The Godfather's Executive Brief – Some of you have been on the newsletter list for 20 years; others are brand new. Welcome to one and all! The newsletter is published monthly for my friends, clients and business partners. Distribution is 7,000+ executives worldwide. Free of charge; no advertisements, press releases or advertorials. The newsletter NOT available to the public. Follow me on LinkedIn and/or Twitter (@GodfatherWaym) for the latest industry announcements.

Opt Outs - If you do not wish to receive the newsletter, simply opt out. Don’t want to spam anyone! Not offended, but once you are out…you are out. Life is about relationships…not transactions. Lord, please send me $100 for each person that opted out, and then sent me a resume asking for a job within the next 12 months.

BREAKING NEWS: Epicenter Romps in Travers Stakes at Saratoga - Congratulations to my friend RON WINCHELL for his victory in the Travers Stakes with EPICENTER. Ron and MARC FALCONE own ECL Entertainment, Kentucky Downs and The Mint Casino. Valued Godfather clients!

In Memoriam: John Culetsu – One of the best people I ever met. John and I were introduced through GEORGE MALOOF at the Palms in 2002, where John was the EVP/AGM. We became fast friends, and stayed in touch when John left to be GM at Mt. Airy Casio Resort in 2010. In 2018, John returned to Las Vegas and I asked if wanted back in the game or to sit on the beach. He responded, “Put me in coach!” I placed him as Managing Director of The Downtown Grand, where he worked until passing on July 27 at the age of 64. John and I shared a passion for three things. First, INTEGRITY. Without integrity...nothing else really matter. Second, LOYALTY. We were fiercely loyal to each other; fiercely loyal to our family and friends. Third, RELATIONSHIPS. Relationships trump talent. Las Vegas is full of people that don't return your phone call, dismiss you, or treat you poorly...until they need a favor. Until they need a job. John valued relationships. He always returned my call. He always treated people right. Click HERE to watch his Celebration of Life. I am the second speaker.

You are Now Entering “Travel Hell” – On a recent trip, all four of my flights were delayed for several hours. Godfather tip: Always have a contingency plan with a second airline. Cancellations and flight delays are due to staffing shortages. Can you blame them? Who wants to work on an airplane given the bad customer behavior? On another note, COVID did NOT go away. I know a dozen people that caught COVID on a flight, so for me, a mask is essential. On one leg of my trip to Saratoga, I counted 21 masks on 138 passengers. Half of those masks were ten cent paper versions that do nothing. And once the plane took off, all you heard was people coughing, sneezing, hacking and wheezing. Godfather tip: Wear a KN95 mask. Let’s be careful out there!

Saratoga – A huge Godfather thank you to RICK RICHARDS and LAURA PRIMANO (Rivers Schenectady) and SKIP CARLSON (Saratoga Gaming) for their hospitality. Got to see ECHO AGAIN run for my friend/client RON WINCHELL. God willing, a contender for next year’s Kentucky Derby. Ron’s EPICENTER will be the favorite in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga tomorrow. Winner, winner!

St. Baldrick’s Hair Cuts – The St. Baldrick’s Foundation fights childhood cancer. Light & Wonder CEO, Gaming MATT WILSON and Bluberi CEO ANDREW BURKE are shaving their heads for the cause this year. Click the link to sponsor one of them.

What the World Needs Now – No politics, protests or Pandemics; just a few positive thoughts to start your day.

Quote of the Month – Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. (John F. Kennedy) - Two things successful people know. First, America is home of the free, not home of the freeloader. Second, it's OK to ask for a hand up, but don't ask for a handout. Your reward is equal to your contribution.

Godfather Events – I host several private client mixers each year with exactly one purpose: For my clients to meet each other. Also host several charity events annually, which are open to the public.

Hiring Report – From an executive recruiting standpoint, I’m still overwhelmed with searches (40+). Finding strong candidates is like Unicorns – everybody loves them, but no one has ever seen one. One survey stated 64% of employers cannot find a singled qualified candidate for their open jobs. Here are a few of my notes.

Help Wanted: HOT Jobs – And the hits just keep coming! Going to keep dancing until the music stops Here are a few of the more senior roles. Full list at bottom of the newsletter. If you are currently search for a new career opportunity, shoot me over a resume to mwayman2@cox.net. I’m still receiving several new searches each week, and always on the hunt for top talent.

