Tom Loughran

Bio Coming Soon.

Courtney Muller

Courtney Muller is a senior vice president at Reed Exhibitions. Her portfolio includes gaming events: Global Gaming Expo, G2E Asia; as well as BookExpoAmerica, the North American book publishing convention and the Vision Expos, North Americas leading eye-care events. Muller has worked in the trade show and event industry for 16 years, spending 13 of those years at Reed Exhibitions. Muller has earned numerous accolades and awards in her years in the exhibit industry, including both the President's Award and the Chairman's Award at Reed Exhibitions.

Judy Patterson

Judy L. Patterson is senior vice president and executive director of the American Gaming Association (AGA). In this capacity, Patterson administers the association's day-to-day activities and has set up industry task forces to study issues as diverse as taxes, bank secrecy act provisions, communications and responsible gaming. She was instrumental in the organization of the National Center for Responsible Gaming, an independent, nonprofit organization that administers the nation's only peer-reviewed research grants program focused exclusively on problem and underage gambling. She also was a key player in the creation of Global Gaming Expo (G2E), and has led the development of the event into the largest and most successful gaming industry conference and trade show in the world. In addition, she has shepherded the expansion of the G2E family of events to include G2E Institute and G2E Asia. Patterson also works with consultants, academic institutions and state gaming associations to develop independent studies of gaming issues.

Marcus Prater

Marcus Prater is the executive director for the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM), a trade organization comprised of top gaming industry suppliers. Prater most recently served as senior vice president of marketing for Bally Technologies, Inc., where he spent nine years directing 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. He earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Oregon.

Ernie Stevens

Ernie Stevens is the chairman and national spokesman for the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) in Washington, DC . Reelected by acclamation in 2005, Stevens is now serving his third two-year term as the organization's leader. NIGA, established in 1985, is a non-profit organization of 184 Indian Nations with other non-voting associate members representing tribes and businesses engaged in tribal gaming enterprises from around the country. From 1993 to 1999 Stevens was an elected councilman for the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. He is a former first vice-president of the National Congress of American Indians. As a respected leader in Indian country, Stevens also serves on the Native American Rights Fund National Support Committee, is a board member of the National Indian Child Welfare Association, serves on the Native American Advisory Board of the Boys and Girls Club of America, the National Indian Telecommunications Institute, and is honorary chair of the Institute of American Indian Arts, National Support Committee. Stevens is a staunch advocate for all tribal colleges and is currently leading a campaign to garner financial and corporate support for Haskell Indian Nations University. Stevens has earned an Associate's degree from Haskell Indian Nations University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Mount Senario College . He is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin.

Keli Elkins

Keli Elkins is director of special projects for the American Gaming Association (AGA). In this capacity, Elkins serves as the association's primary liaison for all Global Gaming Expo (G2E) events, and organizes the annual Gaming Hall of Fame dinner and National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) Conference on Gambling and Addiction. Additionally, she coordinates or serves as the member liaison for such association activities as diversity, government affairs and state relations, various federal issues and the association's works as it relates to the NCRG. Elkins has worked for the AGA since June 2002. She holds a bachelor's degree in communications and psychology from Vanderbilt University.

Roger Gros

Roger Gros is publisher of Global Gaming Business magazine, the leading trade publication for the gaming industry, published by Casino Connection International (CCI). Global Gaming Business also publishes Global Gaming Business Weekly, the industry's only weekly e-magazine, and Casino Connection, the national magazine for casino employees. Before joining CCI, Gros was president of Inlet Communications, an independent consulting firm. He was vice president of Casino Journal Publishing Group from 1984-2000 and has served as editor of Casino Journal, the National Gaming Summary and Casino Player magazines. Gros was a co-founder of the American Gaming Summit and the Southern Gaming Summit conferences and trade shows. He was named "Businessman of the Year" for 1998 by the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce and is the author of How to Win at Casino Gambling, published in 1998 by Carlton Books.

Mike Johnson

Mike Johnson is director of sales and industry development for all Global Gaming Expo (G2E) events at Reed Exhibitions, encompassing the casino gaming portfolio for the world's leading events organizer. In this capacity he is responsible for all portfolio revenue via management of exhibition, advertising, sponsorship, and conference sales for G2E and G2E Asia, the largest international casino gaming events on either side of the world. Johnson also serves as Event Director and General Manager for G2E Asia, where he's responsible for the portfolio's overall business in Macau. Each year the G2E brand accounts for nearly 30,000 gaming industry professionals who gather to network and foster B2B growth across both events in Las Vegas and Macau respectively. Along with association partners and an extensive advisory board, Johnson is also responsible for the development of the annual conference programs at each G2E event, which are widely considered the finest educational programs of their kind in the industry. During his time with Reed, Johnson has managed a diverse portfolio of business across the United States and Asia, ranging from security to eyecare, spas, and medical aesthetics. He is a certified audiovisual technician and lighting designer, having worked previously at Scholastic, Inc. and the law offices of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP. He is also a regular moderator of industry webinars, and a guest lecturer at various universities on the development of the MICE industry (meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions) as a business and tourism driver throughout the world.

