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WORKSHOPS: Monday Afternoon, April 21, 2008
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Employment Law for Tribal Gaming Enterprises |
This session addresses the timely and relevant conversation regarding the application of state and federal law to tribal employers, whether the National Labor Relations Act force unions on tribal employers, the relationship between tribal employers and gaming regulatory commissions, and the unique policy considerations for tribal employers. This session, unlike many employment law sessions, focuses on employment in Indian Country.
Speaker:
- Richard G. McGee (bio)
Law Office of Richard G. McGee, LLC
Richard G. McGee is the principal attorney at the Law Office of Richard G. McGee, LLC in Plymouth, Minnesota. Mr. McGee's practice focuses on protecting the rights of individuals, businesses and tribes. Mr. McGee works with tribal employers on the full range of employment related issues.
Mr. McGee was Assistant General Counsel for the Prairie Island Indian Community. The Prairie Island Indian Community owns and operates Treasure Island Resort & Casino, which employs more than 2,000 employees. Both the Prairie Island Indian Community and Treasure Island Resort & Casino are located in southeast Minnesota.
Before joining the Prairie Island Indian Community, Mr. McGee spent a decade litigating business and employment cases as a lawyer at Arnold, Anderson & Dove in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Those experiences were concentrated in the Midwest, and he also litigated cases on both coasts, as well as cases in southern Texas. Mr. McGee is a graduate of the Oklahoma University Law School located in Norman, Oklahoma.
Questions on this session? Contact: richardmcgee@comcast.net |
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: A Review of Casino Advertising |
What separates good advertising from bad...or just plain ugly? We will give and honest review of Native American casino advertising creative selected from across the country and provide insights to help attendees communicate more effectively with their target audiences, position and differentiate themselves from their competitors and build brand awareness in their market. Learn how to move your casino from commonplace advertising to extraordinary targeted communication.
Speaker:
- Allen Wallach (bio)
Chief Executive Officer, Concussion Advertising
Allen Wallach is a 20-year strategic marketing expert and the architect of many successful campaigns for national brands such as Imperial Schrade Corp., Remington Health Products, Ariat Boots and others. He has also helped mastermind the growth and success of casinos all over the Southwest. As a result, Allen has become a sought-after consultant in the gaming industry, speaking at conferences such as G2E, NIGA, Bingo World and others. He continues to build a legacy of success today as CEO of Concussion.
Questions on this session? Contact: allwall@concussion.net
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Resort Facility and Amenity Options at Indian Casinos |
As Indian casinos grow and expand to become full-scale entertainment destinations,
there are numerous types of facilities and amenities which the casino may develop.
This includes: Hotels and Resorts, Spas and Fitness Centers, Golf Courses, Restaurants
and Nightclubs, Showrooms/Entertainment Venues, Convention and Events Centers,
RV Parks/Campgrounds, Gas Station/Convenience Stores and Truck stop/Travel Plazas,
Waterparks, Family Entertainment Centers (Arcades, Batting Cages, Mini-Golf,
etc.), Childcare, Bowling Centers, Cinemas, Retail (Gift Shops - Outlet Malls)
and a variety of other attractions. How do you determine which ancillary facilities
and amenities, or combination there of, will maximize the profits at your casino?
This panel will provide an introduction to the numerous ancillary facility
and amenity options available for casinos considering expansion. It will also
provide estimates of the actual financial costs and benefits of adding one or
more such facilities and amenities to an Indian casino, including a discussion
of facilities and amenities currently available at casinos in Indian Country.
- Overview of the various facility and amenity options at Indian casinos
- Trends
in resort ancillary facility and amenity development
- Nationwide
- Indian Casinos
- What is the purpose and potential interplay between casinos and the
various ancillary facilities?
- Stand-alone profit centers
- Marketing tools
- Public service/benefit for Tribal Community
- What are the financial costs and benefits of adding the various ancillary
facilities?
- Estimates of development costs, revenues, expenses, profits and returns
on investment for the various ancillary facilities
- Incremental gaming revenue
estimates for the various ancillary facilities and amenities
Speaker:
- James M. Klas and Matthew S. Robinson, KlasRobinson Q.E.D.
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Using Financial Information to Maximize the Performance of Your Casino |
In this certification presentation we will examine the key indicators that drive
performance for gaming and non-gaming departments. We will identify the financial
information that should be included in the monthly financial package and discuss
the various roles this information serves. We will also discuss issues commonly
encountered with regard to the financial statements.
Topics covered include:
- Key gaming department indicators of performance.
- Essential information in the monthly financial package
- Roles & responsibilities with regard to financial information
- Issues with regard to the financial statements.
Speaker:
- Theresa Kain (bio)
Director, RSM McGladrey
Theresa Kain is a Director in RSM McGladrey's National Gaming Group based out
of San Diego. The National Gaming Group consists of professionals specializing in providing consulting and audit services to gaming entities across the United States.
Theresa joined RSM McGladrey's National Gaming Group in 1999, and with her background in management and finance, she uses her skills, knowledge and experience to assist casinos and other Tribal enterprises in maximizing their resources and streamlining their organizational structures.
Theresa has designed, authored and implemented casino-wide internal control systems for start-up casinos, as well as worked with numerous established casinos in updating and improving their internal control systems. She is responsible for designing internal audit checklists, developing effective internal audit strategies for casino internal audits, and leading casino internal audits performed by RSM McGladrey's National Gaming Group. She is also responsible for communicating any identified internal control issues with casino and gaming commission management, and working with the appropriate individuals in determining effective resolution to the issues identified.
In addition to a thorough understanding of casino internal controls, Theresa works with tribal enterprises, including casinos, in the reorganization and development of the properties through business process improvement design and implementation. She is experienced in strategic business planning and performance of profit and loss analysis. She has performed management training as it relates to profit enhancement, budgeting and managing the resources for their departments.
Questions on this session? Contact: Theresa.kain@rsmi.com
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Staying on Top of Your QA Game? Winning the Food Safety Challenge |
From the supplier's field to the customer-each step along the supply chain-are
you properly managing your food safety risk? Join this panel to see how supplier
audits, food safety reviews, and training can make your operations more secure.
Learn about one of the latest tools being used to assure food safety including "Meet
the Truck" audits-an innovation that tracks actual product being delivered
to your casino's back door-to add a new level of security.
Addressing food safety issues is always on the mind of any casino operator.
But it is clear that food safety issues continue to nag the food service business.
As the FDA's recent report showed, many food service operations are susceptible
to a variety of potential issues which can occur throughout the supply chain
or through their own preparation, all of which can carry significant risk.
With the pressure of the day-to-day operations, operators can sometimes get
distracted from the responsibility to deliver a safe product to the customer.
Focusing on the quality of items purchased, food cost, presentation, and guest
satisfaction are all important, but the single most important thing in the food
business is to focus on food safety. This one issue can have a larger impact
on your casino than all the other issues combined.
Speakers:
- Ed Thompson (bio)
Vice President, Quality Assurance, Avendra
As Vice President of Quality Assurance, Mr. Thompson manages the quality assurance staff at 10 regional centers throughout the United States and has the responsibility for the overall food safety and physical safety for all Avendra contracted products.
Mr. Thompson came to Avendra after nine years with Marriott International as a Commodity Team Leader and Director of Strategic Contracting. Prior to Marriott, he worked in the meat industry for 25 years in various roles including Vice President Operations for Esskay, Plant Operations Manager for Swift Industries and Plant Operations Manager for Greenwood Packing.
His memberships include the Food Safety Leadership Council and Texas A&M Institute of Food Science and Engineering Advisory Council. In addition, Mr. Thompson serves on the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Advisory Council and the Maryland/DC Minority Supplier Development Council. Mr. Thompson is a graduate of University of Baltimore in Business Administration.
Avendra is North America's leading procurement services company serving hospitality-related industries. Avendra customers gain access to contracts leveraging more than $3 billion of annual purchases, expert advisory services and in-depth purchasing data and analysis.
- Jorge A. Hernandez (bio)
Vice President Food Safety & Quality Assurance, U.S. Foodservice
Mr. Hernandez is responsible for setting the food safety and quality vision and standards for US Foodservice, its Distribution Centers, Food Processing facilities and Private Label products. He is also responsible for the organization's compliance with all regulatory standards for food safety.
Prior to joining US Foodservice, Mr. Hernandez was the Vice President for Food Safety & Risk Management for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. In this role, he headed the NRA's efforts to identify and define the foodservice industry's food safety and risk management programs including training and education. At the same time Mr. Hernandez served as the Food Safety Vice President for the International Food Safety Council, an NRA initiative focused on heightening the awareness of food safety in the industry. One of the key accomplishments of this Council was the creation of National Food Safety Education Month, a national program that promotes food safety and food safety training in the foodservice industry.
Prior to working with the NRA, Mr. Hernandez worked for the Illinois Department of Public Health, and was responsible for the training and standardization of food inspectors across the state, the implementation of the state's food code and the writing of interpretations of the same.
