Dawn Nettles, the Garland woman who has made criticizing the troubled Texas Lottery Commission a full-time job in recent years, is applying for the job of running the state agency.
"My goal is to clean up the lottery, run it honestly and still make money for the state," Nettles said this morning. "I'm a trouble-shooter, and I know the lottery players."
Nettles, who publishes the online Lotto Report, was first to alert the Texas Attorney General's Office that then-Executive Director Reagan Greer had signed off on advertising a Lotto Texas jackpot in June that lottery officials knew could not be supported by ticket sales.
The inflated jackpot advertisement, first reported in the Star-Telegram, became the focus of a special meeting of the Texas Lottery Commission and a hearing of the House Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee.
Greer resigned in July after saying his action led to the loss of confidence in his leadership among lottery employees and the three-member lottery commission that oversees the state agency.
Lottery officials have opened a nationwide search for a director to manage day-to-day operations for the agency, which generates about $1 billion a year for state coffers.
Nettles sent a letter by overnight courier to lottery officials asking to be considered for the post, which pays about $110,000 a year. Deputy director Gary Grief has been acting as director since Greer vacated the post.
Nettles said in her letter that she has the ability to "lead and motivate staff" and use sales experience she has gained during her career in business.
Lottery officials could not be reached this morning for comment.
I think it's a great idea for Nettles to apply for this job. If anyone gets this Texas Lottery job, I hope Texas fixes their lotto and stop the bonus ball game.
Maybe Mr. Drivedabizness will have something to say about this.
Orangeman
I thought Nettles was anti-gambling, especially anti-Lottery. Now she want the $110K job? Sounds like money talks.
I believe Dawn has good intentions. If I was in her position I would do the same. But I have my doubts. Her good player intentions though I think will get her into trouble. It would be very interesting to see the TLC elect someone that has given them so much grief. I will applaud the TLC if they choose her for the passion that they will show that they want to make things better. But hopefully she will understand that larger jackpots are needed. They mean more ticket sales and more money for the state.
Brad
I hope she gets it.
It will be even sweeter if some other private citizen Texan takes her place as "lottery critic" and tries to disrupt every lottery committee meeting and puts her every action under a microscope, and then posts everything about her on a web site -- later calling for her resignation. (These are all things she did to the former Director, for those people who just think I'm being "mean".)
My, how things come full circle.
Sounds like karmic retribution . . .
Orangeman
Dawn nettles is good at what she does, but that does not mean she needs to be considered for the Directorship of the TLC. This is a management position - one with a multi-million dollar budget. She is in no way qualified. She needs to stick to what she does and stop listening to her "fans".
She has fans?
She has fans?
Yes, there are many Texas Lottery players who adore her, because she stood up to them, and because she was deligent.
I'm a little hard on her because of a couple of reasons:
Like I said earlier, I hope she gets it.
In life, most people get what they deserve, and she deserves to get what she's been dishing. Who knows, maybe she'll be the best Lottery Director ever! (said with a smile.)
If she has an ego the size of Texas now, imagine it the size of Alaska if she gets the job. Pity the employees who'd have to enjoy the trickle-down of that. The inevitable negative press on minor events would have her storming inside and out.
But it might be healthy to have her a while. Just keeping everyone walking on eggshells, making sure everything's shipshape can't hurt any lottery operation.
But when those employees go home at night there are gonna be a lot of dogs cringing under the bed.
Jack
I think she has done some good things and she has been nothing but helpful and polite to me personally.
One issue I would have with her is that she is opposed to the midday Pick 3 drawing. Pick 3 is my game and the midday helps me track the evening drawing.
Other than that, she would be a burr under the saddle of the powers that be in Austin. I doubt if she would get the nod for the post. The Austin ruling class probably hates her and would not want her that close to the seat of power. She would make too many waves for their comfort.
Orangeman
I think she has done some good things and she has been nothing but helpful and polite to me personally.
One issue I would have with her is that she is opposed to the midday Pick 3 drawing. Pick 3 is my game and the midday helps me track the evening drawing.
Other than that, she would be a burr under the saddle of the powers that be in Austin. I doubt if she would get the nod for the post. The Austin ruling class probably hates her and would not want her that close to the seat of power. She would make too many waves for their comfort.
Orangeman
Orangeman,
I think you hit upon an important point that should not be overlooked: Dawn Nettles does not really understand what true lottery fans, the real dyed-in-the-wool players, want.
She looks at midday drawings as a conspiracy by the TX Lottery to get more money out of you. I look at it as double the fun, because I think like a player, not like a critic.
Same thing with Mega Millions. Clearly, it's a much better choice for Texas than Powerball, and she also opposes the Megplier, which is an option that 99% of non-Texas Real Lottery Players wish they had in their state. I sure wish NJ had that option. But again, she thinks like a critic, and I think like a player.
I'm happy that she has been nice to you. Maybe it's because you don't run a big lottery website, I can't guess. Like I said, she was angry that I don't post me personal information on the Internet, which is just plain strange to me.
And did you see that she accused me of being in cahoots with a state lottery? I think she even started a rumor about it.
A lot of regulatory and management boards in Texas and other states include members from various walks of life to add some breadth to the perspective. Sometimes that method works well, sometimes it doesnt.
Seems to me an executive director of a lottery doesn't need to know so much about lotteries, as he/she needs to know about people, ideas, vision, management, and employee relations. The nuts and bolts are the territory of the marketing people, security people and whatever other crews they have within the organization. That CEO really is only needed to provide vision and direction, to keep things on a steady course in the intended direction, and to be the place where the buck stops when those things don't happen.
Within that context, this person doesn't sound like the best selection, though she might be a good one to sit on the board.
Jack
Jack,
Your description of requirements for a lottery executive director are often what actually happens, but not necessarily what's best for the lottery. I think it helps a great deal when the person has lottery experience, and knows the industry inside-out. Most problems happen when people are appointed matching the description you gave.