Caesars Entertainment Manager Interview with Andrew Matheis By

Caesars Entertainment Manager Interview with Andrew Matheis By Sierra Givhan

Introduction Andrew Matheis is currently a Director of Marketing for the North Region Caesars Entertainment properties. These casinos include Horseshoe Cleveland, Horseshoe Cincinnati, Horseshoe Southern Indiana, Thistledowns Racetrack and the soon-to-open Horseshoe Baltimore. � Andrew (who likes to be called Andy) got his start in the casino business through a former colleague that he worked with in the horse racing business. Andy says that “when I worked at Churchhill Downs, a colleague moved over to Caesars to work and after a few years apart she knew my desire to move back to the Louisville area and offered me a job at the casino. ” � Essentially Andy got his start from Horse Racing and has been in the casino business for 8 years. �

Industry � � � The casino industry is always changing, especially since it is a 24 hour business. When asked what he liked best about his job he told me that he loves that you can be judged on your performance every single day. “Every day numbers are posted for how the business did and you can quickly judge whether the programming you do drive volume. ” Naturally with the good there is the negative, and Andy explains that “on the flip side, I think my least favorite part is that it is a 24 hour business and you never get a break. People are always working and that means you are always on. ” This is especially true working on the floor. Before Andy recently made the move to a more marketing-centered role with a Monday-Friday schedule, he was the VP of Marketing for Horseshoe Southern Indiana. The role required mostly weekends and evenings as this is when the majority of programming for VIPs and other guests would take place.

Prioritization � Overseeing the promotional calendar for 5 different casinos can be a lot of work. When asked what Andy does to prioritize and handle stress, he explained that he creates a lot of lists and it helps him go through and see what he should be focusing his attention on. � Apart from that list, there is an additional list of 2 -3 items that he wants to specifically get done that day. Andy shares that “when the whirlwind starts during the day, I can still focus my attention on those 2 -3 things that are most important to get done. ”

Career Movement � When asked what is takes a person to move up in a company like this, Andy responded that first and foremost it is hard work. He states that “a good work ethic will start you on the right path. ” � His second suggestion is to make good contacts within the company. “Get to know others outside of your circle. Additionally, when special projects come up, be the first to raise your hand to do it. ” � Finally, Andy stresses that you should not be afraid of lateral movement into another area to learn. It shows that you are looking to develop yourself. This is a strategy Andy learned and used himself through his career.

Career Movement Continued � � � Andy’s first year and a half was in Direct Mail as a Specialist where he learned he really liked the analytics side of the marketing business. He made the lateral move to P&A as a marketing analyst. After some time he was asked to do this for multiple properties in a region. He said he knew he wanted to eventually head up the Direct Mail department and he kept working hard until the spot opened up. Soon Andy moved into the role of Director of Marketing for an Executive Direct Mail team. Eventually this role led into his role as VP of Marketing at a property level. He said that he always tries to have small goals for each job knowing where the next step is. He took this current job because he eventually would like to be a POD leader (his direct VP) and this current role will give him the experience to learn from one and work in the environment that a POD leader is in.

Education vs Experience �I asked Andy which he thought was more important, education or experience. He told me that if he had to pick one, it would be experience. � He also explained that to him, the two things go hand in hand together so you can’t have one without the other. He thinks it is good to get your education that sets the basis for you, but there is nothing better than experience.

Management Style and Advice � Andy explained that he is a very open manager. He allows his team to do their job and attempt things on their own. He wants them to succeed and learn on their own, but know that they have his support anytime it is needed. � As far as overall advice, Andy stresses the importance of working hard, making connections and no being afraid to take a risk and make a mistake.