Gaming Partners International top officer retiring

By Steve Green

Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009 | 11:39 a.m.

Casino industry supplier Gaming Partners International Corp. of Las Vegas today said President and Chief Executive Officer Gerard Charlier is retiring Sept. 12, but will remain on the company's board of directors.

Charlier, 70, is completing his seven-year employment contract.

He will be succeeded as CEO by Gregory Gronau. The company hired Gronau in October 2008 as executive vice president and chief operating officer as part of the succession plan necessitated by the planned retirement of Charlier.

Charlier, who has been with the company since 1985, initially serving on the board of directors of GPI's founding company, Bourgogne et Grasset (B&G). He has been president and chief executive since 1994, presiding over the acquisition of Bud Jones Co. by B&G in 2000, and then the merger with Paulson Gaming in 2002 to create Gaming Partners International.

"GPI has been my life's work for so long and while I will miss the day-to-day activity, I am very confident in handing the reins over to Greg," Charlier said in a statement. "Having worked closely together over the last several months, I know that the experience and commitment that Greg brings to GPI will continue to advance the company as a global leader in table games equipment and technology."

Before joining GPI, Gronau served as president and CEO of Cadillac Jack, a supplier of games and systems to the casino industry. Prior to that Gronau served as vice president of operations for Shuffle Master Inc. and vice president of distribution services for WMS Industries.

"I am very pleased in the vote of confidence that the Board of Directors has given me with this appointment," Gronau said in a statement. "Gerard's vision and leadership brought together three industry-leading companies to form what is now Gaming Partners International, the premier global supplier of casino currency and table games equipment. I look forward to working with this great team as we continue to build upon that success."

The company makes gaming chips, table layouts, playing cards, dice, gaming furniture, roulette wheels and miscellaneous casino table game accessories such as chip trays, drop boxes and dealing shoes.

The company last reported financial results for the first quarter of this year, when it lost $499,000, or 6 cents per share, vs. a loss of $412,000 or 5 cents in the year-earlier period. Revenue fell from $12.125 million to $8.943 million.