Dike Bacon

Dike Bacon is a principal and director of planning and development at Hnedak Bobo Group, Inc., a planning, architecture, and interior design firm. In this role, Bacon is focused on influencing and aligning the firm's expertise, disciplines and national presence with client vision. His professional practice experience spans 32 years and supports his leadership philosophy of balancing programmatic development objectives with market-focused economics. Bacon's project experience includes major commercial and Indian gaming, hospitality and entertainment resorts throughout the U.S. Bacon is an active sponsor and associate member of the National Indian Gaming Association, a frequent speaker at national conventions and an editorial contributor to numerous gaming and hospitality publications.

Kirk Harman

D. Kirk Harman is president and managing principal of The Harman Group, a structural engineering firm offering services to gaming, hospitality and entertainment facilities worldwide. The firm also has an in-house design group that provides comprehensive parking facility design services. Harman is licensed in more than 30 jurisdictions, including California, Nevada and Illinois. He earned his bachelor`s degree in civil engineering from Lafayette College and his master`s degree in structural engineering from Drexel University.

Paul Heretakis

Paul Heretakis is vice president of WESTAR Architects, where he brings more than 15 years of experience overseeing hospitality design and mixed-use master planning projects around the world to the position. Heretakis' focus and direction have established WESTAR Architects as a key player in hospitality design as he continues to work with many of the largest gaming companies in the industry. His portfolio includes more than a thousand casino, restaurant, retail and hotel projects in the U.S., Europe and Southeast Asia. Heretakis has spoken at numerous hospitality seminars and written articles for magazines around the world. He has designed an award-winning textile line and is currently developing lighting, carpeting and wall covering collections. Heretakis was named one of the top 25 people to meet in 2009 by Global Gaming Business magazine.

Dick Rizzo

Dick Rizzo is vice chairman for Perini Building Company. With over 40 years of experience, he has extensive knowledge of the construction industry. His role has been crucial in helping Perini become a leader in this hospitality and gaming.

Mark Lerner

Mark Lerner is senior vice president and general counsel for Bally Technologies, Inc. He joined Bally in 1996 as assistant general counsel and became general counsel in 2000. Lerner is a former deputy attorney general for the Nevada Gaming Commission and the State Gaming Control Board. He also was a partner with Jones, Jones, Close & Brown (now Jones Vargas), where he represented applicants for and holders of business, gaming and other licenses before state and local government agencies. Lerner is a graduate of Michigan State University and the Washington College of Law at American University. He is a past chairman of the Nevada State Bar Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and of the Executive Committee of the Nevada State Bar Gaming Law Section.

Lloyd D. Levenson

Lloyd D. Levenson is the chairman of the casino law department and chief executive officer of Cooper Levenson law firm. An accomplished trial attorney and recognized expert in complex casino regulatory matters, Levenson is also a well-published author and frequent speaker on a broad range of industry legal issues, with a client list that includes casinos, sovereign governments, casino professionals and suppliers to the casino industry. Levenson has received numerous awards and holds several key positions in vital organizations that set worldwide standards, both nationally and internationally. He has twice served as chairman of the casino law section of the New Jersey Bar Association and also has served as chairman of the Gaming Law Committee of the American Bar Association. He earned his bachelor's degree from Lafayette College and his law degree from Georgetown University.

Thomas Peterman

Thomas Peterman is senior vice president and general counsel at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino. For the last six years he has served as the American Gaming Association's representative on the U.S. Treasury Department's Bank Secrecy Act Advisory Group and co-authored the article "AML Programs and Nevada's Casino Industry: Training and the Methods Used for Detection of Money Laundering and Fraud," for FinCEN's May 2010 issue of The SAR Activity Review. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin law school and a member of the Nevada and Wisconsin bar associations.

Jeffrey R. Rodefer

Jeffrey R. Rodefer is vice president of legal affairs, assistant general counsel and corporate compliance officer for Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD). Previously, Jeff served more than 13 years in the Nevada Attorney General's Ofrfice, including eight years as counsel to the Nevada Gaming Commission and Nevada State Gaming Control Board. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Nevada, Reno and law degree from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. He is a member of the state bars of Nevada, California, Colorado and Oregon. Jeff is the Chairman of the State Bar of Nevada-Gaming Law Section (2000-present) and Vice Chairman of the State Bar of Nevada's Committee on Functional Equivalency. In 2010, he was the first recipient of the State Bar of Nevada's "Volunteer Lawyer of the Year" award.

