Honoring individuals who have distinguished themselves throughout their careers
with important lottery industry contributions.
with important lottery industry contributions.
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Sue Dooley (2022)Sue Dooley, Director of Draws & Productions, Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL)
As the fourth employee hired at the Multi-State Lottery Association, Sue (Bilstad) Dooley has overseen the progression of draw services at MUSL for the past 34 years. The MUSL Board of Directors hired Dooley as a Draw Manager in 1988 when the Association had seven member lotteries and one weekly drawing for Lotto*America. Since joining the Association, Dooley has administered more than 35,000 lottery drawings on behalf of MUSL, including the Powerball drawing for the world record $1.586 billion jackpot in January 2016. During her tenure at MUSL, Dooley has witnessed the draw processes evolve from lotteries faxing sales and winner information on paper to the implementation of secure websites and automation. MUSL’s draw schedule has also grown from one weekly drawing to multiple drawings performed every day of the year. Along the way, Dooley has been instrumental in drafting draw procedures for Powerball and other Association games. In addition to scheduled drawings, Dooley also manages MUSL’s emergency draw services and has performed every remote drawing for the Association, including the Powerball drawings at the Atlanta Summer Olympics, the Kentucky Derby, and most recently, the Powerball First Millionaire of the Year drawings on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest on ABC. As the Director of Draws and Productions, Dooley is responsible for testing and maintenance of all draw-related equipment and ongoing work to improve the draw process for MUSL and its members, along with continued performance of draws. Over the past 34 years, she has worked with hundreds of lottery officials from across the country in every department: drawings, information security, accounting, marketing, and communications. Dooley earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Northern Iowa in 1984. Her experiences reacting to the chaotic nature of the classroom prepared Dooley for the occasional draw night challenges. |
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William (Bill) T. Jourdain 2017)Deputy Executive Director of Finance, Administration, and Security, North Carolina Education Lottery
Bill Jourdain began his lottery career almost forty years ago. Hired by the New Jersey Lottery as a staff accountant in 1977, he moved from auditing retailer weekly settlements to becoming a member of the finance team that converted the New Jersey Lottery’s manual bookkeeping records to a computerized accounting system, and served on the team that integrated instant game inventory, validation, and accounting into the on-line gaming system. He was a member of the 1983 implementation team for the gaming system conversion and served on the 1993 & 2007 gaming system procurement teams. Bill progressed to become the Controller for the New Jersey Lottery in 2000, and in 2002, he was appointed Deputy Executive Director for the organization. Over the next seven years, Bill served as Acting Executive Director of the New Jersey Lottery during transition periods within state government, bridging the gubernatorial appointment gaps between Executive Directors. Bill served in this capacity until November 2009 when he was hired by Tom Shaheen to become the North Carolina Education Lottery’s (NCEL) Deputy Executive Director of Finance and Administration. Bill would also add the Security Department to his overall responsibilities in 2010.
Over the past 7 years Bill has overseen the conversion of the NCEL Lottery’s Payroll and Budget and Accounting systems from legacy state systems to ADP and Microsoft AX respectively. Bill also served on the Gaming System and Support Services procurement team for the contract recently awarded in January 2016. Bill is also an active member in the implementation for both the Gaming System and Instant Ticket Production and Distribution conversion projects. Bill is responsible for the management oversight of 72 lottery employees. The Departments under Bill are responsible for Financial Reporting, Collection, Payroll, Purchasing, Prize Award Payment, Retailer contracts, and the security and integrity of all lottery drawings and operations. Bill’s administration department also oversees the management of the North Carolina Education Lottery’s six operating facilities throughout North Carolina. Bill has been married to his wife Noreen for 33 years, and they have 2 sons, Kevin and Patrick. Bill and his family now spend their time between Raleigh and Leland North Carolina, enjoying the beaches and the many golf courses that are available in the State of North Carolina. Even though Bill and his family now call North Carolina home, they remain avid New York sports fans, especially the Yankees and Giants. ■ |
(2016) |
Tracey CohenInterim Executive Director, D.C. Lottery and Charitable Games Control Board
In April 2015, Tracey Cohen was appointed as the Interim Executive Director of the D.C. Lottery. Rated among the top ten lotteries in the nation, Tracey oversees a $220 million enterprise. The post of Interim Executive Director, marked the latest achievement in a decorated lottery career that has spanned over 15 years. Prior to this appointment, she served as the agency’s Chief Operating Officer beginning in 2011. In that first year, the agency saw record-breaking instant ticket sales, launched its first-ever million-dollar DC Scratcher, and welcomed Mega Millions—the nation’s biggest jackpot game—to its product line, contributing another $1.2 million in revenue. Other achievements include launching the Lucky Lottery Mobile and the opening of the Official DC Lottery Store at Union Station, the first of its kind in a major transportation and retail hub within the United States. Several times during her lottery tenure, Tracey has achieved national industry recognition from NASPL (North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries) for successful and innovative lottery product launches. Other noted accomplishments include La Fleur’s Women in Leadership Award (2013); and OCFO (Office of the Chief Financial Officer) Distinguished Service Award (2012). ■
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(2016) |
Carole HedingerExecutive Director, New Jersey Lottery
Carole Hedinger began her lottery career as deputy director of the New Jersey Lottery in 1994. She became acting director in 2003, serving for a year before moving to the position of chief clerk at the Ocean County Surrogate Court in 2004. Ms. Hedinger served in that capacity for the next six years, where she was responsible for overseeing the court’s guardianship and estate accounting efforts, creating and implementing a comprehensive array of tracking systems and audit procedures to ensure the integrity of the court’s operations.
