Rebecca Paul
Encyclopedia
Rebecca Paul Hargrove professionally known as Rebecca Paul, is currently the President and CEO of the Tennessee Lottery
. Prior to assuming her current position in 2003, Paul gained national fame within the lottery
community for operating lotteries in Illinois, Florida
, and Georgia
. As in Tennessee
, Paul was recruited to Florida and Georgia for the explicit purpose of starting up those lotteries from scratch.
In 1986 Florida voters elected Republican Bob Martinez
as governor
, and at the same time, voted in favor of establishing a state lottery to aid education. The new governor recruited Paul as the state's first Lottery Secretary, due largely to her reputation for having turned the Illinois lottery from a moribund operation into one of the most successful lotteries in the United States. Paul was then brought to Georgia for the same purpose in 1993, after Georgia voted to start up a lottery as well.
Paul was already the highest paid lottery official in the United States, prior to being recruited to Tennessee with an even larger compensation package.http://www.tnlottery.com/newsroom/newsitem.aspx?nid=12&yr=2003. She is widely regarded as the pre-eminent lottery official in the United States,http://www.tnlottery.com/newsroom/newsitem.aspx?nid=12&yr=2003 being described by one state legislator as the "Michael Jordan" of lotteries.http://tennessean.com/special/lottery/archives/03/10/41112840.shtml
1972,http://www.lotterypost.com/news/153890.htm and was the fourth runnerup in the 1973 Miss America
Pageant, losing to Terry Anne Meeuwsen
(best known as co-host of The 700 Club
). After her pageant days, Paul was hired as a "weather girl" at a station in Indianapolis
. She married Terry Paul, a construction executive, and in 1977 when he took a new position in Illinois, she was hired at WICS
, the then-NBC
affiliate
in Springfield, Illinois
. While living in the state capital, Paul became involved with Republican party
politics, rising to the position of party co-chair, before being tapped to run the Illinois Lottery.
In 1999, while Paul was living in Atlanta and running that state's lottery, her husband died. When she moved to Tennessee, she met state legislator Jere Hargrove, who was a Democratic
member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
. Hargrove did not seek re-election in 2006, and the day after the election, on November 8, 2006, Hargrove and Paul were married by Governor Phil Bredesen
in the governor's mansion.http://www.lotterypost.com/news/153890.htm
Tennessee Lottery
The Tennessee Lottery is run by the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation , which was created on June 11, 2003 by the Tennessee General Assembly through the Tennessee Education Lottery Implementation Law....
. Prior to assuming her current position in 2003, Paul gained national fame within the lottery
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
community for operating lotteries in Illinois, Florida
Florida Lottery
The Florida Lottery is a government-run organization in Florida, USA. With numerous on-line and scratch-off games available, players have a wide variety of prize levels to choose from. Since it began, the Florida Lottery has continued to add variety to its portfolio of games...
, and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. As in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Paul was recruited to Florida and Georgia for the explicit purpose of starting up those lotteries from scratch.
In 1986 Florida voters elected Republican Bob Martinez
Bob Martinez
Robert Martinez was the 40th Governor of Florida from 1987 to 1991. Prior to that, he was the mayor of Tampa from 1979 to 1986.- Education and early career :...
as governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
, and at the same time, voted in favor of establishing a state lottery to aid education. The new governor recruited Paul as the state's first Lottery Secretary, due largely to her reputation for having turned the Illinois lottery from a moribund operation into one of the most successful lotteries in the United States. Paul was then brought to Georgia for the same purpose in 1993, after Georgia voted to start up a lottery as well.
Paul was already the highest paid lottery official in the United States, prior to being recruited to Tennessee with an even larger compensation package.http://www.tnlottery.com/newsroom/newsitem.aspx?nid=12&yr=2003. She is widely regarded as the pre-eminent lottery official in the United States,http://www.tnlottery.com/newsroom/newsitem.aspx?nid=12&yr=2003 being described by one state legislator as the "Michael Jordan" of lotteries.http://tennessean.com/special/lottery/archives/03/10/41112840.shtml
Pre-lottery years and personal life
Paul was selected as Miss IndianaMiss Indiana
The Miss Indiana competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Indiana in the Miss America pageant.- Winners :- External links :*...
1972,http://www.lotterypost.com/news/153890.htm and was the fourth runnerup in the 1973 Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
Pageant, losing to Terry Anne Meeuwsen
Terry Anne Meeuwsen
Terry Anne Meeuwsen Friedrich is an American television personality, co-host of the Christian Broadcasting Network 's 700 Club, author and singer....
(best known as co-host of The 700 Club
The 700 Club
The 700 Club is the flagship news talk show of the Christian Broadcasting Network, airing in syndication throughout the United States and Canada. In production since 1966, it is currently hosted by Pat Robertson, Terry Meeuwsen, Kristi Watts, and Gordon P. Robertson, two of whom will host on any...
). After her pageant days, Paul was hired as a "weather girl" at a station in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. She married Terry Paul, a construction executive, and in 1977 when he took a new position in Illinois, she was hired at WICS
WICS
WICS is the ABC-affiliated television station for Springfield and Decatur, Illinois. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 42 from a transmitter south of Dawson and I-72/US 36. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 2 and Suddenlink channel 10...
, the then-NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate
Affiliate
An affiliate is a commercial entity with a relationship with a peer or a larger entity.- Corporate structure :A corporation may be referred to as an affiliate of another when it is related to it but not strictly controlled by it, as with a subsidiary relationship, or when it is desired to avoid...
in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
. While living in the state capital, Paul became involved with Republican party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politics, rising to the position of party co-chair, before being tapped to run the Illinois Lottery.
In 1999, while Paul was living in Atlanta and running that state's lottery, her husband died. When she moved to Tennessee, she met state legislator Jere Hargrove, who was a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
. Hargrove did not seek re-election in 2006, and the day after the election, on November 8, 2006, Hargrove and Paul were married by Governor Phil Bredesen
Phil Bredesen
Philip Norman "Phil" Bredesen Jr. was the 48th Governor of Tennessee, serving from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected Governor in 2002, and was re-elected in 2006. He previously served as the fourth mayor of Nashville and Davidson County from 1991 to...
in the governor's mansion.http://www.lotterypost.com/news/153890.htm