2004 GREAT WOMEN OF GAMING
Proven leader

Connie Jones

Director of Responsible Gaming
International Game Technology

 

"I enjoy working with people and seeing their differences," says Connie Jones, which is a good thing, and certainly not coincidental given her background. Jones is a third-generation Montanan, raised on a ranch—a very male-dominated environment— near Bozeman. Her first career move was in public relations, serving the mining industry. "I was in mining for ten years," says Jones. "I became involved in politics, because mining was so greatly impacted by political concerns."

In fact, politics was very much in the family. Her brother was nominated for state Attorney General, and both he and her father held a House seat in the Montana state legislature. "I once ran for my father's seat," says Jones. "It was the first time a woman ran for that position in the district. Along the way, I encountered a lot of people who were surprised—'but, you're a woman.'" Fortunately for the gaming industry, and perhaps because the industries she represented were resistant to change, Jones lost her bid by just nine votes.

The confluence of politics, mining and gender was very powerful for Jones. She recalls being part of a group of close to 100 women who lobbied Congress to preserve the fundamentals of an 1872 mining law. "It was a life-changing experience realizing the power that women had in such a maledominated industry," says Jones.

"Congressmen and women seemed more receptive to women from an industry that had always been associated with men in hard hats, steel toed boots, and smutty faces. These women were CFOs, engineers, geologists and attorneys." Jones built on this experience as head of a group called People for the West, lobbying on behalf of timber and ranching industries against extreme environmental restrictions and regulatory reforms. "From this experience I learned that there was a window of opportunity for females in the male-dominated world of business," she says. She was appointed by then-governor Stan Stephens to serve on a state economic development council titled "The Council for the Future," where Chuck Brooke (IGT's recently retired vice president of government relations) was director of commerce. A year or so later, "Mr. Brooke had stepped down from the Department of Commerce, and was heading up the government relations efforts for a company called Video Lottery Technologies," Jones recalls. "He remembered me from the Governor's Council and asked if I was interested in coming to work for the company. I was totally unfamiliar with gambling but was ready for change. Ever since then, it's been a great ride."

As IGT's Director of Responsible Gaming, Jones works to bridge the gap between the problem gambling community and the gaming industry. "(Gaming) is becoming so broad, it now includes governments, Native Americans, pari-mutuels, commercial casinos as well as a number of other private interests," says Jones. "There was a great deal of distrust between the gaming industry and the problem gambling treatment and research folks—similar to the misgivings environmentalists felt toward mining. Success to me is the ability to bring polarized groups together."

Indeed, the political makeup Jones has developed is still very much intact. "Politics is a fact of life," she says, "and the sooner you accept that, the easier life will be." At her original company, which was later merged and re-merged into IGT, she worked almost exclusively with state and Canadian provincial governments to protect, expand and create new gaming programs. "As these government markets faced public backlash as a result of problem gaming, the company decided to take a proactive approach by assigning a person full time to the position of Director of Responsible Gaming. I received this appointment in March 1999," says Jones. "As we evolved from one company to another—just having survived all those mergers is a pure miracle—it was increasingly vital to have the ability to network and understand all sides of the issue." Jones looks at gaming and at her skills in a worldwide context. She marvels at how Great Britain is revamping gaming, laments Australia's struggles with its current public perception of gaming, and sees responsible gaming as nothing less than ensuring the viability of the industry long term while providing social protections for the vulnerable. "I've seen too many gaming programs fall apart when there is a public backlash," she says. "The ability to network between these groups gives us gaming programs that are responsive to the public, and also ensures the sustainability of the industry."

She has several thoughts on being a woman in gaming, including the need for visionary leadership. "Senior executives need to recognize the value of women in the workplace," she says. "At IGT today we are extremely fortunate to have dynamic and progressive leadership that includes a number of talented women in senior management positions. We are the only gaming company that devotes an entire position to responsible gaming."

Still, Jones notes that in her view, gaming isn't much different from other forms of business. "Perhaps to survive in a male-dominated industry such as gaming, you need to think like a man but act like a woman," she says. "Of course it is important to understand the business, be sensitive to change, have the ability to network, enjoy people and be dedicated to your job. We still have those old paradigms to overcome. Women in gaming are making great strides and receiving recognition for their efforts, but are yet a dramatic minority among the ranks of senior gaming executives. Like most other women in gaming, Jones sees resistance to women in leadership positions becoming less and less prevalent. "I think that's changing significantly. We have come a long way in a short time. When people think of gambling they always think of Las Vegas, and what traditionally was the woman's role in Las Vegas...? It has been pretty much an uphill climb, overcoming that. But look how gaming has changed in the way it does business. (For example) there's still that perception that there is organized crime involvement, but we don't have to go there anymore."

What differences do women bring? While she is typically reluctant to stereotype, Jones does offer some parting thoughts. "Because we have been a minority, I think maybe we try harder. I notice women in this business working incredibly hard. And I think the general public likes to listen to women who talk about gaming, because women are not typically involved in gaming—I think we might get the ear of the public more readily. And ultimately, the public will determine the future of gaming."


Copyright 2011, Great Women of Gaming. All rights reserved.