Mr. Hernandez is a registered sanitarian, a certified food safety instructor and a past FDA standardization officer. He is a member of the National Restaurant Association Quality Assurance Executives Study Group, the National Environmental Health Association, the Association of Food & Drug Officials, the Institute of Food Technologists, the International Association for Food Protection and the American Translators Association.
In addition, Mr. Hernandez serves as a board member of the Produce Marketing Association, the Quality Executives Board, the Advocate Hospitals Charitable Foundation the American National Standards Institute's Accreditation Committee, the Conference for Food Protection (several committees) and served as a scientific member of the National Egg Board's Food Safety Advisory Panel, Underwriter Laboratories Food Industry User panel, and the International HACCP Alliance.
He is fluent in English, Spanish and French, has bachelor's degrees in Biology and Chemistry from Rockford College in Illinois, a degree in French Culture from La Universite de la Sorbonne in Paris, France and a degree in Microbiology from the Centro de Estudios Cientificos y Tecnologicos Especialidades Medico-Biologicas in Mexico City, Mexico.
- Tom Chestnut (bio)
Vice President, Supply Chain Food Safety & Quality, NSF International
Mr. Chestnut started with NSF International in 2006 and is responsible for supply chain food safety programs, including NSF Cook & Thurber and NSF Davis Fresh. He came to NSF from Darden Restaurants where he was Vice President, Total Quality, responsible for all aspects of supplier, laboratory, and restaurant quality assurance. He began his career at Darden in 1980 and held progressive positions as; Quality Assurance Manager - Red Lobster, Director of Quality Assurance - General Mills Restaurants, and International Director of Product Safety and Quality where he established an international food safety and quality inspection program for seafood and produce with personnel in Asia, Central America, and Mexico.
Mr. Chestnut was a founding member of the Food Safety Leadership Council (Darden, McDonalds, Wal-Mart, Avendra, and Disney), a group that developed higher food safety standards for processors and produce growers. He is active in the Conference for Food Protection where he was Vice-Chair of the 2000 Conference and served as a member of the Executive Board from 1998-2004.
Questions on this session? Contact: Kathy.Boyle@avendra.com |
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Facilitating Organizational Change |
The only constant element in business is change and while we may not be able
to control the fast paced nature of our industry, we can control how we anticipate,
respond and embrace the changes that are occurring. Deciding that
changes need to happen is the easy part. Getting your people on board is
much more difficult and requires new ways of thinking, new skills and new tools. Individuals
tasked with the responsibility of leading change need to establish sponsorship
and ownership for change, clarify expectations, design requirements for change,
provide feedback and build support for change. This program is designed
for those who are currently responsible for managing change efforts or those
who want to be ready for this challenge in their current or future positions.
This program will prepare participants to:
- Understand change management theories, communication theory, and motivation
theories
- Select an appropriate change model and design a strategic plan for change
that minimizes the impact on people and maximizes buy-in
- Create implementation designs that involve and inspire formal and informal
leaders
- Develop communication tools that raise awareness, build commitment, and ensure
understanding
- Manage consequences that may occur such as conflict, resistance, negativity,
and complacency.
Speaker:
- Mary Beth DeFazio (bio)
President/Mountainview Marketing Services
Mary Beth DeFazio is a seasoned leader in the fields of hospitality and gaming
management. Her experience is derived from relationships with some of the world's
most respected companies, including MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas,
ARK Las Vegas at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Casino Niagara and
Seneca Niagara Casino, as well as hospitality stalwarts Ritz-Carlton, Embassy
Suites and Ramada Inn.
In 1996, Mary Beth started PEP Consulting Group, an internal and external
marketing agency focusing on the needs of gaming, hospitality and service related
businesses. In 2005, she opened Mountainview Marketing Services which is
a Native-owned full-service marketing, promotions and advertising agency that
specializes in creating effective marketing solutions for the gaming, hospitality
and entertainment industries. Both companies are dedicated
to achieving the needs of their clients by providing innovative and integrated
strategies and solutions that will meet and exceed expectations and provide clients
with a return on investment (ROI).
In 2002, Mary Beth assisted the Seneca Nation with the pre-opening recruitment,
hiring and training efforts for the opening of the Seneca Nation's $100+ million
dollar Class III casino, however, one of her most significant challenges was
opening Casino Niagara with the Navegante Group. Navegante was selected
in July 1996 as the Agent for the Ontario Casino Corporation to assist in the
design, construction, and management of the $165 million, 100,000 square-foot
casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Mary Beth was a management consultant for the
project, responsible for overseeing recruiting, employment, and training of more
than 3,500 employees in a record 129 days. In December of 1996, Casino Niagara
opened on schedule to rave reviews and within its projected budget.
