Texas Lottery Commission Appoints Ryan Mindell Executive Director

AUSTIN, Texas (April 18, 2024) – The five-member Texas Lottery Commission today announced that Ryan Mindell, the agency’s Deputy Executive Director since September 2022, has been promoted to Executive Director, effective immediately on April 18, 2024. As Executive Director, he will oversee the agency’s mission of responsibly generating revenue to support public education and veterans’ services in Texas.

“With a unanimous decision, we are proud to appoint Ryan Mindell as the Texas Lottery Commission’s newest Executive Director,” said Robert G. Rivera, Chairman of the Texas Lottery Commission, on behalf of the Commission. “In his time with the agency, Ryan has demonstrated strong leadership while putting together an impressive track record in the lottery industry. He brings a breadth of experience, knowledge, and innovative ideas to this role. We are confident that his appointment to Executive Director will sustain the integrity, strategic leadership, and growth of the agency, which is critical for its mission.”

Ryan Mindell

“I’m honored and thrilled for the opportunity to take on the role of Executive Director of the Texas Lottery Commission,” Mindell said. “Having been part of the agency in many capacities, I know first-hand the strength of our dedicated staff. I am eager to build on the success we’ve had through continued collaboration with the Commissioners, our vendor partners, and our stakeholders, while maintaining the commitment to the agency’s mission and making a positive impact on its beneficiaries.”

Mindell is a leader in the lottery industry, receiving the prestigious North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) Powers Award in 2023 for making significant contributions to the lottery industry through exceptional job performance, and has frequently presented at national meetings and conferences. Mindell works with NASPL, industry vendors and other lotteries to lead modernization efforts in the North American lottery market, most notably in developing a universal lottery API (Applied Program Interface). This initiative will allow retailers’ point-of-sales networks to be seamlessly integrated with lottery gaming systems, opening opportunities for significant retailer expansion, and ultimately putting the lottery product front and center both in-lane and at self-checkout. Mindell also serves as chair of a Mega Millions in-lane group, leading the efforts to review potential changes to the point-of-sale products currently available for that game.

Mindell’s other accomplishments include enhancing the development of the annual game plan for the Texas scratch ticket portfolio, leading the agency’s work on the ongoing Sunset review, developing new and unique ways to provide relief for Texas scratch ticket budget challenges, overseeing the addition of Monday drawings for both Powerball and Lotto Texas, serving as co-chair for the Texas Lottery’s 30th Anniversary year-long campaign, and negotiating and implementing a new lottery gaming system and new mobile app.

Mindell has been with the Texas Lottery Commission since 2016, previously serving as lottery operations director, managing attorney, and Assistant General Counsel before being elevated to deputy executive director. Previously, Mindell worked for the State of Texas at the Office of the Attorney General as an Assistant Attorney General representing state agencies in advisory and financial litigation matters. Earlier roles include serving as counsel and associate at Bingham McCutchen LLP and as an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP representing major financial institutions in New York City.

Mindell holds a Juris Doctor degree and a master’s degree in psychology from Duke University. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

About the Texas Lottery

Beginning with the first ticket sold in 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated more than $38 billion in revenue for the state and distributed more than $85 billion in prizes to lottery players. Since 1997, the Texas Lottery has contributed $32.8 billion to the Foundation School Fund, which supports public education in Texas. As authorized by the Texas Legislature, certain Texas Lottery revenues benefit state programs including the Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. Since the first veterans’ themed scratch ticket game was launched in 2009, the Texas Lottery has contributed more than $237 million for programs supporting Texas veterans.

The Texas Lottery provides several entertaining games for lottery players including Powerball®, Mega Millions®, Lotto Texas®, All or Nothing™, Texas Two Step®, Pick 3™, Daily 4™, Cash Five® and scratch ticket games. For more information visit us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube or at texaslottery.com.

SOURCE: Texas Lottery.