The Innovation Group, organizers of the Emerging Leaders of Gaming program, and Global Gaming Business magazine (GGB) have announced the winners of the 2019-2020 Class of Emerging Leaders of Gaming 40 Under 40, a program that recognizes young professionals making significant impacts in the casino gaming industry.
The 2019-20 “40-Under-40” list of emerging gaming leaders award winners cover all aspects of the industry, including casinos, tribal, manufacturers, legal, regulatory and entertainment. This year, a record 150 people were nominated for the honor.
The award recognizes young professional gaming leaders under the age of 40 who have made significant contributions and are on track to be the industry’s next generation of leaders.
The emerging leaders of gaming are selected by The Innovation Group and Global Gaming Business magazine. Profiles of each of the winners are published in GGB starting in November and continuing through September 2020.
“The emerging leaders program has become the most important vehicle for recognition of young leaders in the gaming industry,” said Roger Gros, publisher of GGB magazine. “With a record number of nominations, the list was very difficult to narrow. It’s a testament to the bright future of the industry how competitive the process has become.”
Michael Soll, president of The Innovation Group, said reaction to the program has increased and new leadership can serve to invigorate an industry. Soll said the program continues to play a key role in identifying individuals with the talent and creativity to lead gaming into the future.
“Awareness of the emerging leaders program, now in its seventh year, continues to grow,” Soll said. “We’re able to recognize an increasingly more diverse class of rising executives each year.”
The 2019-2020 class of the “Emerging Leaders of Gaming 40 Under 40” are:
- Filippos Antonopoulos, Founder, Vermantia
- Stewart Baker, Chief Financial Officer, Inspired Entertainment, Inc.
- Phil Bernard, Vice President, Gaming Equipment, Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, LLC
- Steven Brody, Digital Compliance Manager, William Hill
- Brian Bulko, Compliance Manager, Speaking Rock Entertainment Center
- Lucas Cai, Director, Casino Operations, Marina Bay Sands Pte Ltd
- Shawnna Castellano, Region Director, National Indian Gaming Commission
- Amy Castro, Gaming Operations Analyst, Ocean Downs Casino
- Dan Cherry, Corporate VP of Gaming Operations, Penn National Gaming
- Dan Farnon, Director, Strategic Accounts, IGT
- Jessica Feil, Senior Director of Government Relations, American Gaming Association
- Josh Ford, Chief Information Officer, Jamul Casino
- Kevin Fulmer, VP,Digital Sports, Caesars Interactive Entertainment
- Daniel Hanson, Executive Director, Snoqualmie Gaming Commission
- Harry Jackson, Senior Associate, Fox Rothschild LLP
- Afshien Lashkari, Lead Engineer – Technical Services Bureau, New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
- Brandon Loeschner, Partner & National Gaming Practice Lead, RubinBrown LLP
- Meredith McEvoy, Engineering Operations Director, AGS
- Max Meltzer, Chief Commercial Officer, Kambi
- Bhavishi Patel, In-House Counsel & Vice President Experiences, Eureka Casino Resort
- Teri Chan Palomaki, Vice President Finance, Scientific Games
- Lukas Pesek, Vice President Excalibur, MGM Resorts International
- Samantha Powell, Senior Manager Engineering, Gaming Laboratories Australia
- Guillermo Ramirez, Mechanical Engineer, Incredible Technologies
- Danielle Rankin, Director of Business Development, Konami Gaming
- Loren Rosenberg, Vice President Product & Market Strategy, Everi Holdings, Inc.
- Karl Rutledge, Partner, Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie
- Ryan Sawyer, Vice President/Project Director, Analytical Environmental Services (AES)
- Allen Schultz, Director Slot Performance, San Manuel Casino
- Lindsay Slader, VP,Regulatory Affairs, GeoComply
- Nicole Stewart, Principal, Urban Systems, Inc.
- Kelly Sullivan, Director of Organizational Development, Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment
- Diana Szorc, Digital Marketing Manager, Rush Street Gaming
- Rishi Tirupari, Vice President Sustainability, Wynn Resorts Macau
- Simone Tyreem Assistant Casino Manager, Paris Las Vegas, Caesars Entertainment- )
- Luciana Van Sickle, Global Strategic Sourcing Manager, Aristocrat Technologies
- Adam Wexler, CEO, Performance Predictions
- Christopher Wilcock, Executive Director, Casino Optimization, Venetian Casino Resort LLC
- Brian Wyman, VP of Analytics, The Innovation Group
The Emerging Leaders of Gaming Cocktail Event during G2E will be held on Wednesday, October 16 at 5 p.m. at SUSHISAMBA Las Vegas inside the Palazzo Las Vegas.
Nominations for the 2021 Emerging Leaders of Gaming cßlass can be submitted at the Global Gaming Business website, www.ggbmagazine.com, starting April 15, 2020.