Robert Russell

Robert Russell is a gaming analyst at Regulatory Management Counselors, P.C. In this role, Russell focuses primarily on the gaming industry where he assists in developing systems to ensure that companies remain compliant. His expertise includes casino supplier licensing, licensing transfers, non-compliance appeals, Internet trademark licensing agreements, issue management, association management, legislative monitoring and lobbying.

Martha Sabol

Martha Sabol is a shareholder based in the Chicago office of Greenberg Traurig, a law firm with more than 1,500 attorneys and government affairs professionals in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Sabol focuses her practice on gaming regulatory, licensing and compliance matters. Sabol also co-chairs Greenberg Traurig's national gaming practice, a multi-discliplarny team of attorneys representing owners, operators and developers of gaming facilities, manufacturers of gaming devices, investment banks and lenders on gaming related matters. Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, she was vice president and general counsel for Hyatt Gaming Management, Inc., in Chicago. Sabol is a member of the board of trustees of the International Association of Gaming Advisors.

Melissa Triplett

Melissa Lurie is the full time Executive Director of the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL). In this capacity, Triplett administers the association's day-to-day operations, publishing and event planning around the world. She has been working with the IMGL on a part time basis since 2006. The IMGL, an 11 – year old association, is the preeminent gaming law networking and educational organization in the world with over 300 members in 38 countries.

Lurie began her career in the gaming industry 20 years ago when she formed Meeting interFACE. Along with her partners, she developed and served as Conference Director for the American Gaming Summit, Southern Gaming Summit and the Northern Gaming Summit. Triplett also produced the National Center for Responsible Gaming conference for the American Gaming Association for many years.

Prior to Meeting interFACE, she worked with the American Bar Association where she planned their Annual and Mid Year meetings. Before becoming a meeting planner Triplett worked for Marriott and Hilton Hotels in sales and convention services.

Triplett is a member of the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) and Global Gaming Women Advisory Boards. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Cornell University in the School of Hotel Administration and is a board membership of the Colorado Chapter. She lives in Boulder, Colorado with her son and daughter.

Neil Davidson

Neil Davidson is CFO at Bally Technologies, Inc. Davidson previously served as the vice president of finance for Multimedia Games, Inc. He began his career working in the Houston office of KPMG, a global firm providing audit, tax and advisory services, where he held numerous positions, including audit manager. Davidson is a certified public accountant.

Rochanne L. Hackett

Rochanne L. Hackett is Managing Director, National Gaming Development, in the Gaming Division at Wells Fargo Bank. In this role, Hackett is responsible for developing relationships and providing innovative financing solutions for Native American and commercial gaming operators across the country. She has been involved in providing more than $10 billion of capital for at least 30 tribes and commercial gaming companies, and has 30 years of banking and finance experience.

Rob Heller

Bio Coming Soon.

Bill Newby

Bill Newby is the global head of gaming investment banking at Jefferies & Company. He previously served as head of gaming investment banking for UBS Americas Investment Bank and also worked in Bank of America Securities' gaming and leisure group in Los Angeles. Newby and his team have advised and financed the gaming industry's leading companies in several major transactions, including Harrah's Entertainments' acquisition of Caesars Entertainment, MGM's acquisition of Mirage Resorts and Mandalay Resort Group, Boyd Gaming's acquisition of Coast Casinos, the TPG/Apollo acquisition of Harrah's Entertainment, and the creation of Wynn Resorts Limited though a combination of equity (IPO) fixed and floating rate debt. Newby is a former member of the American Gaming Association board of directors. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration at UCLA.

Adam Rosenberg

Adam Rosenberg is a managing director and global head of the gaming group at Goldman Sachs. In these roles, Rosenberg provides strategic and financial advice to the firm's clients, including gaming operators such as Las Vegas Sands, Kerzner International, Caesars Entertainment and Station Casinos, as well as gaming technology and equipment manufacturers like International Game Technology, Bally Technologies, GTECH Corporation and Scientific Games. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Rosenberg was an attorney with Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a law degree from Harvard University.

Andrew Zarnett

Andrew S. Zarnett, managing director of Deutsche Bank Securities, currently serves as the company's gaming, lodging and leisure high-yield debt analyst, co-head of high-yield research, and as a member of the executive committee of the leverage debt group. Zarnett previously held the position of senior gaming equity analyst at Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., where he also served as a member of the board of directors. Before joining Ladenburg Thalmann, Zarnett was assistant to the chairman of Furman Selz LLC. He holds a bachelor's degree from York University, a master's degree in business administration from Babson College and is a member of the board of directors of the National Center for Responsible Gaming.

Christie Eickelman

Christie Eickelman is the senior director of worldwide marketing for Gaming Laboratories International, Inc. (GLI). In her position Eickelman is responsible for the coordination and implementation of all GLI marketing programs globally. Her responsibilities include developing the corporate theme and establishing and coordinating the marketing function in accordance with GLI's policies, regulations, and sound business practices. Previously, Eickelman worked as the marketing manager for Sodak Gaming, Inc. now IGT. She also worked for Wolf Gaming, LLC. as vice president of marketing and public relations.

