Speakers at the Gaming & Hospitality Education Series
Nehme E. Abouzeid, Founder and President, LaunchVegas
Nehme E. Abouzeid is the founder and president of LaunchVegas. As a turnkey business consultancy, the firm helps brands launch and scale in tourism-centered destination markets.
Created in 2017, LaunchVegas is informed by Abouzeid’s nearly two decades of experience launching billion-dollar integrated resorts, media enterprises, and pro sports teams. It provides key business services all under one roof—removing the need for separate consultants or in-house personnel covering marketing & advertising, PR, digital, analytics, content marketing, partnership development, and project management.
Most recently, Abouzeid was the first-ever chief marketing officer for the NHL’s landmark 31st franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights. In this post, he led the critical rollout of the brand, live events, fan and community development, retail, analytics, digital strategy, content marketing, and advertising, among other duties. He was also a main spokesperson for the team on business matters, having been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, Sports Business Journal, and on various TV and radio outlets.
He spent the previous 13 years in global gaming as it grew into a $180 billion industry with the expansion of Las Vegas-style casino resorts worldwide. During tenures with two of the industry’s leading Fortune 500 companies, Abouzeid played integral roles in launching some of the world’s largest casino resorts and orchestrating innovative cross-industry partnerships.
From 2013 – 2016, he was the executive director of brand marketing for Wynn Las Vegas (NASDAQ: WYNN), the city’s most profitable casino resort and the industry’s most awarded brand. In this role, he oversaw brand marketing, advertising, content marketing, entertainment marketing, sponsorships and partnerships, and the brand’s official magazine.
Prior to his post at Wynn, Abouzeid spent nine years with Las Vegas Sands Corporation (NYSE: LVS) in a number of operational, business development, and strategic roles as it grew from a $500 million company with one resort to the world’s largest casino resort operator with over $11 billion in annual revenues and 8 global mega-resorts in its portfolio. Sands properties include the world’s largest luxury resort, The Venetian Las Vegas, and the largest in Asia, The Venetian Macao.
While at Sands, he was the first executive to graduate from the company’s international management program, receiving intensive training in all seven facets of the modern integrated resort industry: gaming, hotel, retail, entertainment, nightlife, food & beverage, and meetings (collectively known as MICE: meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions).
A creative marketer and versatile executive who excels at maximizing revenue across the integrated hospitality enterprise, he has been named to the “40 Under 40” lists of Global Gaming Business Magazine and Vegas Inc., the city’s top business journal.
Abouzeid began his career in editorial media. He spent five years as a print journalist and radio producer in Boston, Los Angeles, and post-war Beirut.
He holds a bachelor’s degree (cum laude) in journalism from the George Washington University and an MBA (magna cum laude) from Babson College. He is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
Active in the local Las Vegas business and non-profit communities, he has served on advisory boards for the casino gaming conference G2E, Nevada Public Radio, and youth charity After-School All-Stars.
A native of Weymouth, Massachusetts, he lives in Henderson, Nevada with his wife Dr. Nina Mirzayan and their two children.
Annette Aguirre, National Director, Gaming Operations, Cintas
Annette Aguirre is currently the National Director of the Gaming Segment for Design Collective by Cintas. She spent 20+ years in the gaming industry as a Human Resources Executive in both commercial and tribal gaming companies across the country.
Annette began her career in Las Vegas at Bally’s and was among the opening team for Paris Las Vegas. She has held various executive roles at Boyd Gaming, Penn Gaming and most recently at Morongo Casino Resort as the Chief HR Officer.
After a successful career in HR, she decided to pursue a career in Sales & Operations, but couldn’t get far from the industry she loved… Gaming. Annette now works with her National team to ensure casino employees are outfitted in apparel that fits, is functional and of course fashionable!
Mark Andelbradt, Corporate Executive Chef, Wolfgang Puck Worldwide
Growing up in a family of six, Mark took on the role of chef at a young age. To assist his working mother, he prepared family meals using what was available in their pantry, seeing this challenge as an opportunity to create new, unique meals. His innovative mindset and natural ability have led him through a successful career as a globally-trained chef and ultimately to his current role as executive chef at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago at Bellagio Resort & Casino.
Andelbradt got his initial training at The Culinary School at Kendall College. During an internship program abroad at The Regent, Hong Kong, Mark cultivated a better understanding of the front-of-house duties and high-level service standards set by a luxury resort. Following graduation, Andelbradt spent a year in Turin, Italy earning an Italian Cuisine Certificate at The Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners.
In 1996, Andelbradt moved back to the United States and began establishing an impressive resume. He shared the kitchen with Rick Tramonto as chef de cuisine at Brasserie T and later opened Tramonto’s two Michelin-starred restaurant, TRU, as executive sous chef. He continued to earn his stripes working with chef Daniel Boulud at DANIEL New York, and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto at two of his restaurants in Philadelphia and New York.
In 2007 Andelbradt moved to Las Vegas to work as executive chef at Tao Asian Bistro. Following a two-year stint overseeing all back of house operations as well as menu development for Tao Beach, he returned to the east coast and became a personal
chef for Academy Award-nominated director M. Night Shyamalan.
Three years later, Mark made his way back to the desert to serve as corporate chef at Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group. His experience brought a great understanding of all aspects of menu development, food and labor costs, and exceptional management
skills to the Grouplagio Resort & Casino. Andelbradt executed daily activity for the groups local outlets, including menu development and training for the restaurant openings in Las Vegas, Shanghai Xintaindi and at the Disney Resort.
Andelbradt joined the MGM Resorts family in 2018 as executive chef of Spago at Bellagio Resort & Casino. In his current role, he manages the daily culinary operations and collaborates with Chef Puck to create the globally influenced fare for which the
legendary flagship restaurant is best known.
Peter Arceo, General Manager, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
Peter Arceo is General Manager of San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. As General Manager, Arceo is responsible for directing all activity—enhancing the overall experience for team members and guests of San Manuel Casino, one of Southern California’s top entertainment destinations.
Arceo joined San Manuel Casino as Chief Marketing Officer in August 2015 and was elevated to Chief Operating Officer in August 2018. During his tenure, he helped establish the vision and foundation of the Casino’s expansion project, launched its player development program, and made providing a best-in-class experience for Casino guests and employees a top priority. As Chief Marketing Officer, Arceo established a database marketing department and propelled the ‘All Thrill’ advertising campaign to success.
Rino Armeni, CEO, Armeni Enterprises
Rino Armeni is CEO of Armeni Enterprises. He is Founder & Chairman of the Board of Las Vegas Business Academy, which provides financial aide for graduate students and personal mentoring from Board Members who are casino industry leaders.
Armeni has worked for 28 years in the hotel and casino business, including for such prestigious brands as Hilton, Intercontinantal Hotels, Holiday Inn of Canada, Marriott, Disney and Caesars Palace.
Armeni worked for 12 years for Southern Wine Spirits, the largest wholesaler of beverage in the U.S., and as a consultant for MGM MIRAGE and various international companies.
Among his many accomplishments, Armeni was owner of an Italian restaurant voted top 5 in 2009 in Las Vegas, Founder Food & Beverage Director Association 1991, Founder Epicurean Charitable Foundation 2000 and Executive Search Recruiter for the last two years.
Dike Bacon, Principal, HBG Group
Dike Bacon is a principal and the planning and business development leader at HBG Design, a leading gaming and hospitality planning, architecture and interior design firm. In this role, Bacon is focused on influencing and aligning the firm’s expertise, multiple disciplines and national presence with client objectives and vision. His direct professional practice experience spans 38 years.
Jeffery Berns, Executive Director of Casino Operations
Jeffery Berns is Executive Director of Casino Operations and Director of Slot Operations at Morongo Casino Resort & Spa.
Berns has over 16 years in the casino industry, serving as Slot Director at Casino Pauma, as well as a Slot Director at two gaming properties under Gila River Gaming Enterprises.
Mark Birtha, President, Hard Rock Sacramento
Mark Birtha was appointed President of Hard Rock Sacramento in 2018. He holds overall responsibility of the premier gaming, dining and entertainment destination.
Birtha is a seasoned veteran in the gaming and hospitality field with more than 25 years of experience, most recently as the president of Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park where he oversaw the operations for the market-leading and award-winning property.
Since the start of his career, Birtha has been dedicated to operations and development at leading casino and hotel companies across the U.S., including Hard Rock International, Mirage Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, Station Casinos, Marriott International and Starwood. He has also managed operations in destination, regional and local markets, as well as Native American Gaming enterprises.
Prior to joining Hard Rock International, Birtha was vice president and general manager at Station Casinos. Before his tenure with Station Casinos, Birtha was president of Sol Casinos and the AVA Amphitheater, where he focused on the strategic vision for the organization. In addition, he oversaw the design, construction and operations of Casino Del Sol’s $130 million Four Star/Four Diamond hotel resort expansion development.
Along with leading Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain, Birtha is also the main point of contact in the new partnership between The Seminole Tribe of Florida, owners of Hard Rock International, and Enterprise Rancheria – marking a historic partnership between two Native American Tribes.
Birtha holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Hotel School at Cornell University, along with an impressive resume of honors and achievements throughout his career. He has been recognized as a G2E “Industry Executive Ambassador,” in 2015, as one of the “Faces of Cleveland 2016,” a 2017 Human Rights Campaign Ohio honoree/speaker, the honorary chair of the 2017 Urban League of Cleveland’s 100th Anniversary Gala, a 2017 Susan G. Komen NE Ohio “Pink Tie Guy” award recipient, the 2018 Employer Support of Guard and Reserve of Ohio honoree and keynote speaker and a 2018 Urban League of Akron “President’s Award for Community Leadership” recipient.
Max Bichsel, US Director, Kambi
Max Bichselm is US Director at Kambi. Bichsel oversees a data and sports betting services operation that is at the core of legal sports wagering.
Prior to joining Kambi in 2018, Bichselm was Sales Director at Selligent, and held executive positions at Powa Technologies and HookLogic Inc.
He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas Christian University — M.J. Neeley School of Business.
Jan Jones Blackhurst, Executive Vice President, Public Policy & Corporate Responsibility, Caesars Entertainment
Jan Jones Blackhurst is a long-time political and business leader who has left an indelible imprint on the lives of millions of people. In 1991, Jan broke the glass ceiling as Las Vegas’ first female mayor. Under Jan’s leadership the city experienced tremendous growth, making her one of the Las Vegas’ most popular mayors to date. She then joined Caesars Entertainment, where she grew the industry’s first Responsible Gaming practices to include an ambassador model for the gaming industry and the first industry code of commitment. Jan is also known and respected for her efforts to create a diverse and inclusive workplace, advancing environmental stewardship, advocating for important social issues and giving millions of dollars to individuals, families, and communities in need.
Under Jan’s Leadership at Caesars Entertainment Corporation:
- Caesars was the first casino in the industry to roll out a code of commitment under their corporate integrity standards
- Energy, water use and greenhouse gas emissions have dropped significantly over the last eight years across the Caesars Enterprise
- Employee diversity has increased, with 41 percent of management positions held by women and 57 percent of employees from diverse backgrounds
- Employee engagement has been its highest, driven by a volunteer program where employees have donated over 400,000 hours a year to both company and community causes
Through Jan’s guidance, Caesars Entertainment has earned a 100 percent perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for 10 consecutive years. Jan has channeled her passion for charitable causes through her role as Chair of the Caesars Foundation, which strengthens communities through philanthropic activities and corporate gifts totaling $66 million since 2013. Jan participates extensively in university speaking engagements and lecture series throughout the country and has also helped establish the International Gaming Institution Center of Excellence at the University of Nevada – Las Vegas.
Before joining Caesars in 1999, Jan served two terms as Mayor of Las Vegas. She was the city’s first female chief executive and one of its most popular mayors, having been re-elected in 1995 by a 72 percent margin. While in office, Jan presided over an unprecedented period of economic, social and cultural expansion. She spearheaded a massive and redevelopment effort in the city’s once-neglected downtown neighborhood and was among the first mayors in the country to advocate for LGBT rights and issues as early as 1991.
Jan serves on the Board of Directors for the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Global Fairness Initiative. Additionally, she serves on several boards as chairwoman including the Nevada Resort Association, Las Vegas Stadium Authority, and is also a member of the Women’s Leadership Board at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
She has received many recognitions and accolades including the Americanism Award from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the Woman of Diversity Award for “100 Years of Influence – Women Shaping the First 100 Years of Las Vegas”, Outstanding Service in a Land-based Industry from Totally Gaming, PR News CSR Professional of the Year and was named by the Las Vegas Business Press as one of its “Women Who Mean Business.” Jan has been honored by the American Diabetes Association and the “I Have a Dream” Foundation, and named Humanitarian of the Year in 1998 by the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In 2014, she was one of the first women to be inducted into the American Gaming Association (AGA) Gaming Hall of Fame. More recently, she has earned the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Chamber of Commerce, the Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence from UNLVino, the Diversity Hero Award from PR Week and was honored by ACLU for Community Equality.
Jan Jones Blackhurst holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Stanford University and attended the University of Southern California’s School of Food Marketing Management.
Elizabeth Blau, Founder and CEO, Blau + Associates
Elizabeth Blau, With an impressive career spanning nearly three decades, James Beard Award Nominee Elizabeth Blau is the founder and CEO of restaurant development company Blau + Associates, and is widely credited with transforming Las Vegas into the world-class culinary destination it is today. A renowned restaurateur, Blau’s skilled touch defines her work in Las Vegas and around the world.
A graduate of the Cornell School of Hotel Management, Blau began her career with famed restaurateur Sirio Maccioni. As Maccioni expanded the Le Cirque brand to Las Vegas, Blau’s work caught the attention of casino developer Steve Wynn. As the vice president of restaurant development for Mirage Resorts, Blau revolutionized the food and beverage operations at the Bellagio and persuaded award-winning chefs to join the company and the flourishing Las Vegas dining scene. Wynn turned to Blau again with the opening of Wynn Las Vegas where she served as executive vice president of restaurant development and marketing.
