Michael Hackman, senior vice president, Star Cruises.
Michael Hackman, senior vice president and Philippines country head for Star Cruises, began his career in the gaming industry in 1978 at the age of just 19.
He then left the industry to join the Royal Australian Air Force, returning to gaming in 1985. “And the years since then have gone in a flash,” he told InterGaming.
Hackman initially came into the industry almost by accident. “I was studying at university and was looking for a night job for extra income. After pulling beers in a bar in Hobart, Tasmania, at night I met some casino dealers from Wrest Point Casino, which was across the road. They talked me into giving it a try.”
When he entered the industry again after his time with the RAAF, the management and operational training he gained in the Air Force stood him in good stead.
“I had worked my way through a range of casino properties, including several property openings, such as the Adelaide Casino,” he said. “I then went out on my own as a casino concessionaire with contracts with P&O Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Lines and TT-Line Ferries in Australia.
Read the full article in the June issue of InterGaming.
