Chris Unangst
for Southeast Regional Director

Please send me questions. I will be glad to answer them and I will post questions of general interest here with my answers.

I'm concerned about you being on the Board since you are a judge. We have so many judges on the Board already.

I understand your concern, but please don't think of me only as a judge. Yes, I am a judge and am honored to be one. However, equally important to me is being an exhibitor.

Since becoming a judge I have attended as many shows solely as an exhibitor as I have as a judge. I support most shows I judge as an exhibitor the opposite day. Being an exhibitor is first and foremost to me. Judging is a bonus.

Because of my equal participation as an exhibitor and as a judge, I feel I can represent exhibitors and judges fairly and equally.


I'm concerned that the focus of the region will only be North Carolina. Can you comment on that?

The Southeast Region is made up of 7 states and 5 countries/territories. I want this to be a unified region with everyone, no matter where they live, participating equally. We need to encourage our existing membership and grow across the region. I will do everything within my ability to see us as one region working for the benefit of all.


I thought Vanadis was running?

For those who don't know her, Vanadis Crawford is a close friend of mine. We live together in Raleigh, NC but are not partners - we're simply room mates.

Several people in the region expressed an interest to run Vanadis as a write-in candidate. When I wanted to pursue the Regional Director position, Vanadis encouraged me to do so and said she would not accept the Regional Director position if elected by write-in.

As our current Regional Director, Jo Parris, has the support of her good friend, Linda Ferguson, I am lucky to have Vanadis' support and assistance. But, as with Jo and Linda, if elected I will be your Regional Director and will be the one making decisions in that position.

What is your philosophy in assigning show dates?

All Regional Directors need to follow show rules 22.1.2 and 22.1.2.1 which read:

22.1.1 Show Dates. When a club desires a show date from the Regional Director, they may request that date in writing. After 30 days, there being no response from the Regional Director, the club may proceed with the show date, scheduling it through the Executive Office by providing the Executive Office with a copy of the written request.

22.1.2.1 The Regional Director may not deny a club a specific show date unless there is a previously scheduled TICA show in the region on the requested weekend. The first club that requests a show date is authorized to have the show.

That said, if there is no regional show scheduled through me for a given date, the show date will be granted.

However, open communication is key to everyone's success and if I see clubs selecting dates which may cause them difficuties (for example, dates on consecutive weekends in nearby areas or dates with shows in adjoining regions that could affect the show) I would make the affected clubs aware of the situation. But, in the end, if the date is open in the region, the date will be given to the requesting club.