New NYRA Board Members Finally Announced

The reorganization of the current 25 member NYRA board of directors is now complete. Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his eight appointees. The New York Senate and Assembly were allowed to select two directors each. The current NYRA board picked five of their standing members to be their representatives on the new 17 person board of directors. 

 

Five of the appointees from the New York politicians were already NYRA board members and when they are combined with the five NYRA nominees that makes a majority of 10 out of 17 directors that have already been part of the NYRA board.

 

That is a surprising result because it was expected that the new NYRA board of directors would have a very different composition than any previous NYRA board. It was assumed that the government appointees would not have ties to NYRA and that they would be on the board to put Governor Cuomo’s agenda in place.

 

This new government controlled NYRA board will stand for the next three years at which point control will go back to the private sector. One of first responsibilities of this board is to run a national search for a new CEO and a general counsel.

 

 

 

 

Leonard Riggio, Chairman, Barnes & Noble, Inc. (former NYRA board member and Cuomo appointee) Mr. Riggio is the owner of My Meadowview LLC, a thoroughbred racing and breeding business.

 

(current NYRA board member and Cuomo appointee)  Brooklyn Boyz Stables.

 

(Cuomo appointee)  Mr. Tese also chaired the New York State Advisory Commission on Racing in the 21st Century.

 

Joseph Spinelli, Managing Director, Navigant (Cuomo appointee)

 

Robert Megna, New York State Budget Director (Cuomo appointee)Mr. Megna will act as a financial watchdog on the NYRA board.

 

John Hendrickson, Special Advisor for Saratoga (Cuomo appointee)

(current NYRA board member and NY Senate appointee)Dubb was appointed a member of the New York Racing Association Board of Directors in 2008. In 2011 he was the leading thoroughbred owner in New York State.

 

Earle Mack, Senior Partner, Mack Company (current NYRA board member and NY Senate appointee)Mack is a former member of the NYRA Board of Directors and served as Chairman of the New York State Racing Commission from 1983 to 1989, during which time he was also a member of the NYS Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund.

  

Michael J. Del Giudice, Chairman, Rockland Capital Energy Investments, LLC. (current NYRA board member and NY Assembly appointee)  Mr. Del Giudice was appointed to the NYRA board in 2003 and promoted to Vice Chairman in 2005.

 

 

Stuart Janney III, thoroughbred owner-breeder (current NYRA board member and NYRA appointee)

 

 

Charles Wait, a bank executive from Saratoga Springs (current NYRA board member and NYRA appointee)