Page 142 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2025

WOMEN
IN GAMING
The Mississippi Gulf Coast is redefining leadership in the gaming industry, where three general managers and a healthy representation of women in executive roles signal a notable shift. This positive development contrasts with broader industry trends outlined by the American Gaming Association (AGA) in a recent report.
According to the AGA study, women make up 47.5% of the gaming workforce—roughly in line with the national labor force—but remain underrepresented in management positions across the industry. The study indicates a male-dominated landscape in key positions such as technicians (+36%) and professionals (+12.7%).
While gender imbalances persist nationwide, Mississippi Gulf Coast casinos are working on bucking the trend. Their inclusion of women in top leadership roles sets a positive example for the broader industry—one that opens doors for future talent and promotes a more equitable path forward.
Three women who are now leading their gaming properties took very different paths to the top. Susan Varnes, president and chief operating officer of Treasure Bay in Biloxi, was a paralegal before signing up for dealer training in 1991. She worked part-time on weekends and
holidays for a year and was offered a promotion to supervisor if she would commit to full-time. “I took a leap of faith, left my paralegal job and embarked upon what has become my lifelong career,” Varnes said.
She worked in table games for a few years before being given an opportunity to create the first compliance position with Isle of Capri, requiring a relocation to Mississippi from Illinois. “It was a learning curve for both me and the company,” she said, “and the role introduced me to all areas of operations, which created tremendous growth opportunities. From there, I advanced to a senior director of operations role, further expanding my knowledge and experience, while introducing me to design and construction.”
Varnes joined Treasure Bay in 2001 as vice president of operations and assumed her current role in early 2006, shortly after Hurricane Katrina.
At Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort in D’Iberville, LuAnn Pappas is CEO. While she has worked in the casino industry for 40 years (her anniversary was Aug. 19), Pappas started her professional career as a certified court reporter and worked in juvenile intake, retail and adult probation.
“I don’t have the traditional CEO or general manager’s background. I don’t
have an MBA,” Pappas said. “But I was able, fortunately, to come up through
the ranks, starting in the gift shop at Harrah’s in Atlantic City, and sometimes I believe, when that happens, you’re more in tune with what’s actually going on, because you’ve done that job. And I’ve had so many different jobs across so many different locations that, again, it was more like on-the-job training, but it turned out well.”
Coming from East Germany, Angi Truebner-Webb is vice president and general manager at Silver Slipper Casino Hotel in Hancock County. “I came to the U.S. as an exchange student and fell in love with the culture of possibility here,” she said. “I knew I wanted to come back. So, after earning my degree and then my master’s, I returned to
the States and began my career in the gaming industry at the very bottom of the ladder: as an administrative assistant to the vice president of finance at Treasure Bay Casino, making $8 an hour. I had
a master’s degree in my pocket, but I didn’t lead with that. I led with curiosity, humility, and a relentless willingness to raise my hand when someone needed help.”
Truebner-Webb said that mindset became the foundation of her leadership journey. “I still lead from the floor. I walk
142 | September 2025
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
story by Lori Beth Susman and David Grisham