NERO HAS LEFT THE BUILDING
Oct 12th, 2011 | Category: EditorialsBY BILL STEELE
Fred Brei has bid his adieu and has made his decision on a new CEO – Lonny Powell, a name that lights up the internet when googled and not necessarily in a good way. The track record on Lonny is that he doesn’t stay in one place very long and the one thing FTBOA needs is stability. One has to wonder what the rush to judgement was on this position being filled and, of course, the answer resounds that Fred wanted his way as he always does and “damn the members and anyone else.”
Fred stumbled into the sunset with his last “installment” and another ignominious quote thrust at the FTBOA members. Fred said, ” A quote from Lonny that certainly fits my last year and his future.” “Think bigger, dream larger, laugh louder, and achieve more” in times like this we should all adopt this motto”. (Wire to Wire October 8, 2011) The quote is not even an original.
The “laugh louder” has already begun. Everyone is laughing at Florida and even more at Fred! “Dream larger”….. Fred, you are a dreamer if you think you made any contributions this year. ”Achieve more“….. you haven’t achieved anything other than to serve yourself. “Think bigger”….. most horsemen are trying to hold on to what they have and all you have done is step on their fingers! And what do you know about times like these? The quote that Fred is enthralled with is a common quote used by many schmooze boys on the Internet. Fred should get out more!
Never has one man had such a devastating effect on an organization in such a short time. Fred Brei has run the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association like he owns it and as if he wants to burn it down. If he knew how to play a fiddle, some of the board members would probably buy him one!
Fred stood before the membership and committed to finding a replacement for incumbent CEO Richard “Dick” Hancock via a search committee comprised of board members Bonnie Heath, Sheila Demare, Phil Mathews and Brent Fernung. What Fred did not tell the members is that he screened the candidates before the committee got a chance to act and if Brei did not want the candidate on the list, he is taken off—he doesn’t make the short list. How embarrassing must it have been to the screening committee? Some of the four did not even know that one of the best candidates (Larry Cretul) had been taken off of the “short list” without the screening committee ever having contact with him!
Look at what we missed!
The following is from Bernie Dickman’s column in Track Times Today (September 26, 2011) and it echoes what many people in the organization felt.
FTBOA’s Choice For Executive VP Is Right Here
With Dick Hancock soon to retire as executive director of the FTBOA, the organization revealed it has hired an outside firm to conduct a search for his successor. Lots of horsemen in Marion County feel that it’s a waste of time and money.
Where could this firm find a better candidate than Larry Cretul, who lives in Ocala and has been part of the thoroughbred industry for about five decades. His father, George, owns a farm and was a long-time breeder, plus Larry was the boss at OBS back in the old days, was Harry T. Mangurian Jr.’s right hand man in the glory days of Florida breeding, not only from a racing and breeding standpoint, but with real estate as well. Most recently, of course, Larry was the Speaker of the House of Representatives in Tallahassee.
Larry has everything that the FTBOA could hope for in a candidate for executive director. He knows everybody and they all know him. His experience in Tallahassee would be invaluable on the job.
I have talked to Larry and he said he has, in fact, been contacted about the position and in reply has turned in his resume. What else does the board of directors need? I remember when FTBOA president, John Hartigan, decided to ship the organization’s advertising out to Fred Pope in Kentucky instead of keeping it in Ocala with Dave Goldman. By the time Pope finished advertising, Florida-breds and the Florida breeding industry in the Bloodhorse, The Thoroughbred Record and Daily Racing Form, the FTBOA had gone broke. Notice I didn’t mention the Florida Horse or Wire-to Wire, but Pope felt those publications weren’t worthy and spent little or no money with them.
Florida’s horsenen need Larry Cretul to right the ship. They deserve him.
Mr. Brei has been an embarrassment to the FTBOA for a year and the board sat by shamelessly quiet while he wrote more fiction and fairy tales in one year than Dr. Seuss did in a lifetime.
With new board members being “appointed” and a new CEO waiting in the wings, most members have little faith in anything positive happening. Until the board members act with the responsibility they have accepted and members are heard, the FTBOA will continue the downward spiral to the destruction of Florida Racing!
The present board is so far out of touch with membership that they need to be voted out, but the way it is rigged, they have permanent residence. Many people are now talking of a ”boycott” of stallions and those farms who stand them if they are owned or managed by FTBOA board members. The thought being that the board will take the time to listen. I don’t think they will. This board has become so arrogant that they feel that the membership really does not have a say in horse racing in Florida. Let’s face it, when you make Fred Brei your poster boy, it lets people know just what kind of person you are! A lot has been blamed on out going CEO Richard ” Dick” Hancock, but the Knights of The Horseshoe Table must weigh in for their portion of what is wrong with FTBOA.
Well spoken!!!
BRAVO!!!
Great column Bill!!!!!! Wonder what the outcome will be. Love- Marian
bill’ are u sure u meant “STEP” onthier fingers–?, More to the point would be a little higher &including ‘THE POCKET’111
Unbelievable!!!! I am very close to the candidate who was beat out by Lonny, what a mistake these people have made! My candidate was in for the long haul, not a year or two, and he was hoping to make a difference! The Think Bigger, Laugh Louder, Dream Larger????? I have a wall hanging in my kitchen that says that.