US Chess Names Panner TD of the Year

 

NTD Glenn Panner, a well-known tournament director both nationally and in Illinois, has received the 2020 Tournament Director of the Year award from the US Chess Federation. This award recognizes TDs who are both experts at directing and have served with distinction in the past year. Panner was chief TD at the 2019 National High School Championship held in Schaumburg, an event that was both successful and exceeded attendance expectations.

Now an expert-level player, Panner began directing tournaments when he was 14, and by age 15 had organized a FIDE tournament. He’s been an active director and organizer ever since. A self-styled “chess tourist,” Panner enjoys visiting other cities to direct, organize, or play chess, as well as taste the local cuisine and see the sights. Along the way he has collaborated with numerous organizers including Tim Just, Wayne Clark, Sevan Muradian, Al and Janelle Losoff, Susan Polgar, and he has had high-level director roles at countless national and state events. Even so, he’s still happy to direct a small local blitz or scholastic.

Panner has mentored numerous directors and has enlightened many through careful discussion of challenging directing situations he has handled. Directors who work for him appreciate how he treats them as colleagues, even when he is chief TD.