The D.C. Lottery has hired Frank Suarez as the new executive director
The D.C. Lottery has hired a new executive director, tasking a new top official with the management of the city’s sports betting program.
Frank Suarez has taken over as the new head of the D.C. Office of Lottery and Gaming, spokeswoman Nicole Jordan said Monday. He steps in after Beth Bresnahan, the office’s executive director since January 2018, resigned for personal reasons in February. Ridgely Bennett has served as the acting executive director since her departure.
Jordan did not answer additional questions about Suarez’s hiring, except to say “there will be a formal announcement in the near future.” The first public mention of his hiring appears to be a Sept. 3 letter submitted in response to a recent examination of the city’s sports betting system conducted by D.C. Auditor Kathy Patterson, who issued a report last week detailing the District’s struggles in generating returns from its city-run sportsbook.
According to Suarez’s LinkedIn profile, he’s worked as the head of the lottery office since August. The position reports to the city’s independent chief financial officer, so it would not appear to require confirmation from the D.C. Council, which does have review power over many of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s appointees.
Suarez comes to D.C. from North Carolina, where he served as the deputy executive director for brand management and communications for the state’s Education Lottery for the last seven years, per LinkedIn. He previously worked in marketing roles for companies including Yum! Brands Inc., Darden Restaurants Inc. and Del Monte Foods Inc.
Suarez also pledged in that response to continue overseeing a series of changes to the city-run program, including upgrades to the Gambet mobile app and perhaps adjustments to odds offered to bettors.