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What's this Trust Protector thing all about? Let's meet them and chat about Dash stuff.

S

solarguy

Well-known member
Update April 2, 2019 The votes are in, they have been tallied and verified, and Core will do an additional verification soon.

https://dashwatchbeta.org/elections?tab=results

And what a fine line up of Trust Protectors we have:

Perry Woodin 832

Eric Sammons 715

Michael Lewis AKA WALTER 640

Mark Mason 621

Pieter Jan Bakhuijzen AKA DUTCHN0MAD 538

Raleigh Barrett AKA ARTHYRON 534



Update April 1, 2019

Note that it will take about 48 hours for all the votes to be verified and tallied. DashWatch is hard at work on it and will let us know as soon as the results are final.








The Dash ecosystem has a lot of moving parts. Hey, we're THE 800 pound gorilla in the crypto innovation space. With great power comes great responsibility, and complexity.

The Dash Core Team conceived of, and built, yet another thing that has never existed before. They set up a legal Trust (in New Zealand) that represents the interests of the MasterNode community, and allows them to own stuff and do stuff, even though they are, as a group, anonymous. This was no small trick.

What kind of stuff can the trust do? The Masternodes can now take an ownership interest in projects, proposals, companies, and whatever we want really. The MasterNodes can now own the intellectual property produce by Core as one example.

The Trust will also have supervisory duties and powers over the Dash Core Team. The MasterNodes have always had that duty and power, but the only tool with real teeth was to defund the whole Team. That seems a bit drastic. But through the Trust, we could now have surgical precision if a situation arises that one member of the team becomes problematic. We can encourage that one team member to stop being problematic, and if that doesn't work, we can remove them without firing the whole team.

But it's not just about firing people, it's about getting a better look at how things are going, and supporting core in a way that also provides more accountability, transparency and one more channel for communicating with the larger Dash community. It's a checks and balances thing.

I would encourage everyone that is running for Trust Protector to drop in and introduce themselves.

Here are the nuts and bolt details about how the election will work:

https://blog.dash.org/update-on-trust-protectors-election-7a4c76809150

TL/DR: Every Masternode can vote YES or NO on every candidate. The six candidates with the most net YES votes become our first panel of Trust Protectors. This method is FAR better than than the two stage, "First Past the Poll" method, which is what many countries use. Leave it to core to show the government how to do it right. "First Past the Poll" tends to produce two party systems with a lot of polarization. Yucko.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-past-the-post_voting

DashWatch has added a Trust Protector Election page to their beta site:
https://dashwatchbeta.org/elections

Dash Trust Protector Candidate List + Intro's:
https://www.dash.org/forum/threads/dash-trust-protector-candidate-list.43712/
 
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I'll get the ball rolling. I'm running for one of the six trust protector positions.

I got interested in Bitcoin in 2013 or 14, but pretty casually. In 2015 I realized that cryptocurrency would change everything, and there were other projects besides Bitcoin that were innovating faster than Btc. Once I fell down the Dash rabbit hole, there was no going back.

My general approach is to give every idea a fair hearing. I try to do more listening and reading, than talking. I have no interest in politics and factions. I prefer reason and conversation and data and math. I have no interest in micro-managing core. I have great interest in learning more about how the Dash Team functions, and what they are working on, and how we can support them in that task. Real support always involves accountability too. I am willing ask the hard questions to represent the interests of the Masternode community, and the larger Dash community. That doesn't have to look like drama and friction and yelling. In fact, if it comes to that, we're doing it wrong.

I have been a mod on Reddit DashPay and the DashNation Discord forum for a while, and I have tried to strike the balance of doing my job with honesty and integrity.
Conceptually, I have a good grasp of how blockchain works. I am not a programmer or developer by any stretch of the imagination, but I have people for that. More on that later. In Real Life, I'm a doctor. I ran a very successful solo practice for 19 years. I understand spreadsheets, Profit and Loss statements, COGS, the US tax system, quarterly tax payments, managing employees, corporate structures, running a business efficiently, and so on. I retired from that practice 13 months ago so I could devote more time to Dash.