Ms. Hedinger was appointed by Governor Chris Christie to lead the New Jersey Lottery in June of 2010. She brought three decades of experience as a Certified Public Accountant to her new role as Executive Director at New Jersey Lottery. Charged with shaping the future of the Lottery, in FY 2016 the New Jersey Lottery topped $3.2 billion (unaudited) in sales, and more than $965 million in net funds contributed to public education and other state institutions which serve the people of New Jersey. Ms. Hedinger maintains professional memberships with the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants where she served in several leadership positions including a term as President in 2011, only the second woman to serve in that capacity in the Society’s more than 100 year history. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and serves on the AICPA Council. She currently serves as the Region 1 Director for NASPL. Ms Hedinger previously served on Gov. Christie’s Sports, Gaming & Entertainment Transition Team and Gov. Whitman’s Education Transition Team. She is the current Chair of the HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital’s Community Advisory Board, former member of the Georgian Court University Planned Giving Council and the Board of Trustees for Stockton University of New Jersey, chairing the board from 1997 to 1999. Ms. Hedinger has been a featured speaker at a variety of Lottery conferences as well as both legal and accounting organizations. ■ |
(2016) |
Vernon A. KirkDirector, Delaware State Lottery
Vernon Kirk joined the start-up staff of the Delaware State Lottery in 1975 and subsequently served in a variety of marketing, financial and administrative positions. He was appointed Director of the Lottery in October 2011. Kirk has received the Delaware Award for Excellence in State Service from Delaware’s current Governor, Jack Markell, and has been cited by both chambers of the Delaware General Assembly for his leadership during the development and successful implementations of the State’s enterprises in sports betting and table games at Delaware’s three racinos.
During Kirk’s tenure to date as Director, the Lottery has continued its long standing tradition of innovation. Delaware’s sports betting product was expanded from the racinos to include brick and mortar retailers, which were licensed and trained in time to begin selling for the 2012 pro-football season. This expansion was extremely successful with sales up 42% the first year. In January 2013 the Lottery began Keno at select retail locations throughout the state. Keno has proved very popular and interest in the game continues to grow. In October of 2013 Kirk oversaw the launch of the first in the nation casino style iGaming platform, including peer to peer poker. Then, in February 2014, the Lottery made history again when the Governors of Delaware and Nevada signed the first of its kind Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement. This Agreement allowed for “shared liquidity” of poker players from Delaware and Nevada (poker players from both states sitting at the same virtual table). The next advancement, a mobile application for casino iGaming, was introduced in May 2015. In about the same time frame, limited video lottery at fraternal organizations was authorized and placed under the administrative and regulatory control of the Lottery. And, traditional lottery products were not overlooked when it came to firsts. In early 2016 the Lottery introduced its first $25 price-point instant game, Quarter Million Large. This game became the first instant game that the Lottery ever re-ordered and was a major contributor to the Lottery’s record FY2016 traditional sales, which were up 17% over FY2015. The Delaware Lottery now oversees more public gaming products than any other lottery in the country, including traditional lottery products; video lottery at the racinos; sports betting statewide; table games at the racinos; Keno statewide; Las Vegas style iGaming; and, limited video lottery statewide. Kirk currently serves as Chair of the Video Lottery Game Group, a multi-jurisdictional, progressive video lottery network administered under the auspices of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). Member states include DE, WV, RI, OH, and MD. He is also the Chair of Delaware’s Advisory Council on Charitable Gaming and Planning. Kirk has a degree in Political Science/Public Administration from the University of Delaware. ■ |
(2015) |
Marty GibbsExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Kentucky Lottery Corp.
Marty Gibbs joined the KLC in June 1993. Her first job in the lottery industry came in Colorado, where she worked as director of operations at the start of the lottery there. She then went to the Hoosier Lottery in Indiana for four years as director of finance and administration.
In 1993, she accepted a job as Sr. VP Finance & Administration of the Kentucky Lottery. Just six weeks into her term, the governor demanded the resignations of all board members and the majority of management members due to a state auditor’s report which found conflicts of interest, questionable procurements and financial practices and abuse of expense accounts. Marty directly appealed to the governor—she had not been part of the problem, and wanted to be part of the solution. He in turn appointed her acting president, a position she held until the hiring of Arch Gleason as president & CEO August 31, 1993, that year. Marty’s work in what was truly the darkest days of the Kentucky Lottery helped the organization not only survive but thrive, and she is widely credited with helping President Gleason and the KLC Board steer the ship through a crisis of public trust. Shortly after his hiring, President Gleason promoted Marty to the position of Executive Vice President & COO. A few of her duties include overseeing all of the internal operations, finance and administration, security, information technology, sales and marketing and human resources. Marty has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Northern Colorado with an emphasis in Accounting. She is also a certified public accountant. ■ |
(2015) |
Peg RoseDeputy Director, Rhode Island Lottery
Peg Rose started with the Rhode Island Lottery in 1988 when she was hired by then Lottery Director, Major Peter J. O’Connell. Over the years, Peg was promoted into various positions including Executive Assistant, Administration Manager, and in 2005 became the Lottery’s first female Deputy Director. Prior to joining the Lottery, Peg served as Special Assistant to the President and CEO of ITT Grinnell Corporation working in both Providence and New York City from 1974 to 1987.
Since joining the Lottery, Peg has been involved with every RFP and contract, written all of the Lottery’s Rules, Regulations, and Policies and Procedures, and has headed up the Rhode Island Lottery’s Play Responsibly Program. In that role, she is responsible for the oversight of the Lottery-sponsored Problem Gambling Helpline, works closely with the management of the two Lottery-operated Gaming Facilities, Lottery Retailers, and serves as the Lottery’s representative on the Rhode Island Council on Problem Gambling, the National Council on Problem Gambling, and the New England Consortium. Director Gerry Aubin said, “As Deputy Director, Peg is an integral part of the Lottery’s senior management team and is known for her institutional knowledge and is the go-to person on all facets of Lottery operations. Peg has a wealth of institutional Lottery knowledge and has the ability to recall and locate information on issues that occurred well over 25 years ago. The concern is that someday she will retire and take all that knowledge with her.” ■ |
(2015) |
Wanda Young WilsonChief Operating Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Tennessee Education Lottery Corp.
