Page 11 - Mississippi/Louisiana Gaming News - Fall, 2026

Mississippi Gaming Hall of Fame 2026
MGHA Executive
Director Larry
Gregory presented
Mississippi Gaming
Hall of Fame awards
to John Ferrucci
(left), Industry
Influencer, and
Allen Godfrey
(right), Industry
Regulatory/
Government Official.
together. Terri and I built our lives here on
the Gulf Coast. That connection means
everything to both of us.”
Karen Sock, Industry Pioneer
Karen Sock was a pioneer and history
maker in the Mississippi gaming industry. In
1996, she was hired as general manager
of the original Harrah’s Casino in Tunica,
becoming the nation’s first Black woman
to lead a major casino company. Her
appointment marked a ground-breaking
milestone.
Sock’s husband Fred and daughter
Kristan were presented with a framed
memorial honoring Sock for her work in the
gaming industry through the years. Gaming
executive Virginia Perkins, the first woman
casino general manager in the country, and
LuAnn Pappas, CEO of Scarlet Pearl Casino
Resort in D’Iberville, spoke about Sock both
professionally and personally.
“When explaining our friendship,” Perkins
said, “Karen would often say, ‘You shouldn’t
have a friend that you wouldn’t work for.’
And, through the years, I worked for Karen
sometimes and other times, Karen worked
Remembering Mississippi Gaming Hall of Fame honoree
Karen Sock were (from left) Virginia Perkins and LuAnn
Pappas, who presented a framed memorial to Sock’s
husband Fred and daughter Kristan.
for me.”
Pappas said Sock didn’t always have it
easy, but that did not stop her in her career
and with her personal relationships. “Karen
taught us to be who we are today, those of
us that worked for her, she was a wonderful
human being, always smiling, always
impeccably dressed. I know Karen’s looking
down tonight, saying, why are you wearing
black? Because Karen didn’t want you to
wear black, she wanted bright, vibrant
colors. I owe a lot to Karen Sock.”
Following the memorial presentation,
Gregory presented the Hall of Fame award
to Fred and Kristan Sock. Kristan Sock
said, “It is with enormous gratitude that I
accept this award on behalf of my mother.
Who would have imagined a little girl from
Cleveland, Ohio, would end up moving to the
South and leave an indelible mark on the
Mississippi gaming industry and the people
and communities she served.”
John Ferrucci,
Industry Influencer
Recognized for more than 30 years
of dedicated service and leadership in
the state’s gaming
industry before his 2025
retirement, John Ferrucci
most recently served as
senior vice president and
chief operating officer of
Full House Resorts and
general manager of Silver
Slipper Casino Hotel.
He demonstrated that
casino leadership extends
far beyond financial
performance.
Through his deep
commitment to community
involvement, Ferrucci
elevated Silver Slipper’s
standing while earning
prestigious honors
F A L L 2 0 2 6 including Citizen of the Year from the
Hancock County Chamber of Commerce
and Tourism Industry Person of the Year.
Widely respected across the Gulf Coast
for his generous and consistent support of
countless charities and civic organizations,
Ferrucci accepted his award and thanked
his wife Bridget and his family for their
support through the years.
“Any kind of recognition is good, but when
it comes from your peers, it’s very special.
I really appreciate your confidence in me,”
Ferrucci said to members of the MGHA.
As he told his gaming industry story,
he spoke about many people who were
instrumental in his career. “The people you
work with and the people you impact are
what it’s all about. I mean, in my career
in Mississippi alone, I’ve worked with a
conservative estimate of 10,000 people.
It’s gratifying to know that we touched that
many people’s lives. I’ve always surrounded
myself with the best people I could possibly
find, and their loyalty meant everything to
me.
“And to all those 10,000 or so people
that I’ve worked together with, I want
to thank them for their contribution to
whatever success led me to be on this
stage here tonight. I appreciate this
recognition very much.”
Allen Godfrey, Industry Regulatory/
Government Official
Allen Godfrey, first as deputy director
(2003) and then as executive director
(2011) of the Mississippi Gaming
Commission, was instrumental in guiding
the industry through continued growth, as
well as assisting the industry to overcome
several disasters. He was involved in the
state’s efforts to rebuild the coastal casinos
after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and he
also helped lead the industry through the
>> To Page 12
M I S S I S S I P P I G A M I N G N E W S 11