Q & A WITH LONNY POWELL

with FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell &Q A

The Florida Horse Editor-in-Chief Brock Sheridan speaks with FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell about his career, life and recent honors.

TFH - In the pages that follow we will be hearing from the “all-business” side of you in terms of the Florida Thoroughbred industry via select remarks of note from your CEO State of the Association and industry report during FTBOA’s Annual Meeting. So for the purposes of this lead-in to those remarks, let’s talk a bit about and remind some about your background and journey in the horse business starting with how long you have been involved and how you got involved?

LP - I have been involved and had my and my family’s daily needs provided by horses (primarily Thoroughbreds but Quarter Horses, Appaloosas and Hunter-Jumpers too) all 62 years of my life. I guess it makes it obvious I did not get to vote on it. It was kind of just the way it was. My dad was a jockey and my mom a jockey’s wife. He primarily rode in California at Hollywood Park, Santa Anita and then we and our camper trailer went on to the racing and beaches of Del Mar. He then retired into Jockey’s Guild management continuing our semi-nomadic racing life that saw me doing kindergarten and first grade in Hialeah, grade school in the Los Angeles area followed by junior high and high school in Idaho. During this entire time, we also either owned, or had access to or stabled a never-ending variety of pleasure horses

and ponies of numerous breeds for our family use and enjoyment. This said, I did not think of myself as making a career in horses. As the designated ‘fourth generation last family hope,’ I much more wanted to be a veterinarian, then lawyer and ultimately politician at the time. My early days at Les Bois Park in Boise cleaning toilets, stalls, hauling garbage and mowing lawns sure did nothing to change my mind during most of high school. TFH - So what changed? LP - Clearly two things (possibly three things if you believe genetics or the inner-most family fabric plays a part). First, my senior year in high school I asked to step up and try out basically to get off the ground and in the starting gate with the horses—in my mind the ultimate rush short of being a jockey. Then, I got the fun of doubling as a jockey valet and saddle the horses Van Ness Award L to R: Valerie Dailey, Julie Broadway (AHC), Lonny Powell, Karen Powell and Matt Bryan and weigh and assist the jockeys. I knew then that no matter my college degree, I wanted to use it to become some type of official in horse racing. Second, finding out about, attending and graduating from the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program provided me with that bridge to what has a turned out to be a pretty amazing, diverse, wildly exciting and consistently successful and reward-

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ing career culminating in the incredible position I enjoy today as the FTBOA CEO with such an incredible brand and team of staff, managers, advisers, directors and supporters behind me and our highly respected Association. I’ve enjoyed fantastic support and friendship from our volunteer presidents/board chairs including recently retired president Valerie Dailey, who did such an amazing job for us. I also have every confidence that new president and long-time FTBOA director and officer George Isaacs of John Malone’s Bridlewood Farm will also contribute greatly as our board leader. We are really blessed by the quality and expertise.

I guess from there and everything in between is history. I’ve absolutely had one of the most unique and amazing runs (with no plans to stop and much more to do and accomplish) of any living or deceased individual in the horse and/or Thoroughbred and pari-mutuel industry in that, in addition to my myriad of current responsibilities and experience in my FTBOA role:

I have years of operating experience as a track president, CEO or COO operating several major market tracks including Santa Anita in Southern California.

Corporately oversaw the acquisition, onboarding and transformation of multiple racing properties across the country with respective property presidents reporting directly to me.

I worked as a University program administrator and faculty member.

I served and was extremely honored to serve as a member of a governor’s cabinet

I served as a state regulator, agency head, administrative law judge and international regulatory spokesman and policy member.

I was recruited to serve as an officer and top executive of the nation’s largest internet gaming company at the time.

I have been recruited to serve on a number of horse industry, business or community boards including currently/recently of most note: • Current vice chair/past chair of state-appointed Florida Horse

Park and Agricultural Authority (all breeds and disciplines) • State-appointed/sole equine representative of the Florida Animal Industry Technical Council, (all breeds and disciplines) • American Horse Council Racing Committee • Chairman, Florida Society of Association Executives • Director, Ocala Metro Chamber of Commerce TFH – We can’t close this conversation without mentioning the incredible summer you have had this year, highlighted by the two, for no better words, life-time achievement and service awards. I know you were very surprised to receive both awards, starting with the Van Ness Award, presented to you in Washington D.C. by the American Horse Council, which represents all breeds nationally. Then, shortly after that, you received the second award which recognized you as this year’s Florida Executive of the Year as recognized the Florida Society of Association Executives. How does that feel and how do you process it? LP – I am so honored and appreciative to have been named as the Executive of the Year by the FSAE in Tampa. Words cannot come close to expressing how meaningful it is to have my FTBOA career achievements, state-wide service and leadership recognized by such a highly respected and acclaimed organization representing non-profits, member and trade associations and hospitality interests from Tal-

FSAE Executive of the Year Award lahassee to Miami. The peoPowell is joined by FTBOA Staff and Family ple, programs and events that make up all aspects of FSAE are just amazing. Even more mind-blowing—in a really good way, of course—and mega surreal is that the FSAE Executive of the Year Award comes a month after being honored on a national industry stage in Washington D.C. by the American Horse Council with their Van Ness Award for the positive impacts that I and my hard-working teams comprised of staff, advisors, directors, members, volunteers and supporters have had on the overall horse industries in Florida, California, Kentucky, Arizona and Washington. I simply accept these awards on behalf of them all. It’s not exactly like scooping up top honors and awards is part of my daily routine - LOL. It’s so humbling and brings about so much introspection, reflection, memories and many smiles. Special thanks to team FTBOA for making it a pleasure to lead and continue to lead while working at their side. It’s amazing to be recognized at the highest levels in the biggest ways for what you do and what you have done. All I know is, we have much more work to get done for many years to come and we will continue to lead by effort and example. Life can sure present some crazy-good surprises. I will never forget or take for granted all of the wonderful accolades and honors extended to me this summer. Thank you to each and every person who put me on your shoulders to get me there. TFH

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