As a member of the pre-opening human resources management team at the world's
largest hotel, casino and theme park, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Mary Beth focused
her responsibilities on developing Las Vegas' largest recruitment center. The
Center processed more than 100,000 applications over an eight-week period to
fill 8,500 positions for the property.
A native of western New York State, Mary Beth received her Bachelor's degree
in Marketing from Niagara University, and a Master's degree in Food, Hotel and
Tourism Management from Rochester Institute of Technology. In addition
to her gaming background, Mary Beth also holds 10 years of experience in the
hospitality industry and is also a faculty member at Niagara County Community
College for their Gaming and Hospitality programs.
- Dr. Neil Cornelius (bio)
Gaming General Manager, Oneida Bingo Casino
Neil is currently the General Manager at Oneida Casino in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Oneida
operates one of the largest and most successful Indian Gaming operations in the
nation. Oneida operates eight gaming facilities in the Green Bay area. He
is responsible for strategic direction and operational performance of all of
Oneida’s gaming entities. He specializes in organizational evolution
and personnel development to ensure strategic direction is established and executed,
He is diligent in aligning organizational resources with strategic priorities
and establishing and maintaining focus on those priorities. He is
a member of Oneida’s Executive Management team and participates in strategic
decision making of the tribe.
Neil was the Chief Executive Officer for the Coyote Valley Shodakai Band of
Pomo Indians in Ukiah, California. His responsibilities were to provide
leadership direction and management focus on all strategic planning, organizational
alignment, and personnel development processes for all Tribal and Gaming operations. He
was responsible to provide leadership development organizational development
for all gaming and governmental managers and operations. He was also strategic
advisor and executive coach for the Coyote Valley Tribal Council.
Prior to coming to Coyote Valley, Neil served as General Manager for the Prairie
Island Mdwakentan Sioux Nation in Red Wing, Minnesota. His duties there
included strategic planning and daily operations of a large gaming resort. Neil
was also responsible for development and construction of a large expansion which
created a destination resort for Treasure Island operations. The operations consisted
of the casino, hotel, yacht, 3 restaurants, golf course, and special event operations. He
also served as advisor and facilitator for the Tribal Council in their tribal
strategic plan development. After this expansion, Treasure Island Resort
and Casino was voted Minnesota’s favorite Casino for five consecutive years.
Neil is member of the Oneida Nation of Oneida Wisconsin. He served as
the General Manager of Gaming operations from 1995 through 1998. He was
responsible for Oneida’s gaming operations. He was a member
of the Senior Management team at Oneida and participated in all strategic planning
and organizational efforts at Oneida.
Neil holds a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Management, and a Bachelor
of Science Degree in Business Administration. He is a licensed facilitator
for the Covey Leadership Center. He facilitates leadership and management
training and organizational development seminars. He is an experienced
and competent executive coach and facilitator.
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 4:00
PM
IBM: Windows Integration and Basic Operations on System i (i5/OS) |
Earn Certification on these system elements:
- System i - LINUX, UNIX, Windows & .NET Management
- System i - Basic Operations
- LPAR - How Logical Partitions enhance the system environment
- Logical Partitioning using the HMC - Why this unique feature provides options to the System i environment for multiple Operating systems management
- BRMS - Backup Recovery and Media Services
- WDSC - WebSphere Application Development Studio Client for
System i
- SQL - Accessing DB2 using SQL and the new Web Based Query
system
Speakers:
- Linda J. Morrison (bio)
System Engineer (System i content developer/instructor)
IBM
Linda J. Morrison is an IBM System Engineer. She has extensive experienced as an instructor and course content developer across the System i platform (AS/400). She has 30 years with IBM in a variety of technical , marketing, support and education positions. Her expertise also includes extensive experience in the areas of System i Communication (Software,hardware, TCPIP, Internet, Firewall, SSL, Client Server) and connectivity, WebSphere, Windows Integration and Security. She is a highly respected and received instructor by customers and IBMer's.
Questions on this Session? Contact: jaambler@us.ibm.com |
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Slot Machines, Math & Magic: Slot Math Explained |
Back for the 3rd year, this session has been revised and upgraded
to include new features found in the machines on your gaming floor. The
class will work together to develop a 3-reel slot game, designing the symbols,
reel strips, payout and complete math. The game's PAR sheet will help to
illustrate the underlying slot math, helping you apply this to your games back
home. There will also be some discussion on Class II games and how Class
III and Class II slot math compare.
