2019 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Established
Biggest Chamber of Commerce in Nevada
Members
Nationally Recognized Leader in Government Affairs & Advocacy
Networking, Advocacy & Leadership Events Each Year
Communitywide Customer Service Excellence Awards Program
Nurtures Young Professionals
WHAT IS A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE? A chamber of commerce – depending upon its size and composition – formidably champions pro-economy policies and people. Historically, chambers of commerce provide guidance on policy issues and topics that impact the local business community, on everything from transportation to economic development and workforce issues.
WHAT IS THE GOAL OF THE LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE? We champion a prosperous community to support the sustainable growth and success of our businesses. The Vegas Chamber advocates at all levels of government for its members and the Southern Nevada business community on issues as broad as education reform and infrastructure investment to region-specific.
WHY SHOULD I GET INVOLVED? We work for you: The Vegas Chamber is a nationally recognized leader in government affairs, which is invaluable to the business community. While our business members strive to be successful in their business operations, the Vegas Chamber tirelessly works both in front
LVChamber.com
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702.641.5822
Produces Nevada’s Biggest Economic Forecast Event
Experts in Leadership Development Programming
Exclusive Member Perks & Discounts
of and behind the scenes to advocate the best outcomes for our members through policymakers. Connections that you cannot get anywhere else: As the largest chamber of commerce in Nevada, the power of its leadership, advocacy and national recognition for its efforts in supporting sustainable, successful businesses is second to none. Our members are the connections that move Nevada forward, and your Vegas Chamber is at the forefront of connecting all businesses, from sole proprietor to large businesses.
HOW CAN I JOIN? Membership in the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce sends a powerful message that your business is connected to a larger network of organizations within our community dedicated to ensuring Southern Nevada is a great place to live, work and visit. We are the voice of business – and together, our voice shapes policy, creates opportunities and makes Southern Nevada “home.” There are several packages that fit your business goals and budget – find out what level best suits your business by calling 702.641.5822 to connect with a member of our business development team.
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LIVE.WORK. LEAD.
Join The Las Vegas Chamber’s New Executive Women’s Council A network of female leaders with the skills, insight and passion to enhance Southern Nevada’s business community. • Inspire women to positively influence the region’s business, government and nonprofit sectors • Elevate women’s careers through training, mentoring and relationship-building • Support women to meet their career and life goals and focus on community engagement
Learn more about this dues-based council and apply now at LVChamber.com or call 702.641.5822. Presenting Sponsor
Program Sponsors
Must be or become a member of the Las Vegas Chamber to join the Executive Women’s Council LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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MARY BETH SEWALD President and CEO Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce As the chief executive of the largest and broadest-based business association in Nevada, Mary Beth Sewald sets the vision for the Las Vegas Metro Chamber and leads its strategy of supporting local businesses and pursuing initiatives to boost job growth, a healthy economy, and a vibrant community. In her role, Sewald represents the business community in a wide-range of capacities. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Workforce Connections, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100, Western Association of Chamber Executives, the Nevada Military Support Alliance, City National Bank, The Congressional Award of Nevada, the UNLV Lee Business School Dean’s Advisory Board, and the Leadership Foundation of Greater Las Vegas, and is Vice Chair of the National Championship Reno Air Races. She was appointed by Governor Brian Sandoval to the Southern Nevada Sporting Events Committee, charged with making recommendations on how Las Vegas can maximize opportunities from professional sports to grow the economy. Sewald is engaged on several policy initiatives at the local, regional, national and international levels, and works with the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee and team to advocate on behalf of the business community. Under her leadership, the Metro Chamber was named as the World Trade Center Las Vegas Business Club to connect international visitors to the local business community. And she worked with the Secretary of the US Department of Labor on Association Health Plans, helping businesses provide more affordable health insurance to their employees.
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LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Sewald has successfully served as a strategic and visionary executive in both the private sector and nonprofit association sectors. She is the former President and CEO of the Nevada Broadcasters Association (NVBA) where she led the efforts of the NVBA to collaborate with government officials, represented Nevada’s broadcast industry to all constituencies, and assured the financial health of the Association. She also served as General Manager of the NBC affiliate, KRNV TV in Reno, NV, where she managed and developed a staff of 95 broadcast professionals across all disciplines required to run a professional broadcast organization. Sewald was recognized as the first woman to be named Television General Manager in 2003, and was inducted into the Nevada Broadcaster’s Association Hall of Fame in 2009. She earned an Emmy Award for a documentary she executive-produced called “Meth Madness” at the NBC affiliate that is now KSNV-TV in Las Vegas. Most recently, she was honored with the Silver State Award for Excellence in Service. She is the host of the Metro Chamber’s Like Nobody’s Business television show and is a 2017 graduate of the Leadership Las Vegas program.
TERRANCE SHIREY
HUGH ANDERSON
Chairman President and Chief Executive Officer Nevada State Bank
Government Affairs Chairman Managing Director, Partner HighTower Las Vegas
Terry A. Shirey serves as President and Chief Executive Officer for Nevada State Bank, a division of ZB, N.A. and Executive Vice President of Zions Bancorporation. Named President and CEO in January 2017, Shirey formerly served as Chief Financial Officer for six years before being named President and COO in September 2014. Shirey oversees all five banking lines of business – retail, real estate, small business, commercial, and private banking – as well as all bank operations in Nevada.
