Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino Hosts Event to Honor 2022 Caesars Founders Award Recipients and Team Members for Years of Service

(MARICOPA, Ariz. – June 30, 2022) Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino hosted its annual Years of Service Event on June 7. In addition to celebrating 203 team members with tenures from five to 35 years, the occasion made a special nod to the 2022 Caesars Founders Award recipients.

“Our Years of Service event is usually an annual event, but the COVID-19 pandemic put in-person celebrations on hold,” said Senior Vice President and General Manager Michael Kintner. “We’re so happy to get together once again and celebrate the milestones, achievements and efforts of Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino’s team members. Especially one lucky award winner that went on to represent our team in the national Caesars Founders Award competition.”

The 2022 Caesars Founders Awards recognize the outstanding achievements and exceptional contributions of exemplary team members. This year’s awards recognized individuals who regularly and consistently delivered best-in-class service to Harrah’s Ak-Chin guests while demonstrating Caesars core values in three categories:

• Blaze The Trail: Team member exemplifies leadership, integrity and ownership
• All in One Service: Team member exemplifies fun, service and connection
• Together We Win: Team member exemplifies inclusion, care and teamwork

The 2022 Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino Founders Award winners recognized at the annual Years of Service Event included:

Blaze the Trail

• Jose Garcia, Compliance Manager
• Andrea Toth, Assistant Manager Food Operations

Together We Win

• Bobby Zikic, Senior Graphic Designer
• Cody Hansen, Assistant Food and Beverage Manager

All In On Service

• Mellitta Benning, Senior Executive Casino Host
• Derek Dutra, Slot Attendant Host Lead

One winner from each property goes on to compete at the regional level. Benning was selected and won the regional All In On Service Award. She also continued to the national competition and was one of 18 selected for the national recognition.

Added Kintner, “Mellitta is a one-of-a-kind team member. She displays the value of teamwork, approaches each day with a positive ‘will-do’ attitude, builds authentic relationships and strives to create personalized, memorable experiences that our guests cherish and her colleagues’ respect.”

The 2022 Years of Service Event also recognized team members from the past three years who have reached significant employment milestones: 1 team member with 35 years of service, one team member with 30 years of service, 19 team members with 25 years of service, 25 with 20 years of service, 35 with 15 years, 40 with 10 years, and 82 with five years of service.

“It gives me such a sense of pride to see so many of our team members who have been with us for so long,” added Kintner. “We have a great culture so when people come to work here, they stay. It feels like family.”

About Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino: 

For nearly 30 years in Maricopa, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino has been Arizona’s first and only tribal casino to have an international management partner. Harrah’s Ak-Chin is the only casino in Arizona that allows guests, through its Caesars Rewards program, to unlock benefits and other prizes that can be used worldwide at the entire Caesars’ family of casinos.

Harrah’s Ak-Chin also boasts one of the two Bingo halls within the Caesars portfolio, continuing the proud heritage of William F. Harrah, who opened his first Bingo hall in Reno in 1937.

In addition to Craps, Roulette, sports betting, slot machines, video poker, video Keno, statewide progressives, and blackjack, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino guests can also enjoy a variety of dining options, including the Copper Cactus Grill, Chop, Block & Brew, Oak & Fork, Agave’s Restaurant and Dunkin’®.

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino features 529 luxurious resort and tower guestrooms, spa and fitness center, and an outdoor swimming pool with a swim-up bar.

Harrah’s Ak-Chin has been named a Most Admired Company by Arizona Business Magazine and Best Companies AZ, and Phoenix Business Journal has named the property one of the “Best Places to Work in the Valley” for four consecutive years. Harrah’s Ak-Chin was also awarded a Volunteer Service Award from the Arizona Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism.

For more information about Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, visit www.harrahsakchin.com. Must be 21 or older to gamble. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-NEXT STEP. ©2022, Caesars License Company, LLC.