The Godfather of Las Vegas Presents (Entertainment) – If you are ready to book amazing entertainment…call the Godfather! Started this business several years ago to help out my exceptionally talented entertainment friends, with 100% of the revenues donated to charity. Here are just a few of the tribute shows I’m representing. For more information, email me directly.

To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required – Each quarter we support a dozen local and national charities. A portion of each executive placement is donated to a worthy non-profit. THANK YOU to our clients that allow us to give back.

Hire the Right People...the First Time! - Tired of “post and pray” (online job listings)? Tired of your Recruiters cold calling people on LinkedIn? The Godfather has access to 7,000+ high quality executives and 25 years of industry experience. He knows where all the skeletons are buried! For more information: mwayman2@cox.net.

Anne Wayman (Alera Insurance Group) – The Pandemic has resulted in the largest insurance rate hikes in history. You need an expert with a lifetime of insurance experience to get you the right coverage…and the best rates. My wife ANNE WAYMAN is with The Alera Group, specializing in Property/Casualty, D&O, Workman's Comp and Group Benefits. Offices in Las Vegas, Henderson, Reno, Chicago and Los Angeles. Anne can be reached at 702.496.1065 or Anne.Wayman@aleragroup.com. Tell her The Godfather sent you.

Always remember this: If God is for us, who can be against us!

Mark Wayman

The Godfather of Las Vegas

Zappos CEO TONY HSIEH: Everybody Suing Everybody - Tony was a friend for many years until I got sober. Here is the ultimate case of the Styx lyrics, "I have dozens of friends, and the fun never ends...as long as I'm buying."

Inflation Drops from 9.1% to 8.5% in July – And the stock market rallies 500 points! Welcome to the world’s largest casino. The slight drop in inflation can be attributed to dropping gas prices. And that is a good thing; however food prices were actually up 13% year over year. Hope you are not hungry.

Inflation Reduction Act – Bahahahaha! This bill may do many things, but reducing inflation is NOT one of them. Printing $6T of free money got us into this mess. I can assure you that spending another $433B does not get us out. Final thought: You can’t tax your way to prosperity.

Government Forgives $300B in Student Debt – Dang, I went to school in the wrong decade! My parents couldn’t afford for me to attend college, so I worked 60 hours a week and attended CSU Fullerton at night for eight long years to complete my four year college degree. First person in my family to have a college degree. Let me make sure I have this straight. People that could not afford college now have to pay for rich college grad students that can?

GDP Falls Two Straight Quarters: Recession – You can wordsmith it all you want, it’s still a Recession.

Americans Opened 233MM Credit Cards Last Quarter; 20% Afraid to Check Their CC Statements – Is it a bit frightening that both consumers and the U.S. Government have the highest debt in history? After blowing through $6T in free government money, the party continues with another $433B of debt financing. Fed will boost interest rates .75 in September. The casualties will be variable rate mortgages and those with massive credit card debt.

Warren Buffett on Credit Cards and Debt – This would be hilarious if it was not completely true. A woman asked Warren Buffett how to invest some money she came into. He responded, “Pay down your credit cards. You are paying 18% interest. I don’t know how to make you 18%.” Then the woman asked how her daughter should invest her money. Warren said, “Have her lend it to you at 18%?” Here is a scary number: 58% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.

The IRS: Your Tax Dollars at Work – This article provides insight as to how the IRS is operated. Why does the IRS need to hire 87,000 Auditors? They are now larger than the Pentagon, State Department, FBI and Border Patrol combined. You think they are coming after rich people that have CPAs and keep detailed tax records? Oh, hell no! They are coming after the middle class and lower income that actually cheat more than high income Americans.

Qualifications to Work for the IRS – This video would be hilarious if it was not 100% true.

Home Sales Fall 6% in July; Housing Market in Recession – Las Vegas listings are up 300%; prices are falling daily. Sales in July fell further than they have in 20 years. The housing market collapse has another side effect: Rent is up 50%. Everybody out of the pool, the party is over.

Bye Bye San Fransicsco!: Top 7 Cities Homebuyers are Leaving – Not sure any are a surprise. Home prices doubled in places like Utah and Idaho. Las Vegas has leveled off. What goes up…always comes down.

Former WeWork’s CEO Startup Valued at $1B – Watch WeCrashed on Apple TV+. This is the guy you want to invest in?

Teacher Shortage is a Major Problem – This is going to be a long-term challenge for America. Lack of education is the root cause of many of America’s issues.

