Maria Chadwick, Turning Stone Enterprises’ Director of Enterprise Surveillance, never intended to work in surveillance. She was rising quickly through the ranks from Security Officer to Supervisor in just a year at Fitzgerald’s Hotel & Casino in Downtown Las Vegas when her boss asked her to consider a move to Surveillance. That transition would be the first step in a career that grew in ways she could not have imagined.
Before joining the Turning Stone Enterprises team more than 12 years ago, Maria led Surveillance teams at a number of Las Vegas casinos, including seven properties simultaneously with Station Casinos and then Wynn Las Vegas. During her time at Wynn, Maria was responsible for overseeing construction and design of Security and Surveillance infrastructure at Encore Las Vegas. After four years with Wynn, Maria was ready for her next challenge. Not long after, a recruiter from Turning Stone Enterprises contacted her. She decided to take a leap of faith on a new opportunity on the other side the country and has been with the organization ever since.
With the opening of YBR Casino & Sportsbook in 2015, Maria reorganized Surveillance in order to allow it to operate as one department across multiple properties, ensuring the company benefitted from its experienced team members. This philosophy carried over to the opening of Point Place Casino in 2018 and other ventures in the years that followed.
Maria notes that Surveillance at Turning Stone Enterprises, and the field of surveillance itself, has changed dramatically throughout the years. When she joined the team, she explains, “Our function was primarily regulatory. We provided gaming oversight to ensure regulatory compliance and that business was conducted fairly and honestly.” While traditional “observe and report” tactics are still important, new technologies such as video and data analytics now play a larger role in the department’s work.
Today, in addition to their gaming responsibilities, Maria and her team also support non-gaming operations across all of Turning Stone Enterprises. Surveillance ensures policies and procedures are properly followed and addresses vulnerabilities and weaknesses to strengthen operations. This includes communicating with management across every department to optimize guest service.
Maria says that technology continues to play a growing role in her team’s work. Still, the core tenets of surveillance remain important: attention to detail, an inquisitive nature and hard work.
In four brief years with the Turning Stone Enterprises, Danny DeGeorge has worked at many Turning Stone Resort Casino food and beverage outlets.
His next big assignment: restaurant manager at 7 Kitchens, our brand new buffet restaurant, which opens later this spring.
For Danny, the move is a return to a concept he knows well—he served as restaurant manager at Seasons Harvest, our former buffet, in the early part of his tenure. This time, however, the stakes (and steaks!) are bigger, and Danny is excited to rise to the occasion.
“Watching the buffet transform into this new concept and identity has been amazing to be a part of,” he said. “Our new 7 Kitchens is a state-of-the-art facility and it will focus on table service with a hands-on feel. We’ll have specialty cocktails. We’ll serve brunch. It’s still a buffet, but completely elevated. I can’t wait to open and show guests how special the experience will be.”
Guests undoubtedly will recognize Danny—In addition to 7 Kitchens, he’s also the restaurant manager at Emerald and Sushi Sushi. He also heads up our room service for the Tower and low-rise hotel.
Before being named a restaurant manager, Danny was a captain on the Banquet team.
Prior to joining us at Turning Stone, Danny spent 13 years working at the Saranac Brewery in Utica. Employment there for Danny was a family affair—his grandfather, father, and brother all worked there during Danny’s tenure, and his brother still works on the bottling line.
Danny, who grew up in Utica, started at Saranac as a janitor and worked his way up to head brewer. He held nearly every position in the company along the way. He even worked the graveyard shift.
“I really got to see every aspect of the operation,” he said of his climb. “It really helped me get a sense of different jobs, and why it’s so important to work hard. Becoming head brewer was the best I could do, and all along I just wanted to do my best.”
Earlier in his career, Danny tended bar at some Utica restaurants and worked events at Yahnundasis Golf and Country Club. He also worked for an industrial safety supply company while he waited for a job to open at the brewery. He said these varied job experiences have helped him relate to others in subsequent roles.
When Danny isn’t working, he said he likes to ride horses and spend time with family. He’s a big fan of tradition, and always cooks pasta with meatballs and sauce for Sunday dinner.
“Tradition is important,” he said. We can certainly drink to that.
Chef de Cuisine Ray Wells spends most of his time these days in the stratosphere.