In 2002, Blau founded Blau + Associates, and quickly turned the firm into one of the foremost restaurant development companies, with an impressive client list that includes New York’s Rainbow Room, Montage Resorts, Ritz Carlton Hotels and Resorts, Netjets, Celebrity Cruises, Trump Casinos, and Viceroy Hotels and Resorts among many others.
Blau went on to open a series of successful restaurants across Las Vegas. In 2008, she and her husband, award-winning chef Kim Canteenwalla, launched Society Café at Encore to rave reviews.
In 2012, Blau and Canteenwalla embarked on their first solo independent venture, Honey Salt. Offering a glimpse into the couple’s culinary life, Honey Salt features the foods, drinks and vibe they have shared with friends for years. A second Honey Salt opened at Parq Resort in Vancouver, BC in 2017.
In partnership with TV’s Cake Boss Buddy Valastro, Blau + Associates landed on the Las Vegas Strip in 2013 with Buddy V’s Ristorante. Blau + Associates’ newest venture, Andiron Steak & Sea, which opened March 2015, brings fine dining to the Las Vegas suburbs with a celebration of all things grilled, roasted and shucked.
Blau’s awards and accolades among the industry are numerous, and she is dedicated to serving both her industry and her community. She has appeared as a judge on Food Network’s Iron Chef America, is an annual judge for Hotel Magazine’s best restaurants, and has been featured on the Travel Channel and the Martha Stewart Show. She was one of three investors on the third season of CNBC’s Restaurant Startup alongside Tim Love and Joe Bastianich and is a member of OpenTable’s advisory board.
Blau has delivered addresses at storied venues such as the Culinary Institute of America, Cornell University, and the Ecole Hoteliere in Lausanne, Switzerland, and is a member of the James Beard Foundation and Women Chef’s and Restaurateurs (WCR). Blau passionately supports local organizations including Communities in Schools and Three Square, where she serves as the Culinary Council Chair to help eliminate hunger in Southern Nevada. Blau also serves as a trustee for the Culinary Institute of America, where she chairs the Education Policy committee, and also serves on the Global Advisory Board at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. She lives in Las Vegas with her husband Kim, their son Cole, and their two golden retrievers Brookie and Dodger.
Steve Bodmer, General Counsel, Pechanga Tribal Government
Steve Bodmer, Steve Bodmer has served as an in-house attorney with the Pechanga Office of the General Counsel (“POGC”) for the past 5 years, joining as Deputy General Counsel in 2011 and currently serving as General Counsel.
Steve is an enrolled member of the Edisto Natchez-Kusso Tribe of South Carolina. He received his Juris Doctor from Arizona State University College of Law, where he also received the Indian Legal Program Certificate for extensive study in the area of Federal Indian law.
Prior to joining POGC, Steve worked in Washington, D.C. on Indian law matters, practiced Indian law in the private practice setting in Phoenix, Arizona, and served as General Counsel for a tribe in Central California. In his role as General Counsel, Steve provides legal counsel to the Tribal Council, the Tribal Government and each of its departments.
In addition to his responsibilities over Pechanga Tribal Government legal matters, Steve also oversees the legal affairs of the largest casino and resort in California, the Pechanga Resort & Casino, and provides legal counsel to the Pechanga Development Corporation.
Among other areas of practice, Steve specializes in federal Indian law, gaming law, tribal governance, and tribal economic development. Steve is a founding executive board member of the Native American Bar Association of Arizona and is licensed to practice law in California, Arizona, and Washington, D.C.
Susan Bonds, CEO, 42 Entertainment
Susan Bonds is co-founder and CEO of 42 Entertainment, leading the innovation evolution, from alternate reality games to deeply immersive entertainment experiences that engage millions of people worldwide, Susan has focused 42 to take advantage of what she calls “true convergence”—the social, technological, gaming and story alignment that enables 42 to give you a role in The Dark Knight, Halo, The Human Preservation Project, or NIN’s Year Zero on an unprecedented scale.
Starting with ilovebees, Susan has developed/produced all of 42’s transmedia experiences, including the critically acclaimed Why So Serious?, Year Zero, Flynn Lives, The Human Preservation Project, Mouth-Taped-Shut, The Vanishing Point and, most recently, Random Acts of Fusion. As a systems engineer by training, she first worked in aerospace at Lockheed’s Advanced Development Projects—the famed “skunk works”—before beginning her career in experiential narrative at Walt Disney Imagineering in 1990.
“Disneyland is about bringing stories to life,” she says. “That’s also true about our multi-platform experiences-you are the star of the story.” As an Imagineer, she developed/produced the groundbreaking Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland and Mission: SPACE at Epcot.
Following Disney, she spent two years producing a Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game at Cyan Worlds—the company behind Riven and Myst, two of the most popular PC games of all time—before launching 42 Entertainment in 2004.
Bob Boughner, Partner, Global Market Advisors, Member, Boyd Gaming Board of Directors, and former President & CEO, The Borgata
Bob Boughner brings 30 years of industry experience to his current roles as senior partner of Global Market Advisors (GMA), one of the world’s leading consulting firms serving the casino gaming, hospitality and airline industries. Prior to joining GMA, Boughner served as executive vice president and chief business development officer of Boyd Gaming Corporation. While at Boyd, he served in a variety of senior executive positions, including general manager of various properties, senior vice president of administration, and chief operating officer. In July 1996, he was elected to the company’s board of directors and remains on the board today.
In 1998, Boughner was appointed chief executive officer of Borgata where he directed the design, development and operations of the $1.6 billion integrated resort in Atlantic City. The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa and The Water Club at Borgata became one of the most successful gaming destinations in North America.
Boughner led much of Boyd’s expansion into new markets and played key roles in the acquisition of several gaming properties across the United States. He has overseen the design and development of numerous gaming, dining, nightlife and entertainment venues. Boughner also has extensive experience in various administrative disciplines including information technologies, human resources, risk management and regulatory compliance.
Boughner is active in civic and industry affairs. He served two terms on the board of directors of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. He was appointed by the governor of New Jersey and served on the board of the Casino Reinvestment and Development Authority. In the private sector, Boughner served for 20 years as a director of Bank of Nevada, formerly BankWest. He currently serves on the board of Southwest Gas Corporation.
In 2007, as a part of Boughner’s philanthropic activity, he and the Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) established the Bob Boughner Career Services Center at UNLV to assist students in the pursuit of employment in the hospitality, tourism, and gaming industry.
Julie Brinkerhoff, President & CFO, Lifescapes International
A team member for over 35 years, Julie Brinkerhoff-Jacobs is president and CFO for Lifescapes International and effectively focuses on guiding the company towards the future. She is a frequent speaker at industry events and has authored numerous articles on real estate and demographic trends.
A graduate of Cal State University Sonoma, Julie is actively involved in organizations such as the Urban Land Institute (member of Global Program Committee, the Entertainment Council, and Women’s Leadership Initiative), International Council of Shopping Centers, and co-founder of HomeAid America.
Alex M. Calle, CEO and CCO, Entertainment Design Corp. (EDC)
Alex Calle takes a unique approach to directing, producing, and design, utilizing his background in theatre to above all, tell a story. A graduate of the California Institute of the Arts, he has worked on film, television, theater, themed entertainment, and public art installations all over the world.
In recent years, Alex worked on installing two $20 million branding icon attractions for the Galaxy Entertainment group in Macau, and two E-Ticket Dreamworks attractions for Dubai Parks and Resorts’ Motiongate Themepark. Before that, Alex was based in Singapore bringing EDC’s Crane Dance project to life—a $70 million branding icon for Resorts WorldSentosa. Alex’s film and television productions include the MTV MovieAwards, Pirates of the Caribbean II and III, and Starz’s Magic City. He has also served as the art director and co-designer for EDC’s last seven designs for Princess Cruises.
As a theatrical set designer, Calle has designed for a number of renowned regional theatre companies, including the California Shakespeare Theatre, the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Company, the Cuillo Theatre, Florida Stage, and the Colony Theatre. He also served as a resident designer for the Invertigo Dance Theatre since their 2008 season.
John Cannito, President & COO, The PENTA Building Group
As President of The PENTA Building Group, John is responsible for ensuring our corporate culture is realized in every aspect of PENTA. John directs all departments (business development, preconstruction, and estimating; construction operations; and finance and corporate services) within the company.
John has been working in the commercial construction industry for over 27 years, with 21 of those years specific to Las Vegas, starting with the Paris Hotel and Casino in 1997. In 1992, John graduated with a BS in Environmental Sciences and Resource Management from Lehigh University. In 2004, John graduated from the University of Arizona with a Master’s in Business & Administration (MBA). Since joining PENTA, John has received certification as a Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional (CCIFP) through the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) and has become a LEED AP with the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
John started his career in Newark, NJ, as an engineer in the transportation technologies division of an international engineering firm. In 1997, John moved to Phoenix, AZ to work as an engineer for a large General Contractor. In 2000, John became President of a construction consulting company offering information systems and software, process efficiency, and general construction consulting services throughout the United States. Finally joining The PENTA Building Group in 2004, John has been on PENTA’s Senior Management Committee since its inception in 2004 and has been a big part of the growth and development of one of Las Vegas’s largest General Contractors. John manages PENTA’s operating risk and commits to meeting client expectations on numerous high-profile projects; including Wynn Retail Plaza, Las Vegas Ballpark, Caesars Forum Convention Center, T-Mobile Arena, SLS Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, OMNIA Las Vegas, World Market Center, and the Metropolis Phase 2B / Residential Tower 3 in Los Angeles.
John is also very involved in the local community; currently serving on three nonprofit boards: Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance (LVGEA), Opportunity Village, and Junior Achievement.
John is originally from Buffalo, New York. He currently lives in Southwest Las Vegas and is married to Lisa Cannito. They have four children together, Anna, Grace, Maddie, and Sarah.
Michael Capen, Director Client Services, Gaming Laboratories International, LLC
GLI’s Director of Client Services Michael Capen is a nationally recognized expert in Class II and Class III tribal gaming.
Before joining GLI in 2005, Capen served as Director of Inspection, Licensing and Training for the Virginia Charitable Gaming Commission.
Prior to entering the casino industry, Capen served as a Commander in the U.S. Navy for 21 years.
John Ceresani, Principal, The Pharos Group
John Ceresani is a principal of The Pharos Group, LLC, an organizational development consulting firm.
Ceresani’s 26 years of practical business experience in various senior level positions in human resources is the foundation for his effective coaching, insightful solution-focused and results-driven consulting advice, as well as his engaging, down-to-earth facilitation style.
His coaching assignments include chief human resources officers, corporate and operational VPs as well as departmental directors and managers identified as high potentials. He has facilitated numerous leadership retreats and seminars including: leadership trust; employee engagement; team building; change management; performance management; talent acquisition; retention; employee and labor relations; customer service enhancement; and, respectful workplace.
Prior to becoming an executive coach, business consultant and facilitator, Ceresani was the regional senior vice president of organizational development for Caesars Entertainment, one of the world’s leading gaming companies. He was responsible for all core human resources responsibilities for the Atlantic City region. Ceresani was also formerly employed by the Claridge Casino Hotel in Atlantic City in a number of management positions during his career there including vice president of human resources and security.
During Ceresani’s tenure with Caesars, he collaborated with organizational development colleagues in creating a “Learning Organization”, a comprehensive and creative leadership and employee development program. Caesars “Learning Organization” model earned the company recognition and inclusion in Training Magazine’s 2005 ‘Top 100 Worldwide Training Companies’, a prestigious list that also included American Express, GE and Starbucks.
Ceresani holds a B.A. degree in political science from Kings College, Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, and attended Pepperdine Law School.
John Connelly, Global CEO, Interblock
John Connelly is the global chief executive officer at Interblock, a luxury electronic table game supplier and manufacturer. Mr. Connelly has over 25 years of experience within the global gaming industry and has held various executive roles such as executive committee member and senior vice president of Bally Technologies. Since joining Interblock, the company has experienced over a 20 percent compounded annual growth rate in the past four-years and has expanded into over 100 new markets around the world.
John Dinius, General Manager, Sycuan Casino Resort
John DiniusJohn Dinius is General Manager at Sycuan Casino Resort. Dinius is a 22-year veteran of the organization. He joined Sycuan as a bingo pull tabs clerk and worked his way up through the ranks to become top manager of the casino. He served as interim general manager from 2014 to 2016, when he was made permanent GM.
Angie Dobney, Vice President, Casino & Gaming Sales, The Rainmaker Group
Angie Dobney serves as vice president of casino & gaming sales for The Rainmaker Group. An industry veteran with more than two decades of experience in revenue management and hospitality operations, she provides hands-on optimization of total resort profit to Rainmaker’s industry-leading gaming and hospitality clients.
As a former Rainmaker customer who turned the tables and joined the market leader in 2014, Dobney brings to her role a user’s perspective on the product. Having worked in both manual and automated environments, she knows firsthand the challenges customers face and draws from her personal experience to guide her clients in best practices.
A recognized expert in total asset and portfolio optimization, and as enthusiastic as she is knowledgeable, Dobney is frequently tapped to speak at conferences around the globe. She is a guest lecturer on hotel and hospitality asset and revenue management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, her alma mater, where she was named Mentor of the Year in 2007. She continues to seek out opportunities to get involved in other university programs in her quest to inspire and motivate the next generation of revenue managers.
Christie Eickelman, Vice President, Global Marketing, Gaming Laboratories International, LLC
Christie Eickelman is vice president of marketing for GLI. In her position, she directs and implements all marketing programs for GLI’s 20 worldwide locations. Her responsibilities include building the corporate brand and establishing and directing marketing functions in accordance with GLI’s policies, regulations and sound business practices.
She joined the company in 1999 as marketing manager, shaping GLI’s branding in North America. In 2001, she was promoted to director of marketing and development, overseeing the North American development team in their daily responsibilities. In June 2007, she was promoted to senior director of worldwide marketing, and in September 2012, she was promoted to vice president of global marketing.