Michelle Olesiejuk

Michelle Olesiejuk is the Executive Director of the Gaming Standards Association (GSA), a non-profit trade association created to benefit its members and the gaming industry. She oversees the administrative management of the organization, ensuring that the Board of Directors and President is advised on the implementation of its bylaws and policies, creating open standards and maintaining its position of neutrality in the industry. Olesiejuk has extensive experience in managing technical standards development organizations and previously managed the Mobile Wireless Internet Forum and the Frame Relay Forum.

Bruce Rowe

Bruce Rowe is the senior vice president of business development for Bally Technologies. He is also president of Renaissance Casino Solutions, Inc., a Nevada-based consulting company offering services to several sectors of the gaming industry. Rowe has held key positions at Harrah's and the GTECH Corporation. Rowe also has participated in the openings of 16 domestic and international casinos during his career. He is a member of the International Gaming Advisory Board.

Deana Scott

Deana Scott has spent the past 18 years in casino resort executive management focusing on Tribal Gaming Marketing, Tourism and Project Planning. As the Corporate Marketing Director for a Tribal Economic Development Company Deana has held critical strategic positions in the start-up and expansion of numerous business ventures. In 2009 she founded TOD Gaming LLC. The company has three pending patents and was named of the best casino marketing ideas in Casino Journal Magazine. Most recently she was the Chief Marketing Officer for Acres 4.0, further advancing the idea that traditional casino properties must find ways to integrate new technology to grow business over time. Her efforts have resulted in numerous industry marketing and public relations awards along with an Oregon Governor's Tourism Partnership Award for work with the Olympic Trials. Deana received a B.A. in Communications from Marylhurst University. She also holds a University of Nevada, Reno Gaming Management Certificate and UNR Executive Development Certificate.

Kent Young

Kent Young is the general manager and executive vice president of Aruze Gaming America, Inc. Formerly, Young was the CEO and president of True Blue Gaming, an independent game content development and intellectual property license company. He also spent ten years at Aristocrat Technologies, where he held various sales, executive marketing and development roles. Young holds a bachelor of commerce degree in strategic management from James Cook University.

Fred Gushin

Fred Gushin is founder of Spectrum Gaming, for which he has worked with a variety of private sector and governmental clients. He has advised private casino developers on operational and management issues and provided gaming expertise to a number of gaming jurisdictions over the years. Gushin worked for many years with the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement where he was promoted to assistant director and assistant attorney general. During his thirteen-year career with the division, he oversaw the openings of twelve Atlantic City casino hotels and managed civil and administrative litigation before the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. He has personally argued more than fifty cases before the commission. Gushin also serves as a member of the Oneida Indian Nation Gaming Commission, which regulates the highly successful Turning Stone Resort Casino near Syracuse , Ny.

Per Jaldung

Per Jaldung has been in the Casino business for over 10 years and has been the CEO of Casino Cosmopol since 2008. Casino Cosmopol operates four casinos in Sweden and is a subsidiary company of AB Svenska Spel.

Ben Lee

Ben Lee is the managing partner of IGamiX Management & Consulting, based in Macau. Previously, Lee served as vice president of casino marketing for the Venetian Macau. Lee has extensive gaming marketing experience in Asia and Australia, and has spent the last six years covering new gaming projects throughout the region. His clients include Harrah's Entertainment, Asian Coast Development Ltd., Intercity and the 7Luck group of casinos in South Korea.

Lloyd C. Nathan

Lloyd Nathan is the CEO of Asian Coast Development Ltd (ACDL), an international development and gaming company specializing in real estate and integrated resort destinations. Previously, Nathan was president of MGM MIRAGE Global Gaming Development, where he was responsible for worldwide gaming expansion as well as the company's footprint across Asia. Nathan spent the first 10 years of his career as a dual-qualified U.S. and U.K. lawyer working in London for Slaughter and May and in Los Angeles for both Glaser Weil and Loeb & Loeb. His experience also includes five years running the corporate development divisions for two New York-based companies, expanding their leisure and technology businesses globally. He graduated with honors from the London School of Economics and The Law Society of England's College of Law. He is an attorney at law of the State Bar of California and a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.

Cristina Romero

Cristina Romero is a junior partner in charge of the international department at Loyra, a boutique law and advisory firm. Before joining Loyra, Romero worked as a financial analyst for Credit Suisse Securities in London and spent five years in the capital markets department at Clifford Chance. Romero is a frequent speaker at gaming conferences and writes for Gambling Compliance, the World Online Gambling Law Report, Diario Jurdico and other publications. She also wrote the chapter on infringements and sanctions in The New Gaming Law, published by La Ley (Wolters Kluver) in Spain. Romero is a researcher for the Fundacion CODERE, a non-profit organization devoted to gaming regulations, standards and responsible gaming. She speaks German, French, English and Portuguese.

