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| Kimberly Cohn |
The annual awards, presented by Casino Enterprise Management magazine, honor the brightest women in the gaming industry from around the world. The “Rising Star” category honors leaders with at least three years of experience in the global gaming industry.
“I truly enjoy what I do and recognition is icing on the cake,” Cohn said. “The previous winners are women whom I respect and admire. I am grateful and honored to be in their company.”
Winners of the award were recognized for demonstrating exceptional achievement in at least three of five areas: Ability to go above and beyond job responsibilities; commitment to company and co-workers; contributions to the industry as a whole; commitment to mentoring; and strong overall life balance.
“Kim is a great example of the kind of employee Bally wants,” said Senior Vice President of Human Resources Gary Kapral. “She is positive, dedicated, intelligent, creative, and self-motivated. She coaches, encourages, and is a great role model.”
Cohn studied art at California State University, Northridge and also took courses at the prestigious American Animation Institute in Burbank, Calif. By the time she received her Bachelor’s degree, Cohn was already recognized as an animation professional with the Animation Union.
Cohn made the jump to gaming after working as a Disney animator and technical director, where she supervised the digital side of direct-to-video movies, including Lion King 2 and Lady and the Tramp 2. She also worked on Winnie the Pooh feature films, as well as several television series.
Cohn joined Bally as an Associate Art Director in 2002, but was quickly promoted to Art Director, managing all of the artists and media technicians in the department. In 2005, Cohn was again promoted to Game Producer where she oversaw several newly formed game studios.
In 2010, senior management promoted Cohn to Director of Game Development.
“Winning this award is a testament to who she is: A woman with an exceptional work ethic, incessant energy, ability to execute, and ability to work with those she manages,” said Bally’s Director of Video Game Development David Schultz.
Cohn was one of five individuals to win the “Rising Star” award.
“My hope is to always make an impact, and it is a great honor to have people in the industry say it makes a difference,” Cohn said.
The dedicated wife and mother of two enjoys spending time with her family, as well as writing and illustrating children’s books. She also serves on the Advisory Committee for the Art Institute of Las Vegas.
An in-depth article featuring profiles of this year’s award winners will be featured in the July 2012 issue of Casino Enterprise Management. The winners will also receive a prestigious crystal Great Women of Gaming Award and the chance to be featured in a CEM Audio Edge talk radio show.
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