Selection Process for Snipe Class Executive Director

Dear all,

As you may know, Jerelyn Biehl, who has been the Snipe Class Executive Director for the past 32 years, is retiring at the end of 2025. We are very thankful to her for her dedication and invaluable contribution to the Class. Six months ago, the selection process for her replacement began and we can now proudly announce that we have come to a final decision.

The Board published a job advertisement in March and received thirty-eight CVs in response. A committee was formed in which Paola Prada, Yannick Laumans and Taylor Scheuermann screened them and reduced the list of candidates to seven. Together with the Board of Governors, they established the main criteria used to evaluate each of them – past experience and availability as well as their perspective on sailing and Snipes.

Once the seven candidates had been shortlisted, individual interviews were carried out by the Board to get to know each of them personally and their general view of the Class. Finally, on the 15th of October, the Board voted to elect Cesar Travado the next Executive Director of the Snipe Class. Cesar has been a dedicated Snipe sailor his entire life and boasts an impressive track record as both a successful competitor and a respected coach. He has also served for several years as a Spanish Class associate, where his leadership has been the fuel in the growth of Snipe in Spain, and, as a member of the Technical Committee, he is an expert when it comes to rules and regulations of the Class. Additionally, his experience as an Optimist coach gives him invaluable insight into youth development, where he can build a strong pathway for the next generation of Snipe sailors.

He will join the Board of Governors at the beginning of November to work alongside Jerelyn until the end of the year. We want to congratulate Cesar and welcome him to the team as well as wishing Jerelyn all the best in her future endeavours. I also wish to thank the committee for their effort, dedication and long working hours to achieve another milestone together.

2026 will be a year of change, evolution and steps forward for the Snipe Class that we hope to achieve with your help and contribution.

See you soon, hopefully on the water.

Best regards,

Martín Bermúdez de la Puente Gallego

Snipe Class Commodore