Bo Bernhard

Bo Bernhard holds an assistant professorship in the department of hotel management in the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He also serves as director of gambling research at UNLV's International Gaming Institute. During his career, Bernhard has delivered over two dozen keynote addresses on six continents and has provided testimony in front of a number of state and federal bodies. Bernhard is a graduate of Harvard University.

Israel Posner

Israel Posner is executive director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at Richard Stockton College in New Jersey. Posner earned his doctorate from Temple Unversity and has more than 35 years of experience as a college professor and administrator as well as a researcher, author and consultant. Posner recently edited Casino Gaming in Atlantic City: A Thirty Year Retrospective.

Kate Spilde, Ph.D.

Katherine A. Spilde, Ph.D., is endowed chair of the Sycuan Institute on Tribal Gaming at San Diego State University, where she is also an associate professor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Previously, Spilde was executive director of the Center for California Native Nations at UC- Riverside and was also a senior research associate at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. Prior to her appointment at Harvard, she was the director of research for the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA). In addition, Spilde was a policy analyst and writer for the National Gambling Impact Study Commission, a federal commission that produced a comprehensive study of U.S. gambling policy for Congress in 1999. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Hawaii, a master's degree from George Washington University, a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of California in Santa Cruz and an M.B.A. from UCR.

Clinton Billups

Clinton Ford Billups, Jr. is president of CFB Productions Inc, where he serves as a personal manager and television producer. He has more than 30 years of experience in entertainment, broadcasting and marketing communications. Billups also is a founder and producer of EventPro Forum, the annual Las Vegas conference for live event producers. A frequent participant at entertainment industry trade events, he has been quoted in publications ranging from The Wall Street Journal to The New Yorker and Amusement Business. Billups was elected in 2002 as the national president of the National Conference of Personal Managers. He is a graduate of Lafayette College and studied business management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He also is a graduate of the Connecticut Police Academy and served as both a municipal and state law enforcement officer.

Mark Birtha

Mark Birtha is president of Sol Casinos and the AVA Amphitheater in Tucson, AZ. A highly regarded gaming and hospitality executive with over 18 years of experience, Birtha's career has spanned both operations and development at the leading casino and hotel companies including Mirage Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, Marriott International and Starwood. Birtha focuses on the strategic vision for the organization and has general management responsibilities for the operations of Casino Del Sol, Casino of the Sun, and the 5,000 seat AVA Amphitheater. In addition, he oversees the design, construction and operations of Casino Del Sol's $130M hotel expansion development. The new project, which broke ground in April 2010, will include a hotel with 215 rooms and suites, a 50,000 square foot conference center, 5 new F&B venues, nightclub, a pool and day club, spa and fitness center, high limit gaming salon, parking garage with 1,100 spots, poker room renovation, warehouse and laundry operation. Birtha graduated from the Hotel School at Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science Degree and as a Merrill Presidential Scholar. In 2011, he was appointed President of the national executive board of the Cornell Hotel Society, the 85 year old alumni association that represents 14,000 Hotel School graduates from around the world. Birtha has been a regular lecturer in The Cornell Hotel School's Casino Operations and Marketing classes and a featured speaker at multiple gaming, condo/real estate, and hotel conferences. In 2006, he was recognized as one of the "Top 40 Under 40" business executives in Las Vegas by In Business Las Vegas Magazine. He is a member of the UNLV Golf Foundation and the Nevada Tourism Alliance, as well as AHLA/ARA and MPI in Arizona. He is also managing editor of the Retail, Dining and Entertainment publication, and has written editorial pieces for Global Gaming Business, Casino Design, Retail, Dining & Entertainment, Casino and Gaming International, Hotel Yearbook 2010, the Morowitz Quarterly, Urbino.net, and other publications.

Jason Gastwirth

Jason Gastwirth is the vice president and executive associate to the chairman, president and CEO of Caesars Entertainment Corporation. Previously he was the chief marketing officer at Palms Casino Resort, where he oversaw property marketing, hotel sales, revenue management, e-commerce, public relations, entertainment and sponsorships. Gastwirth has also worked with the executive team at the Venetian and Palazzo, most recently as vice president of casino marketing and corporate entertainment, where he was responsible for expanding the high-value gaming customer base and driving player visitation frequency. Gastwirth also negotiated entertainment deals for shows for Las Vegas Sands' properties in Las Vegas, Macao and Singapore. Before joining the gaming industry, he held positions at Booz Allen Hamilton and Gap Inc. Gastwirth graduated with honors from Harvard University and earned his master's degree at Stanford University.

