Navigating Together: Governor Steve Sisolak Shares Roadmap to Recovery Page 14 Layoff Aversion Pilot Saves Jobs Page 13
Economy Insight from Jeremy Aguero Page 24
Cultivating growth and prosperity
S A G E V E H ST D O N’T M I S T H L Y T V S H O W! N O M S ’ R E B CHAM
Special Guest: Featuring Governor of Nevada, Steve Sisolak 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: VegasChamber.com
Location Sponsor: |
702.641.5822
|
@VegasChamber
Cultivating growth and prosperity
MARY BETH SEWALD PRESIDENT & CEO
s the road to economic recovery begins, the Vegas Chamber is alongside you as your partner, advocate, and leading source of the latest and most reliable information. This will be a long journey, and there will be some twists and turns, and many tests along the way. For most of us in business, we are living through the most challenging times we will ever face as leaders.
A
One area where we can find inspiration is through sports. Competing at the top levels requires continuous motivation, goal-setting, and inspired leadership. Our hometown sports teams not only bring some excitement to our lives, but they also are models of moving forward through adversity. In that team spirit, please join us for The Comeback: Sports, Hope and Recovery series. Each episode will feature business leaders from across the state interviewing top sports leaders to get their perspective on dealing with challenges, what inspires them, as well as insights into their upcoming seasons. Guests will include T.J. Otzelberger, UNLV basketball coach and Kerry Bulbolz, president of the Vegas Golden Knights. And I am honored to lead a conversation with Marc Badain, president of the Las Vegas Raiders. The series kicks off on June 12. Look for more information on our social media channels.
problems. The Vegas Chamber, through our Leadership Foundation, has two development programs to help you and your teams become more insightful and inspirational leaders. Our Leadership Advance program gives talented professionals at all levels the training necessary to be effective leaders and managers. The program is tailored specifically to professionals wanting to enhance their leadership skills so they can be transformational managers and leaders. Our 5-month fall session kicks off on Aug. 7. You can enroll at Leadership.Vegas. Additionally, Leadership Las Vegas, the most prestigious community leadership program in our region, is taking applications for the Class of 2021, which kicks off in September. Through the 10-month awe-inspiring program, you will learn about the many facets of Southern Nevada, its challenges and opportunities to become a more effective community leader. Applications are due June 11. Reopening and recovering our businesses and jobs will not be easy. It will be daunting. But you aren’t in this alone. The Vegas Chamber is here for you every step of the way – as a valued source of information; as a resource you can count on; as an advocate that will champion for your business. We are on your team.
Speaking of leadership, every organization needs great leaders to be successful – coaches who can motivate teams to succeed and achieve goals, effectively communicate, and strategically solve
VEGAS CHAMBER JUNE 2020 BUSINESS VOICE
3
We're In This Together
Business Voice VOLUME 41 NUMBER 06 Vegas Chamber 575 Symphony Park Avenue, Ste. 100 Las Vegas, NV 89106 702.641.5822 • VegasChamber.com
Mary Beth Sewald
Free Short-Term Memberships Now Available
President & CEO Vegas Chamber 2020 Board of Trustees Executive Committee
Trustees
Emeritus Board
Tom Burns
Paul Anderson
Jay Barrett
Joseph Asher
Senator Richard Bryan
Chairman Cragin & Pike
Gina Bongiovi
Chair-Elect Bongiovi Law Firm
Terrance Shirey
Boyd Gaming
William Hill US
Brandon Barkhuff NV Energy
Hugh Anderson
Danielle Bisterfeldt
Michael Bolognini
Michael Bonner
Betsy Fretwell
Bob Brown
Opportunity Village
The Neon Museum
John Guedry
Kerry Bubolz
John Wilcox
Lisa Howfield
Tyler Corder
Lori Nelson-Kraft
Alex Dixon
Switch
Bank of Nevada KLAS-TV
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
Ellen Schulhofer
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Chris Wilcox
Eide Bailly LLP
Ryan Woodward
National Technical Institute
The Beckley Group The Howard Hughes Corporation Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Vegas Golden Knights Findlay Automotive
Production Team Joyce Goedeke Publisher/Editor
Cara Clarke Editor
Bill Noonan
Boyd Gaming Corporation (Retired)
Jim Prather
Las Vegas ReviewJournal
Bruce Spotleson
JDW Group LLC
Past Chairpersons
PureStar
Berlyn Miller 1979
Michael Feder
Phil Arce 1984
Dickinson-Wright, PLLC
Elaina Blake 1985
Jeff Grace
Dave Vlaming 1986
Gartner
Mark Hutchison
Hutchison & Steffen, PLLC
Gregory Lee
Eureka Casino Resort
Sara Lindgren
Jeffrey A. Silver 1988 Peter Thomas 1989 William Martin 1991 Bob Maxey 1992 Denny Weddle 1993
JPMorgan Chase
David Smith 1994
Rex Liu
Ted Wiens, Jr. 1995
Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
John O’Reilly 1996
Marta Meana
Diane Dickerson 1997
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Edward Crispell 1998
Production Coordinator/ Contributor
Napoleon McCallum
Bill Wells 2001
Noel Gonzalez
Bill Nelson
Graphic Designer
Piercy Bowler Taylor & Kern
Jacey Gonzalez
Boyd Nelson
Pomai Weall
For more information, visit VegasChamber.com
Fafie Moore
ERA Brokers Consolidated
Lisa Beckley
Cox Communications
We're offering small businesses a free short-term membership to access our webinars & COVID-19 resources. Plus, earn up to $500 for referrals!
Fennemore Craig, P.C.
Immediate Past Chairman Nevada State Bank HighTower Las Vegas
The Vegas Chamber team is here to nuture businesses through this difficult time.
The JABarrett Company
Contributor
The Las Vegas Sands Corporation
Southwest Gas Corporation
Brig. Gen. Robert Novotny
The Business Voice (USPS #717-970) is published by Vegas Chamber 575 Symphony Park Ave., Ste. 100 Las Vegas, NV 89106 Annual Subscription $25 Periodical postage paid at Las Vegas, NV POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Vegas Chamber, 575 Symphony Park Ave., Ste. 100 Las Vegas, NV 89106
Jay Kornmayer 2002 Lou Emmert 2003 Tim Cashman 2004 Hugh Anderson 2005 John Wilcox 2006
Nellis Air Force Base
Fafie Moore 2008
Karla Perez
Steve Hill 2009
Valley Health System
Kristin McMillan 2010
Teresa Di Loreto
Michael Bonner 2011
Nevada Military Support Alliance
Kevin Orrock 2012
Tina Quigley
Jay Barrett 2013
Chase Rankin
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Mark Shearer
Bruce Spotleson 2014 Bob Brown 2015 John Guedry 2016
Raiders
Bill Noonan 2017
Larry Singer
Michael Bolognini 2018
Newmark Knight Frank
Terrance Shirey 2019
Vicky VanMeetren
Roseman University of Health Sciences
Chris Way
KTNV-TV 13 Action News
EDITORIAL POLICY: The Business Voice is a member newsletter of the Vegas Chamber. The Vegas Chamber welcomes input, ideas and suggestions from our members. As with any periodical, we must adhere to strict deadlines and we reserve the right to edit all materials submitted for publication. Commentaries that are marked as such do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of the Chamber, its trustees or employees. The Chamber cannot guarantee the validity or accuracy of the content of paid advertisements. All content is subject to change. Questions or concerns about content of the Business Voice can be addressed to the Vice President of Marketing and Brand Strategy, Vegas Chamber, 575 Symphony Park Avenue, Ste. 100, Las Vegas, NV 89106.
