Looks like Kenny was definitely not elected to GAMA's Board of Directors because he was denied membership, and he's been bitching about it on Facebook.
"Should the Tabletop Game Industry's Only Trade Association Have Published Membership Criteria? by Whit Whitman
GAMA — The Tabletop Game Association — is the sole trade organization for game manufacturers, publishers, creators, retailers, and media professionals in the tabletop industry. There is no alternative. Membership provides access to the industry's primary trade show (GAMA Expo), retail distribution networks, Origins Game Fair, professional development, and the business relationships that drive this industry forward.
Here's what most people don't know: GAMA's bylaws contain no published eligibility criteria for membership. The Membership Committee has "sole authority" to approve or deny applications, but there are no written standards defining what qualifies or disqualifies an applicant. No checklist. No published policy. No transparency.
The bylaws do include detailed protections for members who are suspended or expelled — written documentation, two-thirds Board vote, formal notice, and an independent Appeals Committee. But those protections only apply after you're a member. At the application stage, the Membership Committee can deny anyone, for any reason, with no explanation and no appeal.
This matters because of federal antitrust law. Under Section 1 of the Sherman Act, a sole trade association that controls access to resources necessary for industry participation has a legal obligation to apply neutral, consistently published membership criteria. The Supreme Court addressed this in Northwest Wholesale Stationers v. Pacific Stationery, 472 U.S. 284 (1985) — trade association membership decisions trigger antitrust scrutiny when the organization controls access to markets, facilities, or resources essential to competition.
GAMA controls that access. And right now, there's no published standard governing who gets in.
This isn't about any one applicant. It's about whether the industry's sole trade body operates with the governance transparency that federal law expects. Every applicant — current and future — deserves to know the rules before they apply.
I've formally requested that GAMA's Board of Directors adopt and publish specific, written membership eligibility criteria. I believe that's a reasonable ask and one that strengthens the organization.
A game on every table, a table for everyone. That's GAMA's own vision statement. The bylaws should reflect it."
 |
| Click to enlarge |
By the looks of it, this was posted maybe 3 times (crossposted?), and as one would expect, no accountability from Mr. Whitman. Feels like he's crying fowl because a professional (industry) organization doesn't want him as a member due to his past behavior/actions within said industry. Now this is our read on the subject, obviously highly biased, but it makes sense with the rationale posted on SaveGAMA.org.
"Jolly Blackburn I'm 100% ok with the ruling. What I'm not ok with is the lack of transparency. GAMA has no published criteria for who can and cannot be accepted as a member. Without those rules posted, they're exposed to antitrust regulation that could be devastating to the organization. I'm not asking to be let back in. I'm asking for something transparent — rules that apply to everyone equally. That's all."
We cannot see the full interaction due to Facebook settings, but apparently Jolly Blackburn chimed in. For the uninitiated, Jolly Blackburn was arguably one of Kenny's first Kickscammer victims because it was his creation of Knights of the Dinner Table that Ken pitched a Live Action Series Kickstarter for and led directly to the creation of Not Another Dime because Kenny completely failed to deliver upon.
Now saying Ken, or "Whit" Whitman is a Kickscammer is 110% legally protected opinion, but please judge for yourself. Read this blog, the comments over at Kickstarter (you'll naturally get a lot of posts directing you back here), and let's just look at the $450 he got from my family. I did cover some of this over at Tenkar's Tavern before starting this blog:
GEN CON 2015 THEATRICAL PREMERE & AFTER PARTY PACKAGE -- You will receive the MOVIE POSTER PACKAGE and two tickets to the world premiere live screening of the KODT LIVE ACTION SERIES at GEN CON 2015 (transportation, entrance to the Con and lodging not included). Actors and the D-Team will stick around after the screening to answer as many of your questions about the film as they can. Afterwards, you get to hang out at the after party with the actors and the D-Team.
