This letter is to serve as formal notification that I, Paul Wilson, am officially submitting my name to run for election to the Board of Directors for the Dallas Makerspace for the year 2019.

Hello. My name is Paul Wilson, and I am running for the Board of Directors for the Dallas Makerspace.

My intent for my term is to improve the daily Quality of Life in DMS. My top three goals to accomplish this are the following:

   • Evaluating the current needs and wants of the DMS. I believe we are overdue to re-analyze our common preconceptions and S.O.P.s in many areas, and that they need to be updated to the needs of a DMS with a membership 2000+, not the needs of a DMS with a membership of 200 from 5 years ago. 
   • A full accounting of our current financial status, and the creation of a budget that allows for expenditures on new equipment, savings for future expansion(s), and rainy day/emergency funds. This budget will be made easily available on the wiki, and regularly updated with current numbers.
   • Encourage the creation of clearly defined policies and rules that are used across all committees for events that have had regular issues of confusion or uncertainty (E.g. - the newly proposed Creative Arts Disciplinary Action Model). It is understood that each committee may require specific modifications, but having a base model that is used across the board will greatly help to reduce confusion.

DMS History - I have been a member of DMS since its start on Skillman Avenue in 2010, and have worked in and with multiple committees including 3D Fab, Electronics, Creative Arts, Laser, VECTOR and Woodshop. I helped Astrud Aguirre to program and teach the series of classes that resulted with the creation of the Printmaking committee. I have been involved with many PR related events for DMS, including the group DMS project at the 2010 TEDxSMU, four years of presentations at the Texas Pinball Festival and two years at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History with VECTOR, and two (soon to be three) Steamroller Printing events with the Printmaking committee.

Prior non-profit BoD experience - I was on the Board of Directors for 5 years (2008 - 2012) for the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA), the parent 501c6 non-profit for Anime Expo (AX). AX is the largest US anime convention with 100+k attendees, and 500+ volunteer staff. At the time of my election to the SPJA Board, AX was experiencing growing pains, volunteer staff dissent, and financial issues. When I left the SPJA board the SPJA/AX was on a solid financial footing, was well established in it's new home at the LA Convention Center, and had experienced continual growth in attendee attendance. I feel the DMS is currently undergoing a very similar cultural and business shift and believe my experience on the SPJA's Board will be of great benefit to the DMS.

Nominated by: Stan Simmons, Shawn Christian, and Mike Churchill


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