David O’Rourke is the Chief Executive Officer & President of the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), the operator of Belmont Park, home of the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of racing’s Triple Crown; Saratoga Race Course, home of the most prestigious racing meet in the U.S.; and Aqueduct Racetrack. 

As one of North America’s premier thoroughbred horse racing organizations, NYRA in 2018 generated $2.1 billion in annual all-sources wagering handle with paid attendance exceeding 1.7 million. It is the cornerstone of New York State’s thoroughbred industry, which is responsible for 19,000 jobs and more than $3 billion in annual economic impact to New York State.

O’Rourke joined NYRA as Director of Financial Planning in 2008 and was named Vice President for Corporate Development in 2010. In 2013, he was appointed Chief Revenue Officer and Senior Vice President. In that position, O’Rourke was responsible for NYRA’s business development strategies across a range of disciplines including industry relations, simulcast markets and contracts, television strategy, advance deposit wagering (ADW) operations and capital projects.

During his tenure at NYRA, O’Rourke served as the lead on all content-related negotiations,  achieving an increase of more than $20 million in annual revenue. He played a signature role in spearheading the development and growth of NYRA Bets, NYRA’s national Advanced Deposit Wagering (ADW) platform, now available in 30 states. 

O’Rourke also developed and led the strategy and investment in cloud-based video streaming technologies and Apps (NYRA Now), which have enabled NYRA to broadcast directly to various devices from TV to mobile and desktop; and transmit video to traditional TV networks such as FOX Sports and MSG. In doing so, he helped shepherd the dramatic expansion of NYRA’s flagship television broadcasts, the critically-acclaimed Belmont Park Live and Saratoga Live, which feature live coverage nearly every race day from Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.

Prior to joining NYRA, O’Rourke was a member of the Zolfo Cooper and Capstone Advisory Group Corporate Restructuring Practices, specializing in multiple operational and financial reorganization efforts in the real estate development, gaming, auto manufacturing, retailing and shipping industries. He also served as Vice President of Operations at Datek Online and was instrumental in helping the company develop into the world’s fourth largest online brokerage.

O’Rourke is a member of the NYRA Board of Directors. He serves on the board of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of America, and the Management Committee of Equibase Company. He is also a board director of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC), and serves on the RMTC Executive Committee and Finance Committees.

O’Rourke is a graduate of The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and earned an MBA from Tulane University.

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Joi L. Garner provides leadership and counsel on all legal matters relating to NYRA’s operations, strategies and activities. Also, she plans and manages the activities of the Legal Department in giving legal advice, preparing and reviewing legal documents and representing NYRA in legal proceedings.  

Garner joined NYRA in 2021 after serving as Executive Vice President and General Counsel at THINK450, the marketing and licensing subsidiary of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), where she was responsible for group product licensing, developing brand collaborations and commercializing the likeness rights of the collective group of current NBA players. 

At THINK450, Garner was the lead negotiator in several of the NBPA’s most significant licensing deals, including agreements with Take-Two Interactive (NBA2K), Fanatica and Dapper Labs. Garner was also instrumental in creating the NBPA’s partnership with Anheuser-Busch; and in social-justice initiatives, including DoorDash’s #PayItForward challenge that supported Black-owned businesses and Kia Motors’ holiday campaign that provided relief to families impacted by the pandemic. 

From 2016-2018, Garner was at NYRA as associate general counsel and was responsible for commercial and technical contracts, commercial litigation, sweepstakes and contests. She also served as production counsel for NYRA’s television shows, including oversight of the landmark media rights agreement with FOX Sports. 

Prior to her tenure at THINK450 and NYRA, Garner was a member of the Sports and Entertainment group of Garvey Schubert Barer, advising media, companies, athletes and entertainers on corporate and entertainment matters. She also served at Morrison & Foerster LLP as an attorney; at the National Basketball Association as an international PR associate; and at MediaLink Worldwide, a broadcast public relations firm.

Several industry organizations and media outlets have cited Garner for her work, among them Black Sports Network, which featured her in its “Women in Sports” series; and Marcom Weekly, which named her to its ranking of “28 Powerful Black Leaders in Marketing & Media.” Garner has also been honored by the National Black Lawyers in its list of “Top 40 Under 40” and by SuperLawyers as a “Rising Star” in the Sports and Entertainment field. 

Garner is a native of Philadelphia. She earned a law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law; and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Media Communication from New York University.

As Senior Vice President of Racing and Operations, Andrew Offerman is responsible for the leadership and oversight of racing functions at NYRA including the development, planning, and execution of NYRA’s stakes program, marquee events and live racing offerings at Aqueduct Racetrack, Saratoga Race Course and, when complete, the new Belmont Park. Additionally, he oversees several of NYRA’s general frontside operating departments including mutuels, parking, programs, security and cleaning.

Prior to NYRA, Offerman served as Senior Vice President of Racing Operations at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota. In this role, he was responsible for the direct oversight of Canterbury’s racing office, wagering, track maintenance, security and other operational departments supporting live and simulcast racing operations.

