Susan – I would like to suggest Dan Gertmenian as a very special chess person!
Dan has been devoting much of his time to sharing his love for chess with young people in the San Francisco Bay Area.
He is the founder and owner of Chess Prep in Sunnyvale CA.
Before deciding to devote his time in this way, Dan had a “cushy job” working for some Silicon Valley companies. But that was not satisfying enough for him, so he chose instead to make a courageous change in his life.
Now he inspires young chess players with his knowledge and passion for the game! Dan is also active with the Math Olympics program in our area.
Such a dedication to youth is rare and to be greatly treasured! I applaud him for his efforts and for his inspiration!
Dr. Rene Ochoa
Thank you Dan for everything you do for chess!
To nominate a “Special Chess Person” of the week, please send me a picture of that person and a little write up about him or her to PolgarChessInc@aol.com. Thank you!
Way to go Dan!
Does Chess Prep still exist or has it merged with one of the larger programs in Northern California? According to the website link, the last regular classes were in 2003 and the last camp was in 2005. I’m just curious because I live in the SF Bay Area and never heard of Chess Prep.
http://www.chessprep.com
Yes. It still is active, but I think that the web site simply needs to be updated. Currently, Dan has been working with me with the establishment of the Peninsula Chess Center in Cupertino CA. I think that soon he will be more active with the Chess Prep center in Sunnyvale.
Dr. O
Excellent. Keep up the good work.