Ellen Whittemore, the Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of Wynn Resorts, has shared her plans to retire in early 2025. Jacqui Krum, currently the General Counsel and Senior Vice President at Encore Boston Harbor, will take over her role. Despite retiring, Whittemore will still stay on the Board of Directors at Wynn Macau Ltd. She will also continue to work as a consultant for Wynn Resorts.
An Important Figure
Whittemore was an important figure in helping Wynn Resorts during a difficult time in 2018. This period was marked by allegations of sexual harassment against former Chairman and CEO Steve Wynn, who later left the company. Steve Wynn has denied these claims.
She also handled major legal issues that followed Wynn’s departure. One of her key achievements was helping to settle a $70 million agreement with shareholders. These shareholders had filed a class-action lawsuit because their stock value dropped after Wynn left the company.
Wynn Speaks Up
In a recent filing, Wynn stated that since 2018, Whittemore has overseen the company’s global legal affairs, philanthropy, community relations, government affairs, and sustainability initiatives. Her leadership has been crucial in improving workplace culture, corporate ethics, and governance at Wynn Resorts.
Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings expressed his admiration for Whittemore’s contributions. He noted that she was the perfect person to guide the company through complex legal issues and changes in corporate governance. Billings emphasized that Whittemore’s strong reputation for integrity was vital in collaborating with regulators, the Board, and employees during this transitional period. He highlighted her recent success in resolving important legal matters that had been affecting the company. Billings thanked Whittemore for her dedication to making Wynn Resorts a better place.
The Heir
Jacqui Krum will become the new general counsel and senior vice president at Wynn Resorts, succeeding Ellen Whittemore. Krum joined Wynn Resorts in 2013 to support gaming projects in the U.S. and abroad. She was part of the team that secured the gaming license in Eastern Massachusetts.
In 2015, she moved from Las Vegas to Boston to serve as Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Encore Boston Harbor, playing a key role in the resort’s opening in 2019. Before joining Wynn, Krum was the Vice President and General Counsel for various divisions of MGM Resorts International, where she managed gaming and non-gaming projects globally. Krum brings extensive experience to her new role at Wynn Resorts.
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