L Auberge Baton Rouge Executive Team Kim Bailey Ginn Vice President of Marketing Ginn joined Pinnacle Entertainment in 2006, bringing with her more than 18 years of casino entertainment experience. She first served for three years as the company s Corporate Director of Loyalty Marketing, while also serving concurrently for a year as Senior Director of Marketing at L Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana. As Vice President of Marketing, Ginn is responsible for the development of an integrated marketing program for L Auberge, including advertising programs, special events and public relations. She has been an integral part of the properties start- up team and was among the first team members appointed to the project. Prior to joining Pinnacle Entertainment, Ginn served as Director of Marketing for Argosy Gaming Company s Baton Rouge property and in various other marketing- related roles over the course of 12 years with Argosy. In 2000, as Director of Marketing at Belle of Baton Rouge, she was named Marketer of the Year by the Baton Rouge Sales and Marketing Executives. Ginn resides in Baton Rouge with her husband, Terry and their two children. She is an active member of both St. Aloysius Catholic Church and School and the Sales and Marketing Executives (SME) of Greater Baton Rouge. Currently, she also serves on the Baton Rouge Area Sports Foundation s Board of Directors and the SME board as Vice President of Development. She holds a bachelor s degree in advertising from Louisiana State University s Manship School of Mass Communication. Kevin Whalen Vice President of Casino Operations With more than 14 years of experience in management roles, Whalen oversees all aspects of gaming operations at L Auberge, from participating in company planning and direction to executing and monitoring all gaming activities and programs. He is also responsible for ensuring that guests experience the Pinnacle level of excellence throughout their visit. Whalen, who has been with Pinnacle Entertainment since 2010, previously served as the Director of Special Projects for L Auberge Baton Rouge. Before joining Pinnacle, Whalen was a President s Associate at Harrah s Entertainment and also held the positions of Director of Slots at the Horseshoe Casino & Hotel and Casino Operations Manager at Tunica Roadhouse Casino & Hotel. Whalen holds a Master of Business Administration from Duke University, a Master of Science in Sports and Exercise Sciences from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn.
David Blitch Vice President of Resort Operations Blitch coordinates all resort operations including hotel operations, food and beverage, facility operations and valet for L Auberge Baton Rouge. Most recently, he oversaw the food and beverage department for the Hilton New Orleans Riverside hotel starting in 1998 and was promoted to Resident Manager in 2008. Blitch has previously worked with the New Orleans Steamboat Company as Director of Food, and Beverage and Brewhouse Café and Bar as Co- Owner and General Manager. He is heavily active and has won several awards with the Louisiana Restaurant Association, serving as a Board Member for more than 26 years, Annual Golf Tournament Chairman for more than 10 years, Louisiana Chapter President in 1995 and New Orleans Chapter President in 1988. Blitch is also the founder of Cercle d Argent Dining Group and the Louisiana Hospitality Foundation. In addition, he serves on the Board of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, Fore! Kids Foundation and Bacchus Carnival Organization. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Northeast Louisiana University and is certified as a Food Service Management Professional. Kizzy Smith Director of Human Resources Smith is an accomplished HR professional with more than 16 years of experience. At L Auberge Baton Rouge, she is responsible for overall provision of Human Resources services, policies and programs. This includes organizational development, strategic budgeting, compensation, benefits, performance management, recruiting and staffing for approximately 1,200 employees. Prior to joining the Baton Rouge team, Smith held the position of Human Resources Manager at L Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles, La., where she played an integral role in opening the property in 2005. Before joining L Auberge, she held the Training/Employee Relations Manager title at Delta Downs Racetrack and Casino in Vinton, La. Smith currently serves on the Advisory Boards for the Louisiana Culinary Institute and Tournament of the Stars, a nonprofit organization in Lake Charles, La., that provides scholarships and mentoring to high school students. She is an active member of the Society for Human Resources Management and National Association of University Women and a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Smith holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from McNeese State University. She received HR Certification from George Washington University for Internal Investigations, FMLA and HR Generalist.
