With a background in technology, Sue Manning recognized her ideal skill set and offered to assist the ACBL and online bridge groups, with critical upgrades.  This resulted in Sue volunteering as an integral member of multiple bridge technology teams, contributing to EDGAR (online cheating detection program), Shark Bridge, and The Common Game.  More recently she was  participated in a prioritization assessment with ACBL Information Technology.

Her many hours of effort are 100% volunteer, and all for the improvement of bridge.  She is making an amazing contribution to our game.

Sue’s Backstory:

Sue Manning is a frequent volunteer in the world of bridge with a background enabling her to help with technical problems in support of online bridge.  She studied Computer Science at Cornell and Rice Universities, earning a Masters Degree from Cornell. She spent her career in Silicon Valley as a systems programmer for Xerox, Taligent, Sun Microsystems and Apple.

Consequently, Sue was well-placed to help the ACBL when the pandemic forced the bridge world online.  She worked behind the scenes to help Jay Whipple and The Common Game launch the VACBs and later on the Big Team Games platform used for online team games such as GNT trials.

Additionally, Sue has provided some development for Milen Milkovski on Shark Bridge for their teaching platform now used by Adam Parrish and other top instructors.  She also served on the ACBL Board technology review committee in Fall 2022.  Most recently she is writing code for Franco Baseggio and Brian Platnick for the EDGAR anti-cheating package, currently in development., and scheduled for launch by ACBL early in 2023.

As a member of ACBL, Sue understands the importance of contributing her skills to help the organization.  Volunteer support like this is essential to the success of the ACBL.  Jay Whipple commented “Sue is an extremely talented, tireless, and tenacious team player who just says “yes” when asked to server on bridge/technology related projects.

In 2020, District 4 put out a call for help in building a new website to replace the old, worn-out and obsolete site.  Without hesitation, Todd Thorsen offered his skills to set up the structure for the site, and to also host the site, including security monitoring and upgrades.

He was pivitol in transitioning historical data from the “old” website by cataloging and copying many items into the new site: from photographs, to player stories, board meeting minutes, and many other documents that are important to the historical record of District 4.

His volunteerism produced a beautiful and easily maintained website, and it also saved the District what could have been thousands of dollars in expenses for software and hosting services.

Todd’s Backstory:

When the District 4 President reached out to me a couple of years ago about the possibility of creating a modern website for District 4, I was thrilled. Over the last 40 years there have been so many folks in the bridge community that have done so much for me, it was time to give back.

Born and raised in Duluth Minnesota, my family enjoyed playing lots of card games including 500 (close to Bridge) and cribbage. I graduated college from The University of Minnesota with an Electrical Engineering degree and then was commissioned into the Air Force. First assignment was in Sunnyvale CA. One day in 1985, Major Bob Baltz asked around to see if folks would like to learn to play bridge. Later that evening I met ACBL accredited teacher Janet McDonald and a group of around 8 beginners for lessons. Janet was a great teacher and I immediately loved the game and joined the ACBL. She also had a game of around 8 tables at her senior center and after a few lessons I was invited to attend. It took quite a few more weeks of play until eventually I earned my first point. To this day I have that first point in script form (remember those). Janet engraved a congratulations message on a tree stump shaped piece of wood with my first point glossed on the surface.

A few months later, I graduated to the Saturday afternoon intermediate game in San Jose, California,  where I met my wife Bobette. The first time we played together we had a really fun board that was eventually written up in the bridge column of the NY Times  (see article below).  Bobette and I made a lot of bridge friends and traveled to quite a few tournaments.  We then got married and started a family of 4 kids, significantly reducing our time at the bridge table for the next 30 years. For many years my day job has consisted of being the computer architect of large data systems for a firm in Valley Forge, PA. Like bridge, I love computer programming and 10 years ago I started building websites in the evenings for recreation. The recreation soon became a moon lighting business and so I was perfectly setup to contribute to the game and community that I love – bridge and the ACBL.  I am honored to be selected to be a District 4 Goodwill Committee Member.

During the early part of the Covid Pandemic, as clubs were working to make games available on BBO, it would have been easy to take an “every person for themselves” attitude.  However, Ann Smallen, when asked to help a club in Roanoke VA get their virtual games off the ground, eagerly provided assistance.  You see, the owner of the local club had become ill and died, leaving the players who took over the club ill-equipped to do all the computer work needed to set up a game and report results to the ACBL.  No problem – Ann provided detailed information and also had them watch her during the set up and directing of her virtual games to help them learn the ropes.

It may seem a small thing that Ann did, but it made a huge impression on our bridge friends in Virginia!  With Ann’s assistance, their virtual club was successfully launched, and the local players again had the option to enjoy playing bridge – virtually – with their friends from the local club.

Ann’s deserves this recognition for her charitable spirit of supporting others while expecting nothing in return.

Ann’s Backstory:

I first learned bridge back in the early ‘60’s while a student at SUNY Albany where I was studying to teach mathematics.  Upon graduation my husband and I moved to Rochester where I taught at Monroe Community College.  For the five years that we were there we learned to play duplicate bridge and participated in the University of Rochester games as well as playing socially with other U of R graduate students.  We moved to Clinton, NY in 1972 and have resided there since.  I played social bridge for 20 years while I taught at Mohawk Valley Community College.

In the ‘90’s my husband and I decided to take up duplicate bridge again and we found 3 clubs to play with in the Utica/Rome area.  After my retirement I was able to play more frequently and in 2008 I became a life master.  Our local clubs were in need of more directors so in 2010 I took and successfully passed the Club Director Test.  I began directing regularly at our local clubs and I also joined the board of the Mohawk Valley Bridge Association (MVBA) where I have served several roles including secretary, vice president and President.  I am currently President of MVBA and also act as Club Manager.

In 2013 I became a Bronze Life Master and in 2022 I became a Silver Life Master.  In 2017 I successfully completed the ACBL Club Director Update Course.

When COVID hit in 2020 and clubs were forced to close down, MVBA needed to find another way to operate.  One of my club members and fellow director, Mike Mihevc and I decided to set up our virtual club with the help of ACBL.  We were able to successfully get our players online and were able to continue to offer bridge twice weekly to our members.  We currently offer one virtual and one F2F game weekly during the non-winter months and two virtual games during the winter months.

In addition to directing for the MVBA F2F and virtual games I also direct BBO games for The Villages Duplicate Bridge Club in Florida as well as a F2F game.

When Betty Youmans contacted me to see if I could help the Roanoke club through their difficult times of having to essentially start over I was more than willing to help.  Working with Carole Spencer and her associates we were able to get their virtual club up and running and I was able to offer some advice on F2F issues as well.

One of my duplicate bridge friends has always referred to the MVBA as a “family” and I agree with her.  As a family we help each other out when we can.  Helping out the Roanoke Club as I did was just me helping out my “extended “ family.  It was my pleasure to do so.