I studied a little intro ecomomics in undergrad, and quite a bit more since then. Politically, I'm a small government Libertarian, but also a pragmatist. I think Austrian economics adds a useful perspective to Keynesian macro and micro economics. I have picked up some contract law over the years. I have a colorful work history. Truck driver, oil rig in Texas on the Austin Chalk, reporter, writer, photgrapher and darkroom tech for a tiny weekly newspaper, mechanic, natural gas pipe fitter, factory worker, construction worker, and a printing press operator. I enjoyed calculus, physics and chemistry in college. I'm interested in permaculture and energy efficiency. I'm a generalist. Well rounded they used to call it.

My strengths are in developing strategy, marketing, writing, problem solving, the basics of game theory, and how that applies to forums and how groups work.

Full disclosure, I have worked as a consultant (at no cost) for a number of proposals including, DashWatch, Ben Swann's first proposal, KuvaCash in the early days, Alt-36, DashRacer (Hi Scott!), DashNexus, Cannabis genetics, George Donnelly (Colombia), George Donnelly (Remittances to Venezuela), my own proposal to make a Dash branded alternative to CoinMarketCap (soundly beaten by the way) and a number of others. They were not all successful, but I felt they were all valid experiments that would either produce something useful for Dash, or would teach us something.

I think integrity counts for a lot, and I hate being late.

What else do you want to know?

Solarguy

Note that Solarguy = Troy Rhodes
And for clarity, I am not @TroyDASH on the discord channel.
 
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I too am running for one of the six Trust Protector positions.

I've been following the developments of the industry since before the "10,000 BTC" Pizza event in 2010. Toward the end of 2013 I decided it was time to actually get involved in the industry hands-on and a friend and I set out to to build our first mining rigs which were completed by the beginning of 2014. Seeing how competitive BTC and LTC mining had already become, I began to look at alternatives and found Darkcoin and was immediately attracted to its emphasis on Privacy and Technological Innovation. I was a regular lurker on the forums and consumer of Dash-related media for some time after that until I set up my first Masternode mid-2016 and began my active participation in the Dash community at that point. Since then, I've spent countless hours engaged in discussion and debate on various communication platforms, served as a moderator in several venues, as well as volunteering as the initial and often primary point of contact for dozens of Proposal Owners interested in working with the network and a consultant offering strategic and logistic advice for POs and liaison between the MNOs and POs. In 2017, I was also selected by ASU researchers to participate in an ongoing study of Blockchain Stakeholders and have written pages and pages of information about the intricacies of Dash, the DAO, and the logistics of working with and within it, the contents of which I'd be happy to pass along to anyone interested in reading.

In regards to the position of Trust Protector, my understanding is that it is the mandate of the TPs to carry out the will of the network as indicated through our voting system(s), and not much else at this juncture. As such, I believe it is essential that the people who assume those roles are committed and dedicated to the ongoing and lasting well-being of the network and the fulfillment of that mandate even at the cost of their own personal opinions and preferences. I've been approached for many months by several community members who have asked that I run for the position, and I trust that my constant and consistent efforts and involvement are evidence of my commitment to the continued success of Dash. Whether or not I am personally elected is not so important to me as simply ensuring that those who *are* elected are likewise committed to and capable of fulfilling that mandate. In other words, I'm running simply because I was asked to do so and want to ensure there is a sufficient pool of qualified candidates to choose from that the network can trust to perform the associated duties appropriately. I'm also pretty transparent and above-board about my involvement in this field, am self-employed so I have a flexible schedule, and--given my background--less worried about potential security issues, so publicly outing myself isn't really a concern for me where it might be for others.

For the benefit of those that want to know more about the candidates and our backgrounds, like @solarguy I have a diverse and varied background. I have a degree in Computer Graphics Technology from Purdue University and for a time was well on my way to becoming a religious scholar (with unfinished degrees in Philosophy and Religious Studies). I currently own, manage, and work at a Therapeutic Massage Clinic specializing in Myofascial Release, a form of bodywork typically practiced by Physical and Occupational Therapists. I've also historically worked in the Physical Security field for over 15 years doing everything from Bouncing, Bodyguarding, Corporate Security, as well as teaching Self Defense--all of which I still do on the side when the opportunity presents itself--as well as a Fitness Center Supervisor and Adolescent Childcare Worker. I'm a lifelong martial artist, have been a voracious reader, spend a great deal of time keeping up with geopolitical news and analysis, love to dabble with technology and various hands-on crafts and projects (Leatherwork, Art, etc), enjoy movies/tv/video games, and I read/watch/monitor pretty much every single Dash-related media and communication platform daily.

