Platforms for Board Candidates

Election Details

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Ron Cimini – President Elect

Tory Leather, Williamsport, PA; Manufacturer member

How long have you been involved in the equine industry?  

Since 1969.

What is your experience in the equine industry?  

I have been a sales rep on the road for several different companies and then a sales manager for several other companies. I now own my own manufacturing company making leather goods in the USA. 

What do you think you have to contribute to the future of AETA?  

I have been involved with just about every trade show group in the country so I feel that I know first hand the ups and downs of everyone of them. This experience allows me to make the best decisions in the best interest of AETA.

Lilo Navales – Vice President

Leather Goods of Spain/Lilo Collections, Midlothian, VA; Manufacturer member

How long have you been involved in the equine industry?  

Informally, as a little girl, I used to ride horses on the beach in southern Spain and would love to go shopping at my local tack shop for things to dress-up the gypsies’ horses. I was a big consumer then as I continue to be to this date. When I turned 30, I bought my horse, Indalo, whom I still have today and he is 27 years young. I used to volunteer for a number of years at horseback riding summer camps when I lived in Massachusetts and through my work at the time, secured funding for a Boston inner-city Learn-to-Ride program for disadvantaged youth. Formally, since 1997, my company, Leather Goods of Spain-LILO Collections, started exhibiting at the KOP Trade Show and continues to do so at the AETA Trade Shows.

What is your experience in the equine industry?  

First, as an exhibitor at the trade shows in KOP and Denver, and second, I served on both the Stanley Expos Advisory Board and the IEBA Host Committee. I am currently serving on the AETA BOD on a 3-year term as well as on several of AETA’s sub-committees.

What do you think you have to contribute to the future of AETA?  

In the role of Vice President, I will continue to provide my marketing skills to promote, educate, and recruit businesses to join AETA, as well as to provide input, ideas and leadership on long-range planning that will lead to AETA’s continued growth domestically as well as to gain international recognition amongst its peers.

Hope Birsh – Director

Maryland Saddlery, Butler, MD; Retail member

How long have you been involved in the equine industry?  

 22 years

What is your experience in the equine industry?  

I grew up in NYC and began riding in Westchester, NY when I was five years old. After college I trained with a USEF team member and spent time traveling the East Coast in the early eighties eventing. I spent three years teaching riding at the McDonog School in Maryland. I had an enormous customer base after teaching hundreds of kids to ride through the school’s program. At that time, I felt that there was a lack of availability and the need to standardize the equipment and apparel for the junior rider. I opened Maryland Saddlery to be able to offer parents guidance on how show clothes should fit. I felt driven to press my wholesalers to produce garments and pony equipment for us to sell. From the beginning and up to today I am very involved in the specifications of the production of many of these products. Maryland Saddlery has survived tremendous competition from the internet and a big box store in our backyard. Throughout the bad economic times we believe that we have remained strong because of our dedication to customer service. After 22 years, I truly feel that I understand both the retail and wholesale side of the horse industry.

June Evers – Director

Horse Hollow Press, Goshen NY; Manufacturer member

How long have you been involved in the equine industry?  

I have been a horse person for about 42 years. I’ve owned horses for 31 years. I               went to Lake Erie College for 2 years where I excelled in Dressage. I left there and got a BFA at Rhode Island School of Design. My forte with horses is really the care. While I competed some (hunters and dressage) during high school, through college and after, I found I really love the care aspect.

What is your experience in the equine industry?  

I mentioned in a precious paragraph about the care aspect of horses. I think that comes from years as working as a groom. I started when I was 13 years old at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club working for Gary Rockwell. I worked weekends and summers at a variety of barns: a race horse training and racing stable, A-Circuit show barn, race horse breeding, high-end boarding barns in wealthy areas of Westchester and even a western hack stable. (I have to say there was something to learn from all of these places form the high-end boarding to the rent-a-hack trail stable). But the man I learned to be the most meticulous around horses is Reiner Nievisch - some may recognize his name. His attention to detail for us as grooms was impeccable. To this day and even with no one but me visiting our barn, I keep the aisle meticulously swept and horses immaculate. I also worked for Jack Rockwell at The Hill (now known as Old Salem Farm). I traveled all over the NE as a show groom. When you see all the places I have worked when I was younger it certainly gives me a well-rounded experience from behind the scenes of a variety of horse places. I know many people have a healthy and lengthy show background experience while I have the not-afraid-to-get-dirty, behind-the-scenes experience that might lend a different view point.

