Black Executives on the Rise reflect range of talents in the gaming industry
The 2024 edition of Black Executives on the Rise features a vice president for a Tribal operator, an executive from a state gaming control board, and a former box office clerk. The honorees also include an ex-intern for Harrah’s, a former NCAA Division 1 football player, an investor, and an executive who gained experience working in the video game industry.
Their experiences and accomplishments are many, and they are part of an emerging demographic poised to influence the gaming industry.
According to Q Casino & Resort President and CEO Alex Dixon, it’s important for the industry to reflect the communities where gaming exists.
Noting that American Gaming Association research indicates that 1 in 5 gaming personnel are Black, Dixon stated “This employee composition will only increase as our industry continues to grow domestically in communities with large African American populations currently led by black mayors. These communities include New York, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Charlotte, Montgomery, Birmingham, Little Rock, Atlantic City, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Danville, Baltimore, Prince Georges, Waterloo, and many others.
“The Black Executives on the Rise feature in partnership with CDC Gaming is such a vital platform to highlight amazing businesspeople living out the American dream,” Dixon said. “Privileged licenses issued by governments is the core value proposition of our entire industry. Therefore, as an industry, we must collectively ensure that our companies and sovereign nations employ people at every level that will fight to uphold these values so that we may grow and flourish for generations to come. On behalf of the leadership of African Americans in Gaming, congratulations to the recipients and to an industry that finds strength in our diversity.”
Dixon helped curate Black Executives on the Rise along with Bally’s Executive Vice President, Legal Affairs Kim Barker and Wondr Nation President and CEO Anika Howard, in conjunction with the advocacy organization African Americans in Gaming.
