People First
With 18 properties across Southern Nevada, Station Casinos is big and getting bigger, with a plan to double its presence in the next decade. Yet among the rank-and-file, the company maintains a familial, all-for-one feeling.
In a recent Trust Index review, 82 percent of employees called Station a great place to work. A current Indeed survey ranks it above average in 11 out of 15 categories, including employee satisfaction and support.
Last year, Forbes magazine named Station a “Best-in-State Employer,” and for the fourth year running, Station was commended for cultural excellence by Nevada’s Top Workplaces.
“There’s a strong emphasis on communication at all levels,” says Heather Seebald, vice president of human resources operations. “We listen to our team members both through formal surveys and informal feedback. Station Casinos has also made a huge investment in ongoing leadership training. Our survey scores reflect that it’s working.”
The Atlanta native once aspired to a career in education, but after college and a year of teaching abroad, she landed her first HR position. To her surprise, it combined all the disciplines she loves: teaching, writing and learning.
“I teach others through onboarding, training and mentoring,” explains Seebald, who joined the company in 2023. “I really enjoy drafting policies and related communications. And I’m always learning something new as laws and regulations change.”
Seebald enjoys being a people-first HR leader. “A typical day includes planning and strategy and numerous meetings to ensure our platforms are working as they should,” she says. “But my favorite days are when I visit our properties to see and hear firsthand how things are going, and how we can better support our team members.”
Her role sometimes requires her to meet employees in times of personal strife. “I often say we talk to people on some of their worst days, because we get the phone calls when they’re trying to navigate through health challenges or a medical leave of absence.
“Those are difficult conversations, but I’m fortunate to work with people who put the team members first and operate with a great deal of empathy. We’re also very proud of our amazing benefit programs, which enable them to get the (support) they need.”
Asked which characteristics have contributed to her advancement, Seebald says resilience and adaptability. “In college I studied ancient language, and each semester was an extended lesson in humility. Just when you felt that you were getting competent with a certain genre, the semester would end and you’d start over with something new.”
At each juncture, “I found myself questioning my ability,” she continues. “But over time and through practice, I gained the knowledge and confidence again. I’m grateful I learned perseverance early, because policies change, systems get upgraded and acquisitions occur. It’s not always about your knowledge, but about your ability to navigate change.”
She urges future leaders to set big goals and welcome challenges. “Keep learning and asking questions. If you can volunteer for more projects, do it. If you get an opportunity and you’re not 100 percent ready, go for it anyway. Someone gave me this advice early in my career—you might struggle with a steep learning curve, but that’s how we grow.”
Looking to the new year, she says much will depend on the recent election. “We’re all waiting to see what regulatory changes might occur, both at the federal and state levels. I look forward to continued strategic discussions about our benefit and compensation programs.”
Seebald lives by two quotes from Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it’s done” and “I never lose. I either win or I learn.”
“We all want the big wins, but over the course of a career, we have seasons of learning that are crucial to our growth,” she says. “This is a beautiful way to approach challenges.”
