Interviewed by David Schwartz. Bill Zender grew up in Las Vegas and got a degree in hotel management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He went to dealing school and went to work at various casinos as a dealer and later as a pit boss. Bill also worked in enforcement for the Gaming Control Board and has written books on casinos games and on how casino managers can deter cheating. Subjects: El Cortez; Western; Maxim; Bally's; Desert Inn; Aladdin; Artichoke Joe's (CA)

Interviewed by David Schwartz. Russell Terbeek born in Cleveland in 1956. He was going to be a sound tech or a lighting tech for bands after college, but his contact person for that industry disappeared. His uncle was a bell captain at Circus Circus, so he told Russell about their dealer program, and Russell came to Las Vegas to be in it. Russell worked for Circus Circus in various properties in Las Vegas and Laughlin for fifteen years. After he went to the Edgewater in Laughlin, he became back-up shift boss. At the Rio he was the table games division training manager. Russell also worked at the Treasure Island, Harrah's, and the Sahara. He helped open New York-New York in 1997. At one point he moved in with a woman who lived in Rancho Cucamonga, so he helped open the Pala Casino and worked as shift manager there and as table games manager at the Soboba Casino. Russell also worked at Harrah's Kansas City and Harrah's North Kansas City. At the time of the interview, he worked at Arizona Charlie's Boulder Casino. Subjects: Circus Circus, Edgewater, Colorado Belle, Golden Nugget Laughlin, Rio, Treasure Island, Pala, Soboba, Morgono, M, Arizona Charlies

Interviewed by David Schwartz. Jimmy Wike's family moved to Las Vegas in 1958 when he was nine years old. He graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Jimmy started as a dealer at the Las Vegas Club and was also a dealer at the Fremont Hotel and Casino, at the Stardust, and at the MGM Grand that later became Bally's. He was a supervisor at Bally's and also taught in a dealers' school while he worked there, he became a pit manager, and ended up a vice president. Jimmy also worked in management at the Hilton and at Casesars Palace. Subjects: Las Vegas Club, Fremont, Stardust, MGM Grand (original), Landmark, Fremont, Bally’s, Hilton, Caesars Palace

Interviewed by David Schwartz. Howard Dreitzer grew up in Miami. He came to Las Vegas in 1974 and went to dealer school on the GI Bill. Howard starting in gaming dealing craps at the Nevada Club and worked at several casinos downtown. Then he became a box and floor man at the Flamingo Hilton. Howard moved to Atlantic City and was a pit boss and later a shift manager at several casinos there. Then he worked at the Harrahs New Orleans Casino & Hotel until it went bankrupt. Howard was hired by the Hilton and worked at the Jupiter Casino and other properties in Australia, then was hired by Seminole Gaming in Florida to set up table games at various properties. Subjects: Nevada Club, California Club, Mint, Flamingo, Frontier, Sands AC, Golden Nugget AC, Golden Nugget LV, Trump Plaza, Showboat AC, Harrah's New Orleans, Conrad Jupiters, Seminole Gaming

Interviewed by David Schwartz.Ron Saccavino was born in Connecticut and came to Las Vegas in 1970. The Las Vegas Club taught him to deal craps, and he went to work there. He was a casino manager for the Landmark, Lady Luck, Foxy's Firehouse, and the Paddlewheel. Ron also worked at the Riviera, Hacienda, Jackpot, Royal Inn, Dunes, and O'Shea's. He worked for the Teamsters unionizing dealers, started the Crescent School for Bartenders and Dealers, was the first to come up with the idea of having temporary dealers and had a temp employment agency, edited a newsletter for dealers titled The dealers news, and wrote a book titled Everything you want to know about Las Vegas dealers.

Interviewed by David Schwartz. Gary Sanoff grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He went to college to study to be a teacher, but never finished. Gary went on the road with his band, but decided to do something else. His parents had moved to Las Vegas, and his father was a dealer. In 1979 he moved to Las Vegas and went to dealer school to be a craps dealer. Gary started at the Nevada Hotel and worked there for two weeks, then he worked at the El Cortez, then went to the Union Plaza where he was a box man and then a floor man. He moved to the Desert Inn and was a dealer and then a floor man there. Next he moved to the Bellagio, was a pit manager, assistant shift manager, shift manager, Interim Vice President of Table Games, and was director at the time of the interview. Nevada, El Cortez, Union Plaza, Desert Inn, Bellagio

Charlie Lombardo, originally from Buffalo, New York, came to Las Vegas after joining the Air Force where he worked as a machinist. Lombardo’s start in the gaming industry involved installing and operating coin wrapping machines for a local company that served various casinos. He then worked for Glory, a Japanese coin wrapping company, in several positions. Lombardo later became a slot technician at the MGM and stayed there after it was sold to Bally’s in 1986 where he later became assistant slot manager, slot manager, director, vice president, and senior vice president at that property. The interview with Lombardo starts with a brief description of his background and experience working with coin wrapping machines. He also talks about his experience in witnessing and surviving the MGM fire of 1980 and his subsequent work in reopening the property, a process that allowed him to learn the operational and technical aspects of slot machines. Lombardo later speaks about what he believes makes both good and bad slot managers. He also describes his experiences in laying out slot floors as well as his philosophy on what he believes makes a good slot floor. Lombardo then describes his experience working with vendors and how he developed successful relationships with them in bringing in new slot machines. He also describes some of the changes in slots and slot management over the years, including the early history and background of both the Megabucks and Pot of Gold slot jackpots. Lombardo concludes the interview by answering the question of whether he gambles, and he provides advice to those who are interested in going into slot management as a career.