Note from MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren to employees on Terry Lanni’s death
Friday
15 July 2011
10:36 a.m.
Dear friends,
All of us in the MGM Resorts family are heartbroken at learning the news this morning of the passing of our friend and former Chairman Terry Lanni. However, we can take solace in knowing that we had the unique privilege of working with and learning from him.
Terry was an extraordinary leader for our company and our industry. His thoughtful leadership on important issues, from expanding the gaming industry’s reach internationally to establishing the industry’s first formal diversity and inclusion program will forever mark his place in history.
Indeed, Terry’s leadership in pioneering the first diversity and inclusion initiative in our industry was a bold and courageous move at a time when few realized the tremendous importance of all facets of diversity in the globalization of our industry and the world economy.
Terry’s leadership of our company’s diversity initiative was a true reflection of his personal values and his personality. He had a fundamental respect for the dignity and contributions of every human being. He was a man of great humility; he held no illusions of grandeur or self-importance; and he characteristically insisted that everyone, regardless of position, call him simply, “Terry.”
Likewise, Terry’s personal compassion and generosity toward others helped shape our company’s philanthropic support of our communities, often creating the path that other companies would later follow. One such example was our company’s early support of Three Square, which made a crucial difference in giving this organization a foothold in the Las Vegas community.
Education also was a special passion of Terry’s, because he believed that a quality education changes lives. His guidance established our company early-on as the leading business partner in the Clark County School District’s Empowerment School Program, and he also spearheaded MGM’s Academic Excellence Scholarship Endowment at UNLV and the MGM Hites Foundation Scholarship Awards. He led the founding of our own employee-giving arm, the MGM Resorts Foundation, which has become an enormous source of empowerment and pride for our employees’ spirit of giving.
It was this vision that ultimately positioned MGM Resorts International as the leading organization in the hospitality and entertainment industry.
I will be forever grateful for his friendship and guidance.
Even as he faced these last months of his life, he did so with typical grace, courage and strength. Like anyone who knew him, we can all learn to be better people by emulating his values personally and professionally.
A memorial will be scheduled in Pasadena and another in Las Vegas. We will keep you informed as those plans are finalized.
I also know many of you will want to share your condolences and memories of Terry with his family. Please feel free to send any thoughts or stories via e-mail at momentum@mgmresorts.com. We will share each of these messages with Terry’s family.
Thank you,
Jim Murren
Chairman & CEO
Share
Discussion 1 comment
Comments are moderated by VegasInc editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy.
Additionally, we now display comments from trusted commenters by default. Those wishing to become a trusted commenter need to verify their identity or sign in with Facebook Connect to tie their Facebook account to their VEGAS INC account. For more on this change, read our story about how it works and why we did it.
Only trusted comments are displayed on this page. Untrusted comments have expired from this story.
Post a comment
Commenting requires registration.
If you have a LasVegasSun.com account, you are already registered.
Most Popular
- Viewed
- Discussed
- E-mailed
- Live from Billboard Music Awards: Stevie Wonder closes with ‘Superstition’; Adele wins 12 awards
- Firefighters extinguish blaze in east valley
- Cancer claims life of Bee Gees co-founder Robin Gibb, 62
- Travel business rebounding as agents adapt to tech-savvy generation
- My column: Legislative leader to unveil sweeping political reforms

Well said.
Terry Lanni was one of the greatest, leaders that Las Vegas has had in modern times.
Thank you, Jim Murren, for your moving and informative comments.