GRAND TIMESPublished for Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures Associates

Grand Casino Hinckley Edition

November 30, 2018

Quick Links: The Hub The Gazette Grand Casino MN Construction Newsletter

In This Issue...

Associate Interest 2

Associate News 4

Service Recognition 6

Talent Development 7

Birthdays & Anniversaries 8

Joseph Joseph® Nesting Bowl Set

Friday, November 30 | 9 am – 8 pmDiamond and Platinum beginning at 8 am

40 point earn-up

Anchor Hocking® Take And Bake

Friday, December 7 | 9 am – 8 pmDiamond and Platinum beginning at 8 am

50 point earn-up

Guests may swipe at the kiosks daily for one FREE

entry and earn additional

entries for every 10 points earned.

Drawings: December 9, 16, & 23

FEATURING TWO SPECIAL ASSOCIATE ONLY SALES!!!ASSOCIATE HOLIDAY GIFT SHOP SALE

2 – 7 p.m.

Items range from $.50 to $20 maxCash and Credit Card Accepted Associates only, must present id badge

ASSOCIATE “GARAGE” SALE2 – 7 p.m. (while supplies last)

No Guests allowed in the sale area.CASH ONLY – No checks or credit cards.Quantities will be limited for purchase.

H5I G H

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ASSOCIATE INTERESTWelcome New Associates

Jeremiah Churchill Steakhouse Host/Hostess

Kimberly Crittenden The Grille House Host/Hostess

Lashelle Eckdahl Central Reservation Sale Rep

Zachary Gustafson Security Officer

Alexis Havel Hotel Room Attendant GNI

Linda Hyry ADR Cashier

Micheal Ivey Hotel Bell Person

Shane Johnson EVS SVC Engineer

Jeffrey Klavu EVS SVC Engineer

Joellee Lundberg Beverage Cocktailer

Courtland Mattkins Hotel House Person

Jessie Miller Hotel Guest Service Rep GHI

Hope Sweeter EVS SVC Engineer

Charlotte Whitcomb EVS SVC Engineer

Joseph Whitcomb EVS SVC Engineer

Grand Casino Hinckley Hotel is Looking for Rate 2s We have a great opportunity for you to make more spending money just in time for the Holidays! Grand Casino Hotel is looking for Rate 2s for Hotel Guest Service Reps.

Below are a few of the expected duties:• Enters reservation information into computer system.• Maintains an inventory of vacancies, reservations, and

room assignments into a computer system.• Posts charges to Guest accounts and processes payment

of accounts, including all applicable software systems.• Prepares shift cash report, balancing payments and

disbursements with computer and slot system.• Prepares the bank drop envelope for shift end and

balancing accounts. • Maintains a working knowledge of Grand Casino's

property, as well as special events on and near property, in order to advise Guests of same, whenever possible.

• Responds to Guests' requests, complaints or inquiries courteously and promptly.

Please contact Talent Acquisition Specialists for further information regarding the above opportunity.

Sue: 320-384-4829 or Tanya: 320-384-4722

PTO DONATION DRIVE FOR

Gina HortonGina, Food and Beverage Associate since 1998, will be out of work and facing unexpected funeral expenses due to the recent loss of her husband, Lance Horton. We will be collecting PTO donations to help Gina until December 10th! Any PTO donations would be greatly appreciated!

Donna RobbinsDonna, from Revenue Accounting and an Associate since 1997, will be out of work for an extended amount of time due to a medical condition concerning her spouse. She has exhausted most of her PTO and they will be facing many large medical expenses and missed work due to his medical condition. We are collecting PTO donations to help Donna until December 7th!

Rebecca Niles Rebecca, Stories Bartender and Associate since 2005, will be out of work for an extended amount of time due to a serious medical condition. She has exhausted most of her PTO and they will be facing many large medical expenses and missed work due to this medical condition. We are collecting PTO donations to help Rebecca until December 7th!

Sarah Severson Sarah, Production Bakery Supervisor, will be out of work for an extended amount of time due to a serious medical condition. She has exhausted most of her PTO and they will be facing many large medical expenses and missed work due to this medical condition. We are collecting PTO donations to help Sarah until December 7th!

Any PTO donations would be greatly appreciated! If you are interested in donating PTO you may fill out a PTO Donation Form and send it directly to Kristine Rote in the Talent Department or you may call ext. 4917 if you have any questions.

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ASSOCIATE INTEREST

Please Welcome Mike OvermanPlease welcome Mike Overman to the Grand Casino Hinckley property. Mike started on Monday, November 12 with his first full day of orientation and is currently residing in Joseph Staples’ old office in Executive Admin. After an extensive search for the past six months, we are very happy to have him here!

