Park Place Entertainment Announces Management Promotions
Park Place Entertainment Corporation (NYSE:PPE), the world’s largest casino gaming company, today announced the promotion of six of the company’s senior executives.
Wallace R. Barr, executive vice president of the company, has been named Co-Chief Operating Officer of Park Place and President of the company’s Eastern Casino Group. Mr. Barr, 55, is responsible for oversight of Park Place’s gaming operations in the eastern United States, including the company’s ten casinos in New Jersey, Mississippi, Indiana and Louisiana, as well as the company’s international operations, including casinos in Australia, Canada, South Africa and South America. Mr. Barr previously served as Executive Vice President - Eastern Region since the creation of Park Place following its spin off from Hilton Hotels Corporation in December 1998. Mr. Barr has worked in the casino industry since 1973, including posts as president and chief operating officer of Bally’s Casino Holdings from 1993 to 1996, and executive vice president of Hilton Gaming Corporation following the acquisition of Bally by Hilton in December 1996. Mr. Barr served as Chairman and President of the Casino Association of New Jersey from November 1996 to January 2001. He is active on the boards of numerous civic associations.
Clive S. Cummis, executive vice president - law & corporate affairs and corporate secretary of Park Place, has been named to the additional position of Vice Chairman of the Board of Park Place. Mr. Cummis, 72, who has been with the company since inception, will continue to have primary responsibility for the company’s legal, compliance and security affairs. Previously he served as chairman of the New Jersey law firm of Sills, Cummis, Radin, Tishman, Epstein & Gross from 1971 to 1998. His professional affiliations include member of the American Law Institute, fellow of the American Bar Foundation, member of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships, director of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, trustee of the Newark Museum and a trustee of the Foundation of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
Mark R. Dodson, executive vice president of the company, has been named Co-Chief Operating Officer of Park Place and President of the company’s Western Casino Group. Mr. Dodson, 38, will be responsible for oversight of the company’s gaming operations in the western United States, including the company’s nine casinos in Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe and Laughlin, as well as the supervision of senior corporate executives responsible for company-wide marketing, technology and operations analysis. Mr. Dodson has been with the company and its predecessors for eight years serving in various management positions. Mr. Dodson also serves as Chairman of the Nevada Resort Association and a board member of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Scott A. LaPorta, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Park Place, will undertake the responsibility for the company’s corporate development and merger-and-acquisition activities, while continuing his oversight of the company’s financial affairs, including corporate finance, treasury, tax, and investor relations. In his new role he will be responsible for the supervision of the analysis, structuring and execution of all corporate development and acquisition activities. Mr. LaPorta, 38, has been with the company since inception as its chief financial officer. Previously, he served as senior vice president and treasurer of Hilton Hotels Corporation and prior to joining Hilton, he was treasurer at Host Marriott Corporation.
In their new positions, all of these executives will continue to report to Thomas E. Gallagher, President and Chief Executive Officer of Park Place. In addition, the company announced the creation of two new positions.
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Anthony J. Brolick, senior vice president - administration of the company, has been promoted to the newly created position of Senior Vice president - Marketing. In this new position, Mr. Brolick, 50, will be responsible for the supervision at the corporate level of all marketing activities of Park Place and its related brands. His responsibilities will also include supervision of casino marketing, which is conducted through the company’s Caesars World Marketing subsidiary. In his new capacity, he will report to Mark Dodson, newly appointed Co-Chief Operating Officer of Park Place. Mr. Brolick joined the company as senior vice president, finance and administration for the Las Vegas Hilton in June 1997. Previously he served as chief financial officer of Caesars Palace and Caesars World.
Thomas J. Brosig, president of the company’s mid-south region, has been named Senior Vice President - Administration. Mr. Brosig, 51, will be responsible for supervision at the corporate level of the functions of architecture and design, construction, procurement, and retailing, as well as community relations. In addition, Mr. Brosig will oversee the company’s proposed consulting relationship with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe in connection with the operation of the tribe’s Akwesanee casino in northern New York State and the company’s plan to develop and manage a new casino for the Tribe in Sullivan County, NY, ninety minutes north of New York City. In his new role, he will report to Tom Gallagher, president and CEO of Park Place. Mr. Brosig joined the company following the acquisition of Grand Casinos Inc. by Park Place in December 1998. Mr. Brosig was one of the initial founders of Grand Casinos in 1990, and served as its President and CEO from 1996 to 1998. Prior to that time he was an executive in the retail industry. Mr. Brosig serves on the board of several retail and restaurant public companies as well as various civic organizations, including the National Center for Responsible Gaming.
In announcing the new promotions, Tom Gallagher, President and CEO of Park Place stated: “Among the attributes of which we at Park Place are most proud are the strength, experience and depth of our management team. These well-deserved promotions are in recognition of the key roles played by each of these talented executives in ensuring the future growth and success of our company. Led by this group of dedicated professionals, our entire management team remains focused on our goal of combining financial strength and dynamic growth in order to deliver the maximum value for our customers, our employees and, most importantly, our shareholders.”
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