Saturday, December 07, 2002
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
Gaming group chief outlines strategy
By ROD SMITH
GAMING WIRE
Phil Satre, chairman and chief executive officer of Harrah's Entertainment, hopes to continue improving the American Gaming Association's educational and lobbying program as the trade group's new chairman.
"Going forward, we plan to build a stronger AGA," said Satre, who was elected this week as the association's new head.
Among his priorities is to build on the recent success of the Global Gaming Expo, the industry's leading trade show. He would like to position the annual event as a forum for sharing critical ideas about developments in the industry, best practices in responsible gaming and how to improve the image of the industry.
In addition, Satre hopes to build on the association's track record representing the business in Washington, D.C., as well as creating a responsible public image for the industry.
"The AGA has a key role in educating the public about the industry and its contributions to the communities in which it operates," he said. "We'll be even more effective in D.C. if we've educated the public on our companies' responsibilities."
He succeeds Chuck Mathewson, chairman of International Game Technology, who had served as the association's founding, and only previous, chairman. Mathewson was named chairman emeritus and will continue to serve on the board.
Satre, association vice chairman since December 2001, will serve a two-year term. Bill Boyd, chairman and CEO of Boyd Gaming Corp., was elected vice chairman, also for a two-year term.
"With leadership from the best minds in our business, the AGA has come a long way in a relatively short period of time," said President and CEO Frank Fahrenkopf in a statement.
Satre said in addition to building G2E as a major trade show and lobbying in Washington, D.C., the association has also helped establish the Center for Responsible Gaming through the Harvard School of Addition.
The association represents the commercial casino-entertainment industry by addressing federal legislative and regulatory issues. The national trade association also serves as a clearinghouse for information, develops educational and advocacy programs, and provides leadership on industry-related issues of public concern.
