2007 GREAT WOMEN OF GAMING
Proven leader
Laurie Lasseter
Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Engineering
WMS Gaming
Although Laurie Lasseter has been in the gaming industry a relatively short time—six and a half years with WMS Gaming—she has cultivated a lifetime of experience that has served her well in a field traditionally populated with men. Though she's currently the chief technology officer and vice president of engineering at WMS, her interest in computer design didn't begin with her tenure at the company. Prior to WMS, she worked for Motorola, AT&T Bell Laboratories and IBM, and was a technology instructor at the College of DuPage in Illinois.
"Since joining WMS over six years ago, I have been very fortunate to work in such a supportive and creative environment and to have had the opportunity to help build a culture where anything is possible," Lasseter says of her current role. "Joining WMS and the gaming industry was definitely the best move in my career."
Coming to gaming from the telecommunications industry, Lasseter says she enjoyed the transition and the environment in her new surroundings. "The WMS culture is one of great creativity and endless possibility," she says. "It is very motivating and inspiring to continuously look for ways to improve our productivity and effectiveness so that we can continue to create products we hadn't previously thought were possible to create and bring to market. I am also constantly inspired by the engineering team at WMS that I am very fortunate to lead. They amaze me every day with their tenacity, commitment to quality and dedication to creating the best possible products and technologies."
Lasseter earned a bachelor's degree in computer science from Northwestern University and a master's degree in computer science from Cornell University. Now she passes on her knowledge and experience as a guest lecturer at Northwestern, presenting topics within the Masters of Information Technology series. She is also a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
"I hope to see more women getting into leadership positions in the engineering and technology areas of the business," Lasseter says. "It would be great to work with them and collaborate with them, especially now with the move toward open systems and GSA standards that are being driven by server-supported gaming technology. These standards are driving closer working relationships among technology people at casinos and at all of the gaming device manufacturing companies."
"I am still a relative newcomer to gaming and I learn new things every time I visit a casino," she adds. "This is a dynamic industry and there is always more to learn. … It is very different from other industries in which I have worked. It is exciting, creative and dynamic. These characteristics have made it very inspiring and motivating for me personally."
In addition to her work at WMS, Lasseter is an avid runner, completing 20 marathons, including the Chicago, Boston and New York marathons. She is also an aerobics and fitness instructor, certified by both the American Council on Exercise and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. Having taught aerobics and fitness classes for more than 20 years, Lasseter still conducts three classes per week.
Copyright 2011, Great Women of Gaming. All rights reserved.
