Chairman
Mr. Del Giudice has been Chairman and Senior Managing Director of Rockland Capital, LLC, New York, NY, a private equity company focusing on power and energy infrastructure markets, since 2003 and Senior Managing Director at Millennium Capital Markets LLC, New York, NY, an investment banking firm, since 1996. Previously, Mr. Del Giudice was a General Partner at Lazard Frères & Co. LLC, and also served as Secretary to the New York State Governor Mario Cuomo, Director of State Operations to Governor Hugh Carey, and Chief of Staff to the New York State Assembly Speaker. Mr. Del Giudice serves as Lead Director of Con Edison, Inc., and also serves as a Director of Fusion Telecommunications International, Inc., Reis, Inc., and FNBNY Bancorp, Inc.
Jeffrey A. Cannizzo became the Executive Director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders in July 2008. Prior to his appointment, Cannizzo enjoyed a successful ten-year career working in business development and management consulting for Lockheed Martin, Dell and Microsoft. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund. Cannizzo holds an M.B.A in Technology Management and B.S. in Business Administration from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY. A third generation horsemen from the Finger Lakes Region of New York State, his family has been involved with the Thoroughbred industry for the past 50 years. Cannizzo has advocated for the industry in New York’s complex political environment and has publicly pressured government by testifying multiple times for its Thoroughbred interests including breeders and horsemen. Instrumental in directing movements through the most challenging times for New York Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing over the last decade, his perseverance and leadership have helped pave a way forward for New York. Cannizzo was named to the THOROUGHBRED TIMES’ inaugural “40 under 40” list of industry leaders in 2010. In 2014 he was recognized by the Albany Business Review’s “40 Under Forty” for making a difference in New York State businesses and communities.
Michael Dubb is the founder and CEO of the Beechwood Organization, ranked among the largest residential home builders in the United States. He is a two-time past president of the Long Island Builders Institute and a former Board Member of the Long Island Housing Partnership.
He is Chairman of the Belmont Child Care Association. In 2002 he donated the construction of Anna House, a 9,000 square foot, 365 day education and care center for the children of the NYRA Backstretch workers. It currently services 70 children each day. In addition, he has led in the renovation of several NYRA Backstretch dormitories as well as the construction of new dormitories.
An avid horseman, Michael Dubb has been the leading thoroughbred owner on the NYRA circuit in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015. Among some of the graded stake winners he has campaigned are Alysweep, Bill Place, Grace Hall, Sis City, Belle Gallantey, My Happy Face, Slumber, Wake Forest, Condo Commando, Mr. Maybe and Breeder’s Cup Winner, Wavell Avenue.
C. Steven Duncker graduated Cum Laude from Duke University in 1980 and attended the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University, where he received his MM, Finance in 1982. Immediately following, he was hired by Goldman Sachs & Company, where he first worked in St. Louis, then Chicago. Mr. Duncker moved to New York and became Vice President in 1986, and was named partner in 1996. In 2001, he retired as partner after successfully running the Global Credit Derivative Department. Boards on which Mr. Duncker serves include the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders’ Association, the Jockey Club Information Systems, and Equibase, Inc. He is Founder and Trustee of the C. Steven Duncker Foundation, which is dedicated to providing educational opportunities to disadvantaged children. Mr. Duncker is an avid thoroughbred owner and breeder racing in New York, New Jersey, Kentucky and Florida.
Bobby Flay is an award-winning chef and restauranteur with a strong interest in thoroughbred racing. Mr. Flay opened Mesa Grill, his first restaurant, in 1991. Mesa Grill was named "Best Restaurant 1992" by New York Magazine's Gael Greene. He opened Bolo Restaurant & Bar opened in November 1993 in the Flatiron district. That same year, Mr. Flay was voted the James Beard Foundation's Rising Star Chef of the Year, an award that honors the country's most accomplished chef under the age of 30. In April 2005, he opened Bar Americain, featuring regional American cuisine. In June 2006, he opened his first steakhouse, Bobby Flay Steak, at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. In addition to his restaurants, Mr. Flay shares his knowledge and enthusiasm for food through his cookbooks and his many national cooking shows on the Food Network, Cooking Channel and NBC. Mr. Flay is also a horse owner and racing enthusiast, having campaigned stakes winners including Her Smile, More Than Real, Sensational Slam and 2016 Belmont Stakes winner Creator.