Wanda Young Wilson is an accomplished attorney with extensive marketing and business development experience. She began her career in the lottery business in 1993 with the inception of the Georgia Lottery Corporation, where she served as the Senior Vice President and General Counsel for ten years.
In 2003, Wanda’s experience in public gaming and expertise in developing internal systems and controls took her to Tennessee, where she accepted the position of Executive Vice President and General Counsel to the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation. On January 20, 2004 the hard working team at the Tennessee Lottery began selling tickets 21 days ahead of schedule. As a consequence, the Tennessee Lottery has received high acclaim as being one of most successful lottery launches in the history of the United States. In addition to her role as General Counsel in 2014 Wanda was named the lottery’s Chief Operating Officer. Wanda has received several professional awards for her contributions to the public gaming industry, including being named one of the 50 most powerful African Americans in Tennessee and receiving the Individual Star Diversity Award of Excellence from Corporate Counsel Women of Color. Wanda currently serves on the Board of Directors of Purpose Preparatory Charter School in Nashville and is a mentor with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee. She is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., a member of the Music City Chapter of The Links, has served on the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, and is a founding member of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys. ■ |
(2015) |
Gardner S. GurneyExecutive Deputy Director of the New York State Gaming Commission & Acting Director of the Division of the Lottery
Gardner was appointed to the position of Acting Director New York State Gaming Commission’s Division of the Lottery in February of 2013. In fiscal year 2013–14, the Lottery generated over $7.3 billion in traditional lottery sales and over $2.25 billion in aid to education (a 3.5% increase over fiscal year 2012–13). Overseeing the largest lottery in the U.S., Gardner is responsible for the key business drivers of the organization’s marketing and operations, assessing key performance indicators and strategic initiatives, and providing day to day directional guidance for the entire organization.
Gardner started with the New York Lottery in 1988. He has served during those nearly 27 years in its Internal Audit, Financial Management and Operations areas and as its Executive Deputy Director. Gardner has been the procurement lead and an active member of the evaluation committees of many requests for proposals, including those involving the procurement of the video gaming central system, video gaming terminals, instant tickets, external auditors and the traditional lottery central system. Gardner also oversaw the Lottery’s side of replacing a total lottery system, including conversion of all network communications from a statewide controlled network to a substantially more efficient lottery contractor-provided system which has saved millions of dollars over the past five years and driven those savings into funds for aid to education in New York. Gardner has also worked collaboratively with other state lottery leaders to manage and improve multi-state games like Powerball, Mega Millions, and Cash 4 Life. Gardner applies his leadership skills, discernment, and guidance abilities to accomplish goals despite an ever increasing number of challenges. He is continually curious about what aspects of an organization’s processes are working or can be improved and a strong believer in research, testing and analysis to make the best decisions and bring the underlying business strategies to fruition. He finds the consumer-driven aspect of lottery industry very rewarding—it is quickly apparent if a product or marketing program is hitting the mark since consumers respond every day with their discretionary income spending decisions. It is also very rewarding to see staff and managers work together and grow (even when that may mean they leave the New York Lottery to further their career development). Gardner is a U.S. Air Force veteran, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Husson University, Bangor ME and continued post graduate work in New York’s capital district. He resides in Altamont, NY with his wife Kim and has three daughters. ■ |
(2014) |
Larry LossExecutive Vice President, Iowa Lottery
Legacy Employees: The ones who have made our industry successful year after year. That description fits Larry Loss, Executive Vice President of the Iowa Lottery and one of the 2015 recipients of the PGRI Lifetime Achievement Award. This year, Larry celebrates 30 years in the lottery business and is among a handful of Iowa Lottery employees who have worked at the lottery since its start in 1985.
Larry has worked in nearly all aspects of the lottery business, beginning his career as a lottery district sales representative making weekly sales calls at lottery retail locations in northwest Iowa. His understanding of retail issues, sales leadership, and growing knowledge of the lottery industry led to his promotion to regional sales manager after just four years. In another four years, Larry became a member of the Lottery’s senior management team when he was promoted to vice president of sales. He held that position until 2012, when he became the second in charge at the Iowa Lottery as executive vice president and vice president of sales and product development. The Iowa Lottery has achieved a number of industry firsts during Larry’s career, and his skills as an innovative problem solver and field-management expert have contributed mightily to the lottery’s long-term success. To cite just a few recent examples, Larry led the lottery team that developed the Iowa Lottery’s first game-book offering, an instant-scratch product with several games contained in a multi-page booklet. That product became one of the Iowa lottery’s biggest sales successes and went on to win the Best New Instant Game award in 2013 from the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries. Larry also led the team that developed the Tech the Halls concept, a wildly popular holiday promotion featuring electronics as prizes. The lottery offered that promotion for a few successive years, and it went on to be copied by several other U.S. lotteries who took note of Iowa’s success. Larry has also spearheaded solutions for important issues applying to our industry as a whole. In 2006, he helped develop the Lottery’s voluntary self-exclusion program, which can be utilized as a tool in recovery for those dealing with problem gambling. Similar programs modeled from Iowa’s concept have been introduced by other lotteries around the country. He also was instrumental in the development of the Iowa Lottery’s “Gold Star” retailer compensation program, which utilizes increasing sales commissions to encourage retailers to maximize lottery game selection at their locations. He helped tweak the program to integrate bonuses for locations that sell tickets winning large prizes, and the streamlining of the payment process for retailers. Larry acts as a mentor both within the Iowa Lottery and the lottery industry as a whole. His counsel and input are regularly sought out by those who respect and appreciate his ability to achieve real-world solutions and explain the benefits to all involved. Larry has received numerous leadership awards from multiple Governor’s Administrations in Iowa, and was honored with PGRI’s Outstanding Achievement Award for Quality and Excellence in June 1996. He also has worked to make a difference in his community, being active in many different organizations through the years from the Iowa Jaycees to Heartland Greyhound Adoption and school booster clubs. Larry and his wife, Mary, also have been on an amazing personal journey, adopting their son, Sergei, in Russia in 2009 when he was 11. Sergei now a high school teen-ager who loves sports, tolerates the classroom and best of all, is leading a successful life. ■ |
(2014) |
J. Bret ToyneDeputy Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer, Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL)
Bret Toyne is actively involved in the diverse phases of the Multi-State Lottery Association’s (MUSL) operation. Bret oversees many of the daily operating functions that have allowed MUSL to grow from six original members with annual multi-state sales of approximately $80 million to current membership of 37 jurisdictions with annual multi-state sales exceeding $6 billion. He manages the Association’s budget and is responsible for all fiscal operations (moving money between all U.S. lotteries, reporting of sales and winners, and the building of fixed and lifetime annuities), investments and portfolio administration. The Association also looks to Bret for statistical analysis, projections and game modeling. He takes the lead on many MUSL projects and acts as the key backup on other projects as the small association works to facilitate the operation of seven multi-state games; with two more games in the works.