Yes, we’re being literal — as the head of the kitchen at TS Steakhouse at the top of the Tower, Ray’s office is 253 feet above the ground. Of course, we’re also spreading metaphors; because Ray’s food is so delicious, it is essentially transcendent.
“I’m always trying to get better, always trying to come up with a new way to prepare a dish that people will love,” he said. “Being at the Steakhouse affords me that opportunity every day.”
Ray’s career with the Oneida Indian Nation began 13 years ago; he did his Culinary Institute of America externship with us and came to work full-time as soon as he graduated. The Syracuse native got his foot in the door as a cook in the buffet, then worked his way up to opening the Steakhouse as a sous chef. Later he took time off to open Upstate Tavern and YBR Casino & Sports Book before returning to the Steakhouse.
Flexibility is something Ray loves about his job; he relishes the opportunity to bring together different kinds of American cuisine. He loves being able to stack the menu with steak, oysters, lobster and miso-marinated sea bass. He said he appreciates that the Oneida Indian Nation gives him the freedom to do it.
Today he tries to keep the menu seasonal and fresh, changing things up four or five times a year.
Ray also strives to keep dishes connected to the region. He uses local ingredients whenever possible He even buys his bread from a bakery in Hamilton. “We’re not getting anything outsourced, except maybe mustard,” he joked.
When asked about his inspiration for cooking, Ray cites his Italian grandmother, noting that, as a child, he helped her cook sauce and meatballs every Sunday. Though he doesn’t keep meatballs on the menu permanently, sometimes he’ll make an elevated version with scraps from Wagyu tenderloins. He says he does this in her memory (she died in 2016).
Looking forward, Ray said he’ll continue to push boundaries in his kitchen, mixing age-old classics with delicious ingredients for a taste that’s entirely new.
“It’ll always be exciting to eat here,” he said. We couldn’t agree more.
Jessica Reinertsen is a veteran at Turning Stone Enterprises’ Housekeeping Department. Having started at Turning Stone Enterprises in 2004, she has forged a successful career path – and she has loved every minute of it.
Coming from a food service company just down the road off of Route 365 in Verona, Jessica was looking for a job that had consistent, stable shifts so she could care for her young daughter. She originally applied to be a bartender, but eventually was directed to a housekeeping position that would ultimately prove to be a better fit for her and her lifestyle.
“When I first started, I never thought of housekeeping as a career for me, but I fell in love with it and you get close to a lot of people that work here, which makes it fun."
Jessica quickly moved up within the housekeeping department – moving from a turndown attendant when she first arrived to her current role as Lodge assistant executive housekeeper in 2018. In between, she held roles as housekeeping team lead, dispatcher and supervisor at the Tower hotel.
“Our team is very tight knit. You grow a bond with fellow employees here and you get to know each other personally, all while working in a fun environment for a great company.”
Jessica grew up in Lee Center (halfway between Rome and Camden) and now resides in Sylvan Beach. As a lifelong local resident, she has seen firsthand the progress the Oneida Indian Nation has made, especially as a valued employer for the region. And with the recent pandemic that saw many people lose their jobs, Turning Stone Enterprises continued to provide employees with the critical benefits, including health care, that kept many people safe and secure during uncertain times.
“I hear stories from my friends about how their employers weren’t paying for health insurance or anything like what the Nation did for us,” Jessica said. “It makes you feel appreciated at your job, but also appreciative of your job because you know they’re behind you and they’re going to help you.”
That sense of community at Turning Stone Enterprises continued throughout the pandemic.
“You hear from people saying ‘Oh wow, they did that for you guys? They’re really taking care of their people,’” Jessica said when describing what the past year has been like amid the pandemic. “And I always say, ‘That’s why you work here. Anything you need, they’re there to help you out.”
Being a ticket writer might be the best job ever for a self-proclaimed sports maniac.
At least that’s the perspective of Ray Garfield, who has been a ticket writer in The Lounge with Caesars Sports at Point Place Casino for the better part of the last year.
“When you like sports as much as I do, this job is a dream come true,” he said recently. “When I’m not talking to guests about sports and taking their bets, I get paid to talk to colleagues about sports or watch games.”
