Candidate: Luigi Li
Luigi Li
Davie, Fl
I shot my first USPSA match in 2013 and quickly fell in love with the sport dedicating countless hours to the betterment of myself and the organization. I’ve staffed, shot, and helped put on matches both in the US as well as abroad in all kinds of disciplines. Served on the board of directors locally for 8 years. I have been involved in the industry for as many years both as a shooter and professionally Represented the US through various organizations all over the world. I’ve been a student, a teacher, an employee, a boss, a business owner. There is just too much information about a person to limit a bio to just 300 words. If you would like to know more more about me just reach out.
Why are you seeking to be President of USPSA?
It is time to breathe new life and leadership into the board and the sport. We need a fresh outlook for the future as well as a healthy respect for its past. I want to take a good hard look at what has been working for us and the reasons why. I also feel strongly that we need to look at what we’ve done wrong and how to mitigate mistakes in the future. I have spent over a decade loving this hobby and I feel the need to step up so the next generations of shooters can enjoy it for decades as well.
Prior to announcing your candidacy, what have you done to help promote safe, fun and fair practical shooting?
I sat on the board of local clubs for 8 years running different matches and events. Have been certified as an RO and working major matches for 10 years. Trained and coached junior shooters as well as instructed new shooter classes. Introduced new shooters to the sport. Through my local club we have put on a number of RO classes and encouraged newly minted range officers to go out and staff bigger matches. Everywhere I have shot I have always tried to bring a sense of fun, camaraderie, and sportsmanship with me. I have defended fellow competitors from bad calls as well as owning mistakes when they weren't called on me.
What qualifications set you apart from other candidates? What previous or current employment or volunteer experience do you have that qualifies you for the role of USPSA President?
Most recently I was on the team representing the United States at the world shoot held in Thailand for Production Optics. I have worked and shot matches all over the world. I’ve been involved with the sport as a shooter, match director, and professional so I feel I have the some experiences and knowledge that would be useful to the board. I don’t really have an ego so I have no qualms about reaching out to someone with with more experience for advice on certain matters. I have a voracious appetite for education and am willing to dive into a subject until I am versed enough to understand what is going on. I have worked in the industry for a number of years and have developed relationships that I feel are vital to the role. I have owned businesses and worked in finances so I have an understanding of budgets and what it takes to make them work. I have sat on different boards and leadership groups so I understand what it takes to be a team player as well as how to have discourse in order to bring about change. Having a background in science I do like to know why things are done instead of just accepting it because that’s how it’s always been. I like to have clear and concise processes when operating so there is no question of what has happened or why. That is also super important when handing off responsibilities for continuity sake.
Describe the current culture of USPSA.
This one is a tricky question since culture is a localized thing. Every individual club will have different cultural tendencies, same goes for sections and areas. Although the one overarching theme I have noticed in my travels is the camaraderie. This sport is the most welcoming of all the hobbies I have been in. I’ve seen complete strangers hand over thousand’s of dollars worth of gear to help out their direct competition when guns went down. Try to find that in any other contest.
After reviewing the bylaws, please explain what the President of USPSA is responsible for and how will you fulfill those responsibilities if elected?
The president currently has three main responsibilities. He is the face of the organization, the chairperson of the board, and runs nationals. Being the face of the organization he is the spokesman to our members as well as it’s representative. He is the face we put out in public, the handshake that seals deals, and our Regional Director for IPSC. As chairperson he is responsible for the policies and accountability of the board. He is charged with making sure the board follows the bylaws as well the policies they’ve created. He also sets the meeting agendas and as chairperson he guides conversations and keeps them on track. He is also charged with issuing minutes so he is the one to make sure the membership gets an accurate account of what was discussed. The President also runs our national events as Match Director or can assign one. We are the best shooting region on the planet. We should have the best national event to prove that. Let’s research other regions, have dialog with attendees, look at historical matches. Lot’s of matches have after action forms or emails they take into consideration. Our culmination of the shooting season should reflect that.
What are the top three areas that need to be addressed within USPSA? What is your strategy for addressing them?
