The Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) will report the results of their special election of board director, for the first phase of their board transition, on September 16. Voting continues until September 15. This special election is a result of a vote where GAMA publishers ceded control of the board to include non-publisher segments (see "GAMA Publishers Give Up Control of Organization").

The first phase of the board transition includes a special election to address four of the ten board positions that have a limited term. The four directors with a limited term are President Stephan Brissaud (Iello), Secretary Jeff Tidball (Left Justified & Prolific Games), At Large Director Nicole Lindroos (Green Ronin Publishing), and At Large Director Kylie Prymus (Games Unlimited). The special election will be for the first representatives, one from each category of GAMA games industry professionals, in the new board format. The categories of professionals include Creators/Creatives, Media & Events, Production, Publishers, Retailers, and Wholesale.

The candidates in the special election are as follows:

Creators/Creatives

  • James Lowder, Freelance author, editor, game designer
  • Grace Collins, Snow Bright Studios

Media & Events

  • Monica Rasso, Meeples At Sea
  • Doug Houseman, SGG Gaming Group

Production

  • Eric Price, Meijia Games Factory

Publishers

  • Stephan Brissaud, Iello
  • T. Caires, HABA

Retailer

  • Kylie Prymus, Games Unlimited
  • David Wheeler, Dragons Lair

Wholesale

  • Joel Fleischman, Sullivan Distribution
  • Beau Heath, Southern Hobby Distribution
  • Shaw Mead, Golden Distribution
  • Des Tan, Ludus Distributors, Corp 

Prymus and Brissard are the only two of the four legacy-termed directors, from the first transition phase, that have elected to run for one of the open seats on the new board. Voting for this special election will end September 15, and after the election, everyone on the new board will become simply "directors" until the new board of twelve can select officers at a September 23 meeting.

In the second phase of the board transition, which will happen next March before GAMA Expo, the remaing six legacy-termed directors will be replaced by the second elected representative from each category. The six remaining directors include Wholesale Chair Sito Sanchez (Peachstate Hobby Distribution), Retail Chair Jennifer Ward (Crazy Squirrel Games), Vice-President Andrew Chesney (Chip Theory Games), Treasurer Gary Alaka, (Gap Closer Games), Director At-Large Jeff Pinsker (Mondo), and Director At-Large Julie Ahern (Greenbriar Games).