Executive Management

Andrew “Andy” Rubenstein has served as Accel’s Chief Executive Officer and President since July 2019 and also serves as a Director on the company’s Board.

Mr. Rubenstein is a skilled executive and business development professional with an extensive track record in the gaming industry. In his role as Accel’s CEO and President, Mr. Rubenstein is responsible for all business operations of the company, including overseeing corporate strategy and driving growth and profitability. He also holds significant experience successfully introducing progressive retail and customer service strategies.

Prior to his time with Accel, Mr. Rubenstein was a Co-Owner and Partner of Seven, LLC, as well as an Owner and Operator of Super Liquors, Inc., the largest liquor store chain in Central Illinois by revenue. He began his career as a Consultant at Arthur Andersen Consulting.

Mr. Rubenstein earned a B.A. in Economics and M.A. in International Finance and Economics from Brandeis University..

Mathew “Mat” Ellis serves as Accel’s Chief Financial Officer, a role he has held since May 2022. Mr. Ellis leads Accel’s finance organization and oversees all financial reporting, treasury, and accounting practices, in addition to serving as a key liaison with Accel’s investor community.

Prior to his role as CFO, Mr. Ellis served as Accel’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy, where he oversaw the company’s M&A strategy, capital raising, investor relations, and financial planning and analysis functions. He also played a pivotal role in structuring and negotiating transaction terms and financing for the company’s acquisitions. Before joining Accel, Mr. Ellis served as Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis for Transworld Systems Inc. and began his career as a Senior Auditor for Deloitte.

Mr. Ellis received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan and a Master’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business. He is a Certified Public Accountant..

Derek Harmer serves as General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary for Accel, a role he has held since 2012. In this role, Mr. Harmer is responsible for overseeing Accel’s legal and regulatory compliance across the organization. Mr. Harmer also currently serves as Secretary of the Illinois Gaming Machine Operators Association.

Prior to his time with Accel, Mr. Harmer served as President of Stadium Technology Group, a software and systems company dedicated to creating race and sports book management systems for kiosk and mobile platforms. Before launching Stadium Technology, Mr. Harmer was the Senior Vice President of Progressive Gaming International Corporation, where he led a strategic business unit created to commercialize emerging gaming technologies.

Mr. Harmer also held numerous management positions at WMS Gaming Inc. including Director of Regulatory Affairs, Director of Native American Business Development, and Director of Sales. He began his career in the gaming industry by serving as Deputy Attorney General, where he was in-house counsel to the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Nevada Gaming Commission.

Mr. Harmer received a B.A. in Criminal Justice from the University of Illinois-Chicago and a J.D from Drake University.

Gabriel Garcia has served as Accel’s Chief Customer Officer since March 2022, where he is responsible for account management, gaming operations, and customer experience. Mr. Garcia brings to Accel robust sales and business analytics expertise, including with multi-level and multi-district management. Gabriel began his Accel career in 2015.

Prior to joining Accel, Mr. Garcia served as Vice President of Merchandising & Business Development in the Photographic division at C+A Marketing, a leading global manufacturer, distributor, and online reseller of consumer products and electronics.

Mr. Garcia also served as Senior Vice President of Operations and Business Development at Calumet Photographic, as well as held multiple executive positions at Ritz Camera & Image, including Vice President of Sales, after immigrating from Argentina.

Christie Kozlik serves as Accel’s Chief Accounting Officer, a role she has held since November 2022. Ms. Kozlik oversees Accel’s accounting operations, financial reporting, treasury, tax, and auditing functions.

Prior to her role at Accel, Ms. Kozlik served as the Vice President of Consolidations and SEC Reporting for Assurant Inc. and Director of Accounting - Shareholder Reporting at Allstate. Ms. Kozlik started her career at KPMG, working her way up to Senior Audit Manager, supporting various audit and consulting clients in the financial services, federal government, and manufacturing industries.

Ms. Kozlik received a B.S. from Indiana University with concentrations in accounting and legal studies. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Fraud Examiner.

Mark Phelan has served as Accel’s Chief Revenue Officer since 2017, where he is responsible for overseeing all sales, business development, and M&A efforts as well as leading all new market growth.

Prior to joining Accel, Mr. Phelan served in the finance industry for 25 years as an equities and derivatives market-maker, a bond trader, a research analyst, and an investment banker. His last finance position was with SFG Advisors, a large single-family investment firm, where he served as Portfolio Manager and Director of Research.

Mr. Phelan received a B.A. in English Language and Literature and M.A. in International Relations from the University of Chicago. He received his M.B.A from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.

Karen Raviv serves as Accel’s Chief People Officer, a role she has held since October 2022. Ms. Raviv is responsible for developing and managing the strategy and processes related to building and retaining exceptional talent.

Prior to her role at Accel, Ms. Raviv served as the CMO of Pinstripes, Inc. and Innovation Commercialization Director at Quaker Foods and Snacks Division. Ms. Raviv started her career at Upshot, an integrated marketing communications agency focused on influencing consumer and shopper behavior, working with Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola and Hallmark.

Ms. Raviv received a B.S. in Economics from Northwestern University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management.

Michael “Mike” Pappas holds over 45 years of route gaming and amusements experience and has served as Executive Vice President, Business Development and Governmental Affairs for Accel since 2017. Mike also served on Accel’s Board of Directors from 2017 until Accel went public in November 2019.

In addition to currently serving on the Board of the Illinois Gaming Machine Operators Association, Mr. Pappas is the Founder and Managing Member of Fair Share Gaming, LLC, and the Managing Partner of Fair Share Amusement Company, both of which Accel acquired in 2017.

Mr. Pappas received a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Illinois-Chicago and began his career as an Auditor for PwC.