Speaker:
John Wilson ( bio)
Owner, ICS Gaming
John Wilson, The Slot Mathemagician, has over 90 gaming articles published in magazines worldwide. A lively and entertaining speaker, his classes are always well attended and informative. You're sure to come out of this session with a better understanding of slot math through his humourous presentation that relies heavily upon class interaction.
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 4:00
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Exploring Options in Tribal Finance |
This workshop will present a panel of industry professionals discussing various
options available for tribal financings, especially those relating to gaming
enterprises or utilizing gaming cash flow as security for other tribal projects.
We will present differing options, criteria and procedures describing the type
of lending, terms and covenants a tribe can expect and preparation needed. We
will cover recent trends in the lending marketplace looking at new lenders, market
comfort and how the industry has changed. We will also discuss increased economic
development trends available with expanded gaming opportunities such as infrastructure
financing and social program financing (using gaming proceeds). We will have
select professionals present providing expertise as well as case studies from
tribal experience. The presentation will be designed to be as interactive as
possible, encouraging dialogue with the attendees.
Moderator:
- Valerie Red-Horse (bio)
Tribal Finance Division and the Tribal
Asset Management Division of Western International Securities
VALERIE RED-HORSE currently heads the Tribal Finance Division and the Tribal Asset Management Division of Western International Securities as well as serving as President of Red-Horse Financial Group, her own financial services holding company. Red-Horse has been engaged on over fifty tribal financings totaling over $2 billion dollars in transactions, including debt, equity and advisory mandates. She works with tribal nations throughout North America providing them with financing and economic development solutions, specializing in gaming, infrastructure and long term financial planning. Ms. Red-Horse has assisted tribes in financings ranging from $1 million to $500 million and has been requested to testify, as a professional expert, regarding tribal finance for both State and Federal Legislative bodies.
Panelists:
- Matt Sodl, Innovation Capital
- Kent Richey, Attorney, Faegre & Benson
- Raycen Raines, Western, Social Programs
- Matt Mattson, Snoqualmie Nation
Questions on this session? Contact: valerie@wisdirect.com |
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 4:00
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Improving Your BSA Anti-Money Laundering Program |
This certification session will feature a panel of experts addressing various topics, to include: FinCEN addressing BSA casino AML compliance program, currency transaction and suspicious activity reporting, and recordkeeping requirements. FinCEN will then discuss BSA violation factors from casino examinations that would result in IRS referring the matter to FinCEN for consideration of civil enforcement actions. Finally, there will be a discussion of a representative list of casino suspicious examples. The panelists will also address how tribes can audit for CTR's and suspicious transactions as well as international efforts to demonstrate a worldwide concern, and establishing an educational program for employees; implementation of proper procedures, controls, and safeguards using both manual and automated systems; controversial issues in record generation and achieving compliance; performing a self audit; and cost of compliance to a casino.
Panelists:
- Leonard C. Senia,
Senior Regulatory Program Specialist, FinCEN
- Steve Ducharme
Chairman of the Pokagon Band Gaming Commission
- Thomas Doyle,
Vice President of Product Management, Bally Technologies
Questions on this session? Contact: len.senia@fincen.gov |
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 5:00
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EagleIntel National Indian Gaming Integrity Symposium
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Roundtable Discussion topics will include the latest trends in gaming industry intelligence, what the industry is using to communicate intelligence and how we can improve intelligence.
Click Here for More Info and Authorization Form
Moderator:
- Douglas Florence (invited)
Panelists:
Dennis Edeal is the Director of Surveillance for the Santa Ana Star Casino in Santa Ana Pueblo, NM. He has worked in Indian Gaming for 14 years in various capacities including Licensing, Investigations and Surveillance. He can be reached at dennise@santaanastar.com
- Patrick Sanchez
Director of Investigations, Pueblo of Santa Ana Gaming Commission, Santa Ana, New Mexico
Chairman, New Mexico Indian Gaming Intelligence/Compliance Network
- William Schweigart
Commercial Facilities Sector, Department of Homeland Security
Questions on this session? Contact Curtis Danforth at oneida_3@yahoo.com |
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 4:00
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Raving Certification Track: How to Put Player Development Into Your Customer Service...and Vice Versa |
Being nice is nice, but how do you elevate service to sales on your casino floor? And how do you get your gaming operations staff to focus on guests.not just on procedures? This session explores the most effective ways to drive revenue and relationships at the same time.