The three most pressing issues that we have in the organization right now are the fiscal matters, membership trust in the board, and the lack of organizational support at the local level. To cut costs we would need to examine historical data and see where, how, and what is being spent to be able to reduce unwarranted expenses. We would also need to expand our revenue streams if costs aren’t able to be reduced. Also, I believe the highest importance should be on fiscal items over anything else. The budget and audits of the organization need to be taken care of faster than they have been. First and foremost this is a business and should be treated like one. Trust in the board is at the lowest I have ever seen it in all the years I have been involved. The big issue right now is transparency. It feels like every meeting minutes are riddled with unwarranted executive sessions. Those need to go unless it is specifically required by the current bylaws. The bylaws also can’t be changed at will or ignored when suiting the agenda of a select few. More and more I hear that clubs are choosing to hold hitfactor matches because there is no real benefit to the club itself. You get your club listed but honest a third party website does a better job and includes current matches. I would like to bring forward dialog at the the local level to see what is needed. As a match director I have seen all sorts of struggles especially during the covid years. Dialog is the only way to familiarize HQ with the different issues plaguing the local level.
If elected President of USPSA please explain how you will help support the clubs, sections and current members as well as promote USPSA to potential members?
There are 8 areas in USPSA plus international affiliates and more than 50 sections. 9 board members can not get in touch with the almost 40 thousand current members individually. Evenly split that would be over 4 thousand members per sitting Board member. There is no realistic way that someone can see every need at every club as they are all so different. To help offset this I would like to develop an ongoing questionnaire and informational program where we can get specific and pressing items that need HQ to look at and assist in. I think breaking it down to manageable chunks would be the best system. Have a query form including all the section coordinators. Then have another for just club contacts. These are ideas that I have discussed with members across the country and I feel would be a great benefit to the local effort. The president is also the face of the organization and should the the number one person doing outreach to the general population as well as other organizations. As a competitor I choose to support all of the shooting sports because like it or not we are all in this together. Firearms have been a hot topic for a number of years and if we lose them, we have no way of competing in this sport we all love. Traveling internationally I’ve seen firsthand what happens when we don’t come together to defend our rights to keep firearms. The second amendment scene is a huge market that we have rarely tapped into. We need to partner with other organizations and join forces to make the shooting sports more mainstream.
After reviewing Article 5 bylaw 5.1 please provide an outline of your strategy for items i) through vi)
i.) By taking a look at historical data we can see trends and how decisions have affected them. The political answer is saying I would work to increase revenue while minimizing expenses but without access to that information, there is no way of knowing how to do that unfortunately.
ii.) Social media is the key to marketing in this day and age. I would work with HQ to aggressively pursue some social media endeavors to get shooters to matches. What we then need to have is dialog with local clubs and match directors to see what issues they are having with retention. The organization is built from the ground up and not vice versa.
iii.) These strategies are going to be almost identical to ii) Social media is a huge asset that needs to be exploited to the max. I would also partner with other organizations as we all have the same common goal of firearm ownership. Ours specifically is through practical firearms competition.
iv.) Create meaningful dialog with the membership to see what they want with nationals. A singular huge nationals or one for every division. Have a look at other organizations and regions to see what they've been doing and what works.
v.) Since I started shooting I have supported all of the shooting sports. I have contacts in most of the sports including internationally and would use those relationships already set in place.
vi.) The rule set is the backbone of our sport. We can show up anywhere in the world at a USPSA/IPSC match and have a good idea of what to expect. I would work with the board to listen to all recommendations and commentary when the rules are up for review. Again communication is key here.
After reviewing the USPSA bylaws explain how you see your working relationship with the Managing Director and Board of Directors.
After the most recent bylaw changes the presidential position has very few responsibilities of his own. I would work closely with the board and the managing director to the best of my ability. With my background and experiences I feel I am very adaptable to various different kinds of working relationships, this would be no different. There are nine different people and personalities to navigate so communication is key.
What is USPSA doing right?
No matter where you go around the country you can expect a pretty similar event. Sure the flavor is different but we have a pretty solid rulebook and expectations when it comes to USPSA matches.
If elected, what other issues would you want to address and what is your strategy for addressing them.
There is a growing number of matches that are going outlaw due to recent issues. I would like to give more support at the local level to minimize this loss. We need to give local clubs and matches better reasons to stay affiliated and run events using our ruleset. The support the organization provides at the local level is honestly pitiful. We also need to have a better system in place for registration and management of said events. No one uses winms and paper scoring anymore. What we need is an official USPSA or even an IPSC software that is not some third party program that could theoretically go away tomorrow. We have a huge membership base and would be able to create an open source program for match registration, management, and scoring pretty easily.
If you are unsuccessful in your bid to become president, how will you serve USPSA in the future?
