Management

Gary Loveman joined Caesars Entertainment Corporation as Chief Operating Officer in 1998, after serving as an associate professor at the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration. He drew on his background in service-management to develop the gaming industry's most successful loyalty and analytics program, Total Rewards, which boasts more than 40 million members.

Since being named CEO in January 2003, Loveman has presided over a period of growth that included the 2004 purchase of Horseshoe Gaming and the World Series of Poker and the 2005 acquisition of Caesars Entertainment, Inc. In January 2008, Caesars went private in a $30.7 billion transaction led by private equity firms TPG Capital and Apollo. In the wake of the recent financial crisis, Loveman has led Caesars' successful debt reduction and liquidity improvement strategies, while also adding Planet Hollywood to the Company's portfolio. Loveman was recognized as the gaming and lodging industry's best CEO by Institutional Investor magazine for four consecutive years.

Loveman is the past chairman of the American Gaming Association. He is a member of the President's Export Council and serves as Chairman of the Business Roundtable's Committee on Health and Retirement. He also serves as a director of Coach, Inc. and FedEx Corporation and sits on the Board of Trustees at Children's Hospital Boston and the Visiting Committee of the Department of Economics at M.I.T. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from M.I.T., where he was an Alfred Sloan Doctoral Dissertation Fellow, and a B.A. in economics from Wesleyan University.

Donald joined Caesars Entertainment in 2012 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, bringing to Caesars more than two decades of financial leadership experience and a track record in driving financial strategy, managing complex balance sheets, executing and integrating acquisitions, and increasing shareholder value. He is responsible for and oversees all of the company’s finance functions.

Donald joined Caesars from ON Semiconductor Corp., where he had served as Executive Vice President and CFO since April 2003. During his time in that role, ON Semiconductor’s market capitalization increased significantly and the company was ranked as a top 20 worldwide semiconductor company. Prior to joining ON Semiconductor, Donald held a variety of financial leadership positions, including Vice President of Finance and CFO of Atmel Corporation, CFO of European Silicon Structures, and a series of roles with progressive responsibility at Motorola Inc. He currently serves as a Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee for Isola Group. Donald holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and an MBA from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland.

Tim Donovan became our Executive Vice President in November 2011, General Counsel in April 2009 and our Chief Regulatory and Compliance Officer in January 2011. He served as Senior Vice President from April 2009 to November 2011.
 
Prior to joining Caesars Entertainment (then Harrah’s Entertainment), Donovan served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Republic Services, Inc. from December 2008 to March 2009 after a merger with Allied Waste Industries, Inc., where he served in the same capacities from April 2007 to December 2008. He earlier served as Executive Vice President-Strategy & Business Development and General Counsel of Tenneco, Inc. from July 1999 to March 2007. Donovan was a partner in the Chicago-based law firm of Jenner & Block from 1989 to September 1999. While there, he served as a member of the firm's executive committee and as the chairman of its Corporate and Securities Department.
 
Donovan also is currently a director of John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. This publicly traded company is a leading nut and snack food processor based in Elgin, Illinois. Donovan is the chairman of its Compensation Committee and a member of the Audit and Governance Committees.

Mitch Garber is CEO of Caesars Interactive Entertainment, a subsidiary of Caesars Entertainment Corporation. He is responsible for the World Series of Poker as well as all interactive businesses, including internet gaming, mobile and social network applications for Caesars Entertainment's brands which include Harrah's, Caesars, Horseshoe, WSOP, and others.

Prior to joining Caesars, Garber served as CEO of companies trading on the London Stock Exchange, Nasdaq and Toronto Stock Exchange, most recently as CEO of PartyGaming PLC from 2006 to 2008. Garber is an attorney, who represented a number of major land-based gaming companies in private practice between 1990 and 1999. He is a member of the International Association of Gaming Attorneys (IAGA), and in 2009 was voted one of the ten most influential people in the gaming industry by Global Gaming Business Magazine.

Tom Jenkin became our Global President of Destination Markets in May 2013. Prior to his current role, he served as President of Operations from November 2011 to May 2013. He served as Western Division President from January 2004 through November 2011.

Jenkin joined the company in 1975 as a fry cook at Harrah's Las Vegas. In 1993, he was promoted to Senior Vice President and General Manager of Harrah's Laughlin, and five years later was named Senior Vice President and General Manager of Harrah's Las Vegas. Jenkin assumed oversight of the Rio and Harrah's Laughlin in 2001 and 2002, respectively, before being named Western Division President in 2004.

Jenkin has served two terms as President of the Laughlin, Nevada, Chamber of Commerce and also has served on the executive boards of the United Way of the Colorado River, the Mohave County Airport Authority, the Clark County Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Laughlin Tourism Committee. In 1996, he was named Laughlin's Citizen of the Year. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Nevada Resort Association; the Board of Directors for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority; the Board of Directors for Las Vegas Events; the Board of Advisors for the Foundation for an Independent Tomorrow; and on the Opportunity Village Foundation Board.