Marc Holliday serves as Chief Executive Officer of SL Green Realty Corp (NYSE:SLG) and as a member of the Company's Board of Directors, positions he has held since January 2004. He has been with the company since 1998, when he joined as Chief Investment Officer. Under Mr. Holliday's leadership, SL Green has grown to be New York City's largest owner of commercial office properties and the dominant landlord in Midtown Manhattan.
Given his successful track record and industry expertise, Mr. Holliday is frequently cited and interviewed by the nation's leading media outlets regarding the commercial real estate marketplace. Along with other citations, he was recognized by The Wall Street Journal as one of the New York Region's "People to Watch in 2014", as # 1 on the New York Observer's "Commercial 100" list in 2012 and by Crain's New York Business in 2003 as one of its "40 Under 40" leading New Yorkers. Mr. Holliday was recently honored by National Jewish Health in 2011 where he received the Humanitarian Award and raised a record-breaking $3.0 million for the organization from members of New York City's real estate and construction industries.
Stuart S. Janney III is the Chairman of Bessemer Trust Company, Bessemer Trust Company, N.A., Bessemer Group, Inc., Bessemer Trust Company of Florida and Bessemer Securities Corporation since January 1995. In 1970, Mr. Janney graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. and in 1973 he received his J.D. from the University of Maryland. From 1973-76, Mr. Janney held several positions in the Federal government and in 1977 he joined Niles, Barton & Wilmer, a Baltimore law firm, where he was a partner. From 1986-94 he was a Managing Director of Alex Brown & Sons in charge of Asset Management. He currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Jockey Club and on also the Boards of the Keeneland Association, and the King Ranch, Inc. He is a trustee of The Johns Hopkins University, John Hopkins Medicine and Chairman of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab.
Mr. Kay is the Chief Executive Officer and President of The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), where he has led the organization’s efforts to enhance the guest experience (both on-site and online), improve the quality of horse racing, and create a stronger financial and business foundation.
Previously, Mr. Kay served as Chief Operating Officer for The Trust for Public Land, where he oversaw the operations of the land conservation organization’s headquarters and 37 field offices. Also, he served as the Managing Director of International Business Development for Universal Parks & Resorts; and as General Counsel and subsequently as Chief Operating Officer at Toys ‘R’ Us, a Fortune 200 international company with $12 billion in annual sales. Prior to those executive positions, Mr. Kay worked in the private legal sector, serving as an equity partner in one of the nation’s largest firms, before founding his own firm, which became one of the fastest growing law firms in Florida. He serves on several thoroughbred racing industry associations, on the Advisory Board of RSR Partners, and is former trustee of the American Medical Association..
Earle Mack is a Senior Partner at the Mack Company and a former member of the Board of Directors for Mack-Cali Realty Corp. Mr. Mack served as United States Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Finland from May 2004 until November 2005. Chairman of the New York State Racing Commission from 1983 to 1989, Mr. Mack has served in many positions in the public and private sector of the thoroughbred racing and breeding industry. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Drexel University and attended Fordham University School of Law. As a horse owner, Mr. Mack has campaigned stakes winners including Currency Arbitrage, Excellent Tipper, Icabad Crane, and November Snow.
Timothy (Chris) Mara is the SR. Vice President of Player Personnel for the New York Football Giants and serves on its board of directors. The Mara family has owned the Giants since its inception into the National Football League in 1925. Chris has been a part of the Giants 4 Super Bowl Championships, 1986, 1990, 2007 and 2011 seasons. Mr. Mara is an avid horse racing enthusiast and horse owner. He is currently a partner with Starlight Racing who have campaigned 3 Kentucky Derby starters in 2014 and 2015. General a Rod and Intense Holiday in 2014 and Itsaknockout in 2015. A graduate of Boston College in 1979 he resides in Bedford NY.
