board chairman Tom Warren to a fourth term, reelected former chairman Mark Vrieling, and welcomed two first-time board members with the election of Katherine Slocum and Todd Zaganiacz.
“The board congratulates Kathy, Mark, Tom and Todd on their election,” said VSDA board Secretary Martha Vance Sims“They bring a great variety of knowledge and experience to the board, and we look forward to their contributions to the board’s work on behalf of our industry.”
An independent retailer since 1986, Slocum owns five video/tanning stores in Iowa including a Video Palace in Gilbert. She is currently serving her fifth term as Heartland Chapter president. Slocum has been a member of VSDAs education, government affairs, and growth committees and the Independent Retailer Council, and currently chairs the scholarship committee.
Vrieling is the founder and owner of Rain City Video, a three-store chain in Seattle, and ScreenPlay, which provides in-store video previews for retailers. In addition to his prior service on the VSDA national board, he served 14 years on the Seattle VSDA board, including two terms as its president.
Warren, owner of the 10-store Video Hut chain in North Carolina, has been a video retailer for 20 years. He has chaired VSDAs membership and chapter development committees and served on the election review, government affairs and convention committees. Warren helped create the Houston Chapter of VSDA and served as president of the North Carolina Chapter.
Zaganiacz opened the Video Zone in 1995. In 1998, he co-founded the New England Buying Group and has been president of the group since then. In 2000, Zaganiacz became a member of the New England VSDA board, on which he continues to serve. In 2001, he was appointed to the East Coast Video Show’s planning and preparation committee. In 2003, he is chairing the Windows Committee for VSDA. In 1990, Zaganiacz began his career in the industry as a manager for Trans World Entertainment’s Saturday Matinee stores.
Terms for each of the individuals elected will be three years, to commence following the meeting of the board of directors next month. The board meeting is scheduled for July 28-29, in conjunction with VSDA’s Home Entertainment 2003, which will be held July 29-31 at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas.
A total of five candidates vied for four open seats on the VSDA national board. The other candidate seeking election was Ray Jewell of Athens, Tenn.
To be eligible for election to the board, an individual must be a sole or majority owner, general partner, or full-time employee of a dues-current regular member company of the association. To qualify for the election, candidates submitted no fewer than 10 letters of nomination from members. Printed ballots and candidate information were mailed to all dues-paid VSDA regular members in mid-May. All valid completed ballots received by Grant Thornton LLP, the independent accounting firm retained by VSDA, as of June 16 were counted.
Vrieling served on the board from 1995–2001 and was chairman from 1998-2000. Warren will be serving his fourth term, having previously served from 1991-97 before returning to the board in 2000. He has chaired the board for the past three years. This will be the first board term for both Slocum and Zaganiacz.
