Janis Sexton Appointed WSOP Circuit Tournament Director

The appointment of Janis Sexton as the Tournament Director of the World Series of Poker Circuit Events was a history-making event. Sexton is the first woman to hold the title of Tournament Director in the 38 years of the WSOP.

She learned of the promotion during a January 3 phone call from Jack Effel, Director of Poker Operations for Harrah's.

Her immediate response to the news was both a surprise and a thrill being promoted to such a prestigious position. "I had no idea I was even being considered, but I am really grateful that Jack gave me the opportunity," Sexton said. She will also continue her role of Assistant Tournament Director of the 2007 WSOP.

The Grand Casino Tunica WSOP Circuit Event in Tunica, MS began on January 8, 2007 with Sexton at the helm. Rounding out her crew of top tournament officials were three other women, the first time in poker history four women have held these positions at a single tournament. Karen Kaegin is hard working and outgoing as the Grand Tunica's Poker Room manager, Sue Phillips was the very capable Dealer Coordinator and Dixie Lindsey was the Payout Coordinator.

Sexton was born in Cranston, RI on April 1, 1948 she says that poker playing is in her blood, and jokes she began to play when her father threw a deck of cards into her crib. The road to Tournament Director began for Sexton in 1990 when she and her daughter Lori moved to Las Vegas to pursue her dream of becoming a poker dealer.

With her oldest daughter Dina attending college in Massachusetts, she sold her nightclub and limo business in Rhode Island. They moved into an apartment on the East side of town that was surrounded by nothing but desert. When mom and daughter went for a walk one evening, as the tumbleweeds blew by, Lori wondered out loud what they were doing there, Mom assured her things would get better.

Janis Hoegen, (as she was known at the time) took her first dealing job at the Sahara. Sexton's first time in the box, dealing a stud game was a comical one. Each player put out the 50-cent ante and having been told by her trainer "if the money comes across the line it is yours," she took each ante, tapped the table, thanked each one of the players and dropped them in her pocket. The table erupted in laughter and it was then she realized "I had gathered up the antes thinking they were my tokes."

In 1992, Sexton moved to the Mirage for two years and in 1994 she hit the tournament circuit. She began dealing the tournament trail at the Peppermill in Reno, NV and then the Reno Hilton. The tournament circuit suits her lifestyle.

She enjoys the travel and meeting new people "It's like a two week working vacation and I enjoy the hospitality of the host casinos," Sexton said. Although, she admits there are drawbacks in spending 28 weeks a year away from home which includes missing her husband, her friends, and sleeping in her own bed. When she is in town she spends her free time with her friends and family.

Sexton has held nearly every position in the tournament world throughout her years in the business. At the WSOP those jobs have included dealer, Single Table Satellite and Mega Satellite supervisor, Dealer Coordinator and Assistant Tournament Director. She is most proud being among an elite group of dealers chosen to deal the final table of the main event at the WSOP.

Janis Hoegen and Tom Sexton were married on April 17, 2004. They share an interest in poker and ballroom dancing. As an anniversary gift Tom arranged a trip to Argentina so they could learn the Argentine Tango.

Tom is very proud of his wife's professional accomplishments. "She started as a dealer and earned her way into upper management, as a WSOP Assistant Tournament Director. I've had many dealers go out of their way to tell me how much they respect the job my wife does. They have noticed how hard she works and they appreciate all she does. The fact that she has made history in the poker world, by becoming the first female WSOP Circuit Tournament Director, makes me very proud of her indeed," Tom said. In fact, Sexton has a reputation for being fair, honest and extremely knowledgeable, leading by example. Nick Gullo, WSOP Floor Supervisor agrees, "Janis is one of the most experienced and talented poker and poker tournament people I have had the pleasure to work with. Her leadership and the help she gave the new people at the World Series is unparalleled," Gullo said.

Her mentor over the years has been Jimmy Sommerfeld, someone Sexton says knows the business inside and out. She is grateful to Jack Effel who has shown confidence in her by giving her many opportunities to advance her career. "I have definitely had some of the best in the business to learn from," Sexton said. She feels that her new position of TD will help mentor women into the poker world. She feels they won't be as intimidated, in fact the Grand Tunica Ladies Event had a record field of 465 entrants, second only to the WSOP. You've come a long way baby, from the days of gathering up antes as tokes.