Offerman holds an advisory and governance position with the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) Advisory Committee and previously served in similar capacities with the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of North America (TRA); American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Racing Committee, and the Thoroughbred & Quarter Horse Breeders’ Fund Advisory Committees of the Minnesota Racing Commission.

A native of Minneapolis, Offerman earned an M.S. degree from the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) and holds a B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College.

As Executive Vice President, Operations and Capital Projects, Glen Kozak oversees the New York Racing Association’s facility and track operations, which encompasses a $50 million operating budget for the maintenance of Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course and Aqueduct Racetrack, including all 14 racing surfaces and fleet equipment. In addition to his daily operational responsibilities, Glen is responsible for directing $34 million worth of annual capital improvement projects which are geared towards improving NYRA’s safety measures, operational efficiencies, and revenue generating areas. 

Prior to joining NYRA in 2008, Kozak worked for the Maryland Jockey Club where he served as Vice President of Facilities & Racing Surfaces. In this role, Kozak was responsible for the maintenance and planning of facility operations, as well as the fleet and racing surfaces at Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course and Bowie Training Center. At Laurel Park, Kozak was part of a group that took part in a $30 million project that rebuilt the turf and dirt tracks. At Pimlico, home of the Preakness Stakes, he was involved in the construction of the track’s turf-side dining pavilion, Corporate Village, Top of the Stretch, and the Clubhouse Turn Suites. Before joining the Maryland Jockey Club, Kozak served as the Track Superintendent at Suffolk Downs in Boston, Massachusetts.

Mr. Kozak also serves on various industry boards and committees. He is a member of the Jockey Club’s Grayson Welfare and Safety Committee for Racing Surfaces and also serves on the board of directors for the Racing Surfaces Laboratory. 

As Chief Revenue Officer and President of NYRA Bets, Tony Allevato oversees all revenue-generating activities at NYRA, including sales, pricing, marketing and customer support as well as NYRA Bets, NYRA’s national Advanced Deposit Wagering (ADW) platform.

Allevato joined NYRA in 2016 from High Hand Media, based in Los Angeles, where he served as Owner and President of the Sports Television, Racetrack Marketing and Digital Media Production company. His clients included NYRA for which Allevato oversaw the launch and rebranding of NYRA Rewards to NYRA Bets, which debuted at Saratoga’s 2016 racing meet.

For NYRA, Allevato was responsible for obtaining regulatory gaming licenses in various states and for transitioning the regional MSG Network television programs from taped shows to the critically acclaimed multiple “live” shows, Belmont Park Live & Saratoga Live. Also, he negotiated a national television rights deal with FOX Sports to air more than 80 hours during the 2016 and 2017 Saratoga race meets, which represents the most extensive national TV rights deal in racing history. Allevato also negotiated a 50-hour regional network TV rights deal with Altitude Sports network that aired Saratoga Live during the 2016 season; and launched Saratoga Live on the NYRA HD App that is available on IOS and Android and ROKU, and soon on Xbox, Playstation 4, Amazon Fire and Apple TV.

Allevato has spent much of his career building state-of-the-art wagering and television production platforms for a variety of sports organizations. While at High Hand Media, he oversaw ADW marketing, inter-track TV production and out-of-state wagering revenue at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, CA. Also, he introduced and implemented new strategy for video content for DRF.com; and served as Coordinating Producer for the launch of The Jockey Club Tour series for FOX Sports 1.

Previously, Allevato served as Coordinating Producer at the NFL Network, where he oversaw day-to-day operations of the network’s flagship show, NFL Total Access. Prior to that, Allevato was the first production hire for TVG, rising to its Executive Vice President Television/Executive Producer. In other roles, he was Feature Producer at KCBS News of Hollywood, CA as well as Executive Producer/Broadcast Media Liaison at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, CA. 

Allevato began his broadcasting career as Assistant to the Producer at ABC Sports in New York, where he served as Production Assistant, Researcher and Assistant Producer of two landmark shows, Wide World of Sports and Monday Night Football.

As Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Renee Postel oversees NYRA’s Payroll, Procurement, Finance and Accounting departments. Responsible for the company’s overall financial plans, policies, programs and practices, she is a key liaison on financial matters with NYRA’s senior management and with the audit and finance committees of Board of Directors.

Postel is a finance professional with a wealth of experience across diverse industries and geographies, ranging from multi-billion-dollar international organizations and large publicly traded companies to dynamic start-ups.

She joined NYRA in 2020 from Resideo Technologies, a publicly traded spinoff of Honeywell International, where she managed a global team of 160 in serving as Vice President, Global Operations Controller. Prior to that role, Postel spent 13 years at Honeywell International, most recently as Controllership Transition Leader, where she managed all controllership initiatives to complete the successful spinoff of Resideo Technologies.

Postel has also held positions at Certpoint Systems, KPMG, Piaker/Lyons, LLP and Corning Inc.. A Certified Public Accountant, she holds a B.S. in Accounting from State University of New York at Oneonta and earned a Master of Science in Accounting from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

SVP, Chief Experience Officer Katie Keenan oversees NYRA’s hospitality offerings including, Food and Beverage, VIP Services, Sales Operations, Cleaning, Parking, and Publications.

