Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Devon Elects New President And Chairman

The Board of Directors of the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, Inc. met on Monday, December 22 to elect a new President and Chairman to lead the organization forward in 2015. The new President is Richard M. O'Donnell of Unionville. The new Chairman is Wayne W. Grafton also of Unionville.  Both men bring a wealth of professional experience to their new positions and are deeply rooted in the Chester County equestrian community and with The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair.

"Devon is a very special show," said O'Donnell.  "It's the oldest horse show in this country and I am delighted to be President of such fine organization. We have a very long, successful history of raising money for our beneficiary, Bryn Mawr Hospital, and running a world class event. The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair is unique in that it is over 90% volunteer managed and staffed. My goal is to bring together Board Members, leadership, and volunteers as one team and work toward making Devon shine like never before."

Mr. O'Donnell has served on the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair Board of Directors since 1980. He was made a Vice President in 1985 and served as Secretary from 2004 through 2013. Most recently he held the position of Treasurer.  Mr. O'Donnell is a Senior Vice President with Univest Bank & Trust Co. He has 35+ years of experience in the financial services industry. He has held leadership roles at Continental Bank, Norristown, Pa., Commerce Bank and First National Bank of Chester County. Mr. O'Donnell holds a Bachelor's Degree in Finance as well as a Degree from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking.  Mr. O'Donnell also serves as Treasurer of the Kimberton Hunt Club; Treasurer and Honorary Director of the Carriage Association of America, Trustee of the Hoopes-Addis Foundation and Treasurer and Trustee of the Montgomery County Bar Foundation. He is President-Elect of the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture and serves on the Finance Committee.

He is also a Member of the Philadelphia Four In Hand Club. O'Donnell and his wife, Enid, a long time Devon volunteer, compete with their antique horse-drawn carriages and have successfully shown in the Dixon oval for many years.

Mr. Grafton has held senior management and consulting positions in the public and private sectors, as well as for non-profit organizations for forty five years. Mr. Grafton holds a Master's Degree in Urban and Regional Planning.   He is a well-known lecturer on Land Use Planning issues and is a Principal in The Grafton Association.  Throughout his career he has continuously been involved with a variety of philanthropic activities.  Mr. Grafton has been on the Board of the Ludwigs Corner Horse Show, having served as the President for 5 years.  Currently, he is President of The Philadelphia Four-in-Hand Club. 

Additionally, he was involved with the Evening in Old Saratoga Drive which benefited The New Bolton Center of the University of Pennsylvania.  He was a committee member on the Laurels at Landhope Combined Driving Show.  He has been a box holder and supporter of the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair for over 30 years and his wife, Marjorie, has been a competitor in the carriage division for many years.

"I'm looking forward to the 2015 Show, the return of our wonderful volunteers, and our continued support of Bryn Mawr Hospital," said Grafton. "I'm delighted to be working closely with an old and dear friend, Rich O'Donnell, and the many board members I've known and worked with over years. I am confident that we will meet the challenges that come with producing a world class show with great success at our iconic show grounds."

The positions of President and Chairman were previously held by Sarah Coxe Lange and Henry L. Collins, III, respectively, and the Board extends their gratitude for their service.

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