Speaker:
- Steve Browne (bio)
Vice President and Customer Service Associate
Raving Consulting
Company
Steve Browne is the Vice President and Customer Service Associate of Raving Consulting Company. Steve is a graduate of the University of Colorado and has over 25 years of experience in the gaming industry, most notably nine years as the owner and general manager of Cactus Jacks, a customer-focused locals casino in Carson City, Nevada. From this incredible experience in "customer worship," Steve has created an entire suite of Raving training products and services. His gaming savvy, extremely motivational style, and "people focus" have quickly helped Steve to become the premier customer service resource in the gaming industry. In eight short years, he has worked with over 50 casino clients and created and installed more service training programs than any individual or company serving the gaming industry. He has worked with numerous tribal casinos on customer service and player development, and how these disciplines should be effectively linked.
Questions on this session? Contact: training@ravingconsulting.com |
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 4:00
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Making Sure Your Data Stays Your Data ... Is Your Computer System Safe? |
This session will discuss and provide background and information on two very
important and high profile topics in the industry today, IT auditing and data
security.
How safe is your computer system from both internal and external threats?
This session will help you to find out the answer to that question. There are
many threats to your system from internal and external hackers trying to get
to your customers' private data and your financial or player information, to
accidental leaks of information by an employee who lost a laptop, or left a CD
Rom or flash drive at an airport or on a desk somewhere.
We will discuss the basics of an IT audit, along with the fundamentals of
developing or strengthening a strong data security program. We will also discuss
some tools and techniques that are out in the industry to automate and make the
process more efficient. We will go from the planning and risk assessment phases
of these topics right through to some recommendations on what to do to mitigate
and correct some possible concerns and weaknesses that may be identified.
If you have a computer system, then both of these topics should be of a concern
to you and we can help you to address those concerns in this session.
Speaker:
- Joe Oprosko, CPA (bio)
Engagement Manager, Jefferson Wells International
Joe has provided internal audit, external audit, consulting, and training services to Indian Country and the gaming industry in the areas of internal controls, internal auditing, and Title 31/Bank Secrecy Act. He has also developed and facilitated training sessions for NIGA and GPIGA for both certification programs and non-certification programs in these same areas. Joe has over 20 years of financial and accounting experience in providing these and other services including developing and delivering various training programs. Additionally, he has written and published numerous articles in Indian Gaming Magazine and various other trade association magazines. The topics that these articles cover are related to internal controls, internal auditing, and finance and accounting. Joe is a CPA and an Engagement Manager for Jefferson Wells International where he specializes in internal audit, controls and financial operations. He is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants ("AICPA") and the Institute of Internal Auditors ("IIA"). Jefferson Wells has over 50 offices across the US and internationally, and has extensive expertise in the areas of internal audit, internal controls, policies and procedures, technology risk, tax, financial operations and financial process improvement.
Questions on this session? Contact: Joe_Oprosko@jeffersonwells.com |
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 2:30
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How Partner Resourcing = 4 Diamond Results |
How did the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians go from losing money in their
Snack Bars at Chumash Casino in 1998 to the only AAA rated 4 Diamond Restaurant
in California Indian Country in 2006?
How can you take Food & Beverage and other support services off your plate
so you can focus your time and resources on Gaming?
How do you know if you are getting the right price and quality of products
coming in your back door, and protecting from food-borne illnesses?
How does a service provider add value to your operations and your community?
What is the process for developing an outsource contract that can change over
time and continue to focus on win-win results?
Join our session and listen to Chairman Vince Armenta of the Santa Ynez Band
of Chumash Indians describe the ten year relationship that the Chumash Casino
has developed with Sodexo, a worldwide leader in providing customized support
services. In addition to Chairman Armenta, Chumash will be represented by David
Brents, current COO and former General Manager and CFO for Chumash Casino Resort,
as well as Sam Cohen, Government Affairs Specialist and Legal Officer for the
Tribe.
You will receive valuable information into the options of working with a service
provider to achieve your expectations.
Speaker:
- Vince Armenta (bio)
Chairman, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians
Chairman Armenta was first elected to serve as the Tribal Chairman of the
Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians in 1999. He was re-elected to a fifth term
in March 2007.
Prior to being elected Chairman, he owned his own business as a welder in
Santa Ynez. As a successful business owner, he learned key negotiating tactics,
project management techniques and the importance of listening to customers --
skills he uses today as a tribal leader.
