Jan Jones Blackhurst is a long-time political and business leader who has left an indelible imprint on the lives of millions of people. In 1991, Jan broke the glass ceiling as Las Vegas’ first woman mayor. Under Jan’s leadership the city experienced tremendous growth, making her one of the Las Vegas’ most popular mayors. She then joined Caesars Entertainment, where she grew the industry’s first Responsible Gaming practices to include an ambassador model for the gaming industry and the first industry code of commitment. Jan is also known and respected for her efforts to create a diverse and inclusive workplace, advancing environmental stewardship, advocating for important social issues and giving millions of dollars to individuals, families and communities in need. She speaks extensively at universities nationwide and helped establish the International Gaming Institution Center of Excellence at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
In 2019, Jan joined Caesars Entertainment’s Board of Directors, after leading the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility and public policy efforts for two decades. She also became Chief Executive in Residence at the UNLV International Gaming Institute, where she was a popular faculty member and key player in the “Expanding the Leaderverse” initiative.
Under Jan’s Leadership at Caesars Entertainment Corporation:
• Caesars was the first casino in the industry to roll out a code of commitment under its corporate integrity standards
• Energy, water use and greenhouse gas emissions dropped significantly across the Caesars Empire over the last eight years of her tenure
• Employee diversity increased, with 41 percent of management positions held by women and 57 percent of employees from diverse backgrounds
• Employee engagement hit a high, driven by a volunteer program in which employees donate more than 400,000 hours per year to both company and community causes
Under Jan’s guidance, Caesars Entertainment earned a 100 percent perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for ten consecutive years. Jan also channeled her passion for charitable causes in her role as Chair of the Caesars Foundation, which strengthens communities through philanthropic activities and corporate gifts totaling $66 million since 2013.
Before joining Caesars in 1999, Jan served two terms as Mayor of Las Vegas. She was the city’s first woman chief executive and one of its most popular mayors, winning re-election in 1995 by a 72 percent margin. While in office, Jan presided over an unprecedented period of economic, social and cultural expansion. She spearheaded a massive and redevelopment effort in the city’s once-neglected downtown neighborhood and was among the first mayors in the country to advocate for LGBT rights and issues as early as 1991.
Jan serves on the Board of Directors for the U. S. Chamber of Commerce and the Global Fairness Initiative. Additionally, she serves on several boards as chairwoman, including the Nevada Resort Association and Las Vegas Stadium Authority; she is also a member of the Women’s Leadership Board at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She has received many awards and accolades, including: the Americanism Award from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL); the Woman of Diversity Award for “100 Years of Influence – Women Shaping the First 100 Years of Las Vegas”; Outstanding Service in a Landbased Industry from Totally Gaming; and PR News CSR Professional of the Year. The Las Vegas Business Press also named her one of its “Women Who Mean Business.” Jan has been honored by the American Diabetes Association and the “I Have a Dream” Foundation and was named Humanitarian of the Year in 1998 by the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In 2014, she was one of the first women to be inducted into the American Gaming Association (AGA) Gaming Hall of Fame. Most recently, she earned the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Chamber of Commerce, the Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence from UNLVino, the Diversity Hero Award from PR Week and was honored by the ACLU for Community Equality.
Jan Jones Blackhurst holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Stanford University and attended the University of Southern California’s School of Food Marketing Management.
