The Mid Atlantic BBQ Association represents many aspects of barbecue - the backyard chef cooking for family and friends, competition teams "on the circuit", and those adventurous enough to have a commercially related enterprise. Our mission is to be supportive of all these. We want to promote the fun of barbecue, sponsor competitions, and provide resources and information. In part, to accomplish this, we have initiated a seasonal newsletter and maintain this web site.
A
more specific goal is to host the second annual BBQ trade show in the
Northeast. It is well on its way in the planning stages with top-notch seminar
leaders lined up for a wide variety of programs. The large Expo Hall of
Lancaster's Host Resort & Convention Center in South Central PA, will be the
focal point for April 10-12, 2008. The first two days are scheduled for
registered attendees, vendors, competitors, and exhibitors. Then, a "public
day" is set for Saturday the 12th featuring food samples and BBQ
related items for sale by the vendors. Vendor/team/exhibitor packets and
attendee booklets will be available soon. Contact us to get on the mailing list.
The MABA will have a significant presence at BBQ competitions throughout the region it serves (DE, MD, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV. We will be doing the "Competitor's Breakfast" on Saturday morning at many of these events, sponsoring Iron Chef contests, and providing an information booth. The State Cup program is also progressing well.
Why not take a minute to fill out an application and join one of the most fun and dedicated barbeque associations in the country. We're sure you'll be happy with your membership.
The Board of Directors
Tom Christine - President
Phone ( 215 ) 603-2508
Email: smokendude@comcast.net
Tommy started out as an auto mechanic right out of high school, owning and operating his own auto repair shop by the time he was 27 years old. Being the party animal that he is, Tommy started having an annual Luau in 1996, each one becoming bigger and better with Tom experimenting with the menu. After a few years he discovered the world of barbequing. His passion for this grew. When he found out about the first annual Ocean City, NJ "King of the Grill" competition, he went to check it out. He was so fascinated by this hobby and vowed to be back the next year as a competitor.
That was the real beginning of Tommy's love for barbequing. He started competing and catering the next year. In 2002, along with his son Bill, he opened Smoken Dudes Smoke House BBQ restaurant. He helped run the restaurant and catering business, while also renting and selling BBQ equipment.
In his spare time Tommy is the main organizer for the Bristol, PA "Smokin on the River" competition, is a Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) member and certified judge, sits on the organizing committee for the New Holland Summer Fest, and has been elected as the President of MABA.
Tommy says "I'm living the dream of being able to turn my hobby into a business and loving every minute of it."
Sam Whiting - Vice President
Phone ( 724 ) 699-2165
Email: Royalty99999@yahoo.com
Bio coming soon!!!!!
Mark Friedrichs - Treasurer
Phone ( 610 ) 357-5059
Email:
markfried01@comcast.net
Mark has always enjoyed cooking. Sharing good food with family and friends are things he lives for. After salmon fishing back in the mid 80's, a friend smoked some of the catch and Mark has been a fan of smoked meats ever since.
He learned the true art of low and slow barbecue cooking from a friend outside of Raleigh, N. Carolina. Although his friend is gone now, the lessons he learned has kindled the passion he has for what is almost a lost practice.
While his career is being a Sr. Electrical Engineer, his pastimes involve BBQ and fly fishing. If he is not barbecuing or fishing, you may usually find him catering a BBQ party or doing a pig roast in the Philadelphia suburbs.
A KCBS member and certified judge, Mark has done one or the other through out the Mid Atlantic and into New England, since 2002. His team, Hoff Daddy's BBQ, with their ever present hammocks, has been slowly earning respect throughout the competition circuit in the North East. With his team mate, "the Senator", they have earned an award in the American Royal Invitational in Kansas City, and have competed in the Jack Daniels Invitational. Mark was elected into the Board of Directors of MABA in September, 2005.
Erik Hume - Secretary
Phone:
(717) 756-9642
Email:
erikhume@gmail.com
By
day, Erik is a lawyer who helps his clients buy, sell and develop real
estate. Outside of the office, Erik’s favorite hobby is outdoor
cooking. Erik first became interested in grilling and barbeque more
than ten years ago when he and his friend Ken started cooking ribs on
Ken’s Smokey Joe grill. Erik was immediately hooked and started
learning all he could about outdoor cooking. Erik’s interest in low and
slow cooking began a few years later when his wife surprised him with a
Weber Smokey Mountain for Christmas. In addition to his WSM, Erik now
cooks on a Big Green Egg and Weber Kettle.
