November 2011 - 21

Love of bridge motivates new CEO

n a business career that started when he was just 21
years old, Robert Hartman has always been guided in
his choice of job by his keen interests - from horse
racing to fitness and athletics to bridge.
"I have always been fortunate to work in fields where I've
had a passion," says Hartman, who will take his zeal for
duplicate to his new job as chief executive officer of the
ACBL starting Nov. 7.
Hartman, 40, replaces Jay Baum, who is retiring after
nearly a decade as CEO (see page 9).
Hartman was born in Brooklyn NY and spent his early
years in that city, where he developed
an interest in horses and horse racing.
Along the way, as part of a gamesplaying family, he also discovered
bridge.
After one year at Brooklyn College,
Hartman transferred to the University
of Arizona, where he earned a bachelor's degree in animal science. He
moved back East upon graduation to
work in marketing for the New York
Racing Association, which operates
the three largest thoroughbred racetracks in the state: Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park (home of the Belmont Stakes, part of racing's Triple
Crown) and Saratoga Race Course.
After two years, he moved to Southern California to work in marketing for
Santa Anita Park, the top racetrack on
the West Coast. Before long, he was
director of marketing there. While in
Los Angeles, he earned a master's degree in business administration from
the University of Southern California.
In 1999, Hartman followed another
passion - fitness - and went to work for Pallotta TeamWorks, which organized endurance charity events such as
the Avon Breast Cancer Walk (three days covering 60 miles)
and the AIDSRide, a bicycle event covering upwards of 500
miles in a week.
Hartman, a runner and biker, recalls that the events often produced strong feelings in people who pushed themselves beyond what they thought they could do for the various causes. "It was very emotional to see ordinary people
push their limits beyond what they thought was possible,"
he says.
After three years with Pallotta, Hartman moved to Berkeley CA to head up marketing for the Athletics Department

By Brent Manley

at the University of California and its 27 teams. During
Hartman's tenure, attendance at UC football games jumped
from an average of 38,693 in 2003 to 64,019, the largest oneyear increase in NCAA history. At the same time, ticket revenue went up by more than $2.7 million.
In 2005, Hartman signed on with the Pacific Racing Association as vice president and general manager of Golden
Gate Fields, a thoroughbred racetrack in the San Francisco
Bay area with more than 400 employees. Under his leadership, revenue at the racetrack grew from $55.6 million in
2007 to $71.5 million in 2010.
When the ACBL solicited candidates
to replace Baum, Hartman saw another
opportunity to work in a field in which
he has a passion. His love for the game
goes back to the Eighties, when, as a
17-year-old, he took bridge lessons at a
local high school. One of his teachers
became his mentor and took him to a
duplicate club. "Going to a bridge club
for the first time can be intimidating,
and she put up with a lot of my mistakes," he says. "She was so kind and
patient."
It didn't take long for Hartman to
become hooked on the game, and
through the years, he has pursued masterpoints to the extent that his career
allowed. He became a Life Master in
early 2009 and has three Blue Ribbon
qualifications. He has been a regular
at the Quicktricks Bridge Club in San
Francisco and is on the club's board of
directors.
Hartman says bridge and horse racing are similar in that both entertainphoto by Robin Fryday
ment options have seen their heydays
in times past.
But Hartman believes he can help bridge make a comeback, as poker has done in recent years.
"Bridge can be popular again," he says. "The tried-and-true
games stand the test of time and can peak again through a
strong marketing communications effort."
Although ACBL membership is not what it was in the late
Eighties, Hartman notes that "we still have 165,000 members who are passionate about bridge, and that is a great
standing point from which to grow."
Hartman says it wasn't a tough decision to go for the top
job at ACBL Headquarters. "Having the chance to help grow
the game I love made it an easy decision."
r
November 2011 Bridge Bulletin

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2011