Eickelman has a long history in the gaming industry. Prior to GLI, she served as marketing manager for Sodak Gaming Inc. (now IGT). She has also served at Wolf Gaming LLC as vice president of marketing and public relations. In 2005, she was selected as a Great Woman in Gaming by Casino Enterprise Management, and in 2008, Global Gaming Business named her one of the 25 People to Watch in Gaming. Eickelman is one of the founding members on the Global Gaming Women board, she’s also a member on the Andson Foundation board and for the past two years she has served on the Executive Leadership Committee of the American Heart Association-Go Red for Women Luncheon of Southern Nevada.
Brett K. Ewing, Principal, Cuningham Group Architecture, Inc.
Brett K. Ewing, Brett Ewing, principal at international design firm Cuningham Group Architecture, has more than 30 years of experience in gaming, hospitality and entertainment design. His impressive track record includes managing and delivering large, complex projects for some of the most respected clients in the industry. Prior to joining Cuningham Group, he was a partner with Thalden Boyd Emery Architects and before that president of architecture and Interior Design for Marnell Corrao Associates.
Brett has spent his entire professional career based in Las Vegas. His introduction to gaming began as the architect for The Mirage’s volcano and the daylit and landscaped casino atrium. The Mirage is known as the catalyst for modern gaming and those two components were considered groundbreaking in the evolution of destination casino resorts. Over the years, several other significant Las Vegas projects have benefitted from Brett’s expertise including the $400 million, 925-room hotel/spa tower and convention center at The Bellagio; eight major expansions at the Rio Hotel & Casino over a 10-year period; and the Forum Shops at Caesars.
Using gaming and entertainment experience honed in Las Vegas, he has also spent a substantial part of his career working with Native American clients to bring their unique cultural integrity to the forefront of original casino and hospitality design concepts. He has led collaborations with more than 15 tribes and most recently successfully applied his expertise on significant projects such as the expansion at Viejas Casino & Resort, Angel of the Winds Casino Resort, and the new Emerald Queen Casino for the Puyallup Tribe of Indians.
Of additional note, Brett served as president of the Las Vegas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 2016 and was the 2017 President of AIA Nevada. He is currently serving on the steering committee for the 2019 AIA national conference, which will be held in June in Las Vegas.
Ben Farber, President, Bristol Associates
Ben Farber, Benjamin (Ben) Farber, President, represents the 3rd generation of proud family ownership of Bristol Associates. He is the nephew of Jim Jr. and Lucy Farber, 2nd generation owners. Ben began working at Bristol in 2003, a month after graduating from UC Santa Barbara with a double major in Psychology and Communication. Eager to join the world of recruiting, he began to hone his skills in the Casino division underneath Jim Jr. He has held every position at the company, from front desk management to his current role, which he feels gives him a very unique and complete view of the business. This growth has allowed him to experience, be involved in, and understand all aspects of Bristol’s industry-specific divisions. Currently, Ben remains very involved in all things Bristol, from executive recruitment to overseeing the daily operations of the firm.
Born and raised in Santa Monica, California, Ben enjoys basketball and baseball, and was recently SCUBA certified. Traveling the globe is another passion, and he has been to many memorable places including Peru, Italy, Africa, and most recently the Maldives. When he needs some R&R from sports and traveling, he enjoys watching stand-up comedy and practicing mindfulness.
Rick Fields, Former Senior Vice President, Gaming Operations, Mandalay Bay
Rick Fields has been a leader in Casino Operations for nearly 40 years. His most recent position was as Senior Vice President, Gaming Operations for Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino (MGM Resorts), a position he took up in 2005.
Fields has had a long and impressive career with MGM Resorts, having served as VP of Casino Operations, Player Development, Food and Beverage and Golf Operations for Primm Valley Resorts and as AVP Casino Operations for New York New York Resort and Casino.
Prior to joining MGM, Fields served as VP of Table Games at Aladdin Resort and Casino and VP of Casino Operations for Station Casinos. He began his casino career at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas as a Casino Administrator.
Fields has been an Executive Board Member at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas since 2002, and has served a three year term as Board President. He holds a BS degree in Business Administration and Human Resources from the University of Las Vegas, and an Associates degree in Casino Management from the College of Southern Nevada.
Buddy Frank, Principal and CEO, BF Slot Strategies
Buddy Frank, Raised in Northern Nevada, Buddy Frank has been hooked on gaming since he used crayons to mark his mom’s Keno tickets (while dining on “Awful Awful” burgers at the Sparks Nugget). He started covering casinos as a TV journalist in Reno after graduation from UNR. After a decade of reporting, he made the transition first to casino marketing and eventually slot operations. After 30 years with various casinos, he recently retired from Pechanga Resort & Casino in southern California to spend more time with his wife and three new granddaughters. He now runs a consulting service (BF Slot Strategies) where his focus remains on slot performance, systems, analytics and team training. He has taught classes on gaming/marketing in the past with San Diego State and now is doing the same with UNR. His non-gaming interests are cycling, photography, model trains, Nevada history, UNR sports, and fixing his ever-broken sprinkler system.
Phyllis Gilland, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Golden Entertainment, Inc.
Phyllis Gilland has 30 years of legal, compliance and business experience, in several industries, including gaming, banking and insurance. Since October 2017, when Golden Entertainment, Inc. acquired American Casino & Entertainment Properties, LLC, she serves as senior vice president and general counsel of Golden Entertainment, Inc. Previously she was senior vice president, general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer of American Casino’s & Entertainment Properties, LLC (ACEP) since October 2008. At ACEP she was corporate and gaming Compliance Officer. In addition, she oversaw all corporate legal matters, compliance, and regulatory human resources, including benefits, and surveillance, and was responsible for the retail, risk management, including insurance, and security investigations departments. Since 2008 she has been instrumental in reduction of guest incidents and costs and legal fees as well as streamlining of risk management processes.
Gilland has developed and implemented the legal strategy for many companies in the areas of regulatory and business compliance, contract review, negotiation and management, litigation management, corporate governance, claim management, real estate matters, risk management and financial matters, including financings, and mergers and acquisitions. She also has experience operating businesses with responsibilities for overseeing sales, marketing, finance and human resources departments.
Prior to joining ACEP, from 2000 to 2007 Gilland served as general counsel and chief financial officer for Taylor Construction Group Companies, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa with affiliates around the United States.
Prior to Taylor Construction, she served as general counsel for Principal International, Inc. from 1999 through 2000 where she oversaw legal, regulatory and business development matters in the U.S. and internationally. In this capacity, Gilland had responsibility for numerous successful large business acquisitions and divestitures in conjunction with investment bankers and senior management.
Gilland was also an associate general counsel for Principal Financial Group from 1994 through 1999 where she handled national and international mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, as well as claims resolution, litigation management, regulatory matters, and contract management. In addition, Gilland has held positions with the Resolution Trust Corporation as director of special assets and as a tax manager with international accounting firm KPMG.
John F. Glaser, Chief Operating Officer, GSL Gaming Group
John F. Glaser, John Glaser has nearly 30 years of experience in gaming sales and marketing, with a proven track record of building successful sales, service and marketing teams.
He joined GSL Gaming Group in 2018 as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to working for GSL, Glaser served as Director of Sales and Service – North America for Ainsworth Game Technology, and as COO and VP of Sales and Marketing for Cash Systems Gaming Solutions.
Glaser has held executive sales positions at a number of top gaming companies, including Konami Gaming Inc., Global Cash Access, Cash Systems Inc., Bally Technologies and IGT.
Glaser holds a Bachelor of Science degree from The Ohio State University and is an Advisor with the ExecRanks Certificate of Continuing Board Education.
Travis Hackney, Vice President National Accounts-Gaming, Sysco
Travis Hackney developed an early interest in hospitality when he became the Project Manager to MGM Resorts for US Foods. After spending over 10+ years in the industry, his fluency in developing strategic partnerships among large hospitality groups and contract accounts has most recently brought him to Sysco as Vice President of National Accounts – Gaming. Travis manages multiple Nationwide gaming partnerships across the United States and leads the local Las Vegas Gaming distribution for Sysco. He works to develop cohesion between distributor and operator by providing solutions not just in supply chain, but in concept and menu development as well.
After earning a B.S. in Political Science from UNLV, Travis moved to Carson City, Nevada where he served as a congressional intern. Realizing that politics was not his passion, he moved back to his hometown of Las Vegas and began his career with food distribution. Being from Las Vegas and having a natural affinity for the business of gaming and hospitality has encouraged Travis to accumulate professional accolades such as Casino Account Executive of the Year, multiple years in a row.
After that of Husband and Father, his favorite title is House League Hockey Coach for the Las Vegas Ice Center. Travis also volunteers as a Coach for “Spectrum on Ice,” and teaches children and young adults with developmental disabilities to ice skate and play hockey. Travis has played hockey his entire life and is pleased to be teaching the youth of Las Vegas about teamwork and working hard. He believes these two attributes are crucial to the success of every facet of his life. Travis also volunteers on the NHLA of Nevada F&B Committee and looks to provide opportunities for professional development for anyone looking to get into the hotel industry.
Earle Hall, CEO, AXES Network
Earle Hall is CEO of Axes Network. He is Chairman, Blockchain Committee for the Gaming Standards Association as well as a GSA Board Member. He is also a Member Of The Board Of Advisors for Walker River Resources.
Prior to his present positions, Hall spent 11 years at DEQ Systems Corp. holding various positions including President & CEO, Compliance Committee Chair and a Board Member.
Hall holds a Bachelor of Arts in Administration and Canadian Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada/Collège militaire royal du Canada; a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Walden University; and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the École nationale d’administration publique.
Jim Heilmann, General Manager, AREA15
As general manager of AREA15, Jim Heilmann, oversees day-to-day operations, drives strategic growth objectives, manages tenant, artist and event integrations and spearheads long-range planning to build strong community partnerships. Heilmann’s expertise in managing large-scale retail centers will be instrumental in cementing AREA15’s reputation as Las Vegas’ leading experiential entertainment and retail complex.
With over 20 years of experience in retail, Heilmann most recently served as the senior general manager of Fashion Show mall on the Las Vegas Strip. In this capacity, he aggressively led a team interdepartmentally to innovate, drive revenue, create operational efficiencies, and improve best-in-class standards and consumer experiences. Under Heilmann’s leadership, Fashion Show mall grew to be one of the nation’s largest, most productive and iconic shopping centers. Prior to his position at Fashion Show mall, Heilmann managed a variety of retail complexes owned by the real estate company, General Growth Properties, now Brookfield Properties Retail Group. He has an extensive history of assembling and leading high-performing, multi-discipline teams through many challenges and high-profile projects, program launches, events and initiatives.
Heilmann earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Northern Illinois University. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife and two daughters.
John Hemberger, Senior Vice President, Table Products, AGS
John Hemberger, John Hemberger is the senior vice president of table products for AGS. Hired by President and CEO David Lopez to create a table games division for the company in the summer of 2014, Hemberger has grown AGS’ table games portfolio to include more than 25 game titles and a competitive array of table game equipment with more than 1,800 total product installations across the world. In his role as senior vice president, Hemberger is responsible for business development, sales, R&D, and product management for all AGS table game products. He also led the acquisition efforts of some of the company’s most successful and award-winning products to date—including Buster Blackjack, War Blackjack, Criss Cross Poker, Bonus Spin, and In-BET. Hemberger was named one of the gaming industry’s “40 under 40” by Global Gaming Business magazine in 2017.
Stephen Hill, CEO, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
Stephen Hill, The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) Board of Directors named Steve Hill CEO on September 1, 2018. Hill is the ninth leader of the LVCVA, succeeding the retiring CEO, Rossi Ralenkotter.
A Las Vegas resident for more than 30 years, Hill founded Silver State Materials in 1987 and supplied concrete and aggregates for many projects in the community. After selling Silver State, Hill was appointed by Governor Brian Sandoval to serve as the first Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) in 2011, where he guided the development of “Moving Nevada Forward,” the plan for diversifying Nevada’s economy.
During his tenure with the GOED, Hill helped create numerous programs, including Workforce Innovations for the New Nevada, the Battle Born Venture Fund, and the Knowledge Fund. His work with GOED played a role in bringing business such as Tesla, Apple, Solar City, Barclaycard, Amazon and Hyperloop One to Nevada.
Governor Sandoval went on to appoint Hill as the Chairman of the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee (SNTIC), which was charged with reviewing and recommending major economic development projects to the Governor and Legislature for approval.
The SNTIC reviewed several proposals and recommended approval for both the Las Vegas Convention Center District expansion and renovation project as well as the Raiders Stadium. Hill was also chosen as the chair of the Las Vegas Stadium Authority, which provides oversight of the construction and operation of the stadium. He is also a member of the Southern Nevada Sporting Event Committee, which will recommend a process in which to attract major new events to the destination.
Hill takes over the LVCVA as the organization is about to get under way on the largest infrastructure project in its history, the expansion and renovation of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The project will add 1.4 million square feet of new space, with at least 600,000 square feet of usable exhibit space. The project will allow the destination to attract more business and allow existing clients to continue to grow their conventions.
Donald Hoover, Managing Partner, Gaming Hospitality Experts
Gavin Isaacs, Non-Executive Chairman, SBTech
In January, London-based SBTech, a leading sports betting and gaming technology supplier, appointed former Scientific Games CEO and Vice Chairman Gavin Isaacs as its new non-executive chairman.
Isaacs will use his 20 years of gaming experience across a series of senior management positions to further grow the company’s rapidly expanding U.S. presence. Since the market opened in mid-2018, SBTech has completed and gone live with several partnership agreements with leading casinos in regulated states including New Jersey and Mississippi.
Isaacs spent four years as CEO and board member of Scientific Games and was responsible for championing game-changing mergers and acquisitions and growing the global lottery and gaming supplier from $1.3 billion to $2.9 billion revenues in just two years, before moving to the position of vice chairman of the board.