Keenan joined NYRA with nearly two decades of experience in the sports industry as a global live-event and venue operations executive. Most recently, she served as the NFL’s Vice President, Live Event Operations, Americas & Asia Pacific, where she led the team responsible for the planning and execution of the league’s marquee events, including the Super Bowl and the NFL Draft.

A native New Yorker, Katie earned both her B.A. and M.A. in Sports Management at SUNY Cortland.

Vice President, Chief Information Officer Harshal Kadakia leads all aspects of NYRA’s information technology (IT) strategy and ongoing digital transformation.

In his role, Kadakia directs the planning and implementation of enterprise IT systems in support of NYRA’s operations and use of IT to drive cost effectiveness, service quality and business development. In the last several years, Kadakia and the IT team have integrated technology-driven systems into many parts of the organization, from parking to food & beverage, merchandising, ticketing and guest services.

Kadakia joined NYRA in 2002 as Programmer Analyst in which he was responsible for application design and development. He was then promoted to Director of Information Technology, where he oversaw the development of NYRA’s platforms, applications, technology and Infrastructure. In 2018, Kadakia was promoted to Senior Director – Technology Strategy & Development, where he expanded his role into Network Infrastructure Strategies and System design while continuing to support and manage the IT requirements of the company.

Kadakia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering from Bharati Vidyapeeth University in Pune, India. He earned a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Wayne State University.

Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer Shawn Noble leads the Information Technology team and directs NYRA’s IT strategy and ongoing digital evolution.

Noble holds a B.S. in Information Technology from Western Governors University and earned a Graduate certificate in Foundations of Business at the University of Massachusetts. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Tatiana Torres leads, manages, and directs the strategy for all NYRA’s Human Resources and Labor Relations functions. These functions include recruitment; compensation and benefits; employee relations; labor union relations with 24 unions; and the overall development, retention, and succession management of all NYRA’s employees.

Torres returned to NYRA in 2019 after working as an HR professional for a large residential real estate firm in Manhattan. She first worked for NYRA from 2016 to 2018, as an HR manager. In that role, she administered collective bargaining agreements and served as NYRA’s domain expert for HR analytics and employment issues.

Torres began her career while she was still an undergraduate, working at the Building Service 32BJ Benefit Funds, the benefit funds of the largest property service union in the U.S. There, she gained expertise on day-to-day issues related to the administration of benefits in health, pension, legal, profit sharing, 401(K) and training funds. Later, while working toward a Master’s degree, she served as the primary benefits analyst and administrator for a New York City-based cleaning contractor with 11 unions and more than 2,700 unionized employees.

Outside the office, Torres is the Founder and Executive Director of RIEcuador, a charitable organization that raises money to provide educational opportunities, school uniforms, shoes and supplies for children in rural Azuay, Ecuador.

Torres earned a Master of Science degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from the City University of New York’s Baruch College, where she also holds a B.A. in HR Management.

As Vice President, Sales & Hospitality, Kevin Quinn directs NYRA’s Sales and Hospitality departments.

Quinn joined NYRA in 2015 and was named to his current position in July 2021. During his previous role as Senior Director – Sales, Quinn developed and led strategic ticket sales campaigns and directed season, group and individual ticket sales operations. Under his direction, the Sales team modernized its  sales operations and improved customer service – This strategy led to an increased annual ticket sales revenue of more than 55 percent from 2015 to 2019. 

Quinn directed the sales campaigns for several new hospitality areas in Saratoga, including The 1863 Club, which surpassed all revenue targets for its inaugural season of 2019, and the new premium club, The Stretch, which was the first grandstand renovation in 60 years. All of these initiatives were crucial in helping Saratoga surpass attendance of more than 1 million each year from 2016 to 2019. 

For the Belmont Stakes, Quinn directed ticket sales efforts for the 2015 and 2018 Triple Crowns, each of which were attended by sellout crowds of 90,000. The 2015 Belmont Stakes earned the Sports Business Journal’s “Sports Event of the Year” award.

Quinn joined NYRA from St. John’s University, where he served as Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing & Ticketing and oversaw marketing and branding efforts for St. John’s University’s 17-sport NCAA Division I athletics’ program. At St. John’s, he created and implemented comprehensive marketing and ticket sales plans for revenue-generating sports and planned several award-winning advertising campaigns. While at St. John’s, Kevin served as a Marketing Director for the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball East Regional at Madison Square Garden, which marked the return of the NCAA Tournament to The Garden after a 50-year absence.

Previously, Quinn held positions with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League as Manager of Group Accounts; and with the Adirondack Frostbite hockey team in Glens Falls, NY as Director of Corporate Sales & Game Operations.

Quinn holds a B.A. in Communications with a concentration in Sports Communications from Marist College and earned a Master of Professional Studies, Sport Management, from St. John’s University. He is a resident of Yorktown Heights, NY.

