Carol Smith-Merkulov Commissioner-Chair

Carol Smith-Merkulov recently retired as Senior Counsel in the Office of the Attorney General where she had served for almost 30 years. Some of the positions she held were Chief Counsel to the Washington State Patrol, Chief of the Antitrust Section and Chief Counsel to the Division of Prisons.

Ms. Smith-Merkulov graduated from Mills College in 1972 after 3 ½ years due to an accelerated program, with majors in both history and government.

Ms. Smith-Merkulov graduated from the University of California at Davis in 1975 and is admitted to practice law in the State of Washington and before the United States Supreme Court.

Jeff Colliton

Jeff Colliton is a native of eastern Washington where he now lives. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University and a Master of Science degree from Florida Institute of Technology. After receiving an army commission from the Gonzaga ROTC program, Jeff served 26 years in the active army as a pilot and an administrator of Defense Department contracts. He retired at the rank of Colonel and returned to Spokane.

He and his wife, Susan, owned and operated a small business in Spokane. After selling the business, Jeff became involved in local politics. He was elected to the Spokane City Council and served four years as a council member.

Jeff has been active for many years in the Spokane community. He has served on numerous boards and commissions. An abbreviated list includes: Spokane Visitors and Convention Bureau Board of Directors - Chair; Spokane Park Board; Spokane Transit Authority Board of Directors; Spokane Chamber of Commerce Armed Services Committee – Chair. Jeff currently serves on the Spokane Regional Sports Commission Board of Directors.

Along with other family members, Jeff has been involved in thoroughbred horse racing for the past 25 years.

Paul George

Mayor of Yakima in 2004 and 2005, was appointed to the Washington Horse Racing Commission Jan. 9, 2006 by Governor Christine Gregoire. He joined the Commission after a four-year term on the Yakima City Council that concluded in December 2005. A resident of Yakima for 40 years, George has maintained a high profile in the community beginning in 1957 as an employee of the Yakima Herald-Republic newspaper, the last eight years as its sports editor. George left the newspaper in 1971.

George is no stranger to the pari-mutuel racing industry; having served in its ranks for more than 25 years in various capacities. In 1971 directors of Yakima Valley Turf Club Inc hired him as general manager of Yakima Meadows racetrack. In 1984, he resigned to become marketing director of Portland Meadows.

After the 1984-85 season in Portland, George and wife, Janet, moved to Billings, Montana where he took employment as director of communications for United Tote, Inc. A publicly traded company (NASDAQ), United Tote was then the newest national supplier of computerized wagering systems to pari-mutuel tracks. United Tote enjoyed great growth particularly in new racing states during his 11 years with the firm – its customer base growing from 59 in 1985 to 127 in two dozen states in 1989 when United Tote merged with the Autotote Corporation.

George retired from United Tote in 1996 and the following year returned to Yakima to become simulcast director for Yakima Meadows - the track then owned and operated by the Central Washington Fair Assn. In December 1998, Yakima Meadows ceased operations after 40 years of business on the fairgrounds.

George, who was widowed in 1999, has a son and two daughters - all grown - and three teenage grandsons.

Dr. A.L. (Bud) Hallowell

Dr. A.L. (Bud) Hallowell was born in Yakima, Washington. He graduated from Highline High School and attended Washington State College receiving his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree in 1957. Dr. Hallowell practiced veterinary medicine in Washington from 1957 to 1963, and then spent the spring of 1964 in Kentucky furthering his education. When he returned to Washington he started a private equine practice, which encompassed all types of horse work including racetrack, show horse and breeding farms. The last twenty years he has specialized in work concerned with breeding and foaling horses mainly thoroughbreds.

He has been a commercial breeder of thoroughbreds since 1967 and an active member of the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association (WTBA). He has served as sales veterinarian and an advisor for many years. He currently serves on the Sales Committee and maintains a small breeding operation. He has served on various industry-related committees and advisory boards. Dr. Hallowell has studied racing and breeding in various parts of the US and the UK and been a speaker at society meetings and authored articles related to the industry.

Hartly H. Kruger

A graduate of the University of Idaho with a degree in Business Administration, Hartly Kruger has nearly thirty years experience in organization and association management.

He began his professional career in the Washington State Department of Trade and Economic Development as Assistant Manager of the Tourism Division. He organized the Oakland Convention and Visitors Bureau in 1966, and then in 1969 became the Executive Director of the Seattle King County Convention and Visitors Bureau, where he served for thirteen years. He left the Seattle Bureau to manage a seafood industry trade association.

In 1983, he opened his own multiple association management and public relations firm in Seattle. He also served as Executive Director for the Washington State Lodging Association during that time. He became President of the Spokane Convention and Visitors Bureau in October of 1985.

Other accomplishments include an appointment as Royal Danish Consul for Washington State in 1977. Because of his excellent service in that position, Hartly was knighted by her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in 1984. He was inducted into the University of Idaho Hall of Fame in 1981. He is past President of the Washington Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus. In 1999 he was elected Vice President of SKAL Clubs of America, Region III. SKAL is an international travel and tourism association.

In 1998, Hartly was appointed by Governor Gary Locke as a member of the Washington State Horse Racing Commission and was elected to the Board of the Association of Racing Commissioners International.