Hugh Anderson is a Managing Director at HighTower based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Shirey holds a certified public accountant (CPA) certificate. He has more than 22 years of experience in the financial industry, with the past 14 spent managing finance and operations for major banks and bank holding companies. Shirey holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Wyoming. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, as Vice-Chair of the College of Southern Nevada Foundation and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization.
A native of Long Island, New York, Anderson brings over 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is dedicated to providing his clients with knowledgeable insight and uniquely contrarian investment strategies. He is an avid student of financial markets, the global economy and geopolitics. His focus is finding creative perspectives that go against conventional wisdom and profiting from those discoveries. He prides himself on being able to communicate even the most complex concepts in terms any audience can understand. Anderson is passionate about helping people achieve their dreams and strives to minimize the stress of managing their finances so they can enjoy the truly important things in life. He is dedicated to ongoing professional growth and spends numerous hours per year in continuing education. Anderson holds a Bachelors of Arts and MBA from Hofstra University in New York. He currently serves as a trustee and member of the executive committee for the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce and serves as Chairman of the government affairs committee and is also a member of the Clark County School District Superintendent's Executive Advisory Group, co-chairing the Departmental Evaluation sub-committee.
JOSEPH ASHER CEO William Hill US Joseph Asher has been CEO of William Hill US since 2012, when William Hill acquired Brandywine Bookmaking, a company Asher created. Brandywine was a pure startup, which Asher launched in 2008 under the brand name Lucky’s Race & Sports Books after he relocated to Las Vegas from New York. Asher has a long background in the gaming industry and a lifelong passion for the race and sports betting business. Starting when he was a teenager, Asher held management positions at several racetracks, including Brandywine Raceway, Dover Downs, Harrington Raceway and Foxboro Raceway and was the Wilmington News-Journal’s thoroughbred racing handicapper for Delaware Park. He became the youngest track announcer in North America, calling races at Harrington, Foxboro, Brandywine and Dover Downs. Previously, Asher was an attorney with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Asher is a graduate of the University of Delaware and the Delaware Law School of Widener University, magna cum laude, served a judicial clerkship with the Supreme Court of Delaware and was admitted to the bar in Delaware and New York. He is also a member of the Advisory Council of the Center for Political Communication at the University of Delaware and the Board of Directors of the University of Delaware Alumni Association, the Board of Trustees of the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and the Nevada Board of Trustees for Olive Crest.
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LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
BRANDON BARKHUFF
Vice President, General Counsel Secretary, Chief Compliance Officer NV Energy Brandon Barkhuff is a native of Las Vegas, Nevada, and currently resides there with his wife and four children. As General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Brandon oversees all of the company’s legal activities and compliance obligations, while also providing strategic legal and business guidance as part of the senior leadership team. Prior to joining NV Energy, Brandon worked for the law firm of McDonald Carano Wilson LLP, where he focused on commercial litigation. Brandon served clients in a broad range of industries, successfully trying cases to verdict in both jury and bench trials, as well as conducting oral argument before the Nevada Supreme Court. Brandon is actively involved in community organizations, particularly youth organizations. He currently serves on the board of directors for one of the largest youth sports organizations in Clark County, and previously served on the board of directors for Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation and The Shade Tree. Brandon holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School.
JAY BARRETT
LISA BECKLEY
President The JABarrett Company
Partner The Beckley Group
Success is second nature to James “Jay” A. Barrett, Jr., who’s been a leader in Nevada’s unique financial industry for decades. He first established an expertise in serving private companies and their owners, from business formation and estate planning to raising capital, as a CPA from 1975 to 1985. From there, he joined Marnell Companes, a privately-held company owning a portfolio of companies in architecture, construction, real estate development, and various investment activities. He served as the senior financial executive and a member of the Board of Directors from 1986 to 2011. Under his leadership, the company’s combined revenues averaged $500 million through fiscal 2010.
Lisa Beckley is a partner with The Beckley Group, a management consulting and organizational development company that helps businesses identify their key areas for success and execute a winning team strategy. Beckley oversees the operations and training activities for Southern Nevada. Through her work, she makes an invaluable impact on local companies by empowering them with the tools to perform at their highest potential, maximize profitability, and increase productivity, employee morale, and customer loyalty.
While at Marnell Companies, among his many responsibilities, Barrett was CFO of TRIRIGA, a software development company, which was sold in an all-cash transaction to IBM in 2011. He was also Co-Founder, President and a member of the Board of Directors of the Rio Hotel & Casino, Inc, developed, owned, and operated the Rio Suite Hotel & Casino, America’s first all-suite hotel casino. Founded in 1986, it was sold to Harrahs Entertainment in 1999 at a value of $800 million.
Beckley is active in the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, where she currently serves on the Board of Trustees and is a member of the Membership Committee, Nominating Committee and Retirement Plans Committee. She is immediate past chair of the Military Affairs Committee, a committee on which she served for more than three years and helped to develop.
In July 2011, Barrett founded The JABarrett Company to offer his wealth of experience in corporate finance, real estate, growth, organization and governance, strategy, and performance improvement. He works closely with the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Council for a Better Nevada, and St. Rose Hospitals. He is also a member of the James Renwick Alliance and the United Way of Southern Nevada Tocqueville Society.
Beckley also owns and operates Forward Nevada, a thriving mail forwarding company.
Beckley has resided in Las Vegas since 1971 and graduated with high honors from Chaparral High School. She has been named in In Business Las Vegas' Who's Who. She is also a former nominee for the National Association of Women Business Owners' Woman of Distinction Award, the Moms in Business Working Mother of the Year Award, and the 2008 ATHENA Leadership Award.
LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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DANIELLE BISTERFELDT MICHAEL BOLOGNINI Vice President of Marketing - Summerlin The Howard Hughes Corporation
®
Danielle Bisterfeldt is vice president of marketing for Summerlin®, a 22,500-acre master-planned community (MPC) developed by The Howard Hughes Corporation® in Southern Nevada. She is responsible for management of all marketing functions for the MPC and Downtown Summerlin®, the community’s acclaimed 106-acre fashion, dining and entertainment destination with more than 125 boutiques, stores and restaurants. Bisterfeldt joined The Howard Hughes Corporation in 2013 to lead the marketing department for Summerlin. Her professional career includes positions with The Rouse Company in specialty leasing and General Growth Properties as associate general manager for Fashion Show, the largest retail destination on the famed Las Vegas Strip at over two million square feet. There, she oversaw the center’s entertainment department, which included all advertising revenue and special events. She also served as marketing manager for Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian | The Palazzo, where she independently managed a multi-million dollar budget that encompassed local and national marketing, advertising and public relations initiatives. Active in the homebuilding industry as well as in the community, Bisterfeldt is a 2007 graduate of Leadership Las Vegas. She serves on the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association marketing committee and since 2013 has volunteered as co-chair for the Business EXPO as a member of the Business Council with the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce. In 2016, she was appointed to the Community Advisory Board for the College of Medicine for Roseman University of Health Sciences.
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LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Immediate Past Chairman Vice President and Las Vegas Market Leader, Cox Communications
Michael Bolognini is the vice president and market leader for Cox Communications, Las Vegas. He was named to the position in August 2012 and oversees all operations of the $1.2 billion Las Vegas system which employs 1,600 and serves more than 550,000 residential and commercial customers in Southern Nevada with residential products including advanced digital video programming, high-speed internet, home security, home automation and digital telephone service and commercial offerings including voice, video, data, security and fiber optic solutions. In his prior role, Mike served as vice president of Cox Business/Hospitality Network, a full-service, facilitiesbased provider of advanced voice, video, data, digital signage and convention business solutions and a leading supplier of in-room video and data technology services to the hotel-gaming industry. Bolognini has more than 39 years of experience in the telecommunications and cable industries and has an extensive background in general management and sales and executive sales management. He was previously vice president, North Central Ohio with Verizon Business and vice president/managing partner of a telecommunications and technology executive search firm. He began his career in 1980 with AT&T, where he held several sales and national account management positions. He joined Fujitsu in 1987 and spent more than 14 years at the company, with responsibilities in product marketing, distribution sales, direct sales, service operations and ultimately was named a corporate officer and vice president of direct sales. In 2002, Bolognini joined Lucent Technologies as vice president of business partner development focused on reseller strategies.
GINA BONGIOVI
MICHAEL BONNER
Managing Partner, Corporate Consigliere Bongiovi Law Firm
Shareholder Greenberg Traurig
As a native Las Vegan, Bongiovi is proud to call Las Vegas home. She is also proud to call herself a Rebel, having graduated magna cum laude from the UNLV Honors College with a B.S.B.A. in marketing and minor in business law in 2001. In 2007, she was one of the first students to earn a dual law degree/MBA from the William S. Boyd School of Law and College of Business at UNLV.
Michael J. Bonner is Managing Shareholder of the Las Vegas office of the international law firm of Greenberg Traurig. Greenberg Traurig has nearly 2,000 attorneys and governmental affairs professionals in 39 locations in the Unites States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
In 2005, Bongiovi started a marketing company and could not find a lawyer that was willing or able to help a start-up business like hers. After hearing similar stories from other entrepreneurs, she decided to dedicate her practice to serving start-ups and small businesses. With business education paired with real-world experience, she provides her clients with business-minded legal advice that addresses all facets of business ownership. She serves as a “consigliere”, much like Robert Duvall’s character in The Godfather, except with considerably less violence. Bongiovi has helped found several nonprofits including Dress for Success Southern Nevada, Vegas Shepherd Rescue, Working K9 Rescue and is currently working on others. She serves as pro bono counsel for the Vegas Shepherd Rescue and Working K9 Rescue. Bongiovi serves on the UNLV Alumni Association Legacy Board, Lee Business School Executive Advisory Board, Las Vegas Metro Chamber Business Council, Las Vegas Metro Chamber Prospectors Committee, Las Vegas Metro Chamber Board of Trustees and was Chair of the Vegas Young Professionals Advisory Council Collegiate Committee.
Bonner’s legal practice concentrates in the areas of corporation finance, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, business transactions, securities and gaming. He represents clients in corporate securities and other business transactions; including acting as counsel on mergers and acquisitions, public securities offerings, private placements and a variety of financing, acquisition. and restructuring transactions. He represents hotel-casino resort operators, manufacturers, suppliers, lenders and officers, and directors in transactional, licensing and other approvals before Nevada regulatory authorities. He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Law; Gaming Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2008-2018 and Chambers USA Guide, 2002-2018, among others. Bonner is a Past Chairman of Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Board of Directors of Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance; the UNLV Foundation Board of Trustees; and Dean’s Council, UNLV Boyd School of Law.