“I was approached by a number of companies since leaving Scientific Games,” Isaacs said. “However, I chose to join SBTech due to its superior technology, high standards across every discipline, entrepreneurial approach and incredible ambition and potential to grow further across a wide variety of regulated markets including the U.S., where I am based and have an extensive network, knowledge and experience.
“The business has already made significant inroads into the newly regulated U.S. sports betting market, and I am extremely excited to be able to help and advise the senior management team to expand that even further across 2019 and beyond.”
Isaacs, a qualified lawyer, has a proven track record of successfully leading and establishing companies on strong growth trajectories. Prior to joining Scientific Games in 2014, he was CEO of SHFL Entertainment, where he grew the company to record revenues, globally expanded its slot business, and created a series of commercial opportunities in specialty table-game brands both in land-based casinos and online.
“We’re thrilled that someone of Gavin’s caliber, credibility and experience has chosen to join SBTech. This is a huge coup for the business,” said Richard Carter, CEO of SBTech. “Gavin’s two decades of successfully leading, transforming and acquiring some of the biggest businesses in the gaming sector will be a massive advantage for us, particularly in the U.S., where we have already partnered and gone live with several large brands across multiple states and where there are many more opportunities to grow.”
Isaac also spent five years as COO and executive vice president of the former Bally Technologies, eventually leading the negotiations to buy his former employer while at Scientific Games in November 2013 for $1.3 billion, a 37 percent premium in share price and at sector-high multiple. Prior to joining Bally, Isaacs spent seven years with Aristocrat Technologies in several roles including president, managing director and marketing and business development in Las Vegas, London and Sydney.
Rob Jacks, Chief Information Officer, Agilysys
Rob Jacks joined Agilysys in 2015 as Vice President of Professional Services, and was promoted to Chief Information Officer in 2018.
As a senior IT executive, Jacks has 25+ years experience in healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, software development, retail, telecommunication, gaming, and distribution and consulting sectors. He serves as a part of casino and gambling executives organizations including, Tribal Net Board, University of Oklahoma CMISS, IBM Business Analytics Advisory Board, the International Association of Gaming Advisors and The Gaming and Leisure Board.
Jacks is the recipient of multiple awards for his contributions including: The Premier 100 Information Technology Leader 2009 – Computer World Magazine; the 2011, 2012, & 2013 IBM Business Champion – Business Analytics; and the 2011 Ventana Research Leadership Award.
He holds a BBA in Accounting from the University of Montevallo as well as an MBA from Samford University.
John James, COO, Morongo Casino Resort
John James is Chief Operating Officer at Morongo Casino Resort & Spa.
Before joining Morongo in 2015, James held several prominent positions in the casino industry, including Chief Executive Officer for Gila River Gaming Enterprises; Managing Partner at Leopard Gaming; COO at Seminole Gaming Inc.; and General Manager at Pechanga Resort & Casino and Station Casino.
Gene Johnson, Executive Vice President, Victor Strategies
Gene Johnson has over 25 years of gaming industry experience in the disciplines of technology, quality assurance, market research, casino marketing, and strategic planning and analysis. His industry career began in 1989 working in Atlantic City casinos. In 1997 he founded EE Johnson Research, a marketing and consulting firm specializing in qualitative insight into player behavior, quantitative surveys and data analysis, and customer service enhancement. In 2012 his company became part of Spectrum Gaming Group, and in 2016 he created Gaming Knowledge Partners, a network of industry experts.
Gene holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix, a BA from Washington College, and a CQA from the Quality Assurance Institute.
Jeff Jordan, Executive Director, Loyalty & Rewards, PlayStudios
Jeff Jordan is a casino executive and inventor with deep expertise in gaming technology and casino operations. Jordan has deep experience in large integrated casino and hotel resorts and gambling technology companies.
Before becoming Executive Director of Loyalty & Rewards for PlayStudios, Jordan was Chief Operating Officer for GameCo, Inc.; Vice President Product Management and Development for Bluberi; Vice President New Product Creation at Walker Digital Table Systems, LLC; Global Sr. Director Commercial Strategy for Aristocrat; and Principal for Jordan Gaming Consulting Group, among other positions.
Melissa Joseph, PHR, Director of Human Resources, AGS
Melissa Joseph is Director of Human Resources (HR) at AGS, a publicly listed gaming technology supplier traded on the New York Stock Exchange. She has responsibilities for recruiting, employee engagement, onboarding and training, employee relations, compensation, and benefits.
Joseph has held numerous HR roles during her more than five years with AGS, including Senior HR Manager and Manager – HR and Engagement. During her tenure, AGS has grown from 200+ to 750+ employees worldwide.
Before joining AGS, Joseph served 7 years in HR and Gaming Compliance roles for Colossal Gaming/C2 Gaming, which was acquired by AGS in 2014. Her prior experience in the hospitality industry as a manager and owner of restaurants in the Las Vegas Valley started her on her HR career path.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Services from University of Phoenix and a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification from HR Certification Institute (HRCI)
Joseph serves on the Board of Directors of Spread the Word Nevada, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing childhood literacy within low-income communities. She is also a member of the Society for HR Management and supports the Global Gaming Women organization.
Tom Kaplan, Senior Managing Partner, Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group
Tom Kaplan has been a nationally-recognized and respected name in the food and beverage and hospitality industries for more than 37 years. As Senior Managing Partner of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group (WPFDG), Kaplan works alongside the renowned chef, as a trusted partner and company thought-leader. Throughout his tenure with WPFDG, Kaplan has nurtured key strategic partnerships with major casino resorts and luxury hotel brands such as Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, the Four Seasons, Dorchester Collection, Rosewood, Ritz Carlton, Pendry, SBE, and St. Regis, leading the company to extraordinary growth.
Together, Kaplan and Puck have expanded the company and taken it from several individual restaurants to becoming one of the preeminent restaurant groups in the world, boasting an impressive collection of 27 domestic and international dining establishments. Day-to-day, Kaplan is directly responsible for overseeing business management and strategic development, as well as playing an instrumental role in the supervision of design, construction, philanthropy and social responsibility for the company.
Intimately involved and passionate about community service, with a special focus on public policy, the arts, and the environment, Kaplan is a dedicated philanthropist and currently holds, or has held, numerous leadership positions on a variety of boards and councils.
He currently serves on the Brookings Institution Board of Trustees and is a member of their Metropolitan Leadership Council and Advisory Circle, working closely with Brookings Mountain West at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. He is a Trustee of the University of Nevada Las Vegas Foundation Board. He serves as a Board Director of the Council for a Better Nevada and the Fulfillment Fund Las Vegas. He is a member of the Grassroots Network Committee for the Conservation Lands Foundation. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the Nevada Museum of Art and is a member of its Architectural Search and Selection Committee. He is an Emeritus Board member of the Animal Foundation, served as Vice President of the Puck Lazaroff Charitable Foundation benefitting the Los Angeles chapters of Meals on Wheels for more than 25 years and was a member of the City of Las Vegas Energy Advisory Committee. Kaplan also served on the Board of Directors for the Marshall Retail Group from 2006 – 2015.
Kaplan was named Nevada Restaurateur of the Year by the Las Vegas International Hotel & Restaurant Show in 2005 and one of the “50 Most Influential” in Nevada by In Business in 2008. In 2003, he was in the first induction group of the Las Vegas Dozen which honors men in the Vegas valley for their role in business and community involvement. In 2011, Kaplan was named “Humanitarian of the Year” by Greenspun Media Group’s publication Vegas Inc.
Raised in Stamford, Connecticut and New York City, Kaplan relocated to Los Angeles in 1980 after graduating Magna Cum Laude from Bowdoin College that same year with a Bachelor’s degree in Art History, Visual Arts and a coordinate major in Environmental Studies. He has been a resident of Las Vegas since 1992.
To compete with the rigors of the hospitality world, Kaplan enjoys hiking, running, cycling, and skiing. His passions include architecture, art, music, travel as well supporting the new NHL Vegas Golden Knights hockey team all shared with his wife, Liz and son, Austin.
Andrew Klebanow, Senior Partner, Global Market Advisors
Andrew Klebanow is a senior partner at Global Market Advisors, a hospitality and tourism consulting firm. He specializes in market studies, feasibility analysis, and marketing plan and business plan development for casinos and integrated resorts.
He has worked in the hospitality and gaming industries since 1975 and in the fields of casino marketing and business planning since 1991. Prior to forming Global Market Advisors, Klebanow worked in a number of Las Vegas properties. He served as vice president of marketing at Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling, vice president and general manager at the Santa Fe Hotel Casino and director of marketing at the Hacienda Hotel & Casino.
Klebanow divides his time between his company’s office in Asia and Las Vegas. He is a periodic lecturer at the University of Nevada Reno’s School of Continuing Education and Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. He has authored over 100 articles, which appeared in Global Gaming Business Magazine, Inside Asian Gaming and Indian Gaming Magazine, and has contributed academic papers to the Cornell University Hotel and Restaurant Quarterly and the UNLV Hospitality Journal. Most recently, he presented a paper entitled “Casinos and the City” at the Third Annual Asia Pacific Conference on Gambling and Commercial Gaming Research in Beijing, China.
Klebanow earned a B.A. at New York University and a Masters Degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.
Brandon Knowles, Executive Director of Interactive Gaming & Table Games, Aruze Gaming
Brandon Knowles, With 25 years of experience in gaming in the U.S. and around the world, Brandon Knowles is now the executive director of interactive gaming and table games for Aruze Gaming. During that time, Knowles has held various roles in product (slot, table, sports, systems, ETGs, online gaming and more) marketing, sales, and casino operations for companies such as IGT, Scientific Games, Aristocrat, Bellagio, Mirage, London Park Tower and others. Most of his experience in casino operations included an 11-year stint with Mirage Resorts where he helped to open both the Mirage and Bellagio. Knowles holds a bachelors degree and an MBA from UNLV in finance.
Clio Knowles, Vice President of People, Virgin Hotels
Clio Knowles, Clio Knowles is the VP of People for Virgin Hotels, which launched its first property to great acclaim in Chicago in 2015. Clio’s primary focus has been to develop a company culture that focuses on the Virgin Hotels brand values and celebrates their people. This incorporates not just employee engagement and communication, but also focuses on the Virgin Hotels purpose, that everyone leaves feeling better. Virgin Hotels believe that their teammates are the key to an amazing customer experience and believe in recognizing and rewarding that in all teammates.
Previously, Clio held the role of VP, Global Human Resources at Kerzner International, which at the time owned and operated the Atlantis, Paradise Island in The Bahamas; Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai; Mazagan Resort in Morocco and seven luxury resorts globally, under the One&Only brand.
Clio is passionate about people and creating an environment where teammates work hard but also have fun. She is a Global Professional of Human Resources, SHRM and has a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from Barry University, Miami, Florida.
Rohith Kori, Sr. Director of Strategy, Agilysys
A seasoned technology executive with a passion for customer service, Rohith Kori is Senior Director at Agilysys.
Before joining Agilysys in 2017, Kori served as Director Client Services for Scientific Games. He held a similar position at Bally Technologies and TrueDemand Software. Kori was also a Senior Consultant at RFID Implementation Services.
Kori holds a Masters of Liberal Arts from Harvard University and a Masters of Industrial Engineering from Virginia Tech. He also holds a Bachelor of Science from Visvesvaraya Technological University.
Matt Krystofiak, Sr. Vice President of Human Resources, Las Vegas, Caesars Entertainment
Matt Krystofiak is Senior Vice President of Human Resources for the Las Vegas region of Caesars Entertainment. Matt is responsible for working with approximately 30,000 team members and overseeing 69 union contracts at 10 Caesars-owned properties in the company’s largest and highest-profile market.
Matt began his career as an HR intern at Caesars Tahoe, while pursuing his degree at the University of Nevada, Reno. (He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in Human Resources Management.) He has stayed with Caesars ever since. In 20 years, Matt has filled a variety of roles in Human Resources and Continuous Improvement, filling positions in Northern and Southern Nevada and Indiana.
In northern Nevada, Matt helped navigate properties through challenging financial times and declining markets, innovating to keep the business viable.
Matt led his team through Caesars Entertainment’s first and only Voluntary Retirement program. The program was extremely successful and produced zero administrative or legal challenges. Matt also inspired the northern Nevada properties to achieve their highest engagement index ever. During this time, the properties earned three back-to-back “Best Place to Work” Awards, with all three properties inducted into the “Best Place to Work Hall of Fame” in northern Nevada.
Now, Matt is promoting Caesars Entertainment’s Code of Commitment and Caring Culture throughout the Las Vegas region. As the Executive Sponsor of the ECI Council, he is spearheading the strategic alignment of community partners with the company’s philanthropic priorities. The goal is to engage team members in corporate citizenship and build deeper, more impactful relationships that help make the city a better place to live and work.
Under Matt’s leadership, Las Vegas regional properties have achieved record-breaking engagement scores, while significantly decreasing grievances and administrative charges. According to a recent McKinsey analysis, the Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas Human Resources team is 64 percent more efficient than its next comparative Human Resources team within the enterprise.
As a culture champion, Matt has inspired a performance-driven culture that positions Caesars as best in class in the Hospitality/Gaming Industry. A passionate leader who develops and supports talent, Matt earned a Caesars Entertainment Award of Excellence for Appreciation for consistently celebrating his team’s success. Recently, Matt guided seven new leaders into director level roles or higher, and has promoted four team members into management. His philosophy is “one team,” creating well-rounded human resources professionals who consistently exceed team member expectations.
Oliver Lovat, CEO/Managing Director, Denstone REA
Oliver Lovat is a founder and current Managing Director of Denstone REA. By training he is Chartered Surveyor (FRICS Property Finance and Investment) with demonstrable track record in real estate investment and asset management across Europe.
Lovat is visiting faculty and lecturer on Strategic Marketing at Cass Business School, City University of London, Property Performance Measurement and Asset Management at the University College of Estate Management and The PLuS+ Centre for Executive Education at the UNLV.
He has spoken at conferences including G2E, ICE, GiGSe and has featured in publications as diverse as Gambling Insider, The Investment Property Forum Journal and Global Gaming Business.