DUI: Career Limiting Move – I’m sober five years, but I’m not here to judge anyone. Heck, I loved drinking! Unfortunately, I’m not wired right, so if I have one…I’m having five or ten. Big tip: UBER. Seen too many careers blow up (or end!) over drinking and driving.

Las Vegas Nightclubs Celebrate Resurgence from Pandemic – Let’s see, 120,000 COVID cases a day, 35,000 in the hospital and 600 a day dead. All God gives you is choices. Choose wisely.

Law and Order – This is not about white, black, brown or purple. It’s not about Catholic, Christian, Muslim or Buddhist. It’s about law and order. It’s about good guys and bad guys. America is a country of law and order.

Things I’m Obsessed With This Month – A few of my thoughts on major headlines and topics of interest. 

Godfather on a Roll! – Kind of quiet during July as hiring slowed. And that is OK, because I’m exhausted from working like a sled dog the last two years. Did place several executives that appear in the next newsletter. THANK YOU to everyone for your support. Kids at the Orphanage get new shoes for Christmas!

AGA Hall of Fame: Gavin Isaacs, Virginia McDowell and Michael Rumbolz – Special congratulations to my cigar chomping buddy GAVIN ISAACS. Goodonya!

YouTuber Slot Machine Outperforming Casino Floor Averages – Who would have guessed? Apparently Gaming Arts CEO DAVID COLVIN (one of the best people I ever met!) and President MICHAEL DREITZER did.

MATT WILSON was named Interim CEO at Light & Power.

BILL MCBEATH is Chairman at Crown Resorts.

SCOTT SIROIS is GM at the Meswaki Casino.

STACIE MICHAELS is General Counsel at Fontainebleau Las Vegas.

DANIEL ESPINO is Chief People Officer at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. 

Penn Gaming is now PENN Entertainment.

TRAVIS GARLICK is COO at Sandia Resort & Casino.

JOE BRUNINI is Chief Gaming Officer at Atlantis Bahamas.

Boyd Gaming Shuffle – TONY TAEUBEL is now GM at SunCoast, JIM WARD at Orleans and RYAN PAULOS at Gold Coast.

Venetian New Hires - DAN THALER is SVP, Strategy and Corporate Finance and YULIYA ALEINIKAVA is SVP, Finance at The Venetian.

ROXANE LUKAS is Chief People Capability Officer at Light & Wonder.

YEO YONG MENG was promoted to SVP, Casino Operations at Resorts World Malaysia.

MIKE HEIMAN is VP, Facilities at Fontainebleau Las Vegas.

JOE LUPO is President at the Mirage and ANTHONY FARANCA is President at the Hard Rock Atlantic City.

TYLER WILLIAMS is SVP, Revenue Optimization & Enterprise Analytics at Atlantis Bahamas.

ROB PICARD was promoted to Chief Administrative Officer at Rush Street Interactive.

CATHY BEEDING is GM at Riverwalk Casino Hotel for Churchill Downs.

DAVID WILLIS is Chief Strategy Officer at Crown Resorts.

BLAIR BENDEL is SVP, Marketing at The Foxwoods.

SCOTT LAKE IS CMO at Jamul Casino.

HENRY GRAFFEO was promoted to GM at The Mint at Cumberland.

Blackstone Sale of Cosmopolitan Set Profit Record for Company – For those not familiar with the story, the original developer was IAN BRUCE EICHNER, however Deutsche Bank foreclosed on the property in 2008 during Depression 2.0. Deutsche hired a President with a hospitality background and I placed the original VP, Hotel and VP, Legal. Rumor was that Deutsche partners hung on to the property, despite losing $100MM a year, because they liked to party at Cosmo on the weekends. Blackstone acquired the property in 2013 and hired BILL MCBEATH as the President. The rest, as they say, is history. Just goes to show that the right management team…is priceless.

Caesars Entertainment to Stay Neutral in California Sports Betting Fight – I was in Del Mar for a week, and California residents are being flogged with sports betting commercial. Literally every other commercial is on sports betting.

New Hard Rock AC Boss Looks Past Casino Walls – My good friend ANTHONY FARANCA on his new role with Hard Rock International.

Catholic Charities Unveils Renovations for Homeless Shelter – CEO TOM ROBERTS and his team do an amazing job of helping the most vulnerable.

