25 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 on the case study methodology. Immediately I saw that creative gleam in his eyes. That day we went onto develop the framework for what was to become Erewhon. Guy claimed that Erewhon was nowhere spelled backwards and who was I to correct him? Our mission was to ensure that students of Erehwon would be comfortable debating the issues, free of whatever hat they were wearing, thus the fictitious Erewhon was born. After successfully testing the concept with NASPL directors, the Erewhon lottery education program was formally introduced leaving a lasting impression on participants around the world. Yet another example of inclusion and team building. And then came ILID, the international lottery industry data base. As an industry we had a wealth of knowledge and as monopolies at the time we were very happy to share everything amongst our lottery community. However, there wasn’t a common platform to share the data. With Guy’s support, the British Columbia Lottery team became committed to creating a process and platform that could bring all that data together from lotteries around the world, make it easily accessible and easy to customize queries to our respective needs. This perhaps was our foray into what now is referred to as “big data.” While at times painful, Guy motivated us to think out of the box, dare to dream and be the best we could be. When the Winnipeg based Pollard Banknote won the bid to become BCLC’s instant game provider, the CEO of BABN, Marshall Pollock’s prophetic response was, “I am not as concerned about losing your business as I am about your ability to help create a formidable competitor.” The rest is history! I have funny memories of the early stages of going “online.” Guy and GTECH’s Pete Morrissey smuggled the first lottery terminal into Canada in the trunk of a car. Guy was determined to evolve the journey from registered tickets, to bearer tickets, to “online”. The Mentoring Continues… In 1991, Sweden hosted the Intertoto Conference. Sweden’s CEO Richard Frigren asked Guy to speak. Guy declined. Instead he proposed yours truly to open the conference with Pete Lammers. While Guy loved the limelight, he was very willing to share it with those he mentored. Guy continued his mentoring and commitment to the industry after he retired. Collaborating with Jean Marc LaFaille, they wrote a straight forward book about the basics of lottery and gaming. The books he later published about the development of the industry through his eyes, are more than a diary, they are a labor of love, an effort to ensure those entering the business today could stand on our shoulders as the business evolves in the future. Guy with Jean March Lafaille Thanks for the Memories Guy… A complex, funny, creative, out of the box thinker and risk taker, Guy was a leader who could be infuriating and also endearing. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have worked with him and the teams he created. His passion for our industry was infectious. He was driven to bring the lottery community together and to help open doors to the authentic and wonderful friendships we enjoy worldwide. We stayed in contact regularly. He was always interested in hearing about his friends and colleagues and of course reminiscing. We had a lot to reminisce about. Finally… The fact there exists a WLA Guy Simonis Lifetime Achievement Award, says it all. Congratulations to Ms Lynne Roiter, a most deserving recipient of this award in 2022. n Guy and Jean Marc LaFaille
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