New Connecticut Lottery CEO Named

ROCKY HILL, CT – Gregory Smith, currently the acting executive director of the Illinois Lottery, has been selected as the new permanent president and CEO of the Connecticut Lottery Corporation.

The appointment is effective July 20.

This decision is the result of a search beginning in March of 2017, and delayed several times by "developments within the lottery and on the board," officials said.

More than 80 candidates from 17 states and the District of Columbia and one foreign country applied, officials said. Candidate reviews were conducted as were preliminary screening interviews, and approximately a dozen in-person interviews were conducted by the search committee itself, officials said.

Since 2012 Smith has served as the executive director of two state lotteries — Vermont and Illinois — officials said. During his four years at the Vermont Lottery, he grew sales and profits by more than 20 percent, according to lottery officials. While at the Vermont Lottery, he served on the finance and executive committee of the Multi-State Lottery Association board.

As Director of the Illinois Lottery, he has led a management and technology transition while restructuring Illinois’ privatized $2.8 billion lottery system, officials said. He now serves on the national board of the Mega Millions Group.

Smith also was the operations director for the Vermont Country Store, where he had responsibility for approximately 250 employees. He is a graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. He has also held a license in Virginia as a certified public accountant.

Photo Credit: CT Lottery