As Vice President for Communications, Patrick McKenna develops and implements NYRA’s communications and media relations strategies. McKenna joined NYRA in 2016 as Director of Communications and was named to his current position in early 2022. 

In addition to his role as a media strategist and chief company spokesperson, McKenna is responsible for overseeing racing communications and communicating NYRA initiatives and priorities to the public. During his tenure, these initiatives have included the national launch of NYRA Bets; the dramatic expansion of NYRA’s television product through the relationship with FOX Sports; the sustained excellence and continued growth of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course; the growth of the multi-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and the return of NYRA to private control following five years of New York State oversight. 

McKenna joined NYRA from Hunter College, where he served as Director of External Affairs. Previously, he was Communications Director at the Parkside Group, one of New York’s leading public affairs groups. 

McKenna also has extensive experience in the political world, serving as Communications Director for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and in several roles for former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, and for U.S. Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey.

A native of Loudonville, NY, near Saratoga, McKenna is a graduate of New York University with a B.A degree in Political Science and Metropolitan Studies. 

As Vice President, Government Affairs, Jeffrey Cannizzo is responsible for establishing and overseeing NYRA’s legislative priorities to advance company-wide strategic initiatives. Most recently, Cannizzo spearheaded the successful effort to obtain the required New York State approvals and $455 million in funding to construct a new Belmont Park. 

As a third-generation horseman whose family has been involved with Thoroughbred racing for a half-century, Cannizzo has considerable experience advocating for the industry in New York’s complex political environment . Cannizzo was named to his current position in January 2023, after two years as NYRA’s Senior Director of Government Affairs. He joined NYRA after 13 years as Executive Director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc. (NYTB), which represents and advances the interests of Thoroughbred breeding and racing in New York State.

During his tenure at NYTB, Cannizzo was named to the Thoroughbred Times’ inaugural “40 Under 40” list of industry leaders in 2010. In 2014, the  Albany Business Review’s “40 Under Forty” recognized him for making a difference in New York State businesses and communities.

Previously, Cannizzo served in a number of positions in industry, as a project manager at Razorfish; as senior project manager at Dell Technologies; and as staff project engineer at Lockheed Martin.

Cannizzo earned an M.B.A in Technology Management and has a B.S. in Business Administration from Le Moyne College. 

Jack Jeziorski is President of NYRA Content Management Solutions (NCMS), a limited liability company established by NYRA in 2019 as a simulcast purchase and sales agent for thoroughbred and standardbred racetracks across the country. In addition to negotiating content agreements, NCMS works to expand distribution and grow revenue for its member tracks. Jeziorski has a wealth of international experience, having done business for many years with racetracks and wagering platforms throughout the world. In an increasingly globalized racing industry, Jeziorski and NCMS are well-positioned to take advantage of both pari-mutuel and fixed odds opportunities moving forward.

Jeziorski joined NYRA in 2024, having most recently served as Executive Vice President of Monarch Content Management, a subsidiary of 1/ST Racing. Previously, he was General Counsel and Vice President of Wagering Integrity & Compliance at TrackNet Media Group; and a Partner at the law firm of Stites & Harbison.

Born in Buffalo, New York, Jeziorski earned a law degree, magna cum laude, from Cornell School of Law; and a B.A. degree in Government, also from Cornell. 

Melanie Sims Frank brings deep experience in sports and entertainment to the position of Vice President & Deputy General Counsel. In this role, Frank provides counsel on a variety of matters with a specific focus on compliance and regulatory licensing for NYRA’s subsidiaries and affiliates. She serves as an officer for NYRA Content Management Solutions, which provides simulcast purchase and sales services to thoroughbred and standardbred tracks around the country.

Frank joined NYRA in 2018 from Amme Consulting Services, a Los Angeles-based business and legal services and consulting company focused on sports and entertainment. Previously, she served as Vice President, Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary at Panavision International, L.P.; and as Associate General Counsel at TVG Network, the sports-oriented interactive television network dedicated to horse racing. While at TVG, Frank introduced strategies that expanded its broadcast-fee model to substantially increase revenue and subscribers.

Frank earned her law degree from Howard University School of Law, where she was a Merit Scholarship recipient; and a B.A. degree in Communications from Lehman College. Frank has also served on various boards and committees.

• John Clyne, Senior Director, Security
• James Dillon, Senior Director, Race Day Operations 
• Eric Donovan, Senior Director, TV Broadcast Operations
• Rocco Fuda, Senior Director, Pari-Mutuel Operations
• Min Kim, Senior Director, Internal Audit 
• Kristen Mason, Barn Area Supervisor

• Cody Watkins, The Jockey Club
• Braulio Baeza, Jr., NYSGC Steward
• Victor Escobar, NYRA Steward

• Keith Doleshel, Sr. Director of Racing/Racing Secretary
• Rob MacLennan, Racing Secretary
• Kevin Schnoor, Assistant Racing Secretary
• Autumn Charley, Assistant Racing Secretary
• Andrew Byrnes, Stakes Coordinator
• Jeff LaRue, Interim Starter
• Patrick Davis, Paddock Judge
• Brian Pochman, Assistant Clerk of Scales
• Kelly Gecewicz, Clerk of the Course
• Christopher DeCarlo, Racing Official
• Harry Wright, Racing Official
• Rosemary Pasquarello, Racing Official
• Edward King, Racing Official
• Denise Spampinato, Horsemen’s Bookkeeper
• Diane Connor, Chief Horse Identifier

• Dr. Sarah Hinchliffe, Veterinary Department Director
• Dr. Danielle Schilpp, Equine Medical Director

Marc Holliday was elected Chairman of the NYRA Board of Directors on December 16, 2021.

