CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT, INC., Reno, NV - (FORMERLY ELDORADO RESORTS, INC.)Corporate Vice President of IT (2017 - Present)Chaired IT technical teams to deliver architecture, engineering, implementation and support services for more than 15,000 users, 12,500 mailboxes, 10,000 workstations/laptops, and 1,500 servers.Oversee all aspects of Network Security and Engineering, Technical Services, Infrastructure Architecture and Engineering, Information Security, Identity and Access Management and iSeries operational departments. Served as the focal point of contact for all SOX/404, PCI, Cybersecurity testing initiatives, and various annual audits and assessments. Key Achievements: • Effectively managed $10M+ operating budget and $20M+ capital budget by implementing budget management best practices and ensuring cost effective solutions that maximized ROI and while delivering value and meeting business needs.• Conducted direct negotiations with vendors and service providers for various IT projects and initiatives, resulting in annual savings ranging from $10M to $15M.• Collaborated with senior leadership to align IT strategies with overall business goals and priorities.• Led transformation efforts for several key initiatives including WAN replacement, IAM services and Hotel Room guest technology, leveraging emerging technologies to optimize business processes and modernize technology platforms.• Achieved optimal datacenter performance with minimal downtime, overseeing the design, architecture, implementation, and support of multiple enterprise-class, business-critical data centers supporting 50+ nationwide locations.• Optimized technical and operational efficiency by proposing enhancement solutions and adaptations to systems, while maintaining existing platforms and infrastructure.• Led the Corporate IT M&A activities of multiple locations, developing the strategic planning and vision for system integrations post-merger.

Centralized stand-alone IT systems into production data centers, managing complex architectures that hosted IT-driven services for Financial, Payroll, Time and Attendance, HR, Hotel Management, Casino Management, Active Directory, Exchange, VMWare, Network and Information Security, Service Desk, Cloud initiatives and Enterprise Data Warehouse.Managed daily IT operations, including budgeting/forecasting, system development projects and project management. Administered the full lifecycle of system deployments by gathering requirements, conducting performance testing, and developing collaborative production environments.• Managed Technical Services, Information Security, Network Engineering and Security, Identity and Access Management, Quality Assurance and Implementation, Service Desk and iSeries departments.• Directed technical teams providing comprehensive support to over 6,000 users, 5,000 mailboxes, 3,500 workstations/laptops, and 750 servers.• Designed, built, and migrated a crucial production datacenter from St. Louis, MO, to Reno, NV, achieving complete accuracy and ensuring minimal downtime for business operations.• Implemented multi-layer Next Generation security technologies to fulfill Corporate and Board-directed security initiatives.• Led an initiative to combine multiple Microsoft Enterprise Agreements into a single agreement, saving $1.2M annually.• Assisted internal teams in developing, testing, and installing new solutions. • Established and mobilized enterprise-wide IT infrastructure in close collaboration with cross-functional teams. • Led all initiatives related to IT SOX/404, PCI, Cyber Security, audits and annual assessments.

Orchestrated IT processes across seven properties, ensuring the completion of IT projects and seamless daily operations.• Integrated IT systems and processes for four newly acquired locations within two years, aligning with corporate requirements and IT best practices.• Developed, defined, and implemented organizational IT policies, procedures, and objectives, including disaster recovery and business continuity plans to mitigate risks and minimize operational disruptions. • Supported management in budgeting and planning for future IT initiatives.• Led the migration from on-premise infrastructure-to-cloud-based solutions, enhancing scalability, flexibility, and cost savings.• Managed various IT projects and initiatives, including greenfield new builds, acquisitions, divestitures, system implementations, and hardware/software upgrades and replacements.