Las Vegas-based Aruze Gaming America recently announced several changes have been made to its organizational structure and leadership team.
Richard Pennington has resigned from his positions as president, chief administrative officer and chief financial officer. He will remain at the company as vice chairman of the board of directors and senior advisor to the chief financial officer and chief executive officer. “I am extremely proud to have been a member of executive management at Aruze for the last seven years. I truly wish I could continue for another seven years, but my personal situation makes that impractical,” Pennington commented.
Eric Persson will assume the responsibilities of president and chief operating officer, and also will become a member of board of directors. He stated, “I’m excited to be a part of this opportunity and to utilize the knowledge I’ve gained over the past 18 years to take Aruze’s sales, marketing and R&D to the next level.” Takahiro Usui, Aruze’s chief executive officer and chairman of the board, said, “Eric is a proven leader with a track record of success. I’m confident that he is the right person for these roles.”
Former Chief Operating Officer Yugo Kinoshita has been named chief financial officer and chief strategic officer. He will focus on finance, accounting, treasury and strategic planning as well as continue to manage the company’s manufacturing operations, and will remain as a member of the board of directors. Pennington said, “Yugo is a great fit for this position. He is strategic, well educated and a seasoned gaming executive.”
Robert Ziems, Aruze’s chief legal officer, will continue with his current responsibilities and will assume the additional responsibilities of corporate secretary and become a member of the board of directors. Ziems stated, “I feel fortunate to join a board with complementary skill sets and 80-plus years of gaming experience.”
Usui said, “Aruze is continually looking at adapting our organization in response to changes in the gaming market and personal situations. This revised management structure will more fully optimize the talents and passions of our individual executives. Aruze exists to make gaming more entertaining for the player. These organizational changes enhance our leadership capabilities and give Aruze the best opportunity to fulfill its mission.”