Table of Contents
12
JUNE 2020
My Point of View
7
Candidate Endorsement Guide
8
Working For You
9
Welcome New Members
10
Member News
12
Workforce Connections’ Layoff Aversion Pilot is Helping Keep Employees on the Payroll
13
Navigating Together: Governor Steve Sisolak Shares Roadmap to Recovery
14
What's Virtually Happening
21
Board of Trustees: Spotlights
23
A Snapshot in an Uncertain Time: Insight from Jeremy Aguero, Applied Analysis
24
Guide to PPP Loan Forgiveness
27
Chamber News
32
Advance Your Leadership Skills - Become a Better Leader
34
14
13
23
24
Prep a red by t he U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
GUIDE TO
PPP LOAN FORGIVENESS
27
VEGAS CHAMBER JUNE 2020 BUSINESS VOICE
Under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) created by the CARES Act, loans may be forgiven if borrowers use the proceeds
5
Type to enter text
8985 S. Eastern Ave., #205
Las Vegas, NV 89123
A Positive Outlook
My Point of View Being a Las Vegan is a special thing. It means you live in the most exciting city on Earth, drawing over 40 million visitors a year to experience for a weekend what we are blessed to enjoy every day. It means living in a city that is constantly pushing itself forward, reinventing itself, and doing audacious things that the rest of the world says are crazy, yet we prove them wrong every time and keep moving forward. But that’s just what the world sees. What they don’t see, or at least what is not as readily apparent to the typical visitor, is the fantastic quality of life we all enjoy. They don’t know how great it is that so many Las Vegans are from somewhere else – who came here to build something great, to make a better life for themselves and their families. These entrepreneurs and risk takers are key to the culture of our city and are why we are never afraid to take those leaps that propel this city ever forward.
these businesses are who will lead the way out of this for our city, and they needed our help. I’ve never been prouder of my colleagues. In the end, we processed over 4,200 PPP loans for a total of $592 million. Based on applicant data, this supports nearly 66,000 jobs in the state of Nevada. And many very small businesses received funding, with more than 68% of the loans made to businesses with fewer than 10 employees. These businesses needed a lifeline and it was our obligation to be there for them. And now we see some real signs of hope. We’ve entered phase 1, with many of these small businesses able to open. The health data is encouraging. And hopefully, we will soon see a return of visitors to our city. We have a long way to go, and a lot of hard work ahead of us. Certain national
After a decade of growth, ever increasing visitor numbers, and an amazing transformation of our city, we now face a challenge. We’ve faced challenges before, sure. But this one feels different. Never before has the Strip been empty – so empty you can ride your bike down Las Vegas Boulevard on a Saturday afternoon. Never before have so many been unemployed. And never before have so many small business owners, who’ve poured their hearts and souls into their dream of building something for their families and their employees, had to close their doors at the same time. As the CEO of Nevada State Bank, I’ve spoken to many of these small business owners over the last 60 days. Our conversations have been inspiring, heart-breaking, and often a combination of the two. These are the people who create new jobs, who risk their own capital to start something new. These are the quintessential Las Vegans. When Congress passed the CARES act, creating the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the team at NSB mobilized quickly, understanding how important it was to our city. More than 200 of my colleagues worked nights and weekends to process as many applications as humanly possible. Why? Because we all live here too. We care about Las Vegas, and we care about our businesses. We know
Terry Shirey, President & CEO pundits are counting us out. But they always do, and they are always wrong. What they never account for is what really matters in the equation – Las Vegas is populated by Las Vegans. We are at our core entrepreneurs, risk takers, and people who never listen when outsiders tell us it isn’t possible. The virus has changed many things, but it hasn’t changed that. We’ll be back, and if history is our guide, we’ll be stronger than ever.
IT MATTERS WHO YOU BANK WITH ®
CONTACT US TODAY nsbank.com/outlook 702.383.0009 A division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A. Member FDIC
Candidate Endorsement Guide Primary Election, Tuesday, June 9, 2020
8
State Senate
District 4 District 7 District 19
Dina Neal (D) Ellen Spiegel (D) Pete Goicoechea (R)
State Assembly
District 1 District 2 District 8 District 10 District 13 District 14 District 15 District 19 District 22 District 23 District 25 District 26 District 29 District 31 District 33 District 36 District 38 District 40 District 42
Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D) Heidi Kasama (R) Jason Frierson (D) Rochelle Nguyen (D) Tom Roberts (R) Maggie Carlton (D) Howard Watts (D) Chris Edwards (R) Melissa Hardy (R) Glen Leavitt (R) Jill Tolles (R) Lisa Krasner (R) Steven Delisle (R) David Espinosa (R) John Ellison (R) Gregory Hafen (R) Robin Titus (R) PK O'Neill (R) Alex Assefa (D)
State Board of Education
District 1
Tim Hughes (NP)
Board of Regents
District 3
Stephen Silberkraus (NP)
Clark County CCSD
District A District B
Michael Naft (D) Marilyn Kirkpatrick (D)
District A District B
Liberty Leavitt (NP) Bryan Wachter (NP)
Paid for by the Vegas Chamber. For more information on these endorsements, or to learn more about BizPAC, visit VegasChamber.com. These endorsements are as of May 29, 2020.
BUSINESS VOICE JUNE 2020 VEGAS CHAMBER
Working For You Primary Election As the largest and most broad-based business organization in Nevada, the Vegas Chamber has been the steady and consistent leader in advocacy efforts. It has been this focus that drives the Vegas Chamber’s government affairs operations at the local, state and federal levels of government. Our advocacy work, policy priorities, political acumen and thought leadership by our volunteer leaders have helped shape Nevada into being a state where employers are encouraged to grow and expand their businesses, where unnecessary and burdensome regulations do not cripple the needs of employers and do not hinder the hiring of Nevadans for good paying jobs. In today’s changing world, it is more important than ever before to elect candidates that want to work with organizations such as the Vegas Chamber with a fair, pragmatic approach for the good of all Nevadans. You, our members and your employees play a pivotal rule in the 2020 election. We need you to make your voice heard by taking action and supporting the Vegas Chamber endorsed candidates. The single most important thing you can do is to vote. It is for that reason that the Vegas Chamber has compiled the 2020 General Election Guide that highlights candidates that have been endorsed by the Vegas Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee. Endorsements include State Senate, State Assembly, Board of Regents, Clark County Commission and Clark County Boards of School Trustees. These endorsed candidates are reflective of Republican, Democrat and nonpartisan candidates that are committed to working with the Vegas Chamber. Candidates that are listed in the guide will be on the primary ballot.
Guide on page 8 Please note that because of 2017 changes to state election laws, if a candidate won their primary with no other challengers from a different political party or ran unopposed, they will not be on the November ballot and not be listed in the 2020 General Election Guide.
Candidate endorsements are decided by the Vegas Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee, comprised of Chamber members who represent a vast array of businesses, including small businesses, from several different industries. Government Affairs Committee members take the time to thoroughly interview and question candidates on behalf of the business community on priority principles including less regulatory burden on businesses, more efficiency in government, building a strong future workforce, education reform, taxation, and improving the business climate. We ask you to share this election guide information with fellow employers, colleagues, community leaders and your employees. Leverage your circle and expand the business community’s influence by voting. United as a business community, we will be stronger and will be able to influence the policy decisions that will happen in the State Legislature and local government. Stand with the Vegas Chamber and take action. Vote this election and support pro-business candidates!
VEGAS CHAMBER JUNE 2020 BUSINESS VOICE
9
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS! PRESIDENT'S CLUB: Chick-fil-A Flamingo and Valley View The Defenders Criminal Defense Lawyers Organization Ticket Busters Southern Land Company Anchor Chiropractic CCI Home Care Cornel Realty CRQ Corporation
ganc.io
www.ganc.io Elevated Lifestyle Development LLC JMPForce McEvilly Benefits Nanotechnology Partners, LLC Nevada Hospital Association Richard Harris Law Firm Smart Tyme Consultants Southern Nevada Conservancy Organization
Affiliates 3rd Eye Productions Abel Consulting & Executive Search Accretive Consulting Advocate Estate & Fiduciary LLC Alchemy Tax Reduction Alex Isom DDS PLLC Amaxima Realty Amelia C & Co American Family-Kendal Haynie ARC Services Avenue West Las Vegas LLC BioLife Plasma Services Black Knights Transportation Logistics LLC Block9 Thai Street Eats Boom Commerce Bridges Document Prep Capelli Salon Card Z3N, LLC Carpets N More Carson Kitchen Chicago Joe's Restaurant Choice Services Cigary Capital, LLC CleanBrand Cork & Thorn Corkscrews COSi Country Financial CPDD.Stuff Craft Haus Brewpub
10
BUSINESS VOICE JUNE 2020 VEGAS CHAMBER
Cravin' Creole LLC Crystal Clear Management Group (CCM) Cure 4 The Kids Cyberguard Compliance Dakem & Associates, LLC - Lic. # 47757 Deborah Campbell & Associates LLC Debug Computer Desert Community Management, LLC Desert Shores Community Association Divine Events DK Entertainment LLC DK Las Vegas, LLC Downtown DMC Downtown LV Art Walk Dream Las Vegas Eby Iron Designs Echo & Rig Butcher and Steakhouse Economic Luxury LLC Edward Jones - Michael Eakman Eller Law Eventure Exclusively Vegas FASTSIGNS NWST LV Flagstar Bank Flora Couture Flourish LV Floral & Event Design Focus Plumbing LLC Friends of Hunter Cain Galindo Group GKT Acquisitions Group
Members joined from April 1 - April 30.
