The judge program is full of excellent people. And I use the word “excellent” in a very broad aspect: as humans, as project leaders, as volunteers for a greater good, as logistics experts, etc.
Their interests and involvement is among the most varied you can find in a given community:
- Some like being in the spotlight; to be recognized for their efforts and be known as the person who did something, while some others are all about silently making the program better behind the curtain.
- Some are all about specialization, focusing their efforts in particular areas of the program on a quest for proficiency whereas others are better suited to be the jack of all trades, exploring all there is to do and trying to be good in most if not all the different aspects that judging includes.
- Some like to work impacting their city/state/region, while some others like to work on a larger scope affecting the international community.
Neither approach is right or wrong (not at all, all of them are very important!), but some of the possible mix and match combinations may have someone go unnoticed and not adequately recognized, perhaps for longer than they should.
Matteo Callegari is one of those.
Matteo has for long worked in some of our highest profile project such as the level redefinition, community development, and more recently in the Conferences Sphere. Many times he did not get the attention or spotlight he deserved because he wasn't in it for anything else than the community's improvement, and as such he was happy to play secondary roles, letting others take center stage.
Matteo has contributed on every aspect of the Judge Program: articles (check who has won Article of the Year. Now check who has earned it multiple years!), seminars, project work, and great tournament skills. From America (both North and South) to Asia and back to Europe, his homeland.
Now add to the mix some Grand Prix in the last year as XO, Appeals Judge, and even Head Judge, and that's the final touch to picture one of our finest judges.
Perhaps what took longer than with most other Level 4 promotions was to gather all the pieces together. Everyone was in agreement that Matteo was great, and by putting together the puzzle the senior judges came to the collective realization of the full spectrum of Matteo's involvement and contributions, earning him a spot among our highest level judges.
Congratulations Matteo on getting to Level 4 and hope you continue making us all better for many years to come!
Edited Damián Hiller (March 15, 2016 01:53:57 PM)