LAS VEGAS – Golden Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:GDEN) based in Las Vegas, announced that Sean T. Higgins has joined the company as senior vice president of government affairs and business development. In this role, Higgins will work with federal and state elected and appointed officials on issues relating to the company’s business activity. In addition, Higgins will also oversee business development for the company as it pursues both distributed and traditional gaming opportunities.
“Sean is an incredible addition to our company and brings a wealth of federal, state and policy expertise, including many years of lobbying before the Nevada Legislature,” noted Blake L. Sartini, chairman, president and CEO of Golden Entertainment. “His extensive industry knowledge as well as his legislative and developmental experience will be tremendous assets as we continue to expand on a local, regional and national level.”
Higgins comes to Golden Entertainment after serving as principal of STH Strategies, a firm he founded in early 2015. Previously, Higgins was managing principal of Porter Golden Silver Communications, a full-service government affairs and business strategic consulting firm. In addition, he was a partner in the law firm of Gordon Silver. Prior to that, he spent 17 years as general counsel and head of government affairs for a multijurisdictional gaming company.
Upon joining Golden Entertainment, Higgins said, “Being part of a large and growing company like Golden Entertainment is an exciting opportunity. My goal is to ensure that the company’s voice is heard on legislative and regulatory issues that affect our operations. Additionally, I look forward to actively pursuing strategic business opportunities which can be beneficial to Golden.”
Higgins is a member of the International Association of Gaming Advisors. He previously served on the Nevada Governor’s Gaming Policy Committee, Nevada Governor’s Advisory Committee on Problem Gambling, National Gambling Impact Study Commission and the Clark County Blue Ribbon Panel on Fuel Reliability. In July 2015, he was appointed by Governor Sandoval to serve on the Nevada Equal Rights Commission.
Higgins received his law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law and his undergraduate degree in business administration from Southern Methodist University. He is licensed to practice law in the state of Nevada.
About Golden Entertainment, Inc.
Golden Entertainment, Inc. owns and operates gaming properties across two divisions – distributed gaming and resort and casino operations. Golden Entertainment operates approximately 10,300 gaming devices and more than 30 table games in Nevada, Maryland and Montana. The Company owns four casino properties, nearly 50 taverns and operates approximately 770 distributed gaming locations in Nevada, Maryland and Montana. Golden Entertainment is focused on maximizing the value of its portfolio by leveraging its scale, leadership position, and proven management capabilities across its two divisions. For more information, visit www.goldenent.com.