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Barry Cooney
Barry Cooney,
Ph.D., is an internationally recognized Consultant, Author and
Public Speaker. Educated at Temple University, Dickinson
College and McMaster University in Canada, Dr. Cooney is a
specialist in building strong effective management teams, and
creating an organization that delivers outstanding guest service.
For many years he served as one of the principal external
consultants for Embassy Suites Hotels across the United States.
In recent years, he has been a trouble shooter for the gaming
industry, with clients that include Harrah’s
Entertainment, Boyd
Gaming, Isle of Capri, Jacob’s Entertainment, as well as many Native
American Casinos.
In 1988, Dr.
Cooney founded the "Alliance for Creative Management, Inc." a Santa
Fe, New Mexico based Organization and Management Development
Consultation Firm, which serves many Fortune 500 companies. Barry
Cooney's recent Book, "Conquering Dysfunction in the Workplace:
Three winning Strategies to Bring New Life to Troubled Work
Environments," (Santa Fe: Jade Bear Publications, 2004;
888-474-0515), has been receiving high praise in leading business
circles throughout the United States and Canada.
Over the last
ten years, Dr. Cooney had the opportunity to work with Lee Witherow
and Max Wroten. Having many goals and ideals in common with Lee and
Max, Dr. Cooney and his firm the Alliance for Creative Management
became an affiliate of Hospitality & Gaming Associates in 2004
 Lee
Witherow
Prior to forming Hospitality & Gaming Associates, Lee Witherow was
the Chief Operating Officer of Black Hawk Gaming where he oversaw
the Lodge Hotel and Casino, The Gilpin Casino and the Gold Dust West
Inn and Casino in Reno, Nevada.
Prior to the Black Hawk affiliation, he served Harrah’s
Entertainment as Senior Vice President and General Manager of
Harrah’s Tunica where he turned an operating loss of $5.5M into a
profit of $3.3M in one year, achieving an $8.8M bottom line
improvement. He also served as Vice President and General Manager of
Harrah’s Skagit Valley Casino and Vice President and General Manager
of Harrah’s Vicksburg Hotel and Casino.
With Hospitality & Gaming Associates, Lee offers clients complete
operational and marketing consultation in hospitality and gaming in
the U.S. and abroad, including extensive experience in the
Caribbean.
Lee’s background dates back to Executive Assistant Manager at the
legendary Boar’s Head Inn, a Mobil Four Star resort, in
Charlottesville, VA. He then became General Manager of Keswick Inn
and Country Club. Leaving the field to earn his MBA at Wake Forest
University, Lee returned to join The Promus Companies where he
managed various hotels across the country.
 Max
Wroten
After receiving his MBA from Bowling Green State University, Wroten
went to work for Dayton Hudson Department stores in Financial
Planning and Analysis.
Once promoted into Operations, he spent the balance of his nine-year
tenure excelling in the areas of expense management, non-traditional
retail opportunities and opening the crown jewel of new Dayton
Hudson stores: Dayton’s Southdale. At Dayton’s Southdale, Max was
second in command of a management team that opened a 380,000 square
foot state-of-the-art department store. He was responsible for a
staff of 120, including three food and beverage operations.
In leaving retail, Max began a new career that took him to the
emerging gaming market. As the Corporate Director of Food and
Beverage Operations for Grand Casinos, Max opened five casinos with
23 restaurants in just three years. Of the five casinos opened, two
were corporately owned and three were managed for Native American
Indian Tribes. The F&B volume for the six casinos under his
authority exceeded $40.0 million.
Max then led operations in restaurant companies that were looking
for rapid growth. Champps, Rainforest Café and Sidney’s were in
start-up modes with all but one going public. The companies all grew
at a rate in excess of 100% a year during his tenure. His knowledge
of organizational structure, systems and strategic planning continue
to serve him well in his endeavors.
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