Southern California’s San Manuel Band of Mission Indians named Rikki Tanenbaum as chief operating officer in which she will oversee efforts for both the Tribal Government and the flagship San Manuel Casino.
Tanenbaum, who has been San Manuel’s chief marketing officer since 2018, will work with CEO Laurens Vosloo, who was appointed to his position in August. She will be involved in the tribe’s strategic, cultural, and economic development initiatives.
“The Tribe’s commitment to its values, its people and its community brought me to this organization a little over two years ago,” said Tanenbaum. “They have created an extraordinary foundation, and I’m looking forward to contributing to their next chapter.”
Tanenbaum has overseen marketing, public affairs, and philanthropy for San Manuel.
“For the past two years, Rikki has played an integral role in marketing and communications for the organization,” Vosloo said. “I am excited to have her as my partner as we align our team to accomplish the priorities that Tribal leadership has outlined.”
Prior to joining San Manuel Casino, she served as senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the Gaming Division for Landry’s Inc. and Golden Nugget Casinos.
Tanenbaum has spent her career in the casino and hospitality industry and has led marketing teams at Caesars Entertainment, Penn National Gaming, and Viejas Casino & Resort in San Diego.
She started her career at MGM Resorts International.
The San Manuel Casino is in San Bernardino County, which is roughly 60 miles from downtown Los Angeles. The property has been undergoing a $550 million expansion to create a full-scale resort that includes a 450-room hotel tower, a 3,000-seat events center, new restaurants, and other non-gaming attractions.
Ken Ramirez, who served five terms as tribal secretary, became the San Manuel tribe’s new chairman in April, replacing Lynn Valbuena, who served three consecutive terms as the tribe’s chairwoman beginning in 2014.
In February, the tribe donated $9 million to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to fund tribal development programs through the university’s hospitality college and school of law.