He has over 15+ years as a Director of Marketing in both Minnesota and Wisconsin Native American casinos. Mike also has Sales and Marketing Management experience in Corporate America with Hershey Chocolate USA, Cumulus Broadcasting, and as a business owner in the restaurant industry based out of Atlanta, Georgia. A registered Tribal member of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin, he is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Communications (Radio, TV, Film) with additional coursework in Business Law and Advertising/PR.

Welcome to Grand Casino Hinckley Mike!

GRAND CASINO EXECUTIVE CHEF JOHN VAN HOUSE PARTICIPATES IN CHEF FEST 2018 Sunday, November 18, 2018

The Woodbury Community Foundation, in partnership with the American Culinary Federation (ACF) and Mintahoe Catering, presented the premier culinary event of the season. CHEF FEST 2018 brought together the Twin Cities finest ACF Chefs to prepare mouth-watering appetizers, samples of some of their signature dishes and desserts that danced in your mouth. John prepared a Pork Shoulder Pastrami, a Grille House item from Grand Casino Hinckley.

The evening celebrated the impact the Foundation has had in the community over the past fourteen years, and announced the 2018 WCF Grant Award winners!

The evening included a live and silent auction. Proceeds support the work of the Woodbury Community Foundation.Chef John graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in 2002. John’s work history includes: Executive

Chef of Murray’s Restaurant, Executive Chef of the TPC Twin Cities, and now a Corporate Executive Chef for Grand Casinos and Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures.

John is a member of the American Culinary Federation and recently competed in the St. Paul Farmer’s Market local and sustainable food category competition and The MN Pork Board’s Taste of Elegance in 2017 and 2018 respectively. John’s primary duties include product testing, recipe development, and culinary training for all food venues that Grand Casinos has, or is in the process of opening.

An avid outdoorsman, John enjoys foraging while on hikes with his wife Shannon and three daughters Faith, Lucy, and Lily as well as hunting and fishing whenever time allows.

Celebrate the Day: Vikings Game Day Jerseys!Official NFL Vikings jerseys are allowed on Vikings’ game days. Vikings jerseys are to be worn with uniform pants; jeans are not allowed. All positions are allowed to wear Vikings jerseys except for Slots and Security Associates. NFL lanyards are allowed with the exception of the Washington team.

Mental Health AwarenessHi everyone. We know that the holidays are upon us soon and for some people these times can be difficult. I would like to remind Associates that we have the mental health resource information area located near the exit of the Associate locker room. This area has been stocked with new resources including: Problem Gambling Resources in Minnesota, Elder Care and Alzheimer’s information, Counseling resources, and East Central Crisis Service magnets for your refrigerator. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, please grab a magnet so the number is accessible during a crisis. Take care of yourself; you are worth it!

As always, my door is always open. -Briana Michels

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ASSOCIATE NEWS

Important Diabetic Product Coverage Changes Going Into Effect in 2019!! Starting February 1, 2019, Medica’s drug list will change for Diabetic supplies. Accu-Chek® blood glucose meters and compatible testing supplies (test strips, lancets and control solution) are the new preferred option. Members will need to replace their current meter with one of the preferred Accu-Chek® blood glucose meters listed below. A new meter is available to existing and new members at no cost.* New prescriptions for compatible testing supplies may be submitted on, or after, January 1, 2019.

The following Accu-Chek® blood glucose meters will be covered: • Accu-Chek® Guide • Accu-Chek® Aviva Plus • Accu-Chek® Nano

Members impacted by this change will receive a letter letting them know they need to obtain a new meter and prescription for testing supplies. Instructions are included for members to follow to have their new, free meter shipped directly to them.

Some members who receive this mailing may already have a current authorization in place for an alternative brand of testing supplies. If a member has a current authorization, they can continue using their current meter, and continue filling prescriptions for compatible supplies, until their prior authorization expires.

GRAND REWARDS PROMOTIONS THIS WEEK

DATE PROMOTION TIME

Saturday, December 1 Bonus Cash 6 am - 11:59 pm

Sunday, December 2 Bonus Grand Play 6 am - 11:59 pm

Monday, December 3 (no promos today)

Tuesday, December 4 Bonus Grand Play 6 am - 11:55 pm

Wednesday, December 5 Senior WednesdayBonus Grand Play

All Day6 am - 11:59 pm

Thursday, December 6 Mystery Money 6 am - 11:59 pm

Friday, December 7 Anchor Hocking Take and Bake 9 am - 8 pm

We are getting a look at our first Bestmark Secret Shopper forms. Each week, we’ll feature a different question for the new Bestmark Form. This week’s Snapshot features the rating for “Casino Atmosphere.” Based on the option selected, we are awarded between 0 and 5 points toward our total score.