Bret is directly responsible for developing the process that allows multi-state games with set prize levels to operate with a clearly defined prize payout percentage. He works behind the scenes to establish and maintain the financial systems that ensure clarity and integrity while also designing modifications to games that improve player acceptance and sustained interest in games. Bret has been with the Multi-State Lottery Association since January 1988. He is a Certified Public Accountant and is a member of the Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants. ■ |
(2013) |
Jimmy O'BrienVice President, Strategic Marketing, Scientific Games
Former Director of Marketing, Massachusetts State Lottery Jimmy O’Brien was once referred to as “one of the most valuable public servants in U.S. history” in a Washington Post article because his breakthrough methodologies were largely responsible for generating billions of dollars for lottery beneficiaries and helping build the instant game business to the over $32 billion business it is in the U.S. today. A 33-year veteran of the lottery industry in the areas of marketing, research and product development, O’Brien has created custom product marketing and game plans for the Company’s lottery customers, many of which are the world’s top-performing lotteries for instant game per capita sales – including Massachusetts Lottery (#1), Georgia Lottery (#2) and Italy’s Gratta e Vinci (#3).
As the former Director of Marketing for the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission, which has perennially ranked number one in the U.S. for per capita lottery sales, O’Brien revolutionized the instant scratch game business for lotteries around the globe in the 1980s. During his 21-year tenure with the Massachusetts Lottery, his mathematical formulas and marketing strategies were credited with growing the MA Lottery’s instant scratch game sales from $54 million per year to $54 million per week by 2001. As a result, O’Brien’s approach to instant games has been implemented at lotteries across the globe and generated billions of dollars to state and local governments. In 1990, O’Brien was the very first recipient of the annual Edward J. Powers Award from the National Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) for excellence in sales and development; he received the award again in 1993. A native of Massachusetts, Jimmy O’Brien holds a Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University and Bachelor of Arts in Economics from College of the Holy Cross. ■ |
(2013) |
Buddy RoogowExecutive Director, D.C. Lottery and Charitable Games Control Board
2013 President of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) Buddy Roogow was named the D.C. Lottery Executive Director in December 2009, bringing more than 13 years of lottery experience to the D.C. Lottery. Roogow started in the lottery industry when he was named Maryland Lottery Director in October 1996. Under his leadership, Maryland enjoyed 12 consecutive years of record-breaking sales. With Roogow leading the D.C. Lottery team now, his vision and expertise will be the driving force behind new growth and innovation.
Before joining the lottery industry ranks, Roogow was appointed in 1991 by Maryland Governor William Donald Schaefer to Director of Operations for the Governor’s Office. Subsequently, Governor Parris N. Glendening appointed him to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff in 1995. Immediately preceding his career in Maryland state government, Roogow served as Chief Administrative Officer of the Howard County Government from 1988 to 1991. He began his career in the 1970’s as an Urban Planning Consultant with a private firm. Roogow received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and was awarded a Master of Arts degree from the University of Maryland. ■ |
(2012) |
Gary GriefExecutive Director, Texas Lottery Commission
Gary Grief was appointed Executive Director of the Texas Lottery Commission in March 2010, overseeing a $4 billion enterprise whose mission is to generate revenue for public education and other good causes in the State of Texas.
