International Game Technology (IGT) announced Thursday that Michelle Carney, its Vice President of Global Lottery Marketing, is set to receive the Public Gaming Research Institute’s (PGRI) Major Peter J. O’Connell Lottery Industry Lifetime Achievement Award. The award will be presented at the PGRI Lottery Expo Nashville on September 12.
Established in 1993, the award honors individuals who have distinguished themselves throughout their careers “with important lottery industry contributions.”
Wendy Montgomery, IGT SVP of Marketing, Communications and Sustainability, said: “As an accomplished lottery marketing executive, Michelle Carney has spent much of her career at IGT driving results and cultivating strong, valuable relationships with our global lottery customers.”
“Our lottery customers trust Michelle to ensure that IGT is providing them with the highest quality lottery services to grow their business and unrivaled products that deliver premier experiences to their players. Michelle is an exceptional lottery marketing leader, and we congratulate her for being recognized for the Lottery Industry Lifetime Achievement Award,” she noted.
Wendy Montgomery
For her part, Carney commented: “I am truly honored to be receiving the Lottery Industry Lifetime Achievement Award, especially given its ties to my home state as it’s named after fellow Rhode Islander, the late Major Peter J. O’Connell.”
“It has been a privilege to spend the last 23 years of my career at IGT, working with so many wonderful colleagues, peers, and customers around the world to help drive the lottery industry forward,” she added.
In her current role, Carney is responsible for the development of marketing and communications strategies that support growth in the IGT Global Lottery business. She also leads the management of relationships with industry associations such as the World Lottery Association (WLA), European Lotteries (EL), and the National Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL).
Additionally, Michelle has spent 15 years collaborating with lotteries and industry associations to evolve the Powerball and Mega Millions multi-jurisdictional game portfolio in the U.S. “These games contribute substantial revenue for good causes,” the company noted.
Carney received her Master of Business Administration from the University of Rhode Island’s College of Business in Kingston, R.I., and holds a Bachelor of Economics and Business Administration from Ursinus College in Collegeville, Penn. She is based out of IGT’s North America Lottery Headquarters in Providence, R.I.
Major Peter J. O’Connell was a pioneer in the lottery field and the evolution of instant tickets and online systems. He was the first director of the Rhode Island Lottery in 1974 and served in this role until 1993.
After years of promoting the concept of a multi-state lottery, Major O’Connell served a two-year term as the first President of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), where in 1988, he was instrumental in launching Lotto*America, the predecessor of today’s Powerball.