One of eight children, Chairman Armenta has lived on the reservation since
1979. He attended local schools and graduated from Santa Ynez Valley High School.
During his younger years, he was active in various sports activities. Now as
a proud father of three sons, he encourages his own children to participate in
team sports to help build character.
Chairman Armenta comes from a family that has devoted themselves to public
service. His father was active in tribal politics and two of his brothers have
served on two tribal commissions.
A strong leader with a passion to improve the economic and educational opportunities
available for tribal members of all ages, Chairman Armenta is honored to serve
on his tribe's leadership team.
- David Brents (bio)
COO, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians
David Brents is the Chief Operating Officer of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash
Indians and its main business enterprise - the Chumash Casino Resort.
He brings a wealth of finance and management experience to his role as the
Chief Operating Officer, where he is responsible for overseeing the management
of the Chumash Casino Resort operations and also the economic development for
the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.
David spent 20 years as a CPA for a variety of companies. He joined the Chumash
Casino Resort from Pari-mutuel Racing Company (Wembley USA) where he was the
Chief Financial Officer. In his capacity as CFO, he grew the business from $4
million in profits to $50 million in profits over an 11 year-period.
Earlier in his career, David was an auditor with a Big Four CPA Firm, Coopers & Lybrand,
where he focused on oil and gas and technology.
Originally from Texas, David completed his undergraduate studies at the University
of Texas - Arlington where he received a degree in accounting. He also attended
the University of Denver where he received a master's degree in finance.
- Sam Cohen (bio)
Government Affairs Specialist and Legal Officer, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians
Bio Coming Soon
- Bob Tallent (bio)
Senior Vice President, North America Zone, Sodexo Remote Sites
Bio Coming Soon
- Bob Schafer (bio)
Vice President Operations, Casino Support Services, Sodexo Remote Sites
Bob Schafer is the Vice President of Operations for Casino Support Service
of Sodexo Remote Sites. In this capacity, Bob oversees the Sodexo operations
at Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California, as well as the development
of new opportunities in the casino segment.
Bob brings a broad hospitality career to his current role. His twenty year
career with Marriott included opening and operating positions in Marriott's Restaurant,
Theme Park, and Lodging groups. He has been the General Manager of a 429 room
hotel, and opened the Food & Beverage operations of a first class thoroughbred
race track.
When Marriott merged their Management Services division with Sodexo, Bob became
Vice President Operations for Health Care in Southern California, responsible
for food service, housekeeping, and facility maintenance. His experiences with
Sodexo USA headquarters in Supply Chain Management gives him unique insight into
the costs and controls of this critical factor of hospitality management.
Originally from the Chicago area, Bob obtained his degree from Bradley University
in Business Management and Finance. He and his wife live in Ventura County, California
and enjoy frequent visits with their four children and their families.
- Jean Holland (bio)
Corporate Nutritionist and HACCP Coordinator, Doyon Universal Services
Jean Holland serves as the Corporate Nutritionist and HACCP Coordinator for
Doyon Univer-sal Services, a joint venture between Doyon, Ltd (one of thirteen
Alaska Native Regional Corporations) and Sodexo Remote Sites. In this role she
provides nutrition education and well-ness programs, as well as monitoring and
training the Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point (HACCP) food safety
and sanitation program to staff and clients in Alaska and California.
From her professional accreditation of a Doctorate in Education and her Oklahoma,
Georgia, and Louisiana experiences, "Doctor Jean" provides lively classroom
and on the job instruction to all the culinary, service, and management individuals
she works with. The topics include ba-sic nutrition, menu planning, menu modification,
how to read labels, and interpreting government regulations concerning food products.
As HACCP Coordinator and certified ServSafe instructor, she provides analysis,
improvement plans, monitoring, and audits to each facility for program implementation.
Her numerous affiliations include participation in the State of Alaska DEC
Advisory Commit-tee; American Dietetic Association; Alaska Dietetic Association;
International Food Service Executive Association; Southeastern Conference of
College and University Food and Nutrition Professors; UAA Dietetic Intern Advisory
Committee; State of Alaska Job Corp Advisory Committee; and UAF Culinary Advisory
Committee
Her degrees and professional accreditations are as follows:
EdD - Nutrition, Institutional Administration and Adult Education, Oklahoma State
University
RD - Dietetic Internship, Oklahoma State University
MS - Nutrition, Institutional Administration, Oklahoma State University
BS - Dietetics and Home Economics Education, Women's College of Georgia
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Tribal Labor Relations I: Dealing With Union Organizing on Tribal Lands |
Details Coming Soon
Speakers:
- Jim Teague (bio)
Labor Relations Institute
Bio Coming Soon
- Michelle Stanley (bio)
Tribal Attorney Saginaw Chippewa Tribe
Bio Coming Soon
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00
PM to 2:30 PM
Gambling…When It’s Not About the Money |
This workshop session will give participants an opportunity to learn more about how problem and addictive gamblers differ from social gamblers. Warning signs and symptoms of problem gambling will be presented as well as information on the process of treatment and recovery from addiction. Workshop participants will also have an opportunity to engage in discussions surrounding responsible gambling practices within casino management such as self banning guidelines, signage, referrals for counseling, and training programs for casino employees.
