I am proud of what the American Kennel Club achieved during its 121st year, and I'm confident in future success for our organization and the sport of purebred dogs.

Our success is directly attributable to the AKC management team and their capable staffs in North Carolina, New York, and in the field. I can always count on them to get the job done, and to respect the history and traditions of our sport. We have a balanced team with varied talents and expertise. Departments have a complement of experienced, longtime dog fanciers, and skilled professionals who bring an outside perspective and business acumen. This blend allows for a pragmatic approach to resolving issues, and ensures the introduction of fresh ideas with long-term positive results.

In 2005, we continued to focus on a sound financial infrastructure for the future. It was the second­best performing financial year in our history, closely following 2004, which was the company's strongest year on record.

Our second annual Delegate orientation was successful and is a key to welcoming the voices of our member clubs.

Registration and Customer Service continued to work with our Information Services Division to implement processes and services that make the AKC more "user friendly."

We reinforced our commitment to breeders by offering valuable new resources, including the AKC Litter Certificate package. A breeder can now add a Litter Certificate to the information they supply to their puppy buyers as evidence of AKC litter registration.