Sanford Roy Student

Born in the Bronx, New York, Roy came from humble beginnings and possessed a drive, curiosity and determination that would carry him around the world and ultimately make him a respected and influential figure in the gaming industry.

Long before his career in technology, Roy was a gifted athlete. As a boy, he played stickball in the streets of New York and later became a standout baseball player at Bayside High School. His talent on the baseball diamond attracted the attention of the New York Yankees, the team he had grown up loving. The Yankees scouted Roy and offered him an opportunity to join their AAA organization. It was a remarkable opportunity for a young man who had grown up rooting for the Yankees, but Roy made a decision that reflected the priorities that would guide much of his life: he turned down the offer because he wanted to pursue a college education.

Roy's athletic ability instead earned him a scholarship to the New York Institute of Technology, where he continued to excel as an athlete. He competed on the track team and distinguished himself as a sprinter, setting a school record that stood for many years. His accomplishments on the track would eventually earn him induction into the university's athletic hall of fame. Roy's connection to the track program did not end with graduation. He returned to NYIT to coach the track team for three seasons, compiling an impressive record and sharing his experience and competitive spirit with another generation of student-athletes. After graduating with a degree in engineering, Roy began his professional career at Grumman Aircraft on Long Island, New York. While at Grumman, he was one of the project managers involved in the construction of the Lunar Module for Apollo 11, contributing to the historic mission that would ultimately carry astronauts to the surface of the Moon.

In 1964, Roy met Judy. They married the following year and began a partnership that would last more than 60 years. Together they raised two sons, Glenn and Darren, and built a family that remained the center of Roy’s life throughout his many professional accomplishments and travels. After leaving Grumman, Roy joined General Instrument Corporation, a move that would eventually bring him to Las Vegas and launch a remarkable career in gaming technology.

When MGM acquired a casino in Las Vegas and sought a system that could automate accounting functions on the casino floor—including the tracking of players using markers and bankrolls at table games—Roy’s company was awarded the contract. That project marked the beginning of a career that would place Roy at the forefront of technological change in the gaming industry.

Roy went on to serve on the founding executive board of the original MGM Resort in Las Vegas, further establishing what would become a decades-long connection to the city's gaming industry.

After many years of commuting between New York and Las Vegas, Roy and his wife, Judy, made the decision to move to Las Vegas full-time to be closer to their children, who were now both in college on the West Coast. Roy later helped form Gaming Systems International (GSI), which developed player-rating systems that became an important precursor to the sophisticated player tracking and rewards programs now commonplace throughout the casino industry.

After selling GSI in 2001, Roy became president of Cyberview Technology, an early innovator in server-based gaming. The company developed technology that linked slot games to a central server, an approach that anticipated many of the networked gaming systems that followed. Cyberview was acquired by IGT in 2007. Roy's next venture was Applied Management Strategies, where he advised leading gaming companies from around the world on entering the industry and developing strategies for future growth. During this period, he became a strong advocate for recognizing the importance of nongaming revenue—the money customers spent on dining, entertainment, lodging and other experiences beyond the casino floor. He championed the idea that loyalty programs should recognize a customer's entire relationship with a resort, whether that person was a gambler or not. Today, that concept is fundamental to major casino loyalty programs. Roy's career spanned an extraordinary period of transformation in gaming, from an era when casino executives and players often knew one another personally to one increasingly driven by data and technology. Yet despite his expertise in technology, Roy never believed technology should replace human connection. He consistently advocated using technology alongside the personal touch that made a guest feel recognized, appreciated and special.

Roy also believed strongly in giving back to the industry and community that had become such an important part of his life. He served on the Dean's Global Advisory Board for UNLV's College of Hospitality, where he acted as a mentor to students and the Dean. He generously shared his decades of experience and extensive network, introducing the college and its leadership to his connections throughout the gaming industry and assisting wherever his knowledge, relationships or guidance could be useful.

For the past several years, Roy also served as a member of the advisory board of The Mob Museum in Las Vegas, an institution dedicated to preserving and interpreting an important part of the city's history. In his later years, Roy consulted with Clarion Gaming, helping bring leading speakers and industry figures to conferences associated with the ICE gaming tradeshow.

His career took him to nearly 100 countries and every continent except Antarctica. Along the way, Roy accumulated a lifetime of extraordinary experiences and met heads of state, dignitaries, celebrities, business leaders and influential figures from around the world. Many became friends ,and many never forgot him.

Roy was a natural storyteller, and those travels provided him with an almost endless supply of stories. He delighted in entertaining family, friends and colleagues with tales of his adventures, unusual encounters and one-of-a-kind experiences. Anyone who spent time with Roy knew there was always another story waiting to be told.

When he wanted to relax, Roy loved watching movies. He especially enjoyed James Bond films and just about any good spy thriller. He also loved dining out and was perpetually in pursuit of the perfect Chicken Parmesan hero. And few things could compete with a really good pastrami sandwich—especially one from Katz's Deli in New York. No matter how far his travels took him, Roy never lost his appreciation for the foods and flavors of the city where his story began. For all the places he traveled, some of his happiest times were spent simply being with his family. He took them on countless trips and particularly loved spending summers in Newport Beach, California, escaping the Las Vegas desert heat and enjoying time together.

As significant as Roy's professional life was—to him and to the gaming industry—family and friends remained at the center of his world. He took enormous pride in the accomplishments of the people he loved and was always ready with advice, an opinion, encouragement or support.

His family knew they could turn to him, and he took great joy in watching succeeding generations grow and build lives of their own.

Roy had a rare presence. Whether meeting him across a conference table, on a casino floor, at an industry event, somewhere halfway around the world, or simply sitting with him as he told one of his stories, he made an impression. Anyone who ever met Roy never forgot him.

Roy is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Judy; his son Darren Student and his wife, Michal Student; his son Glenn Student and his wife, Sophia Student; his granddaughter Tali Student and her husband, Itamar Labouz; his grandson Ben Student and Sonia Popova; his grandchildren Kylee and Kim; and six great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Pauline and Morton Student, and his brother, Larry Student.

Roy leaves behind more than a distinguished career. He leaves a legacy of innovation, curiosity, adventure, mentorship and human connection—and, most importantly, a family that loved him deeply.