BESTMARK SECRET SHOPPERS RETURN TO GRAND CASINO HINCKLEYSecret Shoppers will continuously visit us to evaluate their experience at Grand Casino Hinckley. For those that remember the Bestmark program from the past, it’s going to look a little different this time. Under the previous program, shoppers mainly evaluated individual guest service performance; under this new program, shoppers will be evaluating their entire experience with Grand Casino Hinckley as a whole. That means they will be focusing on service AND other elements like cleanliness, signage, lighting, and more. They will also be visiting our competitors once a month so we can see how we compare.

What can you do to be ready?As we talked about in our ATC Champion Guest Service training this fall, focus on creating the best Guest experience you can. Provide exceptional service (personalize, promote, and party-on) to ALL Guests and keep your eyes open for other ways we can improve our Guests’ overall experience. Be watching for more information as details of this new program are finalized.

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ASSOCIATE NEWS

Associates who would like to nominate their children or another Associate’s child for a Santa’s Helpers gift, may do so beginning November 19th until December 6th. Forms will be available at the Receptionist desk of the Talent Department and in the ADR. Please see the nomination form for more details. This program is confidential and no names will be given out.

Santa’s helper may drop off unwrapped gifts with Talent beginning Tuesday, November 20th through Monday December 10th. Gift distribution will begin Monday, December 11th through the Talent department.

Welcome to the Hotels! Have you ever wanted to experience an overnight stay in one of our Hotels?

Midweek (Sunday – Thursday) Associates can enjoy a $49 room rate at any Grand Casino Hinckley or Mille Lacs Hotel property.

• Mention offer MLCV• Standard Room only• Limited rooms allocated to MLCV rate, excludes high

volume nights and is based on availability• Must present badge at check-in

ATTENTION ALL ASSOCIATES!!!Licensing File Updates

Updated regulations and the movement to an electronic system within the Licensing Department means there a couple things that all Associates need to be aware of. The Licensing Department will be sending out an Update Information sheet to update your gaming license file before your anniversary date.

• All active Associates must provide a valid personal email address to ensure that we are able to connect with you about your gaming license and future updates. This cannot be a Grand Casino email address. It can be the email you currently use for your Greenshades or PayCard account.

• These sheets must be returned to the Licensing Department by the due date printed on the Update Form.• We are also fingerprinting all Associates who do not have current fingerprints in their file; the Update Information sheet

will notify those Associates needing prints. • If you need to contact someone with questions, please reach out to the following:

• Grand Casino Hinckley: Becky Majzner, GRA Coordinator, x4470• Grand Casino Mille Lacs: Rebecca Lee, Licensing Manager, x8835

Grand Casino Donates Turkeys and Pies

On November 21, Grand Casino Hinckley donated 273 turkeys and 54 pies to Family Pathways of Cambridge and Pine City.

A few of our very own Associates ensured a safe delivery—way to go Ross Nelson and John Thompson!

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SERVICE RECOGNITION

GuestNet Shout - Outs

Events:

We could not get into our hotel room and my purse was to large so I could not go into the event. I found a Manager, I think his name was Donald. He was very nice and helpful because I did not want to leave my purse in the baggage area. At 5:50 pm I did get into our room, thanks to Don.

Grand Rewards: I would like to thank Derek for his help. He was very nice to talk to.

Hotel Front Desk:

Mae and her supervisor worked to find out what was going on and about an hour later the adjoining room was ours also. We are very appreciative of this gesture and wanted to let you know that our four night stay in the two rooms was perfectly delightful and so restful for the ladies who really needed to get away and have fun.

Hotel Front Desk:Your Associate, Nahn, was very helpful finding a room that suited me. When my credit card was declined, she found her supervisor quickly and the matter was cleared and I was able to register.

Player Development: Elaine is a very wonderful person. It is alway easy for me to talk with her and ask what’s happening. I enjoy her a lot.

Winds Steakhouse: Erin was fantastic. I hope we see her next time.

Winds Steakhouse: Kathy was a fantastic server and the food was wonderful.

Winds Steakhouse: I love The Winds. Erin gave us fabulous service!!

