White out as FHBPA president

Bill White, president of the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, has resigned, citing a move to central Florida in his resignation letter, according to officials of the group.

White submitted the resignation letter this week, saying he was stepping down immediately as a director. As a result, the FHBPA’s first vice president, Stephen Screnci, will become the organization’s president, and Joan Needell, an alternate on the board representing owners, will step into a voting role on the board, according to Glenn Berman, executive director of the FHBPA.

In the resignation letter, White said he was “privileged” to serve on the board but that his recent move to central Florida made it “increasingly difficult” to represent the FHBPA, which is based in south Florida and represents horsemen’s issues at tracks in the area.

White did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment. White had been president of the FHBPA since 2015 and has served terms on the board totaling more than 15 years.

According to several Florida horsemen, some trainers had been agitating for White to step down because he no longer trains or owns horses, which would appear to be a violation of the group’s bylaws. Records show that White has not started a horse since the end of 2014, when he announced that he wanted to spend more time working on horsemen’s issues through the FHBPA.

Elections for the FHBPA board are held each March. After the elections, the board selects a president from among its members to serve a one-year term.