The same as I have always done. I’ll help run clubs, staff matches, bring new shooters to the range, teach, train, instruct, stay active in the industry, and help to advocate for our rights. As always, I will only be a phone call away if the org ever needs me.
It is time to breathe new life and leadership into the board and the sport. We need a fresh outlook for the future as well as a healthy respect for its past. I want to take a good hard look at what has been working for us and the reasons why. I also feel strongly that we need to look at what we’ve done wrong and how to mitigate mistakes in the future. I have spent over a decade loving this hobby and I feel the need to step up so the next generations of shooters can enjoy it for decades as well.
Prior to announcing your candidacy, what have you done to help promote safe, fun and fair practical shooting?
I sat on the board of local clubs for 8 years running different matches and events. Have been certified as an RO and working major matches for 10 years. Trained and coached junior shooters as well as instructed new shooter classes. Introduced new shooters to the sport. Through my local club we have put on a number of RO classes and encouraged newly minted range officers to go out and staff bigger matches. Everywhere I have shot I have always tried to bring a sense of fun, camaraderie, and sportsmanship with me. I have defended fellow competitors from bad calls as well as owning mistakes when they weren't called on me.
What qualifications set you apart from other candidates? What previous or current employment or volunteer experience do you have that qualifies you for the role of USPSA President?
Most recently I was on the team representing the United States at the world shoot held in Thailand for Production Optics. I have worked and shot matches all over the world. I’ve been involved with the sport as a shooter, match director, and professional so I feel I have the some experiences and knowledge that would be useful to the board. I don’t really have an ego so I have no qualms about reaching out to someone with with more experience for advice on certain matters. I have a voracious appetite for education and am willing to dive into a subject until I am versed enough to understand what is going on. I have worked in the industry for a number of years and have developed relationships that I feel are vital to the role. I have owned businesses and worked in finances so I have an understanding of budgets and what it takes to make them work. I have sat on different boards and leadership groups so I understand what it takes to be a team player as well as how to have discourse in order to bring about change. Having a background in science I do like to know why things are done instead of just accepting it because that’s how it’s always been. I like to have clear and concise processes when operating so there is no question of what has happened or why. That is also super important when handing off responsibilities for continuity sake.
Describe the current culture of USPSA.
This one is a tricky question since culture is a localized thing. Every individual club will have different cultural tendencies, same goes for sections and areas. Although the one overarching theme I have noticed in my travels is the camaraderie. This sport is the most welcoming of all the hobbies I have been in. I’ve seen complete strangers hand over thousand’s of dollars worth of gear to help out their direct competition when guns went down. Try to find that in any other contest.
After reviewing the bylaws, please explain what the President of USPSA is responsible for and how will you fulfill those responsibilities if elected?
The president currently has three main responsibilities. He is the face of the organization, the chairperson of the board, and runs nationals. Being the face of the organization he is the spokesman to our members as well as it’s representative. He is the face we put out in public, the handshake that seals deals, and our Regional Director for IPSC. As chairperson he is responsible for the policies and accountability of the board. He is charged with making sure the board follows the bylaws as well the policies they’ve created. He also sets the meeting agendas and as chairperson he guides conversations and keeps them on track. He is also charged with issuing minutes so he is the one to make sure the membership gets an accurate account of what was discussed. The President also runs our national events as Match Director or can assign one. We are the best shooting region on the planet. We should have the best national event to prove that. Let’s research other regions, have dialog with attendees, look at historical matches. Lot’s of matches have after action forms or emails they take into consideration. Our culmination of the shooting season should reflect that.
What are the top three areas that need to be addressed within USPSA? What is your strategy for addressing them?
The three most pressing issues that we have in the organization right now are the fiscal matters, membership trust in the board, and the lack of organizational support at the local level. To cut costs we would need to examine historical data and see where, how, and what is being spent to be able to reduce unwarranted expenses. We would also need to expand our revenue streams if costs aren’t able to be reduced. Also, I believe the highest importance should be on fiscal items over anything else. The budget and audits of the organization need to be taken care of faster than they have been. First and foremost this is a business and should be treated like one. Trust in the board is at the lowest I have ever seen it in all the years I have been involved. The big issue right now is transparency. It feels like every meeting minutes are riddled with unwarranted executive sessions. Those need to go unless it is specifically required by the current bylaws. The bylaws also can’t be changed at will or ignored when suiting the agenda of a select few. More and more I hear that clubs are choosing to hold hitfactor matches because there is no real benefit to the club itself. You get your club listed but honest a third party website does a better job and includes current matches. I would like to bring forward dialog at the the local level to see what is needed. As a match director I have seen all sorts of struggles especially during the covid years. Dialog is the only way to familiarize HQ with the different issues plaguing the local level.