Global Macro Asset Management GMG Savings Gryphon Valuation Consultants Inc Hair Standard Hharpp Business Services Inc Honey Salt India Kabob and Curry Indigo Tickets Infinity Hospice Care Inline Productions Insite HR Solutions Interstate Batteries of Las Vegas ItsOnMe Jamie Y Photography JayRue Glam Salon JE Power LLC La Strega La Vie Insurance Lake Industries LandArt dba FireSky Las Vegas Air Duct Cleaning Services Las Vegas Oddities & Atomic Oddities Let's Talk! Therapy Center Lindstrom Radcliffe Group Logic Commercial Real Estate LV Craft Shows Maccabee Task Force Major Mindz Marathon Staffing Group Marche Bacchus French Bistro & Wine Shop Mathnasium of Summerlin Maya Cinemas and Entertainment Micone Staffing Resources Moonridge Group, LLC Mountain View Financial Advisors Move4Less, LLC Movedocs Mpowerment Network LLC My Pink Hare Neal Petermann Inc Nectar Bath Treats Neon Collective Nevada CASA Association Nevada Homeless Alliance Nittaya's Secret Kitchen Nova Star Dance Company LLC NXT Global OHM Marketing and Creative One Emprima Empowerment Coaching One17 Hair Studio Salon OR Trading LLC- I Boomerang Ornelas Real Estate Owned Outcomes P4 Training Solutions Pacifica Senior Living (Spring Valley) Paylocity Peak Performance Partners
Pitney Bowes, Inc Platinum Estate Group Inc Pop-A-Lock Poppy Bank Premier Showgirls Pure Barre Las Vegas QBid Live Quality Corrections & Inspections Radius Track Rare Naturals Rehab Directives LLC Revenue Media Group Rolling In Dough Bakery Royal Realty Security 101 Serene A Vegas Resort Sherri Simhayoff with Wardley Real Estate Sheryl Green Speaks Shu Business Consulting Services Silver State Real Estate Simply Radiant Simply Vegas-Rob Wilner Skin City Body Painting Smash Booth Speaking of Strategy Specibase LLC Spiegelworld Square Color Salon and Spa Starfire Web Design Starry Eyed Events Stockwell Medical, Inc Sundance Media Group, LLC Sutton Watkins Advertising & Design Symphony Weddings & Events teleMDcare The Amin Law Group NV LTD The Black Sheep The Center (serving the LGBTQ Communty) The Coder School of Las Vegas The Emergent Group The Learning Experience at Las Vegas-Rhodes Ranch The Prevetti Group The Rocking H Ranch The Tiny Bloom The Warnick Group Trinity Publications Group Trosper Communications Van Law Firm Vegas Direct Primary Care Vets365 Wally Wombats Wardley Real Estate-Valerie DiBenedetto Water of Life School Water Shark Systems We Do Deliveries William McCauley PC Zentrin CEO Systems VEGAS CHAMBER JUNE 2020 BUSINESS VOICE
11
Member News RED - PRESIDENT’S CLUB MEMBER
In the Community Lexicon Bank and Greater Nevada Credit Union have opened their doors to any applicants of the Payroll Protection Program after Southern Nevada residents were having trouble finding banks to accept applicants to have an existing business account, credit card or loan. The banks are accepting applicants on a first-come, first-serve basis until they meet restrictions where they can’t process loans. Lexicon Bank has seen 144 loan applications approved by April 13 with roughly $42 million in funding expected to be dispersed. Nevada Credit Union has processed 1,300 applications totaling about $160 million.
Fashion Show Mall has made a donation of 400 handcrafted masks to the Valley Health System, including Centennial Hills, Desert Springs, Henderson, Spring Valley, Summerlin and Valley Medical Centers. The masks were created and designed by Larissa Navarro of The Tailor Shop. Navarro has provided nearly 5,000 face masks and face coverings to date, producing 150-300 masks per day.
Workforce Connections has launched a new pilot program that is saving over 275 jobs and allowing more than 60 Southern Nevada small businesses to remain on their normal payroll schedule. The Layoff Aversion Pilot utilizes $344,000 of federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds provided by the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR). An additional $100,000 was donated by Bank of Nevada, which significantly extends the reach of the initiative. More details on page 13. Turkish Airlines has announced that they will be resuming flights gradually this month and will take around four months to return near to full operation. Turkish Airlines will fly to 22 destinations in 19 countries, including Afghanistan, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Georgia, Germany, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, South Korea and Sweden, with a weekly frequency of 75 flights. The airline is projected to operate 60 percent of domestic flights to all destinations, then to add destinations in July and August. Nevada HAND has partnered with Three Square to make sure that its seniors in the Las Vegas Valley are well-fed during this pandemic. Due to the “Golden Groceries” plan with Nevada HAND, 248 deliveries have been made more than 2,000 individuals in Las Vegas. Each household got two boxes of groceries and produce, which will last almost a month and alleviate the need for seniors to leave their houses during this crisis. For more information or to donate, visit NevadaHAND. com. Southern Nevada Water Authority has completed work on the new Low Lake Level Pumping Station at Lake Mead. Working together with a third drinking water intake, the pumping station will ensure our community’s access to water at Lake Mead, even if lake levels continue to decline due to drought.
The Vegas Chamber is proud to provide members with a place to publish their current announcements as a benefit of membership. Email news items to pr@vegaschamber.com.
12
BUSINESS VOICE JUNE 2020 VEGAS CHAMBER
Screaming Images has transformed its business into one that is now essential. The business pivoted from focusing on printing and is now producing protective barriers for respective clients. This switch was made due to the demand for protective barriers and the downtime the company faced. Culinary Academy of Las Vegas (CALV) served more than 846,320 pounds of food to Las Vegas residents in need. CALV is leveraging its own dollars with public and private support to alleviate demand on existing food banks by servicing displaced union workers from the industry that powers the Las Vegas community.
Workforce Connections’ Layoff Aversion Pilot is Helping Keep Employees on the Payroll Private Funding From Bank of Nevada Boosts Reach of Initiative Vegas Chamber member Grant a Gift Autism Foundation is one of more than sixty small employers receiving help to keep staff on the payroll thanks to a pilot program developed by Workforce Connections, Southern Nevada’s Local Workforce Development Board. “This pilot has provided a sense a relief,” said Terri Janison, president and CEO of Grant A Gift Autism Foundation. “It is truly an example of the local community taking care of the local community.” The Layoff Aversion Pilot is a wage reimbursement program that brings together public and private funding to support employers and employees impacted by COVID-19. “We knew we had to do something to help keep employees out of the overwhelmed unemployment insurance system,” said Workforce Connections executive director Jaime Cruz. “This pilot is a first-of-its-kind locally, and it’s a tremendous example of what can happen when our community joins forces.” The pilot started with $344,000 of federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds provided by the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR). An additional $100,000 was donated by Bank of Nevada, which significantly extends the reach of the initiative. In all, the initiative is expected to help keep approximately 275 Southern Nevadans employed. “We are proud to work with our partners throughout the community to find innovative ways to help small businesses avoid, or delay layoffs,” said DETR Director Heather Korbulic. “Keeping Nevadans on the payroll is one of DETR’s primary goals. We are pleased to be a part of this collaborative effort.” "Small businesses have taken a direct hit as a result of the sudden economic changes and many can’t continue to pay employees without help," said John Guedry, Division CEO, Bank of Nevada. “We understand the impact these businesses have on our economy.”
How the Layoff Aversion Pilot Works Small businesses and nonprofits were identified to participate in the pilot using the collective expertise of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance (LVGEA), the Vegas Chamber and the Asian, Boulder City, Henderson, India, Laughlin, Latin, Mesquite, and Urban chambers. “Because the funding is limited, we knew this pilot could not help every business that deserves assistance. That is why we enlisted our local chambers and economic development partners to identify businesses where this type of funding could be maximized and distributed quickly,” said Cruz. Eligible employers participating in the pilot submit paystubs to Workforce Connections. Those employers can then be reimbursed 50-percent of a current employee’s wages. Employers can have up to five employees enrolled in the pilot, and receive up to $8,000 total.
