Holly Gagnon Joins Spectrum as Senior Strategic Advisor

Gaming veteran Holly Gagnon, who has served with distinction for more than 28 years in multiple roles including as President and CEO of Seneca Gaming Corporation, is joining Spectrum Gaming Group as Senior Strategic Advisor.

Gagnon will help lead Spectrum’s strategic-planning initiative, designed to advise operators and suppliers as they plan for 2021 and beyond. She will also play key roles as Spectrum assists distressed properties and will advise a wide range of clients who rely on Spectrum to navigate challenges and identify opportunities.

Gagnon, who currently serves as a Distinguished Fellow at the University of Nevada Las Vegas International Gaming Institute, has held senior leadership positions in finance, IT, and operations, and has worked for major gaming operators, including Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International, as well as four successful Native American-owned operations. During her tenure at Seneca Gaming, the corporation launched sports betting at all of

its gaming properties, formed strategic sports partnerships with Pegula Sports & Entertainment, and transformed the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino with the $40 million Seneca Arrival Experience project.

As one of the few female CEOs in the gaming industry, Gagnon consistently prioritized the guest experience and employee engagement to drive superior results to the bottom line.

Gagnon earned an MBA from Chaminade University of Honolulu, received her BS in Accountancy from Bentley University in Massachusetts, and is also a CPA. She serves as an independent board and audit committee member for GameWorks and is a founding board member of Global Gaming Women, where she chairs the mentorship committee. Gagnon also serves as a Trustee for the Committee for Economic Development of the Conference Board where she is a member of the Women in Corporate Leadership and Workforce Development Committees as well as the Ad-Hoc Committee on Coronavirus Pandemic. She has also been honored as Native American Finance Officers Association’s Executive of the Year, one of the Top 30 CEOs with Native Business Magazine (2019), Pay It Forward Award by Global Gaming Women (2017), multiple times as Power Women with Buffalo Business First (2019, 2018, 2017), and Power 250 (2019 & 2018). She is a former member of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership Board of Directors and former member of the Mississippi Arts & Entertainment Experience Board.