David Rittvo

David Rittvo is director of The Innovation Group's food and beverage division, which he joined in 2009 to formalize a specialty discipline providing consulting, marketing, development, financial, operational and management advisory services to the entertainment and hospitality industries. With more than 14 years of operational restaurant experience, Rittvo has worked in facilities from San Francisco to London and managed multiple food service amenities within a single casino. He uses his expertise to help owners, operators and management entities adjust their operations to reflect recent changes in economic conditions. Rittvo holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Denver.

Melissa Blau

Melissa Blau is a director of iGaming Capital, a consulting and financial advisory company dedicated to the online gaming sector in the U.S. and Europe. Blau has been in the online gaming sector for more than nince years as both an operator and advisor. In addition to her current job, she also is the finance editor and a regular columnist for iGaming Business magazine. Previously, Blau worked in the media technology sector for 15 years, mainly as a general partner at Constellation Ventures, a Bear Stearns venture capital fund. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a MBA from Harvard University. Blau is from New York and resides in London.

Michael Caselli

Michael Caselli is the founder and managing editor of iGaming Business and Bluff Europe magazines. Caselli has been involved in the gaming industry since 1996 when he completed his graduate degree work, studying the viability of gaming on the Internet, at the University of London. Since then, he has helped to successfully launch several online and print gaming publications. Caselli has chaired dozens of major international gaming conferences and has appeared on such media outlets as CNBC and the BBC as an Internet gaming expert.

Michael Lipton Q.C.

Michael Lipton is a senior partner of Dickinson Wright LLP, leading the Canadian gaming law group. For more than 20 years, he has served as senior counsel on several gaming law matters, including advising on requests for proposals from government to operate casinos and applicants seeking registration with Canadian regulatory authorities. He regularly represents governments, lottery corporations and gaming equipment suppliers and manufacturers, and counsels licensees throughout North America on gaming compliance issues. Since 2008, Lipton has been recognized by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in Canada and by Chambers Global for his expertise in gaming law. He is an editor of Canadian Gaming Lawyer, has authored many articles on gaming law and delivered papers at gaming law conferences around the world. Lipton is a founding member and past president of the International Masters of Gaming Law.

Frank Pracukowski

Frank Pracukowski, director of administration for Foxwoods Development Company (FDC), coordinates operational support and serves as the primary liaison between FDC and essential departments of Foxwoods Resort Casino (FRC) and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. Pracukowski previously worked as software development manager and director of gaming systems at FRC with primary oversight for all gaming facility computer systems. Pracukowski has overseen all FRC casino expansions and serves as COO for Velocity Gaming, a joint venture between FDC and Goodson Gaming. He has spent 20 years in the information technology arena and co-leads the strategic effort for Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nations' online gaming operations initiative. Pracukowski holds a degree in business operations, casino management, from Gibbs College.

Steve Rittvo

Steve Rittvo is chairman of The Innovation Group of Companies. He has contributed to thousands of financial management, planning projects, and development throughout his 40 years as a professional. His clients include the world's most successful online and land-based gaming operators-public, private and Native American financial institutions private equity firms and government agencies. Rittvo's experience and depth of understanding of the industry have been shared in such diverse roles as a financial and economic advisor investment banker expert witness legislative consultant board member published author and conference speaker. In 2009, Rittvo's achievements and broad sphere of influence were recognized by Global Gaming Business magazine with his inclusion among the "Top Ten Most Influential People in the Gaming Industry". He has recently led the expansion of the Innovation Group of Companies into the areas of Internet Gaming, Food & Beverage, and Sports and Entertainment. Additionally, he has hands on experience in the industry as an owner/partner in 3 casinos, a Route Operation, a Full Service Hotel and numerous Food & Beverage Outlets.

Sue Schneider

Sue Schneider is the founder of eGaming Brokerage. One of the world's leading experts on the Internet gaming industry, Schneider began as owner of a gaming consumer portal and moved on to launch River City Group and key industry trade publications, including igamingnews.com and the Internet Gambling Report. After River City Group was purchased by Clarion Events in 2006, Schneider remained as CEO until July 2008. She is the principal of egamingbrokerage.com and consults on a variety of other independent projects in the industry. Schneider is a founder and former chairwoman of the Interactive Gaming Council. She is a frequent speaker at international gaming conferences and has testified before the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. She serves as editor-at-large of Gaming Law Review and Economics.

Jason Giles

Jason Giles is a tribal citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation located in Oklahoma and deputy executive director/general counsel for the National Indian Gaming Association. Giles attended the United States Military Academy and law school at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Upon graduating from law school in 2000, Giles began his legal career as an associate attorney at a labor law firm in Honolulu , Hawaii., where he focused on labor law, real estate law, and bankruptcy issues. He is currently a member of the Wisconsin , Hawaii and Oklahoma bar associations.