Georgeanna (Georgie) Nugent is an avid horse racing fan, partner with Epona Racing Stable and a former show jumper. She resides with her family less than two furlongs from the Saratoga Race Track. Ms. Lussier is a Senior Project Manager at Foit-Albert Associates Architecture, Engineering and Surveying, P.C. She received her Master of Science degree in environmental science and engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and bachelor’s degrees in environmental science and geology from SUNY Plattsburgh. Ms. Lussier was appointed to the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) Board in May 2009 and serves as the board’s Vice Chairwoman; she is also a member of the Governance Committee and the Planning & Stakeholder Relations Committee. Ms. Lussier is a 2008 graduate of Leadership Saratoga, served one year on the Saratoga Springs Design Review Commission, and is actively involved with educational grant and scholarship programs for students in the STEM field.
A third-generation, New York City, garment industry entrepreneur, Andrew Rosen founded the fashion label Theory in 1997. Following its acquisition by Japan's Fast Retailing in 2008, he has continued to serve as CEO of Theory and Helmut Lang. Andrew is a mentor to the fashion community, has endowed scholarships at the Fashion Institute of Technology and Central Saints 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 offers grants to support the future of garment factories in Manhattan. Andrew is also a partner in other American fashion labels Rag & Bone, Alice & Olivia and the luxury brand Proenza Schouler. Like his father before him, Andrew is actively involved in thoroughbred horse racing; he has a significant racing and breeding operation in Europe and the United States. Andrew is passionate about the industry and committed to its future.
Joseph Spinelli is Managing Director in the Global Investigations and Compliance Practice, and serves as Global Leader of the Anti-Bribery & Corruption Practice at Navigant Consulting. Appointed in 1986, he spent eight years as New York State's first ever Inspector General, leading fraud, abuse, waste and corruption investigations for all New York State agencies and authorities. Prior to his appointment as Inspector General, Mr. Spinelli served as a Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in both the New York and New Haven field offices. Mr. Spinelli also served as an Independent Fiscal Monitor during the post-Sept. 11 recovery effort at the World Trade Center, with investigative, compliance and monitoring responsibilities. In 2004, Mr. Spinelli was elected to the Board of Regents of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, an international professional association with 40,000 members. In February 2010, Mr. Spinelli was appointed to the New York State Commission on Public Integrity. He is a graduate of Ricker College and earned his J.D. at the John Marshall School of Law.
Stuart Subotnick is President and CEO of Metromedia Company, a general partnership made up of public and private companies. Mr. Subotnick joined the former Metromedia, Inc. as a tax manager in 1967, was promoted to CFO in 1980, and was one of the principal architects of the leveraged buyout which took the company private in 1984. Subotnick has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Baruch College and earned his J.D. at Brooklyn Law School. Subotnick and his late wife, Anita, formed Anstu Stable in 1992 and together have campaigned a number of stakes winners including Balto Star, Friendly Island, I’m All Yours and Mellow Roll.
Mr. Tese is a lawyer, investment advisor and cable television executive, and is currently the Executive Chairman of Bond Street Holdings, LLC as well as the Executive Chairman of its subsidiary, Florida Community Bank. He is also a Director of several corporations, including Cablevision Systems Corporation, ICE 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 has served in state government in a number of positions. He served as State Superintendent of Banks from 1981 to 1983, in March 1985 was named Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Urban Development Corporation, and in 1987, 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 both the Science and Technology Foundation and the Job Development Authority. He was appointed a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 1991 and elected its vice chairman in 1992. Mr. Tese 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 and following two years as first lieutenant with the US Army, a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 1972 and the L.L.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law in 1973.
Rick Violette is a thoroughbred trainer and the President of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, Inc (NYTHA). Mr. Violette graduated from Lowell University in Massachusetts and began working on the backstretch at Suffolk Downs. He was an assistant to Emile Allain at Woodbine Racetrack in Canada for two years before moving to New York to serve as an assistant to David Whiteley. Mr. Violette started his own public stable in 1983 and has developed many stakes winners including Read the Footnotes, Man from Wicklow, March Magic, Dream Rush and High Finance. Mr. Violette has served as Chairman of the New York Jockey Injury Compensation Fund for more than a decade and has been the President of the National Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and a member of the Board of Directors of NYTHA for many years.
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