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BOB BROWN
SENATOR RICHARD BRYAN
President and CEO Opportunity Village
Partner Fennemore Craig
Robert M. (Bob) Brown is the President and CEO of Opportunity Village, Nevada’s largest habilitation organization providing a variety of services to people with intellectual and related disabilities. Brown is a graduate of the University Of California, Berkeley. He and his bride of 30 years, Melinda, have four children, one of whom has an intellectual disability. Brown is the former Publisher of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and has served as the Board Chairman for the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce. He was appointed to the National Council on Disability by Congress. He is also on the boards of directors of Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, Together for Choice, and was appointed by Governor Sandoval to serve on the State of Nevada 150th anniversary committee as well as the Nevada State Rehabilitation Council.
Former U.S. Senator Richard Bryan began his legal career in 1964 as a Deputy District Attorney in Clark County, Nevada. Two years later, he was named Clark County’s first Public Defender. In 1968, Senator Bryan was elected to the Nevada State Assembly and reelected in 1970; he was elected to the State Senate in 1972 and re-elected in 1976. The former prosecutor won his first statewide election as Nevada’s Attorney General where he played a major role in successfully defending Nevada’s gaming regulatory structure in the federal courts. In 1982, Senator Bryan was elected to his first of two terms as the Governor of Nevada. Under his leadership as Governor, economic diversification and the attraction of new businesses to Nevada became a priority. In 1988, he was elected to the first of two terms in the U.S. Senate. Senator Bryan served in the United States Army, earned his B.A. at the University of Nevada, Reno and LL.B., at the University of California, Hastings College of Law. He is a Trustee, National Judicial College, on the Board of Trustees, Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, and Chairman of the Board, Preserve Nevada. He is a Member, City of Las Vegas Centennial Committee, Board Member, Great Basin National Park Foundation and Member, Board of Directors, The Mob Museum.
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LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
KERRY BUBOLZ
TOM BURNS
President and COO Vegas Golden Knights
Chair-Elect President Cragin & Pike Insurance
Kerry Bubolz is the president and chief operating officer of the Golden Knights. In his role, Bubolz oversees all business aspects of the franchise. Bubolz is entering his second season with the Golden Knights after leading the organization to a tremendously successful first campaign.
Tom Burns is President and shareholder at Cragin & Pike Insurance, the Metro Chamber’s longest-serving members to date. Cragin & Pike has provided insurance protection to businesses and individuals in a wide range of industries since 1909 and are committed to a standard of care and professionalism that enables the firm to put its customers and employees first. Its success is built on its independence, integrity, local ownership and service to the community. Burns has been with Cragin & Pike since 1991, and prior to that, served as a senior staff accountant at Deloitte. He also continues to maintain his license as a Certified Public Accountant.
Bubolz has instilled a commitment to community outreach and service in the franchise through the organization’s various charitable initiatives. The Golden Knights Foundation serves as the primary charitable link between the team and the Las Vegas community focusing on several projects including, fighting hunger and homelessness in Las Vegas, securing the future of Las Vegas military, first responders and their families, and fostering physical, social and emotional growth of Las Vegas youth. The Golden Knights Foundation also raised more than $775,000 in 2017 for the Folded Flag Foundation and other Southern Nevada military and first responder non-profits. Bubolz’s commitment to community and growing the sport of hockey in Southern Nevada is evidenced by the team’s hockey development programs, including the “Golden Knights Hockey Academy” which reaches close to 80,000 children and 63 middle schools in Clark County.
Burns, a Las Vegas native, currently serves on the Metro Chamber Board of Trustees, as well as the Metro Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee. He also serves on the board of Make-A-Wish of Southern Nevada. He received his Bachelor’s degree in accounting from University of Nevada, Reno.
Prior to joining the Golden Knights, Bubolz spent 13 years with the National Basketball Association’s Cleveland Cavaliers. In 2013, he was named president of business operations where he oversaw ticketing and suite sales, corporate sponsorship revenue, broadcast, marketing, communications and community engagement for the franchise.
LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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TYLER CORDER
MICHAEL FEDER
Chief Financial Officer Findlay Automotive
Member Dickinson Wright
Tyler Corder joined Findlay Automotive Group in 1994 as CFO and assumed responsibility as general manager of Findlay Automotive in 1998.
Michael N. Feder is a member in Dickinson Wright PLLC’s Litigation Department. He has extensive experience representing and counseling clients in commercial and business litigation matters involving banking, contracts, copyright infringement, corporate law, employment law, entertainment and sports law, franchise law, fraud, gaming, patent infringement, real estate, RICO, trademark infringement, securities law, shareholder and partnership disputes, unfair competition, among other areas of law. Feder is also on the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada.
Prior to joining Findlay, Corder was a field representative for General Motors Acceptance Coporation. After advancing through various managerial positions, Corder was named Las Vegas branch manager in 1992. Active in the community, Corder is past president and treasurer of the Safe Nest Board of Directors and serves as treasurer of the Findlay Education Foundation. He is also Board Chair of the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada.
