- Joined
- Jun 30, 1998
- Location
- Bierland
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, December 103, 2004 Mark Stone, a lawyer and the chief financial officer of Creative Edge Enterprises, is the new chair of the Interactive Gaming Council. He is one of several new officers and directors who were recently elected.
Stone is only the second chair in the IGCs eight-year history. Sue Schneider, a co-founder and original chair of the organization, decided to step down this year. Stone has served on the Board of Directors for most of the IGCs existence. Creative Edge is a web development firm based in suburban Los Angeles.
I assume the helm of the IGC at an exciting time and Im deeply honored, Stone said. Our industry has grown and matured into a sizable and responsible segment of the overall gaming industry. As gaming reform in the United Kingdom moves into high gear, we stand on the threshold of recognition and regulation by a first-world government. But the industry still faces staunch opposition from a number of officials in the United States. One of my major goals for the new year is to provide new information to those officials that will address and satisfy their concerns about the industry, so that the U.S. can comfortably be in a position to follow the lead of its British ally.
All of us in the interactive gaming community owe a great debt to Sue Schneider for her years of devotion to this organization and her unceasing efforts to advance the cause of a legal, regulated online gaming industry. Hers is a hard act to follow. I only hope that I can be half as effective as Sue was in this role.
Schneider said: Eight years is probably more than most association chairmen are allowed to serve in that capacity. Its simply time to turn the reins over to someone else, and the IGC is fortunate to have an experienced Board member like Mark who is willing to take on this demanding job. I will remain involved as needed as immediate past chair.
To thank Schneider for her service, the IGC held a social event in her honor in conjunction with last months European I-Gaming Congress & Expo in Sitges, Spain.
Two new directors have been elected to the IGC Board: Flaviano Fogli and Alfred E. (Freddie) Ballester. Fogli is general manager of Azur Media, an Internet marketing firm in Saint Laurent, Quebec. He is also the chief executive and a founder of the Gambling Federation, which provides services to online casino operators. A native of Italy, he moved to Canada, where he now lives, to complete his MBA.
Ballester was appointed managing director of Bay Management Ltd., the Gibraltar-based subsidiary of iGlobalMedia, in August 2003. He is a 30-year veteran of the betting industry, and until recently served on the Board of Directors of Sportingbet PLC. From 1975 to 2000, Ballester was the managing director of Rock Turf Accountants Ltd., a chain of betting shops in Gibraltar.
Fogli and Ballester fill vacancies created by the departure earlier this year of Bryan Abboud, founder and managing director of Interactive Gaming & Wagering, based in Curacao, and Alistair Assheton, managing director of VIP Management Services, also based in Curacao. Both men resigned from the Board after it modified its policy for membership.
According to Rick Smith, IGC executive director, this was a very difficult decision, and only after much soul searching, the Board decided it would no longer accept members who own and/or operate sports books that accept wagers from the U.S. The Board concluded that the topic of sports betting in the U.S. put the IGC in an awkward position, making it difficult to proceed with certain activities that would benefit some of its members while at the same time threatening to undermine the cause of other members.
The three outgoing directors Sue Schneider, Bryan Abboud and Alistair Assheton were instrumental in getting the IGC to the leadership position it enjoys today, Smith said. Like Sue, Bryan was a founding member. He and Alistair devoted countless hours to furthering the IGCs cause of licensed and regulated online gaming, with special concern for player protections. Our organization will be eternally grateful for the leadership of these three individuals.
Another founding member of the IGC has returned to again serve on the Board of Directors. He is Robert C. Vermeulen, a Dutch citizen who lives and works in Curacao. Vermeulen is director of Antillephone Services N.V., and co-authored the gaming legislation in Curacao. He is the gaming representative of the Curacao E-Commerce Platform, a private group that advises the government on e-commerce services.
In addition to Stone, John Chalmers, Murray Marshall, Martin Thorvaldsson and Roger Raatgever have been re-elected to two-year terms on the IGC Board of Directors. Continuing in their terms as Board members are Micki Oster, Nancy Chan-Palmateer, Howard Yegendorf, John Anderson and Michael Lipton.
At its October meeting, the new board elected Chalmers vice-chair and re-elected Joanne Assheton treasurer. Paul Sudolski was elected secretary. He has been involved with the IGC since its inception, and is the president of Virtual Exchange Online Inc., a payment management service based in St. John's, Antigua.
The new directors and new chair reflect changes in the leadership of the IGC, Smith said. But the continuing assistance of so many industry veterans assures that we will continue to play a major role in the growth and evolution of interactive gaming. We are truly fortunate to have so many talented individuals who volunteer their time to nurture our organization. Our members and our public the people who patronize Internet gaming sites are the beneficiaries of the efforts of our directors and officers.
ABOUT THE IGC
Formed in 1996, the IGC is the leading trade association for the international interactive gambling industry with its membership operating or supplying services to most of the reputable interactive sites on the World Wide Web. Based in Vancouver, Canada, the IGC champions fair and honest interactive gambling environments. To help parents protect their children, IGC members are encouraged to participate in the self-labeling system of the Internet Content Rating Association. The IGC has developed a Code of Conduct for members, and a program called Helping Hand to assist problem gamblers.
