Smartplay International, a leading provider of lottery and gaming equipment, has appointed Kelly McHale-Kleinfelder as Vice President Technology & Production. This strategic hire comes as the company enhances its technological capabilities amid industry advancements.
McHale-Kleinfelder brings over 25 years of senior management experience, specialising in IT transformation, compliance, and ERP implementation. Previously, she served as Managing Partner at Strategic Ascent Advisory Group and held leadership roles in IT strategy, including implementing a 22-point IT transformation plan as CIO at a digital supply chain provider. In 2021, she was named Philadelphia’s CIO of the Year by InspireCIO.
“We are delighted to welcome Kelly to the Smartplay family,” said Tom Markert, President. “Her leadership, technical expertise, and strategic vision align perfectly with our mission to provide cutting-edge solutions to the lottery and gaming industry. Kelly will undoubtedly make a significant contribution to our continued success and innovation.”
Strategic Growth and Market Expansion
Kelly's appointment is part of Smartplay’s broader leadership strategy, which recently included the promotion of Tom Markert to President and the addition of Darrell Smith as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. This expansion follows Smartplay’s recent gaming-related vendor license acquisition in the UAE, positioning the company in the growing Middle Eastern gaming market.
Driving Innovation in Lottery Technology
Smartplay continues to push innovation in lottery technology with new advancements such as:
SmartIntrusion – A hardware intrusion detection system for physical machines.
Secure Logging and Report Generation – Enhanced draw data archiving for greater transparency.
SmartAudit Signature Scanner – A QR code-based verification system for draw reports.
Web User Interface – Secure access to draw machine logs via any web browser.
According to Gaming Eminence, this leadership move reflects the increasing pressure on lottery technology providers to modernise and integrate more advanced security and compliance measures. As global lottery regulations tighten and digital transformation accelerates, companies like Smartplay must stay ahead of the curve. The timing of McHale-Kleinfelder appointment suggests a proactive shift towards greater innovation, operational efficiency, and market expansion.