Showsight - November 2017

Lines From Linda Candid Candidates BY LINDA AYERS TURNER KNORR

M eet the Del- egates seek- ing AKC Board posi- tions. Times flies! The election for the AKC Board of Direc- tors will take place in March. Here’s an early look and the candidates. I asked each of them for a brief bio and to complete the sentence, “I love the AKC because…” Hope this early introduc-

NOMINATING COMMITTEE CANDIDATES CLASS OF 2019 Ronald H. Menaker, Memphis Kennel Club CLASS OF 2022 Robert Amen, Greater St. Louis Training Club Christopher L. Sweetwood, Trap Falls Kennel Club Harold “Red” Tatro, III, Fort Worth Kennel Club PETITION CANDIDATES CLASS OF 2022 Carl C. Ashby, III, United States Kerry Blue Terrier Club James R. Dok, Gig Harbor Kennel Club Jan Ritchie Gladstone, Richmond Dog Fanciers Club Ann Wallin, Atlanta Kennel Club employee news department, working on their employee mag- azine and newspaper. After a few years, I moved on to what became a 25-year career in the industrial sector. I was a vice president with a Wall Street consulting firm that engaged in defending com- panies from hostile takeovers; an elected officer for three major public U.S. Industrial corporations, each with annual sales exceeding $3 billion (1969-1980); president of my own financial and public relations consulting firm (1980-1992) and finally, as a partner with Ketchum, Inc., a major U.S. public relations consultant (1992-2000). I was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI), which is a not-for-profit international professional organization for four years and served as its Chairman of the Board and CEO from 1988-89. My experience has included managing large staffs of executives in financial public relations, crisis management, employee information and government relations. At Combus- tion Engineering, Inc., for example, I was elected corporate vice president, marketing and communications, with respon- sibilities for all the above functions; I also was an advisor to the CEO and a member of the Strategic Planning Committee. My consulting firm, Amen & Associates, Inc. client list included: AT&T, Campbell Soup Co., Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (makers of Arm & Hammer products), Friendly Ice Cream Corp., General Signal Corp., Lucent Technologies, Inc., The Thomson Corp., and Nynex Corp., to name a few. I sold my firm to Ketchum, Inc., one of the nation’s top public relations firms, in 1992. In 1994, I was elected a part- ner and named President, Ketchum Corporate Relations, the division responsible for global corporate communications

tion will aid club members in getting to know the individu- als running so they can share opinions with their voting Del- egates. The candidates will be in Orlando during our AKC National Championship Show. This will present ideal oppor- tunities to meet them and learn how their special talents may guide our great organization’s future.

ROBERT AMEN NOMINEE, AKC BOARD OF DIRECTORS, CLASS OF 2022

I love the AKC because it has offered me a never-ending opportunity to learn about peo- ple, group dynamics and, most importantly, about dogs. As an exhibitor, trainer, judge, delegate and board member, I have had the opportunity to broaden my knowledge in almost every area of our sports and related activi- ties—breeds and breeding, canine

health, government relations, AKC clubs, the role of the dog in modern society and the resources offered by the AKC to people seeking information. I have been awed by the effort it takes to manage the thousands of events sanctioned by the AKC each year: conformation events, performance events, companion events, et al. Finally, I have learned much more about the responsibilities and role of a board member of a not-for-profit organization. The opportunities have been end- less. Hopefully, I have contributed to the knowledge of others along the way. My wife of 53 years, Barbara, and I live in Stamford, Con- necticut, with our four dogs.I began my career working for the New York Times , first on the radio news desk, then as a news assistant in the Business News Department. I moved on to work for Bell Telephone Labs, a unit of AT&T, in the

80 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , N OVEMBER 2017

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