[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 184 (Sunday, October 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6594-S6595]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING SEAN HIGGINS

 Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam President, I rise to recognize a 
lifelong Nevadan and a friend to all he knew, Sean Higgins.
  Sean was a dedicated member of our community, an unmistakable 
presence, and a tireless champion and advocate for our gaming industry 
and small businesses in Nevada. He was born in Chicago in 1964, but 
raised in Las Vegas, 1 of 10 siblings--5 brothers and 5 sisters. His 
father, Dr. Gerald Higgins, was an orthopedic surgeon and doctor for 
the Rebels, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas football team. Sean 
graduated from Bishop Gorman High School. He left Nevada only briefly 
for his education, obtaining a degree in business administration from 
Southern Methodist University and a law degree from Santa Clara 
University School of Law.
  Sean and I grew up in Las Vegas when it was a much smaller town of 
330,000 people, so perhaps our paths were always destined to cross. We 
met in the 6th grade when we attended Matt Kelly Elementary School 
together. Even then, Sean had a presence, with his distinctive voice 
and outgoing personality. He was friendly, charming--yes, even at 11 
years old--and made you want to hang out with him. And so we did, 
spending time at pool parties and dancing to the band ``Hot 
Chocolate.'' Over the years our paths diverged, but his focus, like 
mine, was on returning to Las Vegas and the State we loved to practice 
law.
  Sean represented clients both large and small to State gaming 
regulators and government bodies across the Silver State. Everyone knew 
Sean for his gregarious nature and his booming voice, which made him a 
fierce advocate for championing the causes of his clients. He spent 17 
years as general counsel of Herbst Gaming, a multijurisdictional casino 
operator in Nevada that became Affinity Gaming in 2011, and where his 
sister, Mary Beth Higgins, now serves as CEO. He served as executive-
vice president of government affairs for Golden Entertainment,

[[Page S6595]]

a casino company and slot machine route operator, and became a partner 
at the Gordon Silver Law firm. He became a small business owner 
himself, operating a popular gaming pub with two of his brothers and 
founding his own law firm, STH Strategies, in 2015.
  We reunited in our professional careers in Carson City when I was 
working for Governor Miller and he was advocating for taverns and 
gaming. The best part, he was still the same Sean Higgins I met in the 
6th grade--friendly, charming, and yes, he made you want to hang out 
with him. So I did. For the last 20 years as our professional careers 
converged, I had the opportunity to watch Sean as he advocated for the 
town he loved and the businesses that made us a success, all the while 
smoking cigars and enjoying a good meal with the friends he cultivated 
along the way.
  I will miss my friend, and I am grateful I got to talk with him to 
say goodbye, to tell him that I loved him. During our conversation, his 
main concern was for his family. Sean loved Lynn and cherished his 
children Samantha and Connor. He was so proud of them. I experienced 
this firsthand when he came to Washington to visit Connor, who was 
working as an intern on the Senate Committee for Environment and Public 
Works. In every conversation, Sean would talk about his amazing 
children.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering my friend and fellow 
Nevadan, Sean Higgins, for his advocacy and legal acumen. Sean will not 
soon be replaced in the Las Vegas community or in the gaming industry 
in Nevada. I offer my deepest condolences to his wife Lynn, his 
children Connor and Samantha, and the many friends who knew him 
well.

                          ____________________