2006 GREAT WOMEN OF GAMING
Proven leader
Karol Schoen
General Manager
Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino
"For women in particular, my counsel is always the same, 'You must be a lady, but you can't be a girl.'" Schoen said.
Schoen, the general manager of Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino, arguably one of the finest, most organized, successful, and award-winning resorts outside the Las Vegas Strip, is truly a hero and has helped transform the business into a multi-million dollar gaming resort destination.
Schoen believes that it takes many traits to be a success in this industry and one of the most important, she feels, is education: "Education tops the list of requirements to be a leader in any industry today. The competition for professionals is too keen, and operations no longer have to accept anything less than a degreed candidate. Leaders in the gaming industry are a bit like coaches in professional sports—a bad season can cost you your job. You have to have perseverance and be able to switch gears and move on. Learn something from each job you have."
For the past 25 years, Schoen has used her passion for education to design some of the most developed and inspirational programs devoted to the advancement of all employees within an industry. Through these programs she has significantly transformed the lives of countless numbers of staff members at the Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino—helping many people go from unemployment and underemployment to successful careers.
Gene Ference, Ph.D., president and founder of Ference Leadership and Strategy, has known Schoen for the past seven years and has witnessed the efforts and dedication she has provided to Barona: "She continuously focuses on building a desire in the Barona staff to out-do themselves and to raise the level of standards for achieving excellence in hospitality.…Over and over again, Schoen has achieved unequalled success in the execution of creative and innovative strategies, thus ensuring Barona's competitive dominance and reputation for a much admired peak-performing culture."
Mac McIntire, president, Innovative Manage-ment Group, feels Schoen is one of the most astute business people he has ever met: "Karol is the most unpretentious executive I've worked with in my 30-plus years as a consultant. She exudes a calm, stable, focused management style. She leads an organization that is widely regarded as the exemplar in the industry, and although she could rightly take credit for the great success of Barona's Resort, she will be the first to defer all credit to the Barona staff (who has excelled under her leadership)."
Listening to Schoen speak, it is hard to imagine a woman with a stronger sense of self and selflessness, because she is never afraid to go the extra lap, and will offer you everything she can: "Work harder than the guy/gal next to you and make yourself visible to those you want to influence. Seek out a good mentor and learn from them. Love what you do. Being passionate about this business lessens the sting of long hours, difficult schedules, and lack of personal time. You must conduct yourself with dignity and class and eliminate the pettiness."
Copyright 2011, Great Women of Gaming. All rights reserved.
