First day of USTA 2018 Board of Directors meeting in the books
March 10, 2018,from the USTA Communications Department
Columbus, OH — Meetings of the executive committee, communications and marketing committee, and pari-mutuel and fairs subcommittees were held on the opening day of the USTA board of directors annual meeting Saturday (March 10) at the Hilton-Easton.
In the communications and marketing committee, District 4 Director Gabe Wand and District 2 Director Marilyn Breuer-Bertera proposed the creation of a USTA youth delegate program. The program, which would have one delegate between the ages of 16 and 20 from each USTA district, would bring a youth perspective to decision-making, as well as provide marketing and social media opportunities for the sport. Delegates would benefit from possible academic credit, opportunities for published work, and leadership training.
District 4 Director Gabe Wand discusses the proposal for the creation of a USTA youth delegate program.
“We want to make sure that we include them in the decision-making process and capture their enthusiasm,” said Wand.
The committee recommended to the full board that the USTA go forward with the program. If approved, it would be part of the 2019 annual budget.
Also in the communications and marketing committee, USTA President Russell Williams presented a concept for creating a USTA Advanced Marketing arm that would provide marketing consulting services for individual racing jurisdictions. The USTA Owner Committee has recently submitted a marketing proposal to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture on behalf of the Standardbred Breeders Association of Pennsylvania to encourage breeding in Pennsylvania.
Williams said that if this proposal and ensuing execution is successful, that the USTA could and should vie for these available harness racing marketing dollars in other jurisdictions, possibly as an offshoot of the USTA.
“Can the USTA compete for state marketing money and be revenue-positive, all without overburdening staff?” said Williams. “I think the answer is yes.”
In the pari-mutuel subcommittee, board members discussed the recent USTA track dues increase, which was based in part on total purses paid by each permit holder. Subcommittee Chairman Mark Loewe of District 1 proposed that the dues be based on a hybrid approach that would also consider total handle at each track.
The efficacy of the TrackMaster automated morning line, which is used by the majority of the tracks represented by the board members, was also discussed. Some directors said that the automated lines were sometimes skewed, particularly when a horse was coming from a county fair to a pari-mutuel track.
David Siegel, president of TrackMaster and a new District 3 director, addressed the subcommittee, saying that when the automated morning lines were tested against morning lines created by local linemakers, only Cal Expo and Meadowlands had more accurate morning lines.
USTA/Mark Hall photos
Subcommittee Chairman Mark Loewe of District 1 offers a strategy for recent USTA track dues increases.
The Board of Directors General Session kicks off the Sunday (March 11) agenda starting at 8 a.m.
Following is the agenda for General Session:
1. Call to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll Call
4. Introduction of New Directors
5. President’s Report
6. Executive Vice President’s Report
7. Financial Report
8. Keynote Speaker
9. Presentations/Discussion
10. Group Picture
Following the general session, Director’s Service Awards and President’s Awards will be presented at the Recognition Luncheon slated for 11:45 a.m.
Later in the day, the Racing Committee meets at 1 p.m. and the Registration–Owners/Breeders Committee at 3:30 p.m.
On Monday (March 12), the agenda commences with the Rules Committee at 8 a.m. followed by the Finance Committee at 9 a.m.
The 2018 meetings conclude with the second Board of Directors General Session starting at 11:30 a.m. where committee reports will be made, the 2018 budget will be approved and USTA President Russell Williams will make closing remarks and announce the site of the 2019 meeting.
For daily updates, please visit the USTA website at www.ustrotting.com.
- USTA Board of Directors Annual Meeting starts Saturday (Wednesday, March 07, 2018)
The U.S. Trotting Association’s 2018 Board of Directors Annual Meeting is scheduled for Saturday (March 10) through Monday (March 12) at the Hilton Columbus at Easton.
- Tanner unveils proposal for Standardbred Transition Alliance (Sunday, March 11, 2018)
Mike Tanner, USTA Executive Vice President and CEO, unveiled a proposal for a Standardbred Transition Alliance (STA) at the general session of the USTA Board of Directors annual meeting Sunday (March 11) at the Hilton-Easton. In his address to the board, Tanner proposed the creation of the STA, which would be an industry-wide group that would, according to its mission, “accredit, inspect, and award grants to approved organizations that acquire, rehabilitate, train and re-home Standardbreds, using industry funding.” USTA/Mark Hall photo.
- USTA Registration Committee approves microchipping; new eSales portal introduced (Sunday, March 11, 2018)
The USTA Registration Committee approved a proposal that will require all Standardbreds, starting with foals born in 2019, to be implanted with a microchip for identification during the USTA Board of Directors meeting Sunday (March 11) at the Hilton-Easton. USTA/Mark Hall photo.
- USTA board of directors annual meeting concludes (Monday, March 12, 2018)
The USTA board of directors annual meeting concluded Monday (March 12) with approval of the 2018 USTA budget, final decisions on the USTA rule and bylaw change proposals, and the formation of two new committees to further USTA projects. USTA Chairman Ivan Axelrod addressed the board at the closing session. USTA/Mark Hall photo.
- USTA adopts new rules, annual meeting committee reports online (Wednesday, March 14, 2018)
The U.S. Trotting Association’s newly adopted rules that were approved at the recent annual Board of Directors meeting held at the Hilton Columbus at Easton from March 10 through 12 and the minutes from each of the committee meetings are available online on the USTA’s website.