Judi Johnson, Communications Director, recently spoke with Bob about his past, his present and his many goals for his future with Rocket Games.

Judi: Was there anything in particular that steered you toward the gaming industry and how did your gaming career begin?

Bob: Yes. I needed a job! Fortunately, I had a relative working for Bally Manufacturing of Chicago, which helped me secure a position in Engineering as a Solderer. I have worked in almost all departments for Bally, these being Engineering, Sales and Marketing, Field Service and Game Design and Special Projects. During this time, I traveled extensively, working with casinos in Europe, Africa, Australia and the Far East. I have been in this industry for thirty-three years, twenty-eight of those with Bally. I guess you could say I found my niche right from the start.

J: Some of your biggest claims to fame were during your tenure with Bally Manufacturing. Could you expound on that?

B: Yes. I hold multiple patents and trademarks. Two earmarks of my career and something I’m very proud of are the creation of two of Bally’s best revenue-producing games: Blazing 7’s (Bally’s trademark symbol) and Black and White. I was also instrumental, with Mr. Randy Adams, in producing for Anchor Games, Wheel of Gold, which was the forerunner to the very popular Wheel of Fortune.
J: Speaking professionally, you’ve made a very big change in your life. What were the deciding factors for you moving from Las Vegas to Oklahoma?

B: I believe there is a great opportunity for new-style, innovative games that would bring more of a Class III “feel” to the Class II market. There is a very good possibility that, when everything’s said and done, the Big Boys may want to license some games from us!
J: You spent many years residing in “cities that never sleep.” How do you feel this transition will affect you personally and professionally?

B: Personally speaking, small towns are not new to me. I was born in Waukegan, Illinois, which is approximately thirty miles north of Chicago, and grew up in the small town of Fox Lake. Fox Lake is a small town much like Miami, Oklahoma. I enjoy hunting, fishing, trap shooting and golf. This atmosphere is very welcome to me; consequently, I had no problem relocating here. Professionally speaking, with the many contacts I have made in the gaming industry, I can conduct business very comfortably from this location.
J: After thirty-three years of conducting business on a Class III level, how will your prior experience enhance your goals on a Class II level?

B: It has given me the priceless knowledge of the player and the casino.

J: I understand your performance has already produced some major changes on Rocket’s product platform. What are some of those changes and have you been able to trace the success of these innovations through customer response?

B: We have already designed the new Cent-Sational™ series, a series of multi-line (5-line, 9-line and 15-line), multi-denominational (1 cent, 3 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents, 5 cents, and 1 dollar) games which have been recently released into the marketplace. And, in answer to your question about customer response, we can trace the success by the amount of money in the bucket.

J: What are your future goals for Rocket Gaming and do they include bringing other Class III professionals onto your team?

B: I do plan to bring in other Class III professionals because of their extensive and professional knowledge of gaming.
Two very important goals I wish to achieve as Gaming Division President is to ensure Rocket Game’s player appeal in the industry and the position as the number #1 innovator of game design in Class II gaming.

It’s a great honor to welcome Bob to our team. We look forward to many successful years together.