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33 States. She credits her early jobs with teaching her how to navigate the waters, manage challenges and prepare her for the casino business. Johnson has been with MGM Resorts since 2015, most recently serving as president & COO of Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa prior to her return to MGM National Harbor in 2022, which she led from December 2017 through May 2020. Before making her move to the East Coast, Johnson start- ed her MGM Resorts career with Gold Strike Casino Resort in Mississippi. Decades of leadership experience at regional gaming properties along with her financial expertise and strategic thinking has served Johnson well in a number of high-profile gaming positions, including assistant general manager at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in West Virginia, CFO/Interim General Manager at Hollywood Casino Aurora in Illinois, and Regional Vice President of Operations and Vice President of Finance for Caesars Entertainment Corporation, and more. All of this is from a woman who had no intention of working in the gaming industry. A certified public account- ant (CPA) by trade, Johnson didn't dream of the gaming industry for herself. "I started my career in the gaming industry in 1993, in New Orleans with Harrah's New Orleans Casinos," she said. "It wasn't a conscious choice." Before Harrah's, Johnson worked for an oil and gas company when a supervisor handed her a business card for Harrah's New Orleans. "Gaming was new outside of tribal," she said. "It was for- eign to many of us. It was very different. In the gaming industry, it felt like you were on vacation when you walked out of your office. There was excitement. I love this industry, period. The way I look at it, coming to work is not a chore. It's effortless because of my team and my customers." Johnson applauds MGM Resorts' commitment to diversity and inclusion. "The company strongly advocates diversity, equity, and inclusion," she said. "One company. One culture. We are in the people business. We promote females and minorities. It feels good to know that people of color and women have an equal opportunity. It's about providing careers, not jobs. I want to make a difference." As the president and COO, Johnson said her first priority is "driving strategy and overseeing day-to-day operations." Johnson, whose territory covers the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, is also committed to supporting the local community and fostering an engaged and diverse local workforce. Johnson said MGM Resorts' mission as it relates to diversity and inclusion - is corporate social responsibility. Her biggest challenge, she said, is "people." "We want to make sure that when we recruit, we look at a diverse slate of individuals," she said. "We want to be a leader in embracing cultural differences and life choices. We don't want to discriminate. We want to work with small and minority businesses. We want to do business with small businesses. We want to mentor and foster them." At the MGM National Harbor property, located in Prince George's County, Maryland, 88.2% of the work- force is diverse with 46% of management staff being female. "Doing my job is not hard," she said. "MGM National Harbor is the number one growth gaming revenue in the U.S. It's managing a diverse workforce and customer base, putting proper programming, events, and rewards in place." According to the American Gaming Association (AGA), at the property level, MGM National Harbor in Maryland narrowly surpassed Resorts World New York City in Queens, NY as the highest-grossing commercial casino in terms of gaming revenue outside of Nevada. In February 2023, AGA reported that MGM National Harbor grossed $884.46 million in revenue for slots and table games in 2022, 15% more than in 2021. MGM National Harbor accounted for 43.12% of all gaming rev- enue among Maryland's casinos last year. Johnson said being number one was "a huge" accom- plishment. "It's a testament to the team we put in place," she said. "Not one job on this property is more important than another job. We are successful due to our employee retention, guest satisfaction, profitability, and our market share. There isn't a close second." When Johnson assesses her career, she is pleased with what she's accomplished. "What I'm most proud of is the opportunity to develop young people," she said. "Eight of my leaders have been promoted to larger roles on the strip at MGM. I take pride in developing up-and-coming talent." Johnson's end game is simple. "I am happy where I am," she said. "I achieved a level of success I never dreamed of. Everything fell into place. The plan was never to compete with others, just myself. I have no regrets. I'm 61, but I have the spirit of a 40-year-old. I have a young spirit. I've always done the right thing, even when no one is looking. All I want is to be proud of me, and I want my family to be proud of me, too." Nothing is as important to Johnson as her family, which includes her husband, Mark, with whom she shares six children and six grandchildren. "I try to be the best person I can be," she said. "Me and my husband, we are imperfectly perfect together." "MGM National Harbor is the number one growth gaming revenue in the U.S. It's managing a diverse workforce and customer base, putting proper programming, events, and rewards in place." B M & T ••• July/August 2023 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com