If elected President of USPSA please explain how you will help support the clubs, sections and current members as well as promote USPSA to potential members?
There are 8 areas in USPSA plus international affiliates and more than 50 sections. 9 board members can not get in touch with the almost 40 thousand current members individually. Evenly split that would be over 4 thousand members per sitting Board member. There is no realistic way that someone can see every need at every club as they are all so different. To help offset this I would like to develop an ongoing questionnaire and informational program where we can get specific and pressing items that need HQ to look at and assist in. I think breaking it down to manageable chunks would be the best system. Have a query form including all the section coordinators. Then have another for just club contacts. These are ideas that I have discussed with members across the country and I feel would be a great benefit to the local effort. The president is also the face of the organization and should the the number one person doing outreach to the general population as well as other organizations. As a competitor I choose to support all of the shooting sports because like it or not we are all in this together. Firearms have been a hot topic for a number of years and if we lose them, we have no way of competing in this sport we all love. Traveling internationally I’ve seen firsthand what happens when we don’t come together to defend our rights to keep firearms. The second amendment scene is a huge market that we have rarely tapped into. We need to partner with other organizations and join forces to make the shooting sports more mainstream.
After reviewing Article 5 bylaw 5.1 please provide an outline of your strategy for items i) through vi)
i.) By taking a look at historical data we can see trends and how decisions have affected them. The political answer is saying I would work to increase revenue while minimizing expenses but without access to that information, there is no way of knowing how to do that unfortunately.
ii.) Social media is the key to marketing in this day and age. I would work with HQ to aggressively pursue some social media endeavors to get shooters to matches. What we then need to have is dialog with local clubs and match directors to see what issues they are having with retention. The organization is built from the ground up and not vice versa.
iii.) These strategies are going to be almost identical to ii) Social media is a huge asset that needs to be exploited to the max. I would also partner with other organizations as we all have the same common goal of firearm ownership. Ours specifically is through practical firearms competition.
iv.) Create meaningful dialog with the membership to see what they want with nationals. A singular huge nationals or one for every division. Have a look at other organizations and regions to see what they've been doing and what works.
v.) Since I started shooting I have supported all of the shooting sports. I have contacts in most of the sports including internationally and would use those relationships already set in place.
vi.) The rule set is the backbone of our sport. We can show up anywhere in the world at a USPSA/IPSC match and have a good idea of what to expect. I would work with the board to listen to all recommendations and commentary when the rules are up for review. Again communication is key here.
After reviewing the USPSA bylaws explain how you see your working relationship with the Managing Director and Board of Directors.
After the most recent bylaw changes the presidential position has very few responsibilities of his own. I would work closely with the board and the managing director to the best of my ability. With my background and experiences I feel I am very adaptable to various different kinds of working relationships, this would be no different. There are nine different people and personalities to navigate so communication is key.
What is USPSA doing right?
No matter where you go around the country you can expect a pretty similar event. Sure the flavor is different but we have a pretty solid rulebook and expectations when it comes to USPSA matches.
If elected, what other issues would you want to address and what is your strategy for addressing them.
There is a growing number of matches that are going outlaw due to recent issues. I would like to give more support at the local level to minimize this loss. We need to give local clubs and matches better reasons to stay affiliated and run events using our ruleset. The support the organization provides at the local level is honestly pitiful. We also need to have a better system in place for registration and management of said events. No one uses winms and paper scoring anymore. What we need is an official USPSA or even an IPSC software that is not some third party program that could theoretically go away tomorrow. We have a huge membership base and would be able to create an open source program for match registration, management, and scoring pretty easily.
If you are unsuccessful in your bid to become president, how will you serve USPSA in the future?
The same as I have always done. I’ll help run clubs, staff matches, bring new shooters to the range, teach, train, instruct, stay active in the industry, and help to advocate for our rights. As always, I will only be a phone call away if the org ever needs me.
By trade I am a biologist and have used that scientific background in a variety of different ventures. I believe that having an analytical mindset is tantamount to the success of any organization. We have to be able to ask the right questions to get the accurate information to be able to make educated decisions about the future.
Email Address: [email protected]