DebbieBurkhead

The 2010 Women in Poker Hall of Fame ceremony was a night to remember. With Mistress of Ceremony Jan Fisher at the helm, we were guaranteed a laugh… she was an entertaining spotlight to a memorable event.

Also there to lend his support was former World Series of Poker Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack, who joined in the celebration amid the summer’s busiest weekend for women’s poker in Las Vegas.

Our 2010 Inductees included Jennifer Harman, Kathy Liebert & the posthumous induction of Billie Brown who’s daughter Kelley O’Hara accepted the award.

WiPHoF Board and 2011 Inductees

Jan Fisher sharing some inside stories about Kathy and Jennifer

Room Full of Supporters

To a sold out crowd, this year’s Women in Poker Hall of Fame ceremony was fantastic! With MC Mike Sexton orchestrating the evenings events, he opened with a proclamation sent to the event by Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman, who declared June 5th, 2009 to be Women in Poker Hall of Fame Day.

Also there to lend his support was World Series of Poker Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack, who joined in the celebration amid the summer’s busiest weekend for women’s poker in Las Vegas.

Each one of the inductees was introduced by one of the inaugural class members, Field, instrumental in the creation of several poker publications including CardPlayer, was the first of the three to take the podium. The second new member was Fisher, a Vegas poker veteran who has excelled in a wide variety of poker roles over the last three decades. Last of all came Violette, whose playing career now spans some 27 years and who is known within the world for her ultra-healthful lifestyle in addition to her poker excellence. The three received awards and gifts in recognition of their long-term participation in the poker world.

This was a fabulous and memorable event for all who attended. Our friends in the media were in full force and have done a fine job covering the festivities as they happened. Here is an article by Lizzy Harrison of Cardplayer Magazine:

The Women in Poker Hall of Fame (WiPHOF) is the brainchild of the Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS), and it can be found in the legendary Binion’s Gambling Hall and Hotel in Downtown Las Vegas. The four inaugural inductees were honored this past weekend during a ceremony held in Benny’s Bullpen. The goal of the WiPHOF is to celebrate and enhance the awareness of contributions and achievements of women in poker as recognized by respected representatives of women in poker. The WiPHOF is sponsored by Card Player.

The initial members are Barbara Enright, Linda Johnson, Marsha Waggoner, and Susie Isaacs. The master of ceremonies for the induction was World Poker Tour commentator Mike Sexton, with Jan Fisher acting as the keynote speaker.

To be considered for induction into the WiPHOF, women must meet certain criterion. Firstly, they must have been a poker player or industry leader for fifteen years prior to their election. They also must have made significant contributions to the poker industry. The last element that all women in the WiPHOF must share is that they have to support women in poker. Even if they do not play women’s tournaments, they must support their existence.

The WiPHOF board is made up of quite a group of women, and they made the final decisions in regards to the inductees. The founder of LIPS, Lupe Soto, is one of those women and during the ceremony she pointed out that, “It’s definitely time for the women in poker to have their own hall of fame to recognize their amazing contributions to the poker world.”

Card Player’s own Allyn Jaffrey Shulman is also on the board. The other members are professional poker player Karina Jett, professional poker player and industry leader Maureen Feduniak, and the director of marketing for Ocean’s Eleven Casino Suzanne Carter.

The induction ceremony this past Saturday was followed by a $500 buy-in tournament at Binion’s. The open event (meaning both men and women played) was appropriately won by Enright.