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INTERVIEW WITH FOUNDING MEMBER BILL CHAMBERS In 2018, when I stepped into the role of Facility Director for the National Equestrian Center in St. Louis, the League was my lifeline to mentors with far more experience and insight into venue management than I had as a previous horse show manager and event official. They knew my struggles, had already faced my challenges and had a well-spring of suggestions and solutions I was welcome to make my own. The League was invaluable to me as they willingly and graciously handed to me practical wisdom alongside well wishes and the open invitation to reach out again any time. -- Dana Jensen, Former Facility Director, League Executive Administrator LEAGUE BOARD OF DIRECTORS - SUMMER 2025 LEFT TO RIGHT: Jamie White, Charly Petrek, Marie Bolt, Joe LaFollette, Susan Tyre, Jonathan Fisher, Jeff Storms and David Solum ( NOT PICTURED: Keith Lucas, Jay Brower)
| Even as a "newbie" to the League with far fewer years of experience than many of my fellow members, I was welcomed into a relaxed social environment that included professionals who often had thirty decades or more of career knowledge and skill. It did not take me long to get to know many friendly faces, building relationships and ultimately a network of peers that I can call, email or text for advice any time I encounter a challenging situation. Symposium is amazing every year, and I always return home with a refreshed mindset and the inspiration to take our venue to the next level. -- Anita Scott, Executive Director, Angelina County - - - - - The League began in 1993 as a means for a certain, newly appointed director of an agricultural exposition center to meet others who did comparable work so that he might pick their brains about facility design, management, and operations procedures. That certain someone was me, a former manager of a cost-recovery professional development business in higher education (and not equestrian facility operations). Early efforts of the then informal League aimed to provide education and networking opportunities for facility directors and their staff and also to represent the facility-end of the nation’s livestock exposition industry whose other stakeholders included breed, performance, and competition entities from across the country. By 2003, the Annual Symposium was precedent and the first directors were elected to serve as a board to the now formal, official League of Agricultural and Equine Centers. In 2004, I was graciously awarded the title of Founder of the association and am pleased to have been its first Chairman. -- Brian Mott, Founding League Member, Former Chairman of the Board SLIDESHOW OF THE LEAGUE'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION |
