PENN Entertainment Appoints New Chief Technology Officer

PENN Entertainment, North America’s leading entertainment, gaming, and sports betting provider, has announced the appointment of Aaron LaBerge as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). According to the press release, LaBerge will officially step into the executive position on July 1, 2024, to report directly to  PENN CEO & President Jay Snowden.

The Matter of Honor and Responsibility:

As of July 1, 2-024, Aaron LaBerge will take the lead of the multinational technology team and the Company’s Interactive Division. As reported, the Chief Technology Officer position is responsible for tailoring the corporate technology strategy and leading the assigned teams toward the technological goals of PENN Entertainment. As a leading regional provider of entertainment, gaming, and sports wagering content and solutions, PENN is currently present in 20 states, with online sports betting expanded over 19 jurisdictions and iGaming operations running in five jurisdictions. For this reason, the technological executive position in the company almost exclusively relies on its technological advantages to meet its operating goals, which may be a matter of honor and responsibility at the same time.

Coming from Disney Entertainment CTO Position:

According to Aaron LaBerge’s background, summarized in the press release, it seems that PENN considered all the above to appoint the person aware of the complex function and capable of adding value to the company’s operations from there. Some highlights from LaBerge’s career reportedly include technology entrepreneurship with The Walt Disney Company and the most recent role of the President & Chief Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN.

Driving Technology and Innovations:

In his recent CTO role, LaBerge was responsible for supporting The Walt Disney Company’s two media divisions with overall technology and product development resources. As reported, he used his President & CTO position in the challenging venture to align technology and innovation with corporate vision and strategic leadership. As a result, LaBerge has driven operations forward by creating unique entertainment and sports content to secure superior consumer experiences.

In the press release, Jay Snowden, Chief Executive Officer and President of PENN Entertainment, stated: “We are thrilled to have someone of Aaron’s caliber join our PENN executive team. Having overseen a global organization of thousands of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, and data scientists that created some of the largest scale and most successful media properties in the world, there is no better candidate to lead our Technology and Interactive division into its future. I know Aaron is looking forward to working with Todd George, our head of operations, and our entire Executive Team to continue growing our position as a leader in online gaming, sports betting, and digital sports media.”

Aaron LaBerge reportedly added: “I’m excited to join another talented team at PENN Interactive and lead our technology strategy. PENN Entertainment is at the forefront of the fast-changing gaming and sports media industry. I plan to use my experience from Disney and ESPN to help make ESPN BET an essential piece of the sports fan experience. Together, we’ll push the limits and redefine how fans interact with sports and gaming.”

CTO Position Held in ESPN:

Before the most recent executive position in The Walt Disney Company, LaBerge reportedly was the Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of ESPN for three years. From 2015 to 2018, he played an important role in growing ESPN’s digital media products and services. In fact, he was a leader of multiple projects that helped ESPN take a leading position in digital sports and innovative sports technology development. At ESPN, LaBerge was extensively involved in designing, developing, and engineering the company’s up-to-date facilities across the States. He also connected corporate data centers and facilities worldwide and supported the launch of the SEC Network hub.

Passionate Technologist:

LaBerge reportedly started as a co-founder and CEO of Fanzter, a consumer software and digital product development company. He ran the company from 2007 to 2012 to launch a variety of internet and mobile products, as well as social and commerce technologies, etc. LaBerge’s passion for technology and innovation stands out throughout his career as the key professional feature unlocking the position of Chief Technology Officer at PENN Entertainment as of July 1, 2024.