Stockton University Names Lloyd Institute Chair, Adds 2 to Advisory Board

Galloway Township, NJ -- Tom Ballance, president and chief operating office of the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, is the new chair of the advisory board of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality & Tourism at Stockton University, the University announced on Friday.

Matthew Levinson, chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, and Ronald W. Johnson, president and Chief Executive Officer of Shore Medical Center in Somers Point have also joined the advisory board.

Ballance holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Stockton. The Borgata is Atlantic City’s top-grossing casino hotel, and the largest hotel in New Jersey with over 2,000 rooms. He joined the advisory board in 2012.

“I am certain Tom Ballance’s expertise in the casino industry, coupled with his extensive knowledge of the economic issues and opportunities that face our region and state, will provide valuable insight to LIGHT,” Stockton University President Harvey Kesselman said. “LIGHT’s role in providing a forum for public policy discussions and research on the gaming, hospitality and tourism industries is a vital resource in promoting growth.”

“Having seen the important contributions the institute has made to the community under former chair Andy Dolce and former director Israel Posner’s leadership, I’m humbled by the opportunity to lead the advisory board,” Ballance said. “I take great pride in being a Stockton alumnus and am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Dr. Rummy Pandit as he leads the institute into the future.”

Ballance joined Borgata in 1998 as vice president of Development. Following the successful completion of the Borgata, the Borgata North Expansion, and Water Club projects, he was appointed senior vice president of Development for Boyd Gaming Corporation where he oversaw all design and construction projects for the company.

In January 2009, he returned to Borgata as senior vice president of Administration, where he was a member of the leadership team responsible for all strategic decision-making for the property.

Prior to Borgata, Ballance spent 17 years with Harrah’s Atlantic City in various operations and development positions. He is a resident of Egg Harbor Township.

“Stockton appreciates the tremendous wealth of experience, market knowledge and community engagement that Casino Control Commission Chairman and CEO Matthew Levinson and President and CEO Ronald Johnson of Shore Medical Center bring to the LIGHT board,” Kesselman said.

Levinson is a member of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, helping to implement Gov. Chris Christie’s vision to move Atlantic City forward.

He formerly served as Chief Financial Officer of SOSH Architects and has served as a member of the Linwood City Council where he was chairman of the council’s Finance Committee and a member of the Board of School Estimate.

He currently serves on the boards of Main Street Atlantic City and the Atlantic County Partnership for Regional Economic Development and the Tara Miller Melanoma Foundation.

Levinson is a graduate of Villanova University where he majored in accounting and minored in finance. While in college, he worked at the Tropicana Casino and Hotel in the accounting and finance department and also at the Philadelphia Investment Banking Co.

A resident of Linwood, he has been active in a variety of civic, professional and charitable organizations.

Johnson began his career with Shore Medical Center in 1996 and has served a variety of leadership positions, including vice president/Chief Information Officer, vice president/Chief Operating Officer and executive vice president prior to being named president and CEO in 2010.

Earlier in his career, Johnson was the principle consultant with CSC Consulting and Systems Integration in Philadelphia, Pa., where he provided management consulting and program and project management. Johnson’s other previous positions included: program manager for Spectrum Technology Group, Inc., in Somerville; and project manager for Synercom Technology, Inc., in Houston, Texas.

Johnson earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Information and System Sciences in 1982 from what was then Stockton State College. He earned his Master of Business Administration degree in 1996 from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.

He also serves on the steering committee of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton.

The attached images of Tom Ballance, Matthew Levinson and Ronald Johnson were provided by Stockton University.