A Las Vegas trailblazer

Friday, May 15, 2009 | 2:07 a.m.

It takes a special person to lead the way in any endeavor, but for women one of the toughest obstacles to overcome is to be the first to join the top ranks of a male-dominated industry. Where the Nevada gaming industry is concerned, that accomplishment belongs to Claudine Williams.

The state’s first female casino owner, Williams ran the Holiday Casino on the Strip in the 1970s and early 1980s and later became chairwoman of Harrah’s board of directors. As a 1992 inductee into the Nevada Gaming Hall of Fame, she proved that a woman could compete with the men in Las Vegas.

But Williams, who died Wednesday at 88 after a long illness, had an impact in Southern Nevada that extended far beyond gaming.

She was also a leading philanthropist who took an active role in child welfare and education initiatives. While serving on the UNLV board of trustees and the UNLV Foundation, she provided financial support for scholarships and student housing.

Williams showed others that you can run a successful business in a high-pressure industry but still find the energy to give back to the community. But she never demanded special treatment, as businesswoman and former Williams employee Amy Ayoub told the Las Vegas Sun.

“Claudine always said that if you put your head down and do your work, you will be rewarded,” Ayoub said.

Williams’ business acumen was put to good use when she became the first woman in Nevada to chair a bank’s board of directors and when she served on the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s board. The same could be said for her compassion.

She represented the pioneer spirit that helped build Las Vegas into the city it is today. Williams took the profits she made from a Houston steakhouse and casino that she owned before she turned 21 years old and parlayed that into a business empire that earned the respect of her peers. Claudine Williams will be missed.