Evolving with IT
Jeff Morales has carved two very different careers out of information technology. He spent almost six years in the U.S. Navy before entering what is now close to 12 years with Cordish Gaming & Live! Casino Hotel.
“Growing up around structure and discipline definitely shaped my perspective, but Maryland gave me the community and grit that stuck with me into adulthood,” says Morales, a military brat born in Germany but later settled in Maryland.
Though at first he lacked formal education in the IT profession, Morales was drawn to information—a kid who liked to tinker.
“Early on, I had curiosity and did a lot of trial and error,” says Morales, a diehard fan of New York sports teams who plays competitive flag football. “I was a student-athlete, and sports were my main focus, but technology always had a magnetic pull. I guess you could say I was a closet nerd who eventually let it all out.”
The formal education would come, as Morales earned a bachelor of applied science, information systems and cyber security degree from ITT Technical Institute-Hanover.
Morales didn’t set out to join the gaming industry. “Funny enough, I wasn’t looking to get into gaming at all,” he says. “I was actually trying to sign up to be a player before our first casino opened. The kiosk I was using wasn’t working, so I did what felt natural and I just fixed it. One of the human resource leaders noticed, introduced me to the IT director, and the rest is history. Sometimes your path finds you.”
He approached gaming the same way he approached the Navy: dive deep, learn fast and understand how things work under the hood.
In the Navy, Morales wore a few hats like plane captain, database admin and aviation administration. The casino world was new territory. “But I was used to jumping into complex environments. That mindset helped me accelerate my growth in this industry,” he says.
In his 12 years with the industry, IT has undergone dramatic alteration. “It’s night and day,” he says. “When I started, we were working with a ton of legacy systems and thick clients everywhere. Now, we’re shifting to web-based apps, mobile integrations and real-time data platforms. Games with TITO? Cashless wallets? Those weren’t even part of the conversation back then. Today, we’re exploring AI, automation and personalization at a scale the industry’s never seen.
“The future is here; we’re just figuring out how to integrate it in a way that works for our guests and operations.”
As Morales says, in his position as vice president of IT for Cordish he is tasked with keeping the lights on. “My job is to remove roadblocks, advocate for my people and make sure we’re always pushing the needle forward.”
The real work gets done by the folks in the trenches.
Morales’ father was his personal North Star. “He kept me grounded and pushed me when I needed it,” he says. “Professionally, CIO Frank Bonini taught me how to lead with clarity, think long term, and how to be calm in chaos. I also owe a lot to Rob Norton, our president. He gave me my shot and coached me through multiple roles. I’ll never forget troubleshooting tech issues side-by-side with him at Maryland Live! during our opening. That stuck with me.”
He’s been around long enough to become a mentor himself. “Whether it’s sharing my wins or my missteps, I want others to know they can carve their own path. I know a thing or two or three about this myself. Everyone deserves a shot, and if I can help even a little, that’s what it’s all about.”