Mr. Holliday has served as SL Green’s Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Company’s Board since January 2004. He joined SL Green in 1998 as Chief Investment Officer. Under his leadership, SL Green has grown to become New York City’s largest owner of commercial office properties, holding ownership interests in more than 120 assets totaling approximately 60 million square feet. 

In addition to expanding SL Green’s owned portfolio, Mr. Holliday has led several diversification activities, including a successful retail investment program, through which SL Green has emerged as a major owner of Manhattan retail properties. The Company is also a market leader in debt and preferred equity financing. 

Mr. Holliday has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal as one of New York’s “People to Watch” (2014) and was ranked #1 on the New York Observer “Commercial 100” list (2012). He was previously honored by Crain’s New York Business as part of its “40 Under 40” list (2003). He is the recipient of the National Jewish Health’s “Humanitarian Award” (2011) and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum’s “Intrepid Salute Award” (2017) for his significant civic and charitable contributions. 

A graduate of Lehigh University, Mr. Holliday also earned a Master of Science degree in Real Estate Development from Columbia University. 

 As a long-time supporter of Columbia’s real estate program, Mr. Holliday established the Holliday Professorship of Real Estate Development in 2008 and is a member of the Board of Trustees, co-chairing its real estate committee. He also serves on the Executive Committee of the Real Estate Board of New York.

Tina Marie Bond is President of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NYTHA), which represents the interests of owners and trainers at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.

Ms. Bond serves as Chief Operations Officer of H. James Bond Racing Stable and Managing Partner of Bond Racing Stable. Together with her husband, prominent trainer H. James Bond, she has campaigned Cerretalto, Gattinara, Giacosa, Orino, Rinaldi, Raffit, Ruffino, Tizzelle, Tommasi, and many others in the royal blue and white colors of Bond Racing Stable. The majority of those runners were Bond homebreds as well.

The Bonds own and manage Song Hill Thoroughbreds LLC., a 100-acre farm in Stillwater, N.Y., near Saratoga. The Bonds’ two sons, Kevin and Ryan, are also a part of Bond Racing, working as assistant trainers for their father. During the winter, they are based at Belmont Park, but the whole family is based at Saratoga during from April through November.

Bond has been a part of the Thoroughbred racing industry for more than 40 years, much of it focused on overseeing Song Hill Thoroughbreds and its developing foaling operation, as well as Thoroughbred aftercare. Song Hill Thoroughbreds is home to broodmares, weanlings, yearlings, horses on lay-up and retired racehorses.

Prior to her election as NYTHA President in December of 2023, Bond served on the NYTHA Board of Directors from 2014 to 2023. She joined the NYRA Board of Directors in 2023.

Michael Dubb is founder and chief executive officer of The Beechwood Organization, the largest developer of residential, single-family and multi-family housing in New York State and ranks at the forefront of privately-owned and award-winning residential builders nationwide. 

Under his leadership, Beechwood since 1985 has built more than 9,500 homes and 70 communities with new ones on the map from the East End of Long Island to Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx; Upstate New York in Saratoga Springs; and in North Carolina in Charlotte and Chapel Hill. 

As a NYRA board director since 2008, Mr. Dubb has led the effort to create better living conditions for backstretch workers including the construction and renovation of several dormitories at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. 

An avid horseman, Mr. Dubb is a seven-time leading thoroughbred owner in New York State. 

However, Mr. Dubb views his greatest achievement for the region as bringing back the New York Islanders to Nassau County. When he learned the N.H.L. team was contemplating a new arena at Citi Field, he immediately brought his business partner and friend, Charles Wang, to Belmont Park. Together, they created the vision for a new arena and presented it to Scott Malkin, a current co-owner of the Islanders, who also liked and approved the idea. Their vision became reality when UBS Arena opened to fans in 2021. 

The pinnacle of Mr. Dubb’s public service is on behalf of The Belmont Childcare Association for which he serves as chairman and past president. In 2002, Mr. Dubb spearheaded, built and donated materials for construction of Anna House, a 7,500-square-foot daycare center for the children of Belmont Park’s backstretch workers, which opened that year. In the 20 years since, over 1,200 children from infancy through 7th grade have attended pre-school and after-school programs. 

This innovative initiative, providing daily education and care for 75 children each year, 365 days a year, was the first of its kind in the nation and set a standard for other racetracks to emulate. In 2011, given the overwhelming need for this program, and to accommodate additional children, Mr. Dubb built a 1,500-square-foot extension. In 2020, at Saratoga Race Course, he donated and built a 4,300-square-foot facility, Faith’s House, which is named after his mother and opened in 2021. 