Kristi Jackson

Kristi Jackson is CEO of Tribal Financial Advisors, an investment banking firm she co-founded in 2009 to assist tribes with financing-related issues. In a prior role, Jackson served as managing director at Banc of America Securities, leading the tribal finance effort and raising more than $15 billion of capital for more than 30 tribes, including syndicated bank debt and high-yield and tax-exempt bonds. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Irvine, and an MBA from the Anderson School at the University of California, Las Vegas.

Jana McKeag

Jana McKeag is president of Lowry Strategies and a partner in The Franklin Partnership. She is a former member of the National Indian Gaming Commission and has worked on Indian issues for more than 30 years. McKeag also writes a political column for Casino Journal and sits on the G2E conference advisory board. She is a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and a graduate of Gettysburg College and Harvard University.

Sheila Morago

Sheila Morago is executive director of the Arizona Indian Gaming Association and is a member of the Gila River Indian community in Arizona. Previously, Morago served as director of public relations for the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA). She was recruited from NIGA to be the tribal liaison for Arizonans for Fair Gaming & Indian Self Reliance, the Prop 202 campaign, where she was responsible for coordinating all efforts between the campaign offices, the 17 tribes belonging to the coalition and the tribal casino operations. Morago also designed and managed the successful outreach effort for Prop 202 in Arizona Indian Country. She began her career in tribal gaming in 1994 when she was appointed director of marketing for the Gila River Casinos where she created the marketing department for this multimillion-dollar enterprise and opened two successful tribal casinos. Morago also was vice president of national relations for Initial Impressions based in Tempe, Ariz., where she was responsible for political and public relations for tribal and non-tribal clients.

Linda J. Roe

Linda J. Roe is vice president of business development and client relations for Thalden-Boyd-Emery Architects, a leading architectural firm specializing in casino and hotel design. She has worked with architects, contractors, developers and clients in the design and construction industry for more than 35 years. Her unique experience, along with her dedicated involvement in the National Indian Gaming Association, gives Roe an in-depth understanding of the needs of Native American tribes. Roe earned her bachelor's degree in business from Maryville University in Missouri.

Ernie Stebbins

Ernie Stebbins has served as executive director of the Washington Indian Gaming Association since April 2003. He began his non-profit management career as the executive director of the National Hardwood Lumber Association in Memphis and was the founding executive vice president of the Hardwood Forest Foundation, a non-profit public educational foundation. In 1997, he was recruited by the nearby Mississippi casino industry to start up and establish the Mississippi Gaming Association, where he served as executive director before going to work for the Washington Tribes.

Nehme E. Abouzeid

Nehme E. Abouzeid is the director of entertainment business development for Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS). In this capacity he is responsible for scouting, negotiating and contracting headliner talent as well as developing branded entertainment content for the company's resorts in the United States and Asia. Recent deals have included music (Kelly Clarkson, Fergie, Marc Cohn), comedy (David Spade, Joan Rivers, Craig Ferguson), theater ("A Bronx Tale"), PBS concerts, ESPN shows and celebrity-hosted events. A former journalist, he has been with LVS since 2004. He holds a bachelor's degree from George Washington University and a master's in business administration from Babson College.

Michael Broderick

Michael J. Broderick is the director of marketing for Lake of the Torches Resort Casino in Lac du Flambeau, Wis., where he is responsible for creating, developing and implementing all of the resort-casino's marketing, promotional advertising and entertainment programs. Apart from his success at Lake of the Torches, he is considered an expert in the field of behavioral marketing and casino promotions, and has written extensively on the subject in several industry trade magazines. Broderick was named by Central Wisconsin Business Magazine one of Wisconsin's "Young Business Leaders to Watch in 2010."

Rick Campbell

Rick Campbell is currently Director of Marketing with Choctaw Casinos in Oklahoma. Rick has over 15 years experience in Casino Marketing in both Native American and Corporate Gaming organizations. He has held senior executive positions in marketing at the corporate and property level of organizations such as Herbst Gaming, Tropicana Entertainment, Caesars Entertainment and Isle of Capri Casinos. Rick is an innovative, result producing marketing executive with a proven record of success developing and leading comprehensive marketing strategies. He possesses expertise in directing the creation of marketing tools and steering the execution of marketing programs. Rick is the co-founder of Social Plot; a well rounded casino marketing organization that specializes in database analysis, campaign management, and entertainment and is the developer of Unite; a tool to integrate social media with casino operating systems and player tracking systems. Throughout his career, Rick has had the privilege of being a guest speaker at various casino conferences.

George Galinsky

Bio Coming Soon.

Alex Calderone

Alex Calderone serves as the leader of FPG’s casino finance practice and is also responsible for overseeing the firm’s business development and strategic growth initiatives.

Alex’s first job servicing the casino industry dates back nearly a decade where, as a member of KPMG’s assurance and advisory services practice, he provided quarterly financial statement and internal control audits to two of the three commercial casinos in Detroit, Michigan. After leaving KPMG, Alex joined the financial advisory and restructuring firm of Conway MacKenzie, where he spent seven years providing turnaround, valuation, and expert witness services to clients across a number of different industries, with a special focus on gaming and hospitality business companies. In this role, Alex worked closely with a number of gaming operators spanning across the Midwestern and Northeastern United States.