Making a Difference Together Vegas Chamber President & CEO Mary Beth Sewald is a member of the Workforce Connections board, helping represent the business voice as the board gauges community needs and implements strategies. “Any assistance we can give small businesses and nonprofits to preserve Grant A Gift President & CEO Terri Janison receives check jobs helps limit from Vegas Chamber Chairman & Cragin & Pike the harm the President Tom Burns Coronavirus is having on our economy. The Vegas Chamber is proud to join with Workforce Connections, the LVGEA, and chambers of commerce throughout Southern Nevada to offer this lifeline to small employers,” said Sewald. “The level of partnership in our region we have seen in response to COVID-19 has been unprecedented,” said Jonas Peterson, president and CEO of LVGEA. “Together, our organizations know supporting our businesses and residents is crucial to taking steps toward recovery. There are many great federal and state initiatives to help, but we know every program makes a difference. The Layoff Aversion Pilot is another great way to fill in those gaps and help employees.” The LVGEA, DETR, Bank of Nevada, and the Latin Chamber of Commerce also have representatives on the board, as well as members of the education community and other partners. Together, they are working together to develop short and long term business-driven solutions to help keep Southern Nevadans employed during this COVID-19 crisis, while implementing recovery efforts to help employers successfully reopen and rehire. “The Workforce Connections staff receives direction from our board and consortium of local elected officials,” said Cruz. For Janison, the extra funds to help keep her employees on staff means the nonprofit can continue to support families with autism. “The funding actually creates a trickledown effect. We are able to keep our employees on the payroll, and they in turn are available to support the families going through tough times in this crisis,” said Janison.
VEGAS CHAMBER JUNE 2020 BUSINESS VOICE
13
Navigating Together: Governor Steve Sisolak Shares Roadmap to Recovery In a time when the world is changing faster than ever, businesses, and the community alike, are anxiously watching the phases of reopening and how the new world will conduct business, enhance the consumer experience and strengthen the business-to-business relationship. The Vegas Chamber is the first southern Nevada chamber of commerce to bring its members a virtual visit with Governor Steve Sisolak. As the state continues to work on that delicate balancing act of ensuring the health and safety of its citizens and the priority of reinvigorating the economy, the governor shared his perspective on the state’s plans on implementing actions that address both sides of the coin. Vegas Chamber Chairman Tom Burns and President and CEO Mary Beth Sewald moderated the virtual event with nearly 1,000 attendees, and thanks to Governor Sisolak, he provided direct insight on how we move forward together. Mary Beth Sewald (MBS): We’re so happy, Governor
Sisolak, that you can join us. I’d like to commend you on your driving passion to keep Nevadans safe, and to keep this curve as flat as possible in an effort to keep us from overwhelming all our hospitals. Tom Burns (TB): During these unprecedented times of COVID-19, Governor Sisolak has been an engaged leader, working with communities, healthcare officials, education officials, and the Vegas Chamber, along with other business groups, to keep our state open and safe for Nevadans. Please welcome the governor of the state of Nevada, Steve Sisolak.
protective equipment into our hospitals, to our first responders, and, frankly, it saved a lot of lives and we sincerely appreciate that. As I said way back when I gave my State of the State in January 2019, businesses are propelling our economy at an enormous trajectory, and things are looking good we’re looking for the next session and how we’re going to deal with being able to balance our budget and spend our money, but this pandemic caused unimaginable problems, and the impacts that it had on everything. From our businesses to our schools to our governmental entities, it required more of us and forced us to pull together, and to get together on how we’re going to deal with these situations. I am thankful and I am grateful every single day for Nevadans that have stepped up to be part of the solution, not to be part of the problem, but to be part of the solution. We are facing problems particularly, small businesses, are facing problems they could never imagined. I could have never imagined, that you would have to shut down one day and I would have to make the decision to shut down the entire Strip…I know the impact that it has had on small businesses, and I am confident we will be able to provide the energy and the resiliency for those businesses to move forward.
Governor Steve Sisolak (GOVERNOR): Thank you that
kind introduction. I sincerely appreciate your words and sentiment, and it’s a pleasure to be here with all your members, or a lot of your members. I want to express my gratitude for this opportunity and for your willingness and your help to get us through the time that we’ve had. I can tell you that these days it seems like this has been years that we’ve been in this COVID crisis because the days all run together, and I don’t know what day it is from one to the other, but I remember when [COVID-19 Task Force Chair] Jim [Murren] and I got together, and [the Vegas Chamber] offered to help me and using a lot of the resources of the chamber, and your members and their contacts. That allowed us to get personal
14
BUSINESS VOICE JUNE 2020 VEGAS CHAMBER
I am proud how Nevadans have reacted during this crisis together; they've managed too help us flatten this curve, and I can tell you that has saved literally thousands of lives. There is no doubt in my mind that if we had not done this, we would’ve been in a much worse position today. The community has worked with us to help [make] that happen. Our first responders, our state superintendent working on the education front, with all 17 superintendents across the state, to try to develop a plan, not just for this year, but for next year on how we’re going to deal with education, in trying to get kids educated and continue them on their
educational careers. My team has been absolutely outstanding, in terms of dealing with this entire situation, working 12 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week because there’s always a situation we’re dealing with whether it’s statistics and testing, unemployment, reopening or phasing. I can’t thank my team enough and I can’t thank the Chamber enough for being so cooperative to help us, to provide information and be a resource.
"I can’t thank my team enough and I can’t thank the Chamber enough for being so cooperative" Thank you for what you’ve done, for your time, for your dedication to the Silver State. We are in this together. It’s going to be a road back, but we have a pathway to get back and I’m confident that we are going to be able to do that by working together and we’re going to make that all possible. For all your members in the Chamber that have helped so much; they’ve helped feed the folks who didn’t have food, they’ve helped the businesses to continue, you got folks that are working from home schooling to kids at the same time and helping us getting our community back together, that’s what the chamber is all about and it’s been just a delight to work with you. I couldn’t ask for a better partner than the Vegas Chamber and I’m thankful every day for everything that you do for us. MBS: We know that you work closely with the
governors of the other western states, especially through the Western States Pact. How do you think joining this pact has benefited the state of Nevada, and what have been some of the key takeaways that have helped shape your policy decisions and your response to COVID-19? GOVERNOR: The Western States Pact has been
extremely valuable for us. I know these governors from our different associations, and, quite frankly, there are some selfish reasons. At the beginning, it was an economy of scale, in terms of purchasing,
that we were able to use with these governors in obtaining supplies. [California] Governor Newsom is one example. He sent us 50 ventilators when we were short of ventilators. They are a big tourist source for us: We get a lot of people driving here Cultivating growth and prosperity from California, Oregon, Washington and Colorado, and that communication is going to be extremely important as we start opening up the gaming. I don’t want them [the states] quarantining their people when I want them coming to Las Vegas to gamble and to vacation; it’s a communication exchange of information is what has been the most beneficial for us. MBS: Do you anticipate or envision any new state
programs that could possibly be offered to small businesses that would help them additionally retaining their employees, or helping them stay open with any type of governmental assistance?
GOVERNOR: Yes, we’re working with [Governor’s
Office of Economic Development] Director Michael Brown who has been incredible, and I know he’s been in contact with the Chamber. We did get a significant amount of CARES Act money that we’re looking at working to develop programs. I am excited about trying to recruit new businesses and attracting new industries here, [but] I am more concerned and my immediate concern is for the present members and the businesses we have that have done and sacrificed so much. I know that PPP [Paycheck Protection Program] was a great program, but a lot of people got cut out of the first tranche and then the second tranche they didn’t get in, and there are concerns about the timing of that and how the money has to be expended. We’re definitely looking forward to working with the Chamber and coming up with ideas that can really help the small businesses that are struggling at this time, and coordinate resources, and anything that we can do at the state level, I would be happy to participate in.
VEGAS CHAMBER JUNE 2020 BUSINESS VOICE
15
STAY SAFE, STAY OPEN. Your safety, the safety of others and the safety of our economy depend on you.
Please wear protective face coverings and maintain 6 feet of distance from others.
