Kindness & Genuinity
Genuine and kind-hearted. This is how many would describe Kathy George. She is a successful, well-educated businesswoman, but she also serves others and truly cares for them. Kathy is a citizen of the Seneca Nation, and her mother is Mohawk.
Kathy grew up in a tiny town on the Seneca reservation in Irving, New York. She grew up surrounded by her siblings and cousins and hardworking parents who inspired her to pursue education. In high school, she met a woman who graduated from Cornell University and owned a catering business, which inspired her to do something similar. She pursued this dream and graduated from Cornell University, jump starting her career in the hospitality world. She interned at a hotel in Atlanta during school, then after she graduated she moved to Seattle to work for Wyndham. She worked there for 14 years, eventually attaining a position as General Manager.
Then, Kathy decided to go home. She returned to New York and worked for her tribe to open up a casino in Buffalo. She was the Director of Hotel Operations, then the Vice President of Resort Operations, then the General Manager of Seneca Resorts and Casinos. After five years, Kathy took time off to travel and find her next calling.
After working as the General Manager for Hilton in New Jersey, Kathy moved to Battle Creek, Michigan to work for the Nottawaseppi Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP). She began as the General Manager and Vice President of Hotel Operations to help NHBP open Firekeepers Casino Hotel. She became CEO of the corporation five years later.
Kathy kept the ball rolling and moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, to help the Catawba tribe do the same thing. As the President of the Catawba Nation Gaming Authority at Two Kings Casino, she helped the Catawba Nation open their casino in Charlotte. Now, she is back in Battle Creek, Michigan working for DoubleTree hotel.
Kathy is passionate about the gaming industry. Not only does it provide tons of job opportunities for people in different fields, but it provides opportunities for tribes to reclaim their sovereignty. It allows tribes to give back to their members. “To be a part of helping tribes get back to glory and to control their destiny is important to me,” she said. Casinos also help tribes start economic development companies so they can diversify their holdings, which is a good business move in general. This allows tribes to also give back to their local communities. That is also something that Kathy does: “Being on boards, giving charity back, is something that is so motivating…The work with the community is what I appreciate the most.”
When motivating the next generation of leaders, Kathy encourages young individuals to align with like-minded people and to ask for help. Most importantly, she encourages people to be genuine.
“Be true to you. Know who you are. If you try to be someone you’re not, it never turns out well. Be genuine,” she said. While Kathy has an outstanding resume, and was even selected as one of Crain’s Detroit Business’s 100 Most Influential Women of 2021, she prioritizes genuinity over success. Kathy proves that you do not have to act like someone else to achieve your goals. Be true to yourself, and you can achieve any dream you want.
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