Seminole Tribe Gaming executives killed in plane crash:
A plane crash killed two executives with the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Seminole Gaming. The wreckage was found Friday in southern Georgia.
LAURA FIGUEROA
The Miami Herald - August 29, 2009

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Two long-time executives with the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Seminole Gaming were killed in a small plane crash on their way back home from a business meeting this week.

Killed were Robert F. Moreland of Miramar, the vice president of information technology operations, and passenger Michael Villanueva of Boca Raton, director of facility coordination.

The two had been attending a meeting with a business vendor in Montgomery, Ala. and were on their way back to South Florida when the accident happened. Moreland, a licensed pilot, was flying the single-engine plane.

The plane left Montgomery about 10 a.m. Thursday, said Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration. The flight was scheduled to arrive at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines at 2 p.m.

Calls started coming into the FAA when the plane didn't arrive at North Perry on time, Bergen said. A search ensued, and the U.S. Air Force Rescue Coordination Center identified the wreckage on Friday near Pavo, Ga., about 30 miles north of the Florida border.

As news of the men's death spread Friday, grief counselors were made available to the employees of Seminole Gaming, and executives gathered at the homes of both men to offer their condolences.

AMONG THE FIRST

``These two individuals have made huge contributions to Seminole Gaming and our hearts go out to their families,'' said James Allen, CEO of Seminole Gaming. ``They were among the first employees hired by Seminole Gaming, and they will both be sorely missed.''

Both men joined the company in 2002, Allen said, going on to describe them as ``world class, honest, hardworking and ethical.''

Moreland, 62, is credited with creating the information technology network for Seminole Gaming.

Villanueva, 44, played a huge role in the design and construction of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, as well as with the expansions of casinos in Tampa, Coconut Creek and Immokalee.

``Much of the success of the Seminole Tribe is due to the hard work of Bob Moreland and Mike Villanueva,'' Seminole Tribe Chairman Mitchell Cypress wrote in a statement. ``On behalf of all the Seminoles, I want to acknowledge everything they've done and to extend our deepest sympathies to their family and friends.''

SPOTLESS RECORD

The plane, owned by Moreland, was a single-engine Trinidad TB-20 manufactured in 2004 in France by SOCATA and was current on all required maintenance. Moreland's pilot license was issued February 2004. He had a spotless record, according to his FAA registry. The FAA sent investigators to the crash site, Bergen said. The National Transportation Safety Board will determine the cause of the crash.