Lovat holds a BA in politics and international relations, an MSc in real estate investment from the University of Reading and an MBA from Cass Business School in London with a focus on strategy and finance. His published academic work is on strategic competitive advantage and the behavior and attitudes of millennials.
Having spent 15 years in London, Lovat moved to Las Vegas in 2015. He is active in his community and acts as a vice president of the Economic Club of Las Vegas.
Cassandra Mahtesian, Director of Finance, Experientia Development Partners
Cassandra Mahtesian has over seven years of real estate finance and capital market expertise spanning a range of asset classes with a central focus on hospitality and retail development. She is well informed in the areas of real estate finance, commercial underwriting, collateral valuation, capital markets research, and real estate development. Before her position with The Hartmann Group, Cassandra was employed at UC Funds as a Senior Financial Analyst. In this role, she provided flexible capital solutions and leveraged equity to a real estate portfolio of $1B. Cassandra’s approach to real estate is also supported by her prior experiences in traditional financing as a former member of TD Bank Group’s CRE Division and her work in real estate development and acquisitions with Tishman Speyer of New York.
Cassandra is a graduate of The Sawyer School of Business at Suffolk University, where she obtained her Master’s in Business with a concentration in finance in 2016. Cassandra is also a graduate of Emmanuel College, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science in 2012.
Robert Martin, Chairman Morongo Band of Mission Indians
Robert Martin, Chairman Robert Martin of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians is a recognized and respected leader across Indian Country, the U.S. and California. He has served more than 25 years in Morongo’s tribal government. He was first elected tribal chairman at the age of 32 and has served several terms as chairman since.
A champion of self‐reliance, Chairman Martin led Morongo in its landmark 1987 U.S. Supreme Court case that confirmed the sovereignty of Indian tribes and their right to establish gaming operations.
Chairman Martin has worked closely with city, county, state and federal lawmakers on issues related to economic development, land use, water, energy resources, education, the environment, transportation and tribal gaming.
Chairman Martin oversaw the development of the original Casino Morongo and, years later, the $250 million Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa. During Chairman Martin’s tenure on the council, Morongo has diversified its business portfolio with new ventures in finance, health care and agriculture, and expanded its holdings to include the premier Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon.
Today, Morongo’s business enterprises generate nearly $3 billion in annual economic activity and provide more than 3,000 jobs.
A passionate defender of Morongo’s rich culture and tribal traditions, Chairman Martin is equally committed to developing the next generation of tribal leaders and helped establish a new tuition‐free preparatory academy at the Morongo Reservation – the first of its kind in the nation.
Martin’s has served on the boards of numerous organizations including the California Indian Manpower Consortium, the California Indian Child Welfare Consortium, Riverside/San Bernardino County Indian Health, Inc., and the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association.
Marwa Mitchell, Vice President Recruitment—North America, Pentasia
An experienced recruiter and HR specialist, Marwa Mitchell has made it her mission to understand the needs and motivations of candidates and clients to find the best match. She is currently connecting professionals in Digital and Gaming at Pentasia, the global leader in digital and gaming recruitment, as Vice President Recruitment—North America.
Before joining Pentasia in 2012, Mitchell served as Recruiting Director for Modis and was a technical recruiter for Emex Systems and Eastridge InfoTech.
Pentasia has a B.A. in Psychology and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia.
Jennifer Martinez, Founder, President & CEO, Consult HR Partners
Jennifer Martinez, As a business minded HR leader, Jennifer Martinez takes a highly consultative approach when working with her clients to achieve bottom line results within the profit, non-profit and public sector.
Jennifer is adept at working in fast paced and complex start-up operations with solid experience in mergers and acquisitions, strategic HR business planning and change-management programs aligned to company long-term objectives for highly reputable, publicly traded and privately held global technology and entertainment organizations.
Jennifer is known for developing high performing cultures committed to organizational training and development, talent management and succession planning, total rewards strategy and implementation of short and long-term incentive planning. She also has extensive health and welfare program development and risk management experience including safety planning and prevention. Other areas of management include performance management, policy development, labor and employee relations, internal communications and employment branding.
She started Consult HR Partners in February 2018 to become an entrepreneur and is the President and CEO. Prior to that, she worked 25+ years in a variety of HR roles in the gaming and hospitality industry. She joined the Scientific Games Corporation in 2015 to lead their Corporate HR, Global Gaming HR and Talent Management functions. Prior to Scientific Games, she worked at Konami Gaming, Inc. from 2006-2015 to support the organization through organic and strategic growth as a senior level HR executive. Jennifer held other HR leadership roles for Aristocrat Technologies from 2000-2006 and Caesars Entertainment from 1990-1999. Throughout her tenure at Caesars, Jennifer worked in all of their major divisions including land based, riverboat and Native American gaming properties responsible for operational and strategic HR. Her earlier years including roles in hotel operations.
Michael Massari, Senior Vice President of Meetings & Sales, Caesars Entertainment
Michael Massari, Michael Massari, also known as Mike, serves as senior vice president of meeting sales and operations of Caesars Entertainment. Massari oversees the meetings business for Caesars 40 U.S. properties. He is a founding partner at Connexus Equity Management Partners, LLC. He has over 25 years of experience in hospitality, management, sales, marketing, and operations. Massari has been in the role at Caesars since he reorganized Caesars meetings businesses in 2011.
Massari has been a member of the Advisory Board at Conference Direct LLC since September 22, 2015. He has been director at Meeting Professionals International Inc since January 1, 2016. He has featured in meetings publication and has appeared in national publications including the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Forbes.com. Massari has twice been named one of the 100 most influential people in the tradeshow business, and was named one of the 25 most influential people in the meetings industry. His achievements at Caesars earned him the Chairman’s award for Leadership and the Caesars Excellence in Leadership awards.
Massari holds an M.B.A. from the University of California, Irvine Paul Merage School of Business and a B.S. in Business from Cabrini College.
Mike May, Vice President, Table Games, Poker & OTB, Pechanga Resort Casino
Mike May, As the Vice President of Table Operations, Michael May oversees a variety of 155+ table games throughout the casino including a state-of-the-art, 43-table Poker Room and off-track betting. Michael joined the executive team at Pechanga over 9 years ago following a distinguished, 29-year career at Bally’s Atlantic City working his way up the ranks to management positions and concluding his tenure there as the Vice President of Table Games. He received a B.A. degree in Communications from Pennsylvania State University, prior to beginning his gaming career.
Kathleen McLaughlin, Vice President of Marketing and Product Management, NOVOMATIC Americas
Kathleen McLaughlin is the vice president of marketing and product management for NOVOMATIC Americas, a subsidiary of one of the largest and most profitable gaming technology companies in the world. McLaughlin has held key positions in slot manufacturing and technology development with WMS Gaming Inc. She owns McLaughlin Gaming, LLC; a gaming consulting firm and has also held key positions in numerous Class III slot operations, route management operations, marketing, product development, and strategic sourcing at Caesar’s Entertainment and the Las Vegas Sands Corporation. McLaughlin has served on the International Gaming and Wagering Business (IGWB), Casino Journal and Casino Enterprise magazine technology advisory boards, is the recipient of awards from Casino Enterprise Magazine, Global Gaming Business, Nevada Gaming magazine, and is one of the original recipients of the “Great Women of Gaming” award. She currently serves on the AGA Industry Initiatives Committee.
With an extensive background as a senior leader for both critical vendor suppliers working with all aspects of the gaming industry in North America, Europe, and Asia, and a leader in world-class global casino operations and marketing, McLaughlin is an avid student of electronic gaming. With over 28 years in the business, McLaughlin understands games, players and marketing. She has maximized revenue per square foot as an operator, directed 200 to 4,000 unit property openings from Asia to Iowa, created vanguard technology to drive player marketing, negotiated industry-first licensing opportunities, and designed graphics and digital content for mobile games and land-based casino products like Reel em In, Filthy Rich, Life of Luxury and Monopoly. McLaughlin is known for creating and marketing unique player entertainment brands and experiences. From the successful inaugural launch of the first Monopoly product line and numerous other high-profile slot titles into the casino gaming market, opening and expansion of 20+ properties globally and creating unique merchandising innovation Mclaughlin is no stranger to significant risk, high rewards. She can always be found teaching, mentoring and learning from executives in the industry and is one of the electronic slot gaming industry’s pioneers, which has made her a catalyst for praise, criticism and always interesting conversation.
Michael Meczka, President, MM/R/C Inc.
Michael A. Meczka is recognized as a world leader in gambling marketing, research and consulting support. No one has done more work in more markets with gaming patrons or gaming client companies — including governments, regulators, operators and suppliers.
As President of MM/R/C, Inc. Meczka has overseen the company’s 35+ years as consultants to the gaming industry, with over 1,000,000 individual quantitative interviews and in excess of 2,000 qualitative sessions have been completed.
Before establishing MM/R/C, Meczka was Western Regioinal Director for Peters Marketing Research.
He holds a BS and a BAS in mathematics from Ohio University.
Mike Meyers, Senior Principal/Senior Project Director, Lifescapes International
For over 21 years Mike Meyers has served as Senior Principal/Senior Project Director for Lifescapes International.
As an expert in landscape architecture, Meyers has overseen the creation of celebrated, recognizable and award-winning garden environments around the world, from destination resorts, retail/ mixed-use developments, commercial, multifamily, master-planned communities and entertainment-driven projects.
Michael Minor, Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Global Payments Gaming Solutions
Michael Minor is Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Global Payments Gaming Solutions. Minor has extensive experience in gaming, financial services and the management of his own company.
Before joining Global Gaming Solutions, Minor served at International Game Technology (IGT) for 9 years in a variety of positions, including Director Strategic Accounts and North America Poker Sales and North America System Sales. Prior to IGT he was in charge of National Sales at EGADS.
Minor owned and operated his own business, Minor & Associates, LLC for 10 years, providing commercial equipment finance services to Nevada and northern California companies independently and as a bank contractor.
He holds a Bachelor of Science—Business Administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Eileen Moore, Regional President, The Cromwell, Flamingo and The LINQ Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
Eileen Moore is regional president of The Flamingo, The LINQ and The Cromwell casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. Her region has in excess of 5,000 employees and contributes over $500M in revenues to the enterprise. Caesars Entertainment, Inc. is a casino entertainment company with over 40 casinos, 70,000 employees and $8.6 billion in annual revenues. Moore also serves as a member of the company’s Capital Committee.
She was previously regional president and general manager of the Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Southern Indiana. Under her leadership, the property won its first-ever designation as a best place to work in the region by the Courier-Journal, and was named the top Corporate Philanthropist in the region by Business First. She also had operational oversight over two Illinois casinos. She also served as assistant general manager of Harrah’s New Orleans. She transitioned to that role after serving as vice president of slot revenue management. In that capacity, she was tasked with increasing overall slot floor profitability through the selection, pricing and placement of slot machines across 40 casinos. She also acted as the chief of staff with her role of executive assistant to the CEO, COO and CFO for two years. Eileen has earned Caesars highest honors as a recipient of both the Chairman’s Award and the Excellence in Leadership Award for the first-ever hotel/gaming revenue management system deployment. Before joining Harrah’s in 1999, Moore was the national director of revenue management for Fairmont Hotels in San Francisco. She has also held several revenue management and hotel operations roles with Hilton Hotels at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.
Moore is a graduate of Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Hotel Administration, and holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University. Moore currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Hotel Administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She served four years as treasurer of the Horseshoe Foundation, an organization awarding millions of dollars in charitable grants and scholarships each year. She is also a past board member for the Muhammad Ali Center, the Dean’s Advisory Board for the Hilton College of Hospitality at the University of Houston, Indiana University Southeast, the Kentucky Science Center and the Louisiana Children’s Museum. Moore has been named by Business First as a Top Forty Under 40 business and civic leader. She was also named as a Woman Worth Watching by Vegas INC and Profiles in Diversity Journal. She is on the Women’s Leadership Council for the United Way and on the steering committee for Global Gaming Women sponsored by the American Gaming Association. She is also a member of the Young Presidents Organization.
Eileen and her 12-year-old son Eddie reside in Henderson, Nevada and thoroughly enjoy the scenery and excitement of the Las Vegas Valley.
Sandra Douglass Morgan, Chairwoman, Nevada Gaming Control Board
Sandra Douglass Morgan is the chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board. She was appointed to this role by Governor Steve Sisolak for a four-year term from January 28, 2019 to January 28, 2023.
Morgan was previously appointed to the Nevada Gaming Commission by Governor Brian Sandoval in April 2018. While serving as a commissioner, she was also the director of external affairs for AT&T Services, Inc. and was responsible for managing AT&T’s government and community affairs in Nevada. Morgan previously served as the city attorney for the city of North Las Vegas, and was the first African-American city attorney in the state of Nevada. Prior to her public service with the city, she served as litigation attorney for one of the world’s largest gaming companies.
Morgan has consistently served the southern Nevada community in leadership positions in both professional and service organizations. She previously served as an athletic commissioner on the Nevada State Athletic Commission and currently serves on the board of directors for Jobs for Nevada’s Graduates. Additionally, she has held in leadership positions in the Las Vegas chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., The Links, Inc., and Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
In 2017, Morgan received the Corporate to Community Connector award from the National Urban League Young Professionals. Morgan received the “Women in Business and Politics” award from the Urban Chamber of Commerce in 2015 along with the Ladies of Distinction Award in 2013 from Olive Crest, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting abused and neglected children. She received Nevada Business Magazine’s Legal Elite Top 10 Government Attorneys in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, Morgan was also honored as the National Bar Association’s Nation’s Best Advocates “40 under 40” and Attorney of the Year by the Las Vegas Chapter of the National Bar Association in 2012.
Morgan is a member of the State Bar of Nevada. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Nevada, Reno and was awarded a Juris Doctor from the William S. Boyd School of Law at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Morgan resides in southern Nevada with her husband and their two children.
