Russell C. Williams, USTA vice chairman and director for District 7 (Pennsylvania), was elected chairman of the board of trustees of the American Horse Council (AHC)
at its annual meeting in Washington, DC on June 16. The Horse Council is the federal information and lobbying representative of the horse industry in Washington.
Williams, of Hanover, Pennsylvania, is a vice president of Hanover Shoe Farms and chairman and vice president of the Standardbred Horse Sale Company. He is a grandson of Hanover Farms founder Lawrence Sheppard and has owned standardbreds for over 30 years. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the University of Richmond Law School.
Williams, who has been a Horse Council board member representing the USTA and standardbred industry for 10 years, will serve as chairman for three years. He succeeds Nick Nicholson, president and chief executive officer of the Keeneland Association.
“The chairman is really the chief servant of the Horse Council, making sure that meetings run effectively, facilitating the board members’ valuable contributions to the organization, keeping them informed, and maximizing communication among them,” said Williams.
“The AHC is the only place where members of all parts of the horse industry can sit down together and work on issues of importance to us all. It has been a privilege to work with the trustees over the years, and with Jay Hickey, president of the Horse Council and the excellent AHC staff. I will do my best to further the mission of the AHC.”
(Harness Racing Communications)