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Rebecca Paul
Hargrove |
Biography:
Rebecca Paul Hargrove is a 20-year lottery industry
veteran who is considered to be one of the most effective lottery executives in
the world.
She began her career working in local television news,
advertising and promotions in Indiana and Illinois before being tapped in 1985
by former Illinois Governor James Thompson to lead the Illinois Lottery. Under
her management, Illinois Lottery sales climbed to more than $1.3 billion
annually. In 1987, she moved to Florida to launch the Sunshine State's lottery
where she set industry records for first-year sales. After that, she worked as
a consultant, developing strategic plans and advising lotteries across the U.S.
and abroad.
In 1993 Paul was tapped by the Georgia Lottery
Corporation Board of Directors to start up the Georgia Lottery. During the
first year of operation, she once again set new industry sales records. During
her 10 years in the Peach State, the Georgia Lottery generated more than $6
billion for education and funded scholarships for more than 700,000 students
attending state colleges and universities and more than 500,000 four-year-olds
who attended Lottery funded pre-Kindergarten programs.
The Board of Directors of the Tennessee Education
Lottery Corporation selected Paul as the Tennessee Lottery's first president
and CEO in September 2003, following a nationwide executive search. In making
the announcement, the Board noted Paul's "unparalleled experience" will be
critical as the Lottery works to generate millions of dollars to fund the first
round of scholarships for an estimated 65,000 students attending Tennessee
colleges and universities in fall of 2004. Paul and her team didn't let the
Board down. After starting ticket sales three weeks ahead of schedule on
January 20, the Tennessee Lottery closed out its first fiscal year of five
months and 12 days by transferring more than $123 million to the state's
education fund-roughly 40 percent more than the initial goal of $88 million.
Another $2 million was also transferred to fund after-school programs.
The Tennessee Lottery's first year of operation was a
win for education - more than $246 million was raised for education including
more than $2 million for after school programs. By March 2005, gross ticket
sales had surpassed $1 billion after one year and seven weeks of ticket sales.
Marking the end of the Lottery's first full fiscal year, the latest quarterly
transfer to the Lottery for Education Account brought the total of funds
transferred to that account from January 20, 2004 to June 30, 2005 to over $350
million. In addition, more than $6.87 million has been raised to fund after
school programs, bringing the total amount raised for education since the
Tennessee Lottery's launch to nearly $360 million. Paul and her team continue
to stay on track to provide scholarships for all eligible students, as well as
create additional dollars for education.
Paul's resume includes a long list of lottery
industry, business and civic accomplishments. In 1990, she served as President
of the International Lottery Association. From 1997 to 1998, she served as
president of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries.
She was the recipient of the 1998 Peter O'Connell Lifetime Achievement Award by
the Public Gaming Research Institute. In 1999, she served as vice chairman of
the Public Sector Gaming Study Commission appointed by the National Council of
Legislators from Gaming States. This group was comprised of state and local
government leaders and released their final report in March 2000 on the impact
of gaming nationwide. In July 2005, Paul received the Lottery Industry Hall of
Fame Award when she was named one of the first inductees to the Public Gaming
Research Institute's Lottery Industry Hall of Fame - established to recognize
individuals who have made important contributions to the long-term growth and
success of the lottery industry.
In April 2004, Business Tennessee magazine named Paul
to the Power 100, a list of Tennessee's most powerful people. In June of 1998,
Paul was named The Georgian of the Year by the Georgia Association of
Broadcasters. She is privileged to be the first woman to receive this
prestigious award. Paul also received the 1998 Robert Todd Duncan Alumni
Achievement Award from Butler University. The J. Whitney Bunting School of
Business of Georgia College name Paul the 1996 Executive of the Year. In 1994,
she was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Stanford Graduate School of
Business Alumni Association and won the Corporate Leadership Award from the
Georgia Association of Minority Entrepreneurs. Paul is an Indianapolis native.
She holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in education from Butler
University, Indianapolis.
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