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// PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL // November/December 2015
Joseph S. (Jay) Gendron
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,
NORTH AMERICA LOTTERY, IGT
Jay is a Lottery Industry Veteran Redefin-
ing the Industry Standards for Customer
Service. He began his career at GTECH in
1995, as an Assistant Account Executive.
The following year, he became a Regional
Account Director, a position he held until 1999. He then became
an Account General Manager, was named Director of Video Op-
erations in 2001, and then Vice President of Global Sales, Gaming
Solutions. In 2007, he was promoted to Regional Vice President,
Eastern Region Operations—GTECH’s largest region. In 2014,
he became Senior Vice President, North America, today serving
IGT customers in both the U.S. and Canada.
He has served some of the industry’s largest lotteries, an experi-
ence giving him an appreciation of the challenges these complex
lotteries face. Jay manages IGT’s Texas Lottery partnership to en-
sure resources, products, services, and retail innovation support
the customer’s diverse and unique business model. “I have known
Jay for more than 10 years now,” said Gary Grief, Texas Lottery
Executive Director. “I quickly came to realize that Jay doesn’t do
anything halfway. He follows through and always goes the extra
mile for the customer. Jay hits the ground running, and he quickly
became familiar with my staff, our board, and the massive opera-
tion IGT has in place in Texas.”
IGT has more than 40 customers in North America, and Jay is
dedicated to supporting and driving the success of each and every
one of them. “Over the past 19 years, regardless of what position
Jay held at GTECH, he remained a steadfast supporter and friend
of mine and the Rhode Island Lottery,” said Gerry Aubin, Rhode
Island Lottery Executive Director. “Always willing to listen to any
concerns, offer solutions, and follow through on all commitments
he made. When I joined the Lottery in 1996, Jay Gendron was
one of the first people I met. It didn’t take long to realize that Jay
was not only hard working and knowledgeable, but also sincere,
trustworthy, and loyal.”
Trust, Integrity and Responsibility: Understanding customer
needs is imperative. And, if the adage holds true that the key to
business success is to foster positive relationships, then Jay has
designed the blueprints for customer care in the lottery industry.
Trust, integrity and responsibility are the attributes are the founda-
tion on which Jay has built a successful career at IGT, and in turn,
his influence has reinforced those qualities throughout the indus-
try. Whether he is helping a customer find the best business solu-
tion for their lottery or speaking at the grand opening of an IGT
After School Advantage computer lab, Jay has helped redefine the
standards of customer service.
Jay is a graduate of Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H.
He and his wife, Leah, reside in Rhode Island with their two sons.
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Lottery Industry Hall of Fame 2015
Program for Ceremony to Induct the North American Members
of the PGRI Lottery Industry Hall of Fame
Dr. Ioannis N. Katakis
LOTTERY INDUSTRY
CONSULTANT
Dr. Katakis has served as Director of Lot-
tery Systems, Services, and Strategy for IN-
TRALOT S.A. during 1998–2015. In that
capacity, he evaluated new opportunities in
the gaming sector, analyzed new business op-
portunities in the global markets, assessed the financial models, and
proposed the required strategy to the company’s top management.
Ioannis served as the lead in winning contracts in the following
countries, Chile (2002), Holland (2009), Korea (2009), Malta
(2002 and 2012), Morocco (2010), New Zealand (2005 and its ex-
tension 2009), Skopia, Spain (2005), South Africa (2006),Taiwan
(2007), Turkey (2004), Victoria (Australia) (2007), Western Aus-
tralia (2005). He also set up the companies in Beijing (China),
Hong Kong, Madrid, Malta, New Zealand, Perth (AUS), Roma-
nia, Skopje,Taiwan, and Victoria (AUS).
Ioannis was appointed to lead MALTCO upon its establishment,
in 2001, as the operator of the National Lottery of Malta. Its history
since then is most exciting. Malta is home to a thriving internet-
based gambling business. In spite of that, and with a total dedication
to its land-based retailers, in 2014 MALTCO has doubled its rev-
enues over the last ten years to 207 euros per capita more than double
the European average. Ioannis’ background has shaped his approach
as an achiever in business in a profound way mainly because of his
vision, leadership and staff management.
Trained in the sciences (Ph.D In Biomedical Engineering; Bache-
lors and Master Degrees in Electronic Engineering), Ioannis followed
his academic career with five years as a medical scientist. He worked
in the Telecom Sector for INTRACOM (1989–1994) and EURO-
COMEXPERTISE(1994–1998) hired on as a technologist and engi-
neer at INTRALOT (to implement its first online lottery and design
and Implement the first video-lottery system). He then moved into
operations and business development (responsible for acquiring many
of INTRALOT’s ‘private management’ contracts as General Com-
mercial Director in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, S. America
and S. Africa) and, since the renewal of the license in 2012, serves as
executive CEO of MALTCO Lotteries. Ioannis continues to be in-
volved in every aspect of the business. And he makes a strong case for
why that is necessary in order to bridge the gap between technological
development and the user experience.
Ioannis served in the Spinal Injury Unit at Glasgow General Hos-
pital (1986–1987), and conducted important research into the ap-
plication of neuromuscular stimulation to help paraplegic patients
and previously he had a two year Research contract with the British
Ministry of Defense while at the University of Sheffield. He holds
the following academic degrees:
• Ph.D in Bioengineering (1983–1987;
University of Strathclyde Glasgow, Scotland),
• M.Eng in Electronic Engineering (1981–1983;
University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England), and
• BEng in Electronic Engineering (1978–1981;
University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England).
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