The Syracuse native took a circuitous route to his dream job. Following a professional life in which he held jobs as a preschool teacher, a bartender, and a restaurant worker, Ray found himself looking for a new gig that he could get excited about. Someone suggested that he inquire about working in the sports book, so he did. The rest, as they say, is history.
Ray didn’t know much about sports betting when he joined—he’d only actually placed one sports bet in his life (against his uncle). His lack of experience didn’t matter at all, as the Point Place team trained him and helped him get up to speed with what he needed to know.
He said he enjoys passing along that knowledge to guests who come in and ask questions about how they can place bets as well.
“I love helping people get the bets they want to get,” he said. “It’s nice to make a difference.”
Since Ray joined the PPC team late last year, he’s paid out some big tickets. None, however, has been more memorable than the 8-leg parlay he paid to a regular who almost always bets on underdogs. The guy won nearly $10,000.
When Ray isn’t manning the windows in the PPC sports book, he’s probably cheering on the Miami Dolphins or off playing bar sports such as cornhole and darts. He also spends his free time working on his car, a red 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sport Wagon. His fantasy: To own a classic car, either a 1960s Camaro or a 1971 Monte Carlo.
“This job will help me get there,” he says of his dream car. “I hope to work for Turning Stone Enterprises for a long, long time.”
We think of Scott Chapin as Superman, because he works hard, along with our entire Security team, to make sure everyone at YBR Casino & Sports Book feels safe.
As Security Manager, Scott is tasked with protecting guests and employees at the casino —a tall order considering how many people pass through the property every day. All told, Scott runs a team of 20-25 individuals, a number that includes uniformed security personnel who patrol the casino.
“We are quietly one of the most important jobs in the casino,” Scott says. “We stay behind the scenes, but we’re definitely front-and-center when it comes to safety.”
Scott never planned on a career in security. The native of Fayetteville, North Carolina had been working elsewhere in the region, running a restaurant nearby. When that work environment took a turn, he decided to change jobs completely and took an entry-level gig in security at Turning Stone Resort Casino. He worked there for eight years, got promoted a few times and eventually earned his spot as a security team leader.
He transferred to YBR to run our security detail about a year and a half ago.
Today, one of Scott’s biggest passions is training—preparing himself and his team for every eventuality, no matter how unlikely something might seem.
“We believe that training never really ends,” he said. In the last few months alone he and his team have gone through evacuation training, fire safety training, and more.
Of course, he also appreciates the service aspect of his job.
“I fell in love with the idea that we’re making a difference in people’s enjoyment, and we provide a real service that may not be visible or tangible,” said Scott. “I know when I go home that I’ve done something every day to make YBR a better place.”
Operations Manager Donna Farruggio is a problem-solver.
Whenever there’s a problem at YBR, whatever departments might be affected, Donna is one of the people on staff who gets things fixed—efficiently, quietly, and reliably.
This skill set hasn’t come naturally—Donna has developed it through a lifetime of work in the casino industry. She was one of the first employees to come aboard before YBR Casino & Sports Book opened six years ago, and she loves the job so much today she boasts she likely will never leave.
She even moved her father to the area so she could keep tabs on him without having to go too far.
“I am proud to work for Turning Stone Enterprises,” she said. “I’ve worked at a bunch of different casinos over the course of my career and have never felt like such a part of a team.”
Donna’s career began in Atlantic City at age 19. She took a job in one of the casino gift shops, then got a special license that allowed her to become a slot attendant. She worked her way up in the slot department there and years later jumped to the Taj Mahal as a shift manager and supervisor. From there, she went to Revel to be part of the opening team in 2011. She stayed to close the casino in 2014.
At that point, Donna was contemplated leaving casinos for good. But she spotted an advertisement for a job opening at YBR and was intrigued, so she felt she had to apply at the very least.
A week after her interview, she was hired.
Fast-forward six years and one of Donna’s favorite things about working at YBR is the way Turning Stone Enterprises gives her flexibility to do what she’d like.
“In Atlantic City, I was a slot girl,” she said. “Here, I am so much more. I can be in the kitchen. I can be in the bar. I go to marketing meetings and we figure out what kind of events we want to do and what kind of promotions we want to have. There’s something new every day and it keeps me busy all the time.”
Donna is so committed to Upstate New York that she recently moved her 88-year-old father to the area so she can contribute to his care. He likes coming to the casino and having dinner at Burgers of Madison County while Donna is wrapping up her shift. Surely, he rests easy knowing his daughter is in charge.
