PasoVoice.Com :: PFHA Candidate Write ups

caliber · Site Admin

Election is up in Jan 2009, here are the write ups from your candidates.

President:

Ed Smith
PFHA president

Riding, raising and competing Paso Fino horses have been the most rewarding and exciting endeavors of my life. During this time, the privilege to serve as a board member, Judge and vice president of PFHA, and the trust placed in me by PFHA members, have been equally rewarding.
I began riding at age six when my parents bought my first horse. In 1991, I bought my first Paso Fino to enjoy pleasure riding as a family activity. This activity quickly evolved into competing, breeding and raising Paso Fino horses at the regional and national level. With over 130 head of Paso Fino horses, I own and operate Caballos del Conquistador, one of the largest Paso Fino horse farms in the United States. Between 1993 and 2007, horses from our farm have won over forty national and reserve national championships. I have been involved with the Paso Fino horse in just about every capacity possible: as a pleasure rider, amateur competitor, trainer of my own horses, breeder, show manager, PFHA board member and PFHA judge.
My primary business is oil and natural gas exploration and production. Other business interests have included restaurants, banking, mining interests, real estate and timber. I served eight years as the mayor of the city of Marshall, Texas. As CEO of my company and as a mayor, I am familiar with operating budgets substantially larger than that of PFHA and with how successful organizations and corporate entities must function. Serving on numerous committees and boards – locally and at the state level – I have learned how to work successfully with people of varied backgrounds, diverse personalities and opinions.
My educational background includes three degrees, one of which is a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with a major in accounting and a second major in marketing. I also have Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in geology. My accounting background has proven invaluable to me throughout my business and public service career and will be an asset to me as president of PFHA. I understand the function of a board in its relationship to management, and to the membership to which the board is accountable. I understand the board’s role of setting policy and giving management the freedom to carry out board policy, and yet insuring that policy is carried out by staff within the parameters established.
My involvement with Paso Finos began with trail riding, and I still enjoy trail riding today. Our association must strive to find an equitable balance between the needs of the pleasure owner and the needs of those involved in competition of their horses.
Having managed the Shreveport/Marshall show for 13 years, I understand the promotional and financial importance of regional events.
Serving on the PFHA board of directors for several years as the Southwestern representative, and more recently as vice president, has allowed me to gain valuable experience and insight into the operation of the board and association. This opportunity to serve has given me a firm grasp of the multi-faceted issues that face PFHA financially, organizationally, and as a national service organization to the Paso Fino owners and members of PFHA.
As a licensed PFHA judge, I have judged numerous shows across the country. This privilege has afforded me the opportunity to serve the association and to gain a
better understanding of the overall direction and development of the Paso Fino as a breed in this country. During my tenure as Southwestern representative on the board, I served on the Finance Committee and more recently as vice president, serving on the Executive Committee. Serving on each of these committees has given me very good understanding of the internal finances of our association.
We have a varied and diverse membership under the PFHA umbrella, with interests and needs ranging from the single horse owner to larger horse farms, all of which must be effectively addressed. We must continue to find new, innovative ways to work together to positively promote the Paso Fino while remaining true to the Paso Fino’s legacy. The unique Paso Fino gait, together with its Latin heritage, sets the Paso apart from the other gaited breeds.
We face difficult and tough decisions regarding PFHA’s direction and future. We all desire the best for our association and the Paso Fino horse. We must find positive and constructive ways to work together to strengthen our association and to advance the Paso Fino horse here and abroad. Working together, we can improve and make PFHA a better registry and association. Working together, with the common good at heart, PFHA’s future cannot be anything other than positive and bright.

