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Hosted by SRPMIC Assistant Community Manager, Lena Jackson-Eckert, this podcast takes a closer look at the programs, services, and people that help shape our Community. From everyday resources to unique stories and conversations, we’re here to share what matters. So let’s go ahead and zoom in.
Hey, welcome to Lena's Lens. I'm Lena Jackson Eckert, one of the assistant community managers with the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community. From helpful resources to unique conversations, we're on a journey to explore our community. So let's go ahead and zoom in. All right, welcome to Lena's Lens.
Lena:Today, we have a very special guest, Ms. Patricia Tate. She has made history as our first woman CEO at our very own gaming enterprise. Today, we'll talk with her about her journey, maybe some challenges she faced along the way, what she's learned about leadership, and what it means to be a trailblazer for women and the young leaders who are coming behind her. Most importantly, we have an opportunity to get to know the person behind the CEO title.
Lena:Welcome, Patricia, and thank you for joining us today.
Patricia:Thank you for having me. I do say, I think it's unfair, you get a cheat sheet and I don't.
Lena:I don't have one for the audience. We're excited to hear your story today, and I'm thankful that you had the time to come and hang out with us just for a little bit. Maybe you can start by taking us back to the beginning. What was your first step into the gaming industry? Oh.
Patricia:Actually, it was in the early nineties. I worked for Casino Del Sol, Casino of the Sun.
Lena:Mhmm. Is that Tucson? In Tucson. Yes.
Patricia:So... Pascua Yaqui. Yes. I worked for them for a couple years. I was their controller, I believe, accounting manager so long ago.
Patricia:You said '90... It was '95, '96, I would guess. Yeah. It's been a while. So that's your background, right?
Patricia:Finance and... Yeah. Actually, I started as a cost accountant at the University of Arizona. I could not completely support myself. Had to have a job.
Patricia:So I got a part time job, a student accountant position there.
Lena:And that's where you went to school? Yes. U of A?
Patricia:Yes.
Lena:Okay.
Lena:Awesome. So then you went to... After Casino Del Sol, where did you go?
Patricia:After that, I came back to the Valley. I worked for WRC Media, which owns World Almanac, Weekly Reader, Compass Learning, Justin's Learning, also the Justin's You Child's You computer education. So I worked for them as the accounting manager. And from there, I went to three five system, which was electronic manufacturing.
Patricia:So we said we were US based, but you only have to produce 20 to 25% of manufacturing within The United States to claim that. Our plant was in Redmond, Washington. In addition, we had locations in Beijing, China, and then in Manila in The Philippines, and then in Penang in Malaysia. Wow. And so I was lucky or unlucky, depending on how you wanna look at it, to implement SARS CoV-two multi nationally when that came out.
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:With that being said, that was very challenging time because I had to travel in back and forth between Southeast Asia and The United States. And everyone glorifies travel, but it's... It gets old really quick.
Lena:You you miss sleeping in your own bed?
Patricia:Yes. But I'm also a giant there. There. I towered over most everyone, and so that was kind of challenging. And I have a very big bubble space, and it's a lot smaller there with a lot more people that they talk closer to you.
Lena:Interesting. So you've had a wide range of experience in finance type positions, it sounds like. Right?
Patricia:Yes. Different industries.
Lena:So did you ever imagine that you would become the CEO of our gaming industry?
Patricia:No. I mean, I would say I had early discussions when I got on board in 2004. They always talk about it when you come on board. It was kinda like, it seems so far away. Yeah.
Patricia:So I never really thought about it. And honestly, the first time I had an opportunity was apply with... To apply for the position was this most recent time.
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:They, for the CEO position, posted it... Didn't post it internally. They would use a headhunting firm.
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:A recruiter for the position.
Patricia:This time it was posted internally, I was able to apply. I was encouraged to apply and I applied. I was lucky enough to obtain the position. Definitely know that's a large responsibility. And I'm hoping to encourage others to fulfill roles within the gaming enterprises so that overall, you know, I look at things as, yes, we're corporate, but it's truly a family business.
Patricia:We we have a lot to offer for the community and, you know, we support each other. We should support each other.
Lena:Exactly. So you said you started with our casino in two thousand Four. Four, and you started off as a CFO. No. I started off as the controller.
Lena:Oh,
Patricia:And I obtained that position. And then the CFO position, I was an interim or acting for a while and then applied and was able to obtain that position.
