Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has expanded its customer service teams with a combination of promotions and new appointments.
Leading GLI’s Client Services is Candi Lopez, who has been promoted to Manager of Client Services for the North American Supplier Team. She will work with the VP of North American Client Services Salim Adatia, focusing on the success of the region’s suppliers.
Previously, Lopez was a Quality Assurance (QA) Supervisor in the QA and Database Department, which allows her to provide unique insights and leadership to her team and clients. Before GLI, she served in the US Marine Corps.
Also promoted within the North American Supplier Team is Cindy Nguyen, now Senior Account Executive. Her relationships with tribal gaming will help bridge the suppliers, tribes, and technologies as gaming continues to merge land-based and digital gaming. Joining GLI in 2012, Nguyen has 19 years of gaming industry experience which includes her previous tenure at San Manuel Gaming Commission.
Kelvin Ortega has been promoted to Account Executive within the North American Supplier Team. Ortega will bring valuable cross-departmental knowledge to the position after working across various departments at GLI since 2015, including Document Specialist in its QA department, Technical Assistant within its Engineering department, and Client Services Coordinator for projects in land-based, igaming and sports betting.
Joining GLI’s Tribal and Government Client Services Team as Client Service Representative is Joe Decorah, who has over 30 years of experience in the gaming industry. He was most recently with Wipfli, where he was responsible for developing sales leads, onboarding customers and growing revenue.
Decorah is a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation and served in a variety of roles for his tribe involving gaming regulations and regulatory oversight. He was Chairman of the Ho-Chunk Nation Gaming Commission from 2011-15, and Director of Business Operations for the Ho-Chunk Nation from 2007-2009, where he oversaw over 3,000 employees.
Joining GLI as Account Executive on the North American Supplier Team is Christos Karountzos. A gaming industry veteran of 16 years, his previous roles include Gaming Licensing Analyst for the Illinois Gaming Control Board (IGCB) and Senior Jurisdictional Engineer/Product Manager in Compliance at Scientific Games and WMS Gaming. Karountzos’ regulator and supplier experience will prove highly beneficial in his new role.
Kelly Myers is joining GLI’s Tribal and Government Client Services Team as Client Services Representative. Most recently, she was Compliance and Licensing Manager for the Cherokee Nation Gaming Commission. Myers also served as Chairperson of the Oklahoma Tribal Gaming Regulators Association and was the COO for the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Enterprises.
President/CEO James Maida said: “We are incredibly impressed with the array of talents our North American Supplier Team and Tribal and Government Client Services Team bring to GLI and our valued clients. It is an exciting time to be in our industry as we begin to emerge from the difficulties of the past year and see the great promise on the horizon.
“Our new team members, working with our pool of talented and tenured staff, will provide the technical guidance, insights, and confidence to help our clients realize their dreams and help develop the bright future of gaming.”