I believe that the strengths and qualities I bring to the network and this position are a borderline pedantic capacity for critical thinking and reasoning, a modest business acumen, years of public-facing/customer service experience, a broad knowledge base including a conversant level of technical understanding and ability, a keen interest in geopolitics and global affairs and the history thereof, an even-keel and placid temperament, and a demonstrable commitment to and history of work toward the betterment of Dash as a whole.

I'm also open to whatever questions people have, feel free to ask me here in-thread or contact me across the various discussion platforms.
 
I have also given my information to Dash Watch to put myself in the running for one of the Trust Protector positions.

I'll start with my history in cryptocurrency. I've been paying attention to the space since about 2012. I bought my first bitcoins when they were around 12 dollars and have been involved in cryptocurrency in some way or another ever since. From 2012 to 2014 I kept up with the markets, and speculated on Bitcoin without ever really getting to involved. When Darkcoin launched in 2014 I bought up as much as I could afford since the promise of private transactions was something I saw a great need for within cryptocurrency.

In January of 2015 I had all of my accumulated Dash stolen off of my computer. At this point I had a hard decision, wash my hands of cryptocurrency or take a large financial risk and buy more. With a whole host of technical innovations on the horizon I resolved that I had to stay involved with Dash, so I ended up emptying my bank account and purchasing what I could, and I've been involved with Dash ever since.

I tell that story because I think it illustrates my belief in the long term viability in Dash. I risked everything I had to make sure I was part of this thing that I believe in.

In my view the role of the Trust Protectors is a simple one: Be someone who is committed to and believes in Dash and be ready to act to fix Core if the Masternode network votes to de-fund them. I view part of this responsibility as acting as a conduit to deliver Masternode concerns and questions to Dash Core to avoid that outcome. I am committed to Dash and I will do my best to make sure that if Dash Core ever gets de-funded we will listen to the masternodes, find the problem, and fix it to ensure they can continue the great work that they do building out the technology of Dash.

Outside of Dash I am scientist by training with degrees in Biochemistry and Clinical Neuroscience. I currently work in research and development within the pharmaceutical industry.

For full disclosure I have been involved in two project within the Dash ecosystem, I (very breifly) worked with Dash Watch to help vet the database entries on early proposals in the treasury system. I also worked on the Proposal Evaluation Committee that sought to provide guidance to people seeking funding from the Dash network.

However I have been most active in debating the different proposals that have come before the network. I am sure I have argued both with and against many of you through the years, but through those arguments I hope my commitment to improving Dash came through even if we disagreed on the exact way to get there.

If you have any questions for me feel free to reach out on Discord (name3) or here. If you'd like to have a phone conversation message me on Discord and we can set something up.

TLDR? Check out the bold text.
 
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I applied very late in the process. I came to crypto in early 2016 in ETH Homestead days. I was, and am, still promoting a memoir by a UK author and was seeking to find a way to fund the project. Morden is dead. In November 2016, I had already bought some Dash and XMR after playing with their wallets on Bisq and quickly realized I would not be able ton fund my publishing efforts with Ethereum, and settled into the Dash community. I have steadily been in the Dash community for two years and help Moderate Dash Talk at https://staydashy.com .

My background in computing is since the CP/M OS days, managed the patient databases for the family hearing aid business, former licensed hearing aid dispenser, B.A. in English from the Ohio State University at Mansfield. And I reside in Ohio. What a long strange trip it's been. Pleased to see some other folks from the Great Lakes region applying, @Arthyron, @solarguy, both will make fine Trust Protectors if selected. @Name3, I haven't conversed with in chats before, I like his bold face statement that he will defend core.

My question is are there alternates also elected in case a TP has to be dismissed to ensure there will not have to be a new election every time a TP leaves? I would be campaigning for Alternate given that option.
 
