Record-breaking attendance and a high-level educational track led to a fantastic week in Tennessee.
April 23, 2024
NASPL Insights Online
The first of NASPL’s 2024 events kicked off last week with Lottery Leadership Institute. Hosted by the Tennessee Education Lottery, Nashville made the perfect backdrop for this spectacular event. A record-breaking attendance of 117 delegates from our member lotteries and vendor partners provided an unforgettable experience for all involved.
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Attendees were greeted with a warm Tennessee welcome from host Rebecca Paul, President and CEO of the Tennessee Education Lottery and President of the World Lottery Association. She was joined by industry leaders David Gale, Executive Director of NASPL; Cindy Polzin, NASPL President and Director of the Wisconsin Lottery; and Andrew White, NASPL’s Vice President of Operations.
After a brief introduction to the LLI program, we kicked things off with insights into the evolution of the lottery industry from Paul and Polzin, followed by an overview of today's lottery landscape and NASPL's role in the industry from Gale and White.
Day one also included a Level I Associate Member panel, featuring Michelle Carney, Vice President of Global Lottery Marketing for IGT; Cherie Norman, Vice President of Marketing Operations for Scientific Games; Richard Bateson, Chief Commercial Officer for INTRALOT US; and May Scheve Reardon, Vice President of Government Relations for Pollard Banknote. Moderated by Paul, our partners discussed the value of partnerships among vendors, lotteries and our NASPL organization.
The day ended with a well-received group activity called Beat the Box. Delegates divided into teams to solve a puzzle box with clues and riddles – think “escape room,” but instead of breaking out, you’re breaking into a mysterious box. This exercise served as a perfect icebreaker and really brought out everyone's creativity and highlighted their thought processes.
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Tuesday was dedicated to the extensive FranklinCovey leadership course, facilitated by consultant Cid Rhomberg. FranklinCovey is known as the world’s most trusted provider of leadership development solutions that unleash the full potential of leaders and their teams. Their unique approach to leadership development combines powerful content based on decades of research and development and innovative techniques that support and reinforce lasting behavior change.
Rhomberg took attendees through several key themes and concepts, including the essential roles of leadership, developing a leader’s mindset, inspiring trust, and more.
“Cid Rhomberg was an incredible speaker,” said Denise Lechak, LLI attendee and NASPL’s new Administrative Assistant. “She captivated our attention for the entire day. She was engaging, inspiring and motivational. And did a great job educating us on the qualities of a great leader. I thoroughly enjoyed her presentation.”
The following morning focused on mental health and emotional intelligence. Tami West, Ph.D., used her entertaining and compelling style to shine new light on how to transform your life and discover solutions to the challenges we all face. West shared her past family life and history, and illustrated how it led to her growth as a person.
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In addition to providing a beautiful site for our program, our hosts from the Tennessee Education Lottery also offered their knowledgeable insights to the group. Wylie Dillard, Executive Vice President of Sales; Andy Davis, Chief Financial and Information Systems Officer; Alonda W. McCutcheon, Executive Vice President and General Counsel; and Lou Ann Russell, Executive Vice President of Advertising and Marketing all shared their experiences and invaluable advice.
Later, attendees partook in a group discussion recapping some of their learnings and taking a deeper dive into the week’s themes. White led the conversation, focusing on several questions including:
What is the greatest challenge or obstacle at your organization?
What is a potential solution for the challenge that has been identified?
How do we as an industry capture the emerging market of potential players?
After a thought-provoking discussion, Wednesday concluded with a rooftop reception and dinner overlooking the streets of Nashville – truly a relaxing and entertaining evening after an engaging day of sessions.
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On the final day, Polzin and Gale sat down again to discuss the challenges facing the industry today, and how to best leverage opportunities to drive a more successful future. Before heading home, attendees were treated to a self-care and mindfulness session with Kelly Carter, Co-Founder of the local Shakti Power Yoga.
That’s a Wrap!
Over the course of their time together, LLI attendees gained a more complete view of the lottery industry and what it takes to be effective leaders. Participating in dynamic sessions and interactive exercises empowered the group to identify their strengths and opportunities for improvement, establish connections with their peers, and take home practical tools and strategies for continuous personal growth.
“Lottery Leadership Institute 2024 was nothing short of amazing!” said Lechak. “I truly enjoyed attending my first LLI in such an awesome city! It was well-organized, engaging and interactive. I enjoyed listening to all of the speakers and having the opportunity to network with so many wonderful people!”
Thank you to our excellent speakers, panelists and attendees. And a special thanks to the team at the Tennessee Education Lottery.
Next spring, we return to Cleveland, Ohio, for LLI 2025. We hope to see you there!