In a video tribute to 2017 Gaming Hall of Fame inductee Melvin B. Wolzinger, Wynn Resorts Chairman Steve Wynn – who was inducted in 2006 – summed up his feelings for the 97-year-old philanthropist.
“We just upgraded the whole group,” Wynn said to his one-time board member of Mirage Resorts.
Many attending the event Wednesday evening in the Prestige Lounge on the Palazzo’s 23rd floor thought the same could be said of the other honorees.
Wolzinger, one of Nevada’s most accomplished visionaries, along with casino developer Diana Bennett, Shuffle Master founder John Breeding and slot machine designer Joe Kaminkow, were treated to video tributes and a warm reception from gaming luminaries.
“You created a company that grew in market capitalization from $40 million to $1.2 billion by the time you retired,” former Shuffle Master executive Brooks Dunn told Breeding in his video tribute.
Breeding, a truck driver turned inventor, spent 10 years developing an automated card shuffler that was first unveiled at Bally’s Las Vegas in 1992. Table game management equipment is now commonplace in the industry.
“I’ve lived the American dream,” said Breeding, who is now retired.
Kaminkow pioneered slot machine design and created games tied to licensed brands from movies, television shows, quiz shows and personalities. His creations have become some of the most successful games on casino floors.
“He was a breath of fresh air at IGT,” retired IGT Chairman Charles Mathewson said in the video tribute.
Kaminkow, who continues to develop games for Aristocrat Technologies, thanked his family, slot machine company executives, and even the late-night cleaning crews at his design studios.
“They often tested out the games, and they were more knowledgeable than some product managers,” Kaminkow said.
Bennett, the current CEO of Paragon Gaming, was lauded for her philanthropic efforts in Las Vegas. She gave credit to her late father, casino pioneer William Bennett, who allowed her to lead the development of several landmark properties owned by Circus Circus Enterprises.
“I’m sure we’re the only father-daughter team in the Hall of Fame,” Bennett said. William Bennett was inducted into the Hall in 1990.
MGM Resorts Executive Vice President and General Counsel John McManus accepted the Hall of Fame award for Wolzinger – who sat proudly at a nearby table.
Wolzinger, a member of the MGM Resorts Board of Directors from 2000 to 2012, is a trustee for the UNLV Research Foundation. He has also championed many nonprofit organizations in Nevada spanning education, athletics and the Jewish community.
“Mel has always been there for the employees, and it’s our community that he’s cared about,” McManus said.
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