Gaming people in the news

Monday, Oct. 16, 2000 | 11:01 a.m.

Recent gaming industry appointments and promotions:

Harrah's Entertainment Inc. named Bill Keena as senior vice president and general manager of Harrah's Laughlin. Also, Tom O'Donnell is senior vice president and general manager of the Harrah's-owned Showboat in Atlantic City. Michael St. Pierre, currently senior vice president and general manager at Harrah's North Kansas City, will replace O'Donnell as senior vice president and general manager of Harrah's in Joliet, Ill. Bill Noble was promoted to senior vice president and general manager of Harrah's North Kansas City, succeeding St. Pierre. O'Donnell's move to the Showboat follows the resignation of Herb Wolfe, who had been president and general manager since 1988.

Robert Vannucci is president and chief operating officer of Riviera Operating Corp., operator of the Riviera hotel-casino in Las Vegas and the Riviera Black Hawk Casino in Black Hawk, Colo.

Tom Baker, president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer, was appointed to the board of directors of International Game Technology.

Martha Vlcek is chief financial officer of PDS Financial Corp.

Wayne Yarbrough, general manager of the Boomtown Biloxi casino in Mississippi, was promoted by Penn National Gaming to vice president of Mississippi casinos. Neil Narter, the general manager of the Copa Casino in Gulfport, will become the general manager of the Boomtown Biloxi.

At the magazine Casino Executive, Jan Johnson is general manager and Doug Puppel is editor.

Howard Lederman is director of slot operations and John Fandetta is director of table games at the Venetian resort.

Ursula Conway is vice president of information technology at Ameristar Casinos Inc.

Dominic Silla is director of sales, southeast region and California, for Shuffle Master Gaming.

At the Oxo Steak & Seafood Eatery at the Regent Las Vegas resort, Holly Guzzetta and Bradley Geist Jr. are managers and Michael Ingino is executive chef. At the Spiedini Italian restaurant at the Regent, Mark Hoffmann is general manager, Michael Verace is manager and Emilio La Scala is executive chef. Elizabeth Christian is banquet coordinator and Andrea Schwartzmann is unit administrator for both restaurants.

Jon Whipple is president and chief executive officer at GameTech International Inc.