Hanover Raceway has a new General Manager and he is eager to get to work.
Steve Fitzsimmons plans to use his marketing, sales and communication background to assist him in this new role.
For the Raceway this will mean a heavier social media presence, some fresh marketing initiatives as well as new strategies to increase entertainment opportunities for families between races.
For Fitzsimmons, horseracing is in his blood.
He grew up in the harness racing industry, as his father raced horses for years at a variety of B tracks in Ontario, including Hanover Raceway.
Fitzsimmons and his wife Dawn are also horse owners.
The 46-year old father of two is currently serving his second term as a Councilor for the Town of Hanover.
In this capacity, Fitzsimmons has spent the last five years serving as the Town’s representative on the Hanover, Bentinck & Brant Agricultural Society Board, as well as on the Hanover Raceway Board.
Along with his business background in the sales and marketing fields from the automotive and publishing sectors, Fitzsimmons is also a hockey broadcaster and has been the play-by-play voice on Rogers TV of the OHL Champion Guelph Storm for the last 19 seasons.
Fitzsimmons calls it an incredible honour to take on this new role as GM, adding he has long admired the work that has been accomplished at both the Raceway and the Hanover, Bentinck & Agricultural Society’s annual Fall Fair.
It’s Fitzsimmons goal to carry on with the good work of previous management and to seek out new ways enhance both the Raceway and Fall Fair.
Fitzsimmons is also looking forward to working with the Hanover Raceway stakeholders as well as the public.
He plans to host an informal public outreach opportunity in the near future, ‘Have Coffee with the Raceway General Manager’ as a means of gathering public input and suggestions on the Raceway.
Fitzsimmons will start his new position on Tuesday March 3rd. (position has been vacant since Dec 31st.