TB: What are your thoughts and plans on helping
GOVERNOR: I think that that, if anything good could
Nevada’s economy recover?
come out of this, we realized that our supply chain has been broken for a while.
GOVERNOR: The economy definitely took a big hit. I
mean, there’s no doubt. You’ve got small businesses that have poured their life savings into their businesses and now need some assistance in order to get out of it. We can bring back the economy, but we can’t bring back the lives.
I think we need to bring more of our supply chain back into this country. We exported a lot of that and it’s unfortunate that it’s not viable here right now, but I think that there are some opportunities [and] we can learn from that.
Our initial reaction and our initial motive to get that curve down [was] for a couple reasons. One is to save lives, and two is to make sure that we maintain a capacity in our healthcare facilities to deal with the surge. Thirdly, it’s important that when visitors come here and when they start coming back to Las Vegas and Nevada, they know that this is the safest place in the world to come and vacation. We’re going out of our way to make sure that happens, and hopefully the businesses, as a result, will be the beneficiary from the actions that we’ve taken.
The same is true on the food chain; some of the folks don’t get enough credit. When you look at the truckers and the front-end grocery store clerks that are stocking these shelves, it’s shocking for me to believe that there could be a national shortage of toilet paper, but there was for months because we just didn’t have the supply chains available but they kept it going. I think we’re going to have to reevaluate that and get more technology in the supply chains, and hopefully give some of the smaller companies an opportunity to participate in this.
TB: Do you have a sense of when our economy will
TB: Governor, you recently declared a fiscal state of
be back to pre-pandemic levels and how long that recovery will take? GOVERNOR: Wow, I don’t even know how you can
even begin to look at that. Frankly, dealing with my health experts, I don’t think there’s any hope to getting back to where we were until we have a vaccine. I mean, you’re going to need a vaccine where people are comfortable that they can get on a plane. I know my wife booked a flight and she was coming up here. There was going to be 25 percent people occupying the plane, and, all of a sudden, they combined three flights and it was booked 100 percent; she decided not to come, and I don’t blame her.
emergency for the state of Nevada. Can you share what that means for the state as a whole, how it helps local governments, and what it means to Nevadans? GOVERNOR: The fiscal emergency frees up more federal resources for us. It gives us more flexibility with our state resources, in order to be able to expend them in an efficient manner. It avails us to use the National Guard more than we previously had, which was just been a heaven sent to get those folks in here to help respond to this virus in the way that we did. It was a matter of providing us with more resources and, at the same time, providing us with more flexibility, so that was the reasoning behind it. MBS: [The pandemic] is clearly impacting the
People are going to need to feel comfortable to get on an airplane and check into a hotel in Las Vegas. Until there’s a vaccine that they feel that they’ll be immune, so to speak, from the virus, I don’t think it’s going to be back totally; we certainly won’t get our international travelers back. In dealing with the [U.S.] vice president and the [U.S.] president on the calls, they continue to be very hopeful that we could have something late this year or early next year. There are two things: The development of the vaccine and then there’s the actual make up of 300 or 400 million doses of this that we’re going to need just for the United States. It is important that we stay out in front of that. I think you’re going to need a vaccine, in order to get some people to feel more comfortable. MBS: How do you plan to use GOED [Governor’s
Office of Economic Development] to leverage recruitment efforts to attract new manufacturing operations to Nevada?
state budget for 2020 and into 2021 and probably well beyond that, is K-12 education subject to the potential cuts as part of your call for state agencies to provide budget cuts and recommendations? GOVERNOR: We’re going to have a lot that we need
to a look at when it comes to budget cuts. We tried to accumulate some savings in this current fiscal year because we’re going to have into the next fiscal year. We did use a rainy-day fund; we freed that up and it’s going to help us provide our funding through the DSA [Distributive School Account] to the schools and higher ed at the same time. Education has been a number one priority for me and continues to be a priority educating our students. I think they got kind of short-changed with the distance education. Some districts handled it much better than other districts did and were more in line to handle online education and parental involvement than others were.
VEGAS CHAMBER JUNE 2020 BUSINESS VOICE
17
We’re trying to get some more money. We’re talking about another tranche of money coming from the federal government, which would provide us some resources at the state level to fill these budget holes.
MBS: Is there any advice you can give to businesses
Without that kind of money, we are obviously looking at an enormous shortfall in the next fiscal year, which will require legislature to get together and determine how and when those cuts are going to be made.
GOVERNOR: I can tell you that you don’t wear a face
I asked for agencies to submit potential cuts and reductions in services. It’s not going to be an acrossthe-board cut, where everybody gets the same. It’s going to be done on a case-by-case basis. I don’t know how we’re going to get out of this without everybody participating. We are certainly looking at any new potential revenue sources we could get from the federal government. It’s not a time to be raising taxes clearly. But if the federal government is going to have a package that’s going to provide some resources for states, our unemployment is higher than anybody’s because of the hospitality industry, and hopefully the government can realize that we’re going to get some resources. TB: It’s been clear that public health is your number
one priority; I was wondering if you thought that would be a top priority in the upcoming legislative session and what you’d like to see us improve on throughout the state? GOVERNOR: Public health is clearly a top priority for
all of us and we learn certain things from this. For example, we’ve learned that the virus has been much more impactful within an elderly population. It’s been more impactful in our minority communities. Whether that’s a result of education, whether it’s a lack of healthcare being provided in those areas, the availability of testing, I know that all the legislature is looking at how to respond to a crisis like this and how to provide more flexibility, and to make sure that everybody has equal access. When we got into statewide, some areas just don’t have Wi-Fi, and they don’t have access to Internet learning; some kids are having to go out to a bus with Internet access on it so that kids [have] access. We’re learning a lot, and I’m sure the legislature is going to be looking at a lot of these things closely as we move forward into the next legislative session without a doubt.
18
BUSINESS VOICE JUNE 2020 VEGAS CHAMBER
who have customers who may not want to wear face coverings to go into their establishments, and do you anticipate any mandates to that effect?
covering for yourself; you wear it for everybody else. That’s what I’ve tried to stress to them. The virus can be spread from an asymptomatic individual to someone without the virus, and they don’t realize it and suddenly you have a super spreader spreading it to 25, 50 or 100 people. I don’t think it’s a matter of the face covering. I think it’s a matter of people not wanting to be told what to do. That’s why we did not make it a mandate. CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) evidence has shown us that it does work to reduce the spread to others individuals…I deal with first responders, whether they’re our paramedics, police, fire, hospitals, nurses and our ER folks; they tell me that they want nothing more than for people to wear a face covering because it does make a difference. Tough call that businesses have to make individually. We have mandated that the businesses have face coverings for their employees, but they should make that call and I encourage all businesses to encourage their customers to wear a face mask and to practice the protocols of social distancing, and not gathering in groups to continue to reduce the spread of the virus. In an ideal world, yes, please wear a face mask. TB: If a business is following the CDC protocol, and
reopening requirements, local ordinances; what other suggestions do you have to recommend to them to protect themselves or employees or their customers? GOVERNOR: The best thing [businesses] can do is
to follow those protocols…the virus can only spread if we assist it in its spread and businesses can do an awful lot to reduce the spread. MBS: I’d like to turn back to education. If needed,
who will determine if schools need to continue their distance education in the fall, and would that be a decision that will be made by you, the Nevada Department of Education, or the Clark County School District, and how would that process work? GOVERNOR: The Department of Education ultimately
is one that’s going to be making that determination with me. I’ve charged Jhone Ebert, who is our state superintendent to do that. She’s been in regular meetings with all our superintendents. I don’t know if it’s going to be the same for all our districts; it probably won’t be. CCSD is one that’s probably got most interest for your members; there’s no way that you can socially space in those classrooms. You just have too many kids in those classrooms, in order to be able to do that. They have to come up with a plan, whether that would be having them in so many days a week, dividing it in half and kids come two or three days a week and then homeschooled a couple days; whether that’s expanding the hours of the school. You’ve got other issues that are of real con cern. Athletics: I do not know how we could get people into a stand watching a football game or a basketball game and possibly social distance them. We’re looking at teachers; a lot of our teachers are in vulnerable groups because of their age or they have an underlying health condition, and they’re more likely to be susceptible to the disease affecting them in that situation. Everybody is handling it differently, and Nevada is going to have to be involved, in terms of the school district, we’re talking to the school boards and, hopefully, they’ll have some input on this, but it’s coming up quickly. We’re looking at a little less than three months; we have to make a decision in probably the next two months or so. MBS: Are there final thoughts that you would like
share? GOVERNOR: I appreciate the opportunity to be with
you, and I want to talk to the members. I was a small business owner and I know what it’s like. I can tell you I deal with a lot of chambers across the state, and the Vegas Chamber does a remarkable job of representing their members. We go to the Chamber for input, for information, that’s where we get my information. It’s difficult for me as much as I’d like to reach out to 800.,900 or 1000 of your members individually and say, “what does everyone think about this?” Time doesn’t allow that simply to happen for me, so it has to be done through an organized setting.
"The Vegas Chamber has done a remarkable job in being, not just an advocate for their members, but being a resource for my office and my administration" The Vegas Chamber has done a remarkable job in being, not just an advocate for their members, but being a resource for my office and my administration
because it’s a two-way street. You are our conduit to your members as you talk about a campaign to open back up and you get those materials out to the individuals. I understand that you run into some pushback from some of the members as it relates to a situation we put into place or executive order, whether it’s about a closure or wearing a mask. As members, I can tell you that if you communicate with your chamber…sometimes, I know members that, when I was there, you pay the dues, you send in the check, and you may go to one or two of the gatherings a year. That’s a big mistake.
"If you don’t take advantage of the services that the Chamber has to offer, you’re really missing something that is beneficial." If you don’t take advantage of the services that the Chamber has to offer, you’re really missing something that is beneficial. Not just to the members and to the Chamber, but to an administration and every governmental body. It’s just great to have somebody that you know that you can call, and not only that you’ll give me information, but you’ll give me information that I can trust. You’re never going to give me bad information or lie to me or tell me something that’s an untruth. That’s a pretty rare commodity when you’re up here in Carson City. I deal with a lot of lobbyists that sometimes represent some of their clients and just tell you what you want to hear. The Chamber is not that way; they tell you the good, they tell you the bad and they do a tremendous job at it. I want the members to understand that it’s a great resource that they have being a member of the Vegas Chamber. I will continue to work with you as we develop and move into Phase 2 and three and get gaming back open. I promise to work as hard as we can to get this economy back on track, and get people coming back to visiting Las Vegas. It’s the greatest place in the world to have a vacation and an experience, and I look forward to working with you in the future so thank you for having me today…stay safe, stay healthy and stay a member of the Vegas Chamber – they do a lot of good for you!
"Stay safe, stay healthy and stay a member of the Vegas Chamber – they do a lot of good for you!" To view the full interview with Governor Sisolak, visit VegasChamber.com.
VEGAS CHAMBER JUNE 2020 BUSINESS VOICE
19
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 VEGASCHAMBER.COM/CSE
For more information on enrolling your company in the program, visit VegasChamber.com or call 702.641.5822.
20
BUSINESS VOICE JUNE 2020 VEGAS CHAMBER
g
What’s Happening JUNE
2
TUESDAY, JUNE 2
CHAMBER CONNECTIONS Chamber Connections is a dedicated leads group comprised of professionals from a variety of industries. This is a place for professionals to grow their network and their businesses by sharing contacts, referrals and ideas. 5:30 – 7 p.m. Virtual
To attend any of our online events, please visit VegasChamber.com to register.
CHAMBER VOICES TOASTMASTERS Looking for a way to improve your communication skills in both your personal and professional life? The Vegas Chamber is home to a Toastmasters club, Chamber Voices, open exclusively to Vegas Chamber members. 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Virtual
10
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
CHAMBER CONNECTIONS A.M. This event is great for business professionals interested in expanding their network and optimizing their chamber membership. In addition to quality networking time, each event will feature two speakers: a member selected from the event prior, and a Vegas Chamber team member. 7:30 – 9 a.m. Virtual If you have any questions or interested in bringing a guest, please email Lita Stein at lstein@vegaschamber.com
12
FRIDAY, JUNE 12
CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE: FACEBOOK LIVE WITH KTNV-TV CHANNEL 13 The Vegas Chamber and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, with the help of KTNV-TV Channel 13 Action News is honoring all of first and second quarter nominees for their dedication to great customer service. This is our opportunity to recognize our Customer Service Excellence stars! We invite you and your guests to celebrate your service and commitment to the Las Vegas valley. 10 – 10:15 a.m. Virtual
16
TUESDAY, JUNE 16
CHAMBER CONNECTIONS Chamber Connections is a dedicated leads group comprised of professionals from a variety of industries. This is a place for professionals to grow their network and their businesses by sharing contacts, referrals and ideas. 5:30 – 7 p.m. Virtual
CHAMBER VOICES TOASTMASTERS Looking for a way to improve your communication skills in both your personal and professional life? The Vegas Chamber is home to a Toastmasters club, Chamber Voices, open exclusively to Vegas Chamber members. 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Virtual
VEGAS CHAMBER JUNE 2020 BUSINESS VOICE
21
LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION VEGAS YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
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 and Community Conversations 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.
22
BUSINESS VOICE JUNE 2020 VEGAS CHAMBER
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
SPOTLIGHTS JOHN GUEDRY CEO, Bank of Nevada
Use one word to describe your leadership style. Example
Who are other leaders you look up to and why? Drew Brees – commitment to excellence; Abraham Lincoln – not afraid to tackle the big issues.
Which organizations outside your own do you admire the most and why? Vegas Golden Knights and New Orleans Saints – commitment to their communities.
What’s your go-to productivity trick? Demonstrate what needs to be done; don’t just say it.
Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work? Former sports coaches
What behavior or personality trait do you most attribute your success to, and why? Never quit
LARRY SINGER
Senior Managing Director, Newmark Knight Frank
Use one word to describe your leadership style. Humility
Who are other leaders you look up to and why? Dwight Eisenhower. Although not considered to be one of the great presidents, the interstate highway system was created under his presidency, which improved interstate travel and most importantly trade. He was a great General and one of only four Five Star Generals in United States Army history. There have not been any Five Star Generals since World War II. As Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe during World II, he is credited with orchestrating the Invasion of Normandy leading to the Allied Forces victory against Germany.
What kind of cultures do you like to work in? Where do you excel? How do you excel? One that allows independence and creativity. I would say that my negotiating skills are my strongest area. My skills are a result of knowing my market and how to apply that knowledge and proper negotiating pressures.
What behavior or personality trait do you most attribute your success to, and why? I believe I am a pretty likable person and that allows me to get meetings with decision makers. Once in a meeting, I call on presentation skills developed over the years to receive an assignment.
VEGAS CHAMBER JUNE 2020 BUSINESS VOICE
23
A Snapshot in an Uncertain Time: Insight from Jeremy Aguero, Applied Analysis Vegas Chamber President and CEO Mary Beth Sewald had the opportunity to speak with Jeremy Aguero, principal analyst at Applied Analysis, in the midst of the state shutdown for many businesses. Aguero shares his thoughts on several perspectives during this uniquely difficult time. Mary Beth Sewald (MBS): The global impact of COVID-19 has affected every inch of our state. What is your perspective on how it has affected Nevada? Jeremy Aguero (JA): It’s amazing how quickly our economic situation has changed, both nationally and here in Nevada, and most certainly here in southern Nevada, in terms of the economic condition itself. Obviously the most notable thing we’ve seen is the dramatic increase in unemployment insurance claims right now with an excess of 330,000, actually higher than that as of today, which means were sitting between 20 and 30 percent unemployment on the state of Nevada, which is remarkable and, in many ways, unprecedented in our state’s modern history. That means a lot a lot of folks out of work a lot of paychecks being missed and I think it’s creating a lot of anxiety around you know how we sort of make our way back out of this economic situation.
I think incredible efforts have been made over the past decade to diversify our economy. You all have been very involved; your colleagues have been involved around the state and those have been relatively successful. We remain one of the least
24
BUSINESS VOICE JUNE 2020 VEGAS CHAMBER
diversified states and least diversified economies of our size in the United States today. Tourism is to Las Vegas, even greater in Las Vegas, [as] what auto manufacturing is in Detroit; what aerospace is in Seattle; or music or entertainment is in Nashville. Thirty percent of our workforce is in leisure and hospitality. It’s roughly about half of our economy when you start to add up all of the supplier impacts. [The tourism] industry is stopped right now and the economic implications of that, I think, are formidable and staggering to anyone that takes time to look at them. MBS: What might
be some specific strategies to curve that economic damage to Nevada? JA: There are
economic strategies that we might think of during a normal economic downturn. There are a whole different set of economic strategies when we’re talking about a 20 to 30 percent unemployment rate. But it’s going to be about creating opportunities to get people back to work. I want to be clear about this: I differentiate
between economic development and economic diversification. I think our primary focus probably needs to be on economic development right now.
