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 New Jersey Area Rep Dan Collins.

Paul Baranay is a 2/2 Bear from New York, New York. His recognitions this wave are for work on projects, especially JudgeApps and his blog, as well as his excellent planning for event logistics:

You’re one of the best positive role models I know of in the judge community today. It’s not just that you do a lot of good work (the Judge subreddit is probably a pain at times, Bearz Repeating is consistently some of the best and most regular content). You’re unflappably positive. Your separation of personal and public Facebooks is a good way to walk that line. I’ve never seen you be anything but a voice of calmness and reason, and I think we need more of that. – Kevin Binswanger

Your handling of Scheduled Events at GP Oakland was top notch. You clearly did your prep work, and made sure to work with me ahead of the event to get answers to your questions. On site, you were always 100% on top of things. You did a great job of managing the judges assigned to Scheduled Events, and it was clear to everyone that they could come to you if they needed anything. It was a blast working with you regarding planning and problem-solving. You brought a lot to the table in addition to serving as an excellent sounding board. Thanks for a job expertly done! – Jason Lemahieu

Bearz, your dedication to the MTG Judge Apps project through a tough period is inspiring. Despite my inactivity, I’m proud to be a member of the project and I believe many other projects could benefit from your example. – Simon Freiberg

Here’s what Dan Collins had to say about these recommendations:

Paul received a number of good recommendations this wave. Kevin Binswanger writes about his “unflappable positivity”, including on Facebook and in his blog, and Jason Lems writes about his planning for a sides lead role at GP Oakland. The recommendations detail specifically how Paul goes above and beyond both online and at events. These are great recommendations because they cite to specific events, so the reader knows the impact that Paul had on that event and on the community as a whole.