Alex is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Turnaround Professional, and is Accredited in Business Valuation by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is also a former visiting professor of accounting at Michigan State University and holds a Master of Science and Bachelor of Arts in Accounting with High Honors from Michigan State University.

Derk Boss

Derk Boss is director of security for Casino Aztar in Evansville, Ind., and a respected author, instructor and speaker who specializes in surveillance training and methodology, games protection, loss prevention, internal and external theft, and fraud detection. Boss has appeared as an expert on several television networks and his technical articles have appeared in dozens of professional journals, including Security Management magazine. As a speaker, he has been featured at several international conferences, including G2E, the Gaming Operations Summit and the Biometrics Summit. Boss serves on the Gaming & Wagering Protection Council for ASIS International and is president of the International Association of Certified Surveillance.

Alan Zajic

Alan W. Zajic is an independent Nevada licensed security consultant with more than 30 years of practical experience in the security industry, primarily in the gaming environment. He has worked from entry level to administrative executive management, including hotel operations and corporate security. Zajic started his career in the contract security field where he conducted security surveys audits and performed security services for all types of businesses and venues. He is a member of ASIS International, serving as vice chairman of the gaming and wagering council. He also is an advisory board for the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Conference, where he leads the security & surveillance program. Zajic is a nationally recognized speaker in the areas of security and surveillance and is frequently requested to testify as an expert in gaming related lawsuits.

Rosemarie Cook

Rosemarie Cook is the Vice President of Gaming for SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia, PA. In her role, Rose is responsible for all gaming operations, including the research, selection, installation, maintenance, and performance analysis of the property's 1,602 slot machines and 55 table games.

A 34 year veteran of the gaming industry, Cook has experience in the New Jersey, Illinois and Pennsylvania markets encompassing all aspects of casino operations. Immediately prior to joining SugarHouse Casino, Cook was the Director of Training and Development for Casino Operations at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, NJ.

In 2007 she became part of Stockton College's Institute for Gaming Management, developing and teaching a course in Table Games Management. Most recently, Cook has been awarded Casino Enterprise Management's "Top in Ops" Award for having demonstrated exceptional achievement and commitment to mentoring and caring for her staff and contributions to the industry as a whole.

C.J. Graham

C.J. Graham is general manager of Thunder Valley Resort. He is a 22-year veteran of the casino/hotel industry and brings multiple levels of executive experience to his current role. Graham previously served as vice president of table games at the Palms Resort. He has been recognized as an outstanding senior level leader and industry advisor with proven ability to conceptualize, develop and implement a multi-faceted business plan encapsulating numerous fiscal, operational and service objectives.

Mike May

29 years in the Atlantic City gaming market lastly as VP of Table Games at Ballys AC, the last two and half years as VP of Table Operations at Pechanga Resort and Casino.

Debi Nutton

Debi Nutton is senior vice president of casino operations and marketing at MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, where she is responsible for table games, poker, race and sports book, slots, national marketing and casino marketing operations. She began her career in hospitality and hotel operations before entering the gaming industry as one of the first female craps dealers in Las Vegas. Debi joined MGM Grand Resorts in 1989 as a pit manager at The Mirage, where she was part of the pre-opening team. In 2010, Nutton took part in Leadership Las Vegas, an intensive program sponsored by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce devoted to strengthening and educating community leaders. She holds an associate degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a bachelor's degree from Bellevue University.

Max Rubin

Max Rubin is one of eight living members of the Blackjack Hall of Fame and the award-winning author of Comp City: A Guide to Free Gambling Vacations. With nearly 40 years in the gaming industry as a casino veteran, gaming consultant and television celebrity, he serves as the expert commentator on CBS' Ultimate Blackjack Tour and has designed, developed and hosted numerous highly profitable casino tournaments.

Donald Hoover

Donald Hoover is a professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University's International School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. In addition, he is a vice president of placement consulting with Gaming Hospitality Experts and has more than 20 years of experience recruiting talent in the gaming sector. Hoover holds a bachelor's degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in organizational leadership.

Wendy Nutt

Wendy L. Nutt is the vice president of labor relations at MGM MIRAGE. Nutt previously held the positions of general counsel for labor and employment for MGM MIRAGE and associate general counsel for labor and employment matters for Mandalay Resort Group. Prior to her employment with the gaming industry, Nutt was a partner in the labor and employment law group at Schiff Hardin & Waite in Chicago. Nutt is a member of the American Bar Association, served as an adjunct professor in labor law at Valparaiso University, and has been a frequent lecturer and trainer on various labor and employment law topics. She earned her bachelor's degree from Bethany College and her J.D. from Valparaiso University.

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