Decision Makers
Board of Directors
A private consultant specializing in the media, sports and entertainment industries, Gary Adelson has served as a director since April 2002. He brings vast experience to Youbet.com from a wide range of professional disciplines.
Currently the director of Small World Kids, Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of high-quality specialty toys and educational products, Mr. Adelson until September 2007 was the Managing Director of the international banking firm Houlihan, Lokey, Howard & Zukin. In June 2003 he co-founded and was a principal of Media Connect Partners, a provider of financial and operating advisory services to media, entertainment, sports and communications companies. In 1993, Mr. Adelson founded Interactive Cable Systems, a private cable and telephone company that was acquired by MCI.
Mr. Adelson also has a long and celebrated career in the television and entertainment industry as a producer of television shows, mini-series and feature films including Eight Is Enough, The Last Starfighter, Hook, Universal Soldier, It Could Happen to You and the Emmy-winning Sybil. He is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the American Film Institute and the Directors Guild of America.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Youbet.com Inc. |
Director |
Current |
| Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Directors Guild of America, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Small World Kids, Inc. |
Director |
Current |
| American Film Institute |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |
Member |
Current |
| Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin |
Managing Director |
Former |
| Eight, Inc. |
Producer |
Former |
| Loudeye Corp. |
|
Former |
| University of California, Los Angeles |
B.A. in Economics |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Distinction Limited |
Director |
Current |
| Silicon Prairie Partners Venture Capital |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Youbet.com Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Armanino Foods of Distinction, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Freedom Communications Inc. |
Chief Executive Officer |
Former |
| Daily News, L.P. |
Chief Executive Officer |
Former |
| Daily News, L.P. |
Chief Operating Officer |
Former |
| Freedom Communications Inc. |
Chief Operating Officer |
Former |
| Chicago Tribune Company |
Vice President |
Former |
| Seyfarth Shaw |
New York City partner |
Former |
| Chicago Tribune Company |
Executive |
Former |
| Armanino Foods of Distinction, Inc. |
Director |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Youbet.com Inc. |
President & Chief Executive Officer |
Current |
| Youbet.com Inc. |
Chief Operating Officer |
Former |
| Ticketmaster |
Executive Vice President |
Former |
| Sportvision, Inc. |
Executive Vice President, Corporate Development |
Former |
| Ticketmaster |
Marketing Director, Midwest Region |
Former |
| University of Chicago Graduate School of Business |
MBA |
Former |
| Northwestern University |
B.A., Economics |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Douglas W. Tung |
Chief Technology Officer for Youbet.Com |
Current |
| Youbet.com Inc. |
Chief Technology Officer |
Current |
Mr. Sproule was appointed Chief Financial Officer in August 2005, a position he held from 2002 to 2004 when he began a one-year assignment as the company's Chief Operating Officer. He has been Secretary to the Board of Directors since September 2002. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Sproule served as Chief Financial Officer at Disney Interactive where he had worldwide finance responsibilities including strategic planning, controllership, operations, administration and information technology. Prior to Disney Interactive, Mr. Sproule served as Chief Financial Officer of WhatsHot Now.com and prior to that Chief Financial Officer of Magnet Interactive Communications. Mr. Sproule spent 25 years at UNOCAL, where he last held the position of Chief Operating Officer for the 76 Products Marketing Division.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Youbet.com Inc. |
Head, Member Services, Vice President, Hr & Admin |
Current |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Youbet.com Inc. |
Controller |
Current |
| Consolidated Film Industries |
Chief Financial Officer |
Former |
| University of California, Santa Barbara |
B.A. |
Former |
Patrick Avakian is an Associate in the Firm's Los Angeles office and a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registered patent attorney who specializes in intellectual property matters, corporate law, securities, legislation, and compliance. Mr. Avakian joined the firm with a great amount of experience in patent and trademark prosecution, portfolio management for both U.S. and international I.P. matters and client counseling. His prior experience includes compliance director and lead internal auditor for YouBet.com, and General Counsel at Fancy Foods, Inc. in international trade, business development, and IP development and licensing. Mr. Avakian was also a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Terry J. Hatter, Jr., Chief U.S. District Judge, researching intellectual property, evidentiary issues, and procedure. Other experience includes a law clerkship at Bollington, Stilz, Bloeser & Curry, and Patent and Trademark Assistant at Lyon & Lyon, LLP. Mr Avakian earned his bachelor's degree in biochemistry with a minor in physics at University of California, Santa Barbara. He attended Brooklyn Law School, where was the Moot Court finalist and in the top 10 percentile of the class, graduating with his J.D .from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2002. He is fluent in Armenian and conversant in French and Farsi.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Youbet.com Inc. |
Internal Auditor |
Current |
| Buchalter Nemer Llp |
Attorney |
Current |
| Fancy Foods Inc. |
General Counsel |
Former |
| Pepperdine University School of Law |
J.D . |
Former |
| University of California |
Bachelor, Biochemistry With A Minor In Physics |
Former |
Mr. Brierley has extensive experience managing the growth of venture-backed and publicly traded technology companies. Spanning more than twenty eight years, his business career has included executive-level positions with responsibility for strategy formulation, business development, operations, merger and acquisitions and corporate finance. Mr. Brierley is a construction industry veteran from his six years with Phoenix Controls Corporation where as COO, he teamed with founder Gordon Sharp to refine the company's strategic focus. He was insturmental in directing the growth of the company into an industry leader and culminating in its sale to Honeywell, Inc. in 1998. More recently, Rob was CFO for Extraction Systems guiding the company through a recovery and rapid cyclical expansion. Mr. Brierley earned his MS in Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Michael Brodsky assumed his post in April 2008. He is responsible managing the nation’s leading online horse racing and wagering organization, with approximately 300,000 members and over $3 billion wagered.