Lena:Nice. So how long were you the CFO before you became CEO?
Patricia:I became CFO officially in- Well, I was acting in 2006, I think officially they retroed it back to 2006. And then, oh my gosh, it was twenty years. Years. Yeah.
Lena:Mhmm.
Lena:What were some of the pivotal moments in your career that helped shape the leader that you are today with all of that experience that you talked about?
Patricia:There's a combination of things. It's never ever one item. I would say each experience makes you who you are. Mhmm. Positive or negative.
Lena:Yeah. Right.
Patricia:So some of the words I remember is, you know, from each person I've worked for, you know, your your position or your title holds more weight. Mhmm. So there is never really a reason to raise your voice.
Lena:Mhmm.
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:You know, losing my parents changed me. Having a child changed me. Right. It was also very difficult for me to transition from being in a very fast paced New York Stock Exchange company publicly held to tribal gaming.
Patricia:It was very fast paced. Decisions were made. And in tribal gaming, when I came initially, I couldn't approve 500 dollars. I I... It was...
Patricia:I went from 25,000,000 to $500, and there was a lot of basis of adjustment for me. And then over time, just realizing there's so much more to life, you know, than work. Career. Yeah.
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:And also understanding that offering kindness and helping people Is a big part of my beliefs personally, whether it's religion or otherwise.
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:And so one thing I had noticed over several decades being around is I started asking the question, why not help up or lift up versus pull down? Yeah. What's easier? Right. What makes you feel better?
Patricia:What makes you be able to sleep at night? And so that's kind of where I reside in now is, you know, if someone isn't that kind to you, it's okay. You can still be respectful back. You can still help up. Maybe not everyone will understand in the moment, but hopefully in time, you know, people will realize I'm trying to help.
Lena:Yeah. Well, and I think I hear a lot when people are not very kind, it has more to do with them than it does with you. So just continuing to hold on to exactly that, being a nice person, I think is important.
Patricia:Yeah, I agree.
Lena:So was there a particular person or experience that helped the trajectory of your career? I'm sure there was probably a lot of things, but I don't know if there was anything in particular that you can think of.
Patricia:I can think of a couple. Early in my career, the CFO, which I was several, several steps down, had come and said, I was gonna leave the company. And they had said, we really would like you to stay. And I was like, no. I'm I'm gonna leave.
Patricia:I'm gonna go. And he kept coming by. And then finally, he's like, you know what? I've observed that you eat salsa and chips and Diet Doctor Pepper every day. I promise if you stay every beginning of the month, I will buy you a case of Diet Doctor Pepper and chips and salsa.
Patricia:And I was like, okay. And he's like, really? Really? That's all it took? And I was I was like, it made me realize that the personal side of things that people notice matter.
Patricia:And what meant so much to me is he was coming in and he was bringing it out of the trunk of his car. And I'm like, you know, his name was Kurt Hesiod. And I was like, why are you always, like, coming in early on the first of the month? And he goes, I'm Mormon. I'm not allowed to buy this stuff.
Patricia:I have to come all the way to this side of town to buy it and then bring it to you. And it really touched me. And he's like, I really believe in you. I think if you dedicate yourself, you can be a CFO someday. And so that was the first thought.
Patricia:I was like, wow, this guy believes in me that much.
Lena:It's possible. That's awesome. So do you still eat chips and salsa and drink Diet Doctor Pepper?
Patricia:I drink chips and salsa and Coke Zero now. I've graduated.
Lena:So if we need anything, we'll
Lena:just bring you a case of that. Yeah. So you made history as the first woman CEO of our gaming enterprise. What does that mean to you?
Patricia:It means a lot. I mean, if I look back at my aunties and, you know, my family, my mom, and where they came from and the challenges they had, either on my mother's side or my father's side. I mean, it's it's tremendous. You know?
Patricia:My parents got together in the sixties when interracial relationships were not encouraged by any means. So the growth of the nation and people in general is, again, reminds you of like the kindness and Yeah, things can happen.
Lena:Yeah, that's awesome. Was there ever a time that you felt like you had to prove yourself more than your male counterparts?
Patricia:Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. And there's things that happen that you put up with and you may not necessarily have had to do that if you were a male.
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:And being strong as a female, you're labeled differently. Yeah. I think at times over the years in my career, a man would have been, oh, he's a leader. He's a...
Patricia:You know, he's showing, you know
Lena:Strength.
