Ray Kot (1952-2009)

At age 18, Ray emigrated from China to the United States alone and unable to speak English. He studied hard to learn English, earn an Associates of Science and then Bachelor of Arts degree.  At the same time, he was working hard to earn enough money to pay back the expenses incurred in moving from Hong Kong, and bringing his entire family from China to the United States.

Ray worked a variety of jobs, such as Busboy Captain, butcher and bookkeeper.  As soon as gambling was approved for Atlantic City, Ray saw the opportunities and became a day one dealer at Resorts.  Ray was also an important contributor to the marketing efforts of Resorts, where his fluency in the various Chinese dialects was critical.  In addition, he became an instructor at The Gaming Institute of Atlantic Community College, where he helped many fellow immigrants get a start in the casino industry.  Not content, however, Ray even moonlighted as a Jitney driver, dealing and driving full time. 

When the Trump Taj Mahal opened in 1990, Ray was a Pit Manager at Resorts.  He seized the new opportunity for career advancement and left Resorts after 12 years on their casino floor.  Here at the Taj, Ray advanced quickly through Assistant Shift Manager to Senior Shift Manager and became an invaluable member of the casino management team for almost 20 years.

Ray was devoted to his lovely wife, Nancy and their son Drew. Ray’s fondest dream was that his son, Drew, would have the opportunity to pursue his life goals through a college education. Our commitment to the Kot family is seeing Ray’s dream fulfilled.