What do you think you have to contribute to the future of AETA?  

First, I have been a board member of AETA for a year now and I think I have contributed to the rise of new members and renewals. My goal is for EVERY retailer to become a member. My thought is how can you not be a member with the terrific trade show benefits offered. With that said, every manufacturer and sales rep should also become a member as well to support our member retailers. This will be a goal of mine in 2012. I would also like to expand our membership to other industries: toy shops, gift shops, flower shops, etc. Second, I also feel as a person with an art and creative background, I offer a different view point at the board meetings. Thirdly and not lastly, I do stand for the small manufacturer and small retailer. I feel owners of these businesses (as mine is) might be more likely to talk to me about their cares and concerns for our industry while they may be intimidated by a larger business owner. These cares and concerns can be brought to the meetings and addressed immediately. I look forward to working with AETA for a wonderful future for all of us and specifically a wonderful trade show that will become the biggest in the country.

Barbara Jacobsen – Director

The Engraver, West Chester, PA; Retail member

How long have you been involved in the equine industry?  

48 years! I started riding lessons when I was 6 years old. I always wanted a ‘horse’ job, but I had certain requirements: heat in the winter, air conditioning in the summer and no flies! In 1982 my business partner and I founded The Engraver, which satisfied all of my requirements.

What is your experience in the equine industry?  

My current equine partner is now 23 years old- we’ve been together since he was a yearling. I still ride him 3 or 4 days a week, mostly dressage and trail riding. My company engraves name plates specifically designed for the equine industry. They are sold in tack shops throughout the country and are used by everyone from the backyard rider to the Olympic veteran. Engraved name plates are one of the few totally cross-discipline items in the industry. I frequently scribe or score at both dressage and combined training competitions. I have served on the Board of the Delaware Valley Combined Training Association (DVCTA) for several terms and was the chairman of the finance committee for 6 years. I’ve also been on the Dressage at Fair Hill committee. Currently I am the chairman of the Exhibitions Committee for Dressage at Devon and have been on that committee for 10 years. My company has participated at both the Devon Horse Show and Dressage at Devon longer than any other vendor.

What do you think you have to contribute to the future of AETA?  

I would like to contribute to the future of AETA using the experiences I have gained in the equine industry during the last 29 years. I took a company from a start-up to a well-recognized industry brand and I’d like to see the same thing happen with AETA. Gardening is one of my hobbies and there is a little saying about bamboo that I’d like to share. They say that the first year its sleeps, the second year it creeps and the third year it leaps. I think that serving on any Board is like that – there is definitely a learning curve the first year. You are able to contribute more as you learn more about the organization, what is needed and how the Board operates. I was elected last year for a one-year term and I’d like to continue to serve. Some of the things I’ve worked on in the past year include serving on the Educational Committee, the Survival Bag program, developing a new Best Booth award, finding local sources for promotional and printed material for the show itself as well as helping promote a possible new insurance program AETA that looks like it could be very exciting. I would like the chance to continue to serve the AETA community in the future.

Matthew Weinberg

Director 24 Carrot Gourmet, Neptune, NJ ; Manufacturer member

How long have you been involved in the equine industry?  

3 years on a wholesale level having been involved with CJ Sardi and now 24 carrot gourmet

What is your experience in the equine industry?  

Attending Trade shows and retail shows involving equestrian skills,  Wholesaling gift merchandise to retail shops and gift shops.

What do you think you have to contribute to the future of AETA?  

I would like to help increase the awareness of AETA to the Equestrian Retailers and Mail order companies who deal with wholesale equestrian tack and gifts ( my specialty). In doing my own research I see there are more then 4000 qualified shops, catalog  companies and other establishments that would qualify. In addition it would be beneficial for AETA to increase membership for retailers and wholesalers. The industry as a whole still seems to be a vibrant one and of course between all of the different segments of Riding, from eventing to the more obscure disciplines, and the whole Western segment it seems that AETA has a lot of room to grow.

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On-Line Voting

AETA Members in good standing are eligible to vote for 2011 board position vacancies from August 14 until September 16, 2011 at 5 PM EDT.

Visit our secure ballot site. Then simply log-in with your AETA Member ID and registered email address. Member log-in and password information sent to all voting members by email on August 14.

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