Mark Thurman Scholarship Announced
The Mark Thurman Endowed Scholarship in Racing has been established thanks to a generous donation from CHRIMS to honor Mark Thurman’s contributions to the horse racing industry upon his retirement as CEO.
Thurman’s list of accomplishments is long and robust. He began his racing industry career during the infancy of off-track wagering as the pari-mutuel auditor for California’s fair circuit race tracks. His audit reports utilized a spreadsheet program designed specifically to perform the pari-mutuel audit; this program replaced the use of calculators, columnar pads and typewriters previously utilized by auditors. CHRIMS was “born” in 1989, when Mark began the development of the first database application focused on the collection of pari-mutuel data and related distributions. The application was revolutionary and eventually provided a means for regulators and California racing stakeholders to access daily and historical pari-mutuel data, distributions and settlements via the web. Over the years, CHRIMS has continued to embrace enhancements in technology to meet the myriad of challenges related to the evolution of pari-mutuel wagering and has expanded its services to include many tracks outside California.
“Mark dedicated over three decades to building his vision of CHRIMS from a set of spreadsheets into a unique and powerful service critical to the operation of California racing. His contributions to the sport of horse racing in California and nationally will continue for decades to come. It is only fitting that his legacy be commemorated through this scholarship designed to support the next generation of racing innovators.” Gunner laCour, President of CHRIMS-PGSI.
“The Mark Thurman Endowed Scholarship recognizes Mark’s outstanding contribution to the racing industry in California and nationwide,” said Hartman. “This scholarship will help alleviate financial barriers for students pursuing their dream for a career in the business of racing.”
Endowed scholarships to benefit RTIP students pursuing a career in the horse racing industry can be named in honor of an individual or organization. Please visit https://rtip.arizona.edu/donate-rtip or contact Robert Hartman at hartmanr@arizona.edu.
For information on how to apply to the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program, visit https://rtip.arizona.edu/student-support/becoming-student
A wide variety of scholarship support is available to assist students financially. For more information on scholarships, visit https://rtip.arizona.edu/student-support/scholarships