Mr. Brodsky joined the Youbet.com board as a director in June 2007, and was elected Chairman of the Board in February 2008 to June of 2008. He joined Youbet.com from New World Opportunity Partners, where he had been a Managing Partner since June 2005. Prior to that, Mr. Brodsky was the Chief Financial Officer of The Away Network, an online travel media company where he worked from 1999 until 2005. The Away Network owned and managed sites including Away.com, OutsideOnline.com and GORP.com. In 2005 Away was acquired by Orbitz.com and Cendant Corporation where he worked as VP, Finance, in Cendant's Travel Distribution Services Division.
Mr. Brodsky holds a B.A. from Syracuse University, a J.D. from the Northwestern University School of Law and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University’s JL Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Youbet.com Inc. |
Chairman |
Current |
| Youbet.com Inc. |
Chief Executive Officer |
Former |
| Away.com, Inc. |
Chief Financial Officer |
Former |
| Northwestern University School of Law |
J.D. |
Former |
| Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University |
MBA |
Former |
| Syracuse University |
B.A. |
Former |
Steven C. Good has served as a Director of the Company since September 1987. He is a Senior Partner in the accounting firm of Good, Swartz, Brown & Berns, a division of JH Cohn LLP. He founded Good, Swartz, Brown & Berns in 1976, and has been active in consulting and advisory services for businesses in various sectors, including the manufacturing, garment, medical services and real estate development industries. Mr. Good founded California United Bancorp and served as its Chairman through 1993. From 1997 until the company was sold in 2006, Mr. Good served as a Director of Arden Realty Group, Inc., a publicly-held Real Estate Investment Trust listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Good currently serves as a Director of Kayne Anderson MLP Investment Company and Kayne Anderson Energy Total Return Fund, Inc., each of which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. He also formerly served as a Director of California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. from 2005 to 2008, Youbet.com from 2006 to 2008, and the Walking Company Holdings, Inc. from 1997 to 2009. Mr. Good holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles and attended its Graduate School of Business.
In June 2008 F. Jack Liebau became Chairman of the Board of Youbet.com, where he had served as a director since June 2005. Since September 2005, Mr. Liebau has been President of Hollywood Park Racing Association and Hollywood Park Fall Racing Association. He has also served as President of Bay Meadows Racing Association since July 2004.
Mr. Liebau's experience and renown in the racing industry is long and considerable. As the President of the California operations of Magna Entertainment Corporation, he served as President of Santa Anita Racecourse, Golden Gate Fields Racecourse and Bay Meadows Racecourse. He was also on the Magna board from 2001 to 2004.
Prior to joining Magna, Mr. Liebau was the President of Bay Meadows Operating Company, President of the Federation of California Racing Associations from 1998 to 2004 and a director of CHRIMS—California Horse Racing Information Management Systems. A member of the Jockey Club, Mr. Liebau is the co-owner of Valley Creek Farm thoroughbred breeders and has co-owned a number of graded stakes winners.
As a member of the executive branch of Illinois government for 20 years, including two four-year terms as Governor and ten years as Secretary of State, James Edgar, brings professional leadership to the Youbet.com board, where he has served since June 2002.
During his time in public service he worked tirelessly on behalf of our industry, crafting legislation that ensured horse racing remained competitive with the burgeoning casino industry, as well as improving conditions for workers at Illinois tracks. Governor Edgar is also a highly active participant in horseracing, raising and racing thoroughbreds and standardbreds.
Governor Edgar is currently a Distinguished Fellow at the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs, and a director of Alberto-Culver Company, Horizon Group Properties, Inc., and John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. He is also active on a variety of not-for-profit boards of directors.
Mr. Donn, who served as CEO of Florida's Gulfstream Park Racing Association for 22 years and as Chairman for four years, is currently Chairman of the Community Bank of Broward and a member of the Board of Trustees of Nova Southeastern University, both in Fort Lauderdale. During his tenure, Gulfstream set Florida wagering and attendance records and secured for Florida the prestigious Breeders cup world Championship in 1989, 1992 and 1999. He is a founding Director of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and an active participant in business and civic affairs through the Chamber of Commerce and various Broward economic development groups.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Nova Southeastern University |
Board of Trustees |
Current |
| Youbet.com Inc. |
Director |
Current |
| National Thoroughbred Racing Association |
Director |
Current |
| Gulfstream Park Racing Association Inc. |
CEO |
Former |