Former Mohegan Sun exec dies suddenly

The Mohegan tribe and business colleagues on Wednesday mourned the death of former Mohegan Sun executive William J. "Bill" Velardo, who nurtured the casino's phenomenal growth in part by staying connected to employees.

Lynn Malerba, chairwoman of the Mohegans, said Wednesday the tribe learned of Velardo's death through a friend. The circumstances of his unexpected passing were not immediately available.

"He was more than just an employee of the enterprise," Malerba said Wednesday. "He was the one who helped develop the culture and the core values for our employees. He tried very hard to make sure he lived those core values and that they were deep within the organization. I think that really is what made Mohegan Sun so successful."

Velardo, 55, had left the Mohegan Sun three years ago to relocate to Las Vegas to be with family, which included wife, Mary, his mother, and his son.

He had been chief executive of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority following an 11-year tenure in which the tribe's Uncasville casino became a thriving, billion-dollar corporation.

More recently, he had been president and chief operating officer of a joint venture between MGM Mirage and Kerzner International Holdings Limited to develop a multibillion-dollar integrated resort on the Las Vegas Strip. An MGM Mirage spokeswoman said that assignment ended earlier this year.

Mitchell Etess, who succeeded Velardo as president and chief executive officer of the Mohegan Sun, and Len Wolman of the Waterford Group, both worked closely with Velardo as the casino grew. They characterized Velardo's personality as "down-to-earth" - someone who stayed in touch with employees and their concerns.

"He really set the management culture here," Etess said, "which has resulted in this property being a very special place to work. His impact and the foundation that he laid by being who he was still permeates this building. He had a way of touching people. He set a great standard as a leader. I was honored to follow him. It's a real, horrible loss."

Velardo started his casino career as a busboy at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, where his father once worked as general manager, a before becoming a blackjack dealer, but he never forgot his roots, colleagues said. Eventually, he worked his way into management.

He graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in business administration. By the time he arrived in Mohegan in 1995 as an executive vice president, he had worked in Lake Tahoe and New Orleans and served as senior vice president of casino operations at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, where he and Etess first met.

Malerba said Velardo liked to mentor workers, including members of her own family. He also used to quiz workers on key goals of the tribe and its casino, which include "blowing away" the customer and inspiring dedicated employees, she said.

"He really did want it to be an ongoing dialogue, not just a static vision statement," she said.

Wolman worked closely with Velardo when the casino was first launched.

"He was just an outstanding individual and he will be sorely missed," said Wolman. "He was a professional with integrity, and it's really sad to see someone pass away at such a young age when he still had so much to look forward to."

p.daddona@theday.com