38 / 84
38
// PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL // November/December 2016
T
he Tennessee Educa-
tion Lottery Corpo-
ration (TEL) is one
of the top-performing lot-
teries in the United States,
with 12 years of consecu-
tive sales growth since its
launch January 20, 2004.
With an increase in sales of
more than 13% from FY15
to FY16, and a record first
two months of the current
fiscal year, the Tennessee
Lottery remains at the top
of the game.
One reason for this stel-
lar performance is leader-
ship. TEL President and
CEO Rebecca Paul Har-
grove has served in lead-
ership roles in the lottery
industry for more than 30
years, including as Chief
Executive of the Illinois,
Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee lotteries. In three of those four
states she led the start-up and remains one of the most respected,
experienced leaders in the field.
She has served as President and/or Chair of all the offices of the
Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) and the North Ameri-
can Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL), and
has served as Senior Vice President of the World Lottery Associa-
tion since 2012. However, Rebecca credits her entire powerhouse
team for the TEL’s success: Wanda Young Wilson, Chief Operat-
ing Officer and General Counsel; Andy Davis, Chief Financial and
Information Systems Officer; Sidney Chambers, Executive Vice
President, Sales; and Lou Ann Russell, Executive Vice President
Advertising and Marketing.
One catalyst to the TEL’s sales growth is its annual “Sales Zone”
meeting. This summer I was
pleased to have the oppor-
tunity to attend, and it was
unlike anything I expected.
The three-day meeting, at-
tended by the entire TEL
sales team, senior manage-
ment and others, is held
off-site at a nearby confer-
ence facility. The meeting,
themed this year “Building
On Your Best,” was just
as much a celebration as
it was a time for learning,
networking, setting goals
and building teamwork. An
example of this spirit was
given by Ed Bradley, Vice
President of Sales, in his
presentation to the team.
Ed’s enthusiasm quickly
spread, and we embraced
his message: To cherish our
role as industry leaders, be
thankful for the privilege of working with dedicated teammates,
continue to raise the bar on ourselves, and to be proud that “the
strength of what we build shapes the future of thousands of Ten-
nessee students each year.”
In addition to the energy and guidance from TEL senior man-
agement, the sessions were intensive and interactive learning expe-
riences, as well. Dale Carnegie Master Sales Trainers opened our
eyes to the exciting possibilities of achieving stretch goals, and they
provided the tools to make it happen. IGT’s Nat Worley and Kasia
Cahill spoke of the cutting-edge strategies and the new technologies
to expand the TEL’s retailer base and optimize retailer performance.
Adam Perlow of IGT gave a hands-on workshop on how to employ
Sales Force Automation (SFA) to improve effectiveness in the field.
SFA is not just about efficiency, it’s about knowing the precise mes-
“BUILDING ON YOUR BEST”
The Tennessee Lottery Annual Sales Meeting that
Sets the Stage for Growth
By Paul Jason, Chief Executive Officer, PGRI