AKC BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION RESULTS

Dateline 03|09|09 The Annual Meeting of the AKC Delegates took place on March 10, 2009. There were eight candidates running for four positions.  The AKC Board selected Nominating Committee put forth Lee Arnold, Alan Kalter, John Neilsen, and Robert Smith.  Running from the floor were Carl Ashby, Dr. Fred Bock, Judi Daniels, and Carl Gomes. More details on all candidates available in pre-election coverage.

 

The four Directors elected by the Delegates are: Lee Arnold, Delegate from the Southern Colorado Kennel Club; Carl C. Ashby, Delegate from the United States Kerry Blue Terrier Club, Inc; Alan Kalter, Delegate from the American Bullmastiff Association; and Dr. Robert D. Smith, Delegate from the Memphis Kennel Club.  Term limits took effect for the first time this year so there were no incumbent candidates.

 

In addition, Ronald H. Menaker was re-elected as Chairman of the Board and Dr. Thomas M. Davies was elected as the new Vice Chairman of the Board at a meeting of the AKC Board of Directors, convened after the Delegate Meeting.

Ronald H. Menaker, AKC Delegate for the Rockford-Freeport Illinois Kennel Club, has been the Chairman since 2002.  Menaker has been an active participant in the sport of purebred dogs for nearly 40 years.  He bred and exhibited Giant Schnauzers and has also shown Bedlington Terriers and Norfolk Terriers. He became a licensed AKC judge in 1994, approved to judge Best in Show, all Working breeds, all Sporting breeds and several Terrier breeds.

Menaker is a retired Managing Director and Head of Corporate Services of J.P. Morgan & Co. Incorporated of New York, and a past President and Director of J. P. Morgan Services, Inc. He is also the Vice Chairman and past Chairman of New York Downtown Hospital. Menaker resides in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey with his wife Kathy.

Dr. Thomas M. Davies, Vice Chairman, AKC Delegate for the Springfield Kennel Club, was first elected to the Board in 2000 and has served on the Public Relations, Events and Clubs, and the Breeders Committees. Most recently, he chaired the Group Realignment Committee.

He has been active in purebred dogs since 1967. Dr. Davies had significant influence on the Bearded Collie even before its official recognition by the AKC, serving as club president. In the mid-80’s, Dr. Davies and his wife became deeply involved in Siberian Huskies and Belgian Sheepdogs. He is approved for Bearded Collies, Old English Sheepdogs, Siberian Huskies and eleven herding breeds. Dr. Davies retired from the Bayer Corporation after more than thirty years.  He currently resides in Brimfield, Massachusetts with his wife Roberta.

Lee Arnold of Bedminster, NJ entered the dog world in 1984. He and his wife breed and exhibit Chinese Shar-Pei and have produced champions and Best in Show winners. Chairman of the Chinese Shar-Pei Charitable Trust since 1995, Mr. Arnold has raised over $250,000 for research on diseases affecting the breed. He joined the Board of the AKC/CHF in 1997, and currently serves as vice-chairman.

A graduate of Emerson College and a recipient of a Masters Degree in Communication Arts from Boston University, Mr. Arnold has worked in broadcasting as an on-air personality, music director, program director and news anchor. For the past ten years, he has commentated on ESPN and Animal Planet dog shows.

Carl C. Ashby III of Greensboro, NC became involved in the sport in 1971 through obedience but he and his wife quickly developed interest in the conformation ring, purchasing a Kerry Blue Terrier in 1972. Since then, they have bred and exhibited Best in Show winners, specialty winners and 25 champions.  He has been Delegate for the United States Kerry Blue Terrier Club, Inc. since the late 1980s. As past chairperson of the United States Kerry Blue Terrier Charitable Fund, Mr. Ashby helped to raise $50,000 dedicated to health and future of the breed.

Mr. Ashby worked for AT&T for 27 years, ultimately becoming President of Custom Manufacturing Services, one of only 23 business units in the company. He is currently employed as president and majority owner of Ann Crittenden, Inc., which owns and operates a chain of Hallmark Gold Crown Card stores.

Alan Kalter of Ann Arbor, MI has been an active breeder and exhibitor of Bullmastiffs for over 20 years.  Under the HappyLegs prefix, he has produced 140 champions, including Best in Show and Specialty winners, and five generations of Group winners.

Mr. Kalter has served as Delegate for the American Bullmastiff Association, is a founding board member of the AKC Political Action Committee and a member of the committee responsible for evaluating recipients of legislative donations.  As the owner and CEO of Doner, a multinational, multibillion dollar advertising agency, Mr. Kalter has contributed pro bono marketing to the AKC, originating the "We’re more than champion dogs. We’re the dog’s champion." tagline. He has also developed communications campaigns for the Morris Animal Foundation, including the Canine Cancer Campaign.

Dr. Robert D. Smith of St. Stephens Church, VA has beenin the sport for 47 years, primarily as a breeder/owner/handler of American Foxhounds. Elected to the AKC Board for the first time in 1997, he served for five years, proposed creation of the Registered Handlers and the Breeders Education Program.
He has held every office and most committee positions in kennel clubs in several states. Currently, he serves as the delegate from the Memphis Kennel Club.

Approved to judge in 1969, Dr. Smith became an all-breed judge in 1996. He presided over Best in Show at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in December 2008. Professionally, Dr. Smith ran highly successful small business programs for the states of Mississippi and Virginia, retiring in 1996.

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Ex Officio: Dennis B. Sprung

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