Jan L. Jones Blackhurst is Executive Vice President, Communications & Government Relations for Caesars Entertainment Corporation. In that role, she oversees government relations, corporate communications, corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability for the company.

Prior to joining the company in 1999, Jones Blackhurst  served two terms as mayor of the City of Las Vegas. During her eight-year tenure, Las Vegas was the fastest growing city in America and was named the No. 1 city in the nation for entrepreneurs by Inc. magazine.

Jones Blackhurst is the former chairwoman of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the former director of the Nevada Resort Association, and has held senior positions with the Nevada state arm of the Democratic National Committee. She currently serves as a director of the U. S. Chamber of Commerce and the Women's Campaign Fund in Washington, D.C. She also is a member of the Women's Leadership Board at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Jones Blackhurst has been honored by the American Diabetes Association and the "I Have A Dream" Foundation, and she was named Humanitarian of the Year in 1998 by the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In 2005 she was honored by the Women of Diversity in their project "100 Years of Influence – The Role of Women Shaping the First 100 Years of Las Vegas." The Human Rights Campaign awarded Jones the Equality Pioneer award in 2007.

Jones Blackhurst holds a bachelor's degree in English from Stanford University and attended the University of Southern California's School of Food Marketing Management.

John Payne became President of Central Markets and Partnership Development in May 2013. Prior to his current role, John served as President of Enterprise Shared Services from July 2011 to May 2013. He served as Central Division President from January 2007 through November 2011.

Payne joined Caesars Entertainment (then Harrah's Entertainment) in 1995 as a President's Associate. He subsequently held Assistant General Manager positions at various properties in the Midwest and was promoted in 2000 to Senior Vice President and General Manager and later assumed the same role at Harrah's New Orleans. He was promoted to Gulf Coast Regional President in 2005 before becoming Atlantic City Regional President later in the year.

Payne is active in several charitable, civic and community organizations, including New Orleans Metropolitan Visitors and Convention Bureau, the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, the Idea Village and the Audubon Institute. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Duke University and a master's degree in business, finance and marketing from Northwestern University.

Mary Thomas is Executive Vice President of Human Resources for Caesars Entertainment Corporation. In that capacity, she develops and implements business plans and strategies for all companywide human resources functions, as well as day-to-day human resources operations.

Prior to joining the company in 2006, Thomas served in a variety of leadership roles at Allied Domecq Spirits & Wines and during her 17 years with that company, Thomas held HR positions in Europe and Asia. Her most recent role was Senior Vice President of Human Resources – North America.

Thomas holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Central England.

Steven Tight is President of International Development for Caesars Entertainment Corporation, based in Hong Kong. He is responsible for the company's expansion into international markets with branded gaming and non-gaming resorts and other hospitality products.

Prior to joining Caesars Entertainment in 2011, Tight had over 20 years of experience in large-scale international hospitality and entertainment development in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. He spent 17 years with The Walt Disney Company, including executive roles in the development and operations of Disneyland Paris, and leading the successful negotiation of Hong Kong Disneyland where he was appointed Managing Director. Most recently, Tight was CEO of two real estate development companies in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, focusing on luxury hospitality and entertainment mixed-use developments.

Tight holds a bachelor's degree in Architecture from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Tariq M. Shaukat is Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Caesars Entertainment. In this role, Tariq is responsible for driving revenue growth through the development of world class customer relationships and innovative marketing programs. He oversees the company’s Marketing, VIP, and Entertainment functions, overseeing marketing and entertainment strategy, direct marketing, brand advertising, multicultural and international marketing, strategic partnerships, digital marketing, and public relations, as well as our award winning loyalty program, Total Rewards.

Tariq joined Caesars Entertainment in 2012 from McKinsey & Company, where he was a Partner. There, he led the Firms’ loyalty practice and worked with clients across a range of consumer businesses, including travel, entertainment, and financial services, on revenue stimulation, marketing and growth topics. Before McKinsey, he worked in the technology industry, co-founding a social media company, and serving as a director of marketing and business development at Trilogy, an enterprise software company. He was also a Principal at The McKenna Group, a Silicon Valley based firm focused on marketing and growth strategies.

Tariq holds a bachelors and masters degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University, respectively, and a masters degree in Technology and Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Greg Miller is Senior Vice President of Development for Caesars Entertainment. He is responsible for the company maintaining its dominant distribution network in North America through the identification and pursuit of expansion opportunities. In that capacity, his responsibilities include oversight of various project-specific agreements as well as leadership of the design and construction activities of the company.

Miller has spent his career as a leader at several of the world's most recognizable hospitality and consumer brands. Prior to joining Caesars in 2004, he spent eight years at Universal Studios Parks and Resorts group, including the last four years as President of Universal Studios 2,000-acre theme park resort in Spain. While at Universal, Miller was involved in several large-scale projects including the development of Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Japan. Previously, Miller served in various strategic planning and finance roles at PepsiCo.

Miller holds a bachelors degree in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame. He later received a Masters Degree in Management, with a concentration in Marketing, from the Kellogg Graduate School of Business at Northwestern University.