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It is the mission of the FBA to promote the uniquely American tradition of barbecuing meat over natural wood or charcoal-fired heat and smoke through education, family-friendly fellowship, and competition.

FBA HALL OF FAME

Each year a few individuals of the Florida BBQ Association are inducted into the Hall of Fame for their significant contributions to the Association and to the BBQ community



Jim Elser, Inducted 2022

Jim Elser served as a Director in 2015, Vice-President in 2016 and President in 2017. As a cook team

pitmaster, Jim and Sweet Smoke Q won the Professional Team of the Year award in 2014 and 2016. He,

also, has appeared on the television show, Barbecue Pitmasters.


Jim is one of the greatest ambassadors and supporters of the FBA. He is a great mentor to the other

cook teams and is always willing to give any advice and support that they might need. Jim has always

gone above board to promote the FBA at any opportunity that he gets.


Jim owns the company, Sweet Smoke Q, which manufactures drum smokers and sauces and rubs. In

additional to making his own outstanding product line, he makes sauces and rubs for other top cook

teams and companies. Jim currently makes the FBA Team of the Year trophies for both the Professional

and Backyard teams.



Steve Brumm, Inducted 2021

Steve has provided exceptional service to the FBA since 2006, in the capacities of President, Vice President, Board Member, Lead Representative, Rep Trainer, Judge Trainer and Master Judge. He stepped forward during FBA times of true crisis and imminent peril. As Vice President, Steve took over as President when the sitting President resigned under extreme pressure from the Board of Directors and membership, while abstaining from that vote. When Steve took over as President, there was $748 in the FBA Treasury, and several thousand dollars in debt. Steve led the FBA recovery to financial stability and formed a fully-functioning Board of Directors, forfeiting some dear friends along the way due to his insistence to always place the FBA well-being over personal desires. He was ultimately elected as President in his own right, then served again as Vice President and finally as a Board Member.

Steve is the longest serving Board Member in the history of the FBA. He wrote or rewrote almost all of the then-existing policy documents, as well as one major revision of the by-laws. He also trained approximately 150 new judges over the years, including special sessions for the 2014 FBA-sanctioned Black Gold BBQ Blowout in Hobbs, New Mexico. At least twice, he carried on with judges training in periods of blackout, i.e., no electricity.

Steve appeared twice on national television during the filming of BBQ Pit Wars while working in Rep capacity and was selected by American Queen Steamboat Company to be a guest lecturer aboard their live-aboard paddlewheel riverboats. His lecture topics were how to judge barbecue and his wacky journey through the world of competition barbecue.


Kevin Bevington, Inducted 2019

Tom & Donna Dominy, Inducted 2019


Mike English, Inducted 2019

 

Rob “Rub” Bagby, Inducted 2018

      • A member of the FBA since 2003, began competing as Swamp Boys in 2004
      • Competed in over 300 FBA contests
      • Won his first Grand Championship in 2006 in Quincy, FL
      • Voted to the Board of Directors 2006, Secretary 2007 and 2008, Vice-President 2008, President in 2009 and 2010
      • Won his first State Championship/Qualifier in 2007 in Newnan, GA
      • Earned the first Perfect Score in the FBA, 2010, Newnan, GA
      • Won the FBA State Championship in FL, GA, AL
      • Won the FBA Triple Crown
      • Represented the FBA four times at The Jack Daniel World Championships
      • Taught BBQ Classes to hundreds of people from across the country, Canada, and Europe
      • Since 2006 has been in the top 3 TOTY 9 times & top 5 TOTY 4 times
      • 2008, 2009, 2017 Team of the Year
      • Won over 110 Grand and Reserve Grand Championships


Jady Hill, Inducted 2018

    Founding Member of the Florida BBQ Association

    Original Judge

    First recipient of the “Person of the Year” Award

    Pit Master of Florida Boys BBQ team

    Organizer

    Multiple Grand Championships

    Actively judged and competed for 20 years

Les Price, Inducted 2017

  • Co-Creator of FBA and elected member of the Board of Directors during its initial three years.
  • Organized the FBA introductory ’start-up’ meeting.
  • Wrote the FBA organizational documents and rules and regulations.
  • Organized and ran the first FBA sanctioned BBQ contest.


Norm Spradlen, Inducted 2017

  • FBA’s first President (un-elected).
  • FBA founding member.
  • He wrote the FBA’s first scoring program.

Joby Stanaland, Inducted 2017

  • Co-Creator of FBA and elected president during its initial six years.
  • A consummate southern salesman who used his skills to attract the attention of potential sponsors, judges and cooking teams to join the FBA family.
  • Solicited and received input from many cook teams which formed the basis for the development of many of the FBA rules and regulations.
  • Even as a successful and intense competitor on Saturdays, he always found the time on Fridays to have a party in his tent for anyone who dropped by to eat, drink and swap tales.

Address:

Florida BBQ Association

6800 Gulfport Blvd S Ste 201, #359

South Pasadena, Florida 33707

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