As a bridge enthusiast, Mark Cohen sprang into action after hearing the Valley Forge Bridge Club was closing.  He and other local players considered options and determined a member-owned club was right for the local community.  This resulted in the creation of the King of Prussia Bridge Club (KoPBC), in which Mark serves as Club Manager.

It was in his capacity as Club Manager that he answered the call to organize Unit 141’s first post-pandemic Sectional at KoPBC.  No small feat, since it required a pre-registration process, enforcement of ACBL Covid regulations, and providing a lunch for players.

More recently, Mark also agreed to take on two more major roles for District 4.  Beginning in 2023, Mark will serve as Co-Chair the Philadelphia Regional at Valley Forge (along with Betsy Cutler).  And he also stepped up to the challenge when asked to play a leadership role in the 2025 Summer NABC in Philadelphia.  He will serve, along with John Dickenson and Betsy Cutler, as one of the “Tri-Chairs” for that event.

Did I mention that Mark still has a “day job” as a Real Estate agent?  What’s that old saying… “if you want to get something done, ask a busy person to do it”.  Mark fits that description – in spades (or hearts, or diamonds, or clubs)

Mark’s Backstory:

Mark started in bridge by helping out after playing in games in New York City clubs. He became an employee and junior partner for 13 years at the Beverly Bridge Club, and also served on the ACBL Board of Governors.  Upon returning home to Philadelphia, family and work kept him out of bridge for 25 years.

It was during the pandemic that Mark helped create the King of Prussia Bridge Club where he now serves as volunteer manager. He ran the April 2022 PCBA Sectional and hosted 4 I/N Sectionals at KOPBC. Mark is running for the Unit 141 Board and will also be a Chair of the Valley Forge Regional and the Philadelphia Summer Nationals in 2025.

Mark is a Gold Life Master and in his 30^th year as a local residential real estate agent. He lives with his husband Marty Johnson in Audubon, PA.

As membership at her club and Unit continued to shrink, Lisa Mita committed to make a difference and become a bridge teacher.  Then (yikes) came the pandemic, but Lisa didn’t flinch, she simply made a smooth transition to Shark Bridge (online) in her quest to continue promoting bridge.  Her latest accomplishment, made at the urging of her club, was to become a licensed “Learn Bridge in a Day” (LBIAD) instructor.  Lisa’s first LBIAD was held earlier this year at King of Prussia Bridge Club, and attracted 67 students.  And some of these students are continuing on with additional bridge lessons.

But Lisa isn’t just a bridge teacher, she also nudges and cheers on players with a thirst for the game.  She whets the appetites of her students and fellow players to play against the best competition they can find.  Her belief is that the challenge of playing against the best is what serves to strengthen a player’s mental toughness and card play.

Lisa’s Backstory:

I have been teaching bridge in the Philadelphia area for more than ten years.  My first certification was as a Better Bridge certified teacher with Audrey Grant and continued  on to the ACBL TAP certification and an ACBL Online Teaching Certification.  I am also an active member of the ABTA (American Bridge Teachers’ Association) and am always looking to improve my skills.

I enjoy teaching bridge at the King of Prussia Bridge Club, country clubs, social clubs, retirement communities and private groups.  When not teaching bridge, you’ll find me playing either bridge or golf.

When you talk to the Wilmington bridge community and ask about Bill Herdle, you’ll hear that whenever asked to help, he inevitably says “yes”.  And that’s how Bill became the Unit 190 Secretary as well as its Web Master.  He may have felt some trepidation in taking on these roles initially, but his willingness to learn and helpful spirit have made him an important leader in his Unit.

More recently, Bill was asked to consider becoming the Editor for a new District 4 monthly publication called “Silver and Gold”.  The idea behind this email publication is to provide a consolidated 90-day list of tournaments and games where players could win the Silver and/or Gold points needed to continue advancing through the masterpoint ranks.

Of course, Bill said yes, even though he had no experience with our Constant Contact mailing platform.  If you agree that “Silver and Gold” helps you plan how to get those sometimes elusive Gold or Silver points, you have Bill to thank.

Bill’s Backstory:

Bill can’t remember when he started playing bridge, but knows he spent far too much time playing badly in the basement of his dorm at Swarthmore College. After obtaining a Ph.D. in organic chemistry (and joining the ACBL) at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, he accepted a research and development position in a specialty chemicals division of a large chemical manufacturer.  This resulted in his bridge playing days going into a hiatus.

He worked for the same company for nearly 40 years (though his division was sold five times during his tenure).  He traveled widely for his work and was stationed at various times in Tarrytown NY, Charleston WV, and Geneva, Switzerland.

After retiring in 2012. Bill moved to Delaware (allegedly to avoid New York real estate taxes).  He took up bridge again, considerably more seriously than in college, a few years ago.  He joined the Unit 190 Board in 2019 and has acted as its Secretary since then.