Forging The Future

I don't want to dwell on the past. As you all know the board decided in late June to make a major change to the organization by choosing to hire a new President. That decision didn't happen overnight. And that major change was really a result of a major shift in the organization that started almost four years ago. Every owner in California should know that you have an active, vibrant and concerned board of directors that doesn't want to do business as usual any more. Let me say first off that I think the TOC has done a good job in representing the owners' interests in the last few years. I also think we have an excellent and hard working staff. But we can certainly do things better and differently. I also want to let you know about some of the other changes that we have been working on:

The Owner's Circle Magazine - This magazine will undergo a major overhaul for its next issue in the Fall. There will be more hard data about the TOC included in future issues, including a detailed financial section about the organization. There will be a question and answer page where owners can submit questions in advance, and the responses will appear in print.
The Website - Toconline.com will also undergo a major revision.More information on upcoming board meetings will be posted on the website and more information relating to decisions made at past board meetings will be posted as well. The website will be updated much more frequently to provide owners with the latest information available.President's Salary - The new President's salary, upon hiring, will be made available to the membership.TOC is a 501c6 membership organization, and there is no reason the salary of our President should be kept confidential. TOC membership has a legitimate interest in knowing how its President is compensated.

These are only a few of the items we are working on. Our board and staff is going to take the opportunity during the transition process ahead of us in the next six months to review the structure of the organization, improve owner relations services and see how we can best move forward in a positive direction with the TOC. One of our first tasks in all of this will be the formation of a search committee to sift through the resumes that already have been coming in regarding the President's job. A press release will be issued shortly on the requirements for the position with application details.On August 22 at Del Mar, we will be holding TOC's Annual Owner's Meeting in the South. I encourage everyone to come out for a wonderful breakfast and meet the current board of directors.This will be a great opportunity to come and ask questions of the board and staff. On October 24we will be doing the same thing for our Northern California owners at Golden Gate Fields.In closing, let me say, we welcome any and all suggestions on how TOC can better serve its members and better serve our industry in California. And the new TOC looks forward to working harder than ever with its industry partners in solving the important issues facing us in thoroughbred racing.Anyone wishing to express their views about the TOC, or ask questions on any subject, can do so through my new e-mail address at mnaify@toconline.com. I also encourage owners to drop by our offices at the Del Mar track, where our staff will be available to assist you with all your needs.Have a great summer and good luck at the races.