By Sean Chaffin
As Season XVIII of the World Poker Tour completes the first half of the schedule in Las Vegas at Bellagio’s WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic, the tour took some time Sunday night to recognize a couple of names who have made an impact. Deb Giardina and Matt Savage were this year’s recipients of the WPT Honors, held at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse in Las Vegas.
The WPT Honors recognize people who’ve made an outstanding contribution to the tour and poker in general. The awards started in 2016 and past honorees include Linda Johnson, Mike Sexton, Bruno Fitoussi, Lyle Berman, and Steve Lipscomb. Giardina and Savage join an exclusive list who have received the distinction.
“There is something special about this award and we knew it right from the beginning,” WPT President and CEO Adam Pliska said. “We could see how well it was embraced by the poker community.
“This unique award represents the collected appreciation of the WPT for individuals over the course of their careers or special actions of merit in making extraordinary contributions to both the WPT and the poker community as a whole. It’s our most sincere expression of appreciation by a company that values the contributions of the individual and has benefitted from those whose work has elevated the industry.”
Deb Giardina – an industry trailblazer
In the 1990’s, Deb Giardina was a young mother with three jobs in Colorado trying to make ends meet. The gaming industry was growing and she dreamed of one day dealing cards in Las Vegas. She was soon dealing in Cripple Creek, but wasn’t exactly great at dealing. In fact, her instructor once noted that she “pitched cards like a two-fingered jackass.”
However, she persevered. Giardina had a knack for dealing with difficult players at the table and soon moved on to management. She flourished and worked her way up the ranks but also at different properties – improving each operationally and financially as she did.
Giardina has served as vice president of poker operations at bestbet Jacksonville for the last 10 years, which has hosted the bestbet Bounty Scramble since Season XI. She’s also the former executive director of the Wynn poker room in Las Vegas, director of poker operations at Canterbury Park in Minnesota, and had a few more stops along the way. From the growth of the game during the poker boom and online poker to Black Friday and a resurgent live poker scene, Giardina has seen it all and been a leader in the industry.
“Deb has been an exemplary role model, leading with integrity, passion, commitment, and drive,” said her daughter Allison Hollander, who also works in the casino industry. “She’s an intelligent woman whose passion for gaming has shaped the industry into the way we see it today.”
Longtime WPT commentator Mike Sexton recalled meeting Giardina 25 years ago on a poker cruise and was impressed with her professionalism and work ethic immediately. He distinctly remembers her organizational skills and love for pleasing players.
That has continued throughout her career, Sexton noted, including the hiring of great dealers and staff and not tolerating dealer or player abuse.
“She’s done a fantastic job and has always been a big fan of the WPT,” he said. “She’s been in the poker industry virtually all her life and brings nothing but integrity and class to the poker world. She sets the standard of how a poker room should be operated.:
WPT Vice President of Global Tour Management Angelica Hael outlined the collaboration between Giardina and the tour. That has included 21 events at bestbet since 2011. Hael said Giardina was critical in making those events successful and has consistently served as an example for others in poker.
“When I first met her, I was immediately struck by her presence,” Hael said. “An elegant dignity surrounded her and an aura of authority and strength radiated from her. It is because of women like her that women like me are in this industry. She’s an absolute trailblazer – paving the way, bulldozing through the obstacles and shattering the glass ceiling.”
This wasn’t the first time Giardina has been recognized for her contributions. In 2014, she was inducted into the women’s Poker Hall of Fame. Sunday’s honor brought another bullet point to a stellar career in the game. However, she credited much of her success to those she’s worked with through the years.
“I’m overwhelmed,” Giardina said after receiving the recognition. “My team is amazing. The reason that I’m here is because of them. Having people who are strong and to give them the opportunity to learn and better themselves, that’s the key – to hold everybody to the highest standard and be truthful.
“Be willing to listen. That’s a big deal because if you don’t listen to your team, you don’t win. If your team just tells you what you want to hear, then you don’t win either. It’s been so great to work with so many great people.”
Giardina has certainly shown plenty of listening and leadership on her way to a career worthy of WPT Honors.
Matt Savage – leading the way
Poker isn’t always the easiest game to organize and manage. From angry players to dealer abuse to angle shooting to simply finding a structure that’s fair to all players – tournament design and management can come with some frustrations. Matt Savage, however, has worked to find ways beyond some of those complications and seek solutions for players and properties.
Serving as the WPT’s executive tour director since 2010, Savage is also a founder of the Tournament Directors Association, which now 2,000 members from 42 countries. From 2002-04, Savage directed the World Series of Poker and been tournament director at Commerce Casino for 10 years and has held the same title at Bay 101 for 17 years. On the WPT, he’s even worked behind the microphone interviewing players.
In a constantly changing industry, Savage was at the forefront – speaking his mind and working for the betterment of the game. WPT founder Steve Lipscomb highlighted his work with players, including recreational players and pros alike.
“Matt Savage is a visionary in the poker world,” Lipscomb said. “He’s arguably the world’s foremost tournament director. He cares what happens in the poker world and about the people in the poker world.”
WPT host Lynn Gilmartin added to the accolades and spoke about the respect he’s earned through the years from colleagues in the industry. No matter the game or circumstances, she noted that he’s always willing to help and offer a helping hand.
“Matt has earned deep, deep respect from players and people behind the scenes in the poker world,” she said. “Whether it’s in a home game in Australia or a high-stakes $100,000 buy-in tournament at a casino, they reach out to you for your expertise and knowledge. And that’s really something special. Structures, rulings, opinions, he’s just on top of everything. Everyone knows Matt will always determine the fairest conclusion for everyone in the picture, not just one side of it.”
“Matt cares and that’s what he’s known for. The poker community, and especially the WPT family, is really bloody lucky to have you.”
Speakers honored Savage as completely dedicated and with a mind toward innovation. They also spoke of him as a devoted family man, married to his wife Maryann for 15 years with two children – Rizaann, 24, and Marko, 13.
“He treats all people the same with fairness and integrity,” his wife told the guests in attendance. “He is honest, dedicated, flexible, and very friendly. He has a great sense of humor and loves to laugh and tease. Above all he’s a leader.”
Pliska said the WPT was the result of the vision and accomplishments of hundreds of people for almost two decades. He outlined three pillars that have supported that success and those include:
An absolute dedication to poker at the highest level.
Adherence to the spirit of fun and adventure.
A love for the other members of the WPT family and the poker community in general.
“Nobody could typify those three pillars better than Matt Savage,” Pliska said. “You know Matt’s accomplishments and how he has elevated the sport of poker worldwide. What I find particularly great is that he’s always looking for the person who’s going to get left out. He’s a very sensitive and observant human being.”
After so many years in the industry, Savage still has a deep passion for poker. He thanked his wife and children and said he believes in hard work, persistence, and creativity. The players remain at the forefront of his work and he thanked them for their support through the years and playing in events he’s helped put together.
“It’s not very often that you have a career that you talk with and interact with so many people,” he said. “It’s been an amazing ride and I have everybody in this room to thank. This honor means so much more to me because I can share it with everybody – especially my wife Maryann and kids. I owe so much to so many. I’ve loved every part of the journey.”
Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas, and his work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions.