COMMERCE, CA -- (November 11, 2008) - In a sport traditionally ruled by men, Cheri Dokken has been the queen bee.  For the past eight years she has controlled the poker room floor at Commerce Casino, managing some of the largest tournaments in North American, metering out just rulings and words of support along the way.  Now, after a long and esteemed career, Dokken has decided to descend from her thrown and retire as tournament director at Commerce Casino.

Dokken pioneered the way for women tournament directors and her list of achievements is long and storied.  She was one of the first female tournament directors to manage events at a major casino.  As interest in poker exploded in early 2003, she found herself in the middle of the "boom," directing some of the largest and most prestigious tournaments ever held in North America -- including Commerce Casino's annual L.A. Poker Classic that draws a crowd of 600+, features million-dollar prize pools and is showcased on the World Poker Tour.

Dokken has overseen Commerce's day-to-day tournament action, along with its calendar of major events consisting of Holiday Hold'em, Heavenly Hold'em, California State Championship, L.A. Poker Classic and the World Poker Tour Celebrity Invitational.  She also contributed greatly to the increase in female players by offering and promoting "ladies only" events in her tournament schedules.

And as Commerce Casino gained prominence as a world-renowned poker destination, Dokken found her tournament director duties expanding to include media interviews and announcing final tables for World Poker Tour broadcasts.

"I didn't set out to be a good 'female' tournament director.  I just wanted to do the best job possible," Dokken said.  "I'm absolutely honored that people feel I accomplished that goal.  And though it may sound trite, I have to say I couldn't have done it without the help of the dedicated staff at Commerce Casino, the full support of casino management, and the patrons that joined us for tournaments.  Now in retirement I hope to dedicate a little more time to myself and my husband."

An enthusiastic poker player, Dokken originally came to Commerce Casino in the early '90s, when she took a job dealing cards.  She rapidly rose through the ranks, serving as head dealer, floor manager, casino floor woman, dealer coordinator and assistant tournament director before her 2000 appointment to the tournament director's role.  She earned the respect of players, and is widely known for running smooth, fair and on-time tournaments.  This should come as no surprise since Dokken was trained by Jack McClelland, the former World Series of Poker tournament director and widely considered to be the top tournament director of all time.

"It's easy to excel at a job when you're trained by the best," Dokken says.  "Jack was the 'man' for many years and oversaw most of the poker tournaments in the United States.  I learned a whole lot from him."

Tim Gustin, casino manager at Commerce Casino, said the respect Dokken gained over the years didn't come easy.  At first, male players were not fans of a female tournament director overseeing their games.  Some players even pushed the limits to see if Dokken could be rattled.  That included tossing cards violently at dealers and vocal outbursts filled with profanity.  Dokken, however, held her ground on every infraction, thus establishing herself as a fair and impartial judge who doled out justice in a steady and predictable manner.

"Cheri has played a huge part in the success of Commerce Casino's tournaments in recent years," Gustin said.  "She skillfully handled huge, multi-million dollar annual events like the L.A. Poker Classic and California State Poker Championship.  Her task was akin to being a football referee in charge of 600 or more players on the field.  We truly thank Cheri for her commitment to the game of poker and her valued service to Commerce Casino, and wish her the absolute best in all future endeavors."

While Dokken obviously did much to bolster operations at Commerce Casino, she also brought intangible qualities to the poker room.  Commerce Casino Development Manager John Griffo said Dokken treated each tournament almost as if she was hosting a party, moving throughout the poker room connecting personally with players and making sure everyone was enjoying their visit to Commerce Casino.

"Technically speaking, Cheri is a fantastic tournament director," Griffo said.  "But she's also a very fun, funny, caring person.  She hasn't heard a new 'bad beat' story in years, but she always takes an interest in a player's tale of woe and offers words of encouragement.  Players and staff alike will miss her presence greatly, and I hope she decides to visit Commerce Casino every now and again to check on longtime friends and the game she loves."

The well-deserved free time Dokken has earned will now be divided amongst her three loves: her husband, horses and painting.  Specifically, she hopes to establish a program for physically and mentally challenged children, allowing them to experience the joys of horsemanship.

"From pony rides as a youngster to my days atop Hunters and Jumpers, I just can't get enough of horses," Dokken said.  "I want to be able to share that love with kids who have experienced struggles in life."

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