Keeneland has announced a change at the helm with the imminent retirement of President and CEO Bill Thomason. WUKY’s Samantha Lederman has details.
Shannon Bishop Arvin has been named by the Keeneland Trustees to succeed Thomason in his role when he steps down at the end of 2020. Thomason navigated Keeneland through a decade of substantial growth and change in the Thoroughbred industry. Keeneland successfully hosted the 2015 Breeders’ Cup which generated a nearly $70 million economic impact for Lexington, and he negotiated the event’s return to Keeneland later this year .
Thomason had notified the Board last year of his desire to spend more time with his family, and Arvin, as a partner with Stoll Keenan Ogden and corporate counsel to Keeneland since 2008 was well known by all. Since 2015 Arvin had served as Secretary and an Advisory Member of Keeneland’s Board of Directors and her appointment by the Keeneland Trustees was a unanimous decision. Arvin becomes Keeneland’s 8th President and the first woman to serve in the position.