Lisa Vig, a licensed addiction counselor and nationally certified gambling counselor along with Dawn Cronin, a licensed social worker and nationally certified gambling counselor will conduct and facilitate the session. Together, they have over 31 years of experience training, counseling and treating problem gamblers and their family members as well as working with legislative and tribal efforts regarding problem gambling. Currently, both are employed by Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota.
Speakers:
- Allan Stenehjem (bio)
Project Coordinator, North Dakota Indian Gaming Association Compulsive Gambling Program
Allan Stenehjem is Project Coordinator for the North Dakota Indian Gaming Association Compulsive Gambling Program. The NDIGA Compulsive Gaming program is the only partnership of its kind in the Nation. Through a voluntary agreement with the five Native American Tribes in North Dakota and the State of North Dakota, treatment for the compulsive gambler is offered statewide to those individuals who otherwise could not afford treatment.
- Lisa Vig
Lutheran Social Service of ND
- Dawn Cronin
Lutheran Social Service of ND
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Monday Afternoon, April 21, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Vendor Licensing Due Diligence/Background Investigations |
Do you know who your vendors are?
Background Investigations are conducted to determine suitability of vendors
to conduct business in the gaming industry.
Vendors/contractors can do millions of dollars in business with tribal casinos.
Vendor license applications and background investigations assist in the screening
out of undesirable applicants. The background investigations process is meant
to protect casino customers, the tribes and the state from businesses that are
disreputable or even have links to organized crime.
How do you address conflicts/disputes between gaming management and regulatory
roles and responsibilities of gaming commissions in dealing with vendors.
Improving the relationship between gaming commission and gaming management.
Revocation, Suspension and Denial of a gaming license. The value of Networking.
Speakers:
- Mark Powless, Sr. (bio)
Oneida Gaming Commission
Mark is an enrolled member of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin and
has served the Oneida Tribe for more than twenty years in many capacities.
Before Mark’s involvement with the Oneida Tribe, Mark was a political
activist with the American Indian Movement (AIM) during the 1970's. He was elected
to the Oneida Tribal Council in 1978, where Mark served as an elected official
of the tribe for a term of three years. Mark was subsequently re-elected for
two additional terms, serving a total of nine years on the Oneida Business Committee
as a tribal council member from 1978 to 1987.
During Mark’s term of office the gaming industry started to escalate
on reservations around the country. As a result of our new found wealth, political
pressure began to build. In response to political pressure, in 1983 the Bureau
of Indian Affairs (BIA) helped coordinate a Task Force on Indian Gaming comprised
of tribal leaders and attorney’s nation wide to investigate and compile
information about the status of Indian gaming. Mark served as the Chairman
of the National Task Force on Gaming on Indian Reservations. Mark has
been recognized as a CO-founder of the National Indian Gaming Association. Mark
testified before the United States Congress on numerous occasions on behalf of
the National Task Force concerning pending legislation before the congress.
Mark and many other tribal leaders saw the necessity to develop strategies
to pass legislation that would preserve the sovereign right to tribal self-regulation
while permitting some kind of balance between state and tribal interests. What
emerged out of this effort was later to become known as the Indian Gaming Regulatory
Act.
Mark served as an elected official of the Oneida Gaming Commission, Marked
served as its Chairman and as a commissioner. Mark has served on many boards,
committees, and commissions within his tribe; most notably Mark served as the
Chairman of the Oneida Tribal School. The Oneida Tribe ear marked revenues from
its gaming operation to build a multi-million dollar elementary school that incorporates
the Oneida Language into the school curriculum.
Mark had been recently employed with the Tule River Tribe as the Executive
Director of the Tule River Tribe Gaming Commission, the Tule River Tribe is located
in California. The Oneida Gaming Commission currently employees Mark.
Mark has also served in the military and is a Vietnam combat veteran, Mark
was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps.
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