11 |
C H A M I N A DE MAGAZI NE
A V ISIONA RY LE A DER PU T T ING
Employees First HOLLY GAGNON ‘91 HAS A REPUTATION IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY AS BEING AN EXECUTIVE WHO DELIVERS. BIG PROJECTS, GROWTH, TURNAROUNDS. THEY’RE HER SPECIALTIES. BUT WHAT SHE’S MOST PROUD OF AS A CEO ISN’T HER OWN RESUME, IT’S HER COMMITMENT TO ENGAGING EMPLOYEES, HELPING THEM GROW SO THE COMPANY SHE LEADS CAN DO THE SAME.
“I fundamentally believe in the service-profit chain,” Gagnon said during an interview on a recent Sunday—pretty much the only day during any given week when she has a chance to take a breath. “If your team members are engaged and feel included and are part of the solution, it’s an infinitely more profitable organization.” Gagnon, who has a Master of Business Administration from Chaminade, is the president and CEO of Seneca Gaming Corp. It’s a job she’s held since 2017, and the latest in a successful career as a visionary leader that’s taken her around the country and propelled her to the C-suite in an industry dominated by male executives. She’s also become a leading voice in the industry, advocating for a personnel-centered governance style that understands the greatest capital a company has is its human capital. Gagnon has served as the keynote speaker at the Global Gaming Expo, one of the industry’s landmark events; was named executive of the year by the Native American Finance Officers Association in 2016; and is a founding member of Global Gaming Women. Speaking to Chaminade Magazine, Gagnon said she’s proud of all she’s accomplished as a CEO. But she’s also proud of the other hats she wears: as a mentor, a lifelong learner, and a mom.
All of those roles, Gagnon said, have informed her leadership style—and helped her weather the not-so-good days as well as celebrate the great ones. “I believe it’s been tougher for me,” said Gagnon, talking about her trajectory as a CEO. “But it’s served my benefit. I’ve kind of done the zig zag. I have worked in multiple jurisdictions … the more challenging gigs.” Today, she runs one of the largest privatesector employers in Western New York, overseeing some 3,600 employees who work at three casino properties and a golf course and attract more than 15 million guests annually. A C O L L A B O R AT I V E A P P R O A C H TO LEADERSHIP
Gagnon grew up on a farm in rural Massachusetts and made the first big move of her life to go to college. She headed off to Boston to attend Bentley University, where she graduated with a degree in Accounting. Before too long she’d met her future husband, who was in the military and was picking up to move to Hawai'i. They’ve since separated, but Gagnon says she’s still grateful for her time in the Islands. While here, she took a job in health insurance and decided to go back to school for her MBA. Gagnon looked around for a program that would allow her to work full-time while attending classes.
She found Chaminade, enrolling in her first course when she was also a few months from expecting the birth of her first child.
“If your team members are engaged and feel included and are part of the solution, it’s an infinitely more profitable organization.” Gagnon juggled it all — and was happy to be in a program that accommodated her busy life. “I was able to do Chaminade in the evenings and they had a really great program,” she said, adding that she especially enjoyed rich discussions with her professors and peers. “They had a nice core of students from all over.” Gagnon said the MBA coursework that resonated with her most was the ethics-centered curriculum. At the time, ethics was rarely an area