For additional information on the Interactive Gaming Council visit the website at www.igcouncil.org
Ste.175, 2906 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
V6K 2G8 Canada
Tel 1.604.732.3833
Fax 1.604.732.3866
Stone is only the second chair in the IGCs eight-year history. Sue Schneider, a co-founder and original chair of the organization, decided to step down this year. Stone has served on the Board of Directors for most of the IGCs existence. Creative Edge is a web development firm based in suburban Los Angeles.
I assume the helm of the IGC at an exciting time and Im deeply honored, Stone said. Our industry has grown and matured into a sizable and responsible segment of the overall gaming industry. As gaming reform in the United Kingdom moves into high gear, we stand on the threshold of recognition and regulation by a first-world government. But the industry still faces staunch opposition from a number of officials in the United States. One of my major goals for the new year is to provide new information to those officials that will address and satisfy their concerns about the industry, so that the U.S. can comfortably be in a position to follow the lead of its British ally.
All of us in the interactive gaming community owe a great debt to Sue Schneider for her years of devotion to this organization and her unceasing efforts to advance the cause of a legal, regulated online gaming industry. Hers is a hard act to follow. I only hope that I can be half as effective as Sue was in this role.
Schneider said: Eight years is probably more than most association chairmen are allowed to serve in that capacity. Its simply time to turn the reins over to someone else, and the IGC is fortunate to have an experienced Board member like Mark who is willing to take on this demanding job. I will remain involved as needed as immediate past chair.
To thank Schneider for her service, the IGC held a social event in her honor in conjunction with last months European I-Gaming Congress & Expo in Sitges, Spain.
Two new directors have been elected to the IGC Board: Flaviano Fogli and Alfred E. (Freddie) Ballester. Fogli is general manager of Azur Media, an Internet marketing firm in Saint Laurent, Quebec. He is also the chief executive and a founder of the Gambling Federation, which provides services to online casino operators. A native of Italy, he moved to Canada, where he now lives, to complete his MBA.
Ballester was appointed managing director of Bay Management Ltd., the Gibraltar-based subsidiary of iGlobalMedia, in August 2003. He is a 30-year veteran of the betting industry, and until recently served on the Board of Directors of Sportingbet PLC. From 1975 to 2000, Ballester was the managing director of Rock Turf Accountants Ltd., a chain of betting shops in Gibraltar.
Fogli and Ballester fill vacancies created by the departure earlier this year of Bryan Abboud, founder and managing director of Interactive Gaming & Wagering, based in Curacao, and Alistair Assheton, managing director of VIP Management Services, also based in Curacao. Both men resigned from the Board after it modified its policy for membership.
According to Rick Smith, IGC executive director, this was a very difficult decision, and only after much soul searching, the Board decided it would no longer accept members who own and/or operate sports books that accept wagers from the U.S. The Board concluded that the topic of sports betting in the U.S. put the IGC in an awkward position, making it difficult to proceed with certain activities that would benefit some of its members while at the same time threatening to undermine the cause of other members.
The three outgoing directors Sue Schneider, Bryan Abboud and Alistair Assheton were instrumental in getting the IGC to the leadership position it enjoys today, Smith said. Like Sue, Bryan was a founding member. He and Alistair devoted countless hours to furthering the IGCs cause of licensed and regulated online gaming, with special concern for player protections. Our organization will be eternally grateful for the leadership of these three individuals.
Another founding member of the IGC has returned to again serve on the Board of Directors. He is Robert C. Vermeulen, a Dutch citizen who lives and works in Curacao. Vermeulen is director of Antillephone Services N.V., and co-authored the gaming legislation in Curacao. He is the gaming representative of the Curacao E-Commerce Platform, a private group that advises the government on e-commerce services.
In addition to Stone, John Chalmers, Murray Marshall, Martin Thorvaldsson and Roger Raatgever have been re-elected to two-year terms on the IGC Board of Directors. Continuing in their terms as Board members are Micki Oster, Nancy Chan-Palmateer, Howard Yegendorf, John Anderson and Michael Lipton.
At its October meeting, the new board elected Chalmers vice-chair and re-elected Joanne Assheton treasurer. Paul Sudolski was elected secretary. He has been involved with the IGC since its inception, and is the president of Virtual Exchange Online Inc., a payment management service based in St. John's, Antigua.
The new directors and new chair reflect changes in the leadership of the IGC, Smith said. But the continuing assistance of so many industry veterans assures that we will continue to play a major role in the growth and evolution of interactive gaming. We are truly fortunate to have so many talented individuals who volunteer their time to nurture our organization. Our members and our public the people who patronize Internet gaming sites are the beneficiaries of the efforts of our directors and officers.
ABOUT THE IGC
Formed in 1996, the IGC is the leading trade association for the international interactive gambling industry with its membership operating or supplying services to most of the reputable interactive sites on the World Wide Web. Based in Vancouver, Canada, the IGC champions fair and honest interactive gambling environments. To help parents protect their children, IGC members are encouraged to participate in the self-labeling system of the Internet Content Rating Association. The IGC has developed a Code of Conduct for members, and a program called Helping Hand to assist problem gamblers.
For additional information on the Interactive Gaming Council visit the website at www.igcouncil.org
Ste.175, 2906 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
V6K 2G8 Canada
Tel 1.604.732.3833
Fax 1.604.732.3866