I think that when you start to look at things like, autonomy in businesses, I think you may see a lot more of that.
How do we get the businesses that are in Nevada back open and running? How do we get confidence back in our tourism industry? How do we get supply chains back open and how do we get people back to work? That should be our fundamental focus, in terms of getting businesses that are already here back open. That’s the greatest opportunity we’re going to
MBS: Some of our own business practices that we’re
doing now are out of necessity and we’re going to keep doing them because they’re more effective more efficient it’s a lot cheaper to do things in some of the ways that we are right now, so some of the things were going to continue doing because they’re now a best practice. JA: I think that is a wonderful thing. Again, just
borrowing something from the Great Recession again, I cannot tell you how many companies I talked to during the Great Recession that once things started to go down, when they got really bad, they made these cuts and almost
have to put people back to work. Beyond that, I think that there are countless opportunities where businesses can do better here than maybe they could somewhere else. MBS: What kind of shifts do you see in the
economy happening; is there an emerging industry that you see coming out of this? JA: I always go back to my grandmother and she
was a product of the Great Depression, at least her parents lived through that pretty significantly. There were certain things that she did: Finishing all the food on her plate or kind of hoarding a lot of stuff. To be perfectly honest, she didn’t want to throw anything away, and that was a product of her upbringing. Let’s look at how things have changed as a result of this. Delivery service is normal, working from home, more telecommuting, more [virtual] conferences. I don’t know about you, but when all this started, that was terribly uncomfortable. I still don’t like it a whole heck of a lot, but I’ve gotten a whole lot more accustom to it and I think a lot of other folks have.
everything that they did they were able to find efficiency in payroll and processes. They were able to buy things for less than they did before and then you are sort of forced to ask the question: Why weren’t we doing all of that when things were good? Because maybe the time and attention weren’t focused there. But having that time and attention to focus on some of those things and deciding, ‘hey, maybe our priorities need to be a little bit more different; maybe our processes can be a little bit more efficient than they were before, and that is something we should keep and take into the recovery.’ To view the full interview with Jeremy Aguero, visit VegasChamber.com.
I think when you look at it, is the office market going to be the same as it was before? What about delivery services for a retailer? What about telemedicine? VEGAS CHAMBER JUNE 2020 BUSINESS VOICE
25
READY SET OPEN LAGUNA PRODUCTIONS IS
PROUD AND HONORED TO PARTNER WITH THE VEGAS CHAMBER VIDEO - FILM - WEB DESIGN - SEO - DRONE - MUSIC - ANIMATION WE’RE HERE FOR YOU CREATIVE - INNOVATIVE - ON TIME LET US HELP GUIDE YOU THROUGH YOUR NEXT PRODUCTION NO MATTER WHAT SIZE OR BUDGET
A COMPELLING VIDEO OR ONLINE PRESENCE HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN RIGHT NOW DOUG MOMARY 702-596-7759
WWW.LAGUNAPRODUCTIONS.NET
26
BUSINESS VOICE JUNE 2020 VEGAS CHAMBER
Prepared by the U.S. CHAMBER OF C OMMERC E
GUIDE TO
PPP LOAN FORGIVENESS Under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) created by the CARES Act, loans may be forgiven if borrowers use the proceeds to maintain their payrolls and pay other specified expenses. The Treasury Department and Small Business Administration recently released the application form and instructions for loan forgiveness. The forgiveness forms, instructions, and worksheets can be downloaded here. PPP borrowers must apply for loan forgiveness with the lender that processed the loan. This guide is designed to help borrowers understand the process by which their loan forgiveness amount will be calculated and the overall approach of the loan forgiveness process.
TH ANK YOU TO OU R PR E S E N T I N G PA RT N E R
HOW MUCH will be forgiven? The process to calculate the amount of loan forgiveness requires three steps: 1. Determine the maximum amount of possible loan forgiveness based on the borrower’s expenditures during the 8 weeks after the loan is made; 2. Determine the amount, if any, by which the maximum loan forgiveness will be reduced because of reduced employment or reduced salaries and wages; and 3. Apply the 75% rule that requires that at least 75% of eligible loan forgiveness expenses go towards payroll costs.
1
Determine the maximum amount of possible loan forgiveness 1A. Expenses Qualifying for Loan Forgiveness: The following expenses incurred or paid by the borrower during the 8 weeks following loan origination (see below for determining the 8-week period) are eligible for forgiveness: • Payroll Expenses, defined as: • Compensation (not exceeding $15,385 per employee) in the form of: gross salary, gross wages, gross commissions, and gross tips, vacation, parental, family, medical, or sick leave (other than leave for which the employer was reimbursed under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act), and allowance for separation or dismissal; • Employer contribution for employee group health care coverage; • Employer contribution for employee retirement plans; and • Payment of state and local taxes assessed on compensation of employees. Note: For an independent contractor or sole proprietor, payroll costs only include wages, commissions, income, or net earnings from self-employment, or similar compensation. • Non-Payroll Expenses, defined as: • Mortgage interest payments for the business on real or personal property (debt incurred before February 15, 2020); • Rent or lease payments for the business on real or personal property (lease in force before February 15, 2020); and • Utility payments for the business for electricity, gas, water, transportation, telephone, or internet access (service began before February 15, 2020). Note: For an independent contractor or sole proprietor, you must have claimed or be entitled to claim a deduction for these expenses on your 2019 Form 1040 Schedule C in order to claim them as expenses eligible for PPP loan forgiveness in 2020
1B. Identifying Your 8-Week Period: The 8-week period during which expenses must be incurred or paid: • The 8 weeks (56 days) beginning on the day the PPP loan was disbursed or • For borrowers with a biweekly (or more frequent) payroll schedule, the 8 weeks (56 days) beginning on the first day of the first pay period following the PPP loan disbursement. Tip: If you are using an online date calculator, remember to count the date of the disbursement of the loan as part of the 56 days. For example, if the loan was disbursed on April 20, the last day of the 56 days would be June 14). Prepared by the U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
2
Determine the amount, if any, by which the maximum loan forgiveness will be reduced 2A. Determine loan forgiveness reduction based on a reduction in salaries or wages of more than 25%: For employees who earned $100,000 or less in 2019 (or were not employed by the borrower in 2019), the borrower’s loan forgiveness will be reduced for each employee whose average pay (salary or hourly wage) during the 8-week period is less than 75% of their average pay from January 1 to March 31, 2020. The amount of the reduction in loan forgiveness is based on the amount of the reduction in pay. Safe Harbor: Borrowers can avoid having their loan forgiveness amount reduced if they restore an employee’s pay. Specifically, if the employee’s annual salary or hourly wage on June 30, 2020 is equal to or greater than their annual salary or hourly wage on February 15, 2020, the borrower’s loan forgiveness is not reduced.
2B. Determine loan forgiveness reduction based on a reduction in the average number of employees. The borrower’s loan forgiveness will be reduced if the average number of weekly full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) during the 8-week period is less than the average number of FTEs during the borrowers chosen reference period. Borrowers can choose between the following reference periods: • February 15 to June 30, 2019, • January 1 to February 29, 2020, or • In the case of a seasonal employer a consecutive 12-week period between May 1 and September 15, 2019 Exceptions: Borrowers will not be penalized for any FTE reductions if either of the following occurred: • The borrower made a good-faith, written offer to rehire the employee during the 8-week period that was rejected by the employee • The employee was fired for cause, voluntarily resigned, or voluntarily requested a reduction in hours
3
Apply the 75% Rule A borrower’s maximum loan amount could also be reduced if the borrower’s eligible nonpayroll expenses exceed 25% of the total eligible expenses. The maximum eligible loan forgiveness is payroll expenses divided by 0.75. Example: If your payroll expenses for the 8-week period equal $75,000, your loan forgiveness cannot exceed $100,000. Any more than $100,000 would mean your non-payroll expenses represent more than 25 percent of the total forgiveness amount
LOAN FORGIVENESS AMOUNT
Borrowers’ loan forgiveness will equal the smallest of the following: 1.