James Mulidore, Senior Director of Food & Beverage, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
James Mulidore, A third generation Las Vegan, James Mulidore grew up in the hospitality business. His grandfather was once a partner in the Hacienda Resort and his father was the Musical Director at the Las Vegas Hilton where he was the band leader and conductor for the likes of Elvis Presley, Barbara Streisand and The Rat Pack. James’s mother also opened The Mirage in 1989 as the head of VIP Services.
Being exposed at a young age to the hospitality business drove James to want to learn all aspects of the industry, so he worked his way up, starting as a pool attendant, then to the front desk and VIP Services, until his landed his first management position at MGM Grand as the part of the opening team of Skylofts at MGM Grand. Later, he transitioned from Hotel Operations to Food & Beverage where he grew in different management and director roles at MGM Resorts until he had the opportunity to join The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in 2016 as the Director of Restaurants. He was promoted to the Sr. Director of Food & Beverage in 2017. During his time at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas James has helped open over a dozen new F&B venues including Momofuku, Zuma, Block 16 Urban Food Hall, Red Plate and The Barbershop.
In his free time James loves to spend time with his wife Marie, their two boys James IV, and David Miles. James is also an avid golfer and snowboarder and loves traveling to new destinations, particularly to try the best restaurants in the area!
Arte Nathan, Former Chief Human Resources Officer for Golden Nugget, Mirage Resorts and Wynn Resorts
Arte Nathan served as Chief Human Resources Officer for Golden Nugget, Mirage Resorts and Wynn Resorts from 1983 – 2006: he opened and helped operate all of their resorts in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Mississippi and China. Arte left the gaming industry in 2006 and helped develop and launch start-ups in several different industries (hospitality, retail, financial services, health care); after that he taught college classes in strategy and leadership for three years, and currently consults with clients worldwide on topics related to workplace culture and human capital management.
He serves on the board of several companies (hospitality and other) as non-profits (Hope for Prisoners). He is a frequent guest lecturer on the subjects of leadership, strategy, and human resources management, and writes a daily motivational blog (www.thearteofmotivation.blogspot.com).
Arte graduated from Cornell University in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Labor Relations. He currently divides his time between Las Vegas and the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. He is an avid musician, hiker, canoeist, book enthusiast, and grandfather.
Steph Nel, General Manager, TCSJohnHuxley America
Steph Nel began his career in casino table operations from 2000 to 2007 as a dealer and supervisor. He joined TCSJohnHuxley as a business development manager in South Africa from 2007 – 2013 He later was named an executive with the Axes Metwork from 2013 – 2015. He returned to TCSJohnHuxley Europe as senior business development manager and in March 2017, was named general manager for TCSJohnHuxley America.
Debi Nutton, Vice President, Casino Administration, Wynn Resorts
Until very recently, Debi Nutton served as executive vice president of casino operations for Wynn|Encore, overseeing all table game and slot operations, as well as slot marketing. Debi was to retire in July, but was asked to stay on as a consultant for Wynn’s new property, Encore Boston Harbor.
Before joining Wynn Las Vegas, Debi held the position of senior vice president of casino operations at the Bellagio. Her extensive experience in the gaming industry spans over three decades and includes roles as senior vice president of casino operations and marketing at MGM Grand, and vice president of casino operations at the Golden Nugget.
Debi began her career in hospitality in 1975 in food and beverage and hotel operations, before finding a passion for gaming in 1979 when she became one of the first female craps dealers in Las Vegas. She spent eight years at the former Sands Hotel as a dealer, floor supervisor, and pit manager. She was also selected to lead the pre-opening teams at both Mirage and Treasure Island.
Debi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management from Bellevue University, Nebraska. She was named Top Corporate Fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma’s Light the Night Walk in Southern Nevada in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. She is a member of the Advisory Board for G2E, the Global Gaming Expo, and also serves as a mentor for Global Gaming Women.
In 2007 she was named a “Woman of Distinction” by the National Association of Women Business Owners for her work in the gaming, hospitality, and convention services industries. In 2009, she was honored with the Casino Enterprise Management Great Women of Gaming Proven Leader Award. In 2018, Debi was honored with the Great Women of Gaming Lifetime Achievement from Global Gaming Women for her significant and long-term commitment to the gaming industry.
David Patent, CEO, VizExplorer
David Patent, David Patent was named CEO of VizExplorer in September 2018.
He most recently was the founder and CEO of Patent Enterprises LLC, where he provided analytic insights to gaming operators and slot manufacturers, led a major management turnaround at Jamul Casino in San Diego, and worked on casino development and redevelopment opportunities.
Throughout his career in the gaming industry, Patent has been an innovator bringing relentless focus on creating great experiences for customers and employees to enhance value creation. An honors graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School, Patent joined the gaming industry in 2001 after practicing law, serving as a senior consultant for McKinsey & Co., and founding an innovative online startup.
Patent began his gaming career with Harrah’s Entertainment as vice president of slot revenue management and later vice president of enterprise gaming, leveraging sophisticated enterprise-wide analytics to improve the company’s product selection, placement, and pricing, driving over $2B of incremental revenue. Patent spent several years as a senior operations leader in the Midwest and Las Vegas, guiding the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino and the Flamingo Casino and Hotel to record revenue and EBITDA during his tenure.
Patent then became a co-founder and President/COO of Rush Street Gaming in 2009, the fastest organically growing domestic gaming company at the time—opening four new casinos in three years and securing a license for Rivers Casino Schenectady, which opened in 2017. During his tenure, RSG’s properties reached over $1.1B in net revenues, enjoyed significant market share premiums, and won hundreds of “Best of” awards.
Roberta Perry, Vice President, Business Development, Edwards Technologies
Roberta Perry, Roberta Perry has been a driving force in the development and growth of the themed entertainment and leisure entertainment industries for more than 20 years. She is a business development and strategies consultant working for dozens of clients worldwide.
In addition, over the past 15 years, she has conducted communication workshops and seminars for such corporations and associations as IBM, InfoPeople, UCLA Anderson School of Business, Xerox, Aerospace, Mattel, City of Hiroshima, Association of Japanese Businessmen, California Chiropractive Association, American Cancer Society, Pioneer Women/NA’Amat, Los Angeles Women in Music, Reflexology of California, Fox Studios Mentoring Program and the Philippine American Society of Certified Public Accountants.Roberta’s offices are located in Los Angeles, California.
Brent Pirosch, Director of Gaming Consulting, CBRE’s Global Gaming Group
Brent Pirosch, Brent Pirosch is the director of gaming consulting for CBRE’s Global Gaming Group in Las Vegas, Nevada. Since 2004, Pirosch has led the team’s efforts on the financial aspects of information memoranda, underwriting and marketing proposals, and provided analytical and due diligence support for over $3 billion of casino transactions.
Dedicated to maintaining the Global Gaming Group’s market-leading consulting practice, he has also completed gaming and retail consulting assignments in a variety of jurisdictions around the world. Besides conducting studies in major U.S. markets like Las Vegas, Atlantic City and the Gulf Coast, Pirosch has conducted studies in most regional markets as well. His international projects include studies in Macau, Singapore, Hungary, Morocco, Spain, and Belize.
Pirosch has also co-authored five widely read and respected forecasts for the Las Vegas Strip. Designed for both seasoned investors and those new to the market, the reports analyze the historical trends, current operations and economic factors that drive Strip revenues and profits. Praised for their prescience and depth, the forecast reports correctly identify the relevant key trends that will impact the Strip in coming years.
Pirosch has been working in gaming and hospitality for 20 years and is a graduate of the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. During his time in the industry, he has had management experience in finance, marketing, sales, casino operations, human resources, and hotel operations.
Glenn Pollack, Vice President, Design & Development, MGM Resorts
Glenn Pollack, Glenn Pollack is Vice President of Design and Development for MGM Resorts. He has over 25 years of planning, design and construction experience in Hospitality, Entertainment, Gaming Integrated Resort Developments.
Before joining MGM in 2013 Pollack served as Director of Program Management, Corporate Development for Las Vegas Sands Corp.
He was the Project Executive for Project City Center; was Vice President of Design and Construction at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas; and served as Project Director, Corporate Development for Caesars Entertainment Corporation.
Pollack holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management, School of Architecture and Environmental Design from the California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.
Bob Potts, Research Director at the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development
Bob Potts, Bob Potts is the Research Director for the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development, bringing to the position more than 20 years of experience in data research and analysis. Specializing in data collection and dissemination, economic impact analysis, statistical modeling and survey research, Mr. Potts is considered a leading expert in the business and economic environment for the state of Nevada. In his position, Mr. Potts oversees the collection, analysis and reporting of business, socioeconomic and performance information to aid the GOED in the development and diversification of Nevada’s growing economy.
Before joining the GOED, Mr. Potts served as the Assistant Director for the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While there, he assisted as the university representative and consultant to the business and government communities on local, state, national and international economic trends and business climate. During his tenure as Assistant Director, Mr. Potts designed and maintained the Center’s data warehouse, survey systems and Web sites. In addition, he made regular presentations on the economy and was a resource for media organizations. His work has been published in Las Vegas Perspective, Nevada Business Magazine, Economic Outlook, Southern Nevada Business Directory, Southern Nevada Factbook, Southern Nevada Business Confidence Index and Southern Nevada Index of Leading Economic Indicators.
Mr. Potts earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from Montana State University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. As a graduate assistant at UNLV, Mr. Potts co-authored four professional journal publications and developed six regularly released socioeconomic, statistical and business publications.
Marcus Prater, Executive Director, Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM)
Marcus Prater, Marcus Prater, with nearly 40 years of professional communications experience, serves as executive director of the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM), a non-profit trade organization comprised of the world top gaming industry suppliers whose mission is to further the interests of its members throughout the world. Under his leadership starting in 2008, membership in AGEM has grown from 32 companies to a high of 172 over the past 11 years. Prater previously served as senior vice president of marketing for Bally Technologies, Inc., where he spent a total of nine years at the Las Vegas-based slot machine and systems provider and directed Bally’s global advertising, trade show, machine and systems sales support, media relations and special event functions. Prior to joining Bally in 1999, Prater served as director of marketing for Las Vegas-based slot supplier Sigma Game, Inc. Prater, a graduate of the University of Oregon School of Journalism, also previously served as marketing communications manager for Las Vegas-based casino operator Ameristar Casinos, Inc.
AGEM, a non-profit association, leads by following our mission statement:
“The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers is an international trade association representing manufacturers of electronic gaming devices, systems, and components for the gaming industry. The Association, as a good corporate citizen, identifies and acts upon issues relating to education, trade show representation, regulation, manufacturing and licensing standards, and promotes the expansion of responsible gaming for the benefit of its members and the industry.”
Karla Perez-Larragoite, Vice President-Gaming, Sysco
Karla Perez-Larragoite, Karla Perez-Larragoite is Vice President of Gaming at Houston-based Sysco Corporation. Perez-Larragoite has over 16 years of experience in both commercial and tribal gaming, and is responsible for the further development of the gaming segment at Sysco.
Perez-Larragoite is an award-winning professional with a proven history of success, and has been active in the Global Gaming Women organization and the National Indian Gaming Association.
Prior to joining Sysco, Perez-Larragoite served as National Director of Gaming for Cintas. She was also a Territory Manager for Specified Technologies, Inc.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing & International Business from the Oklahoma State University.
Kim Marie Rebeiro, Executive Coach, International Trainer, and Keynote Speaker
Kim Marie Rebeiro is the dynamic Executive Coach, International Trainer, and Keynote Speaker who has inspired countless leaders, professionals, and organizations into becoming their very best. She is also the author of ReCalibrating to Your Next; Effectively Navigating to Your Next Professional Position. Kim Marie is passionate about helping others reach their maximum professional potential by providing them the skills and the tools to do so. Her 30+ year career of designing and delivering executive leadership, presentation, and development programs to global workforces has earned Kim Marie national acclaim.
Robert Rippee, Director, Hospitality Lab, UNLV International Gaming Institute
Robert Rippee is the Director of the newly formed Hospitality Lab at the International Gaming Institute.
Rippee is a technology and hospitality consultant with Elysian LLC. He is the former senior vice president of marketing for Las Vegas Sands Corporation. He brings more than 25 years of innovation experience in hospitality along with a powerful network of advisors and mentors across venture capital, big tech, big hospitality, and gaming. He serves as a board advisor and consultant to several early stage technology startup companies. Rippee has provided CXO consulting and mentoring to both startups and growth stage enterprises as well as consulting services on innovative thinking and product development to mature brands.
Rippee holds an MBA in Operations Management from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business and an undergraduate degree in Finance from The University of Wyoming. Throughout his business career, he has received several prestigious industry awards and he’s been tapped as a thought leader and asked to lecture at organizations as diverse at the Luxury Marketing Council in Manhattan to The Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University.
He is a Veteran, serving as a Pilot in the United States Navy.
Victor Rocha, President, Victor Strategies
Victor Rocha is the inspiration and co-founder of Victor-Strategies. He has been involved in the politics of Indian gaming and has been a respected voice for 18 years.
The conferences he has produced have received high praise for their quality of content and for bringing political and gaming leaders together with the latest cutting edge trends and technology focused on Indian Country. Victor is the Conference Chair for the National Indian Gaming Association’s 2016 conferences.
Victor is the owner and editor of Pechanga.net, the premier source for information on Indian gaming and news for Indian Country. Victor has earned numerous awards for his work, including the NIGA’s Outstanding Contribution to Indian Country, VCAT’s Catalyst Award, Global Gaming Business Magazine’s “40 Under 40,” Raving’s Casino Marketing Lifetime Achievement Award & AGA’s Lifetime Achievement for Gaming Marketing.
Max Rubin, Author, Expert Gaming Analyst and Consultant
As a graduate of UNLV’s College of Hotel Administration (now William F. Harrah Hospitality College), with over 50 years in the gaming industry, Max Rubin has worked in nearly all phases of the gaming arena—including playing with the world’s finest blackjack professionals decades ago.
