On the Move
On the Move
Who's going where and doing what in the gaming industry
CB RICHARD ELLIS
John Knott has recently been promoted to executive vice president for the company's Global Gaming Group. He joined the company in 1999 and had a senior leadership role in the Global Gaming Group, a specialty business unit of CBRE that he formed while serving as managing director of the Las Vegas office. Knott has been an active member of the commercial real estate industry for 20 years.
COSMOPOLITAN RESORT & CASINO
Audrey S. Oswell has been named chief operating officer. In her new position, she will be responsible for overseeing operations of the $2 billion center-Las Vegas Strip megaresort and condo-hotel development set to open in 2009. With over 26 years of executive experience, Oswell most recently served as president and CEO for Resorts Atlantic City, where she was responsible for daily operations and long-term strategic direction for the Atlantic City casino resort.
FRENCH LICK CASINO
Joe Feldman has been promoted to director of casino marketing. He previously held the position of director of table games. That position will now be held by gaming veteran Dale Nachreiner. In his new role, Feldman will be responsible for all marketing operations for French Lick Casino, including overseeing the property's Resort Rewards Club. He also will create, implement and supervise all casino-related events. Prior to joining the company, Feldman was vice president of casino operations for Caesars Indiana, where he was responsible for overall casino operations, primarily table games and retail. He has also worked for Caesars Atlantic City.
Nachreiner will be responsible for all table games operations and promotions, including poker tournaments. He started his gaming career 26 years ago at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, where he later worked at the Sahara. In the early 1990s Nachreiner helped open three Midwest casinos, including the first riverboat in Alton, Ill., Players Island Casino in southern Illinois, and Caesars Indiana, where he worked until joining the French Lick Casino.
GAMING PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL
The company's board of directors recently appointed Charles R. (Chuck) Henry as a director and member of the audit, nominating and governance committees. Henry is a retired two-star general with a 41-year military career and an advanced law degree. He is the current chief operating officer and a board member of CEG Company in Rico Rica, Ariz. Prior to that he was a consultant in Washington D.C. for Sahara International and CEO and president of the National Veterans Business Development Corporation.
LAS VEGAS GAMING INC.
Stephen Crystal has been appointed chief marketing officer effective July 2006. He has served on the board of directors since November 2005. Crystal has an extensive background in gaming development and operations. Prior to joining LVGI, Crystal was co-founder, vice chairman and president of Barrick Gaming, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barrick Corporation, as well as its general counsel.
MGM MIRAGE
Augie Renna has been promoted to the position of senior vice president of Eastern Operations. He currently directs all marketing efforts on the East Coast for MGM Mirage and has served as vice president of Eastern Operations since 1995. Before that he also served as vice president of casino marketing for Resorts Atlantic City, Showboat Atlantic City and Trump Plaza.
MOHEGAN SUN
Lisa Stevens has been appointed vice president of casino marketing. In this position, she will be responsible for the implementation and operation of the player development and executive host departments and their marketing programs. Stevens brings over 20 years of experience in casino player development. She joins Mohegan Sun from Argosy Gaming Company in Alton, Ill. where she was corporate director of payer development.
Gary Baker has been named national sales manager. In his position, Baker will represent the hotel in the Mid-Atlantic market to drive long-term group business for the property. With 20 years of sales industry experience, Baker most recently spent five years as national sales manager at Foxwoods Resort & Casino in Mashantucket, Conn.
Additional marketing promotions include: Elizabeth Horner as sales manager covering the New England corporate market; Krista Dodge and Angel Montano, who have both been appointed as executive conference managers handling corporate groups of 75 rooms or less; and Matt Burris, who has been promoted to sales manager for Mohegan Sun's on-site destination services department.
NAVEGANTE SEARCH
Marc Weiswasser has been promoted to senior vice president of Navegante Search, an executive recruiting firm for the gaming and hospitality industry. He has been with Navegante for more than seven years, and prior to this was the executive director of the Casino Management Association. Navegante manages four casinos in downtown Las Vegas, the Grand Sierra in Reno, Nev., and is part owner of Casino Fandango in Carson City, Nev.
TURNING STONE RESORT & CASINO
Barry J. Parrish has been named vice president of sales and marketing. He will be tasked with enhancing the overall brand and establishing the resort as one of the premier destinations in the Northeast. Prior to joining Turning Stone, Parrish was vice president of corporate and strategic marketing for Sunterra Resorts in Las Vegas. As vice president of sales and marketing for Cendant's Howard Johnson brand, he was instrumental in the brand's turnaround, growing Howard Johnson to more than 600 locations.
