NEW YORK -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Electronic Game
Card, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: EGMI) ("EGC"), announced today that Lord
Leonard Steinberg has agreed to join the Board of Directors as Chairman.
Lord Steinberg is one of Britain's most successful businessmen and one
of the most well known personalities in the gaming industry. He founded
Stanley Leisure in Belfast in 1958 with one licensed betting shop. Stanley
Leisure plc became the largest casino operator and fourth largest retail
bookmaker with 600 shops in the United Kingdom.
In 2005 Stanley sold its retail bookmaking operations for 504m pounds
Sterling (approx $1billion) and returned 327m pounds (approximately
$650million) to shareholders. In 2006, Stanley then sold the 45 casinos to
Genting International for approximately $1.3billion
During Lord Steinberg's tenure, Stanley Leisure grew both organically
and through acquisition. In the last five years as publicly quoted company
Stanley Leisure generated total shareholder returns at a compound annual
growth of more than 25 per cent.
The acquired businesses were cultivated by adding seasoned management,
structural renovations, synergistic business-lines, and improved locations.
Some acquired businesses were relocated into special purpose built
facilities, such as the Circus Casino Birmingham Star City, which is the
largest casino in the United Kingdom.
In addition to his highly successful business career, Lord Steinberg
was made a Conservative Life Peer in 2004 and is an active member of the
House of Lords in the United Kingdom. He is a well known philanthropist and
is a member of the Board of Directors of Medgenics, a U.S. incorporated
biopharmaceutical company, L Sports Investments Ltd., Stanley Bet Holdings
Ltd., and Stanley Bet Overseas Investments Ltd.
Commenting on Lord Steinberg's involvement, a company spokesperson
said, "It is with great pleasure that we will welcome Lord Steinberg to our
Board of Directors as its Chairman. His highly successful career is
reflective of his business acumen and drive to achieve excellence in
whatever he undertakes. Lord Steinberg's experience is well suited to meet,
and exceed the strategic vision of EGMI as it expands in international
markets and pursues further market share gains with superior, well
positioned products." The spokesperson continued, "We believe that the fact
that an accomplished business leader of Lord Steinberg's caliber has agreed
to become chairman of the company is validation of the company's business.
In addition, as the company enters the next stage of its development having
an accomplished Chairman with a track record of large public company
leadership will be invaluable. We especially welcome his leadership in the
selection process for new members of the company's management." Lord
Steinberg commented, "Electronic Game Card is an innovative product that
addresses an extremely large potential market. I am a strong believer in
this technology and have thus recently purchased in excess of 5 percent of
the stock in the open market. With the addition of my established contact
base and business and industry experience I believe that this company has
extremely exciting prospects and I look forward to taking the company and
the product range to the next level."
In addition to Lord Steinberg, the Electronic Game Card, Inc. Board of
Directors has also nominated Eugene Christiansen and Anna Houssels to serve
as non executive directors. Mr. Christiansen has been active as an
executive and consultant to the commercial gambling and entertainment
industries since 1976 through New York based Christiansen Capital Advisors.
Mr. Christiansen has conducted studies of the economics, taxation,
financial structure, and regulation of casino gaming, pari-mutuel wagering,
and lotteries, and has counseled Manhattan and Washington, D.C. law firms
in legal proceedings regarding gaming issues. Mr. Christiansen is the
author of numerous articles dealing with casinos, horse racing, greyhound
racing, jai alai, off-track betting, lotteries and related activities in
trade, professional, and academic publications.
He prepares authoritative
statistical reports that are widely used domestically and abroad recognized
throughout the world as the most comprehensive and authoritative
description of the gambling industries of the U.S. Mr. Christiansen has
co-authored an influential academic study of gambling, The Business of
Risk: Commercial Gambling in Mainstream America (University Press of
Kansas, 1985), and is a member of the advisory boards of the National
Council on Problem Gambling and the Institute for the Study of Gambling and
Commercial Gaming at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Ms. Houssels is currently Vice President of VIP Sales for CityCenter in
Las Vegas, an $8 billion mixed use real estate project developed as a joint
venture between MGM Mirage and Dubai World. In this capacity she focuses on
expanding the sales network through VIP customers and referrals, and
liaising with MGM MIRAGE key executives plus international and domestic
casino marketing teams. Her responsibilities include leading event sales
nationally and internationally, and developing new sales leads through
"business to business" channels, as well as professional and social
personal network associations.
Prior to Las Vegas CityCenter, Ms. Houssels worked for The Mark Company
and RLM West Luxury Real Estate in California as well as Ezra International
Realty in Las Vegas. Her experience also includes buying, renovating, and
selling luxury high rises in Australia and the United States. She most
recently owned and operated Houssels Properties; a Las Vegas real estate
firm specialized in selling exclusive residences, many of them high rises,
to local and a large international network.