Fort Lauderdale, FL --- Harness Horsemen International, who participated in the 2013 Harness Racing Congress held at the Westin Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on March 2 and 3, announced a new Board of Directors for 2013.

Tom Luchento was elected as president, while Kim Hankins will serve as first vice president and Tony Somone will serve as second vice president. Luchento is the president of the Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey and takes over the HHI helm from Gene Oldford, who had served as HHI president for the past five years.

Hankins serves as the executive director for the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association, while Somone represents the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association as that group’s executive director.

Sal DiMario, Delaware Standardbred Owners Association executive director, was elected HHI secretary, while Mike Izzo, CFO of the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association, was named treasurer for 2013. Directors at Large include Jerry Knappenberger, general manager for the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association; Gabe Prewitt, executive secretary of the Kentucky Harness Horsemen’s Association; Dr. Timothy Powers, president of the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association; and Ron Battoni, executive vice president of the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen's Association.

HHI, organized in 1964, is comprised of horsemen’s associations and their representatives from the United States and Canada who collectively represent harness racing in North America.

HHI’s mission is to provide advice, consultation and support to member associations and to provide knowledgeable and professional representation for harness horsemen and women to government bodies and industry gatherings on an international scale. HHI also provides value-added services to member associations in such areas as the development of a multi-faceted insurance acquisition program and negotiation of international volume purchase agreements with vendors to facilitate member association’s procurement of goods and services at significant discounts. As well, HHI strives to promote and uphold the highest standards of integrity within the harness racing industry.