Lottery President and CEO Tom Delacenserie announced at Friday’s meeting of the Kentucky Lottery Corporation’s board of directors that he will retire, effective March 6.
Lottery officials say Delacenserie, who turns 72 years old this year, assumed the job in May 2017 and came to Kentucky from Florida where he served as secretary of the Florida Lottery.
During Delacenserie’s tenure, Kentucky Lottery officials report sales from Fiscal Year 2017 through Fiscal Year 2019 rose from $1,000,501,000 to $1,129,655,000, a $129.1 million (12.9%) increase during this tenure.
Cash transfers to the Commonwealth also rose during Delacenserie’s term from $247.7 million in Fiscal Year 2017 to $272.7 million n Fiscal Year 2019, a $25 million (10.1%) increase.
Chair of the Lottery’s board of directors, Mark Sommer says that under Kentucky statute the governor appoints the KLC President and CEO with the Board serving to confirm the appointment. He notes Governor Andy Beshear’s staff has requested the Lottery post the position and search through the organization’s website, kylottery.com.
Lottery officials indicate current Kentucky Lottery COO Marty Gibbs will serve as interim president and CEO, while current Vice President and Corporate Controller Maggie Garrison will serve as interim COO until the new president and CEO is in place. Sommer said Delacenserie will serve as a consultant during the transition and search on an as-needed basis.
Delacenserie says he will miss this industry and the friends and staff at Kentucky Lottery as well as the staff at numerous stores he visited. He adds, at the same time, he has grandchildren he would like to spend more time with and his bride of almost 50 years who he says has been waiting patiently.
