The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Roy Slicker of Slick's Que Co. was named president-elect of the National Barbecue Association (NBBQA) at the organization's annual convention in Greenville, South Carolina, March 23-26.

Slicker, a very passionate participant in the NBBQA, traveled extensively doing barbecue research and applied his active networking abilities to raise awareness of the NBBQA and its benefits to competitors, business owners, and backyard enthusiasts.

Jeff Allen, executive director of the NBBQA said, "Roy has brought a tremendous amount of energy and dedication to the NBBQA board of directors. His selection as president-elect should come as no surprise to those who have worked closely with him."

Slicker was nominated for the top position several months ago. His term starts in 2013.

Current NBBQA President Kell Phelps said, "I feel Roy has been a huge plus to the NBBQA and to the barbecue industry as a whole. His recent achievements have set a pattern for his success and are the basis for his successful barbecue restaurant. With Roy's energy, knowledge and passion for barbecue I can see him help lead this organization to heights it has never known."

Slicker said, "It's an incredibly huge honor, yet very humbling, to be thrust into this position in an organization filled with so many legendary barbecue people. I'm just following my heart and passion with a group of like-minded people."

Slick's Que Co., of Sisters, Oregon, has been serving up award-winning traditional Southern and Texas "Low and Slow" barbecue meats and old family recipe sides, salads and desserts since 2009. Slick's has also been independently tested, rated and listed as one of the "Best of the Best BBQ Restaurants in America" by Barbecue News.

In 2010 alone, Slicker burned a lot of fuel racking up over 29,400 miles on numerous barbecue tours all over the U.S. Last month, Slicker traveled again, this time through the Midwest, Texas and the South. Traveling nearly 6,800 miles and stopping at 34 barbecue joints, he tried many different types of barbecue and made new friends in Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada.

He always looks forward to coming home to family, a long sleep, and diet of salad for a few weeks.

"If you're going to go on one of these trips, taste and learn - but don't eat like it's your last meal," he said. "I'd be 1,000 pounds real quick with the amount of places I visit."

The NBBQA's convention provides its members, consisting of competition teams, restaurateurs, caterers, suppliers and enthusiasts from the U.S., Canada and beyond, with educational seminars, demonstrations, round-table discussions with barbecue masters, regional barbecue tours, and a public day where the surrounding communities get a chance to try some amazing food.

The event also has cooking classes on various techniques and styles, judging classes for Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) and Memphis Barbecue Network (MBN), and time to network with some of the best barbecue people in the business.

Several videos of the event are on YouTube under NBBQA 2011.