Mr. Dubb is a lifelong director and former two-time president of the Long Island Builders Institute; and a former board member of the Long Island Housing Partnership.  

Mr. Dubb has been honored for his achievements and philanthropy by the American Cancer Society, American Jewish Committee, CAPTAIN Youth and Family Services, Family Service League, Long Island Business News, Mid-Island Y JCC, Sid Jacobson JCC and Suffolk YJCC, Rockaway Development & Revitalization Corporation and Tilles Center for the Performing Arts.

C. Steven Duncker is a retired Partner of Goldman Sachs & Company, where he successfully led the company’s Global Credit Derivative Department. 

Mr. Duncker joined Goldman Sachs & Company in 1982 and first worked in St. Louis, and then Chicago. Moving to New York, he became Vice President in 1986, and was named Partner in 1996 before retiring from the company in 2001.

Mr. Duncker is the Founder and Trustee of the C. Steven Duncker Foundation, which is dedicated to providing educational opportunities to disadvantaged children. He serves on several boards, and is a current member and former Steward of The Jockey Club, the managing trustee of The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation, and serves on the Equibase Company LLC management committee. Also, he is an avid thoroughbred owner and breeder, racing in New York, New Jersey, Kentucky and Florida. 

Mr. Duncker received a bachelor’s degree, Cum Laude, from Duke University in 1980; and earned a Master of Management (M.M.), Finance, from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University in 1982. 

Stuart S. Janney III has served as the Chairman of Bessemer Trust Company, Bessemer Trust Company, N.A., Bessemer Group, Inc., Bessemer Trust Company of Florida and Bessemer Securities Corporation since 1995. 

 From 1973 to 1976, Mr. Janney held several positions in the U.S. Federal Government. In 1977, he joined the Baltimore law firm, Niles, Barton & Wilmer, serving as a partner. From 1986 to 1994, Mr. Janney was a Managing Director of Alex Brown & Sons, in charge of Asset Management. 

Mr. Janney serves as Chairman of The Jockey Club and is also on the boards of the Keeneland Association and the King Ranch, Inc. He is Trustee Emeritus of The Johns Hopkins University and Chairman Emeritus of The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab and serves as a Trustee of Johns Hopkins Medicine. 

Mr. Janney received a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1970 and earned and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Maryland in 1973.

Jerry Zaro was appointed to the NYRA Board of Directors by New York Governor Kathy Hochul in February of 2022. 

Mr. Zaro is an active breeder and thoroughbred owner. Among the horses he has campaigned are the New York-bred Blindwillie McTell, a three-time stakes winner; and Baby Yoda, who recorded the fastest Beyer Speed Figure [114] at all NYRA tracks in 2021.

A resident of Harrison, N.Y., Mr. Zaro is Chair of the Banking and Real Estate Services Department at Sills Cummis & Gross, a full-service corporate law firm with offices in New York and New Jersey. Mr. Zaro is actively involved in the real estate industry, developing, owning, operating, and managing industrial, office and residential properties in multiple states.

In addition to his private sector experience, Mr. Zaro has held numerous commissioner and cabinet level positions in the administrations of the last eight consecutive New Jersey governors. In 2018, he was appointed as a Trustee and currently serves as Treasurer of the Gateway Development Corporation (GDC). The GDC oversees the $30 billion Gateway Project, which involves the construction of a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River; a new Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River; and an expansion of New York’s Penn Station. 

In May 2020, Mr. Zaro was appointed as a Member of Governor Murphy’s Restart and Recovery Advisory Council – Facilities and Construction Subcommittee. The Governor’s Restart and Recovery Advisory Council brought together leaders throughout New Jersey to advise state leadership on economic matters impacted by COVID-19.

In addition to his involvement with a variety of businesses and corporate boards, Mr. Zaro has been engaged in numerous charitable, governmental organizations and civic affairs. Mr. Zaro’s experience has earned him recognition in numerous industry publications, including being ranked #9 on the 2021 NJBIZ “Law Power 50” ranking of the most influential individuals in New Jersey’s legal profession.

Vincent Tese is a lawyer, investment advisor and cable television executive, and serves as Executive Chairman of Bond Street Holdings, LLC as well as the Executive Chairman of its subsidiary, Florida Community Bank. 

Mr. Tese serves as a Director of several corporations, Clear Credit LLC, Intercontinental Exchange, Inc., Mack-Cali Realty Corporation and Madison Square Garden. In addition, he is Trustee of New York University School of Law and New York Presbyterian Hospital. 

Mr. Tese also has held a number of positions in New York State government. He was appointed a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 1991 and elected its vice chairman in 1992. In 1987, Mr. Tese was named Director of Economic Development for New York State, which added to his portfolio the titles of Commissioner of the Department of Economic Development and Chairman of the Science and Technology Foundation and Job Development Authority. 

In 1985, Mr. Tese served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Urban Development Corporation. From 1981 to 1983, he served as State Superintendent of Banks. He also chaired the New York State Advisory Commission on Racing in the 21st Century. 

