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USA EQUESTRIAN APPOINTS BURNS TO TOP DEVELOPMENT POST USA Equestrian (formerly American Horse Shows Association) announced today that Kevin Burns, of Geneva, Illinois, has been appointed Assistant Executive Director - Development for equestrian sport's national federation of the United States. From 1994-2000, Burns was Regional Director of Development for the United States Olympic Committee. Working from Chicago, he was responsible for USOC fund-raising programs in a 12-state territory. He managed the largest single fund-raising special event for the USOC in that period (the Allstate Healthy American Games), and consistently maintained the lowest cost of doing business ratio of all regional offices for the USOC nationwide. According to Alan F. Balch, president of USA Equestrian, Burns will work closely with existing professional staff in the marketing function of the federation. "By hiring this position at the Assistant Executive Director level," Balch said, "we are indicating its exceptional importance. Kevin will work with Scott Carling (Assistant Executive Director - Marketing) and Suzanne McGough (Director of Development), based in Lexington, while he works and travels throughout the nation as required from his Chicago area office. I will be recommending that the Marketing and Development Committee of the federation appoint a special leadership task force to focus with him on fund-raising." Balch continued, "With this appointment, the professional component of this federation's new sport marketing team is now just about completed. We have HOK Sport in place for the overall marketing and event planning, plus corporate sponsorship. We have Helikon Media finishing our new name implementation, branding, and advertising plans. Now we have our top development position filled as well." "I am very pleased and really challenged by the opportunities I see in returning to the Olympic Movement," Burns commented. "Sports are a passion for me, and particularly the Olympics. I hope to bring a lot of fund-raising energy and new thinking to equestrian sport." Since leaving the USOC, Burns has been Executive Director of the Rush-Copley Medical Center Foundation in Aurora, Illinois. Burns is married with three daughters, and is the mayor of his home town. . U.S. Equestrian Inc., as the National Equestrian Federation of the U.S., is the regulatory body for the Olympic and World Championship sports of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, reining, show jumping, and vaulting, as well as 19 other breeds and disciplines of equestrian competition. As the country's largest multi-breed organization, the Federation has over 77,000 members and recognizes more than 2,800 competitions nationwide each year. It governs all aspects of competition, including educating and licensing all judges, stewards, and technical delegates who officiate at these shows.
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