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Longtime Maryland Lottery Director Buddy Roogow, who has led the agency for 13 years, resigned Tuesday to take a job as executive director of the D.C. Lottery.
"An opportunity presented itself," Roogow said in an interview. "I decided it's the right thing for me. It's a new challenge."
His departure at the end of November comes as the Maryland agency is vetting bidders for licenses to operate slot-machine casinos in the state, and will eventually oversee the gambling operations when they open. He also is leaving as state agencies have seen steep budget cuts; Gov. Martin O'Malley recently reduced the lottery's advertising budget by $5.5 million as part of budget-balancing measures.
Roogow, who noted that Maryland has posted record lottery sales during his tenure, said, "In the lottery world, 13 years in one place is a very long time." He added: "We've gotten everything in place to move forward with slots. No time is ever really perfect to leave."
Roogow was appointed to the lottery post by then-Gov. Parris N. Glendening, for whom he had worked as deputy chief of staff. Before that, he had a lengthy career in Howard County government, and served as chief administrative officer there from 1988 to 1991.
David Umansky, a spokesman for the District of Columbia's chief financial officer, said Roogow was selected after a national search, and called him a "superior candidate."
O'Malley spokesman Rick Abbruzzese said of Roogow: "We wish him well in the future."
"An opportunity presented itself," Roogow said in an interview. "I decided it's the right thing for me. It's a new challenge."
His departure at the end of November comes as the Maryland agency is vetting bidders for licenses to operate slot-machine casinos in the state, and will eventually oversee the gambling operations when they open. He also is leaving as state agencies have seen steep budget cuts; Gov. Martin O'Malley recently reduced the lottery's advertising budget by $5.5 million as part of budget-balancing measures.
Roogow, who noted that Maryland has posted record lottery sales during his tenure, said, "In the lottery world, 13 years in one place is a very long time." He added: "We've gotten everything in place to move forward with slots. No time is ever really perfect to leave."
Roogow was appointed to the lottery post by then-Gov. Parris N. Glendening, for whom he had worked as deputy chief of staff. Before that, he had a lengthy career in Howard County government, and served as chief administrative officer there from 1988 to 1991.
David Umansky, a spokesman for the District of Columbia's chief financial officer, said Roogow was selected after a national search, and called him a "superior candidate."
O'Malley spokesman Rick Abbruzzese said of Roogow: "We wish him well in the future."
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