Keeneland announces historic change in advance of July meet
Keeneland announced Thursday a major transition for the racetrack as it gets ready for a rare July meet: President and CEO Bill Thomason will step down at the end of the year. Shannon Bishop Arvin, who has served as the track’s corporate counsel since 2008, will become president-elect Sept. 1.
She will be the first woman to head the iconic Kentucky track.
Thomason has been the head of the global racing and equine sale company since 2012. He also served as vice president and chief financial officer for two years, following decades with Mill Ridge Farm. He notified Keeneland trustees last year that he planned to retire and they began a selection process for a successor.
Arvin, who is a partner and on the board of Stoll Keenon Ogden law firm, was approached because of her leadership in the equine industry, according to a statement by Keeneland trustee Seth Hancock.
“We have all known Shannon for years through her service to Keeneland and numerous boards in the racing industry. We approached her to see if there was an interest on her part, and I am happy to say there was,” Hancock said. “Our wide-ranging discussions with her that followed confirmed our initial judgment: Shannon’s leadership, professionalism, the respect she has earned within the horse industry, her intimate knowledge of Keeneland’s core businesses and her vision for Keeneland’s future made her the clear choice to become the next president.”
Besides Keeneland, Arvin has worked with the Breeders’ Cup, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. She also serves on the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Foundation board of directors and is a member of The Jockey Club, according to the release.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to be part of the Keeneland family,” Thomason said. “I feel privileged to work alongside people who share a commitment to always put the best interest of the horse first and to exceed our customer’s expectations. Keeneland was founded upon these principles, which continue to guide our operations to this day. Shannon’s life and work experiences intertwine with that philosophy, and I look forward to her leadership of Keeneland for years to come.”
Her roots there go back generations: Her father, the late William T. “Buddy” Bishop III, also served as a trustee and grew up on the grounds. Her grandfather, W.T. “Bish” Bishop was the first general manager of Keeneland when it opened in 1936.
Arvin has served as secretary and advisory member of Keeneland’s board of directors since 2015. She will become Keeneland’s eighth president when she officially transitions to president and CEO on Jan. 1.
Arvin was the unanimous choice of Keeneland’s trustees, according to the announcement.
“I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to serve as president and CEO of Keeneland,” Arvin said in the release. “I am also thankful for my experience at Stoll Keenon Ogden these past 18 years. I appreciate the trust and confidence placed in me by my clients and my law partners, and I look forward to continuing to work with them in a different capacity.
“I have a deep love and passion for Keeneland and it is a tremendous honor to lead this organization and work alongside this amazing team,” she said. “By building on the foundation laid by Bill Thomason and those who came before him, and with a continued focus on integrity, innovation and safety, we will further the mission of Keeneland and ensure the future of this sport.”
Arvin also serves as secretary of Horse Country, is a director of Kentucky Bank, a director of The Lexington School, is chair and director of Bluegrass Care Navigators (formerly Hospice of the Bluegrass) and is past president of the Thoroughbred Club of America. She graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2002. She and her husband, Will, have two daughters, Bishop and McCutchen. They own Foxtale Farm in Nicholasville. Will Arvin is co-owner of Castle & Key Distillery in Versailles.
Thomason oversaw Keeneland’s first hosting of the Breeders’ Cup in 2015, which had a $70 million economic impact on Lexington, and negotiated the return for 2020.
Under his tenure, the annual racing meets achieved record attendance and handle and the Thoroughbred auction house expanded its reach globally, resulting in more than $627 million in gross sales last year. This year, they launched a digital sales ring.
The track also has been a vocal advocate for equine safety and welfare.
Under Thomason, Keeneland also expanded gambling, partnering with the Red Mile and with Churchill Downs to build facilities with electronic betting machines similar to slots.
The track also expanded partnerships with the community, hosting the Railbird music festival last year and an annual sporting art auction with Cross Gate Gallery, among many other things.
