Keynote Speakers

James F. Allen
Chief Executive Officer, Gaming Operations, Seminole Tribe of Florida

James F. Allen is chief executive officer of gaming operations for the Seminole Tribe of Florida. He has developed and is responsible for the operations of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino properties in Hollywood and Tampa, Fla. He is also responsible for four additional casinos in Florida.

Allen previously was with the Cordish Company, where he was responsible for the coordination of design for the Seminole Hard Rock developments. Prior to his work with Cordish, he served seven years in senior executive positions with Sun International, most recently as senior vice president of property operations.

A gaming industry veteran with almost 30 years of experience, Allen has also served in several senior management and executive positions with the Trump Organization, Hilton Hotels and Park Place Entertainment. He has taught casino industry marketing courses on behalf of Atlantic Community College and the New Jersey Casino Association.

Allen is a Certified Hotel Administrator. He received a certificate in Slot and Table Games Management from the University of Nevada and attended Atlantic Cape Community College for Hotel Administration in Mays Landing, N.J.


Bill Galvano
Florida State Representative, District 68

Bill Galvano was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives, District 68, in 2002. He is recognized by groups across the state for his support of Florida Kidcare, affordable housing, the Bright Futures Scholarship program and the developmentally disabled. His personal legislative achievements include the creation of the Office of Adoption and Child Protection within the Executive Office of the Governor and the creation of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority, for which he had the distinct honor to be awarded the Chair’s Cup for Excellence in Regionalism.

This year, Galvano led the charge to keep gambling interests in check and provide health insurance to more needy children. Looking forward, he hopes to address the issues of economic growth, affordable healthcare, and regional transportation.  

Galvano serves as chairman of the Rules and Calendar Council and the Select Committee on Seminole Indian Compact Review. He is the immediate past-chair of the eight-county Bay Area Legislative Delegation. He served for two years as the Gator Caucus chairman and currently is a co-chair of the Legislative Biotech Caucus.

Active in Manatee County politics for almost 20 years, Galvano began his career with Grimes, Goebel, Grimes, Hawkins & Gladfelter. He is a member of the Florida Bar Association and Manatee County Bar Association, where he has served on the board of directors and chaired its general professional and public relations committees.   

Galvano has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law.

Alan B. Koslow
President, Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
Shareholder and Director of Entertainment, Hospitality and Gaming Law, Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.

Alan B. Koslow is a shareholder of the local government law and lobbying group of Becker & Poliakoff, P.A., and is also in charge of the firm’s entertainment, gaming, parimutuel and sports law practice, serving as editor of its newsletter Entertainment Law & Business. He has drafted legislation to authorize new products for Florida’s parimutuel industry and was instrumental in helping win passage of Amendment 4 in 2004 allowing for slot machines at parimutuel facilities in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. He has more than five years of experience as a municipal attorney, first as deputy and then city attorney for the City of Hollywood, Fla.

Koslow is an active and visible member of the civic and charitable community and has been recognized with numerous awards. He currently serves as president of the Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the International Association of Gaming Attorneys and was recognized by South Florida CEO as one of the Top 100 Most Powerful People in South Florida. Florida Trend recognized him among its “Legal Elite” in the area of government law and he was also selected as a “Florida Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics. Best Lawyers in America has twice named him the best gaming lawyer in Florida.

Koslow has a bachelor of arts degree from Queens College and a J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law.