A member of the ultra-exclusive “Blackjack Hall of Fame,” Rubin is a highly sought-after speaker, television host, expert gaming analyst, author and gaming humorist. He has also served as a consultant to over a dozen of America’s multi-property gaming corporations and sole operations as well.
Rubin is the author of the best-selling book, Comp City: A Guide to Free Casino Vacations.
He has worked exclusively with the Barona Resort and Casino near San Diego as a trainer and game consultant for nearly two decades.
Vic Salerno, President, USBookmaking
Victor Salerno is a 38-year veteran of the race and sports book industry in the state of Nevada. Salerno was the chairman of the board and chief executive officer of American Wagering, Inc., until the company was sold to William Hill in July 2012. American Wagering, Inc. operated over 90 sports book operations in Nevada, in addition to Computerized Bookmaking Systems, which provided a computerized wagering and accounting systems to most of the casinos in Nevada. Upon the sale of American Wagering, Salerno became chairman of the board of William Hill US until February 2016.
Salerno currently serves as president of USBookmaking and USFantasySports. Launched in June of 2016, USFantasy Sports is a provider of state regulated Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) contests in Nevada and Colorado. USFantasy Sports is a skill-based daily fantasy wagering platform that combines elements of the traditional regulated pari-mutuel system with traditional DFS contests, which creates a fair, easy and transparent environment for all contestants. Just like in DFS, players score points based on their performance in a live game and participants can enter contests for athletes to Win, Place or Show among other multi-selection contests. USBookmaking is a sports book operator with an agreement in New Mexico to operate a sports book for the Santa Ana Pueblo.
Salerno is a legend in the race and sports book industry and is credited with initiating projects that grew Nevada sports wagering to its current success and popularity, including: first computerized book making systems (CBS), first sports bookmaking network hub operation in Nevada (Leroy’s), and recently expanded the sports wagering business with the launch of the very successful Leroy’s mobile sports wagering app. He also pioneered the development and use of self-service race & sports kiosks. On behalf of Nevada gaming industry trade associations, Salerno served as president of the Nevada Association of Race and Sports Operators, and as a member of the Nevada Pari-Mutuel Association’s Rates Committee. Mr. Salerno was inducted in 2015 into the American Gaming Association’s exclusive “Gaming Hall of Fame.”
Richard Schuetz, Former Gaming Operator, Supplier and Regulator
Richard Schuetz, Richard Schuetz in the owner of Schuetz LLC, a gaming and regulatory consulting entity. Prior to this he was executive director of the Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission, a position he held from 2015 to 2017. Before Bermuda he served a four-year engagement as a commissioner for the California Gambling Control Commission. Prior to this, Schuetz served for over 30 years in the casino industry, and in academic positions relating to the industry and its regulation.
Schuetz entered the industry working nights as a blackjack and dice dealer while attending college, and has since served in a great many capacities within the industry including operations, finance, and marketing. He has held senior executive positions in numerous jurisdictions across the United States, including the gaming markets of Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Reno/Tahoe, Laughlin, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Louisiana. In addition, he has consulted around the globe.
Schuetz has served on the boards of Shuffle Master Gaming, the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino (where he was also president & CEO), and Casino Publishing. He sat on the International Advisory Board for the Institute for the Study of Gambling & Commercial Gaming at the University of Nevada, Reno, and was the co-moderator of the Institute’s Executive Development Program, with Dr. William Eadington. He was named an Honorary Professor of Casino Marketing at the Baron N. Hilton School of Hotel Administration at the University of Houston; was the marketing columnist for Casino Executive magazine; and has taught casino management and regulation at the Ecole Hoteliere Lausanne in Switzerland, and at the University of Macau and Macau Polytechnic Institute in Macau, SAR China. Schuetz was the consultant to the city of Detroit as that city introduced casino gaming, and served in a similar position for the state of Kansas as that state introduced casinos. He has lectured throughout the world on the topics of gaming, gaming regulation, and casino marketing.
Mr. Schuetz received his degree in Business from the University of Nevada, Reno, and holds a Masters in Philosophy specializing in economic analysis from the University of Utah. Schuetz is also ABD PhD in Economics from the University of Utah, and his dissertation topic was on the “Nevada Experience in Gaming Regulation” for the period of 1945-1966. Schuetz has published over 100 articles on gambling, gambling regulation and casino marketing.
Schuetz currently lives in Florida and Pennsylvania.
Mark Shearer, Chief Revenue Officer, Las Vegas Raiders
Mark Shearer enters his 20th season with the Raiders and fourth in his present capacity. Shearer oversees the club’s revenue generating departments including corporate partnerships, premium/ticket sales and service, marketing, business development, analytics, and merchandise.
Shearer started with the Raiders in the merchandise department in August of 1999. He helped open more than 20 brick-and-mortar Raider Image locations as well as launch the team run, online store still owned and operated by the club today. In 2009, he was promoted to oversee premium/ticket sales and service and in 2013 started the business development department and revenue managements departments.
In July of 2017, Shearer was among the first to relocate to Las Vegas to oversee development of business operations. The team’s current offices are in Town Square and include an interactive Preview Center that is open to the public and highlights the stadium project.
A native of Sonoma, Calif., Shearer earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Management from California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in 1998. Shearer and his wife, Sandra, have two children, Avery and Nolan.
Ann Simmons Nicholson, President and Founder, Simmons Group
Ann Simmons Nicholson is President and Founder of the Simmons Group. She is recognized as an expert in Strategic Planning, Talent Management, Human Resources, Organizational Development and Training. The Simmons group has work internationally in private industry, for non-profit organizations, and government entities. Her clients such as Konami Gaming, Whole Foods, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Scientific Games, dozens of hotel casinos, schools and numerous non-profit organizations, have all benefited from Ann’s 30 plus years of experience.
Nicholson has opened, expanded, or merged 47 operations including hotel casinos, cruise ships, furniture markets, manufacturing companies and indoor water parks, providing full-service talent management consulting services. In start-ups as well as mergers and acquisitions, the Simmons Group has also been instrumental in the conceptualizing and implementing the integration of multiple people and cultures into one organizational culture
During her career, she has worked with all of the major players in the gaming industry including Caesars, Scientific Games, Harrahs, MGM Resorts International, Station Casinos, Grand Casinos, Aristocrat, The Rio, M Resort, Palms & Palms Place, Mandalay Bay, and numerous Tribal Gaming Entities. Her work has included successful openings, all areas of human resources, guiding organizations through change, training and executive coaching. The unique ability to partner with clients to achieve their best outcomes in addition to being an invaluable resource to companies seeking her services have proven to be some of her greatest strengths.
An over 20-year resident of Las Vegas, Ann serves her community in a variety of ways. She is a board member for Noah’s Animal House, Communities in Schools Nevada, United Way of Southern Nevada, and an officer and board member for Global Gaming Women. She is heavily involved in Communities in Schools National, The Core Academy, Safe Nest, and the Keep it Alive Foundation among others. In addition to financial support, Ann donates scores of hours each year to numerous non-profit organizations helping them with Human Resource and training needs.
All of her consulting is designed around specific strategic and practical outcomes designated by her client.
Simmons is a graduate of Concordia College, where she earned a BA in Organization & Communications Management. She is also a Certified Human Resources Manager through the University of Minnesota Industrial Relations Center. She completed Stanford’s Executive Education Program in August 2013.
James Siva, Vice Chairman, California Nations Indian Gaming Association and Vice Chairman, Morongo Band of Mission Indians
James Siva serves as the elected Vice Chair for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians in Cabazon, California and the Vice Chair of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association. Now in his third term on the Morongo Tribal Council, Siva helps advance new economic development opportunities for the tribe and implements tribal policies that guide the 35,000-acre Morongo Indian Reservation.
Born and raised on the Morongo Indian Reservation, Siva credits his family for instilling within him a deep commitment to serving his tribe and preserving its rich culture. His mother served on the Tribal Council in the 1990s.
Dedicated to the ideal that the tribe’s core values should guide its business activities, Siva has played key roles in Morongo’s pursuit and establishment of new economic development projects that align with the tribe’s principles of self-reliance and self-determination. Siva helped create Tribal Capital Markets, LLC, a New York-based financial services firm formed by Morongo in 2015 to assist tribes and other clients in achieving economic growth while also developing future generations of tribal financial professionals.
Siva is also active in efforts to expand Morongo’s retail, service, hospitality and dining offerings along Interstate 10 as part of a master-planned development that will further diversify and strengthen the tribe’s portfolio of business enterprises.
Siva graduated cum laude from Columbia University with a bachelor’s degree in Ethnicity and Race Studies. He was the inaugural recipient of Columbia’s Native Alumni Seven Generation Award for Outstanding Community Service.
Siva and his wife, Christina, have two young children. He volunteers at First Congregational Church of Fullerton, where his wife serves as pastor, and he is active in the church’s Crop Walk and Hot Meals Ministry, which both provide food to those in need.
Colin Skidmore, Director of Table Games, Harrah’s Resort Southern California
Colin Skidmore, Colin Skidmore joined Harrah’s Resort Southern California, a Caesars Entertainment property, in November of 2004 as a bellman in the hotel. After a year, he took an opportunity to join the table games team as a dual-rated pit clerk/dealer. While on graveyard he worked his way up to supervisor. Skidmore was then promoted to casino operations scheduler and helped build the schedule for poker and table games. Skidmore then made a transition to the continuous improvement team as an efficiencies manager for the property. Skidmore’s next move was to finance, where he served as planning & analysis manager managing budgets, financial analysis, and forecasting for the property. His next promotion was into marketing as the marketing manager with oversight of Total Rewards, transportation, and events and promotions. He returned to casino operations as a casino operations manager in 2015 and was then promoted to director of table games in 2016.
Roger Snow, Senior Vice President, Tables & Utility Products, Scientific Games
Roger Snow, Roger Snow is a senior vice president at Scientific Games. Snow, the former chief product officer at Shuffle Master, has created or some of the most successful proprietary table games in the industry, including Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Crazy 4 Poker and Dragon Bonus Baccarat. His games are played on thousands of tables in more than 50 countries around the world.
Eddie Sotto, Founder, SottoStudios/LA
Eddie Sotto, Edward “Eddie” Sotto III has been described by many as a “visionary,” “renaissance designer,” “entrepreneur” and a pioneer in experiential design. His core strength lies in reimagining and generating original concepts, as SVP of concept design at Disney Imagineering, taken through to execution. His cinematic approach to design organically came from his mentors, Hollywood set designers and Walt Disney’s original Imagineers. His recent TED talk describes “experiences” as sensory systems to be observed and tuned, sets SottoStudios/LA apart from architectural firms and many ad agencies. Sotto and his team’s obsession with immersion and seamless continuity, even AR and VR, make SSLA’s projects compelling and unique.
In Books.
TED founder Richard Saul Wurman lists Sotto in his book “Who’s Really Who—The 1,000 most Creative People in America”
“Eddie’s passion for new ideas and one-of-a-kind Adventures was a creative leader’s dream” says Disney Imagineering President Marty Sklar in “Dream it! Do it!.”
“Wildly imaginative Imagineer” Disney CEO Michael Eisner describes him in “Work in Progress.”
Sotto is most quoted (400+ entries) in the industry bible, “Theme Park Design.”
Today
SottoStudios/LA , formed in 2004, as an experiential design and solutions firm, helps clients envision experiential projects from concept to completion. Beyond entertainment design and AR/VR, SSLA also accepts UHNW private commissions, most recently collaborating with Embraer Aircraft, winning “best private jet concept” at the IYAA awards. sottoluxury.com
Brands SottoStudios has showcased or worked on behalf of include Nestle, Aston-Martin, Ferrari, Porsche, Wynn Resorts, Kerzner, Paramount, Disney, Sea World, Cedar Fair, NBC/Universal, Blue Origin, The Irvine Co., Yum!, Microsoft, Dentsu, NASA, Embraer, Procter and Gamble, and PepsiCo to name a few.
Tom Soukup, Sr. Vice President & Chief Systems Product Officer, Konami Gaming
Tom Soukup is responsible for the development of all components of the comprehensive SYNKROS casino management system. He oversees Konami’s systems product vision to provide accurate, robust, real-time casino enterprise management to properties of all specialties and sizes. Soukup joined Konami Gaming, Inc. in 2001 with more than 20 years’ experience in the field of computer science including a position as a senior systems engineer in advanced technology. He is also the author of the book Visual Data Mining: Tools and Techniques for Data Visualization and Mining. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in computer science and holds a master’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science.
Paul Speirs-Hernandez, Founder and President, Steinbeck Communications
Paul Speirs-Hernandez is a communications and public relations expert who has help grow some of the gaming industry’s most successful brands. A native of the Salt Lake City area, he graduated Summa Cum Laude in Public Relations and Marketing from Southern Utah University. He is an internationally published writer and has spoken at several conferences across the United States. He is the founder and president of Steinbeck Communications, a communications firm, and its Red Wagon Institute division provides leadership training and adult experiential learning. He has been honored as one of the Top 40 Business People Under 40 in Las Vegas. He balances his work life with charitable work, and volunteers for numerous community organizations, including the Yellow Pants Project and the NV Dems RACE Committee. He and his husband live in their cat Nico’s house in Las Vegas.
Valerie Spicer, Founding Partner, Trilogy Group
Valerie Spicer brings over 30 years of gaming experience to Trilogy Group, most recently as Executive Director of the Arizona Indian Gaming Association (AIGA) where she worked extensively in the tribal, private and public sectors of the growing industry. As Executive Director of AIGA, Spicer managed the day- to-day operation of an organization that represents as many as 18 Tribal governments and their respective gaming facilities.
Before taking the lead at AIGA, Spicer was CEO of Gaming Strategies Group where she promoted business development with tribal enterprises, governments and consulted for tribal and individually owned businesses. She was the Vice President and General Manager of Borrego Springs Bank in San Diego, California for five years, and worked to promote the tribal enterprise structure for the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians. Spicer excelled with fortune 500 companies such as American Express, Ceridian, and Comdata Corporation in the areas of new business development and customer service.
