AGEM names David Lucchese and Marcus Prater as 2026 Memorial Award Winners

The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) has announced David Lucchese and Marcus Prater as recipients of its 2026 Memorial Awards.

Lucchese will receive the Jens Halle Memorial Award for Excellence in Commercial Gaming Professionalism, while Prater has been selected for the Peter Mead Memorial Award for Excellence in Gaming Media & Communications. The awards will be presented during an exclusive ceremony at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas on September 30.

AGEM established the annual honors to recognize the lasting contributions of Halle, a former Bally and Novomatic executive who later became CEO of Merkur Gaming under the Gauselmann Group, and Mead, founder of Casino Enterprise Management magazine.

Lucchese, a veteran gaming executive with more than three decades of experience, has held senior roles across major suppliers, including Bally, Casino Data Systems, Aristocrat Leisure Industries, and Global Cash Access. Over the course of his career, he has helped guide sales, operations, and product strategy as the gaming equipment sector evolved globally.

Most recently, Lucchese served as Executive Vice President at Everi Holdings, where he led sales and marketing initiatives and oversaw strategy and development for the company’s interactive division. He also played a key role in the planning surrounding Apollo Global Management’s acquisition of Everi and IGT in 2025.

“Dave Lucchese is someone who epitomizes what AGEM wishes to honor with this award, through his sense of humanity in a competitive business, his willingness to go the extra mile and his longstanding dedication to the health of our industry, among his many qualities as an executive,” AGEM Board Chair Ryan Comstock of Ainsworth Game Technology said in a statement. 

Meanwhile, Prater brings nearly 30 years of experience across both casino operations and gaming manufacturing. He began his career in marketing roles with Ameristar Casinos before moving into supplier-side positions with Sigma Game and Bally Gaming.

He later joined AGEM through his involvement with Bally and became the organization’s Executive Director in 2008. During his tenure, he helped transform AGEM into a globally influential trade association representing gaming suppliers worldwide, a role he held until stepping down in 2022.

“What started as a relatively small group of companies forming a trade association, AGEM became a global organization that found its voice through Marcus’s leadership and established long-term relationships that remain in place today,” AGEM President and CEO Daron Dorsey said. “Our industry, and AGEM, are both stronger today due to seeds Marcus helped plant and grow, and we will continue to benefit from those endeavors well into the future.”

Previous recipients of the Jens Halle Memorial Award include Len Ainsworth, Rick Meitzler, Gavin Isaacs, and others recognized for leadership in gaming manufacturing and operations. Past winners of the Peter Mead Memorial Award include industry journalists and communications leaders such as Howard Stutz, Frank Legato, and Victor Rocha.

For the Jens Halle Memorial Award in Commercial Gaming Professionalism, nominees must have at least 10 years of experience in the global gaming supplier sector and demonstrate professionalism, business success, international experience, strong attention to detail, consistent follow-through, and a willingness to go above and beyond expectations. They should also show integrity in business practices, maintain a fair and respectful approach in a competitive industry, and contribute to the overall health and stability of the gaming sector.

For the Peter Mead Memorial Award in Gaming Media & Communications, nominees must also have a minimum of 10 years of experience in media, trade press, or gaming-related PR and communications. They are expected to demonstrate strong reporting and communication skills, prioritize direct engagement to develop ideas and gather information, and show a willingness to challenge conventional thinking within the industry.