The Game of My Life A Personal Perspective of a Retired Gaming Industry Executive

Mike Simon was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. After attaining his bachelor's degree in accounting from La Salle University, he moved to Runnemede, NJ where he began working for a regional accounting firm while studying for the Certified Public Accountant's examination. In 1991, he relocated to Atlantic City, NJ where he started his career in the gaming business at Showboat Hotel & Casino as a senior auditor. Over the next several years, he attained his master's degree in finance from St. Joseph's University while holding management positions at Showboat and subsequently Atlantic City Hilton before relocating to gaming jurisdictions across the country to help grow the industry. During his 18 years in gaming, he held management and executive level positions for six different gaming establishments in various jurisdictions to include land-based, riverboat, and Indian gaming facilities. His responsibilities have included oversight of all financial reporting, operational accounting and analysis, and regulatory compliance. He has led and taught thousands of employees over his career in the gaming business. Today, Mike is a professor of accounting and director at Louisiana State University in Shreveport, LA. In 2009, Mike was selected by the LSUS Student Government Association as one of the university's Top 20 Professors for academic years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010. In addition, he was recognized by his peers and the administration of the College of Business, Education, and Human Development at LSUS, receiving the 2009 Outstanding Faculty Award for Special Services for his day-to-day work tutoring and advising students regarding their academic and post-graduation career opportunities. Mike is also the managing member of Zirilli Properties, LLC, a company he founded to provide safe, well-maintained residential rental homes for working-class Americans. He has also been fighting to overcome a malignant cancerous sarcoma identified and treated several years ago. Mike continues ongoing treatment for the malignancy that enlightened his life and encouraged the progressive forward movement of his career and family. And while Mike's personal and professional life move forward, he is blessed by the opportunities that have become more evident each day; blessed by an underlying understanding of righteousness and hope that drive his daily thoughts and actions in our world.