Vice President

Edith (Edie) Gandy
I have been involved with Paso Finos for most of my adult life and have been a
member of PFHA since the first year of its existence. During my years of
involvement I have held the following positions:
• Vice President (two terms, one in the early years of PFHA (PFOBA) and
one in the 1990’s)
• Chair of the Personnel Committee (currently and for two terms in the past)
• Past Chairperson of the National Show
• Member of the Judges and Stewards Committee (current)
• Past Member of the Education Committee
• Speaker at the 2008 Judges and Stewards Clinic and several prior clinics
• Past Member of the Rules Committee
• Past Member of the Registration Advisory Committee
• PFHA Judge
• Past Board Member (representing Southern Regional for a number of
years)
• Member of the site selection team that negotiated and closed the contract
to buy the offices in which PFHA is currently located.
• Founding member of Southern Regional Paso Fino Horse Association
where I served several terms as President.
I am a small breeder whose goal is to focus on quality rather than quantity. After
having been highly active in showing for a number of years - including winning
National Champion Amateur Owner Fino Stallion with one of my horses, I scaled
back my show involvement several years ago in order to concentrate on building
my consulting business. I am founder and President of TriSource Associates, an
organizational development consulting firm. Additionally, I am a partner in the
University of Florida’s Leadership Development Institute and an instructor at the
Graduate School of Banking at LSU where I teach Strategic Planning.
Aside from serving on PFHA committees, I haven’t been active in the “politics” of
the organization for a number of years and do not have a political agenda other
than to help our breed to gain the prominence and recognition it deserves in the
equine marketplace. I am running for Vice President of PFHA because I think my
experience and work background might be helpful at this point in the
organization’s evolution. That background includes senior-level positions as
Human Resources Director, Director of Organizational Development and
Executive Vice President of Sales/Marketing. My experience on non-profit
boards includes being a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of
Tampa, a board member of the Goodwill Foundation, past president of the Board
of Directors of the AAOBPPH and member of the NAPHA Board of Directors. I
have done consulting work for the United Way and the Area Agency on Aging to
help them with their strategic planning process and recently conducted a seminar
on Non-Profit Law and Governance for local non-profit organizations.
If elected, I would like the opportunity to help PFHA with both its future strategy
and the creation of tactics to successfully execute that strategy. I would
appreciate your consideration and your vote for Vice President of PFHA.

Charles (Chuck) Rechtenbach

I would like your vote for Vice President of the Paso Fino Horse Association.
I would like to thank the membership for the privilege and opportunity of standing for the
important position of Vice President of PFHA.
I acquired my first Paso Fino in February of 2001 which also happened to be my first
horse. After looking at numerous breeds and initially gravitating towards the Arab, the
Paso Fino was the only choice (stole our hearts!).
�� First – The Paso Fino Horse World magazine encouraged us to look closer at this
breed—a breed with elegance, grace, and beauty. The smooth gait appealed to us,
but the clincher was the friendliness of the horse.
�� Second - After my first ride, which happened to be on a stallion, I, with six
lessons under my belt, fell in love with the breed. I have not been disappointed.
In 2003, I left my high technology job, without any reluctance, and moved to the
Shenandoah Valley for the express purpose of working (is it working or playing?) with
the Paso Fino. My goal is to have the privilege of owning a champion stallion. I have
been blessed with several outstanding babies to where I now have 19 Pasos at my stable.
As many of you know, with a horse like the Paso Fino, it does not take long before “one”
tends to convert to “many” quickly.
What can you expect from me as your Vice President?
The Paso Fino Horse Association is a membership organization that was formed, and
exists for the express purpose of furthering the Paso Fino breed. Therefore, any elected
official is responsible to ensure the welfare and future of the breed, and also to execute
the will of the membership. In business and management, I tend to be conservative in
outlook. By that I mean, “if it is not broke, then it does not need fixing”. At the same
time, I am flexible in outlook. Facts will carry the day. Emotion and personal agenda
can stay home. I bring rational and logic thought to the table and overall a business
approach that was honed by being responsible to others for success in business growth
and profitability. I believe the office of the Association is: To serve the membership; to
transact the daily business of the membership; and, to execute the direction given to the
staff by the membership through their Board of Directors, the direct representatives of
their regional membership. In me, you will have an ombudsman for the Paso Fino and a
direct representative for you.
What qualifies me for this position?
The position of Vice President requires a love and keen interest in the welfare of the Paso
Fino horse. At the same time, a sound management and business approach for the daily
activities of the Association must be maintained. I have been actively involved in the
Virginia Presidential Region since its inception, currently serving as its First Vice
President. During the last couple of years I also have served as Show Manager for
successful Regional Paso Fino shows.
I have gained experience in management and leadership for over 40 plus years in ever
increasing positions of responsibility. I joined the Marine Corps as a Private in 1961 and
left 24 years later as a Lieutenant Colonel. While in the Marine Corps I not only had the
privilege of leading men and women in the service of their country, but also, when not
assigned to field positions, I worked on projects that developed leading edge technology
that is common place today in the military, and also in civilian life. My final position on
the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon taught me how this country is run,
but also taught me how to seek consensus in important decisions.
I joined private industry in 1985 in the DC metro area. As a contractor working for
private industry that primarily contracted with the Government, I had positions from
Program Manager to Vice President of the company. We worked on leading edge-high
technology projects where I was not only responsible for ensuring the achievement of
milestones for projects, but also achieving those milestones within budget for multimillion
dollar efforts.
I highly encourage each and every one of you to become active and vocal in the
business of the Association. The next few years will be critical to the success of the
Association. Make yourself know to your regional representatives and instruct them
on the way you wish them to conduct your business.
As your Vice President, I will attempt to ensure that both your interests and the
interests of the Paso Fino are represented. You can count on me for an open
business approach that is focused on the success of the Association.
Charles Rechtenbach

