Ray Callahan - President

Ray Callahan became involved with the Reno Rodeo when his daughter, Erin, began riding as a member of the flag team in 1986. He became more involved when Erin was named Miss Reno Rodeo in 1994. It was at this time that Ray realized that he had not only developed some great friendships, but had become involved in an association that was a tremendous benefit to the entire community. Ray became a full member in 1997 and a Director in 2002. Ray has served on the Security, Arena, and Grounds Committees. He has chaired the Team Penning Committee and spent the past two years as a member of the Finance Committee and Executive Board. Ray is a fourth generation Nevadan. He has two daughters and three grandchildren. Ray retired as a captain for the Nevada Division of Forestry in 2004 and now ranches full time. Ray and his wife, Amy, live on a piece of property off the Mount Rose Highway which was once part of the original family ranch. 

Mike Lucke - 1st Vice President

Mike Lucke is a native of Reno; he has been a small business owner, “Lucke’s Saloon”, for 32 years.  Mike joined the Reno Rodeo Association in 1981.  Since that time he has served on most of the Rodeo’s committees, several of which he has chaired.  He has served on the board of directors since 1986 and has served 15 years on the executive board.  Mike most recently was the arena director and has been involved with the arena for the past 13 rodeos.  In this position he has helped guide Reno Rodeo into one of the top Rodeos in the country.  Mike has been instrumental in arena preparation and management and the Reno Rodeo has been recognized by the WPRA for the prestigious Dirt Award. Mike is one of the most well known and respected committeemen in the PRCA rodeo world.  He serves as a board member of the California 6 Pack Rodeos, is a member of the board of directors of the Association of Rodeo Committees and has served on the board of the Animal Welfare Council.  In 2004 Mike was awarded the most prestigious honor of being selected the Justin Committee Man of the Year selected from the PRCA’s 637 rodeo committees.  In 2005 he was granted Gold Card status with the PRCA.  To say his world revolves around rodeo is an understatement. Mike is married to Wynn Lucke, who is also involved as a volunteer for the rodeo.  Their daughter, Megan has rodeo in her blood too.  She became a member of the Rodeo Flag Team at 14 years of age, and was the youngest to ever carry the American Flag in the grand entry, a huge honor.  In 2007-08 Megan represented Reno Rodeo as Miss Reno Rodeo.  Mike’s hobby besides rodeo, as one might guess, is riding his horses.  Reno Rodeo will be well served with Mike at the helm in 2011.

Clint Thiesse - 2nd Vice President

In 1989, Clint joined the Reno Rodeo Association as a wrangler to hold on to a thread of his rural upbrining. He became a full member in 1991 and a Director in 1995. Clint has been and remains a very active member of the arena, grounds and BFI committees, in addition to his Executive board and Officer duties. Clint was raised on a farm near a small farming community in West-Central Minnesota. Growing up he was active in school football and basketball and the county 4-H program where he raised and showed beef cattle. He proceeded on to college, graduating from North Dakota State University with a B.S. in civil engineering. Clint's first post-graduate employment, an assignment with U.S. Public Health Service-Indian Health Services, brought him to Reno. He's lived here ever since. Since 1983 he has been employed by Summitt Engineering Corp. where he is Vice President. Clint and his wife Dana, a Reno native, have been married over 27 years. Clint has 2 daughters, Diedra, a Reno resident and Adrienne, who with her husband and 2 daughters, lives in Tulsa, OK. Clint is an avid Nevada Wolf Pack supporter, and remains loyal to his Minnesota Twins and Vikings.

John Tipton - Treasurer

In 1999, John joined the Reno Rodeo Association as a wrangler to be a part of an organization that gives back to the community.  John became a full member in 2001 and a Director in 2004 and has been the Ticket Chairman since 2001 and a member of the Finance Committee since 2002.  John has also served on the Manpower and Sponsors over the years.  John was awarded the Award of Merit buckle in 2006 and the Chairman of the Year award in 2007.  John has spent most of his life in Pennsylvania as he was raised in historic Gettysburg and graduated from Pennsylvania State University. After graduation and working for arenas in Baltimore and Greensboro, NC, John moved to Reno in 1996 to work for the Lawlor Events Center as their ticket office manager and then as the Front of House Manager.  John is an avid fan of the local teams, especially the Wolf Pack and remains an avid fan of the Nittany Lions and the Pittsburgh Steelers.  John and his wife, Connie, have one daughter, Amanda, who is a Biology major at the University of Nevada.

Bill Summy - Secretary

Bill has been with the Reno Rodeo for over 25 years. Many of those years have been spent on the Executive Committee. Bill is also chairman of Admissions and Carnival/Concessions committees. Bill donates his time away from work, Truckee Meadows Water Authority, to announcing Drill team events, Barrel Racing, High School rodeos, Special Kids Rodeo and Mutton Bustin. He is also an active participant in Hot August Nights, Street Vibrations and the American Legion. Bill’s son William is an active member of the Reno Rodeo Association since 2002. Bill also has a daughter Tina and 2 granddaughters, Kylee and Kenzee. Bill made his home in Reno in 1972 by way of Independence, Kansas and Prescott, Arizona.

Alan Kingsley-Executive Director

Alan Kingsley moved to the staff position at the beginning of the 1996 Reno Rodeo, after serving as a rodeo volunteer, member, and Director,  beginning in 1976-77.  During those years he served as Secretary of the Association for about ten years, and continued in his career in warehousing and manufacturing management, which had brought him from his home in Santa Barbara, Ca.  He also worked for many years as a professional musician, playing for weddings, bar mitzvahs, and fraternity and sorority parties.   Alan and his wife, Annette, have three daughters, all native Nevadans, and enjoy five grandchildren.  Alan serves as the Chairman of the annual Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association annual convention, held in Las Vegas along with the National Finals Rodeo, as well as two other rodeo advisory committees with the PRCA.

 

Ray Callahan
President

Gordon Cowan
Immediate Past Pres.

Directors 

Randy Bell
Bob Bell
Bill Bertelson
Bob Butler
Ray Callahan
Ray Chavez
Don Cose
Sherri David
Dan Ehorn
Dennis Freeman
Larry Frugoli
Dick Gammick
Jim Hay
Mert Haraughty
Ron Hostetler
Josh Iveson
Gary D. Jackson
Bill Johnson
Fergus Laughridge
Teresa Lindsey
Mike Lucke
Rich Miller
Mike Montero
Brent Muhlenberg
Doug Nicholson
Tom Pagnano
Rudy Park
Scott Peterson
Kevin Rose
Phil Salerno
Fred Sheltrown
Brad Sidener
Debbie Sprague
Larry Stacy
Stan Stoll
Bill Summy
Kim Surratt
John Sutton
Marjie Swiatek
Steve Teserio
Clint Thiesse
John Tipton
Alan Tom
Paul Tueller
Sue Ward
Howard Weiss
Dr. Greg "Lightning" Williams
Fred Woodside

Past Presidents

Bob Beach
Bob Britton
Jim Carpenter
Frank Cassas
Thomas Cates
Gordon Cowan
David Cox
Grant Dalen
Jerry David
Mark Elston
Tim Grinsell
Jack Horgan
Stephen Hunter
Garry Jackson
Jon Key
Digger Knafelc
Wayne Lund
Robert Lyle
Joseph Martin
Ernest Martinelli
Bob Martini
Kevin McKee
Lee McKenzie
Michael Mentaberry
Bill Price
John Solari
Vince Swinney
Jack O. Walther
Steven T. Walther
Dan Warren
Clinton Wells, Jr