PA Lottery Honored by International Lottery Organization

Lottery Director Named Organization President, Deputy Awarded Industry Honor

HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Revenue Secretary C. Daniel Hassell today announced two honors bestowed upon the Pennsylvania Lottery by the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) at its annual conference earlier this week.

Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Ed Trees was named the new NASPL president. Tom Blaskiewicz, Lottery deputy executive director for retail operations, was presented with the Powers Award — one of the highest industry honors.

"Pennsylvania has long been a leader in the Lottery industry, due to the commitment and contributions of forward-thinking, dedicated Pennsylvania Lottery executives like Ed and Tom, who – combined - have provided nearly 60 years of service to the Lottery," said Hassell. "I congratulate Ed and Tom for earning these international honors and reaffirming the success of the Pennsylvania Lottery."

Trees is the second lottery director from Pennsylvania to lead NASPL and the first to do so since the early 1980s. Having worked for the Pennsylvania Lottery for 35 years, Trees has served as the agency's executive director since 2007. For the past year, Trees held the position of first vice president of NASPL, and he is a member of the Future Planning committee. He is also a member of the board of directors for the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) and chairman of MUSL's Product Development committee.

Blaskiewicz was honored with NASPL's Powers Award, given annually in recognition of significant contributions lottery and vendor employees made through exceptional job performance. Blaskiewicz received the Powers Award for his outstanding work over the past year in expanding the Lottery's retailer network by recruiting convenience chain Wawa and pharmacy chain Rite Aid to become Lottery retailers.

"Ed's and Tom's efforts, as well as those of all Pennsylvania Lottery employees, have made a real impact on the lives of older Pennsylvanians," said Hassell.  "Our Lottery has grown – despite challenging economic times – to become the fifth-most-profitable Lottery in the nation. Last year alone, the Pennsylvania Lottery generated more than $915 million for programs that protect older Pennsylvanians' independence, preserve their health and help improve the quality of their lives."

The Lottery has grown its retail network by more than 20 percent since Governor Edward G. Rendell took office in 2003, and sales have grown by more than $1.1 billion - or 59 percent - since fiscal year 2001-02. The Lottery has generated more than $7.1 billion in net revenues for the Lottery Fund since fiscal year 2001-02.

NASPL, founded in 1971, is an association representing 52 lottery organizations from the U.S. and Canada, dedicated to gathering from and distributing to its member lotteries information about the lottery industry.

About the Pennsylvania Lottery: The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery that designates all its proceeds to programs that benefit older residents. Since its inception 38 years ago, the Pennsylvania Lottery has contributed more than $20.1 billion to programs that include property tax and rent rebates; free transit and reduced-fare shared rides; the low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET; long-term living services; and the 52 Area Agencies on Aging, including more than 600 full- and part-time senior centers throughout the state. The Pennsylvania Lottery reminds its players to play responsibly. Players must be 18 or older.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Lottery, visit www.palottery.com.

Media contact: Elizabeth Brassell, 717-787-6960

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Revenue