Patricia:Strength. You know? Mhmm. It's it's just deemed something else.
Lena:Yeah. Yep. I know what you mean.
Patricia:You can relate.
Lena:Yeah, definitely.
Lena:So looking back, do you think being a woman changed the way you approach leadership? You kind of talked about being a mother, losing your parents. I mean, I think being a mother is probably one of the biggest things that may be affected, well, affects any woman. But do you have any kind of experiences like that?
Patricia:I think as far as being a woman and approaching leadership, I don't- It's hard for me to relate. Would it be different if I was a male? Would I have approached it differently? I guess from my standpoint, I look at my faith and what I was taught and how my family did business because they own their own business and, you know, the integrity of things. And sometimes granted my personality, would rather have a conversation with someone and confront it head on so you can move on.
Lena:Yeah.
Patricia:Like, don't live in the negativity. Right? Exactly. So as a leader, my biggest thing is bringing a team together.
Patricia:I have found most people just don't have the confidence to make the decision. And it's okay if you don't make the right one. We can pivot. We can learn from it.
Lena:Absolutely. I guess that kind of leads me to my next question. What's one leadership lesson you had to learn the hard way? Because yeah, you're right. Mistakes will be made and you learn from that and you move on.
Lena:Do you have any specific example of that?
Patricia:I can't think of one offhand, but I would say one of the biggest mistakes I made in the gaming enterprise is I... It's my mind. Right? I'm constantly thinking. I'm in my head a lot.
Patricia:And I had someone walk by and say, I called your name three times and you walked by me and you said nothing. And this was years and years ago.
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:And I was like, I'm so sorry. I I didn't know.
Patricia:Like... And so now I had to tell people, okay. I... If you say Pat or Patty, it doesn't register in my brain that you're calling my name. And if I'm looking down, I'm probably thinking.
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:You know, I constantly walk with my head down. It's nothing more than I'm probably asking myself a thousand questions running scenarios in my head. So it's really about learning to be more present and look up.
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:Look at people when you're, you know... I say, let's try to share a breath with someone or a couple of breaths with someone as you're talking and going through. As I walk the floor or I'm moving around, that's what I try to do. It's not just hi and keep walking. So if I see someone, how's it going?
Patricia:How's your day? What do you need?
Lena:I like that. So what advice would you give a young woman who wants to pursue an executive leadership position?
Patricia:I would say have your emotional intelligence in order because
Lena:Mhmm. That's important.
Patricia:Yes. I think a big thing is, you know, men or women will get emotional. And there are times where I get very passionate and I will get emotional. And depending on what is happening in someone's life personally
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:Could be a more emotional time than others. I'm not a person who judges somebody for their emotion, but you do have to recognize as a woman, the more emotion you do share sometimes is more criticized than other times. So as a young woman, just have your moments, but they may have to be more private. And then don't limit yourself. Yeah.
Patricia:That's a big piece.
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:You know, you... Anyone coming up can do the job that I'm doing. It's believing in yourself. It's educating yourself and realizing that the education really never stops. Yeah.
Patricia:Constantly learning and improving.
Lena:Yep. Being open to new things. Yeah. Yep. That's great advice.
Lena:Where did you grow up?
Patricia:I grew up in Laveen... Well, let me rephrase that. So early on, we grew up on 19th Avenue and I believe it was Lower Buckeye or Buckeye, just south of the railroad tracks. My grandmother and my parents had a house over there on Sherman And 19th Avenue.
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:From there, they... We moved to Laveen And then we... I spent two years in Tucson as a kid in seventh and eighth grade and then came back here and grew up in Laveen. I went to Trevor Brown High School.
Patricia:In Levine, there was no high school. So you got to pick from, like, five. It was like Maryville, Tolleson, Trevor Brown, Par Hayden, South Mountain and Central six. So... And you figured out how to get there.
Lena:But you're a member of Salt River, right?
Patricia:Yes. Yes. I am. I do not live here. I have several family members that live here, but I live in Phoenix.
Lena:If you could sit down with the younger version of yourself today, what would you tell her?
Patricia:Be kinder sooner, really. Yeah. And take the time to listen. I think when you're young, it's just in general, I've seen it.
Patricia:When you're in your twenties, you think you know it all. Yeah. You know? You're out there trying to conquer the world and, oh, I know. I could do it.
Patricia:I could do it. I see it even with my daughter. You know? You try to say it to them. I know, mom.