J.B. Bubba Willis, Jr. Director of Casino Marketing Willis most recently served as Director of Sales for Hotel Indigo and was on the management team that opened the hotel in 2011. Before joining Hotel Indigo, Willis was the Director of Casino Marketing and Player Services for Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge. Prior to that, he was the General Manager of Belle of Baton Rouge Casino/Sheraton Baton Rouge Convention Centre Hotel. At L Auberge Baton Rouge, Willis is responsible for attracting and growing the customer base, working to ensure that guests are receiving the best experience possible. Willis is a member of Sales and Marketing Executives (SME), serves on the Board of Directors for the Charles W. Lamar Jr. YMCA and is active with the Downtown Business Association and Downtown Development District. Willis is also an LSU graduate and has more than 16 years of experience in the Baton Rouge market as well as the hospitality industry.
L Auberge Baton Rouge Culinary Team Sean Malone Director of Food and Beverage Malone ensures that an outstanding level of service is achieved in all of its food and beverage services throughout the L Auberge Baton Rouge property. He manages the physical aspects of all restaurants, bars, lounges and catering operations to secure their alignment with Five Diamond standards. A graduate of Louisiana State University, he has 15 years of experience developing, supporting and leading food and beverage operations. Malone is the managing partner and creator of the well- known Baton Rouge restaurants, Serranos Salsa Company and Boudreaux and Thibodaux s. He also co- created The Edible Event, a top tier catering company in Baton Rouge, and Fire Belly Concepts which now oversees the three companies named previously. Malone was named one of the Top Forty Under Forty Business Leaders in Baton Rouge by the Baton Rouge Business Report; was a recipient of the Louisiana Restaurant Association Chairman s Leadership Award and Restaurateur of the Year. His restaurants have been Zagat rated for 12 years. Jeffrey Oliveri Executive Chef Oliveri, the man responsible for the creation of all L Auberge Baton Rouge restaurant menus, provides general and direct supervision to all culinary staff to ensure an enticing and high quality dining experience. He has more than 20 years of culinary management experience, most recently serving as Executive Chef at Pinnacle Entertainment s sister property, Lumière Place Casino & Hotels, in St. Louis, Mo. Prior to that, Oliveri served as the Banquet Chef for the Epcot Park and Executive Chef at the Germany Pavilion in Epcot at Walt Disney World. He also served as Executive Chef at Ruth s Chris Steakhouse and GW Fins in Charlotte, NC. Oliveri holds a degree in Culinary Arts from the New York Institute of Technology and is a certified sommelier.
Randy Sebastian Assistant Executive Chef With more than 15 years of experience in professional culinary management, Sebastian works closely with the Executive Chef in recipe development and oversees and manages culinary staff. Sebastian most recently served as Executive Pastry Chef at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, where he was responsible for all baking and pastry operations, an extensive artisan bread program and a pastry and dessert program for the Convention Center. Prior to joining Caesars Palace, Sebastian served as Assistant Executive Chef at Rio Suite Hotel and Casino. He also served as Executive Pastry Chef at Rio Suite Hotel and Casino, Green Valley Ranch Resort and Casino and Desert Inn Resort. He has won numerous honors and achievements, including features in magazines like Food and Wine, Art Culinaire, Bon Appetite and Le Journal Du Patissier. In 2004, Sebastian was voted one of the Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America by the writers and editors of Pastry Art and Design Magazine and Chocolatier Magazine. Sebastian has also made special guest appearances on the Food Network, Good Morning America, and the Today Show. He has also been involved with various charities and organizations including the James Beard Foundation, the March of Dimes, Chef s for Kids, Signature Chefs, Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation and the Epicurean Club of Las Vegas. Troy Deano 18 STEAK Chef de Cuisine A homegrown Louisiana chef with more than 17 years of culinary management experience, Deano gives 18 STEAK diners the quality Southern flavor and service we all know and love. He most recently served as Chef of Big Sky Steakhouse at Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder, La., where he was responsible for all daily operational aspects, menu creation and managing a culinary team of up to 20 employees. Prior to that, he worked at Besh Restaurant Group for seven years, serving as Sous Chef at Luke San Antonio, Sous Chef at Besh Steakhouse New Orleans and Manager of BRG Catering in Chalmette. While at BRG, Deano was contracted to provide facilities & approximately 1,800 meals daily to St. Bernard Parish Sheriff s Department personnel and other first responders following Hurricane Katrina.