It’s now been 14 months since I started working at a casino. I just had my first annual review last week and left the meeting feeling pretty good about what I accomplished the first year and the goals I’ve set for year two. Here are some highlights for the upcoming 2012 fiscal year starting October 1st:

• Officially launch new public and internal websites
• Deploy four new players club information kiosks
• Increase corporate and public internet speeds
• Improve telephone system performance and quality
• Strengthen cellular and wi-fi signal and enhance resort coverage area
• Replace and upgrade server room storage capacity
• Upgrade resort reservation system
• Develop prototypes using mobile technologies

Working in a casino resort has been a great experience so far, with so much to learn and experience. Our resort is big enough to be exciting, but small enough for me to get involved in virtually all aspects of the operation. I particularly like helping with some of the marketing and concert promotion activities, along with the golf operations of a top Minnesota course.

The people here are great and it really is like a big family. The restaurant staff automatically brings my favorite drink, the front desk books my favorite rooms each week and the golf course crew knows I won’t be needing a cart.

I’m still working on building the latest “ultimate” office space, but the current setup is comfortable and we have most of the tools needed to get the job done.

Networking with industry contacts and other local casinos should get a boost when I attend the G2E trade expo in Las Vegas next month, along with the 2012 NIGA conference, to be held April 1-4 in San Diego. Can’t wait!