Casino operators generally understand the value of gender diversity, says Virginia McDowell, the former CEO of the Isle of Capri Casinos, who is leading the effort to help women in the industry who want to advance their careers. But the industry can benefit from a new organization that provides additional education, training and support, she notes.
McDowell, who retired from her company in April, had been the chair of Global Gaming Women. She’s now the president, and the organization, developed to support, inspire and influence women in the gaming industry, is now a newly separate nonprofit.
“Women tend to silo themselves,” McDowell says. “But to move up the career ladder, they benefit from gaining additional skills and taking advantage of every educational opportunity available.” For example, a finance professional in a company might benefit from learning how to do marketing.
“We really want to help women broaden their skills sets and broaden their resumes,” says McDowell, who started in the business at Bally’s Park Place in 1981, escorting baseball player Willie Mays to promotional events in Atlantic City, then held a variety of positions, including being a senior manager in business development, operations, sales and marketing.
GGW is led by a volunteer board of 17 women, who have experience ranging from casino management to upper-level jobs as casino product suppliers. GGW’s committees develop education programs, career advocacy initiatives, mentorship opportunities, and conference events.
The effort is important to the industry at large, McDowell says, not because of some moral obligation but because of economics. She notes that studies show that companies with women in leadership roles benefit from a broader range of skills, which leads to better performance. She also notes that about half of casino industry employees are women, which is a higher percentage than in many other industries.
“We saw a demonstrated need for better peer support programs, and for more specialized education and training opportunities,” she says. “Education is a critical component of personal growth and career advancement.”
The American Gaming Association launched GGW in 2011 to create a broad network that allows peers to connect with their colleagues. Initially it took a quantitative approach, trying to reach as many people as possible, McDowell says, which was fine “except for the fact we underestimated the demand and found our biggest problem was we lacked mentors.”
They regrouped in 2015, and tried smaller, more immersive education. “We started hearing from women, saying ‘You changed our lives,’” she says. Also in 2015, GGW leaders suggested the group break off from the AGA. That happened earlier this year, when it launched as an independent 501(c)(3). Donors such as MGM Resorts, Seminole Gaming, IGT, Scientific Games, and the AGA itself have contributed $1.5 million to pay for scholarships and programs.
Some of GGW’s activities are based on the principles from Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, the 2013 book by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. That book encourages forming peer circles so women can share their experiences; GGW is launching eight such circles. A Lean In breakfast at last year’s G2E sold out with about 250 participants.
GGW hosts panels at major gaming conferences, including the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas, but McDowell says efforts have become more regional. “Las Vegas is the epicenter, but a lot of women we are trying to reach are lower in the management ranks and don’t necessarily have the opportunity to travel long distances,” she says. “We’re trying to hit women at every stage of their career … emerging leaders who think they may want to be supervisors to women in very senior management.”
McDowell said the big goal now is to drive people to the web site (GlobalGamingWomen.org), so they can see the opportunities and what the group coined “an educational pyramid.” All the educational programs are free, but participants must pay their personal expenses.
“What we’re really trying to do is build a broad coalition of women in the industry,” McDowell says. “There’s so much GGW can do, so many paths that we can take. The big strategic conversation we are having is how to narrow our focus so we can have the most impact.”
