Our annual national convention is one of the highlights of being a member of IPMS/USA. This year our convention was held in San Marcos, Texas, and it was a great success.

One of the key reasons modelers from all over the world attend is to take part in our national contest. This year there were over 3,100 models entered by 400 modelers in over 200 categories. While the competition is fierce, there is a strong comradery among all the modelers who participate, whether as contestants, judges, or simply as admirers of the amazing skills and talent on display.

The NCC (National Contest Committee) runs the contest with the help of the sponsoring chapter. The NCC trains and recruits the judges for contest from the entire IPMS/USA membership. There are over 300 judges. In the IPMS/USA Competition Handbook in the section "The Requirements for an IPMS/USA Judge" the one overriding requirement for IPMS/USA Judges is integrity. The board, the NCC and our membership all value the integrity of our organization and our contests.

At this past contest, there was an allegation of a judging teams' decision being overruled. There was a question of bias in this decision. An investigation by the Eboard and NCC did not show that any bias was involved, but even the appearance of bias can damage our integrity. No rules were broken, and no punitive action was needed. However, the incident did point out that we need to be more vigilant than ever in avoiding even the appearance of bias in judging.

Going forward, there will be more collaboration between the Eboard and NCC. We will be inviting an NCC member to represent the NCC as an Eboard member.

We want to assure all who enter models in our national contest that the process is fair and that those judging will be required to adhere to our rules and guidelines. Our volunteer team of over 300 National judges work hard at each convention to choose the very best models to receive the awards they deserve. We want to be sure they have the training, guidance, and tools to continuously improve our judging each year, and the Eboard and NCC will work together to make sure that IPMS/USA judging is second to none.

We look forward to seeing you at next year's national convention July 17-20, 2024, in beautiful Madison, Wisconsin. We would love to see your latest models in the biggest model contest in the country, or on the display tables that will be available for those who prefer not to compete. Either way, we invite you to join us in Madison for some great modeling inspiration, making or renewing friendships, and the largest traveling hobby shop in the USA. See you there!

IPMS/USA is a membership driven organization. You input is greatly appreciated. Be well. Happy modeling to all.

Dave Lockhart IPMS/USA President

Mark Persichetti IPMS/USA NCC Chief Judge