The Missouri Lottery Commission named May Scheve Reardon of St. Louis as the executive director of the Missouri Lottery during a commission meeting held today in Jefferson City. Her appointment takes effect immediately.

Reardon will be the Lottery's fifth executive director since Lottery sales began in January 1986.

Reardon, the first woman to hold the position, brings extensive leadership experience in the financial, nonprofit and government sectors, including 12 years as a state representative serving on budget, appropriations and a joint committee on gaming and wagering.

"We're confident that Reardon has the skills we are looking for to lead the Missouri Lottery and move the agency in a new direction," said Kevin Roberts, chair of the Missouri Lottery Commission. "We look forward to working with her to help the Lottery maximize funding for public education in Missouri during these tough economic times."

Reardon has worked as an assistant vice president at Regions Morgan Keegan, a private wealth management firm in St. Louis. Her nonprofit experience comes from her work as director of development at the Richard A. Gephardt Institute for Public Service at Washington University in St. Louis. Reardon also has been an adjunct professor of political science and communications at Webster University since 2005.

Reardon has a bachelor's degree in communications from Saint Louis University and a master's degree in communications from Webster University.

"It is an honor to have an opportunity to work with a group of dedicated individuals who are working to provide entertainment to Missourians, and to increase the dollars that go toward providing Missouri's youth with a first-class education," said Reardon.

As the executive director of the Missouri Lottery, Reardon will oversee 163 employees and report to the Missouri Lottery Commission. The Missouri Lottery Commission is a five-member commission, appointed by the governor and approved by the Senate, to govern the Lottery. The four other commissioners are Gina Hoagland of Ladue, Jacque Land of St. Louis, Stephen Snead of Turners and Pamela Wright of University City.

The Missouri Lottery generates nearly $1 billion a year in sales and contributes more than $200 million annually to Missouri public education programs, including A+ Scholarships, Special Education Excess Costs, Vocational Technical Schools and capital improvements at several Missouri public higher education institutions.

Thanks to Captain Lotto for the tip.