Showsight December 2020

LINES FROM LINDA: CANDID CANDIDATES: PART ONE

Rita J. Biddle, Esq. continued

• Expertise: Extensive experience in Board level issues, includ- ing problem-solving, strategic planning, finance/budget, organizational structure, personnel administration, contract- ing, and legislative process. • My AKC Board experience to date will help me to further contribute as a second term Director.

Dr. Thomas Davies, Springfield Kennel Club Brimfield, Massachusetts

Dr. Davies is currently Chair- man of the AKC Board of Directors. He was introduced to the world of purebred dogs in 1967. He and his wife, Roberta, have owned and/or bred Old English Sheepdogs, Beard- ed Collies, Siberian Huskies, all four Belgian Shepherd breeds, Beagles, and Xoloitzcuintli. They have fin-

Dominic Palleschi Carota, Pharaoh Hound Club of America Selkirk, New York My experiences as a current Owner, Breeder, Exhibitor, and Judge within our beloved sport, and Business Owner in my private life, have enabled me to contribute as an effective and involved Ameri- can Kennel Club Board Member as many challenges and difficult deci-

ished many champions in all of these breeds. Today, they concen- trate almost exclusively on Siberians. Tom is especially proud to have co-owned top-winning and top-producing Bearded Collies and Siberian Huskies. He has served as President of parent clubs, local specialty clubs, and all-breed clubs, as well as holding many other positions in these clubs. As President of the Bearded Col- lie Club of America, he shepherded the breed into the AKC Stud Book. He is an honorary lifetime member of that club and is the author of the Bearded Collie standard. Dr. Davies was first approved to judge Old English Sheepdogs and Bearded Collies in 1992 and today judges the Herding Group and 12 working breeds. He is currently the AKC Delegate for the Springfield Kennel Club. Tom has served for many years as show chairman for the Spring- field Kennel Club and for the country’s first Working Group club, the Connecticut River Working Group Association, for which he is Vice President. Dr. Davies is retired after more than 30 years in various areas of scientific research, and product and market development.

sions have presented themselves, especially with the recent COVID pandemic. I have served as the Delegate for the Pharaoh Hound Club of America since 2011 with a 100% attendance record for all Committee and Delegates Meetings. I was then entrusted by the Delegate Body to serve on the AKC Board of Directors commenc- ing in March of 2017 and elected as Vice Chairman by my peers, commencing in March of 2020. • AKC Breeder of the Year-Performance (Lure Coursing)-2014 • AKC Licensed Lure Coursing Trial and Test Judge • AKC Breeder of Merit • Pharaoh Hound Club of America National Parent Club Men- tor and Judge’s Educator • Approved Preferred Breeder-Pharaoh Hound Club of America • Co-Breeder of over 35 Dual Champion Pharaoh Hounds • Co-Breeder and Co-owner of Four AKC National Field Champions (NFC) • Treasurer-Hudson River Valley Hound Association: 2010-Present • Chairman-Hudson River Valley Hound Association Field Events: 2008-Present • Committee and Chairperson-Pharaoh Hound-National Specialties: Conformation and Performance • Member-Delegate Committee-Herding, Earth Dog and Coursing: 2011-2017 • Board Liaison-Delegate Committee-Herding, Earth Dog and Coursing: 2017-2020 • Board Liaison-Delegate Committee-Field Trial and Hunt Test Events: 2018-2019 • Member-AKC Board Appointed Real Estate Committee: 2017-2019 • Member-AKC Board Appointed Pension and Investment Committee: 2018-2019 • Board Liaison-Delegate Committee-Bylaws: 2019-2020 • Chairman-AKC Board Appointed Nominating Committee Best Practices Committee: 2019 • Chairman-AKC Board Appointed Pension and Investment Committee: 2019-2020 • Founder and Managing Partner-BH Group-New York: 1998-Present

Thomas S. Powers, Kennel Club of Beverly Hills Encino, California

• AKC Board of Directors for eight of the last nine years, service on the Board Audit, Appeals (Chair) and Compensation Committees. • Second generation dog fancier as exhibitor, breeder, show chair and all-breed dog club president, and AKC judge. Both parents served as AKC Delegates. • Born into an Irish Wolfhound family. Continue to breed and exhibit IW’s. With wife, Lani, bred and finished numerous IW’s as well as Glen of Imaal Terriers, Dachshunds, Mastiffs, and Harriers. • Current household: Three IW’s, one Harrier, and a Pumi. • Member of an all-breed and breed clubs since age 21, began selling catalogs at age 14. • Former Chair of the American Kennel Club South West Trial Board.

112 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, DECEMBER 2020

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