TUCSON, Ariz. — The Turf Publicists of America (TPA) has elected three vice presidents and re-elected its secretary-treasurer to serve the organization for 2020 and 2021, it was announced Tuesday as part of the TPA’s Big Sport of Turfdom and scholarship awards luncheon at the Global Symposium on Racing conducted by the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program.
Dave Zenner, a freelance publicist and member of the operations department at Turf Paradise, was re-elected as secretary-treasurer. Amy Zimmerman, Vice President – Business Coordination & Director of Broadcasting at Santa Anita, will remain on the board as a vice president for another two-year term for 2020-21.
Due to a voting tie, the TPA welcomes both Tom LaMarra and Erin Shea as new TPA vice presidents. Each will serve a two-year term for 2020-21.
LaMarra serves as the Communications Director for the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, Managing Editor of the Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association website and Coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships. Shea is the Marketing and Communications Manager for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
LaMarra, Shea, Zenner and Zimmerman join TPA President Amy Gregory and Vice Presidents Wendy Davis from the Race Track Industry Program and Najja Thompson of the New York Racing Association who were elected last year to serve a two-year term for 2019 and 2020.
The new slate of officers was installed immediately.
TAYLOR OWENS AWARDED TURF PUBLICISTS OF AMERICA SCHOLARSHIP
Also on Tuesday, The Turf Publicists of America awarded a $2,000 scholarship to a Race Track Industry program student with a strong record of academic achievement and an interest in the promotion and marketing of horse racing. This year’s recipient is Taylor Owens, a junior on the equine path.
“Taylor has taken advantage of all the opportunities made available to RTIP students to really broaden her opportunities and her current interests in racing are many,” said RTIP Director Wendy Davis. “But as she moves forward toward a career in racing – as one of racing’s ‘insiders’ – she sees whatever that position may be, part of it must be promoting the sport. Her goal is to have the public talk about the good things in racing, not the negatives.”