MICHAEL PEARSALL is General Manager Sportsbook at BetFred.

JENNIFER JONES was promoted to Corporate Director, Casino Marketing at Rush Street Gaming.

AMANDA TAORMINA is Associate Director of Catering & Events at Fontainebleau Las Vegas.

MICHAEL SPEAGLE was promoted to President & COO at GDL Cucina (parent company of Giada Restaurants).

FARRAH SAHAKIAN is Director, Purchasing at Bally’s Corporation.

VESELA ZEHIREV was promoted to Director, Philanthropy and Community Engagement at MGM Resorts.

ANDREW LANZINO III is VP, Citywide Events Strategy at MGM Resorts.

MORGAN MCADOREY is Director, Human Resources Business Partners at Light & Wonder.

MICHAEL BARKER was promoted to VP, CRM at Penn Entertainment.

JASON LOWRY was promoted to Director, Sales Operations and Administration at Aristocrat.

TIM MORIARTY is VP, Food and Beverage at Seneca Gaming.

CHRIS MCGONIGLE was promoted to VP, Food and Beverage at Rivers Schenectady.

RICK BERNINGER is VP, Human Resources at The Borgata.

MEGHAN SMITH is VP, Human Resources at Resorts World Catskills.

TALLY KARAVANY is Assistant Regional GM at Cash & ACE Casinos.

JOHN RANERE was promoted to AGM at PARX.

CHAMA DARCY was promoted to Executive Director, Hotel Operations at Seneca Allegany Resort and Casino.

AMANDA CROTEAU was promoted to Director, Entertainment at MGM Springfield.

J.P. SYMEONIDIS is VP, Sales at OPTX.

AILEEN BABAYAN is Director, Events at Mandalay Bay.

RAY MILHOMME is Director, Surveillance at the Silverton.

NATHAN CHAPA was promoted to VP, Hospitality at Hard Rock Tampa.

MARANDA WEST was promoted to Director, HR – Benefits, Compensation, & Key Initiatives at Churchill Downs.

KRISTA PAPPAS was promoted to VP, Global Human Resources at GAN.

JENNIFER LIAO is Director, Financial Planning & Analysis at The Cosmopolitan.

WILLIAM DANGC is Sr. Director, Financial Planning and Analysis at Light & Wonder.

STUART ALTMAN is VP, Compliance at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel.

STEVE TORTORELLO is Director, Casino Marketing at Rivers Casino Portsmouth.

LEE BENNETT is Director, Culinary at Caesars Entertainment.

AARON BOWLUS is Manager Security/Risk & Safety at Harrah's Kansas City.

JOHNNY BEELAND is Senior Chef Tournant at Caesars Entertainment.

DOYLE SMOTHERMAN is Director, Slot Operations at Cache Creek Casino & Resort.

ZACHARY SALEM was promoted to VP, iGaming at Rush Street Interactive.

NICOLE GERMAIN is Manager, Commercial Finance - North America Game Sales at Aristocrat.

JAY VACCARO is Head Of Risk Management at ISI Race and Sports.

STEVE HOULE was promoted to AGM at PARX.

SHANE VALENTINE is AGM at Maverick Gaming.

NICHOLAS CHIN is VP, Business Development at BOOM Entertainment.

LUKE BRIDGES was promoted to Director, Procurement at Ilani.

JIHAE KANG is Director, Treasury and Reporting at the Venetian.

KEVIN MCGUIRE was promoted to Director, Gaming at Miami Valley Gaming.

How a Cold Call To STEVE WYNN Landed KIM SINATRA Her Dream Job – Cold calling is not recommended, but this article about my friend Kim is kind of cool.

PAT BENATAR at The Palms – She is in the Pearl Theater September 3. Arguably the best concert venue in Las Vegas, and Pat is incredible on stage. I’m at Kentucky Downs that weekend – dang it! Two hot culinary tips at the Palms: TIM WO HAN for lunch and SCOTCH 80 PRIME for dinner.

TRAVIS CLOER in “Bat Out of Hell” – My friend Travis Cloer is starring in Bat Out of Hell the Musical at Paris Las Vegas. Amazing talent; one of the best albums of all time. Trivia note: I placed WILLIE WILCOX at Bally Technologies years ago. Willie was a Producer on the Bat Out of Hell album.

JIMMY THOMAS, Co-Founder of Hippodrome in London, 88. He is the Father of Hippodrome Executive Chairman SIMON THOMAS, one of the finest people on the planet. Condolences.

