Editor’s Note: This article is part of our series of highlighted exemplar recognitions. See our introduction post for all the details, or view all the posts in this series. This article was written by Eastern Pennsylvania Area Rep Ilan Seid-Green.

Rich DiLeo is a Level 1 Judge from Seaford, New York. He received a number of recognitions about his activities ranging from local events to Grands Prix, including the following examples:

It was a pleasure having you on my team for my first official Team Lead. The beginning of the day was stressful for our team at the Modern PIQ during the Invi/Open weekend at Somerset this year, and we all struggled under it. While I could see you were still learning how to manage the stresses of the situation at times – something we all do, regardless of level – the fact remains that you were always ready to execute on a task when I needed you, and that you were constantly eager to make yourself available to me. There wasn’t a task I handed you that didn’t get done when it needed to get done, and there wasn’t any moment where I needed you and you weren’t there. Keep that up, and you will continue to be a great asset to any event you’re on. – Mani Cavalieri

Rich, Thank you for doing an awesome job at GP: Providence. You hustled a ton doing setup on Thursday. During the GP, I had multiple judges tell me that you were doing great on sides. One specific incident stood out in my mind from that GP. We were having sound equipment trouble on Friday due to an issue with the venue, not a sound system issue. You came up to me, told me that you had expertise in this area, and gave me a rundown of what you thought wasn’t correctly set up. You weren’t afraid to bring up suggestions on how something could go better, and specific things that we could try to get better. When we looked at it, and it turned out that the system was correctly set up, you admitted that you were wrong. That demonstrated to me that you were willing to give specific feedback, to lay out a plan on how to correct a possible issue, and the maturity to accept that you were wrong when presented with a fact that you weren’t aware of. All of those are very important traits for helping others become better, and I hope that you can keep helping others get better. – Jason Riendeau

Thanks for talking with the TO about adhering to their street release date. It’s definitely an unpleasant conversation to have with one of your “potential employers,” but I’m glad you were able to change their behavior. Thanks! – Kush Singhal

You bring a great deal of energy to events. Whether it is a judge conference or a Grand Prix, your energy and enthusiasm really add to the event. It’s good to see judges actively and excitedly involved in discussion, high-fives, and the task at hand. I think more judges should try to copy this. – Will Anderson

Here’s what Ilan Seid-Green had to say about this recommendation:

Rich is an L1 from New York that I had the opportunity to work with quite recently. I was impressed by a lot of things: Rich is one of the more knowledgeable L1s I’ve worked with at a large Competitive event, and seemed totally comfortable doing his job. He was willing and able to work hard and fast when the situation called for it, but knew that didn’t mean he should neglect himself. There aren’t many people as willing to step up to defuse awkward situations as Rich is, and I know I’m not the only one to notice this; check out his Exemplary Recommendations. Just as importantly, he doesn’t hesitate to ask for help before letting things get out of hand. It is undeniable that Rich brings great energy to events, and is a positive force in his community.