Illinois State University alumna and business leader Patti Hart ’78 heads one of the most innovative and profitable gaming companies in the world.
Hart, the chief executive officer of International Game Technology (IGT), will give a talk titled “Moving to a New Neighborhood” at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 27, at Braden Auditorium in the Bone Student Center.
The event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the College of Business in honor of Business Week. The talk is part of the Illinois State University Speaker Series.
With nearly 5,000 employees and offices on six continents, IGT is a global leader in casino gaming and systems technology. Hart has served on IGT’s board of directors since June 200, and took over as CEO in April 2013.
Listed among Fortune magazine’s “Most Powerful Women,” Hart has served as chairman and CEO of corporations such as Pinnacle Systems Inc., Excite@Home Inc., and Telocity Inc. She held various executive positions at the Sprint Corp., including president and chief operating officer of Sprint’s long distance division.
Hart’s dedication goes beyond the walls of the corporate world. She serves on the board of visitors at the Public Policy School at Duke University. Her past service includes the Illinois Task Force for Literacy, the Southern Methodist University Meadows Art School board, and the Steppenwolf Theatre board in Chicago.
In addition to her community involvement, Hart serves on the board of directors of the American Gaming Association. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing and economics from Illinois State and was honored by the University in 2012 with induction into the College of Business Hall of Fame.