Executive Chef Ron Ross, a graduate of the renowned Culinary Institute of America, oversees the food and beverage operations at the resort’s 20+ dining establishments. This includes Wildflowers, TS Steakhouse, Tin Rooster, Pino Bianco, and Upstate Tavern, as well as all of Turning Stone’s event catering. Ross is an innovator with more than 36 years of culinary experience at luxury resort restaurants.
Most recently, Ross was the Culinary Corporate Director and General Manager of Catering Operations for Di Bruno Brothers in Philadelphia. Before than, he was the Executive Chef at the Borgata Hotel Water Club & Spa for 10 years and was personally sought out by Steve Wynn’s renowned executive committee at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, MS to direct the turnaround and growth of 14 unique restaurants, in-room dining and banquet and catering services.
Elyssa Lekki serves as spa supervisor at our Skana Spa, which was just voted No. 1 Best Spa in Casino Player Magazine’s annual “Best of Gaming” awards. But as recently as three years ago, she managed a vastly different clientele: She was a preschool teacher in Whitesboro.
The decision to switch careers didn’t come easily. Elyssa loved her students and the families she worked with during her years as a teacher. After seven years in the classroom, she simply wanted a change.
So she came to Turning Stone Enterprises and applied for an entry-level receptionist position. Management saw her talent immediately and offered her a role as lead receptionist—a role that wasn’t even advertised at the time. Two years later, she was promoted to supervisor, where she has excelled ever since.
Most of her job revolves around people—either interacting with guests or training team members on new processes.
Luckily for Elyssa, she also gets first dibs as a practice client when therapists are learning new treatments.
She said she was never much of a spa person before this job, but certainly now appreciates the benefits of self-care.
“Being a guinea pig for our therapists is one of the best perks of this job,” Elyssa joked. “I know our therapists are talented, and it’s nice to experience just how talented they are by laying on the table myself.”
The Oriskany native said she takes pride in the high standard of service and noted that connecting it to the culture of the Oneida Indian Nation only makes the Skana experience more special.
“Everything we do, from the decorations to the treatments to the products we use, is reflective of the Oneida Indian Nation culture,” she said. “It’s all incredibly educational, not just for our guests but also for those of us who work here and are always eager and willing to learn more.”
Her insider tip? Book spa treatments in the morning, since guests can check in up to an hour before services and get to take advantage of Skana amenities all day long. Elyssa added that ordering lunch at the Spa Café is always a nice treat because the food is prepared by the chefs at Wildflowers restaurant inside The Lodge, another Forbes Four-Star rated venue at the resort.
Unbelievable. That’s how the TS Steakhouse team describes Amer and Samir Sabanic. The brothers are known as huge assets to the team and the hardest-working people they know.
As Food Runners, Samir and Amer carry trays of food upstairs from the restaurant’s kitchen to guests, delivering hundreds of orders every night. On average, each takes 16,000 to 18,000 steps per shift. Sometimes, they work as servers too.
It’s a challenging job, but to Amer and Samir, it’s all in a day’s work – and they love it. “It’s just what we do,” Samir says. “We like to stay busy.”
To their coworkers, they are much more than busy. They are invaluable and support the team in countless ways.
Samir was the first to join the Turning Stone Enterprises team, finding his first job here after coming to America from Bosnia. He has been with Turning Stone Resort Casino for 19 years and at TS Steakhouse for 11 of them. He was relentless in encouraging Amer to join the team as well, and they have worked together since.
It’s been a great experience because they understand each other so well. They also have a lot of fun together and some light-hearted sibling rivalry. When Amer explains he was a semi-professional soccer player in Bosnia, Samir is quick to remind him that he’s actually the superior athlete. “He's just luckier than me!” he jokes.
They say the entire TS Steakhouse team feels like family as well, and it’s clear that feeling is mutual. Everyone has a story about the brothers’ unbeatable work ethic and grace under pressure. When a challenge arises, Amer and Samir are the first to step up, always with a smile. The team also can’t say enough about how much fun it is to work with them. They keep everyone laughing, singing and dancing so the energy stays high throughout the night.
