March 15, 2015 Vegas Inc 40 under 40

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3/12/15 2:22 PM

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3/12/15 10:06 AM

2015

18A

Danielle Bisterfeldt

Jeremy Gregersen

The Howard Hughes Corp.

■ Age: 35

Meadows School ■ Age: 38

Provident Trust Group ■ Age: 36

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Director of Marketing for Summerlin

anielle Bisterfeldt has helped promote and market several of the city’s best-known shopping destinations. The Southern California transplant has a 10-year run in the local shopping mall promotions arena with some serious credibility under her belt.

Bisterfeldt once managed the entertainment department for the Fashion Show Mall where she facilitated more than 1,000 runway shows and 65 special events in two years. She also generated more than $10 million in measurable PR coverage for a single event at the destination. She was also the marketing manager for The Shoppes at The Palazzo and The Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian where she streamlined the accounting process to reduce expenses by 15 percent.

But Bisterfeldt is now more interested in helping those who want to make Las Vegas their home. As the director of marketing for Summerlin, she supports the marketing efforts of the nine homebuilders with developments in the popular Howard Hughes masterplanned development. Her efforts help to drive traffic to showrooms and model homes throughout Summerlin. And the marketing pro says it’s a welcome change from the shopping center industry.

“You’re involved with creating someone’s home. It’s something important to them and their livelihood,” she said. “There’s that emotional tie to home and lifestyle and it’s fun to learn the homebuilders’ stories too. … I’m enjoying working for something locally driven versus tourism driven. Summerlin is directly driven by the people who live here.”

When it comes to community involvement, Bisterfeldt is also an active participant in the Vegas Young Professionals organization; was a past chairwoman for the MS Walk and MS Bike events for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in Southern Nevada, and is an active supporter of the Junior League of Las Vegas, Make-A-Wish and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

— Brian Sodoma

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Head of School

ith an allegiance to education spanning 15 years, Jeremey Gregersen joined the faculty of the Meadows School as an English teacher in 2005. Rapidly recognized as an up-andcomer, Gregersen — who holds an master of fine arts in creative writing from the University of Michigan, a masters in English from the University of Oregon, and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Utah — was offered numerous administrative promotions, which he consistently declined due to his commitment to the classroom.

But hoping to make a difference at the executive level, he caved in 2010, when he was named dean of studies of the upper school; moved on to become middle school director in 2011; and was appointed to his current position as head of school last year.

While at the middle school, Gregersen sought to foster a balanced environment of learning and personal growth by implementing a limitation on homework, focusing on quality over quantity, while still maintaining the rigorous academic standards of the prestigious school.

“We don’t want homework loads to impact the quality of life for our students,” said Gregersen, who is among the youngest individuals in the nation to hold his title. “We want to support our kids, not grind them into a fine powder.”

This year, Gregersen will continue to focus his efforts on expanding scholarship offerings: Between 10 and 15 percent of students at the Meadows School receive some sort of financial aid, with more than $7 million awarded in scholarships in the last five years.

— Danielle Birkin

We want to support our kids, not grind them into a fine powder.

Theresa Fette Chief Executive Officer

ou might think a CEO who wears flip-flops on the days without meetings might not be serious about her job.

You would be wrong.

Theresa Fette is an innovative CEO whose top priority is ensuring Provident Trust Group, an investment company, has a top-flight corporate culture.

For example, she implemented an open-door policy to make employees feel more welcome in offering suggestions. The office dynamic differs from most companies’ in that the top executives work in the same space. She shares an office with the president, chief strategy officer and their executive assistant, but often walks around the office to say hello to each department.

“I believe that everyone controls their own path in life,” said Fette. “Every day and every thing is a choice. Those choices will ultimately guide the direction that your life will take. You can help to change that path by making better or different choices, but at the end of the day the choice is yours to make — and more importantly, the action is there for you and you alone to do.”

Her core values: find the yes, create a better way, keep it simple, learn and adapt, and attitude of gratitude.

In 2015, Fette says, she and her colleagues “want to change the way that people invest, and look at alternatives in general. This year you will see us revolutionize the process in which you invest in alternative assets and become the standard upon which all others will be based.”

“I hope everyday that I make a lasting impact on the people that we service and the employees that have entrusted me with their livelihoods. My goal is that everyone who passes through Provident’s doors is better for it.”

— Howard Riell

3/12/15 10:09 AM