Joe Asher of IGT Hired by President Biden to Head Woodrow Wilson Center
Joe Asher, a renowned figure in the global sports betting industry, will now lead one of the nation's top think tanks - the Woodrow Wilson Center - after being appointed by his longtime friend and fellow Delawarean, President Joe Biden. Chartered by Congress in 1969, the center is a nonpartisan policy forum that tackles global issues, with recommendations developed through independent research and open dialogue.
Biden named Asher the new chair of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Board of Trustees, taking over from the previous chair, Bill Haslam, who was a former governor of Tennessee.
Asher, who holds a political science degree from the University of Delaware and a Juris Doctor degree from the Delaware Law School, has lengthy ties with the Bidens and claimed he's been a supporter of the president for many years.
A Different Perspective
Asher, a Las Vegas resident, has an impressive career in sports betting and was inducted into the SBC Sports Betting Hall of Fame in 2021. He mentioned he's unsure of why Biden chose him for this prestigious public policy role but plans to use his handicapping skills and business expertise at the think tank.
"They [Woodrow Wilson Center] tackle complex issues and present the facts and solutions to key decision-makers," Asher said in a conversation with CDC Gaming Reports. "I'm thankful for the chance and honored by it."
Having spent most of his life outside of the DC and New York bubble and being a part of the business community instead of government or academia, Asher believes he can bring a different perspective to the table.
Before leading IGT's sports betting division, Asher was CEO of William Hill, one of the world's biggest bookmakers. Within two and a half years of the US Supreme Court abolishing the federal sports betting ban, Caesars Entertainment purchased William Hill for approximately $3.7 billion in April 2021. Caesars then rebadged most of the company's US-facing operations as Caesars Sportsbook and later sold off its international assets.
Asher had joined William Hill in 2012, having sold his own business, Brandywine Bookmaking, to the sportsbook titan. Prior to entering the sports betting sector, Asher practiced law for nine years in New York after finishing his clerkship at the Supreme Court of Delaware.
The Role of a Board of Trustees
The Woodrow Wilson Center's board of trustees is appointed by the President of the United States for six-year terms. The quasi-government, public-private partnership is headquartered in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in DC.
The trustees play various roles, including executive, audit, finance and investment, development, fellowship, and strategic planning and programming. They oversee the center's leadership team, governance, and staff of approximately 150 members. The think tank also hosts over 150 fellows annually from more than 100 countries, providing research, writing opportunities, and interactions with legislators on its behalf.
Fellows receive a stipend of $90K annually for a nine-month fellowship. The Woodrow Wilson Center primarily generates its revenue through private contributions and donations, with grants and contributions comprising 44.3% of its $40.8 million revenue during its 2021 fiscal year, and appropriations from Congress making up about 35%.
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