Bracelet(s) None Final table(s) 0(+1) Education New York University Title(s) None Role Executive | Name Wendeen Eolis Money finish(es) 7 Money finish(es) 1 | |
 | ||
Born October 13, 1944 (age 79)
New York City, New York, U.S. ( 1944-10-13 ) | ||
Highest ITM
Main Event finish 20th, 1993 | ||
Wendeen H. Eolis (born October 13, 1944) is Chair of Eolis International Group, an attorney search and legal/government affairs consultancy (specializing in partner searches, legal counsel retentions, and attorney career transitions), founder of Eolis Institute for Leadership, an executive leadership consultancy (specializing in negotiation, decision strategies, and executive coaching), and founder of Wendeen Eolis Enterprises, a legal/ business affairs consultancy responsible for setting policy and spearheading EOLIS business operations. Eolis is consulted as a special advisor to corporate boards in evaluation and vetting of lawyers/law firms.
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Eolis’ public service includes assignments in New York City, New York State, federal and international venues. She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer in command of Hope’s Champion Task Force. This post 9.11 disaster operations/recovery initiative advises U.S. government and overseas officials, principally, in the evaluation and retention of critical legal counsel in the aftermath of catastrophes. Eolis has previously served as a special advisor to Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and as first assistant and senior advisor to Governor George E. Pataki (NY).
She was elected president of the Association of Personnel Services of New York State, and thereafter served as chairman of the board of the National Association of Legal Search Consultants. She also has been a member of the board of directors of various not for profit organizations and community projects, including WNYC, and, currently, New Yorkers for Children.
Eolis was a pioneer for women in major poker competition. In 2008, she was elected Chairman of the World Poker Association, serving until midsummer, when she accepted a role as a legal consultant in the upcoming U.S. presidential elections. Eolis has served as a member of the Players Advisory Council of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) since 2006 and was the Chair of the WSOP International Players Advisory Council.She is referenced by the WSOP as the “Grand Dame of Poker.“
Additionally, Eolis is a lecturer and seminar leader and an instructor on UStream for New York's Learning Annex, where she teaches people reading principles for use in business, politics, and poker. She is also a journalist; writing for professional trade journals and poker media.
Law and business
Born in New York City, Eolis began her career establishing an attorney placement desk right after graduation from New York University (B.A 1967, philosophy major). In 1969 she founded Eolis, Inc., the first placement and consulting firm strictly for "practicing lawyers." She specializes in counseling lawyers, executives, and "specialized talent" in law, business, government affairs, management issues, counsel selection, attorney staffing, career transitions, negotiation strategies, and media relations and advises on post-disaster human resources initiatives.
Eolis heads a network of affiliates that perform partner searches, law firm mergers and various legal consulting assignments related to law practice management, legal affairs crisis management, law department evaluations, and legal fee reviews. She also counsels and coaches lawyers, politicians and clients of legal services.
Eolis has been a pioneer and an activist in the recruiting-executive search industry for 4+ decades. I(n 1974 she was the first woman and youngest president of the Association of Personnel Consultants of New York State(APCNY). In 1975 she was the youngest member on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Personnel Consultants and in the same year the youngest recipient of "APCNY's Industry Service Award, for "lifetime achievement." In 1984, she founded and served as the first president of the National Association of Legal Search Consultants (NALSC). She has also been a recipient of the NALSC's "Distinguished Service Award."
In 2006, she founded Eolis Institute Institute for Leadership, which produces executive leadership workshops and teaches Eolis "12 Steps to "People Reading Excellence". She lectures on negotiation and presentation techniques, often using her experience gained at poker tables.
Politics and government
Eolis has been involved in politics since the 70's; initially as president of APCNY, in the development of updated legislation regarding the executive recruiting industry. While president of APCNY, Ms. Eolis was recognized with a "special citation" by the New York State Senate for her contribution to the modernization of employment agency laws in New York State. In the late 80's she was involved in Giuliani's initial Mayoral campaign, then, after his first election on his transition team, and later as an advisor in City Hall operations, including: communications, law department, and personnel matters. Eolis served in the Pataki Administration (appointment 1995) as first assistant to the governor and senior advisor on "special projects" including personnel matters,rent deregulation, and gaming issues. Since 9.11, she has overseen Hope’s Champion Task Force, which works with government representatives and others on emergency preparedness personnel and counseling programs for disaster recovery.
Gaming industry consulting
Eolis provides specialized consulting services to casinos, gaming properties, and tournament organizing companies with regard to event contracts, regulatory affairs, counsel selection, and tournament consulting, among her various natters. She also does special reports related to the operations of offline and online gaming companies in connection with government affairs assignments. She analyses, lectures, and writes periodically on online gaming matters including the impact of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and casino regulations in Nevada and other states.
In September 2010, Eolis was a finalist in the nominations for the London-based Women in Gaming Awards and in October 2010 Eolis was a moderator at the inaugural Monaco iGaming conference, sponsored by the principality and HRH Prince Albert of Monaco.
Poker
Eolis has "cashed" a total of seven times at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and was appointed to the World Series of Poker Players Advisory Council (PAC) in 2006. She was the first woman to cash in the main event of the WSOP (1986) and the first one to do it twice (1993). She has since cashed at the WSOP in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2009. The WSOP issued a commemorative chip for her "milestone" for women (1996) and in 2007, Commissioner of the WSOP, Jeffrey Pollack, dubbed Eolis the "grand dame of poker". Eolis also won the European Open No Limit Hold'em Tournament in 1990 and has cashed in the World Poker Tour, and the United States Poker Championship. Eolis was elected to the Professional Poker Tour (2004–05).
Publications
Eolis’ published writings include articles for the New York Law Journal , Women’s Business of New York, Poker Player Newspaper, and Bluff Magazine, among others. Eolis has written numerous articles on the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) and subsequent congressional proposals to reverse the UIGEA legislation. She is the author of Power Poker Dame, and People Reading Secrets.
Press
Articles that feature Eolis have appeared in a wide range of publications including: The New York Times (February 6, 1989, January 6, 1991, November 20, 2000, February 9, 2003 ), GQ Magazine, Women’s business, NY Daily News, and The National Enquirer among others. She has been featured on A&E Biography, the BBC Documentary, Rudy: Mayor of America, Court TV, and various televised poker shows including: the World Poker Tour’s Ladies Night II and GSN’s series Poker Royale: Battle of the Ages. She is also featured in Playing with the Big Boys (Van Vleet and Norris, 2002, Ecw) and WSOP Ladies Champion Susie Isaacs' book, "Queens Can Beat Kings".
All information provided above is available on the Internet and Nexis news searches and also is included on the official websites of eolis.com and wendeeneolis.com] (in press clips, links and/or summaries).