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN, Singer, 73.

BILL RUSSELL, NBA Legend and Civil Rights Activist, 88.

MIKHAIL GORBACHEV, Former Russian Leader, 91.

LAMONT DOZIER, Legendary Songwriter, 81.

ANNE HECHE, Actress, 53. Just say no to drugs.

VIN SCULLY, voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers, 94.

Due Diligence Required – Before you spend any of your valuable time interviewing for a new job, be sure to perform due diligence on the company and the location (if relocation is required). Had several candidates this year go through the entire interview process, then say, “I decided not to relocate.” When interviewing, bring all of your questions about the job and company to the interview. Saw three executives this week that took new roles and did not last 90 days. Now they are back in the job market with a speed bump on their resume. Due diligence required!

Without Your Health, Nothing Else Matters – Recently a friend asked me for recommendations on wellness resorts. With the holidays fast approaching, here are my three picks.

Learn How to Lose…Graciously: Check Your Ego at the Door – Recently had a candidate that was fantastic on paper. He was $175,000 for most of his career, and then somehow finagled a $300,000 job. Did not last a year. From a compensation perspective, that makes him $175,000 to $200,000, however he told me multiples times how his market value is $300,000 and I’m just ignorant. Bahahaha! Two lessons here. First, your market value is determined by your education, experience and skill set. After 20 years and 1,000+ placements, I’m pretty adept at salary compendiums. Second, telling me I’m incompetent does not help your cause. I’m actually here to help you, so being rude tells me you are NOT someone I want to represent. We can just professionally and courteously agree to disagree. Always a good idea to check your ego at the door.

Not All Business is Good Business: 4 Reasons I Fire Clients – First, clients that late pay…or don’t pay at all. There is one big employer in Las Vegas that is cheap, cheap, cheap. They always stretch you out on payment. Name withheld to protect the guilty, All the service providers know them, and most of use avoid the company like the plague. Only had two companies stiff me for payment. Don’t feel bad, I poached a dozen of their employees and made 300% on the deal. Second, companies that practice “death by due diligence” in their hiring process. The last two years if you can’t land a candidate in one or two weeks, you won’t be hiring anyone good. Third, clients that don’t interview my candidates. Look, this is not my first rodeo. After 20 years of Executive Recruiting, I’m not guessing. Fourth, anyone that tells you money doesn’t matter…doesn’t have any. Salaries are up 25% since the Pandemic started. Supply and demand. My advice to my clients: Offer above market rate compensation and move quickly.

The Proper Way to Give and Receive Referrals – It’s been 25 years since I cold called anyone because I work 100% by referral. Here are a few pointers for getting and giving referrals. When giving a referral, always get permission from the person you sending it to FIRST. In many cases, I get candidate referrals and the candidate is copied on the email. If I can’t help the candidate…it gets awkward. And remember that any referral you send is a direct reflection on you. Choose wisely. When receiving a referral, always be grateful! Regardless of how it works out, they had your best interests at heart. When contacting the referral, always be courteous and professional, even if you can’t add value. In many cases I give a polite, “No thank you”, however I always, always get back to people.

Executive Recruiter Secret: We Don’t Get Paid Unless You Get the Job – As a former CIO for 20 years I had my fill of pushy, aggressive Executive Recruiters. When I started my recruiting business 20 years ago I vowed NOT to be that guy. For clients with open searches, my process is to check weekly for an update. Not daily or hourly - weekly. One of the most frustrating aspects of recruiting is pushy, aggressive candidates emailing me every morning in an effort to make the process move faster. I literally field 10 to 20 of these messages each day. It’s important to understand that the hiring companies move at their own speed, and the Executive Recruiter is at the mercy of that pace. Half the companies understand you have to close on candidates in a week; however there are still many organizations practicing “death by due diligence” with their hiring. Here is an executive recruiting secret: We don’t get paid unless you (the candidate) get the job! Trust me, I am on the case every…single…day.

Three Reasons the Recruiter Ghosted You – Ghosting definitely goes both ways. Recruiters and hiring companies that ghost candidates is a real hot button for me. It’s disrespectful and unprofessional. When my clients (hiring companies) go radio silence, I explain that the candidate has invested time and effort to interview, so we need to provide graceful closure. If that does not work, I communicate that ghosting candidates paints the hiring company in a bad light, and angry candidates will tell 10 of their friends. Pretty soon, you can’t hire quality talent. For me, the number one reason for ghosting is that hiring managers and HR are overwhelmed. They have many priorities; hiring is just one of them. Due to the Pandemic, most companies are one long daily fire drill. As for compensation, I get the money worked out before investing anyone’s valuable time in the interview process.

