ACBL CEO Bahar Gidwani, left, and Gary Blevins, ACBL’s director of field operations, with TD Lynn Yokel, winner of the Jean Molnar Employee of the Year award.
The award is named for the longtime TD from San Diego who died of cancer in March 2016. The award is given to a tournament director. There is a separate award for staff at ACBL Headquarters in Horn Lake MS. It is named for Jane Johnson, late director of ACBL’s Customer Service Department.
Yokel, who is working at the San Diego NABC, is a relatively new TD who has ascended in the tournament director ranks.
In presenting the award to Yokel, Bahar Gidwani, ACBL’s chief executive, noted that the winner is a tournament director with at least a year of experience who exhibits “good customer service, technical expertise with a quick response.”
In correspondence nominating Yokel for the award, she was praised for her skill in dealing with players while getting the job done. One letter said, “Lynn strikes the perfect balance between getting her work done well and taking good care of the players. Lynn has taught beginners and is extremely patient with newer players, taking time after the game to more fully explain rulings to them.
“The intermediate/newcomer players love her. More advanced players appreciate her professionalism, knowledge and approach to directing and running tournaments. Lynn is the ultimate team player and everyone loves working with her.”
Yokel lives in Campbell CA, in the San Francisco Bay area.