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LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
BETSY FRETWELL Senior Vice President Switch Betsy Fretwell is the Senior Vice President of Switch COMMUNITIES. In her role, she leads the results-based community solutions team to drive the strategic development, implementation and national expansion of Switch’s vision to integrate all aspects of smart city development utilizing Switch’s data center ecosystem. Fretwell retired from the City of Las Vegas after 17 years and served as the city manager from 2009 to 2017. As a nationally recognized leader, she oversaw a dynamic organization of more than 3,300 employees and a budget of $1.3 billion. She also served as the executive director of the Las Vegas Redevelopment Agency charged with the economic revitalization of downtown Las Vegas. Under Fretwell’s leadership, the City built a new City Hall, attracted the corporate headquarters of Zappos.com, Inc. to downtown, completed The Smith Center for the Performing Arts and attracted the new UNLV Medical School to the City’s Medical District. As a change leader, Fretwell developed the Innevation District in downtown Las Vegas to test new technologies in a live environment, hosting the first real-time autonomous shuttle in the U.S. She also achieved a 4-Star community sustainability ranking by converting all city facilities to 100 percent renewable energy sources - a value she shares with Switch. She also improved the city’s equality index score to 100, and open data ranking to first among the nation’s cities. Additionally, Fretwell oversaw a massive redesign of the city’s 10-year old website.
LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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AS G E V S A L E H T S S I M W! T O H S D O N’ V T Y L H T N O M S ’ CHAMBER
Special Guests Include Nevada’s Biggest Newsmakers & More Episodes Air the First Sunday and Various Times/Day Each Month
Time: 4 p.m. PST | Channel: Cox Yurview LV 14 and 1014 View archived episodes at youtube.com/lasvegaschamber Presenting Sponsor:
Location Sponsor: LVChamber.com
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702.641.5822
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@LVChamber
HOW DO YOU REWARD GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE?
Customer Service Excellence is a free turnkey program that helps you recognize the customer service all-stars in your business. • Easy ways to nominate • Recognition programs and ceremonies • Customer and staff engagement materials provided
NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY AT LVCHAMBER.COM/CSE For more information on enrolling your company in the program, visit LVChamber.com or call 702.641.5822.
Program Partners:
JEFF GRACE
JOHN GUEDRY
Senior Account Executive Gartner, Inc.
CEO Bank of Nevada
Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is the world's leading information technology research and advisory company. Gartner delivers technology-related insights to its clients, helping them make the best possible decisions in a complex world.
John Guedry has 35 years of experience in financial services and related industries in Nevada. Now CEO, Guedry joined Bank of Nevada in 2011, serving as both President and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining Bank of Nevada, he was the CEO and President of Business Bank of Nevada until it was purchased by City National Bank in 2007, where he remained as Executive Vice President before joining CB Richard Ellis as a Managing Partner. Active in a number of civic and community endeavors, Guedry serves as a board member of the UNLV Foundation and the Las Vegas Bowl, is an Executive Committee and Board member for both the Public Education Foundation and Las Vegas Metro Chamber, and is the Immediate Past Chairman of the Las Vegas Metro Chamber Board of Trustees. He is also a Legislative Committee Member for the Nevada Bankers Association and the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce. A native of New Orleans, Guedry moved to Las Vegas with his family in 1974. He graduated from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in business management. He and his incredible wife of 32 years, Debra, have two talented daughters, Jennifer and Jaclyn, and two active twin grandsons, Bradley and Brayden.
Jeff started his successful managed IT services company in 2002 and sold it in 2019. Through Gartner, he works with C-level executives throughout Southern NV, helping them save time and money, as well as mitigate risk by leveraging Gartner’s analysts, executive partners, and wealth of world class research. Raised in Las Vegas, Grace earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a M.A., Psychology, from John F. Kennedy University in Orinda, CA. Jeff is active in the local Las Vegas business community and serves on the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees.
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LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
LISA HOWFIELD
GREGORY LEE
Vice President and General Manager KLAS-TV
Chairman and CEO Eureka Casino Resort
Lisa Howfield is the Vice President and General Manager of KLAS-TV 8 (CBS) and its associated digital services, including Me-TV and Movies!, community web portal LasVegasNow.com and Tactive© Digital Services serving the Southern Nevada community. Howfield started at KLAS in August 2015 with nearly 21 years of television broadcast experience in the Las Vegas market. She is thrilled to be part of a legacy and award winning news operation that provides quality information to her hometown through programs such as Buddy Check, Wednesday’s Child, Cool in School, Acts of Kindness and Emmy© award winning I-Team stories. Prior to working in the broadcast industry, she held sales and marketing positions with Warner Bros., Rhino Records and Polygram Records in Los Angeles, California.
Greg Lee is Chairman and CEO of the Eureka Casino Resort, Mesquite, Nevada, a company he co-founded with his parents in 1997 and holds the same title at Rising Star Sports Ranch Resort, a resort and integrated sports tournament and training facility in Mesquite. Lee remains involved in the Lee family real estate business, but focuses his energy on the development, marketing and leadership cultivation of the Mesquite operations. While at Harvard University, he played on four undefeated and Intercollegiate Championship Varsity squash teams.
Howfield has been involved with various organizations such as Nevada Broadcasters Association, Women in Communications, Women in Film, Working Moms in Business and The Salvation Army. Currently, she serves as Vice-Chair for Core Academy powered by The Rogers Foundation and Board Trustee with the Las Vegas Metro Chamber. In 2008, she was awarded “General Manager of the Year” for markets 26+ within the United States by Broadcasting & Cable magazine. The FCC deemed her as “gutsy” when she pioneered the “Pull the Plug” analog test in preparation of the Digital TV conversion which was then adopted by stations across the country. In March 2010, Howfield released her first college textbook, titled “Managing Electronic Media.”
LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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DR. REX LIU, DDS
NAPOLEON MCCALLUM
Owner Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
Director of Community Development The Las Vegas Sands Corp.