- While we kind of got two "tickets" to the GEN CON 2015 screening, we didn't *actually* get promised front-row tickets. Instead the convention staff allegedly had a list of names, but they had no idea who was supposed to be seated where and we basically sorted ourselves out. It is important to note that this also wasn't the premiere since he already showed what he had finished at an earlier convention! FAIL
- While there were some of the actors present and they did have a bit of a Q&A, their appearance had nothing to do with Ken Whitman and he had made no arrangements. From what I recall, that was a combined effort of Zombie Orpheus Entertainment (ZOE), LLC, KenzerCo, and some added help from Peter Adkison. FAIL
- There was not an after party with the actors.....well at least not one being held by Ken. He never reserved the party space. I personally checked with the hotel's business manager, in person, and was told he applied for the space but did not present a valid credit card and did not answer calls/emails to remedy that. I did ask for written proof, which the hotel (understandably) would not share. Just assume I'm lying about this since I cannot provide proof (you won't hurt my feelings). Ken tried to claim that the after-party was not promised and was an added expense, although this $450 pledge level literally was a promised, and paid for, party. ZOE did step in and throw together a last-minute party and Ken threw together a last-minute (26 hours prior) late-night shindig at Slippery Noodle Inn, but he did not have any of the actors as promised.....and he considered that as the party commitment being "filled as promised". FAIL
MOVIE POSTER PACKAGE -- You will receive the BLU-RAY KODT BLOOPERS & EXTRAS PACKAGE, the WEB SCREENING PACKAGE, and a print of the KODT 24"x36" movie poster painted by Larry Elmore. Backers of this level and higher will also be acknowledged in a special "Thank You" section in the movie credits.
- There was no poster and Kenny shifted to saying it would be an electronic file on the disc. He had not gotten permission for Larry Elmore's involvement, as told to me by Larry Elmore in-person. FAIL
- There was a "Thank You" section in the movie credits FULFILLED
KODT BLOOPERS & EXTRAS PACKAGE -- You will receive the BLU-REY DVD PACKAGE and the WEB SCREENING PACKAGE, as well as an additional DVD of Bloopers and Extras. Backers of this level and higher will also be acknowledged in a special "Thank You" section in the movie credits.
- No bloopers or extras seen or provided. FAIL
BLU-RAY DVD PACKAGE -- You will receive the KODT:LAS DOWNLOAD PACKAGE, and the KODT LIVE ACTION BLU-RAY DVD featuring cover art by Larry Elmore. Backers of this level and higher will also be acknowledged in a special "Thank You" section in the movie credits.
- Ken Whitman never produced a Blu-Ray or DVD. DVD copies of footage salvaged by ZOE was made available, but it was not produced by Ken Whitman, although he did try to take credit for it. FAIL
KODT:LAS DOWNLOAD PACKAGE. You will receive the WEB SCREENING PACKAGE – and the KODT:LAS SD Download (480p .mp4) a few days after the movie’s theatrical debut.
- Ken Whitman never finished the editing/production, much less provided for download of the finished product. FAIL
WEB SCREENING PACKAGE -- You will receive the PRODUCTION DIARY PACKAGE, and be part of a first of its kind live group movie screening across the world. d20E and Kenzer will host at least three live online screenings of the KODT LIVE ACTION SERIES. Watch from your computer or mobile device, and after each screening the D-Team and actors will stick around to answer as many of your questions about the film as they can via online Q&A.
- There was no web screening with actor Q&A. FAIL
PRODUCTION DIARY PACKAGE -- You're now a part of this movie-making club, and you will be shown the process from start to finish. Each week throughout this summer's shoot you will receive the KODT LIVE ACTION Production Diary. This will include a video memo with cameos from the cast and crew detailing the process of making the movie. You'll also get casting and production news first, before anywhere else. You will also recive ten (10) screensavers from the KODT Comic and the Live Action Series.
- None of this was provided. FAIL
The only actual Kickstarter Pledge Promise fulfilled by Ken Whitman was getting a name added to the credits. At $450 I think that qualifies as a scam. Others stepping in to help assist those that gave money to Ken Whitman does not qualify as Kickstarter Fulfillment.
We know that's a lot of exposition for a post about Ken Whitman being denied membership from GAMA, but we're pretty sure KenzerCo is still a GAMA member, and clearly there were other members that feel they were scammed by Ken Whitman (as expressed in that SaveGAMA.org website). It all goes to the underlying reason that is likely the cause for that membership denial. These multiple posts do not seem to be about the process and we doubt that Mr. Whitman is "100% ok with the ruling" denying him membership and seems much more like an attempt to gain sympathy to coerce GAMA into allowing him an attempt to "plead his case" and regain membership.
We could be wrong, but it's hard to see this any other way. The only question I have is that if Mr. Whitman was so prolific as a game designer/publisher, why is he just now trying to join GAMA? He could've joined before his actions that have given GAMA a cause to deny membership.......just saying.
2026.03.28 EDIT:
We had this sent to us:
"I was not accepted even though I have created and published over 50 games"
"Whit Whitman well...., let's be honest. There's some trouble history there, Ken."
