PokerWorks

The time is nearing for the second annual Women in Poker Hall of Fame induction ceremony, currently scheduled for June 5 at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. Currently, WiPHoF is accepting nominations for female inductees who will be honored by the evening’s festivities for their lifetime of work in the poker industry.

In its inaugural year, the Women in Poker Hall of Fame held a dinner and ceremony in February of 2008 to honor the first four inductees, who were Barbara Enright, Linda Johnson, Susie Isaacs , and Marsha Waggoner. A number of women spoke about the contributions of females who have had an impact on the game, and Jan Fisher took on the role of keynote speaker for the evening. All of the inductees spoke about the honor and their history with the game.

The 2009 ceremony will likely be of a similar format, though the venue has been changed from Binion’s to Golden Nugget. The June 5th date was selected to include more people who will be in Las Vegas for the 2009 World Series of Poker, and organizers are looking to surpass the 180-guest attendance of last year’s event.

In preparation for the ceremony, WiPHoF is currently accepting nominations of women who have clearly made their marks on the poker industry. But only members of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame are allowed to submit nominations. Anyone can become a member of WiPHoF for $125, which includes admission to the June 5th ceremony as well as a special commemorative gift.

Members can nominate up to three women who meet the criteria for inductees, which include activity as a player or industry leader for a minimum of 15 years prior to election, significant contributions to the world of poker, and belief in women’s poker. The last requirement means that whether or not the woman plays in women-only events or not, she must be a supporter of them.

The Board of Directors will consider all nominees who meet the aforementioned criteria and announce the 2009 inductees on April 1, 2009. There is no word on how many women might receive the honor this year.

WiPHoF was founded by the Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS) and Card Player Magazine to honor women who have contributed significantly to the poker community, whether through game success or contributions to the industry. The organization also partners with various charitable organizations, and the 2009 associated charity is Poker Gives. PokerGives is a charity group founded by Lisa Tenner, Mike Sexton, Linda Johnson, and Jan Fisher to gather funds to distribute to various causes that provide financial aid and humanitarian efforts. The five charities currently listed as benefiting from Poker Gives are Sunflower Children, Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, Special Olympics, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and American Cancer Society.