Tom Rooney - President and CEO of the NTRA
A Thoroughbred owner and breeder who hails from one of America's great sporting families, Rooney has taken an active role for several years in his family's Shamrock Farm, a Thoroughbred breeding and lay-up operation in Woodbine, Md., founded by his grandfather. He has served on the board of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association since 2020.
Rooney has a deep background in racing and sports. He grew up attending the races with family members in his native Pennsylvania, as well as in Maryland, New York, Florida, and Kentucky. Led by his grandfather, Art Rooney Sr., the Rooney family has been the majority owner and operator of the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers since 1933. Rooney family members also own Yonkers Raceway in New York and the Palm Beach Kennel Club in Florida and owned former racetracks Green Mountain in Vermont and Liberty Bell in Pennsylvania.
As a Congressman, Rooney focused on economic, agricultural, national security, and military issues. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida from 2009-19. He served on the Committee on Agriculture, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence where he played a prominent role in the House Intelligence Committee's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Prior to becoming a member of the House, Rooney served with the U.S. Army as a lawyer in the JAG Corps. During his tenure, he was Special Assistant U.S. Attorney at Fort Hood, Texas, and served in the 1st Cavalry Division. After completing active duty with the rank of captain, Rooney taught constitutional and criminal law at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.
He received his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law and became a member of the Florida Bar in 1999. He also has an M.A. in political science from the University of Florida. Rooney played football for Syracuse University and Washington & Jefferson College, where he earned a B.A. in English literature.
