Pavilion Payments Appoints Mary Beth Higgins as CEO and Alyssa Beaver as CRO

Pavilion Payments has appointed Mary Beth Higgins as Chief Executive Officer and Alyssa Beaver as Chief Revenue Officer, effective immediately. The leadership transition signals a shift from interim management to a permanent executive structure as the gaming-focused fintech provider continues to grow and expand its omnichannel payment solutions across physical and digital casino environments.

What was announced

Pavilion Payments has confirmed the appointment of Mary Beth Higgins as Chief Executive Officer and Alyssa Beaver as Chief Revenue Officer. Higgins, who previously served as the company’s Interim Chief Financial Officer, brings more than 30 years of executive experience in the gaming and financial services sectors. Her career includes serving as CEO of Affinity Interactive and its sister company, Gaming and Hospitality Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: GHACU). She also held the role of CFO at Caesars Entertainment Operating Company, where she managed financial operations for 38 casino properties across 14 U.S. states and five countries. Higgins’ background also includes CFO positions at Global Cash Access Holdings (now IGT), Herbst Gaming, and Camco, Inc. She currently serves as Lead Director on the Board of Trustees for Chatham Lodging Trust (NYSE: CLDT) and on the board of Klai Juba Wald Architects.

Alyssa Beaver has been promoted from her previous role as Senior Vice President of Sales to Chief Revenue Officer. Beaver joined Pavilion in May 2025 and is now responsible for leading the company’s revenue strategy and organization. Her focus involves driving sustainable growth and aligning customer needs with Pavilion’s product, operations, and service teams. Prior to joining Pavilion, Beaver led sales and marketing at Passport Technology, where she grew EBITDA over a period of four and a half years. Her experience also includes enterprise sales roles at Apriva and Paycom. These appointments are intended to strengthen Pavilion’s leadership as it expands its presence across the gaming industry.

"Since joining Pavilion as Interim Chief Financial Officer, Mary Beth has demonstrated the strategic judgment, operational discipline and leadership needed to guide the company forward,"

Zach Sadek, Senior Partner at Parthenon Capital.

The companies involved

Pavilion Payments is a provider of payments and technology solutions for the gaming industry. The company delivers integrated software and funding options that allow players to fund play, access winnings, and manage transactions across physical and digital properties. Its suite of technologies includes cashless and digital payment options designed to streamline operations for gaming entertainment leaders.

The company is a portfolio business of Parthenon Capital, a private equity firm that focuses on middle-market investments in the financial services and technology sectors. Zach Sadek, a Senior Partner at Parthenon Capital, is a key figure in the company’s strategic oversight. Pavilion’s executive team now combines experience from traditional gaming giants and technology providers. For example, Higgins’ background includes tenure at Caesars Entertainment Operating Company and IGT, while Beaver brings experience from fintech-focused firms like Apriva and Passport Technology. This blend of expertise is central to Pavilion’s role in the omnichannel payments market, where it competes by bridging the gap between legacy gaming environments and modern digital funding requirements.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has previously tracked significant movements within the broader financial technology and investment sectors that impact the strategic environment for firms like Pavilion. This includes reporting on major consolidation and scaling efforts, such as when Capitolis to Acquire eSecLending in $200M Deal to Scale Securities Lending. Such moves highlight the ongoing appetite for specialized financial service providers to expand their market footprint through strategic acquisitions. Furthermore, the publication has covered key executive transitions across the payments landscape, including when Kurv Appoints AI and Payments Veteran Mark Alsentzer as Chief Technology Officer. These reports reflect a wider industry trend of recruiting seasoned veterans to lead technological and revenue-focused transformations within high-growth fintech organizations.

What this means

The transition of Mary Beth Higgins from an interim role to permanent CEO suggests that Pavilion Payments is prioritizing institutional stability and deep-rooted gaming expertise over a purely tech-first approach. In an industry where regulatory compliance and physical-to-digital integration are paramount, having a leader who managed the financial operations of 38 casino properties provides a distinct competitive advantage. The promotion of Alyssa Beaver to Chief Revenue Officer further indicates a shift toward a more aggressive, unified revenue strategy. Competitors in the gaming payments space are now under pressure to demonstrate they can offer the same level of operational pedigree, raising questions about whether tech-only startups can continue to compete without similar industry-specific executive experience.