It’s rare to hear the words “White House” and “gambling” in the same sentence, but that is exactly what happened recently thanks to IGT’s President of Sports Betting Joe Asher.
President Joe Biden recently named Asher the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The center is a non-partisan research hub for public policy. Founded in 1968, the Washington DC-based think tank has received numerous awards and recognition for its work.
Asher was named along with new Vice Chair Leah Daughtry and board member Lynn Hubbard. The appointment is for a six-year term.
Prior to working in gaming, Asher was a practicing attorney and clerked at the Delaware Supreme Court. Like Biden, Asher hails from Delaware. Both attended the University of Delaware Law School.
Asher is better known within the industry for his lengthy tenure as CEO of William Hill US and his more recent role with IGT.
His varied career also included a stint working as a thoroughbred race handicapper in Delaware. He even called horse races at tracks such as Dover Downs.
However, Asher’s activity in the public sphere extends beyond this most recent appointment. He currently serves on the board of Olive Crest, a Nevada-based group working to prevent child abuse and support families in crisis. He has also served on the board of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.
Asher also recently finished two terms on the Board of Directors of the National Conference of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.