GGRAsia – Everi names new EVP to boost games business

Everi names new EVP to boost games business

Jan 11, 2017 Newsdesk Industry Talk, Latest News

Everi Holdings Inc, a specialist in cash handling technology and electronic game content for the casino industry, has appointed Dean Ehrlich as executive vice president and games business leader, with effect from January 1 the firm announced on Tuesday.

His new role includes oversight of the game development studios located in Austin, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; and Reno, Nevada; as well as responsibility for the firm’s manufacturing and assembly; and Everi’s gaming operations.

Mr Ehrlich – who will be reporting directly to Everi’s president and chief executive, Michael Rumbolz – had served as a consultant to the company since August 2016.

Mr Rumbolz said in a prepared statement accompanying the announcement, that the new appointee’s proven leadership skills and experience would be “instrumental in helping us to further execute on our goal to grow the sales and profitability of our games business”.

In October, casino equipment maker International Game Technology Plc (IGT) said it has reached what it called a “patent cross-licensing agreement” with a subsidiary of Everi Holdings.

Under the deal, the Everi group can offer to its customers games that include any of the patented game features from the IGT portfolio, and will pay licensing fees to IGT.

In the third quarter 2016, Everi saw its net loss widen, albeit on higher revenues. In the games segment, revenues increased approximately 4.1 percent.

Mr Ehrlich takes over from David Lucchese who was recently appointed executive vice president, digital and interactive business leader, a new position at the company.

Mr Ehrlich was with the pre-takeover IGT from 1994 to 2003. From 2003 to July 2015 he worked at slot manufacturer WMS Industries Inc and latterly at its new corporate parent Scientific Games Corp, in a succession of senior management positions. They included as a senior vice president of global gaming operations where he led an annual US$675-million business for premium lease products; and as a vice president of sales, North America, where he led commercial sales operations responsible for over US$500-million in annual revenue generated from product sales, gaming operations and game conversions.