Gary has been an integral part of the success of the Texas Lottery Commission since its inception. Appointed in 1991 by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to the original eight-member Lottery Task Force, Gary was assigned to research and launch the Texas Lottery. Gary assumed the role of Statewide Manager of Claim Centers in 1992, overseeing 24 field offices statewide. Serving in this role until 1997, Gary then accepted the position of Director of Lottery Operations. While serving as Director of Lottery Operations, Gary was the recipient of the 2002 “Powers Award” for Performance Excellence in Lottery Operations by the National Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL). This award is presented annually to the outstanding performers in the North American lottery industry. Between 2002 and 2010, Gary served as Acting Executive Director for three separate terms, and as Deputy Executive Director during the periods when not serving as Acting Executive Director. In recent years, Gary has taken on a leadership role not just for the Texas Lottery but in national lottery industry initiatives as well. In 2008, Gary actively participated in discussions between the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) and the Mega Millions group to reach an agreement on cross-selling both Powerball and Mega Millions. These talks came to fruition in January of 2010 when the majority of US lottery jurisdictions began selling both products. For Texas, Powerball has generated more than $80 million in revenue for the Foundation School Fund since that time. Assuming the Lead Director position for Mega Millions in September 2010, Gary assisted in discussions with MUSL (Powerball) regarding a potential price increase for Powerball. Such an agreement was reached in 2011 and the Powerball price point was changed to $2 in January 2012. Early recent results indicate that this change will dramatically increase Powerball revenue in Texas. Gary also led the Texas Lottery Commission through its recent Lottery Operator procurement process, the most significant procurement undertaken by the agency since lottery start-up. As the first Texas Lottery Executive Director to actively participate in every step of the procurement process, Gary worked closely with the TLC Chairman to successfully navigate several significant challenges during this procurement, inherent of the extremely competitive nature of the lottery industry. GTECH was announced as the apparent successful proposer in late 2010. Gary has also been an active participant and leader in the National Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL). Initially elected as Region IV Director of NASPL in October 2008, he has since been appointed and served as NASPL Secretary and, most recently, elected and currently serving as 2nd Vice President. Gary also serves as the NASPL Accounting Subcommittee Chairman, responsible for the annual personal development seminars for lottery industry finance and accounting professionals. Under Gary’s leadership, the Texas Lottery has contributed more than $1 billion annually since 2004 to the State of Texas. A native Texan, Gary is a graduate of the University of Texas at the Permian Basin where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. ■ |
(2012) |
Tom ShaheenExecutive Vice President, Linq3
Tom Shaheen began his 24-year lottery career in 1987 as a Sales Representative with the Florida Lottery. He remained with the Florida Lottery for 4 ½ years holding positions as Warehouse Manager, Sales Manager, and District Manager. In 1992 he was hired by the Texas Lottery as part of their start-up team, serving as Field Service Supervisor. As Field Supervisor, Tom oversaw the operation of ten district offices operated by the Online Gaming Vendor. Within seven months he was promoted to Assistant Marketing Manager.
Tom moved on in 1993 to become part of the Georgia Lottery start-up, fulfilling the role of Vice President of Sales. During his tenure with the Georgia Lottery he was promoted to Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and then Executive Vice President. “Tom was instrumental in the start-up and growth of the Georgia Lottery,” states then CEO, Rebecca Paul Hargrove. “As an example, as overseer of instant tickets, instant sales grew from $7 million per week to a high of $21 million per week. The retailer base grew from 4000 retailers at start-up over 6000 upon his departure in 2000.” On March 20, 2000, he was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the New Mexico Lottery Authority. Tom remained in New Mexico for 5 ½ years. During that time New Mexico Lottery sales rose by 40% and the return to education increased by 55%. In November of 2005 Tom left New Mexico to become the first Executive Director of the North Carolina Education Lottery (NCEL). Despite a rocky beginning, due to pre start-up controversies, the NCEL sold its first ticket on March 30, 2006. Along with its online vendor, GTECH Corporation the NCEL processed and installed over 5000 retailers in 115 days, the fastest U.S. launch at the time. Upon his departure in 2010, the NCEL had recorded 3 successive years of increased sales and grown its retailer base to over 6400 retailers. In September of 2010, Tom joined Linq3 as Executive Vice President. Linq3 is a cutting edge technology company that has developed the secure protocol for lottery transactions on ATM’s, fuel pumps, taxicabs and other unmanned points of sale. Linq3 is currently working with several lotteries to incorporate these new distribution points for the sale of lottery games to reach new players as well as engage infrequent players sooner. In 2005, Tom served as the President of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL). He previously served as Chairman of the NASPL Standards Initiative Committee. In 2009 Tom served as President of the Multistate Lottery Association (MUSL). During his tenure as President, he was instrumental in leading the collaboration with Mega Millions states to initiate cross-selling of Powerball and Mega Millions in 42 U.S lottery jurisdictions. In 2005,Tom also served as Vice-Chairman of Powerball. Including his time in the lottery industry, Shaheen has more than 33 years of management experience including 8 years with Eastern Airlines. He is a native of the great motor city, Detroit, Michigan and is a 1975 graduate of Wayne State University with a degree in Business Administration. ■ |
(2011) |
Margaret R. DeFranciscoPresident and Chief Execuitve Officer of the Georgia Lottery Corporation
Former President of the National Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) Margaret DeFrancisco was selected in December 2003 as the President/CEO of the Georgia Lottery Corporation following ten years in public service in state and county government in New York. Margaret was the Director of the New York Lottery, the largest in North America from 1999 to 2003. Since coming to Georgia, her focus has been on growing the sales of a very successful lottery, whose profits have supported the HOPE Scholarship and Pre-Kindergarten programs, directly impacting over 2 million students in Georgia.
Her overall business goal is to maximize revenues efficiently and improve the public’s understanding of why lotteries were created. During her tenure, the Georgia Lottery Corporation has achieved both record sales and profit numbers, with 2009-2010 fiscal year sales in excess of $3.6 billion and profit to education of $884 million, taking the total raised since the lottery’s inception to over $12 billion. Holding both undergraduate and graduate degrees from the State University of New York, Margaret is a firm believer in community service and is a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta. She recently served as the president of the international industry association of state and provincial lotteries (NASPL), is active on the board of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, is on the board of visitors at the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs, and served as a trustee on the board of St. John Fisher College in Rochester for nine years. She has been named to the “Most Influential” lists by Georgia Trend, the Atlanta Business Chronicle and James magazine. She has been honored with the Big Brothers Big Sisters Legacy Award, the Chauncey Davis Foundation as a Champion for the Cause, and as a Friend of Radio by the March of Dimes. And now we can add the Major Peter O’Connell Lottery Industry Lifetime Achievement Award. Margaret was president of the National Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) from September of 2009 to September of 2010. That was a seminal year for the U.S. lottery industry as they forged additional collaborative initiatives, the most important of which is the cross-selling of both multi-jurisdictional. Margaret continues to be a firm believer in the power of collaboration and works to engender that spirit in the industry. When Georgia Governor Perdue appointed Margaret to lead the lottery, he commented that Margaret is “a can-do person who will take our lottery to a new level.’’ Thankfully, she has found the time to contribute to the growth of the national industry as well. A direct Huguenot descendant from 17th century New York, her interest in family history has also made her a student of the Civil War since age 12. She enjoys reading about and researching both topics. ■ |
(2011) |
Ed TreesFormer Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Lottery
Former President of the National Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) Ed Trees is a veteran of the Lottery industry, having worked with the Pennsylvania Lottery for 35 years in numerous positions of various responsibilities. He has spent the last 18 years in senior-level management positions.