Mat Glover

To the Members of PFHA:
First I would like to introduce myself as a candidate for Vice President of PFHA. If after
you have considered my qualifications, and you think I am a good candidate, I would
appreciate your vote.
Carol and I have been showing Paso Finos for seven years, we’ve had a lot of success,
and a great time doing it. The first Paso I bought, from Paso Largo Farm, won the open 3-
year-old Colts & Geldings Performance Class at the Nationals. Since then we have been
fortunate to win many other trophies at the Nationals, and a lot of other local shows. The
highlight for me was wining the Fino Stallions Championship at Mundial. We love our
Show Horses and love to compete.
Recently I retired from the construction business, a business that I founded in 1984.
During those 34 years I’ve had opportunities to associate with many successful
individuals. I’ve had the chance to guide, mentor, and reward, several key people within
my company. I’ve had the opportunity to serve in several Associations as well. I served
on the Board of Directors at Lakewood, Country Club for 6 years, and served as its
President. I served 2 years as the Colorado President of the American Subcontractors
Association. After that I became a national director for the Association, and its National
President. Nation wide, there were approximately 5000 businesses that were members.
As you can see from the above, I am fully aware of what it takes to operate a successful
business, make tough decisions, demand the best from myself and those I work with.
Perhaps equally as difficult is Association work, when you are asking people to donate
their time, hold each other accountable for the tasks we are given, and demand the best
for the members.
In my work with Associations, I’ve observed successful ones and non-successful ones,
The non-successful ones seem to be personal agenda driven. The successful ones seem to
be goal driven. It is important to adopt a well thought out Living Strategic Plan, then set
out to achieve those measureable goals within the plan.
It would appear to me all Paso Fino horse owners, and PFHA have the following in
common:
1) They love their horses.
2) They either show their horses or trail ride.
3) Show and trail people like well planed, organized, and fun events.
4) Show people expect after putting out so much money for training, traveling
and fees, to get something in return if they perform well.
5) Show people like professional fair judging.
6) Members expect good marketing.
7) Members expect a cohesive Board of Directors to manage the affairs of the
Association, responsively.
Finally, if you expect me to act as status quo, don’t vote for me. If however; you think I
would be an asset, take the job seriously, and make decisions based upon solid marketing
and business practices, then I would appreciate your support.
Respectfully,
Mat Glover

Secretary

Sue Niebling
PFHA Secretary

Sue Niebling lives in St. Louis, Missouri and has been involved with Paso Fino horses since
1995. She is an amateur owner with three geldings and has traveled the Midwest promoting the
Paso Fino Breed at demonstrations, riding in parades, and participating in a drill team. She has
exhibited her horses both on the regional and national level - Two of her geldings have received
National honors - Reserve National Champion and 5th National Champion. Sue has also
participated in competitive trail rides – if it involves the Paso Fino Horse, Sue is willing to give
it a try to experience the versatility of this wonderful breed of horse. Sue works with youth
conducting clinics, working with Boy Scout troops on their horsemanship badges and provides
an opportunity for local youth to ride a horse (not just any horse but a Paso Fino horse!) at her
Ranch in central Missouri.
Sue has served on the Ozark Empire region’s board of directors as secretary and as a director. On
the National level, she has worked with the education committee and is currently a member of
the ethics committee. She is currently serving on the PFHA’s Executive Committee as secretary.
In January of this year, Sue became the chairman of the Recreational Rider Committee of PFHA.
She is currently a Senior Certified Steward with the Paso Fino Horse Association and an “R”
Registered Status Steward with the United States Equestrian Federation. She was a Steward for
the 2003 Grand National Championship Show.
Sue holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree from Fontbonne University in St.
Louis and works as an accountant with her husband in their fourth generation family owned auto
repair business.
It has been a pleasure and a challenge to serve as the PFHA’s secretary for the past two years. I
made it a priority to transcribe the meeting minutes and distribute them to the Board of Directors
in a timely manner. During my term as secretary I made an additional three trips to the PFHA
office at my own expense to work with the PFHA staff to better understand the association and
learn how I could best serve PFHA and ALL of its members.
I have submitted my name to run again as secretary for PFHA and hope I can count on your
support at the January 2009 election. If you would like to contact me, please feel free to do so. I
love talking with our members about all issues.
Sincerely,
Sue Niebling

