American Gaming Systems, the slot manufacturer headed by former Bally Technologies CEO Robert Miodunski, has named two industry veterans to join the company in key roles.

Dr. Olaf Vancura, the former slot design chief of Mikohn Gaming, as its new vice president of game development.

Vancura served as chief creative officer at Mikohn and subsequently at the renamed Progressive Gaming International from 2004 to 2006. While there, he created milestone games such as “Battleship,” “Clue,” “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!” and “Trivial Pursuit,” all games which pioneered the idea of using an element of skill in a straight slot machine.

In his new job, he will be responsible for the overall product strategy plan for AGS, including game development, operating systems, software and hardware advancement, platform progression and interaction with third-party content providers. He will focus initially on enhancements to the game development process at AGS’ creative studio center in suburban Toronto.

Paul A. Lofgren has been named vice president of business development, and will step into his new position with over 20 years of gaming experience, much of which was at the executive level.

AGS’s newest vice president most recently held the title of principal for Redhorse Advisory Group, a company he founded that provides gaming resources and advice to an exclusive client base. The manufacturer and operator of gaming machines hopes Lofgren will broaden the company’s network through efforts that include leading the AGS move into new markets, making improvements within the sales team and development process, and dealing with potential mergers and acquisitions.

Miodunski has been assembling a team of gaming-industry veterans since he took over as board chairman and interim CEO and president of AGS last spring. The company is in the process of gathering licenses for expansion across the U.S.

By GGB Staff

Staff writers for Global Gaming Business magazine. Las Vegas, Nevada.