Mr. Tese received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Pace University in 1966. Following two years as First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, he earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Brooklyn Law School in 1972, and a Masters in Law (L.L.M.) in Taxation from New York University School of Law in 1973.

Betty A. Leon, RN, Esq., was appointed to the NYRA Board of Directors by New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie in April 2022.

A longtime resident of Far Rockaway, Ms. Leon is a Registered Nurse, an Attorney and a longtime community leader in Queens, New York. She serves on several boards and is an Executive Member of Community Board 14(Q), Vice Chair of the Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Chair of Peninsula Preparatory Academy Charter School, located in Far Rockaway and an Executive member of The Michael D. Richardson Foundation, that awards Scholarships to Graduating Seniors during their four (4) years of College/University.

 Ms. Leon has extensive experience in the political world, serving as Advisor to the late, Assembly Woman Pauline Rhodd-Cummings.  She is a former elected Democratic State Committee Woman for the 31^st Assembly District and a Judicial Delegate for Queens County Democratic Organization, voting on which Candidate would represent Queens at the Supreme Court level. She has worked on numerous Presidential. Gubernatorial, Mayoral and local Elected races.

Ms. Leon specializes her Law Practice in Medical Malpractice, Election Law, Elder Care, Wills and Estates. Earlier in her career, Ms. Leon worked as a Nurse at Kings County Hospital, a member of New York Health and Hospitals Corporation, where she supervised a staff of more than 377 nurses as Clinical and Administrative Supervisor of the Maternal-Child Department.

Ms. Leon is a graduate of Lehman College, City University of New York (CUNY) where she earned a BSc in Nursing; a graduate of New York University, where she earned a Masters Degree in Nursing Administration and a graduate of CUNY Law School where she earned a Juris Doctor (JD). She is admitted to the New York State Bar Association, United States District Court Eastern District of New York and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Ambassador Earle I. Mack is the visionary and founder behind the Man O’ War Project at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Ambassador Mack has had a long and distinguished career in business, public service, philanthropy and horseracing. 

He is a Senior Partner in The Mack Company, one of the largest real estate developers in the nation and served as the United States Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Finland under President George W. Bush. 

As a former Chairman of the New York State Racing Commission, Ambassador Mack has been a fixture in horseracing for decades and a strong advocate for racehorse aftercare. He served as a Senior advisor to two former New York governors, Gov. Mario Cuomo and Gov. George Pataki, on racing and breeding in New York State. Also, he endowed the Earle I. Mack Thoroughbred Champion Award to improve the welfare and care of after-track thoroughbreds. As a horse owner, Ambassador Mack has campaigned stakes winners including Currency Arbitrage, Excellent Tipper, Icabad Crane and November Snow. 

Ambassador Mack has been a leader in the promotion of the arts, culture and education. His numerous non-profit roles have included serving as Chairman and CEO of the New York State Council of the Arts, Chairman of the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and Co-Chairman of the Dance Theatre of Harlem. 

Ambassador Mack received a B.S. degree from Drexel University and attended Fordham University School of Law.

Georgeanna (Georgie) Nugent is the Regional Division Director for McFarland-Johnson, Inc., a multidisciplinary planning, design, and construction administration firm.

She previously served as the Director of Classic and Signature Sanctuary Programs for Audubon International and, prior to that, as Business Development Manager for Consigli Construction Co.

In 2009, Ms. Nugent was appointed to the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) Board, where she currently serves as the Chair. Also, she is a partner with StarLadies Racing, an avid horse racing fan and a former show jumper. 

Ms. Nugent is a 2008 graduate of Leadership Saratoga and was previously a member of the Saratoga Springs Design Review Commission. She is actively involved with educational grant and scholarship programs for students in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) field. 

Ms. Nugent received bachelors’ degrees in Environmental Science and Geology from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Plattsburgh and earned a Master of Science in Environmental Science and Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. She and her family reside in Saratoga Springs, close to Saratoga Race Course.

Ogden Phipps II is a co-founding Partner of the private equity firm, Snow Phipps. Prior to the firm’s formation in 2005, Mr. Phipps was a founding Partner and President of Guggenheim Merchant Banking, the private equity arm of Guggenheim Capital. 

Previously, Mr. Phipps worked in the Mergers and Acquisitions Group of Gleacher Partners. Mr. Phipps began his career at Goldman Sachs as a member of its Leverage Finance Group. 

Mr. Phipps serves on a number of boards including Brook & Whittle, DecoPac, ECRM, Electric Guard Dog, FeraDyne Outdoors, HCTec, Ideal Tridon, Velocity Commercial Capital, Winchester Interconnect and ZeroChaos. He is also a trustee of the Bessemer Trust, Bessemer Securities, Wake Forest University and New York-Presbyterian Hospital. 

Mr. Phipps received a B.A., with honors, in Economics from Wake Forest University. 

