Dennis Conrad, President & Chief Strategist

Dennis Conrad is the Founder, President and Chief Strategist of Raving Consulting Company. He is a Stanford University Graduate with over 35 years of experience in the gaming industry, having held senior level positions at Harrah's Entertainment Inc. and Circus Circus Enterprises (Casino Marketing Director, Corporate Vice President of Employee Programs, Director of the William F. Harrah Institute of Casino Entertainment). He is a much sought-after speaker at both national and international gaming conferences and is the author of "Conrad's Corners: Observations on Casinos, Marketing and Life" (2004) as well as "Conrad on Casino Marketing" (2009). Known for his innovation and customer focus, Dennis is the soul of Raving and the inspiration behind its industry trailblazing and business development. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Chris Archunde, Raving Partner, Technology & Marketing Operations

From rural New Mexico where she was raised; Chris spent the first 10 years of her professional life travelling the continent in the Entertainment & Retail industries. Over the last 13 years, Chris has thrived in the Gaming & Hospitality world due mainly to her leadership style, her clever corporate brand development and her uncanny ability to formulate, implement and evaluate strong marketing campaigns utilizing casino player tracking systems. Chris has been fortunate to work with strong national brands from Hawaiian Tropic to Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Her Brand Development projects include; Santa Ana Star Casino image re-launch, Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino's Casino Metro and Westin Aruba Hotel & Casino's Palm Beach Casino. Her expertise in Aristocrat, Bally, IGT and Konami player tracking systems encompasses product installation management, employee training, system-wide implementation and data capture and analysis. Through her successful partnership with Raving Consulting Company she has worked on team and individual projects throughout the country. Chris' formula for success is very simple: competent individuals + sound business rules + excellent resources = SUPERIOR PRODUCTS. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Nicole Barker, Raving Partner, Database & Loyalty Marketing

A little consultation can raise anyone's game. Nicole Barker specializes in conducting database marketing assessments to maximize marketing returns through segmentation and programming. She's also a sought-after speaker, trainer, and writer, whose main goal is to foster better relationships between companies and their customers. With her help, you too can create multi-channel marketing campaigns that court your customers effectively. With her quantitative skills, she can also help you formulate reports to monitor your results. Nicole draws from a broad spectrum of experience. Following her MBA, she was a product manager for a portfolio of clinical diagnostics. After moving to Las Vegas, she became a Direct Marketing Manager for Harrah's Las Vegas, Harrah's Laughlin, and the Rio. Since then, she has crossed the country working with commercial and tribal casinos, getting to know the divergent needs of different gaming jurisdictions and locales. With experience that spans product management, investor relations, and hospitality, Nicole can bridge the gap between what you'd like to do and what you're currently doing. Her partnership with Raving has taken her individually and as a team member, to many Native American and commercial properties. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Steve Browne, President, Raving Service

Although he carries the title of President, Raving Service, Steve Browne is not a Raving management employee, but instead a savvy, independent Raving Branded Partner who has built an entire customer service business under the Raving banner, utilizing the Raving marketing machine. Steve is a graduate of the University of Colorado and has over 30 years of experience in the gaming industry, most notably nine years as the owner and general manager of Cactus Jacks, a customer-focused locals casino in Carson City, Nevada. From this incredible experience in "customer worship," Steve has created an entire suite of Raving training products and services. His gaming savvy, extremely motivational style, and "people focus" have quickly helped Steve to become the premier customer service resource in the gaming industry. In ten years, he has worked with over 50 casino clients and created and installed more customized service training programs than any individual or company serving the gaming industry. Click here to see a video of Steve doing a presentation on player development. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Becky Conrad, Vice President of Finance

Becky Conrad is the Vice President of Finance and co-owner of Raving Consulting Company. She is responsible for all accounting functions of the company (payroll, purchasing, accounts payable and receivable, etc.) as well as dealing with the numerous regulatory and operational entities in North America where Raving conducts business. Becky is a graduate of the University of Iowa and has worked in the healthcare, casino and real estate industries. She has been married to Raving's founder Dennis Conrad since 1975 and has been with Raving since its inception, bringing her unique blend of operational skills, infectious personality and "whatever it takes" attitude to Raving employees, clients and vendors. It is hard to keep Becky in the office when the snow comes however, snow-shoeing is one of her favorite pastimes, including hiking in the Sierras so close to Reno's home office. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Patrick Covell, Vice President of Training

Patrick Covell joined the Raving team in September of 2008 as Vice President of Training. He comes to us after eight-plus years with Jackpot Junction Casino in Minnesota, where he first helped open new restaurant and bar operations at the property's Dacotah Ridge Golf Club then took a position as Jackpot Junction's training manager — a position he held for more than seven and a half years. It was there he met Steve Browne, President of Raving Service. The two have remained close and have worked together on a number of guest service and training projects over the past few years. Patrick's career began in food and beverage operations on the West Coast, where he worked for several different companies before moving to Minnesota where he became involved with manufacturing training for a computer hardware company. Patrick will be working alongside Steve on guest service and training programs and initiatives provided by Raving Consulting Company. In his free time, Patrick is an avid golfer and photographer. Since moving to Reno, he is also looking forward to getting back into fly fishing, a hobby he regrets he has neglected for many years. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Marin Denning, Raving Partner, Diversity and Leadership Training

Marin Denning is an enrolled member of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin. He has worked with governmental and private agencies helping Americans appreciate different cultures in well-known global areas. He has executed diversity training for executive support teams. And he has assisted a select group of tribal casinos in helping their managers work better together to improve performance. Marin’s skill is helping diverse organizations deal directly with uncomfortable realities, enduring human truths shared by all people, and proven techniques for driving people closer together, rather than further apart. As a Raving Partner, Marin works with casino clients on bridging the gap between casino management and their various constituencies – shareholders, tribal members, employees, council and corporate entities that they serve.