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I’m George Donnelly and I am running for Trust Protector. Here are some facts from my personal bio:
  • 48 years old, divorced, 1 child
  • BA with honors in history, University of Chicago
  • work history includes: Chicago cabbie, Chicago investment banker, English as a foreign language teacher, firearms safety officer, small business owner, Unix/Linux sysadmin, web developer, freelance writer, science fiction author, freelance book editor, Dash DAO proposal owner
  • libertarian activist and blogger
  • fluent Spanish speaker, some German and Japanese
  • have lived in Philadelphia, Chicago, Osaka, Kobe, Medellín and Bogotá (expat since 1997)
  • dearest held principles include integrity, honesty, forthrightness, loyalty, non-aggression
  • interests include: movies, free and open source software, future tech, unconditional parenting, non-violent communication, Aikido, personal development, hiking, mountain biking, meditation, satyagraha, anarchism, zen, photography
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgedonnelly/
  • Twitter: @georgedonnelly
I have understood that the role of Trust Protector is to oversee (the board of directors of) Dash Core Group, inc., to ensure it is acting in line with what the DAO wants. I feel I am fully capable of evaluating DCG and responding to situations that may arise in consultation with the DAO as needed.

That said, to be frank, I believe we need to see the legal document(s), specifically DCG bylaws (I suspect), that instantiate the existence of Trust Protectors, in order to clearly understand the basic legal function of Trust Protectors and have a foundation from which to confidently proceed. We must have the primary sources and not just go off of other people's interpretations.

I also believe that the DAO is fully capable, if it so desires, of holding DCG accountable by defunding it; and that DCG is fully capable of creating more granular funding requests to assist the DAO in doing so. Thus, I am skeptical of the necessity of the Trust Protector mechanism, in the first place. If elected, I will seek to verify that the mechanism is not an elaborate attempt to perpetuate the existence of DCG in its current form in the face of calls for greater accountability, transparency and decentralization.

I have been active in this space since at least 2011, running online conferences where Bitcoin was presented, accepting Bitcoin and other crypto preferentially in my businesses, spending Bitcoin preferentially, writing about crypto, introducing new people to crypto, developing an active presence on Steemit and otherwise actioning any opportunities I have to contribute.

Thanks and looking forward more than anything else to the discussions we as a community can have in the context of this election. I am preparing a statement to support my candidacy and will release it soon.
 
Name3 said:
However I have been most active in debating the different proposals that have come before the network. I am sure I have argued both with and against many of you through the years, but through those arguments I hope my commitment to improving Dash came through even if we disagreed on the exact way to get there.
Click to expand...

Without reasoned discussion and healthy debate, from various perspectives, the Trust Protectors would substantially less useful.
 
I’m putting my name forward for the trust protector position as I believe that there needs to be further work done to professionalise the DAO, and to hold all proposals, including Core, accountable to this end. The viability of the Dash project depends on this.


MY HISTORY WITH DASH

I was involved with Dash as a trader as early as 2014, but I began working with Ryan Taylor and Alexander Chopin directly in 2017, having seen a lot of problems emerge within the project. I have since become very critical of Core’s overall business strategy and delivery, which I see as actively dragging Dash to its demise (becoming a hobby coin and not a real contender in the market anymore).


The relative metrics over the last year tend to indicate that things are not as rosy as they seem in Dash, it’s value falling from #4 to #15 in terms of market cap, and negligible upward movements with regards to its liquidity. I can help develop strategies to stop this, and drive towards building a better vision for Dash.


BACKGROUND:

Https://www.linkedin.com/in/onlineresearch


For my considerable experience in business and award-winning startups (for over 25 years), please see my Linkedin profile above, and feel free to connect with me for a chat.


My LinkedIn profile includes many personal recommendations from high-level corporate executives, from some of the largest banks in the world (Royal Bank of Scotland Group) through to people who have worked in my own businesses (Intranel, Visionslive, Teragence..), as well as successful entrepreneurs (Leiftech, Outfit Staff...), for whom I have provided management consultancy, strategy, design, branding, engineering, financial/fundraising and business expertise.


The skills I can bring to the DAO as trust protector are indeed unique and deep, please feel free to ask me questions relating to any of the businesses I am or have been involved with.


DISCLOSURE - KUVA CO-FOUNDER:

I am also the co-founder and chief strategist of Kuvacash, along with James Saruchera who is the CEO. The DAO has provided funding of over $1.25M USD to Kuva, and we have raised further $900k USD in private contributions. These contributions include Dash payments made by MNO supporters of Kuva, through Dash’s first sub-DAO, the kDAO.


WHY KUVA?

