Accel Entertainment announced Tuesday that Stan Guidroz, current CEO of the company’s Toucan Gaming subsidiary, has been promoted to chief operating officer of Accel.
The appointment is effective July 14. In connection with Guidroz’s appointment, Mark Phelan, who serves as president and chief operating officer, will relinquish the chief operating officer title.
As previously announced, Phelan will continue to serve as president and will become Accel’s CEO in August.
“Stan is a proven leader who has made significant contributions to Accel’s growth, and this promotion reflects his track record and the depth of talent across our organization,” said Accel Chairman and CEO of Entertainment Andy Rubenstein in a statement. “Stan has built Toucan into a premier operator and a model for the disciplined accretive growth we are pursuing across our markets. He will continue to draw on his deep Louisiana and industry-wide relationships as he takes on broader operational leadership across the company.”
“As I transition to chief executive officer, I look forward to working closely with Stan,” said Phelan. “His operating discipline and extensive industry experience will allow us to continue to successfully execute our strategic roadmap for growth and deliver long-term shareholder value.”
Guidroz has served as CEO of Toucan, Accel’s Louisiana operating subsidiary, since 2021. He has built a growing Louisiana route and overseen a series of disciplined accretive acquisitions, including the recent acquisition of Rice Palace Truck Stop Casino. He has more than two decades of Louisiana gaming experience, including his tenure at Jacobs Entertainment, where he led the company’s Louisiana operations as vice president and president of its Cash Magic truck stop casinos, growing the business to 27 locations, and served as chief operating officer of Colonial Downs Racetrack.
Earlier in his career, Guidroz founded a convenience-store company that grew to 19 stores before its sale to Conco. Guidroz founded the Louisiana Video Gaming Association in 2015 and served as its president through 2025, during which he helped advance significant legislation for the state’s local gaming market.
As chief operating office, Guidroz will oversee Accel’s day-to-day operations across its markets.
“I’m honored to take on this role and to build on the strong operating foundation this team has established,” said Guidroz. “I look forward to working with Andy, Mark, and the entire team to drive operational excellence across Accel’s markets. The relationships and trust we’ve built in Louisiana are exactly what makes disciplined growth possible, and that’s the partnership-first approach I intend to bring to every market Accel serves.”
Separately, the company announced that Chief Compliance Officer Derek Harmer will transition from his role to pursue other opportunities effective March 31, 2027. Harmer will join the company’s gaming Compliance Committee effective April 1, 2027.
“We thank Derek for his many contributions to Accel and are pleased that the company will continue to benefit from his expertise through his service on the gaming Compliance Committee,” said Rubenstein.