Katherine A. Spilde, Ph.D., Director, Sycuan Institute on Tribal Gaming, San Diego State University
Katherine A. Spilde, Ph.D., Dr. Katherine (Kate) Spilde is a leading authority on the social and economic impacts of casino gaming on communities. With a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology and an MBA in entrepreneurial management, Dr. Spilde has presented her public policy and economic development research to industry, government and academic audiences in Japan, Macau, London, Hong Kong, Finland, Canada, France, Russia and Portugal. She has also testified before the US Congress four times on such diverse issues as tribal land claims, federal recognition of tribal governments and tribal economic development. In particular, Dr. Spilde’s work focuses on providing support for tribal governments to direct their casino gaming revenues toward nation (re)building efforts.
Kate is currently an Associate Professor in the L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at San Diego State University (SDSU), where she serves as Endowed Chair of the Sycuan Institute on Tribal Gaming. In her role as Sycuan Chair, Dr. Spilde is responsible for teaching and managing the nation’s first four-year degree program in tribal casino operations management.
Derek Stevens, Owner and CEO, D Las Vegas Hotel Casino, Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, Circa Resort & Casino
Derek Stevens, Derek Stevens is the owner and CEO of the D Las Vegas, Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, Downtown Las Vegas Events Center and Circa Resort & Casino, a new integrated resort casino coming to Fremont Street Experience in December 2020. Stevens has played a pivotal role in the revitalization of Downtown Las Vegas by investing in and spearheading major remodels of properties throughout the area.
A Detroit native, Stevens received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and earned an MBA from Wayne State University. Prior to planting his roots in Las Vegas, Stevens had a desire to make a difference in the gaming and casino industry and wanted to learn more about it from an operator’s perspective.
Golden Gate—Las Vegas’ original casino hotel—was Stevens’ first investment in Downtown Las Vegas in 2008. Attracted to its renowned history, Stevens led Golden Gate through several major expansions – including a five-story luxury tower with 16 suites, an expanded casino floor with a high-limit gaming area, two premium penthouses and extended outdoor bars. In 2019, Golden Gate will also house its very own sportsbook.
Continuing to fuel his passion for Downtown Las Vegas, Stevens acquired Fitzgeralds Hotel and Casino in 2011. In October 2012, he debuted the D Las Vegas, which instantly became a Downtown hotspot. This included two distinct themes in the D’s unique two-level casino – a high-energy party atmosphere and a throwback “Vintage Casino,” complete with Las Vegas’ only Sigma Derby racing machine. He also imported two restaurants from his hometown: Detroit’s iconic American Coney Island and Joe Vicari’s Andiamo Italian Steakhouse, a classic steakhouse which added a new caliber of fine dining to the area. The 38-story property boasts 629 rooms and suites and is home to LONGBAR – the ultimate sports viewing destination and longest bar in Nevada.
In 2014, Stevens acquired the former Clark County Courthouse building and transformed it into the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, an outdoor venue space that can accommodate up to 11,000 guests and features a state-of-the-art stage, sound and lighting. Downtown Las Vegas Event Center has hosted numerous events including Charli XCX, Daughtry, TLC and Goo Goo Dolls, as well as a host of festivals and sporting events.
Stevens journey will continue with the announcement of the first ground-up integrated resort concept in Downtown Las Vegas since 1980—Circa Resort & Casino. Circa will bring a new energy to downtown while celebrating the timeless spirit of the city. The property will boast 777 rooms and a collection of thoughtful amenities, including a stadium-style sportsbook, multi-tiered pool amphitheater, range of eclectic restaurants, the longest outdoor bar on Fremont Street Experience, a rejuvenating spa and a two-level casino with state-of-the-art slot and table gaming options.
Since 2008, Stevens has served on the Fremont Street Experience Board of Directors and is continuing to introduce entertainment and gambling attractions that have enhanced the way guests experience Downtown. He is proud to be a part of the exciting changes happening in the historic neighborhood and looks forward to continued investment in the area’s bright future.
Dr. Stowe Shoemaker, Dean of the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality and a Lincy Professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Dr. Stowe Shoemaker (Ph.D., Cornell University) is the Dean of the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality and a Lincy Professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with extensive background in pricing, revenue management, consumer behavior, and customer loyalty programs. He has worked with British Airways on their pricing strategy and trained all their revenue managers. He also worked with Accor, Hilton, Landry’s, and Hyatt on their loyalty programs.
During his career, Dr. Shoemaker has helped game developers test market new casino games (both slot machines and table games), developed programs to measure customer satisfaction, modeled the success and failure of marketing promotions, and developed segmentation strategies based on motivations for gambling.
Dr. Shoemaker’s research has won numerous awards, and he has published two marketing textbooks: Marketing Leadership in Hospitality and Tourism: Strategies and Tactics for a Competitive Advantage and Marketing Essentials in Hospitality and Tourism: Foundations and Practices.
Since 1996 Dr. Shoemaker has been on the executive education faculty of Cornell University where he has taught courses in strategic pricing, revenue management, strategic marketing for hotels and restaurants, and customer loyalty.
Dr. Shoemaker has incorporated his knowledge of hospitality to help healthcare professionals work on patient satisfaction. He held a joint appointment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and is currently working with them on other research. Locally, he is working with UNLV Medical School.
London Swinney, Vice President of Casino Operations, MGM Grand Hotel Casino, Las Vegas
London Swinney, As vice president of casino operations at MGM Grand, London Swinney is responsible for all gaming at the property, including slot machines, table games, sports book and more. Before joining MGM Grand, she was vice president of table games at Luxor, Excalibur and New York-New York, as well as being the director of casino operations at New York-New York. She attended UNLV studying finance and holds a bachelors degree from Bellevue University in business administration and management. Swinney, who has 25 years of experience in gaming, is also a member of Global Gaming Women.
Vic Taucer, President, Casino Creations
Vic Taucer is president of Casino Creations, a Las Vegas-based consulting and training corporation. Casino Creations advises & consults with casinos, regulatory agencies, educational institutions and governments worldwide on the implementation& operation of casinos and surveillance operations.
As a consultant, Taucer sets ups new casino operations in jurisdictions worldwide. An integral part of opening new casinos in the casino consulting business for over 30 years, Casino Creations has worked with over 600 clients in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia, offering advice, consulting, training, staffing, financial and management services. These clients consist of casinos, governments, law enforcement, educational and financial institutions.
A former casino educator, Taucer recently retired after 14 years as a tenured professor of casino management for the University and Community College System of Nevada. Professor Taucer taught and designed many of the casino training courses offered in the University System of Nevada. The author of many casino instructional textbooks, his manuals on Dealing and Supervision, along with his book, Table Games Management, is used in training worldwide.
Prior to his foray into casino education, training and consulting, Taucer was an accomplished casino manager and executive in numerous Las Vegas casinos, including Caesars Palace and the MGM.Vic began his gaming career as a Las Vegas craps dealer in 1974 and spent almost 20 years in the casino industry holding positions from entry level to senior casino managerial posts.
Rikki Tanenbaum, Chief Marketing Officer, San Manuel Casino
Rikki Tanenbaum joined San Manuel Casino in 2018 as the Chief Marketing Officer.
In her current position, Tanenbaum leads revenue generation functions including strategic marketing, casino marketing, brand marketing and entertainment.
Prior to joining San Manuel Casino, she was Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of the Gaming Division for Landry’s Golden Nugget Casinos.
Tanenbaum has spent her career in the casino and hospitality industry, and has led marketing teams at MGM Resorts International, Viejas Casino & Resort, Penn National Gaming, and Caesars Entertainment.
Tanenbaum received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania and earned a Master of Hospitality Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). She also holds a Master of Business Administration from Duke University.
She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Executive Committee of The Animal Foundation’s Board in Las Vegas and also serves as Chair of the Global Advisory Board of the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality at UNLV.
Missy Tracy, Municipal Relations Coordinator, Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison
Missy Tracy is the Municipal Relations Coordinator at Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison and a tribal member of the Ho-Chunk Nation. Her career spans three decades in business with 22 years of management experience. For the past ten years, Missy has worked for Indian country in Public Relations, Training, Regulation and Community Relations. She was the Senior Public Relations Manager for Ho-Chunk Gaming’s site in Wisconsin Dells wherein she executed an award winning strategic public relations program which won accolades from the Central Wisconsin Community Action Council, the Red Cross, and the Baraboo Chamber of Commerce. Missy has served as the Seminar Director at the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA Seminar Institute) in Washington, D. C. Missy continues to serve on the board for the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling since 2009 in addition to serving on five local boards in the Madison community.
Mona Vaccarella, Managing Partner, Gaming Hospitality Experts
Over the years, Ms. Vaccarella has orchestrated the development of tools, which provide metrics for management to assess the balance of skills and future competencies needed in their workforce. She possesses a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.
Michael Volkert, Senior Vice President of Relationship Marketing for Venetian/Palazzo
Michael Volkert is a senior executive with almost two decades of gaming and hospitality experience. He has a strong track record of starting, opening, and improving profitability of gaming resorts. During his tenure he has opened two luxury megaresorts and developed RFP’s for expansion in to several markets both domestic and international. Michael has had the opportunity to work in a high-end destination market as well as gaining local and regional experience. He has worked or had assignments in Las Vegas, Singapore, Macau, Detroit, Biloxi, and Florida.
Michael is currently the Senior Vice President of Relationship Marketing for Venetian/Palazzo. Previously Michael was the President of Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood. In this role, he successfully repositioned the brand and grew EBITDA. Prior to this role, Michael was part of the pre-opening team that developed, planned, and opened Aria Resort & Casino. Aria is a 4,004 room luxury resort located at the heart of City Center with over a billion dollars in revenue. Building on this experience, Michael also opened Bellagio Resort & Casino. During his tenure with MGM Resorts, he had responsibilities for marketing and casino operations at both the property and corporate level.
The combined opening, operational, and marketing knowledge has developed a strong foundation of skills in market assessment, gaming operations, strategic planning, and brand building.
Georg Washington, CEO, Synergy Blue
Georg Washington, CEO of Synergy Blue, is an entrepreneurial pioneer in the IT and gaming industries. His passion for vintage arcades and the desire to progress the gambling industry led Georg to focus on skill-based gaming; and, with his team, he invented the HAWG System and games to accompany it. The team’s hybrid brainchild reimagines the gambling experience for a new generation of players, like Washington.
Prior to Synergy Blue, Washington founded Synergy Information Solutions, a leading technology provider specializing in gaming and tribal gaming enterprises. He led the entity from startup to an award winning industry competitor, which continues to thrive to this day.
In Washington’s spare, time he enjoys working on Synergy Blue projects in-between rounds of PUBG.
Synergy Blue was originally founded in 2009 as a software development division of Synergy Information Solutions, Inc., an award winning, gaming vertical, systems design and integration company. Already deeply entrenched from an infrastructure technology and operations point of view, Washington began recognizing a need for innovative software and entertaining gaming solutions within the gambling market.
Committed to his vision of servicing a changing patron demographic, Washington put together a small team of creative and passionate developers, programmers, and artists. Synergy Blue secured agreements with gaming industry giants to build and provide promotional games and applications. These products were designed to provide a more engaging gambling experience and keep patrons playing longer. The company built a vast library and the manufacturers deployed Synergy Blue products around the world.
Bill Werksman, Managing Partner, Resource Partners
William (Bill) A. Werksman is the Managing Partner and Principal Shareholder in Resource Partners. With the explosion of gaming as a national industry, Bill founded Resource Partners to serve client corporations across all jurisdictions. Bill is experienced in all facets of executive search including compensation analysis and executive development training. Mr. Werksman has built strong relationships within the local and national gaming community based on his respect and understanding of the recruitment process and its core importance to corporate development. Bill understands that leadership and intellectual capital are the prime source of competitive advantage. His firm of committed professionals delivers on a national and international basis across industries, expertise levels, and market penetration. His direct involvement consistently helps clients maximize their investment in key employees and further enhance bottom line results.
His education includes a Bachelors Degree in International Relations and a Bachelors Degree in Communications both from the University of Southern California. A skilled professional recruiter and advocate for his clients, Bill has personally completed hundreds of searches while managing a staff of full time recruiters. With a diverse client base encompassing publicly and privately held companies, Bill’s experience and tenacity allow him to find and secure the critical candidates his clients’ desire and need for their continued growth and success. He is a frequent speaker to executive forums and career seminars throughout the western region as well as contributing author to many career focused web sites. Bill personally directs the firm’s pro bono search activities offering their services to charitable organizations, non-profit organizations, public cause or public service organizations, volunteer organizations, medical research and cure foundations, or other select causes or organizations.
Brian Wyman, Senior Vice President, Operations & Data Analytics, The Innovation Group
Dr. Brian Wyman, Principal Consultant at Innovation Analytics, is an analytics and data science executive with over a decade of experience transforming data into actionable intelligence, insights, and ultimately bottom-line results. He holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Michigan and specializes in advanced modeling and predictive methods, which he uses to develop creative and innovative ways to improve financial performance. Brian’s career has spanned industries ranging from hospitality to finance, most recently overseeing marketing and gaming analytics for Pinnacle Entertainment.
Bill Zender, Author, Casino Gaming Consultant
As former Nevada Gaming Control Agent, casino operator, professional card counter, and casino consultant, Bill Zender has been involved in various areas of gaming and hospitality since 1976. In the past, Zender has instructed courses on game protection, card counting, advantage play, and gaming operations at various colleges and institutions throughout the country. As a member of JMJ, Inc., Zender was an owner and operator of the Aladdin Hotel and Casino and has additional operational experience in card room casinos in California. He is also considered an expert in Asian gaming. Besides his practical gaming experience, Zender holds a bachelors in hotel administration and a masters in business. As a gaming author Zender has penned seven non-fiction books on gaming including Card Counting for the Casino Executive, and the Casino-ology series. Owner/consultant of Bill Zender and Associates, Zender has recently accepted the general manager’s position at a major California Cardroom Casino.