Gay Culverhouse

A graduate of the doctoral program at Columbia University, Dr. Culverhouse works gratis as a parent
advocate in several states including, Massachusetts, Florida and New York. She is the former Chair of
the Center for Opportunities and Outcomes for People with Disabilities at Teachers College, Columbia
University. Additionally, Dr. Culverhouse is the former President of the Notre Dame College for women
in Ohio and has served on the boards of many organizations. She is a published author and has spoken
internationally on the rights of individuals with disabilities. For ten years, Dr. Culverhouse was the
highest ranking woman in the National Football League. As president of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFL, she oversaw the Super Bowl, instituted community programs and reduced spending for the team.
She is presently the owner of The Wall Art Gallery in Fernandina Beach, Florida. Additionally she serves
as the CEO of Aquarian Show Horses, Inc.
As many of us know, Gay is a committed rider in the Paso Fino breed. She has been the high point
amateur rider in the northeast region three out of the last four years. She has been elected to the role of
delegate to the PFHA from this region. She has helped organize fundraisers for the region and
participated wholeheartedly in all activities both at a local and national level.

Treasurer

Rosanne Gmuer, Ph.D.

I am pleased to offer my continued support of the Paso Fino Horse Association by running for a
second term as Treasurer. My membership in PFHA dates back to the early seventies and my
enthusiasm for this wonderful breed of horse has remained high through all these years.
I have a Ph.D. in Research and Statistics and have taught Mathematics and Statistics at the
college level for 25 years. I currently teach graduate business statistics courses for Nova
Southeastern University in the MBA program. With a specialization in forecasting, my academic
and professional background in research makes me uniquely qualified for the position of
Treasurer,
I have worked tirelessly through the past two years to search out sources of revenue and
expenses in our Association, to put money where the members want it, to support activities for
all members and to redirect this money to areas that support members’ interests. The disastrous
trend of excessive spending ended last year and PFHA is now on a solid financial base. There is
still much work to be done and I would like to continue my efforts. For example, outside
publication of the Paso Fino Horse World has been financially disastrous and the move to have
the magazine as an in-house venture presents a positive force move that I will monitor carefully.
I have been blessed with talented members of our Finance Committee who have supported my
hard work in the past and will continue to do so in the future. We now have a fine team on staff
in the financial department to ensure that our financial records are accurate and distributed, after
my close review, in a timely manner to all Board Directors.
Thank you for your support.

Peggy Tanner

Dear Paso Fino Members,
As a candidate for Treasurer of our Paso Fino Horse Association, I have been asked to give you a
summary of my career and experiences over the past years of my life.
For the past 30 years I have been working in our family owned business, McElroy Manufacturing. My
sister, brother, and I are owners of the company and our spouses are all involved in the business as well.
McElroy is an original equipment manufacturer of specialty equipment. We offer machinery that welds
polyethylene pipe and the product line I manage and represent is our finned tube machinery division. We
are privately held and have been in business for over 55 years. Our product offering is worldwide and I
have had the good fortune to travel, visit and work in almost every country around the world.
Prior to coming to work at McElroy I worked at The Williams, Inc., as the Compensation and Research
Manger and just out of school I worked for Cities Service Company in Compensation and Recruiting
management roles. My degree is from Oklahoma State in Business Administration.
On the volunteer side of my life I have served as President of our church’s Evening Alliance, volunteered
for multiple jobs associated with United Way, and served as President of High Plains Paso Fino Horse
Association for the past three years. Prior to being elected President I was instrumental in developing
budgetary constraints for the region; completing details to register the region at the state level and secure
our 501(c) 3 recognition; writing and publishing our quarterly newsletter; and maintaining our website. I
have also been show manager for both our spring and fall shows for a number of years. I also serve as a
member of the A/O committee at the National level. At our farm in Bixby, Oklahoma, I have hosted semiannual
clinics and countless events to promote our breed at the local level.
I am a past President of the Southwestern Paso Fino Horse Association as well. I have also been a
counselor for DVIS and have actively supported the Girls Scout movement where I am a life member.
My love of horses began as a girl with the traditional back yard pet and then after reaching the age of 50 I
ventured into the world of the Paso Finos. I have now been breeding and showing Paso’s for over 12
years.
I am a great believer that our National organization needs to move forward to promote our beautiful breed
and with the efforts that have been made over the past administration to improve communications and
reporting, I believe we are poised to grow. I had the good fortune to attend a recent board meeting and
was impressed with the professionalism of our board members and delegates and their joint desire to work
together. I believe my management skills can be of assistance in moving our organization forward and
continuing the sound business practices that have been implemented for strong fiscal responsibility.
Sincerely,
Peggy McElroy Tanner