We designed Kuva as an organisation designed to bring a new kind of money system into Africa; one that allows new forms of investment and growth across the continent, to improve people’s lives, business and lifestyles, starting with Zimbabwe, and using Dash.


Our wallet software, and full back-end system written from scratch is now complete as an MVP launch-able product. We have multiple licensed and regulated as well as unregulated businesses in structured trusts, these forming a new kind of digital business organisation. We have launched our B2B business services just over a week ago, and in that time we have moved approx. 400k USD in remittances between multiple countries in Africa and Europe+Asia Pacific.


WHY AM I PUTTING MY NAME FORWARD AS A TRUST PROTECTOR?

For the sake of our own project, Kuva, to remain a fundamental initiative that brings Dash to the masses, we must ensure the Dash crypto project itself is viable in the long term. Kuva remain exclusively committed to Dash, but recent events have led us to further insight as to the operation (and dysfunction) of the DAO. I wish to do what I can to ensure the long-term viability of the Dash project, and it seems a logical way forward to work as a trust protector in Dash in combination with my other work in Kuva.


PROFESSIONALISING THE DAO - WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT?

With respect to Core, I believe that simply ‘quarterly reporting’ is not enough. There needs to be a vision articulated by the CEO that is inspiring and makes business sense. Unfortunately from what I can see, Core is being run like a ‘corporate telephone company’ almost completely without the entrepreneurial vision and drive that would be needed to land a new global money system.


ACCOUNTABILITY:

I have been pressing for more detailed financial reporting from all proposal owners in the DAO, including Core for some time now and this appears to have made me a handful of noisy enemies in the community. This resulted in the defunding of my own demonstrably well-run proposal, Kuvacash, which is, despite the efforts of this handful of detractors and to their chagrin, still running to plan.


Many of the complaints came from proposal owners who do not feel like reporting on their ‘free money’ finances, at what I consider to be an appropriate, or in some cases even basic level of detail. I led this initiative by actually showing how financial reporting is done, by doing it in detail on our own megaproject, Kuvacash. Every duff is accounted for, we have also been audited in detail by Dashwatch as a trusted third party, and our claims attested by them and several other trusted community members.


This in turn has led to the welcome outcome of MNO’s demanding deeper accountability from proposal owners in general and I note that it led to several proposals becoming defunded, when information came to light that value was not being delivered by those proposals. In at least two cases there was clear evidence of fraud that was exposed through the insistence of the community on an audit, together with the fine investigative work of Dashwatch that was required to finally uncover it. I am very encouraged to see this very welcome and positive outcome, it is massive benefit to Dash and long may it continue.


ON ACCOUNTABILITY:

I would eventually like to see consistent financial reporting for ALL projects on the DAO. All of us who are MNO’s or hold Dash are responsible for directing funds to proposals that deliver as much value to the Dash ecosystem as is possible. To do this, we need information that is summarised, and the tools to see it, in line with a realisable strategy and vision. Therefore, I would press for a way that that MNO’s can easily see the potential value being delivered from each and every proposal, and that this potential value is over and above the funding that was requested. This reporting should be compulsory for Dash Core Group, where I believe there are major efficiencies that can be made in its operation, and a brighter vision brought to life for Dash. We are much more than ‘a payments and remittance platform’, and I can help bring that vision to life.


FINAL WORDS

I have always demonstrated nothing but the utmost integrity in relation to my own DAO-funded project, and will continue to demand the same of all projects on the DAO, including Core. I would be honoured to serve the community as a trust protector, working alongside the other five and will bring my considerable business and organisational expertise to the boardroom, to drive Dash upward and onward. Thank you for your consideration.


Sincerely,

Andreiko “Drako” Kerdemelidis
 
The Dash DAO is not a game changer, it is a world changer. For the first time in history, a truly decentralized, autonomous organization exists. We are explorers venturing into unimagined territories, creating a path that others will follow, one which will fundamentally shift the balance of power from the controlling, omnipotent, and exclusive to the free, voluntary, and independent, from the collective to the individual, from a system of coercion to a system of cooperation.