Dr. Rex F. Liu of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, Inc. has maintained his private practice for over 25 years in Las Vegas. He graduated from the USC School of Dentistry, where he was Student Body President and a Presidential Scholar. He has launched the careers of over a dozen dentists and is a former CSN Dental Faculty and Clinic Instructor. His practice has received the Business Excellence Award for company culture, Customer Service Excellence Award, Best Business of the Year 2012, Woman or Minority Owned, and People Love Us on Yelp 2017 Award. As a Board Member who grew up in our community, he gives voice to our medical and dental community, our Asian community and our small business owners. He is active in the Clark County Dental Society and an Advisory Board Member for the Roseman School of Medicine. He has been a spokesperson for the Review Journal's Print and Media Show and in 2014 represented the business and medical community in a commercial to "Vote No on Question 3, the Margin Tax," and appeared on Vegas PBS in 2015 to co-host a telethon. His dental practice also participates in local charity work, health fairs, and UNLV's "Give Kids a Smile Program," and has provided free dental care to indigent school children for more than a decade.
Napoleon McCallum is the Director of Community Development for the Las Vegas Sands Corp. He served in the U.S. Navy as an officer from 1985 – 1990, and played with the Los Angeles Raiders from 1986, 1990 through 1994. After his football career, McCallum and his wife started the company Digital Pro Graphics, which provided signage for conventions, casinos, transit advertising and business point of purchase advertising. He then joined the Las Vegas Sands Corp.
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LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
McCallum is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, and is a former Chairman of the Urban Chamber of Commerce. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the Metro Chamber, and has served on the Superintendent’s Advisory Council, Hope for Prisoners Advisory Council, and has been a board member for Andson, an organization that provides tutoring and financial literacy programs to CCSD students.
BILL NELSON
BOYD NELSON
CPA Piercy Bowler Taylor & Kern
Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development, Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc.
An avid runner and scuba enthusiast, William (Bill) Nelson is a Certified Public Accountant with Piercy Bowler Taylor & Kern. With more than 28 years of accounting experience, Nelson and the team at PBTK can help individuals and businesses with all of their audit and tax needs. Nelson is extensively involved in all areas of accounting and auditing for the firm, mainly for gaming, real estate and construction clients. He is one of the few accounting professionals in Las Vegas to work with SEC clients.
Boyd S. Nelson joined Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. in 2017 as Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development. In his role, Nelson oversees internal and external growth efforts, including mergers and acquisitions, business mix optimization, capital allocation and other strategic initiatives. He also has management oversight responsibility over the company’s supply chain function, which includes contract administration, purchasing and fleet management.
Nelson holds a BS in Accounting and is CPA certified in Nevada and California. He is active in the community, participating in several youth sports programs and boy scouting, and is a member of Board of Trustees for the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce. Originally from Washington, Nelson and his family are proud to call Las Vegas home for the last 27 years.
Prior to joining Southwest Gas, Nelson led the US Power and Utilities Investment Banking practice at Scotiabank, a Toronto-based multinational banking platform. While at Scotiabank, he advised corporate clients on over $50 billion of transactions spanning the energy infrastructure and utility industries, with deal experience that includes: advising Fortis Inc. on its $11.3 billion acquisition of ITC Holdings and subsequent $1.2 billion minority sale to GIC, and advising Emera Inc. on its $10.4 billion acquisition of TECO Energy Inc. Before joining Scotiabank in 2010, Nelson held similar positions in investment banking at New Harbor Incorporated and Société Générale. Prior to his career on Wall Street, Boyd earned a B.A. degree in Economics from Yale College.
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LORI NELSON-KRAFT Senior Vice President of Communications & Government Affairs Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Lori Nelson-Kraft recently joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as its senior director of communications and government affairs overseeing communications, public and government affairs, community relations and the Las Vegas News Bureau. Prior to joining the LVCVA, she served for 14 years as vice president of corporate communications for Station Casinos, one of the leading providers of gaming and entertainment with 20 properties located throughout Southern Nevada. In her role, she oversaw media and community relations as well as served as the Company spokesperson. Throughout her 25-year career, NelsonKraft also served as Associate Director of Public Relations for R&R Partners and owned a small public relations agency, both in Las Vegas. Nelson-Kraft currently serves as a Board Trustee for the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, where she additionally serves as the Leadership Foundation president as well as serves on the board of directors for Noah’s Animal House, a full-service pet shelter located next door and in partnership with The Shade Tree Shelter in Southern Nevada and with the Domestic Violence Resource Center in Northern Nevada in support of victims of domestic violence. Nelson-Kraft grew up in Detroit, Michigan and is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University.