In 1999, Ed was named Lottery’s Deputy Executive Director for Marketing, overseeing marketing efforts and game development for the Pennsylvania Lottery. Over a five year period beginning in 2001 and ending in 2006, Pennsylvania Lottery annual sales grew by $1.16 billion, or 59.7 percent. Growing sales by $1 billion previously took 19 years to accomplish. In March 2007, Governor Rendell appointed him Lottery’s Executive Director. Ed served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) and as President of the National Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL). After starting with the agency as a clerk in 1976, he moved through positions of increasing responsibility in the administrative, drawings, marketing, sales and field operations areas of the Lottery before being named executive director in 2006. Ed led the Pennsylvania Lottery to win numerous national advertising and marketing honors, and he solidified his long-time role as a leader in the lottery industry in 2010 when he was named president of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL). Ed was one of only two lottery directors from Pennsylvania to lead NASPL, an association representing 52 lottery organizations from the U.S. and Canada, and he was the first to do so since the early 1980s. In January of 2011, Ed Trees retired from the Pennsylvania Lottery. “I have known Ed Trees for more than 20 years, and his wealth of knowledge, along with his genuine concern for others, has served those around him well,” said David Gale, executive director of NASPL. “Ed has been a true leader within the lottery industry, as well as a friend to many who have crossed his path. His contributions will be long-lasting, though his sincere compassion will be missed.” Secretary of Revenue C. Daniel Hassell commended Ed as well, saying, “We’re sad to see Ed move on and take with him the institutional knowledge and experience he’s gained nearly since the Lottery’s inception”. Ed holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Pennsylvania State University. He and his wife, Joan, have two children and three grandchildren. Ed plans to enjoy retirement spending time with his family and exploring the next phase of his life. ■ |
(2010) |
John C. MusgraveDirector, West Virginia Lottery
Past President of the National Association of State & Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) Past President of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) Past Chairman of the PowerBall Group John C. Musgrave was appointed Director of the West Virginia Lottery by Gov. Cecil Underwood in April 1997, and has been consecutively re-appointed by Gov. Bob Wise and Gov. Joe Manchin, III during his tenure at the Lottery. A native resident of Point Pleasant, WV, Musgrave brings to the Lottery a strong finance and leadership background with more than four decades of public service experience at the federal, state and local levels.
On Nov. 1, 2003, Musgrave was appointed Deputy Secretary of Tax and Revenue by Gov. Bob Wise, and assumed the title of Acting Cabinet Secretary. By Executive Order, dated Nov. 21, 2004, he was appointed Acting Secretary of Administration for Budget, directing the operations of the Budget office including the Tax, ABCA, Banking, Racing, Municipal Bonds, Insurance and the Athletic/Boxing Commissions. While assuming these additional responsibilities, he continued to serve as Lottery Director. From 1981 to 1994, Musgrave held several executive-level, administrative positions with the U.S. Department of Agriculture including associate administrator of the Rural Development Administration, where he was responsible for a $72 million administrative budget and more than $1.25 billion in program funds. As special assistant to the undersecretary of Agriculture, he assisted in directing 12,000 employees in 2,200 offices with a budget of more than $60 billion. He also served as regional director of the Rural Development Administration for the seven-state, Mideast Region. Musgrave served 12 years as state director of the West Virginia Farmers Home Administration, where he supervised agency credit assistance and economic development programs for West Virginia with a loan portfolio of more than $900 million. Serving 10 years in the capacities of county and city government, Musgrave also held the positions of Development Director for Mason County, and Mayor of the City of Point Pleasant. His service to the State continued as President of the West Virginia Municipal League; Chairman of Region II, and Chairman of the West Virginia Solid Waste Authority. Musgrave has also been privileged to receive dual honor of being designated as a Distinguished West Virginian by two different governors. In his capacity as Lottery Director, Musgrave currently serves as Past President of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), and was previously Chairman of the PowerBall and Video Lottery Groups for this Association. Musgrave also recently served as President of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) where he was responsible for leading 52 Lottery organizations in the U.S., U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. Director Musgrave has a degree in Business Management from the University of Charleston. A veteran of the U. S. Air Force, Musgrave is married to Rebecca, his wife of 48 years. Together they share in the joy of their two children and six grandchildren. ■ |
(2010) |
John PittmanVice President of Marketing, Intralot, Inc.
John Pittman began his lottery career in 1977 at Scientific Games as one of that company’s first 20 employees. This was a time when just a handful of U.S. jurisdictions even had lotteries. Over the years, John rose to the position of Executive Vice President and part of the senior management team. John was instrumental in the early growth and success of Scientific Games. John’s developed a special competency with lottery start-ups, earning his reputation on the start-up teams in Colorado, Oregon, Washington, the District of Columbia and California. John led the team that started the Iowa Lottery in 1985 in a record 115 days after the passage of the Lottery’s enabling legislation. He then led the start-up efforts for the West Virginia, Virginia, Montana, and Florida lotteries.
