When Jacqueline Grace was recently named senior vice president and general manager of the Tropicana in Atlantic City, she became the fourth woman leading a casino in the New Jersey resort town.
The promotion is an acknowledgement of her years of experience. But Grace’s new role also indicates that women are finally being given the same opportunities as male peers.
“The reason why people are talking about that is because it has not happened enough,” Grace says of the four women in leadership roles. “I don’t think it’s specific to gaming. I think you’ll find that across a lot of businesses and a lot of industries, particularly ones that are traditionally male dominated. When you look at the workforce, you find equity at the entry level and even somewhat at the management level. As you ascend in the organization, the numbers drop off. … But I do believe that if you have the right relationships and accomplish goals and achievements, you can progress.”
Grace, who most recently worked at Caesars Entertainment’s Horseshoe Baltimore property and has more than 20 years of experience in financial and gaming industries in Atlantic City, joins a select group that includes Melonie Johnson, president and chief operating officer of the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa; Terry Globecki, CEO of Ocean Casino Resort: and Bally’s general manager Karie Hall, in senior leadership roles at Atlantic City casinos.
Organizations, notably Global Gaming Women, provide mentoring opportunities and scholarships for women in the gaming industry. But Johnson thinks the best way to advance is through hard work, experience, and personality.
“I’m older and more mature and wiser,” says Johnson, who started at the Borgata in May, 2020, and also has worked at gaming properties in Maryland, West Virginia, Illinois and her native Louisiana. “I’ve learned a lot about how to navigate through the waters within my career. What has helped me is establishing relationships and having transparent conversations with individuals.”
Johnson and Grace both describe themselves as hands-on managers who prefer to be on gaming floors, interacting with staff and customers, rather than sitting in an office. Grace thinks this approach helps earn the trust of her staff and helps gauge customer satisfaction.
“You can go anywhere for a steak, you can go anywhere for a hotel room, and you can go anywhere to play some cards,” says Grace, who earned a Bachelor’s of Engineering degree in electrical engineering from Stony Brook University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Virginia’s Darden School. “You can go anywhere to put money in a slot machine. But I think what brings customers back to your properties is the staff, the team members, and the great experiences that [customers] are having. It’s incumbent upon us to invest in our team members and ensure that we’re focusing on employee engagement. That translates to customer service, and everybody wins.”
Neither Grace or Johnson think gender inhibited or enhanced their careers. Both women say they’ve been afforded opportunities solely based on their skills and accomplishments.
Johnson, who earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of New Orleans, has not been subjected to any improper conduct, but knows many women who have experienced inappropriate behavior. Her approach is to confront anyone who even slightly steps out of bounds.
“I don’t allow things to be said or let inappropriate actions happen to me without addressing them,” Johnson says, “and that has worked well for me. Have things been said that are inappropriate? Yes, there have. Did I address them? Yes, I did. Did it work out favorably? Yes, it did. And I also never put myself in situations that could be compromising for me.”
As Black women, recent events such as the Black Lives Matter movement and signage supporting racial equality at professional sporting events have caught the attention of Grace and Johnson. Both say race has never been an issue in their careers.
But recent discussions about racial equality can be used positively.
“Given current events, I do think that there’s an opportunity to have a broader dialogue as a country, and in this industry and corporation, to really examine diversity and inclusion and inequity,” Grace says. “I want to be part of those conversations.
Johnson views discussions about race as part of her ongoing mission to engage and mentor students. While working at MGM National Harbor in Baltimore, she regularly visited Flintstone Elementary School in Flintstone, MD, donating school supplies and lunches and speaking to students about career opportunities in the gaming industry.
“I had my employees talk to them and let them know that college is not necessarily for everyone,” Johnson says. “You can have a career as a housekeeper or a security officer or a maintenance engineer in the facilities department. I also speak to a lot of young men and women one-on-one to mentor them.”
All casinos are facing unique challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As in many industries, there has been a downturn in customer traffic at both the Borgata and the Tropicana.
In order to attract customers, exhaustive safety measures have been implemented. Johnson says in addition to thermal screening and hand sanitizers, the Borgata has recalibrated its HVAC system to produce 14 “100 percent exchanges of outdoor air with indoor air per hour” to protect employees and patrons.
Geography is also cited as being a plus for encouraging customers to return to Atlantic City properties.
“I believe that Atlantic City is uniquely positioned to rebound in light of recent events,” Grace says. “Here at the Tropicana and in AC you get Vegas-style resorts without having to jump on a flight, which I think is pretty appealing for our customers in the tri-state and surrounding area. There’s quite a large population that lives within a reasonable driving distance from Atlantic City, which makes the Tropicana and Atlantic City pretty desirable places to go.”
