The East Coast Gaming Congress & NextGen Gaming Forum (ECGC) will decorate gaming executive Virginia McDowell with a Lifetime Achievement Award. McDowell will be the fourth gaming leader to receive such an honor; it will be presented at the Silver Jubilee celebration, which takes place September 21-23 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.
McDowell served as the first female President and CEO of a major gaming operator (Isle of Capri Casinos) from 2007 until her retirement in April 2016. She has had an illustrious career, having worked for 16 years in the Atlantic City gambling market.
She was the first female board member of the American Gaming Association, as well as the first woman inducted into the Mississippi Gaming Hall of Fame.
At present, McDowell serves as a non-executive director of Entain, as well as being the vice president of Global Gaming Women (GGW), a non-profit she co-founded in 2016. GGW has a stated mission to support, inspire and influence the development of women in the gaming industry through mentoring and education.
ECGC co-founders Michael Pollock and Lloyd D. Levenson commented: “In a career that has extended over four decades, Virginia McDowell has been a mentor to many, and a pioneer for women seeking to gain a foothold and build careers in this industry.
“We want to shine a light on her accomplishments, and to help inspire others to walk through the doors she has helped open."
ECGC’s focus on inclusion extends to a number of its programs and signature events, including the Industry Leaders Roundtables. The Roundtable sessions will involve candid discussions of how women and minorities can ascend to corporate leadership positions in the gaming industry.