The role of the Trust Protector is bidirectional. The first role is to legally represent the Masternode network and ensure that DCG and all that the Trust controls behave in a manner that benefits the DAO. However, there is a second, less obvious role, and that is to protect DCG and the Trust from outside attack. Dash is incredibly disruptive and there will be many people and agencies who wish to destroy us. As DCG could be considered the brain of Dash, it will thus be a primary focus of attack, and the Trust Protectors will be an avenue for attack. It is imperative that the Trust Protectors not only have a proven history of defending Dash, but also the knowledge of the greater Dash ecosystem and the wisdom of history necessary to recognize such attacks. Trust Protectors must understand that “decentralized, permissionless, free, and open” are not just buzzwords, but an ideology to build a world around.

To that end, I, Chris Webb, am officially announcing my running for the position of Trust Protector. I have proven my dedication to Dash over the past two years, not just with platitudes and cheerleading, but also by challenging those who may cause harm to Dash, intentional or not, even when they are popular members of our community.

I am 45 years old, married for 10 years to the most amazing woman, and have a wonderful step-daughter and 3 beautiful grandchildren (for whom I’ve opened Crowdnode accounts :)). I was born and raised in Saskatchewan, Canada and moved to Alabama, USA in my mid 20’s. I received my Bachelor of Arts at the University of North Alabama with time also spent at the University of Saskatchewan.

Resume
  • Dash Street Team Founding Member
    • As a founding member of Dash Street Team, a Dash Boost funded project that aims to spread Dash adoption from the ground up, I am able to have a true street-level perspective of Dash
  • Dash Brain Founder and Curator
    • Launched in August 2018, the Dash Brain is a map of all things related to Dash that are represented through both hierarchical and associative links. The development and ongoing curation of the the Dash Brain has provided me with a high-level overview of Dash that few others possess
    • http://thedashbrain.com
  • Dashcrypto.org Content Contributor
    • I am a contributing content for the upcoming dashcrypto.org website, specifically content that clarifies many of the common misconceptions and lies that are prevalent in the various cryptocurrency communities
  • IT and Connected Technologies
    • I have been working in IT and other connected technologies for nearly 20 years
    • Currently, I run the Support Desk for an international company of over 500 employees
Thank you for your consideration,
Chris Webb (kanuuker)

**EDITED FOR FORMATTING**
 
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I too have submitted my name as a candidate for Trust Protector.

I’ve been involved with cryptocurrency since 2013 and been a Dash Masternode owner for over three years. I’ve written numerous articles on Dash, and I am the creator of Dash Vote Tracker, which was the first site dedicated to tracking the Dash Budget System (it has since been retired, with Dash Nexus now providing the same functionality).

For over 15 years I was a software developer; however, in the past few years I’ve transitioned to a full-time writer/editor as well as a real estate investor. I live in Ohio with my wife and seven children. I’m also the chair of my local Libertarian Party.

I’ve seen the Dash Budget System grow and develop over the years, and while it can always be improved, it is clearly the most sophisticated decentralized system of governance in the crypto world. One of the best features of this system is the ability to defund Dash Core Group if necessary. I was part of the Bitcoin community for a long time, and it still saddens me what happened to it when Bitcoin’s Core team went rogue and put Bitcoin on a path unsupported by most of the community. It was this split, in fact, that led me to embrace Dash.

However, I came to realize that the ability of the Masternode network to defund DCG, while superior to the Bitcoin system, still had shortcomings. One of those shortcomings was the inability to remove specific directors of the Core team if it was agreed that the person was not following the will of the Masternode network (or was engaged in some type of fraudulent activity). As someone else mentioned, there is a need for surgical precision; defunding DCG is a bomb when often just a knife will do. I’m encouraged by the development of the Trust Protectors, which could resolve that shortcoming.

As I see it now (and as I understand the legal concept of Trust Protectors in general), the Trust Protectors’ active role is limited to firing the Trustee as well as firing directors of DCG if such an action is voted on by the Masternode network. Personally, I think the role of Trust Protectors should be strictly limited, as we don’t want to simply add layers of bureaucracy to the current system. Trust Protectors should not be involved in day-to-day operations. In essence, the Trust Protectors should be the court of last resort, used only when a situation has become critical to the health of the network. They are the legal instrument the Masternode Owners (who are the true "directors" of the Dash network) have available when it is absolutely necessary.

Looking at the other candidates in this thread, I am happy to see some strong candidates put their names forward. However, I do want to note that I strongly disagree with the comments of Mr. Kerdemelidis (“Drako”), who appears to believe the Trust Protectors should be far more active in the day-to-day operations of DCG than I believe is appropriate. Trust Protectors serve the Masternode owners, they do not control DCG. I would also note that although I have at times disagreed with actions taken by the DCG over the years (and have made that public when I felt appropriate), I believe that it is currently on the right path and under good leadership.