Patricia:You know? So it's like you really don't know everything. So take the time to listen and to be kinder to others sooner, you know, because you don't know when the last conversation is. You don't know the day that person's having.
Lena:Mhmm. What gives you hope about the next generation of leaders?
Patricia:Honestly, people are so intelligent now. Like, I say this all the time. People are... Younger generation is so much smarter than I was at their age.
Lena:Mhmm. I wonder what that is. The Internet or...
Patricia:I have no idea, but it's amazing to me how quick people get it and they understand it. So I look forward to where their knowledge will take them. Know?
Lena:So I know gaming has changed tremendously over the years, even in our own little community here. What do you see as the biggest opportunities for the industry right now?
Patricia:There's a couple. I think over time, you know, the cashless gaming, you know, a big thing happened when we went to no coin. You know, it was Tito tickets, ticket in, ticket out. Yeah. And there was no more buckets at the bottom, emptying out coin.
Lena:That's an adjustment for those gamblers.
Patricia:Yes. And I think in time, it's... You know, everyone uses their phone.
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:Everyone is digital. And over time, I think Yeah. Digital will be in gaming as well.
Lena:Interesting.
Lena:What are the biggest misconceptions people have about the gaming industry?
Patricia:The industry, from the general public, they think like we could just turn a switch and change.
Lena:Make them win?
Patricia:Change the machines. It's not like that. Or the holds or... We... It's programmed.
Patricia:It's regulated. People are tested, testing the machines and the items. So it's just a probability over time.
Lena:Yeah. Basic math equation. All right. We talked a little bit about some experiences that helped shape the leader that you are today. Was there anybody in particular that inspired you?
Lena:Maybe you talked a little bit about your aunties, your different relatives that maybe one of them inspired you.
Patricia:I would say overall, my family is pretty strong. My parents having their own business. I would say on both sides of the family, I've had several great women who were examples of being strong women, whether it was here in the community or on my father's side. So today, currently, my aunt Kathy and my aunt Teresa are still alive. And they...
Patricia:My aunt Teresa, she is probably the most kind.
Lena:Mhmm.
Patricia:So I've seen that kindness through my life. And my aunt Kathy, she was always someone who tried to make you feel like at home no matter what. So I think those things inspire you to be that way.
Lena:I mean, I think it's beautiful. You talked about the family that you wanna create and being able to depend on one another, but also being kind. And those are those two women that you're talking about that have had such a huge influence on your life. Thank you for sharing that. Yeah.
Lena:So people see the CEO, but they don't always know the person behind the title. Who is Patricia outside of the gaming enterprise? Oh, I'm a mom.
Patricia:I like to do a lot of charity work. I'm involved with my church. I hold family in high regard. Mhmm. And I would say I enjoy getting out in nature.
Lena:Nice. Probably how you can also de stress from your stressful job too. I'm a ask you some fun questions. Okay. Pepsi or Coke?
Patricia:Well, Coke right now.
Lena:Tacos or hamburgers?
Patricia:Tacos.
Lena:Curly fries or regular fries?
Patricia:Sweet potato fries.
Lena:Oh. Ranch or blue cheese?
Patricia:Blue cheese for sure.
Lena:Cake or ice cream?
Patricia:Neither.
Lena:Oh, really?
Patricia:Yeah. For preference for not having too much sweets. But if I do, I'm a cheesecake person.
Lena:Okay.
Patricia:So I guess it's cake.
Lena:Okay.
Lena:Yeah. I guess kinda. Black Jack or poker?
Patricia:Oh. See, this is... I have to go with poker. And the reason is I am strategy all the time. Okay.
Patricia:And blackjack is... It has strategy, don't get me wrong. But it's a shorter time frame.
Lena:Yeah. Much shorter. Well, thank you for being a good sport and thank you for coming on. Those are all my questions for today. Being the first woman CEO of our gaming enterprise is such an incredible accomplishment, and congratulations on that.
Patricia:Thank you, I appreciate it. Thanks for having me. It was actually pretty fun.
Lena:Yeah, good. Well then I'll keep you in mind for another episode. So thanks for sharing your story, your experience, and your wisdom with us today. And to everyone listening, I hope this conversation reminds you that your path doesn't have to look like everyone else's.
Lena:Sometimes being the first means having the courage to take the first step. Thank you for joining us today on Lena's Lens. Until next time, take care.