Winds Steakhouse:

The Winds is always the highlight of the trip and it’s not just because of the food. Alyssa, Brittney, Arron, Katherine, Josh, Heidi, Angie, and those who names I haven’t learned yet, are the most delightful crew to deal with. I always make it a point to eat at the Winds.

WHAT DOES EXCEPTIONAL

SERVICE MEAN TO YOU?

Each week during our Welcome Expedition (Orientation) we ask table groups to define exceptional service and award a winner. Here is this week’s winning example:

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Upcoming in

Talent DevelopmentAll Associates Are Welcome

Building Trust Under Pressure Thursday, January 3 1 pm - 5 pm Grand Casino Hinckley

Participants learn to address the challenges they face by applying a universal set of leadership principles that: Build trust with others, even under pressure-packed conditions; Establish a wide network of effective relationships; Maintain a positive work environment, and defuse highly charged situations with others.

Learning to Lead Wednesday, January 16 8 am - 12 pm Grand Casino Hinckley

Participants gain an understanding of the differences between leading and supervising. Participants also learn the four leadership concepts of being an effective leader.

Service From The Heart Wednesday, January 23 1 pm - 5 pm Grand Casino Hinckley

This class focuses on providing exceptional Guest Service. Exceptional Guest Service is service from the heart.During the session, Associates will analyze their own Guest Service skills, and look at options and opportunities that they have in their work areas to provide exceptional service. Participants will leave the class with action steps to improve Guest Service in their work areas.

Contact your supervisor or Tina Bartheidel (extension 4808) to register!

TALENT DEVELOPMENT

Training for December

Title 31 Classroom Training Wednesday, December 12

8 am

SAR Classroom Training Wednesday, December 12

10 am & 12 pmAll held in the Sunrise/Clearwater Room

Additional class times may be added Sign-up list is on the HUB

Title 31 & SAR Refreshers are now available on the Hub as well.

For more information, or to submit articles for the newsletter, drop a note in the Grand Times drop-box in the ADR, or e-mail the Grand Times.

DAILY SPECIALS

November 30 - December 2

Friday: Breakfast: Two Eggs, Two Pancakes, Two Bacon, and Two Sausages Lunch: Ranch Chicken over Rice Pilaf with Side Veggies Saturday: Breakfast: Two Eggs, O’Brian Potatoes, and Toast Lunch: Shrimp & Fries

Sunday: Breakfast: Waffles with Whipped Cream and Fruit Lunch: Beef & Cheddar Sandwich with Tots

Sandwich of the Week: Pork Fritter SandwichWrap of the Week: Chicken Strip Wrap

December 3 - 7

Monday: Breakfast: Eggs Benedict & HashbrownsLunch: Stuffed Shells & Meatballs with a Breadstick

Tuesday: Breakfast: Country Breakfast Lunch: Reuben Sandwich and Kettle Chips

Wednesday: Breakfast: Mexican ScramblerLunch: Beef Pot Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, and Vegetables Healthy Choice: Cold Chicken Taco Salad

Thursday: Breakfast: Two Egg, Kielbasa, Hashbrowns, and Toast Lunch: Tater Tot Casserole and Salad

Friday: Breakfast: Western Eggs, Hashbrowns, and Toast Lunch: Baked Ham, Au Gratin Potatoes, Vegetables

Sandwich of the Week: Tuna MeltWrap of the Week: Taco Wrap

BirthdaysNovember 30

Alicia Freeman George Funkhouser

December 1 Lynn Carlson Stephanie Dahl Deanna Jacobs Tami Riedeman

December 2 Jessica Fahey Chad Gay Brytni Hammer Albert Huebsch Jon Maack Christopher Moran Jill Story Amanda Taylor Abby Williams

December 3 Kristy Balut Heather McCorkle Arnel Yabu

December 4 Matthew Forshier Joseph “Joshua” Loria William Thompson

December 5 Tom Hoppe Anita Sam Jacqueline Segarra

December 6 Anthony Davis Delsie Day Larry Hart

AnniversariesNovember 30

Christine Reoh Michael Michaud

20 years3 years

December 1 Joseph Kirchgatter Gregory Simmer

22 years5 years

December 2

December 3 Lori Nelson 6 years

December 4 Robert Delmont 1 year

December 5 Jolene Kemper Connie Kevan

2 years1 years

December 6 Tanya Higgins 14 years

*Menu is subject to change. (Lunch special is available 10:30am – midnight;

Breakfast special available midnight to 10:30am)

A big “Thank You” to the Leaders, ADR Staff and other Associates that helped serve the Thanksgiving meal last week in the Double Diamond. Your efforts were much appreciated!