Over the years, John has made a number of significant technical contributions to the Lottery industry including his participation in the development of the first GLEPS (Guaranteed Low End Prize structure) instant ticket solution, the “Dual Security” method of printing instant tickets, the first “Spin & Win” lottery game and the launch of the first instant ticket cooperative services program in the U.S. lottery industry. In 1988, after 12 years of continued growth and success with Scientific Games, John founded Lottery Support Group, Inc . John and his team helped lotteries all around the world navigate a myriad of challenges; everything from security and operations to communications, systems and software, as well as marketing, sales and public relations. In the U.S., John’s Lottery Support Group won contracts to provide start-up services to new lotteries in Kentucky, Indiana, Louisiana and Texas. Taking the start-up model that he developed at Scientific Games, his Lottery Support Group began writing comprehensive Request for Proposals (RFPs) on behalf of lottery clients in the U.S. and around the world – everything from the procurement of instant game ticket printing and back-office systems to RFP’s for on-line gaming systems, advertising services and facilities as well as other services; that at the end greatly assisted these Lotteries in obtaining the best products and services at the best price. John worked with the Louisiana Lottery to introduce the first continuous scene game called Louisiana Treasures, two games with different price points at start-up, and starting operations with the first on-line system for validation of instant tickets. Texas was a special challenge for John and the Lottery Support Group. The legislation mandated that it could have no more than 186 employees statewide. To put this in perspective, at the time the California Lottery had over 1,000 employees. The model that John and his team developed was so successful it is now referred to in the industry simply as the “Texas Model”. In 2002, Tom Little asked John to join him at INTRALOT. The story of INTRALOT’s success in the United States could not be written without John Pittman. Not only is he a valued member of the senior management team, he is a friend to the industry, and honored to have served the good cause that is government-sponsored lotteries. ■ |
(2009) |
Clint HarrisExecutive Director of the Minnesota Lottery
President of Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) Past Chairman of Powerball Past President of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) When Clint Harris became Minnesota’s second lottery director on October 11, 2004, he did so under circumstances faced by few others in the lottery industry. His appointment followed the death of George Andersen, the Lottery’s longtime director, and the release of an audit critical of the Lottery’s financial and marketing practices. While the initial response to the audit had fallen to Interim Director Mike Vekich, it was up to Harris to implement many of the recommendations, to re-energize a badly demoralized staff, and to continue the rebuilding effort.
“We are extremely fortunate to have found such an effective and responsible leader like Clint Harris to head up the Minnesota Lottery,” said Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty when he announced his selection of Harris, and the Lottery’s record bears out Governor Pawlenty’s confidence. Harris’ four years at the helm are the four highest for sales and revenue in the 19 year history of the Minnesota State Lottery. Yet Harris’ path to the position was anything but conventional. He was born in New Jersey but spent much of his childhood in the Philippines, where his father worked as an Episcopal priest. When the family returned to the United States, he attended 8th grade in inner-city New Jersey and completed high school and his first year of college in Hazleton, a rural Pennsylvania coal mining community. After moving to South Dakota to be closer to his family, Clint finished his remaining college education at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He later received a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota. While working on his undergraduate degree, he also began a 17 year career in the retail grocery business, working for a large independent grocery store in Aberdeen. Harris joined the South Dakota Lottery in 1993 as a research analyst and later became director of administration. He was appointed acting executive director in 2000 and officially appointed to the executive director position in 2003. His four years at the helm in South Dakota resulted in four years of record transfers of revenue to the State. Harris and the Minnesota State Lottery have become known as industry leaders in North America. Clint has served NASPL as President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. He is currently President of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) Board of Directors, whom he previously served as chairman of the Powerball and Hot Lotto games. Under his direction, the Lottery hosted the 2005 NASPL annual conference and in 2007 played host to the WLA’s Key Performance Indicators Academy. Harris has also been a leader in NASPL’s standards initiative and continued Minnesota’s leadership role in corporate social responsibility. Along the way, Harris married his college sweetheart. Clint and Dawn (better known as Punky) have been married for 32 years and have three children: Eric, Chad, and Samantha, as well as 3 grandchildren: Katelyn, Karly, and Kelan. ■ |
(2009) |
James C. Kennedy Jr.Senior Vice President, Sales & Global Marketing, Scientific Games
James C. Kennedy, Jr., is that rare lottery professional who is just as comfortable working together with the Vice President of Marketing on a sophisticated marketing program as he is discussing with an IT Director how the latest trends in computer technology can benefit the industry. His focused expertise and skill-set run the lottery gamut and include everything from start-up consulting and game design to marketing-plan development, policy support and implementation. Mr. Kennedy credits his career successes to having the privilege of partnering with the world’s best lotteries and being afforded the opportunity to direct the powerhouse resources of Scientific Games International’s sales and marketing organization.
