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GASSER


Gasser Chair G


Sharon Harris explores one of the casino industry’s best-known companies – seating specialists Gasser Chair Company


asser Chair Company, of Youngstown, Ohio, has supplied seating for the hospitality and gaming industries since 1946. The three Gasser brothers – Louis, Roger and George – launched their


company following World War II. Today, CEO Gary Gasser and President Mark Gasser head the 125- employee team, which includes second and third generation family members working in every department of the organization.


Soon after Gasser Chair’s founding, Louis exited to Mark Gasser


pursue a medical career. He did remain a silent partner for most of his adult life. After retiring from medicine in the late 1980s, he returned as company medical director until his death several years ago. Roger, a machinist, helped pioneer the use of aluminum, specifically for the entertainment and hospitality industry. He died in the late 1970s.


Youngest brother George entered the firm full time upon his high school graduation in 1947, one year after its incorporation. By then, Gasser Chair was manufacturing multiple furniture lines, from dining room chairs and tables to railings, window frames for new homes and aluminum beer kegs.


George was a gifted salesman when interacting with customers, but the brothers soon realized that they had to generate more orders to remain profitable. In 1949, they decided to strategically target a broader market and exhibited in the first National Restaurant Association (NRA) convention.


At that convention, George met gaming legend Bill Harrah, and the rest is history. Today, the casino industry ranks as Gasser Chair’s largest single niche market.


George helped develop


worldwide quality standards and many casino seating


48 FEBRUARY 2011


“firsts”, focusing on quality and durability. Since those early days, Gasser Chair has cultivated a loyal following of domestic and international customers of all sizes.


Among its client list, the firm counts prestigious


venues such as the new Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, several Four Seasons and Hilton hotels, plus numerous privately-owned restaurants and country clubs. Many of their new opportunities result from customer comments and referrals, which provide the best recommendations for those considering furnishing their casino with Gasser products.


Director of Poker Christopher Trabue and Senior


Director of Slots Beverly Price brought along their continuous relationship with Gasser when relocating to work at Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens, Florida. Gasser Chair had supplied seating to every property where they had previously worked. Trabue had several years of poker experience at numerous Isle of Capri properties. Price spent 15 years at Harrah’s properties in Louisiana’s Shreveport/Bossier City market.


The 41-year-old racetrack decided to construct a


new gaming facility opening. The STUDZ poker room opened in October 2009; the gaming room in January 2010.


Trabue and Price have always understood the


basics of successful seating. Comfort results in longer play, while casino seating endurance and appearance also impacts customer reactions. They determined that Gasser Chair offered the highest quality and variety for their needs, and still rave about their chair purchasing experiences.


Mark Gasser’s goal is to hear more of those accolades. He stresses the key role seating plays in a casino’s success. He states, “A casino with outdated seating may be unknowingly chasing customers away, particularly in a market where other gaming choices are available. After the game itself, the seating provided in a casino has the most intimate contact with the player. It is simply good business to provide a clean, comfortable and secure seat for the patron at all times.”


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