Kentucky Lottery President & CEO Mary Harville to Retire after 22 years
Harville’s leadership led to increased sales of more than one billion dollars
NEWS RELEASE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Nov. 20, 2025) – Kentucky Lottery President and CEO Mary Harville has announced her upcoming retirement after 22 years of service.
Harville, of Louisville, was appointed head of the Lottery by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear in September 2020. During her over five years as President and CEO, she increased sales by more than a billion dollars and oversaw transfers to the State for the five-year period totaling $1.9 billion. These transfers make up nearly 25 percent of total transfers to the State since the inception of the Lottery. Operating expenses as a percentage of sales were reduced to a record low of 1.9 percent.
“I want to thank Gov. Beshear for the opportunity to serve the Commonwealth in this role,” Harville said. “As a native Kentuckian, it has been my honor and privilege to serve as the face of the Kentucky Lottery and connect with fellow Kentuckians throughout the Commonwealth, including our multi-faceted stakeholder groups: players and supporters, retailers, Kentucky colleges and universities, legislators and other government officials, communities, and our ultimate beneficiaries who are counting on us – Kentucky college students and their families.”
Harville is the first woman and the second Kentucky native in over 30 years to serve in this role.
“Mary’s leadership has led the Kentucky Lottery to years of success, helping students and families across our commonwealth access a quality education they deserve for a bright future,” Gov. Beshear said. “I am grateful to Mary for her commitment to our commonwealth and our people, and I wish her the best of luck in this next chapter.”
Under her leadership, the Kentucky Lottery was selected as a “Best Place to Work in Kentucky” by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce for five consecutive years (2021-2025).
Kentucky Lottery Board of Directors Chair Dr. Tom Abell applauded Harville for her successful and impactive career.
“Gov. Beshear continues to show his support for the mission of the Kentucky Lottery by ensuring remarkable leadership at the organization,” Dr. Abell said. “His appointment of Mary Harville in 2020 set the Lottery on a trajectory for historic success, with her leadership increasing sales of more than a billion dollars in her five-year tenure. I want to thank Mary for her commitment and dedication to the Lottery’s mission throughout her 22 years at the Lottery.”
Abell said Harville’s accomplishments were achieved in the face of unprecedented competition from multiple forms of expanded gaming.
Harville played a key role in implementing the Lottery’s ability to sell lottery games via the internet, the company’s fasting growing channel. With the implementation of new sales growth strategies during the past five years, the Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for the Internet channel is over 79 percent.
All the while, Harville ensured millions of dollars were invested in the Lottery’s 3,500 retailers, including the current new, state-of-the-art terminals and other equipment upgrades being rolled out statewide at retail.
A native of Morganfield, Kentucky, Harville obtained her undergraduate degree as a first-generation college student from the University of Kentucky, where she also graduated from the UK College of Law. Harville was a partner in the Louisville law firm of Reed Weitkamp Schell and Vice. Harville joined the Lottery in 2004 as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary.
Since being appointed as President & CEO, Harville received the Louisville Business First Most Enterprising Woman Award in 2021 and was selected by Louisville Business First as a Most Admired CEO in 2022. In 2024, Harville received the Kentucky Gazette’s Notable Women in Politics and Government honor. Harville serves as the Multi-State Lottery Association Chair of the Mega Millions Product Group. She holds the international NASPL Powers Award for Leadership in the Lottery Industry.
Harville’s retirement will take effect in February 2026.
Gov. Beshear has appointed the Kentucky Lottery’s current Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Maggie Garrison, a 14-year veteran Lottery leader, as the incoming President and CEO.
The Kentucky Lottery has provided more than $5.4 billion in proceeds to the state for the seven scholarships and grants it funds. To date Kentucky Lottery proceeds have funded educational opportunities for more than 1 million Kentucky college students and their families in every region of the Commonwealth.
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Terry Sebastian | VP, Communications & Public Relations
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