SAN DIEGO, CA–(Marketwire – July 19, 2010) –  Linda Devine, the senior vice president of marketing of Barona Resort & Casino, was recently honored with Casino Enterprise Management magazine’s prestigious Great Women of Gaming award. Devine was one of eleven female casino executives from across the nation selected for outstanding professionalism, perseverance, drive, commitment and mentorship within the gaming industry and featured in the publication’s July issue.

The Great Women of Gaming winners were chosen based on their success in at least three of the following areas: ability to go above and beyond job responsibilities; commitment to company and co-workers; contributions to the industry as a whole; commitment to mentoring; and strong overall life balance.

“We are very proud of Linda Devine for being recognized as a top professional in our industry but not surprised because she has led the effort with our marketing team to put Barona on the map as one of the premier casinos in the country,” said Barona’s General Manager Rick Salinas. “Over the past 16 years, she has created countless award winning marketing programs for Barona. She continues to work passionately and diligently, inspiring all of us. This award is extremely well deserved.”

Linda Devine first joined Barona Resort & Casino in 1994 as the director of marketing. With more than 20 years in the marketing and advertising industry, her extensive knowledge and strategic marketing skills have played a key role in creating the Barona brand and positioning Barona as a leader in the gaming industry. In her position, she oversees marketing strategy, advertising, marketing services, interactive marketing, public relations, charitable giving and digital marketing. 

With her passion and guidance, the marketing department at Barona continues to create award-winning campaigns. From the first advertising campaign she created at Barona featuring Kenny Rogers as the first celebrity spokesperson in the Indian Gaming industry to the current “Loose Troop” and “Manufacturer’s Best” campaigns, Devine and her marketing team have received many impressive industry recognitions for excellence. Most notably, Barona has ranked for the past two consecutive years “Highest in Customer Satisfaction” of Southern California casinos by J.D. Power and Associates. Additional accolades include numerous Romero Awards, Gaming Voice Awards from the American Gaming Association, ADDY Awards from the American Advertising Federation, the American Marketing Association’s AMY Awards and Telly Awards.

This past year, Barona debuted several new state-of-the-art chipless games, as well as other state-of-the-art casino technology that have received interest from international to local journalists. In addition, Devine also led her team to successfully introduce several new restaurants at the casino, which received rave reviews from both Barona patrons and San Diego’s elite food critics.

Prior to joining Barona, Devine worked at several highly-regarded advertising and marketing agencies including O’Shaughnessy-Parr, Kenneth C. Smith Advertising, Roni Hicks & Associates, and was the marketing director for Grossmont Center. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with a minor in Marketing from San Diego State University. 

In the community, Linda has been involved with a variety of non-profit organizations and has served on the board of The Foundation for Women, the marketing committee of the San Diego Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and an advisory board member with MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). She is past president of the Advertising Club of San Diego and a recipient of the San Diego YWCA’s Tribute to Women in Industry Award (TWIN) Award.

About Barona Resort & Casino

Barona Resort & Casino blends the best of San Diego’s leading resorts with the gaming excitement of Las Vegas. LEED™ Gold Certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, Barona is San Diego’s leading destination resort featuring 400 guest rooms and suites all with beautiful views of the Barona Valley, a variety of award-winning dining options, the AmBience Day Spa, a full-service events center and the 18-hole championship Barona Creek Golf Club, rated the 3rd best resort course in California by Golfweek magazine. For Barona Resort & Casino reservations and information, visit www.barona.com, or call toll free 888-7-BARONA (722-7662).

You can also join Barona on Facebook, Twitter and the Barona Casino blog.

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