The Godfather on “Moral Compass” – Let’s face it, not everybody plays fair. I compete against Executive Recruiters that send their clients on Caribbean cruises and the PGA Masters. They buy clients $1,000 dinners and $500 rounds of golf, followed by alcohol infused all nighters at the strip club. The most you are getting from The Godfather is a book, a cigar or an invite to my client mixer. So to every sales executive that had to compete on an uneven playing field…take the road less traveled. Because without integrity, nothing else matters.

The Godfather’s Top 5 Career Strategy Tips - After 20 years and 1,000+ successful executive placements, I have assembled my top five career strategy tips.

When You Get the Job Offer…GO! – You got the job offer. Congratulations! Here are a few of my tips for leaving your current job and joining your new employer.

Should You Accept the Job Offer? – Love this article! Perform your due diligence on the company and get the compensation range BEFORE you interview. I always get the money straight between the candidate and hiring company before investing anyone’s time. And do NOT interview for a company that requires relocation unless you are 100% committed to relocating.

You are Family…Until the Day You are Not – Always remember this: The company always takes care of the company. No one is indispensable.

The Monkeys and the Rainstorm: 3 Strategies for Riding Out the Storm –Always take a long-term career view, value relationships and plan for a rainy day.

The Good Samaritan: Carefully Consider Your Legacy – Most of us are familiar with this parable from the Bible. Which one are you?

When Your Work Fills in for Your Faith…That’s a Problem – Worshipping work comes at a steep price. Family, relationships, hobbies…and spirituality.

Never, Ever Quit! - Of all the lessons my Dad taught me, this was the most valuable: Never, ever quit.

Your Opinion is Not Required – LinkedIn is the new Twitter. Before you start ranting about politics, consider that your boss, employer and peers can see your diatribe. Don’t do it. We call it a CLM (career limiting move).

Top Gun: Maverick – Might be even better than the first one.

Senior Year (Movie Review) – Good, clean fun! REBEL WILSON wakes up after 20 years in a coma obsessed with being the Prom Queen.

13 Lives – Great Ron Howard movie about the Thai soccer team that was saved from a flooded cave. Available on Prime Video.

WeCrashed and Dopesick – If you are like me, you skip the nightly news in favor of a good movie or streaming series. Here is the news: War, Pandemic, politics and a big storm in the Northeast. Just saved you an hour each day. Two streaming recommendations for you. First, WeCrashed (AppleTV) recaps the rise and fall of WeWork. Second, Dopesick (Hulu) addressed the opioid epidemic created by Purdue Pharmaceuticals. For movies, if you have not seen CODA (AppleTV, Oscar for best motion picture), there is a reason it won the Oscar. For musical fans, the remake of West Side Story is sensational.

Nalalny – If you watch CNN you get one version of the worled; watch Fox and you get a second version. This film about ALEXEI NAVALNY is the 100% unvarnished truth about Putin and Russia, and why Communism is such a bad idea. #FreedomOfSpeech

On the Bookshelf 

Half Time: Moving from Success to Significance – Some of you may be wondering about the charity aspect of my business. When we sold SRD (counter-terrorism software company funded by the CIA) to IBM in 2004, I took an early retirement. A friend gave me a book called Half Time that described living a life of service. Be a giver, not a taker. Two weeks later a CEO asked if I could identify some FBI talent. He said, “You are on the Board of Make-A-Wish – donate the money to charity.” Now 18 years later we are still doing it!

The Changing World Order (Ray Palio) – My friend JIMMY KIRNER gave me this book. Dalio is a billionaire investor and hedge fund manager. Want to make sense of the economy? This book will educate you.

Millennial Sumuarai – Great read about what to expect going forward in the 21^st century. To quote author (and former Nevada Attorney General) GEORGE CHANOS, “Without good character, no one will want to hire you, do business with you or have a relationship with you. A flawed or weak character will eventually cause others to avoid having anything to do with you.” Really important lesson.

The Algebra of Happiness – What's the formula for a life well lived? How can you have a meaningful career, not just a lucrative one? Is work/life balance possible? What are the elements of a successful relationship? One of my new favorites!

