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Sharon Sharp, 1939-2009: Former lottery director of Illinois, CaliforniaNews Story
She was the GOP candidate for Illinois secretary of state in 1978 Sharon Sharp, whose accidental entry into politics started with a $10 loan from Donald Rumsfeld, ran for Illinois secretary of state in the late 1970s and was the state's lottery director under Gov. Jim Thompson. Mrs. Sharp, 69, died of lung cancer Sunday, July 5, at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said her son, Christopher Kip Sharp. She lived on the city's Gold Coast. Mrs. Sharp had held posts in the Elk Grove Township
Jul 7, 2009, 1:44 am - Lottery News

Arkansas Gov. and new lottery director meetNews Story
Prelude of coming battle over Keno The head of the Arkansas state lottery and Gov. Mike Beebe met for the first time Monday but didn't talk much about their differences on keno. Executive Director Ernie Passailaigue's meeting with the governor came five days after Beebe told reporters he would oppose keno being instituted in Arkansas as a state lottery game. Passailaigue has said he envisioned keno being played in bars and restaurants by people watching monitors for winning numbers that
Jun 30, 2009, 8:39 am - Lottery News

Arkansas lottery director turns down $11,000 housing allowanceNews Story
The incoming head of Arkansas' lottery, set to be one of the highest-paid lottery directors in the country, didn't take all the cash offered him. Ernie Passailaigue's $324,000-a-year salary was just part of the deal when he was hired June 5. The Arkansas Lottery Commission chairman, Ray Thornton of Little Rock, also directed the state to pay $980 a month for a year $11,760 total for housing support for Passailaigue. But Passailaigue turned it down. He said that during negotiations for the
Jun 25, 2009, 2:18 am - Lottery News

Arkansas Lottery hires away S.C. directorNews Story
New director is 3rd highest-paid in U.S. The Arkansas Lottery Commission has hired Ernie Passailaigue, the director of the South Carolina lottery, to lead the formation of Arkansas' newly approved lottery program. He will start the job July 1 and be paid a salary of $324,000. It's possible that lottery ticket sales could begin as early as October. Passailaigue (pronounced Pass'-a-laig) is a past president of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries, a lottery tra
Jun 18, 2009, 9:47 pm - Lottery News

Ark. Lottery Commission meets, discusses director candidatesNews Story
The Arkansas Lottery Commission got a little closer, with emphasis on little, to naming an executive director. The newly-formed commission met in Little Rock, and commssion chief Ray Thornton told members that the list of applicants for the position currently stands at 55. That number does not include previous applicant Tom Courtway, interim president at the University of Central Arkansas, who has withdrawn his name from consideration. The commission opted not to rely on a hiring commit
Jun 2, 2009, 8:12 am - Lottery News

S.C. lottery chief says Arkansas can clear $125M in first yearNews Story
New commission urged to focus on hiring director South Carolina lottery director Ernie Passailaigue estimated that the Arkansas lottery could clear roughly $125 million in net profit its first year. Passailaigue spoke to Arkansas Lottery Commission members Thursday afternoon at a working retreat held at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute within Petit Jean State Park. Joining him to pass along expertise in helping implement successful state lotteries was Margaret DeFrancisco, director of th
May 15, 2009, 8:24 am - Lottery News

Colorado Lottery director to retireNews Story
After 4 years on the job, Margaret Peggy Gordon is retiring as director of the Colorado Lottery. Gordon, who formally made the announcement on Tuesday, said her final day on the job will be June 30, the last day of the state's fiscal year. When she gets up on July 1, the first thing she plans to do is buy a Lottery ticket, which she's barred from doing as an employee. The average length of stay for a Lottery director is 18 months, and I'm at 4 years, so I think that's pretty good, s
Apr 23, 2008, 1:15 pm - Lottery News