I believe I can be an objective voice as a Trust Protector, as I have no attachments with the DCG, nor have I ever submitted a proposal to the Dash Budget System (although I have in the past been paid for a few articles I wrote for Dash News (then Dash Force News), which is funded by the DBS). My only “skin in the game” is my ownership of Dash Masternodes, which motivates me to build the network in the best ways possible, without any preference given to personal projects or personalities.

I look forward to the election and to Dash continuing to evolve as the best cryptocurrency project in the world!
 
I too am concerned about Drako's understanding of the roll of Trust Protector. He seems to think it's a position to be used to enact change and push agendas. I believe that the role of the Trust Protectors is to stay out of the way and only engage when summoned by the Masternode network. When I said above that a role of the Trust Protectors is to protect DCG and the Trust, this is exactly what I was referring too. Someone who wishes to enact change without first being requested by the MNO's does likely not have the best interest of the DAO at heart and should not be granted a role with such responsibility.
 
@ericsammons @Kanuuker I absolutely have the best interest of the DAO at heart, and have always been active in improving the quality of proposals and accountability of ALL proposals and proposal owners, including myself and my own project. The only agenda I have is to ensure the long-term viability and professional operation of the DAO, as I have indicated in my intro above.

My pledge is that I intend to be an active trust protector and will also take due consideration of meeting the requests of MNOs where these can be established unambiguously in a democratic manner. That is my understanding of what duties a Trust Protector is expected to fulfil.

I’m happy to set the precedent if needed - MNO’s can vote on whether they like my no-bs approach, it is how I run my own proposal and business. My candidacy is for MNO’s who want to see someone on the board with deep business expertise (international business in Fintech, engineering and design, banking, consumer insight, telecoms and much more) who has their best interests at heart, and is demonstrably unafraid to hold any individual or group accountable; I would be happy to serve in this capacity.

Thanks,
Drako
 
@Max Yoga You don't seem understand the role of the Trust Protectors. It's not about enacting change, it's about carrying out the legal wishes of the Masternodes, nothing more. Unless DCG or another entity owned by the Trust needs to have legal action taken against it, the Trust Protectors are to do nothing. This is not an active position. This attempt to concentrate power into your hands is alarming and should greatly concern not just the MNO's, but everyone involved in Dash.

To quote myself:
Kanuuker said:
Trust Protectors must understand that “decentralized, permissionless, free, and open” are not just buzzwords, but an ideology to build a world around.
Click to expand...
 
@Kanuuker - I understood what you meant, no need to quote yourself, that is your opinion only. I have a different opinion on what the role of a trust protector is, and that’s fine - if I am voted in, I will stick to my pledge and perhaps you might rethink your own position on what exactly MNO’s want in a trust protector...
 
DACH Business Development Q1 2019
Votes: 1025 Yes / 227 No

The votes for Drako for Trust Protector will probably look like this, but flipped. :D
 
I believe the DACH proposal passing is because of the ‘Hopium’ shortage due to the DMV fraud being exposed. Many people are upset and there are honestly not many projects that yield the kind of Hopium that paying for Venezuela projects generates.

Unfortunately I have not had time to point out across multiple channels that DACH does not, (at least from what I can see from yet another deep analysis of their latest Dashwatch reports) deliver meaningful value to the network for the cost. It is indeed a shame that more money is being wasted on their particular brand of Hopium, but if that’s what the network wants, then until the ‘lights come on’ that’s what MNO’s will pay for it seems ;) - more to come shortly.. thanks for pointing it out.
 
Hello All

I have decided to put my name forward as a candidate for a Trust Protector position.

I was bitten by the crypto bug in 2013 and bought my first Bitcoin way back then. I’ve followed Dash pretty much from the beginning when it re-branded from X-coin to Darkcoin. I liked what Evan was about and I bought into his vision from an early stage. He was willing to go public (almost unheard of at the time) and dedicate years of his time to the project. It was a ‘bet on the jockey’ for sure, but it was by far the most exciting project in the space, it's fair to say I was hooked! I became an ‘active’ community member in the spring of 2014 and I’ve owned Masternodes since they became an actual thing… I’ve been very active in the community as a known MNO over the years and I’ve provided a lot of advice and guidance to project and proposal owners on various matters. I was also active in providing donations for many community initiatives/projects, prior to the formation of the DAO Treasury.