Marin was one of the founders of an American Indian urban program, and for thirteen years served as Executive Director of Southeastern Oneida Tribal Services, a full-spectrum, social service provider for Oneida tribal members in Wisconsin. He is also a principal developer and facilitator of the American Indian program for KMA (Diversity Training). He is nationally recognized as a leading educator, lecturer and curriculum specialist in American Indian history and culture. He lectures at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, specializing in Wisconsin Act 31, legislation mandating the teaching of tribal history, culture, sovereignty and treaty rights to all public school students in the State of Wisconsin. Currently, Marin serves on the Board of Directors of Indian Summer Festival in Milwaukee, was a past chairman and board member of the Milwaukee Indian Community School, a flagship institution of Urban American Indian education and a recent recipient of the National Indian School Board Association Award. He has also served as a reader for the Gates Millennium Educational Foundation, and is also a lacrosse coach. Marin has implemented diversity training for national and tribal governments and casinos across the U.S. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Christine Faria, VP of Operations & Communications
Christine Faria joined Raving in January 2001 as the Vice President of Operations. She's Raving's Consultant of Record for Marketing and Copywriting services. She's also responsible for all of Raving's conferences, direct marketing, communications, website management and brand image. She attended California State University Hayward, majoring in business, and while there she received invaluable experience as the President of the American Marketing Association's Collegiate Chapter. The consummate relationship builder with clients, prospects and vendors, Chris refined her organizational and operational skills before joining Raving, with nine years of senior management in the recreation and publishing industries. When she's off work, you'll find her outside - water skiing, kayaking or growing organic tomatoes and peppers for gourmet salsa and writing about it on her blog www.powerof38.wordpress.com. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Rob Gallo, Raving Partner, Online Casino Gaming

Considered to be one of the founding members of the online gaming industry. Rob Gallo launched and managed Omni Casino in 1997, growing the gross gaming handle to ~$430 Million, registered users to 300,000+, marketing affiliates to 5500+, and over 40 employees. As a Raving Partner, he helps brick and mortar casino companies to properly assess the online gaming arena and determine the necessary steps for entry while, developing effective systems and strategies to launch and continue profitable operations in the space. Rob offers significant expertise and experience in successfully implementing varying marketing methodologies across the globe. He has the ability to effectively strategize new markets and identify viable opportunities within the online gaming sector. His hobbies include: golf, poker and catching ... not fishing, that’s boring, it’s the catching that’s the fun part. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Amy Hergenrother, VP of Business Development

Amy, joined the Raving team in January of 2007 as VP of Business Development. In her role, surrounded by crazy marketing-minded folks, Amy has taken Raving to that next level of development. She does this with her unqualified customer service approach refined after 17 years with Ryder Transportation Services as a Customer Development Manager. Amy is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire at Keene State with a BS in Education. When she's not with Raving clients you can find her golfing, snowmobiling, fishing - basically wherever the open air and her convertible leads her. Amy is proud of her involvement with the Dana Farber Cancer Center, Boston, MA and Carroll County Hospice Program and we are proud to have Amy as part of our Raving family. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Michael Hemphill and Tami Jones, Raving Partners, Direct Mail

CSG Direct joined Raving in 2011 as our “go-to” folks for all things direct mail. Their role as Raving Partners is twofold. First, they are educators. Tami Jones is Raving’s consultant of record, the “face on-site,” teaching clients how to most effectively utilize direct mail marketing, develop campaign strategies, and plan and execute printed and electronic direct campaigns. Second, if a client needs a full service resource, they have one of the most technologically advanced printing companies in the country.

Michael Hemphill, CIO/Director of Database Strategies, has been in the direct marketing industry since 1987. Michael also managed the installation, training and maintenance of over 1,500 public, private, state and federal mail processing facilities in his career.

Tami Jones, Senior Account Executive/Consultant, has extensive experience in the gaming industry, having walked in the shoes of her customers! Her gaming career started off behind the players club booth, before making the transition to the vendor side with CSG Direct. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Deb Hilgeman, Raving Partner, VIP and Senior Marketing

Since she started in gaming in 1993, Deb has worked as Director of Marketing with Caesars Entertainment, Penn National Gaming, Pinnacle Gaming, and privately-held casinos. Before that, she owned the premier marketing and public relations company in Naples, FL, with clients including the Ritz-Carlton, U.S. Homes, Naples Airport Authority, and City of Naples. Deb excels at developing data-driven marketing plans and budgets, and seniors programs that have increased slot revenues by 40%. She recently earned her Ph.D. with a comprehensive study of more than 1,000 casino VIPs to determine how to increase loyalty and profitability from your best customers. In 2012, her VIP dissertation research was chosen by the American Marketing Association as one of the top papers submitted internationally. She created and taught the first casino marketing course for Tulane University in New Orleans as part of its curriculum for a Bachelor of Science degree in Casino Resort Management. Deb also has a Master of Science Degree in International Relations, and is nationally certified in public relations (P.R.S.A.). As a Raving Partner since 2006, Deb has served as Interim Marketing Director for casinos in the U.S. and Canada. She’s available to come to your property and conduct focus groups that will tell you everything you need to know about your customers, promotions, players club, and even your competitors. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it