John Gallinger Named Standardbred Canada President and CEO

Standardbred Canada, the Canadian harness racing industry leader, responsible for guiding the sport to thrive and prosper, today announced that John Gallinger has been named as the association’s President and Chief Executive Officer

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Gallinger joins Standardbred Canada with over 13 years experience in business leadership and information technology. Since 2003, he has served for Magna Entertainment Corp., a company that owns some of the premier racetracks in North America. Working as Chief Information Officer since 2006, he has been instrumental in several of MEC’s most innovative and forward thinking projects. These projects spanned many aspects of MEC’s racing business, including: race office operations; horseman applications and services; domestic and international video distribution; totaliser services; account wagering; mobile internet strategy; simulcasting; wagering product development; and customer loyalty programs.

A key member on several racing industry committees, Gallinger has sat on the Thoroughbred Racing Association’s 2020 Committee, the Wagering Transmission Protocol Committee and the Video Security Standards Committee.

“I am very happy to welcome John Gallinger as Standardbred Canada's new President & CEO,” said Chairman of the Board, Jackson Wittup. “John certainly understands the racing industry and the state the industry is in, having worked with Magna Entertainment for the past seven years. John has an extensive knowledge in the IT area of the industry and believes in building a ‘team atmosphere’ in the work place which should be a great fit for Standardbred Canada and its different business models.”

“John will be making the rounds throughout the industry and I hope everyone will introduce themselves and welcome John to the Standardbred sector.”

Prior to joining MEC, Gallinger was a manager at BearingPoint LP, one of the world’s largest business consulting, systems integration and managed services firms. While there, his role was focused on the sale and delivery of large-scale telecommunications system implementation and business transformation projects.

Gallinger, who resides in Richmond Hill, Ontario, will join Standardbred Canada in mid-May. He is looking forward to the position and understands the task ahead.

“I have spent the last seven years working within and developing a passion for the racing industry,” said Gallinger. “I am acutely aware of the challenges facing the racing industry. However, I am extremely confident that the industry will survive and prosper.”

“I strongly believe that other influential leaders within the industry are beginning to realize and accept that organizations must work collaboratively to solve our greatest challenges. I believe that Standardbred Canada is well positioned to take a leadership role in contributing to and facilitating the required changes.”

A Chartered Accountant and Masters degree graduate in Accounting from the University of Waterloo, Gallinger volunteers his time with two non-profit organizations. He is the Treasurer and a Director of McClellan Community Child Care Inc., an organization that operates two licensed child care centres. He is also a Director of the RCGA Foundation, an organization with the mandate to raise funds for Canadian college and university scholarships and programs related to golf. He is also an avid golfer.