“ Remember everyone that you support and who supports you . It ’ s easy to say , ‘ I don ’ t have time .’ But you have to make the time .”
“ Remember everyone that you support and who supports you . It ’ s easy to say , ‘ I don ’ t have time .’ But you have to make the time .”
With the positives came an equal measure of sacrifice . “ Early in my career I was a single mother of four , with no immediate family nearby . But given the opportunity for growth , I jumped on it . I spent hours learning the business , understanding the competition , perfecting my departments , building relationships with the team and guests . All that comes at a cost .”
Rivera missed birthdays , holidays and school events . One Thanksgiving , called to deal with a work emergency , she had to leave in the middle of cooking dinner . “ I gave it my all at every level of advancement . I had to take care of my children .”
Rung by rung , she continued her climb , to senior table games manager at the Hard Rock , then director of gaming operations , then director of casino operations and general manager . In Tulsa , Rivera led a workforce of more than 1,600 employees , increased market share , exceeded revenue targets and personally rebuilt the senior management team . She also led a full remodel of the casino floor and an exterior upgrade , on time and on budget . She is also known as the inventor of two patent-protected casino products : a card-based variation of craps and a lighted phone charger ( one of the first such devices introduced on a gaming floor ).
An enrolled member of the Muscogee Creek Tribe , Rivera reached a career pinnacle in 2019 , when she was named vice president and general manager at Graton Casino in Sonoma County , California . Greg Sarris , chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria , hailed the appointment , saying , “ We ’ re proud and honored to have hired such an accomplished and qualified general manager as Lana . We ’ re also proud to have an American Indian woman at the helm of our business .” Then came Covid-19 . “ Business was strong when I walked in in November , but four months later I realized , ‘ We ’ re going to have to shut this casino down .’” Graton was the first casino in Northern California to close its doors ; it did not reopen for 92 days .
“ The hardest part was laying off team members who were within their first 90 days ,” says Rivera . “ I ’ ve never had to lay off a team member , and that was really hard for me .”
But business has returned , as reflected by plans for a resort expansion that include a larger gaming floor , a 3,500-seat theater , a new rooftop restaurant and a second hotel tower .
Rivera says leaders must have these key traits :
• Empathy . “ Genuinely caring about your team and showing it , and recognizing them at all levels .”
• Loyalty . “ Remember everyone that you support and who supports you . It ’ s easy to say , ‘ I don ’ t have time .’ But you have to make the time .”
• Ambition and resilience . “ Keep striving for more . Focus on your guests and what they want . And never accept the status quo .”