Guests rave about Samir and Amer as well, and Turning Stone Food & Beverage Manager Karim Elkhattab says many ask for them by name. “Guests talk about how they make them feel and the experience they create,” he explains. “It’s priceless.”
These relationships with guests are highlights of the job for both Amer and Samir. Amer also says he likes trying new things, which keeps work exciting. “Every day you meet different people and learn something new,” he says.
For Samir, it’s all about the way Turning Stone Enterprises takes care of its team and makes them feel valued. That’s why he says this isn’t just his first job in America. It’s also his last because he wants to spend his entire career here.
That’s welcome news to Karim and demonstrates the commitment that makes the brothers so special. “They do a phenomenal job, and everyone loves to be around them,” he says. “Nothing we can do is enough to say thank you.”
PGA Teaching Professional Ryan McGinnis is no stranger to prestigious awards. He’s made a career at Turning Stone Resort Casino, home to one of New York’s most award-winning golf programs. He’s also been recognized repeatedly by the PGA for his work with the resort’s PGA HOPE program and his expert instruction.
Yet being named one of the Golf Range Association of America’s Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professionals for 2023 is especially meaningful because he is so passionate about sharing the sport with others.
“It is an honor,” Ryan says. “It reflects on all the hard work and dedication I give to the game of golf and my students.”
That dedication began when Ryan was just four years old. Each summer, he’d go to work with his mother at a local golf course and began learning the game. Eventually, he challenged himself to see how many holes he could play in a single day, setting a personal record at 54.
Ryan went on to complete several golf internships and found a role as a Player Development Coordinator with the CNY PGA. When he was ready for a new challenge, an Associate Teaching Professional role with Turning Stone Enterprises offered just what he was looking for. Since then, Ryan credits the golf industry education he’s received on the job and strong connections with team members for his rise to a Teaching Professional position. Each day, he works with players at all levels through private lessons, clinics and special events, building relationships and helping them find their own love for the sport.
While Ryan is passionate about introducing guests of all ages to golf, he takes special pride in his work with Turning Stone’s PGA HOPE program. The program introduces active-duty service members and military veterans to golf, providing a positive environment designed to build camaraderie among those who served and foster physical, mental, social and emotional well-being. PGA HOPE has grown exponentially at Turning Stone since its origins in 2017, expanding from just seven participants to serving more than 300 service members and veterans each year – something Ryan finds incredibly rewarding.
“Teaching golf and growing the game helps me change lives, build meaningful relationships and make a positive impact in the community,” he explains. “That is a lot of fun, and it is what I am proud to do.”
He is also proud to be part of the Turning Stone golf team, where he has found incredible support in a program that always puts guests first and allows him to make a real difference in his students’ lives. To any up-and-coming golf pros looking to tee off a career at Turning Stone, Ryan offers simple advice.
“Be ambitious,” he says. “Don’t be afraid to try something and fail. Continue to learn about yourself and those around you, and success will come your way in golf and in any position at Turning Stone Enterprises.”
When a Hollywood film chose YBR Casino & Sports Book as a filming location and wanted one of the casino’s dealers to take on a role as a craps stickman, Joe was the perfect choice.
Joe began his career as a high school music teacher and has directed and starred in community theater productions. He also performs as a musician and once auditioned for The Voice. Two years ago, he was ready for a change, but still wanted a job that would utilize his performance skills. His brother, a former Turning Stone Resort Casino poker dealer, encouraged him to attend a Turning Stone Enterprises hiring event, and Joe found a role as a dealer.
Joe says every day brings something new at YBR, but he never expected to score a role in a feature film on the job. During filming, he was blown away by everything that went into shooting his scene. “It was an incredible production,” Joe explains. “The fact that they wanted dealers to portray dealers speaks volumes about the quality.
Joe also believes dealers and actors have a lot in common. “We’re on stage – that’s what we call it. We perform daily and that’s one of the reasons people come to YBR, Turning Stone, Point Place Casino and The Lake House. It’s the team members and the exciting atmosphere.”
Even though Joe had an incredible time making his big screen debut, he still considers his work as a dealer to be the role of a lifetime. He says the job is rewarding and has helped him learn more about himself than he ever imagined. Above all, he has found incredible support throughout his journey.
“If you become a table games dealer, you will have a safety net made of gold,” he says. “Your team will support you, back you up and always help you out. It’s all about helping everyone be their best.”