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BRIGADIER GENERAL ROBERT G. NOVOTNY United States Air Force Nellis Air Force Base Brig. Gen. Robert G. Novotny is the 57th Wing Commander, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. He is responsible for 38 squadrons at 13 installations constituting the Air Force's most diverse flying wing. The wing flies and maintains more than 130 aircraft. General Novotny is responsible for four groups: 57th Adversary Tactics Group, 57th Operations Group, 57th Maintenance Group and the U.S. Air Force Weapons School. In addition, he oversees the 561st Joint Tactics Squadron; U.S. Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Operations School; U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds; and the Red Flag and Green Flag exercises. Brig. Gen. Novotny was commissioned in 1992 upon graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy and earned his wings at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. He completed five operational F-15 assignments with extensive test and combat experience, in addition to serving as an action officer at a Major Command, a fighter squadron commander, and a test and evaluation group commander. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, the Naval Command & Staff College, the School of Advanced Air & Space Studies, and the National War College. Brig. Gen. Novotny is a command pilot with more than 2,500 flight hours in 11 different aircraft, primarily in the F-15C/D/E, and more than 540 combat hours. Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Deputy Director, Plans, Programs, Requirements, HQ Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
KARLA PEREZ
JAMES PRATHER
Regional Vice President Valley Health System
Executive Director of Digital Programming Las Vegas Review-Journal
Karla Perez serves as the Regional Vice President of Universal Health Services. In her current role, Perez provides oversight to the operations of Spring Valley, Summerlin, Desert Springs, Valley, Centennial Hills and Henderson Hospital Medical Centers in Las Vegas, Desert View Hospital in Pahrump, and Northern Nevada Medical Center in Sparks, Nevada. Perez has worked in the Las Vegas community for almost 35 years, beginning her career in 1983 as a medical record clerk at Valley Hospital. Through the years, she assumed a wide variety of duties ranging from business development to overall hospital operations. These responsibilities have allowed her to advance her career with numerous promotions over the years to her previous positions as CEO of Desert Springs Hospital and Spring Valley Hospital. In those roles, she was named to the 2002 UHS Chairman’s Council, a recognition reserved for the top CEOs in the company. She repeated that recognition again in 2006 and in 2007. She was also the recipient of the Eagle Award from Universal Health Services, an award given to CEOs for achievement of excellence and commitment.
James Prather moved to Las Vegas in 2003. He is a Digital/Broadcast leader who served as Executive Vice President for Journal Broadcast Group managing KTNV-TV, the ABC affiliate in Las Vegas as well as other broadcast properties in Tucson, Boise, and Palm Springs. In 2017, Prather created a Video-Digital consulting company focused on creating targeted video content online and through Over the Top applications. In July 2017 Prather helped build and launch a Video strategy including a Studio and Control Room for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Perez graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee with a B.S. degree in Health Records Administration. In 1992, she was honored by the University with the “Graduate of the Decade” Award and in May 2010, she received the Distinguished Alumni Award. In 1992, she also received her Masters Degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of St. Francis. In 2008, she was honored with the Professional Achievement Award from the University of St. Francis Alumni Association.
Prather has a Bachelor’s Degree from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and a Masters Degree in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Illinois-Springfield. His career started in broadcast journalism. He transitioned from reporter to News Director supervising TV Newsrooms from Corpus Christi to Baltimore and Milwaukee. In 1995, he was named Vice President and General Manager at WTMJ-TV, the NBC affiliate in Milwaukee. Prather served a variety of Corporate roles at Journal Broadcast Group during his 24 plus years with the company. Prather has served on the NBC and CBS Network Affiliate Boards as well as volunteering at Faith Community Lutheran Church, Las Vegas Rescue Mission, and Faith Lutheran Middle and High schools.
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ELLEN SCHULHOFER
MARK SHEARER
Shareholder Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Chief Revenue Officer The Las Vegas Raiders
Ellen Schulhofer is a shareholder in the firm’s Las Vegas office and has served as managing partner of the Las Vegas office since 2007. As a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and former co-managing partner of the firm, she has gained extensive leadership and strategic counseling experience which, together with her calm and pragmatic approach, is invaluable to her business and corporate advisory practice.
Mark Shearer enters his 20th season with the Raiders and fourth in his present capacity. Shearer oversees the club’s revenue generating departments including corporate partnerships, premium/ticket sales and service, marketing, business development, analytics, and merchandise.
Schulhofer leads the corporate group in Nevada, advising clients in a broad range of M&A, debt and equity financing, restructuring and other corporate transactions. For more than 20 years, she has counseled boards of directors and special committees of public and privately-held companies on corporate governance matters, and worked with such companies as well as with private equity funds, banks and other institutions as Nevada counsel on public and private offerings, financings, acquisitions and dispositions, and structural and complex contract matters. Many of these transactions have occurred in the highly regulated gaming industry, posing particular challenges and requiring specialized industry knowledge and experience.
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Shearer started with the Raiders in the merchandise department in August of 1999. He helped open more than 20 brick and mortar Raider Image locations as well as launch the team run, online store still owned and operated by the club today. In 2009, he was promoted to oversee premium/ticket sales and service and in 2013 started the business development department and revenue managements departments. In July of 2017, Shearer was among the first to relocate to Las Vegas to oversee development of business operations. The team’s current offices are in Town Square and include an interactive Preview Center that is open to the public and highlights the stadium project. A native of Sonoma, Calif., Shearer earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Management from California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in 1998. Shearer and his wife, Sandra, have two children, Avery and Nolan.
LARRY SINGER
BRUCE SPOTLESON
Senior Managing Director Newmark Knight Frank
Vice President of Fund and Partner Development The Neon Museum
Larry Singer is a 40-year veteran of commercial real estate and is consistently one of Southern Nevada’s top producing Tenant Rep Agents. During his career in commercial real estate, Singer has represented some of the country’s largest companies and has extensive experience working with national and local government agencies. Singer has been called upon numerous times to act as Court Appointed Receiver or Bankruptcy Trustee for the management and maintenance of real property.
Bruce Spotleson is Vice President of Fund and Partner Development for The Neon Museum, a non-profit organization that collects, preserves and exhibits the historic neon signs and iconic art forms of Las Vegas.