Erik
and Ken, after years of talking about it, finally entered the
competition circuit in 2006 as White Dog BBQ. Since then, they’ve
competed in several contests in the Mid-Atlantic region. In 2007, Erik
became a KCBS-certified BBQ Judge.
Erik
lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with his wife Karen and their son Alex
and daughter Katie. Erik was first elected to the MABA Board of
Directors in 2007, and is currently serving as Secretary.
Dan Hixon - Board Member
Phone (443) 632-5329
Email:
dan@3eyzbbq.com
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Growing up in Chicago , Dan really
didn’t see a whole lot of slow smoking going on. Actually, most outdoor cooking
was done on gassers and involved charring some chicken and hot dogs and maybe
slapping on a previously boiled rack of ribs. Honest. After moving to the
Mid-Atlantic, Dan discovered that there is a whole different way of cooking.
After watching some food Network shows and purchasing a WSM Dan decided to enter
the backyard competition in Bel Air in August 2005. He got beat badly and
finished 10th out of 16 teams. After a couple adult beverages and
some conversations with his friend Jason , 3 Eyz BBQ was formed that very evening.
It was decided that it was time to play with the big boys.
Since
that day in August 2005, Dan has become a devoted BBQ Pitmaster traveling as far
as
Kansas City to compete in the GAB and taking part in about 9 contests a
year racking up approximately 40 awards to date and two Grand Championships.
Dan’s newest adventure has been forming 3EyzBBQ, LLC and beginning to sell an
all purpose BBQ spice rub.
When
not BBQing, Dan can be found working as a Project Manager at an Environmental
Consulting firm and spending time with his wife and miniature pincher Snoop.
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Carl Harper- Board Member
Phone: (610) 563-8255
Email:
carlharper@comcast.net
Carl’s serious interest in food began before he was
finished high school when he began working as a busboy in a newly opened
fine dining restaurant in his small hometown. He continued working in the
restaurant business, mostly part time, for over 30 years where he worked
with many talented chefs serving primarily French and Continental cuisine.
He developed an appreciation and love for BBQ after visiting some of his
wife’s family in Texas a few years ago. After returning from that trip he
purchased a WSM, spent countless hours educating himself on the Virtual
Weber Bullet website and started cooking BBQ regularly for friends and
family.
Last summer, after a job change suddenly resulted in free
nights and weekends, Carl attended BBQ competitions on three consecutive
weekends and was then completely hooked! He became a Certified Barbecue Judge
this spring and will judge seven contests this year. He will continue to work
toward becoming a Master Barbecue Judge and hopes to someday form a team and
enter the competition circuit.
Carl works for the
Chester County Treasurer’s Office in West Chester and in addition to barbecuing
he enjoys auto racing and taking cruises with his wife.
Jim
Glatfelter - Board Member
Phone: (717) 283-7054
Email:
bbjg895@aol.com
Jim began cooking on a small cast
iron Hibachi as soon as he left the homestead, and had to cook for himself.
That little Hibachi was what Jim called his barbecue. After cooking on his
barbecue for 10 years, he bought a Weber kettle grill. He improvised a
rotisserie and thought, “Now I’m really barbecuing!” Many years later, he met
Mark Litwin, a fellow barbecuer. As they got to know each other, they both
realized they were grillers. After reading Smoke & Spice, they
understood what BBQ was all about. With Mark’s prompting, they both bought
smokers and entered their first contest. It was at the first New Holland Summer
Fest when they both got calls to the stage. They were hooked. Both formed
one-man teams and competed against each other. Today they both cook on the
Pequea Pullers Smokin’ BBQ team, except for New Holland where they still compete
against each other.
Jim has been in the printing industry
all his working life and is currently an estimator at Graphic Crafts in Willow
Street, PA.
Ron Wiley - Board Member
Phone: (610) 698-9937
Email:
dorag@dejazzd.com
During Ron’s career as a Field Engineer (now retired),
he sampled various foods and types of cooking throughout the world. Over a
period of years Ron learned how to duplicate many of the things he tasted
and focused on improving his cooking skills. The offset smokers seen for
sale at home improvement stores always looked interesting to Ron who
eventually broke down and bought one for home use. The continual search for
information on pit BBQ techniques led to internet contact with KCBS and MABA.
After learning much from the BBQ forums, KCBS judging became and natural
progression. Both Ron and his wife Barbara are now certified KCBS Judges and
Table Captains. Having since graduated to a larger trailer mounted smoker,
the 2008 season will be Ron’s first venture into competition BBQ. The team
will be called Habanero Hog. This new found passion is pushing aside his
other interests in fishing, woodworking and motorcycling.
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