Killing the Killers - From Afghanistan to Iraq, Iran to Yemen, Syria, and Libya, the United States fought Al Qaeda, ISIS, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. I spend three years in this world and still find it fascinating.

5 Things I Never Want to See on a Resume – Silicon Valley Recruiter’s perspective. Here are a few of my tips. First, no “personal summary” full of glowing words about your background. Save that for your Mom. Second, skip the outdated experience. No one cares what you did in the 1980s. Only list the last 10 to 15 years. Third, don’t put a date on your college degree(s). You will be too young or too old. Finally, no photos and no fancy formatting. Just the facts ma’am.

Early Retiree Shares 13 Money Rules: I Wasn’t Born Rich! - Rule number one: NO DEBT. Rule number two: See rule number one. Rule three: Have a six to twelve month emergency fund for the tough times.

225 Millionaires: The 4 Types of Rich People and Their Top Habits – I stick with my Dad’s financial motto, “If you can’t pay cash…you can’t have one.

Poor Sleep Hygiene is Killing You and Your Career – And while we are on the subject, long work hours does make someone a better employee.

Make-A-Wish – Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We seek to bring every eligible child's wish to life because every child deserves a childhood.

Catholic Charities - Since 1941, the mission of Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada has been to serve those in need; the most vulnerable, regardless of race, religion or creed.

Central Christian Church – A place where it’s OK…to not be OK. Love the work Pastor Jud and his team perform for the Las Vegas community.

Lutheran Social Services – LSSN serves persons of all demographics such as, low-income, at-risk of homelessness, homeless, families with or without children, youth, veterans, people with disabilities, and senior citizens.

Noah’s Animal House - Noah's is a full-service pet facility located right on the grounds of a domestic violence shelter.

Funny Farm Rescue – One of the largest rescues in the United States, Funny Farm supplies a forever home to 600+ animals.

Adam’s Place – Support for children and families experienced loss. Mostly children that lost a parent or a sibling.

Olive Crest – Focused on child welfare and foster children, helping kids, teens and families to build a brighter future.

SVP, Sales ($300,000, Las Vegas) – Gaming supplier.

Chief Information Officer ($275,000, Las Vegas) – Casino.

General Counsel ($275,000, Las Vegas) – Gaming supplier. Must have gaming or payments experience.

VP, Compensation ($250,000, West) – High tech.

General Counsel (to $250,000, Las Vegas) – Gaming supplier.

Director, Sales ($250,000 on Quota, Las Vegas) – Gaming supplier.

VP, Human Resources ($250,000, San Diego) – Casino.

VP, Human Resources ($200,000, Midwest) – Casino.

VP, Finance ($200,000, Northeast) – Casino.

Account Executive ($200,000 on Quota, Las Vegas) – Gaming supplier.

Executive Director, Food and Beverage ($175,000, California) – Casino.

Director, Payment Operations (to $175,000, California) – Gaming.

Director, Casino Marketing ($175,000, California) – Casino.

Sr. Director, Finance ($175,000, Midwest) – Casino.

Director, Casino Marketing ($175,000, San Diego) – Casino.

Sr. Director, Human Resources ($165,000, Midwest) – Corporate.

Sr. Director, Human Resources ($165,000, Midwest) – Casino. Property level.

Director, Human Resources ($160,000, California) – Casino.

Director, Finance (to $150,000, Midwest) – Property level role.

Sr. Game Designer ($150,000, Las Vegas) – Slot maker.

Director, Marketing and Promotions ($150,000, Miami) – Casino.

Sr. Manager, Marketing Analytics ($150,000, Miami) – Casino.

Director, Financial Planning & Analysis ($150,000, Northeast) – Casino.

Director, Financial Planning & Analysis ($150,000, California) – Casino.

Director, Purchasing ($150,000, California) – Casino.

Director, Creative/Art ($150,000, Las Vegas) – Run a team of Artists.

Director, Human Resources ($150,000, California) – Casino.

Director, Security ($140,000, Northeast) – Casino.

Director, Table Games ($140,000, California) – Casino.

Executive Chef ($125,000, Northeast) – Gaming.

Mathematician ($120,000, Las Vegas) – Slot company.

What’s the Best Professional Advice You Ever Received – This was posed on Twitter. My response, “Relationships trump talent.” Here are a few of the other responses.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here!