Mr. Kennedy joined Scientific Games in 1985 as SG’s on-site account manager for the Colorado Lottery. From 1985 throughout the 1990’s, Mr. Kennedy worked alongside lottery professionals in states across the country designing thousands of games, and scores of marketing programs to learn the business from the giants of the industry from the ground up. In 1999, Mr. Kennedy was named President of Scientific Games International’s Retail Solutions division and in 2000 Vice President of North American Sales and Marketing. In 2005, global marketing for the full-line of SG lottery products was added to his list, as well as new business development for the company’s on-line, Cooperative Services and instant lottery business segments throughout North America. Under his leadership and guidance, his team developed and received a patent for the first multi-lane instant game dispensing solution. He was an early advocate of expanding distribution into big-box, large-format retailers, and is a featured speaker and acknowledged expert on this subject at gaming conferences the world over. Mr. Kennedy was an active, collaborative partner in both the start-up and current marketing initiatives of China Sports Lottery. He has been the recipient of several lottery honors, including a NASPL Powers Award in 1993 for his contribution to the industry’s first secure recyclable paper instant ticket, an environmental breakthrough technology that has long since become the industry standard for how lottery scratch-off games are manufactured. He and his team hold a patent for the invention of the SGI Marketing, Analysis and Planning System. The system now contains over 20,000 instant games and is the basis for the empirical design and selection of thousands of instant games launched each year worldwide. Mr. Kennedy received a Bachelor of Science in Computer and Management Science from Metropolitan State College in Denver and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Colorado. He and his lovely wife, Gayle, have two children, Nicole, 26, and Christopher, 18. As skilled as he is on the world lottery stage, he is equally skilled on the entertainment stage. It is customary to see him, harmonica in hand, jamming with the band at customer-appreciation events at major lottery trade shows. This simple act of passion also serves as sort of a metaphor for the company’s brand personality: Work hard, play hard, and make sure each customer always knows how much Scientific Games values their business and their fundamental mission. ■ |
(2008) |
Connie Laverty O'ConnorSenior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, GTECH
It is with great pleasure that PGRI announces that Connie Laverty O’Connor is being honored with the 2008 Major Peter J. O’Connell Lottery Industry Lifetime Achievement Award. Connie Laverty O’Connor is one of the most experienced, respected, and distinguished lottery executives in the world. As Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of GTECH Corporation, Connie helps to drive the overall strategic direction of the Company while providing strong leadership, singular customer focus, and a heightened level of market responsiveness to create new products in response to player and retailer needs. She is responsible for the development and enhancement of marketing strategies and closely collaborates with the technology and operations groups that are critical to better serve GTECH customers and achieve more market-responsive services and products. Connie also identifies market trends and long-range market opportunities for product and content development, sales, and potential acquisitions.
Prior to joining GTECH in April 2006, Connie served as Chief Operating Officer of the Georgia Lottery Corporation. Before that, she spent almost 30 years with the New York Lottery; working the last 14 years as Director of Marketing and Sales. Connie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Psychology from Empire State College in Albany, New York, and a Master of Arts degree in English and Psychology from State University of New York at Albany. Cornelia Holland, known to the lottery industry as Connie Laverty, was born one of seven children in Kanturk, County Cork, Ireland. At age 17, upon graduating from high school, she came to America for her higher education and to begin what she didn’t realize then was a lifelong career in the lottery industry. Landing in Albany, Connie worked “through the ranks” in every department in the New York Lottery – including finance, operations, drawings, and ultimately, sales and marketing. At the same time she combined marriage (to Jim Laverty), the birth and rearing of her three beloved children – Conor, Tracy, and Christian, and the pursuit of her education. She completed her undergraduate work at Empire State College and earned her masters degree from the State University of New York at Albany. Known for her energetic spirit and get-it-done attitude, Connie and the New York team took the New York Lottery to new heights, coordinating the collaborative effort among the sales and promotions staff at the New York Lottery and the Lottery’s advertising agency, with internal operations and controls. As Marketing and Sales Director and working with her colleagues in operations and finance, Connie evolved the focus of the Lottery beyond Operational and Security to Marketing and Sales, while at the same time not sacrificing or compromising the security and integrity of the systems and games. She developed programs to allow the sales staff to go out and actually sell the Lottery, instead of just enforcing retailer rules and regulations. In order to give the marketing representatives in the field the tools to sell to lottery retailers, the New York Lottery provided them with laptops. The customized sales force automation program for those laptops required a cross-functional team to work together with the vendor. That was accomplished successfully because of Connie’s ability to get people to work together as a team across roles and disciplines for a common goal. Connie is now doing the same at GTECH. In New York, Connie and her team working in collaboration with operations and GTECH, changed the way Instant Games were handled by retailers by developing alternative ways for book settlement, thereby allowing the retailers to carry and sell more tickets. She implemented the integration of Instant Game settlements with the online system. In an effort to make the look of instant games uniquely New York, she brought the design of the games in house. Over 10 years’ time, annual sales of the instant product in New York grew from $250 million to over $3 billion. Because of the importance of New York Lottery players seeing the live drawings, Connie and the advertising agency developed the statewide broadcast of Lottery drawings. As a result, the drawings are seen by Lottery players in every major and minor market in the state. Several benchmark marketing campaigns were launched during Connie’s tenure, notably “All You Need is a Dollar and a Dream,” “Hey, You Never Know,” and “If I Had a Million Dollars,” this last one was a total New York statewide community effort following the tragic attacks of 9/11. After 30 years at the New York Lottery, the death of her husband, Jim, and the passage of her last child into adulthood, Connie relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to serve as the Chief Operating Officer of the Georgia Lottery Corporation. During her tenure there, she plunged right in to help set the course for the future of this highly successful Lottery. Geographical distance from her three children in the Northeast and an opportunity with GTECH Corporation, led her back North. She has been GTECH’s Chief Marketing Officer since April 2006. It is exciting to see that, with GTECH/Lottomatica, Connie Laverty O’Connor now brings to a world stage the positive energy, integrity and leadership skills that will help our industry grow and prosper. And along with these responsibilities, Connie continues to contribute her time and energy to working with the next generation of lottery leaders. On a final personal note, Connie remarried in March/April 2006, and lives with husband Patrick O’Connor in Rhode Island. They are the proud parents of five adult children, four sons and one daughter. ■ |
(2007) |
David GaleExecutive Director of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL)
David is a 20 year veteran in the lottery industry and has held leadership positions in both government and supplier organizations throughout this time. For the past 12 years he has been Executive Director of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries where he has led and contributed to many important initiatives of the Association.
The result of David’s service to the lottery industry is to move NASPL into the ranks of the most highly respected industry associations. Perhaps most importantly, a poll of the association members would reveal how genuinely appreciative the association members are of the efforts made by David, and the NASPL staff under David’s leadership, in all matters, big and small. ■ |
Past Winners
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