A brief Bio
  • Graduated from University with Hons in Business & Computing
  • Joined a multinational company as a Junior IT engineer (I’m a techy geek at heart)
  • Completed professional certifications for Microsoft systems and worked in senior positions for large multinationals as a 3rd line/Network admin level Systems Engineer.
  • I have a lot of experience working on both Microsoft and Linux systems and a broad knowledge and understanding of IT networks, hardware, software, routers, switches, firewalls and pretty much anything else with a MAC address!
  • I decided at an early stage that I wanted to combine my two passions - business and tech - so I co-founded an IT MSP business with practically no money, enough to incorporate and buy business cards, basically. All we had was an idea and Yellow Pages business directory to hand. We had to find our first client from somewhere, so we picked up the phone and started dialling local businesses and asking them if they had any IT requirements. It’s that simple.
  • The business has never taken a loan or been in any form of debt and is now in its second decade of successful growth. We currently do north of a Million in business annually and our compounded annual growth rate over the last 5 years is 41%. This level of growth is sustainable through retained profits. By the end of our second decade we’ll be comfortably into 8 figure annual turnover. We’re happy with our achievements so far, although some here may see it as a ‘get rich slow scheme’ in comparison to the cryptosphere!
  • My investment philosophy is very much from the ‘value investor’ camp. If you also have books such as ‘The Intelligent Investor’ gracing your bookshelf then you and I will get on very well. I’m very well read in economics and investing, and I’ve put this knowledge to good use over the years.
  • Politically you would place me as a moderate overall, but with a libertarian streak.
  • I generally take the long view in much of my thinking, I consider what things will look like 3, 5 or 10 years from now when making strategic decisions, not what’s going to happen next week, month or year. This is an anathema to the cryptosphere in many ways(!), but I’ve found that by applying sound investment principles and taking the long view – especially in Crypto – I’ve avoided many of the pitfalls that others fall into.
  • I’m a keen musician, although I tend to stick to the Piano is my 'go-to' instrument of choice these days, it was my first love, after all. I’m also into Football (proper football, not that baffling American stuff!), Rugby and Motor Racing. I also have my geeky hobbies that revolve tinkering around with technology, hardware and software etc.
  • I have a beautiful and amazing wife and we are relatively new to parenthood. Our new addition brings so much happiness to our world. Kids are bloody hard work though!

The Trust Protector Role

I’m not going to beat around the bush: the role is important, but I see it quite simply as an insurance policy for the network. It’s a legal duty to protect the best interests of the Network and to only act on the clear instruction of the Masternodes. If I were to be appointed a Trust Protector I would operate strictly in accordance with the Will of the network - as determined by the governance mechanism in place at the protocol level. This isn’t a role from which to act as an agent of change, or to affect any kind of political influence on Dash Core Group or the network. I just want to be clear about that.

It’s is also a role to be taken seriously but dutifully, and to only call for change when the DAO has called upon us to act. This is the full extent as to which I would perform my duties should I be appointed. This is all that is required of the role in my humble opinion.

I believe I can be trusted to act out the duties of a Trust Protector in an honest and impartial manner, I have been involved in this community since its early infancy and I’ve ‘got the t-shirt’ so to speak. I understand our culture, our values, our community and our aims/objectives. I feel I’d represent the interests of the Dash DAO very well, and that my many years of technical experience and success in business will bring qualities to the table that will help ensure continued good relations between Dash Core Inc, the Trust Protectors and The Dash DAO.

My only skin in the game is my ownership of Dash Masternodes – but believe me when I say this – that fact alone is more than enough motivation for me to want to step forward and take on this role.

I’m heavily invested in this project in every sense of the word and you can trust me to protect our interests in a fit and proper manner.

Thank you for your consideration.

Walter (aka Michael Lewis)
 
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Walter, you're a man after my own heart. Retained earnings and avoidance of unnecessary debt are the rare and secret weapons to insure survival and long term growth of the small business. Debt functions differently in a big company, but they could take a lesson too. And startups, you know, like that new Dash thing.
 
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