He is an active member of the community, and serves as a member of the Las Vegas Metro Chamber’s Board of Trustees. In addition, he has served as chairman of the Lied Institute of Real Estate Studies at UNLV and chairman of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada.
Spotleson previously held senior executive positions in four separate media companies in Nevada. Prior to joining The Neon Museum in June 2019, he was Director of Corporate Partnerships at Vegas PBS. Prior to that, he was a Group Publisher for Greenspun Media Group, where he was instrumental in the launch and development of numerous local publications. He has previously served as Publisher of both the Las Vegas Business Press and Vegas Inc, two publications focused on the Southern Nevada business community. Before relocating to Southern Nevada in 1996, he was Publisher of the Tahoe Daily Tribune. Over the years, his weekly newspaper column earned three first-place writing awards from the Nevada Press Association. Spotleson was the 2014 Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, is a past president of its Business Council and a graduate of the Leadership Las Vegas class of 1999. He served as founding Chairman of the Board of Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center from 2003 to 2006, and was a co-founder of Nevada Gives, an organization promoting business philanthropy. He was named Henderson’s “Private Sector Person of the Year” in 2007.
VICKY VANMEETREN
CHRIS WILCOX
Special Advisor to the Founding Dean for Community Engagement Roseman University College of Medicine
Partner Eide Bailly LLP
Victoria VanMeetren, Special Advisor to the Founding Dean for Community Engagement of Roseman University College of Medicine. She is a part of the Roseman College of Medicine Administrative team who is opening a private not-for profit medical school in Southern Nevada. With more than 2,300 physicians needed in Clark County in all specialties, this medical school is essential for our communities future. Roseman University teaches with a six-point mastery model that produces high outcomes for future professionals in the health sciences.
Chris Wilcox graduated summa cum laude from Southern Utah University in 1984 and began his career with the Las Vegas office of a national public accounting firm shortly thereafter. The CGMA credential demonstrates management accounting expertise in such areas as leading strategically with management to make more informed decisions, helping organizations manage change, risk and uncertainty, protecting corporate assets and promoting operational efficiency and effectiveness. With the CEPA credential, Wilcox consults as an exit planning advisor to help businesses understand and plan out the steps necessary to make a business more valuable prior to a sale.
VanMeetren holds a nursing degree, a Health Care Administration degree and an MBA as a three-time UNLV graduate. She started her career in nursing and advanced into other administrative roles, which led to becoming a hospital CEO for over ten years. She is responsible for building two new hospitals in Las Vegas (the Siena Campus in 2000 and the San Martin Campus in 2006). Throughout her career, she has been involved with many community boards and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Las Vegas Metro Chamber, is a co-chair for Leadership Las Vegas Health Day, chairs the Healthcare Policy Committee for the Chamber and is a board member for Nevada HAND (which builds affordable housing for low-income families and seniors). She is a member of the Nevada State College Presidents Council and is a member of the Medical District Board for the downtown Las Vegas area development. She has been recognized as one of the most influential healthcare and businesspeople in Southern Nevada, including 2007 Nevada Mother of the Year and 2008 Woman of Distinction.
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Wilcox provides services to a number of industries including automobile dealerships, manufacturing companies, construction contractors, real-estate developers, and to high net worth individuals. With more than 20 years of experience serving dealerships, Wilcox serves as a resource for the other members of the Las Vegas Dealership Team as well as the Las Vegas dealership community. Wilcox is actively involved with the Auto Dealer CPA Association and is a past president and past executive committee member. He currently serves on the conference planning committee. Additionally, Wilcox is the partner in charge of the Las Vegas office for Eide Bailly.
RYAN WOODWARD CFO National Technical Institute Ryan Woodward came to Las Vegas eight years ago to help build JPMorgan Chase’s presence in the market. That led to other opportunities to get involved in the community, including focusing on education and the issues surrounding K-12 and workforce development. Following the passion for seeing others succeed, Woodward moved to the role of CFO at National Technical Institute in 2019 to help a growing company meet the demand for skilled trades in Nevada and the surrounding states. Woodward attended the University of Utah where he received a degree in finance. He later furthered his education by completing his MBA at Brigham Young University. Though new to Las Vegas, his wife is a sixth-generation Southern Nevadan. He loves Las Vegas and is glad for the opportunity to work and live here, and to continue a long line of his family living and growing here.
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SOUTHERN NEVADA THRIVES WHEN SOUTHERN NEVADA EMPLOYERS THRIVE. The Las Vegas Chamber is the Voice of Business in Nevada. Through advocacy, education and collaboration, the Las Vegas Chamber engages in the issues that matter most to help our community grow and our businesses thrive. Join now at LVChamber.com or call 702.641.5822.
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LVChamber.com 702.641.5822 LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
@LVChamber
VYP+ is an enhanced membership level for new and active VYP members that maximizes the VYP experience. VYP+ members have access to: Special pricing at all VYP events Advanced invitations to Bigwig Lunch Times, Community Conversations & VYP Toastmasters VYP Excursions, to go behind-the-scenes to see some of Las Vegas’ most interesting businesses A members-only database that you can use to update your information and connect with other VYP+ members Added exposure, with a listing in the VYP+ member directory Sitting on a VYP committee to help expand your leadership capacity and grow your network
VYP+ MEMBERSHIP IS $50 ANNUALLY. JOIN VYP+ BY CONTACTING HELLO@VEGASYP.COM. LAS VEGAS METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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