New ARRL Contest Manager begins work in October

The ARRL is pleased to announce that Sean Kutzko, KX9X, will be assuming the duties of ARRL Contest Manager beginning October 1.

First licensed in 1982 as KA9NGH, Kutzko developed a taste for contesting after winning the Illinois section in the 1988 ARRL Novice Roundup. Since then, he has been active in both HF and VHF contesting, as well as HF DXing and VHF
weak-signal communications.

A long-standing member of the Society of Midwest Contesters (SMC) and a strong advocate of mentoring new contesters, Kutzko has won several contest and DX awards, including several Top Ten finishes in the ARRL Sweepstakes SSB contest as a QRP entrant. He has been on two HF contest DXpeditions, including 6Y7M in the 1994 CQ WPX CW contest, and V26NA in the 1997 ARRL International DX CW Contest.

Kutzko also enjoys activating rare grid squares by going on "Grid DXpeditions" in the continental US for the VHF/UHF community. In the late 1990s, Kutzko published a regular
column in the National Contest Journal (NCJ) that focused on DX locations available for hams to rent for contests or DXpeditions.

Kutzko holds a BA in communications from the University of Illinois at Springfield and worked as an announcer and jazz host at National Public Radio (NPR) affiliates in Illinois and Indiana throughout the 1990s.

Most recently, he was the Advertising and Marketing Director for Area Diesel Service, a diesel parts company based in Carlinville, Illinois.

When he's not involved in Amateur Radio, Kutzko is an active musician, playing guitar, drums and ethnic percussion, and is working on his first solo CD. He enjoys studying music history and has a diverse musical appetite, ranging from classic rock, jazz, blues, bluegrass, West African highlife and even classical. He is a rabid baseball fan and follows the Chicago Cubs religiously.

ARRL Membership and Volunteer Programs Manager Dave Patton, NN1N, said, "I am very pleased to have Sean onboard. He is enthusiastic, bright, and an active contester, with VHF/UHF contesting and operating among his favorite activities." Kutzko replaces Tom Hogerty, KC1J, who resigned as ARRL Contest Manager in early August to pursue other opportunities.

Source: The American Radio Relay League