Who's going where and doing what in the gaming industry
CB RICHARD ELLIS
John Knott has recently been promoted to executive vice president for the company's Global Gaming Group. He joined the company in 1999 and had a senior leadership role in the Global Gaming Group, a specialty business unit of CBRE that he formed while serving as managing director of the Las Vegas office. Knott has been an active member of the commercial real estate industry for 20 years.
COSMOPOLITAN RESORT & CASINO
Audrey S. Oswell has been named chief operating officer. In her new position, she will be responsible for overseeing operations of the $2 billion center-Las Vegas Strip megaresort and condo-hotel development set to open in 2009. With over 26 years of executive experience, Oswell most recently served as president and CEO for Resorts Atlantic City, where she was responsible for daily operations and long-term strategic direction for the Atlantic City casino resort.
FRENCH LICK CASINO
Joe Feldman has been promoted to director of casino marketing. He previously held the position of director of table games. That position will now be held by gaming veteran Dale Nachreiner. In his new role, Feldman will be responsible for all marketing operations for French Lick Casino, including overseeing the property's Resort Rewards Club. He also will create, implement and supervise all casino-related events. Prior to joining the company, Feldman was vice president of casino operations for Caesars Indiana, where he was responsible for overall casino operations, primarily table games and retail. He has also worked for Caesars Atlantic City.
Nachreiner will be responsible for all table games operations and promotions, including poker tournaments. He started his gaming career 26 years ago at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, where he later worked at the Sahara. In the early 1990s Nachreiner helped open three Midwest casinos, including the first riverboat in Alton, Ill., Players Island Casino in southern Illinois, and Caesars Indiana, where he worked until joining the French Lick Casino.
GAMING PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL
The company's board of directors recently appointed Charles R. (Chuck) Henry as a director and member of the audit, nominating and governance committees. Henry is a retired two-star general with a 41-year military career and an advanced law degree. He is the current chief operating officer and a board member of CEG Company in Rico Rica, Ariz. Prior to that he was a consultant in Washington D.C. for Sahara International and CEO and president of the National Veterans Business Development Corporation.
LAS VEGAS GAMING INC.
Stephen Crystal has been appointed chief marketing officer effective July 2006. He has served on the board of directors since November 2005. Crystal has an extensive background in gaming development and operations. Prior to joining LVGI, Crystal was co-founder, vice chairman and president of Barrick Gaming, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barrick Corporation, as well as its general counsel.
MGM MIRAGE
Augie Renna has been promoted to the position of senior vice president of Eastern Operations. He currently directs all marketing efforts on the East Coast for MGM Mirage and has served as vice president of Eastern Operations since 1995. Before that he also served as vice president of casino marketing for Resorts Atlantic City, Showboat Atlantic City and Trump Plaza.
MOHEGAN SUN
Lisa Stevens has been appointed vice president of casino marketing. In this position, she will be responsible for the implementation and operation of the player development and executive host departments and their marketing programs. Stevens brings over 20 years of experience in casino player development. She joins Mohegan Sun from Argosy Gaming Company in Alton, Ill. where she was corporate director of payer development.
Gary Baker has been named national sales manager. In his position, Baker will represent the hotel in the Mid-Atlantic market to drive long-term group business for the property. With 20 years of sales industry experience, Baker most recently spent five years as national sales manager at Foxwoods Resort & Casino in Mashantucket, Conn.
Additional marketing promotions include: Elizabeth Horner as sales manager covering the New England corporate market; Krista Dodge and Angel Montano, who have both been appointed as executive conference managers handling corporate groups of 75 rooms or less; and Matt Burris, who has been promoted to sales manager for Mohegan Sun's on-site destination services department.
NAVEGANTE SEARCH
Marc Weiswasser has been promoted to senior vice president of Navegante Search, an executive recruiting firm for the gaming and hospitality industry. He has been with Navegante for more than seven years, and prior to this was the executive director of the Casino Management Association. Navegante manages four casinos in downtown Las Vegas, the Grand Sierra in Reno, Nev., and is part owner of Casino Fandango in Carson City, Nev.
TURNING STONE RESORT & CASINO
Barry J. Parrish has been named vice president of sales and marketing. He will be tasked with enhancing the overall brand and establishing the resort as one of the premier destinations in the Northeast. Prior to joining Turning Stone, Parrish was vice president of corporate and strategic marketing for Sunterra Resorts in Las Vegas. As vice president of sales and marketing for Cendant's Howard Johnson brand, he was instrumental in the brand's turnaround, growing Howard Johnson to more than 600 locations.
