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NYRA Appoints New CEO

David O'Rourke
NYRA

The New York Racing Association has appointed David O'Rourke as its CEO and president. O'Rourke has been serving as interim CEO since January following the resignation of Chris Kay. The 45-year-old O’Rourke joined NYRA in 2008 and in 2013 was named chief revenue officer and senior vice president. 

"David has made significant and lasting contributions to NYRA since he joined the organization more than a decade ago," said NYRA Board Chairman Michael Del Giudice in a statement. "He possesses broad expertise in nearly every facet of the industry, enjoys deep respect among his NYRA colleagues and industry peers, and understands how the sport and the business will continue to evolve in the future. His combination of skills and obvious leadership ability made this an easy choice and we congratulate David on this appointment."

"I am honored to have been selected by the Board of Directors to lead NYRA during this exciting time in its storied history," said O'Rourke. "We have made tremendous progress as an organization over the past several years, but there is still much work to be done to continue to grow our racing product during an era of unprecedented competition and change within the sports and entertainment industry. I thank the NYRA Board for this opportunity and will continue to rely upon the outstanding talent within our organization as we work closely with industry partners and stakeholders to build upon our successes."

Kay, who served as CEO and president since 2013, stepped down amid reports that he used NYRA employees to work on his Saratoga County home. The organization oversees thoroughbred racing at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.

Jim is WAMC’s Associate News Director and hosts WAMC's flagship news programs: Midday Magazine, Northeast Report and Northeast Report Late Edition. Email: jlevulis@wamc.org
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