Mr. Phipps’ father, the late Ogden Mills “Dinny” Phipps, was the longtime chairman of The Jockey Club and of NYRA; and was inducted into the Saratoga Walk of Fame, honored for his many contributions to thoroughbred racing. Among the many successful horses raced by the family’s Phipps Stable have been Easy Goer, winner of 1989 Belmont Stakes and Travers; Rhythm, the 1990 Travers winner; Storm Flag Flying, the 2002 American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly; and, with Stuart S. Janney III, Orb, winner of the 2013 Kentucky Derby.

Andrew Rosen is a third-generation New York City garment industry entrepreneur who founded the fashion label, Theory, in 1997. Following the label’s acquisition by Japan’s Fast Retailing in 2008, he has continued to serve as CEO of Theory and Helmut Lang. 

As a mentor to many in the fashion community, Mr. Rosen has endowed scholarships at the Fashion Institute of Technology and Central Saint Martins, and has been an active supporter of the Council of Fashion Designers of American (CFDA)/Vogue Fashion Fund. In 2013, he and the CFDA spearheaded the Fashion Manufacturing Initiative, which provides grants that support the future of garment factories in Manhattan. Mr. Rosen is also a partner in the American fashion labels’ Rag & Bone, Alice & Olivia, and the luxury brand, Proenza Schouler. 

Like his father before him, Mr. Rosen is actively involved in thoroughbred horse racing. With a significant racing and breeding operation in Europe and the United States, Mr. Rosen is passionate about the industry and committed to its future.

Stuart Subotnick is President and CEO of Metromedia Company, a general partnership comprised of several private companies. 

Mr. Subotnick joined the former Metromedia, Inc. in 1967 as a tax manager. In 1980, he was appointed Chief Financial Officer and became one of the principal architects of the leveraged buyout, which took the company private in 1984. 

Mr. Subotnick and his late wife, Anita, formed Anstu Stable in 1992, and together, they campaigned stakes winners including Balto Star, Friendly Island, Irving’s Girl, Ibboyee and Mellow Roll. 

Mr. Subotnick received a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Baruch College, earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Brooklyn Law School in 1968 and a Masters in Law (L.L.M.) in Taxation from New York University School of Law in 1974.

Najja Thompson is Executive Director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB), which serves as the unified voice of Thoroughbred breeders in the State of New York.

NYTB works to enhance the status of New York-breds and promote the economic impact that breeders and racing contribute to New York. It does so in part by serving as an advocate for the industry in New York’s complex political environment.

Thompson joined NYTB in 2020, after nearly a decade of experience in marketing, communications, and human resources at the New York Racing Association.Thompson also serves as vice-president of the Turf Publicists of America.

A graduate of Florida State University, Thompson developed his passion for Thoroughbred racing after being introduced to the sport by his uncle, a small breeder in Florida. Growing up attending racetracks in both Florida and New York, he followed his passion to work in the industry.

David O’Rourke is the Chief Executive Officer and President of the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), the operator of Belmont Park, home of the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of racing’s Triple Crown; Saratoga Race Course, home of the most prestigious racing meet in the U.S.; and Aqueduct Racetrack. 

As one of North America’s premier thoroughbred horse racing organizations, NYRA in 2018 generated $2.1 billion in annual all-sources wagering handle with paid attendance exceeding 1.7 million. It is the cornerstone of New York State’s thoroughbred industry, which is responsible for 19,000 jobs and more than $3 billion in annual economic impact to New York State.

O’Rourke joined NYRA as Director of Financial Planning in 2008 and was named Vice President for Corporate Development in 2010. In 2013, he was appointed Chief Revenue Officer and Senior Vice President. In that position, O’Rourke was responsible for NYRA’s business development strategies across a range of disciplines including industry relations, simulcast markets and contracts, television strategy, advance deposit wagering (ADW) operations and capital projects.

During his tenure at NYRA, O’Rourke served as the lead on all content-related negotiations,  achieving an increase of more than $20 million in annual revenue. He played a signature role in spearheading the development and growth of NYRA Bets, NYRA’s national Advanced Deposit Wagering (ADW) platform, now available in 30 states. 

O’Rourke also developed and led the strategy and investment in cloud-based video streaming technologies and Apps (NYRA Now), which have enabled NYRA to broadcast directly to various devices from TV to mobile and desktop; and transmit video to traditional TV networks such as FOX Sports and MSG. In doing so, he helped shepherd the dramatic expansion of NYRA’s flagship television broadcasts, the critically-acclaimed Belmont Park Live and Saratoga Live, which feature live coverage nearly every race day from Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.

Prior to joining NYRA, O’Rourke was a member of the Zolfo Cooper and Capstone Advisory Group Corporate Restructuring Practices, specializing in multiple operational and financial reorganization efforts in the real estate development, gaming, auto manufacturing, retailing and shipping industries. He also served as Vice President of Operations at Datek Online and was instrumental in helping the company develop into the world’s fourth largest online brokerage.

O’Rourke is a member of the NYRA Board of Directors. He is also a board member of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of America; and a member of the Saratoga Race Course Local Advisory Board, and the Management Committee of Equibase Company.

O’Rourke is a graduate of The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and earned an MBA from Tulane University.