Rosaura Gonzalez is a woman of the world, in the literal sense. She received an MBA from Instituto Europeo Campus Stellae in Spain and is working towards a doctorate in business administration from Universidad Central de Nicaragua in financial management.
Oh yeah, she earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in international business. During her last semester in college, Gonzalez researched different companies, and found Bally Technologies, which had an entry-level position in her field.
“I always knew I wanted to work for a company that would allow me to do international business, but I never expected it would be in gaming,” she says. “I didn’t know anything about the gaming world, but I learned fast.”
Bally Technologies taught Gonzalez operations and sales while she established relationships with gaming operators.
“I was also given the chance to live and work in Puerto Rico, and abroad in Spain, Panama, Argentina and Colombia, servicing clients.”
After almost eight years, Gonzalez moved to NRT Technology Corp., where she now serves as vice president of sales. NRT develops payment systems, financial and marketing kiosks, compliance tracking and reporting tools, intelligent table game platforms, credit information services and electronic marker solutions.
In her doctorate thesis, Gonzalez has focused on helping nonprofits be more effective managing the financial well-being of underprivileged communities. “It’s a win-win for everyone, and will allow these organizations to deliver more value to their target audiences over the long term.”
For all her success, Gonzalez faced an impediment at the outset: English.
“One of the first obstacles that I faced was the language barrier, since English isn’t my first language. I also had to learn to adapt to new cultures quickly as I was doing business in countries across South America, Europe and Africa.”
A lack of mentors early on provided another hurdle.
“I had to figure out a lot on my own, often by trial and error,” she says. “I really threw myself into learning as much as I could about gaming by reading nonstop, going to conferences, introducing myself to anyone who would talk to me, and just jumping into the ocean.”
Gonzalez eventually found several mentors who advised her but also challenged her in her quest to master areas ranging from slot manufacturing to sophisticated financial technology solutions.
“I thank God for placing the right people in my path, people who have helped me achieve the level of success that I have reached today,” she says. “I know it sounds a little cliché, but I’m most grateful to my mother. She always pushed me to do my best in everything that I do, and it was her tenacity and courage that helped me face challenges.”
With her career chugging forward, Gonzalez has some sage advice for newcomers considering the industry. “Understand what you want to do and what sector you want to work in and make a plan to achieve it. If you can, try to find yourself a mentor who can help guide you in that direction. And always remember that everyone goes through tough times.”
