June 16, 2005. Louisville, KY. - The Kentucky Derby Festival, Inc., announces the following 2006 Derby Festival Board Elections:
The Derby Festival Board of Directors elected Robert "Rip" Hatfield as Chairman of the 2006 Festival at its annual meeting yesterday at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Hatfield, Employee Assistance Representative for Ford Motor Company, has been involved with the Derby
Festival for more than 10 years. He follows the successful leadership of Dan Owens, a member/attorney with Frost Brown Todd LLC. In addition, Governor Martha Layne Collins and Jack Guthrie remain lifetime honoray KDF board members after serving a co-chairs of the Festival's 50th Celebration.
"I'm very, very excited about serving as Chairman of the Derby Festival" said Hatfield, who was born and raised in Louisville's Portland neighborhood. "It's quite and honor and I look forward to the challenge. This group of people is as good as it gets."
Hatfield joined the Derby Festival as a Board Member in 1998 and became a member of its Executive Board in 2000. He served as Chairman of the 2005 Pegasus Parade in its 50th anniversary year and has refereed all but one Derby Festival Basketball Classic game in the past 20 years. Hatfield is currently the Kentucky High School Athletic Association's Supervisor of Officials for the 6th and 7th Regions, which include all high schools in Jefferson and Bullitt counties.
Michael E. Berry continues as President and CEO of the Festival. Roy Potts, Public Affairs Manager for Central States Coca-Cola, was elected Chair-Elect and Karl F. Schmitt, Jr., President /Churchill Downs Simulcast Network & Sr. Vice President/Churchill Downs Incorporated, was re-elected Treasurer. Wendy Jacob was elected Secretary.
Elected to the Festival's Executive Board were: Leslie Broecker, Vice President of Operations for Broadway Across America/Clear Channel Entertainment; Juanita Beach, co-owner of Beach Mold & Tool Inc.; Nancy Norris, Vice President of Media Relations for Chase; and Mark Wheeler, Regional Chairman and Executive Vice President of U.S. Bank.
