Tom Cannell

Tom Cannell was elected to the FTH Board in 2009. He currently serves as President and is also a member of the Executive, Breeders, By Laws, Communication/Social Media, Contract and Election Committees.

Cannell became a horse racing fan at an early age when he started handicapping races at Waterford Park in West Virginia. His passion for the game brought him his first job in racing, working in the media department at Thistledown in Ohio in 1975.

Cannell’s first win as an owner was in 2006 with Somes Sound. The top horses he has owned include Ode to Sami, Eden is Burning and Mo Cash.

Cannell first ran for the board to make a difference by combining his passion for the game with his business experience. Before retiring, he was the Assistant Director at the Ohio Department of Insurance before moving on to be Executive Vice President at an insurance company.

Cannell’s main goal as a Board member is to advance the betterment of an industry that seems to be under fire from many fronts. Cannell says fighting for long-term success, growth and prosperity should be the focus when negotiating contracts and other day-to-day operations at the race tracks that affect horses, owners, trainers and fans.

Cannell was born in Cleveland and raised in Canton, Ohio. He graduated from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. He was a four-year starter for the varsity baseball and golf teams. Cannell was an All-Star catcher and was inducted into the Amateur Hall of Fame (Ohio) in 1992.

Cannell lives in Lake Jovita, Dade City, Fla. with his wife, Barbara. They have three children, Sheri, Kris and David. They also have eight grandchildren, Michael, Rebecca, Jacob, Emma, Kyra, Tessa, Nathan and Jolie.

Profile from Florida Horsemen’s News Bulletin.