NEWS FROM

THE NEW YORK COUNCIL

ON PROBLEM GAMBLING                  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Mariangela Milea 518/427-1622                        August 12, 2005

e-mail: mmilea@nyproblemgambling.org

NYCPG ANNOUNCES NEW APGP OFFICERS

The New York Council on Problem Gambling (NYCPG) today announced this year’s Association of Problem Gambling Professionals (APGP) Officers election results.

On August 10, the Association of Problem Gambling Professionals met and elected to positions of APGP President, Debra Widrick; Vice President, James Maney; Treasurer, Jerry Stipe; and Secretary, Linnea Powell. Terms are held for one year, beginning with the day after the election and expiring at the next APGP Annual Membership meeting in August of 2006. 

"I am pleased that this highly gifted and dedicated group will continue to serve those New Yorkers who are adversely impacted by problem gambling,” said Former APGP President James Klein. “Their voluminous knowledge of the problem gambling and many years of service in the area of problem gambling make them uniquely suited to this new challenge.”

Ms. Widrick is an Addictions Counselor at the Lewis County Community Recovery Center in Lowville, New York, and has worked with those adversely affected by problem gambling for 25 years.

“As the President of the Association of Problem Gambling Professionals, I will continue the work of our outgoing President Jim Klein,” said Widrick. “Our ultimate aim is to provide a forum where education, prevention and treatment practitioners exchange experiences and ideas for providing quality services to those affected by problem gambling and to facilitate the expansion of knowledge in the field.”

Mr. Maney is Executive Director with the New York Council on Problem Gambling, and responsible for promoting the awareness of problem gambling and increasing access to problem gambling services throughout the state, Mr. Stipe works with problem gamblers and their families at the Center for Problem Gambling in Albany, and Ms. Powell is a Counselor at the Gambling Information & Counseling in Utica.

The Association of Problem Gambling Professionals meets on a quarterly basis in Albany. For more information on this organization or how to become a member contact Jim Maney at (518) 427-1622 or jmaney@nyproblemgambling.org.

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