Nearly six months after becoming CEO of the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, Laura Penney was faced with undoubtedly the greatest challenge of her career: leading the property through a global pandemic.

As states enacted stay-home orders to slow the spread of COVID-19 in March, some 989 casinos closed nationwide, including the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, which employs 850 to 1,100 people – depending on the season – in its hotel, casino, spa, restaurants and golf course.

Under Penney’s leadership, the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel was the first in the country to reopen in May following pandemic-related closures, setting the standard for strict health and safety measures used by casinos nationwide.