Lines From Linda: Candid Candidates Part II
BY LINDA AYERS TURNER KNORR continued
Maryland; and all of the All Breed Clubs to which I belong. I currently serve in my second term on the Board of the American Fox Terrier Club. I have Co-Chaired our Meet The Breeds Booth for several years. Last year I initiated a Youth and Recruitment Initiative for the Club, which is adopting a regional approach, providing education, breed specific information and access to mentors for juniors, new members and poten- tial new members. I also serve as President of the Fox Terrier Club of Mary- land, which offers Specialty shows, and Sweepstakes in conjunction with the Columbia Terrier and Hatboro Dog Club shows. I serve on the Board of Governors and as Chief Ring Steward of the Bryn Mawr Kennel Club. I am the current Judges’ Hospitality Chair and past Vendor Chair. I am also a Member of the Greater Naples Dog Club and a past Board Member, Secretary and Show Chair. I am also a Member of the Morris & Essex Kennel Club and have judged at the Morris & Essex Match Show. I have represented the Richmond Dog Fanciers’ Club as its Delegate for fifteen years since December 2002. I currently serve in my second term on the Delegate Bylaws Committee.
peers, the highest possible rating in recognition of both excellent legal ability and exemplary ethics. However, equally important to me are my less obvious “highlights”, where I feel I have helped people. In my roles as a partner or as counsel to organizations, working with others toward a common goal, assisting in setting the compass and direction of organizations, facilitating communication and planning for the future, I feel my contribution is as valuable as any big “win”. 5. What role should AKC play in the years ahead and do you believe AKC is on track to accomplish it? The AKC must play many roles in the years ahead, yet not lose sight of its identity, Charter, Constitution and Mission. First, the AKC must remember that it is a club of Clubs: Parent Clubs, Local Specialty Clubs, All Breed Clubs, Obedience Clubs and Agility Clubs. These clubs are comprised of hardworking members, breeders and exhibitors who love purebred dogs. The best inter- ests of Clubs must consequently be considered in all deci- sion-making. A crisis for one club may quickly become one for all. Caring for our clubs should be one of AKC’s top priorities in the years ahead. Resources available through Club Relations and the new Club Development Program are but a start. Financial assistance or incen- tives for show giving clubs could go a long way toward buoying those in danger of going under. Given the AKC’s present financial soundness, perhaps the time has come to give back the controversial “event fee” to the clubs. The AKC can give back to clubs in other ways too such as encouraging club involvement for participation in events, so those who benefit from the existence of clubs may join them. Concurrent with additional Club support must come improved Communication. The AKC must listen to what our clubs are saying. Only with vital input and insight from our Clubs regarding their unique challenges can true solutions be found. The AKC must also share its strategic plan on where we are going as an organization with the Clubs that it seeks to influence. Only if we share the same GPS can we attempt to travel in the same direction. Second, consistent with Section 2 of its Charter and Article III of its Constitution, the AKC should not only support but “advance” the study, breeding, exhibiting, running and maintenance of purebred dogs. Similarly, the AKC’s Mission statement calls for actual “advocacy” for the purebred dog. These dictates demand positive action moving forward, not satisfaction with the status quo. The AKC must strengthen and coordinate efforts with Communications and Government Relations to affirmatively promote purpose bred dogs from preservation breeders. Additionally, we must publicize the many activities and events that AKC dog owners can enjoy. Beyond merely advertising the letters AKC, our organization must connect and engage the public with the benefits of the human/canine bond provided by an AKC registered dog. Our dogs and our breeders give us a better story to tell,
3. Please share any leadership experience in other non-dog activities that will prepare you for Board service.
My career in the law has provided me with useful leader- ship experience. I served on the Executive Committee of a law firm with revenues of 30 million dollars, 220 employees, 120 attorneys and offices in three states. Our committee synthesized and analyzed complex l egal and financial information to arrive at well-reasoned business decisions. I also served as Co-Chair of the firm’s Marketing Com- mittee, where I was responsible for marketing, client development and associate training in client relations. Additionally, as a past Co-Chair of a Philadelphia Bar Association Section and a Lecturer on behalf of the Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the National Business Institute, I am prepared for the com- mitment and hard work necessary to get things done on the AKC Board. 4. Please share significant highlights of your profes- sional career and how they will complement your AKC Board service. Upon reflection, I find that the “highlights” of my professional career have been coupled with some of my greatest challenges. The most prestigious of these “highlights” is my client’s successful appeal to the United States Supreme Court. The US Supreme Court accepts only 100-150 of the more than 7,000 cases that it is asked to review each year. On behalf of my client, I drafted a Petition for Certiorari that was granted, drafted a supporting brief, coordinated with amicus curiae and appeared before the Justices, ultimately obtaining a deci- sion favorable to my client. Another notable “highlight” is my receipt of a Martindale-Hubbel AV rating from my
158 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , D ECEMBER 2017
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