Kim Rinker and the late Barry Lefkowitz were selected as the two candidates advancing to this summer’s balloting for the Communicators Hall Of Fame, as determined during the directors meeting of the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) on Saturday, Feb. 21.

Rinker has served in a number of editorial and writing positions in her harness racing career and along the way has won three John Hervey Awards for outstanding journalism. She has also worked in publicity for several organizations. Rinker rose through the ranks of USHWA’s officials ladder after serving as a chapter director. She is the longtime compiler-editor-designer of USHWA’s annual Dan Patch Awards Banquet souvenir journal, consistently giving advertisers what they request in ads while also producing a factual and visually appealing book.

It is USHWA tradition for the outgoing president to be elevated to chair of the board after their term at the top. Rinker will now be stepping away from a second term as chair, succeeding Lefkowitz, who had that position before passing away from cancer not long after the 2025 meetings.

When harness racing was his primary career, Lefkowitz was the publicist at Roosevelt Raceway, with many International Trot duties among varied items in his portfolio there. He also worked at Batavia Downs as general manager, and in publicity and simulcast roles at Jackson Raceway, Scioto Downs, and Windsor Raceway. Lefkowitz's business was primarily in the insurance field in later years, though he remained a contributor to several statistical reports and other racing coverage. His lasting legacy for USHWA will be his dynamic contribution to the revamping of the organization’s financial and business situations, bringing his knowledge and applying it with vigour and a never-give-up attitude.

Rinker and Lefkowitz will go before the USHWA voters during the midsummer balloting for Communicators Hall of Fame election, as will those nominees for the sport’s Hall of Fame during a July meeting of USHWA’s Screening Committee, to be held in Goshen, N.Y. A nominee must get 75 per cent approval from yes-no votes in order to receive the grand honour. Results are typically announced in the latter part of summer.

A summary release of the directors and membership meetings of USHWA will be sent out this midweek, after the stars of the past season honoured at the Dan Patch Awards Banquet, presented by Caesars Entertainment, get their day in the media sun on Monday following the Sunday-night banquet.

(USHWA)