UIYB with Carlton Saffa, Chief Market Officer for Saracen Casino Resort

Up in Your Business with Kerry McCoy

Originally from Oklahoma, Carlton Saffa fell in love with northwest Arkansas, graduating from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He currently lives in Little Rock with his wife and children, and serves as the chief market officer for the Quapaw Nation's Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff. Saffa was Saracen’s first employee and oversaw the licensure of the enterprise in all forums, including the property’s casino gaming license. In addition, he served as a representative in the construction of the Saracen Annex, a facility that features 300 slot machines and which was completed and operational in 100 days. Saracen’s main property was developed in parallel, and Saffa was onsite daily throughout. Today, as CMO, Saffa is directly responsible for all outward-facing functions of the property as well as day-to-day management of the property’s 800+ employees, which is co-managed by Saffa alongside two additional senior executives. Saffa has previously worked under Governor Asa Hutchinson and currently serves on the board of directors for a variety of organizations, including the Arkansas Symphony, the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, and the Historic Arkansas Museum.