Your PPP loan amount
2. The maximum loan forgiveness amount from Step 1 less any reductions from Step 2 3. The maximum loan forgiveness amount where eligible payroll expenses equals or exceeds 75% of the total forgiveness (i.e. your eligible payroll expenses ÷ 0.75)
Prepared by the U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
What happens to loan amounts NOT FORGIVEN? For any loan amounts not forgiven, the original loan terms—two-year maximum loan at 1% interest rate with payments deferred for the first six months—will apply. There are no prepayment penalties or fees.
What are the record keeping REQUIREMENTS? Borrowers will be required to submit certain documentation with their loan forgiveness application: Payroll Documents:
• Bank account statement or third-party payroll service provider reports documenting cash compensation paid to employees,
• Tax forms or equivalent third-party payroll service provider
reports for periods overlapping with the 8-week period for: (1) payroll tax filings (typically Form 941), and (2) state quarterly wage reporting and unemployment insurance tax filings, and
• Payment receipts, cancelled checks, or account statements
documenting payment of employer contributions to employee health insurance and retirement plan.
Full-Time Employees (FTEs):
• Documentation showing the number of FTEs for the reference period from Step 2. Documents may include payroll tax filings (typically Form 941) and state quarterly wage reporting and unemployment insurance tax filings.
Nonpayroll Expenses:
• Business mortgage interest payments: amortization schedule and cancelled checks or lender account statements from February 2020 and covering the 8-week period.
• Business rent and lease payments: Copy of current lease and
receipts or cancelled checks or lessor account statements from February 2020 and covering the 8-week period.
• Business utility payments: Copy of invoices from February
2020 and the 8-week period and receipts, cancelled checks, or account statements
Prepared by the U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
POTENTIAL CONGRESSIONAL CHANGES Congress is currently considering a number of changes to the PPP program, including eliminating the 75% rule and extending the 8-week period to up to 24 weeks. However, enactment of these changes is not guaranteed. Until any changes are enacted into law or until the Treasury Department and SBA change any regulations and guidance, the current rules apply to all borrowers.
WHERE INSPIRATION MEETS ENTERTAINMENT! Watch Movies, Short Films & T.V. Shows.
WATCH FREE ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!
GET STARTED TODAY AT WWW.WYNNNETWORK.COM
Chamber News Vegas Chamber, Switch, LVMPD Foundation, and ItsOnMe Build Successful Partnership: “Switch To Kindness!” Last month, the Vegas Chamber created an opportunity to support local businesses while honoring heroes. The “Switch to Kindness” campaign gives you the ability to drive revenue to a local business by purchasing a gift card. You may give the electronic gift card to a friend or colleague, or you can donate it to a first responder through our partnership with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation. Go to VegasChamber.com for more details.
Vegas Chamber Offering Free Memberships This is the last month to take advantage of the free memberships from the Vegas Chamber is giving out. Membership expires on June 30, but being an affiliate member might be what your business needs this summer. For more information, contact Will Ochoa at wochoa@vegaschamber.com
Customer Service Excellence Awards Goes Virtual The Vegas Chamber and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, with the help of KTNV-TV Channel 13 Action News is honoring all of our first and second quarter nominees for their dedication to great customer service. This is our opportunity to recognize our Customer Service Excellence stars! We invite you and your guests to celebrate your service and commitment to the Las Vegas Valley. Please join us to be honored on Friday, June 12 at 10 a.m. at Facebook.com/ KTNVLasVegas/ for our first-ever virtual celebration.
Christopher Crooks, New Vice Chair of Military Affairs Committee Christopher Cooks has accepted the position of vice chair for the Military Affairs Committee at the Vegas Chamber. Christopher Crooks was appointed senior managing director at Newmark Knight Frank in 2018. Crooks and his team help tenants, property owners and developers of office and industrial buildings make strategic decisions that are critical to the success of their operations. Acting as a non-budgetary real estate department, the team's high-level strategic process is designed to assist their clients in making educated decisions to maximize the value of their leased or owned real estate. Crooks' involvement in the Military Affairs Committee has been second-to-none and the entire committee and Chamber is excited to see what he will do in his new role. Morning Chamber Connections Going Virtual in Wake of COVID-19 Coffee and Connections, formerly the morning version of Chamber Connections, is going virtual to elicit the maximum involvement from community members during this COVID-19 crisis. This event is great for business professionals interested in expanding their network and optimizing their chamber membership. In addition to quality networking time, each event will feature two speakers: a member selected from the event prior, and a Vegas Chamber team member. If you have any questions or are interested in bringing a guest, email Lita Stein at lstein@vegaschamber.com. Your Last Chance: Leadership Advance Applications Due in July! Time is running out to apply for the 2020 class of Leadership Advance. Applications are due on July 24. Leadership Advance is tailored specifically for emerging leaders searching to enhance their leadership skills with hands-on leadership training, while also learning about the inner workings of Las Vegas. For more information on Leadership Advance, visit leadership.vegas or call 702.641.5822.
32
BUSINESS VOICE JUNE 2020 VEGAS CHAMBER
Local journalism makes a difference.
Nicole Raz
The Oct. 1 shooting left 58 dead, and injured more than 700. For many, that meant losing financial support in addition to a loved one. For others, it meant temporarily losing the ability to work because of physical or emotional trauma, or both. The tragedy sparked a desire to help the affected recover from the financial impact. A GoFundMe account was launched just hours after the shooting. Local businesses announced donations or plans to hold fundraising events. But in the days that followed, I discovered the fundraising effort was disorganized and key questions about how the money would be distributed had yet to be addressed. Within a week, more than $15 million had been donated, but the money was spread over several accounts and it was unclear how much would go directly to the intended recipients. My reporting helped highlight the lack of financial resources available to victims of crime, and helped hundreds of people navigate the financial resources available.
Las Vegas Review-Journal Digital-Only Subscriptions Unlimited Web, Mobile And E-Edition Access
Introductory Offer 99¢ Per Month For First 2 Months Cancel Anytime.
Help a Business Thank a Hero Vegas Chamber Launches Switch to Kindness! Gift Card Program Supporting Local Businesses & First Responders Partnership with Switch, LVMPD Foundation & ItsOnMe®️ will infuse much-needed cash to help small businesses Switch to Kindness! offers a one-stop shop platform to purchase* electronic gift cards from local businesses, which will then be distributed to Southern Nevada first responders by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Foundation.
Buy gift cards & get details at VegasChamber.com *Five percent processing fee applies
Reviewjournal.com/Subscribe
Advance Your Leadership Skills - Become a Better Leader Great organizational leadership doesn’t just happen; it comes from investing in training to develop the skills that make great leaders. Research shows that companies that invest in quality leadership training are more likely to have a positive company culture that motivates employees at all levels to achieve greater results. Leadership Advance is a 5-month leadership skills training program that is tailored specifically to professionals wanting to enhance their leadership abilities and advance their careers. The leadership training is facilitated by Aegis Learning, a Las Vegas-based company with more than 25 years of experience in creating and delivering learning solutions and leadership training for organizations of all sizes, including Fortune 500 companies. During the program, class members gain extensive experience and insights into their own leadership strengths, and grow in understanding effective leadership, communication, and organizational management. Topics include:
• • • • • • • • • • •
Strategic decision-making Problem solving Accountability Managing vs. leading Building a vision Setting and achieving goals Relationship building Motivating teams Emotional intelligence Talent pipeline management Communication * Productive conflict vs. fruitless conflict * Influencing at all levels of a company with impact * How to conduct difficult conversations * Collaboration * Delegation
The class meets once a month for five consecutive months for 10 session days. Because of COVID-19, class will meet twice per month via Zoom. Sessions will be from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Class begins Friday, Aug. 7, and concludes in December. The program will be offered again February through June 2021. The cost for the program is $795 for Vegas Chamber members; $895 for non-members. For more information or to enroll: https://bit.ly/36SeHgy
34
BUSINESS VOICE JUNE 2020 VEGAS CHAMBER
Compliments of:
For more information contact:
suzanne@nevadadrugcard.com
Proud Supporter of:
Learn more at
NEVADADRUGCARD.COM
and get your Free Prescription Savings Coupon Card
This drug savings program will grant funds to local CMN Hospitals to help kids within the communities they do business.
JUNE 2020
Customer Service Excellence: Facebook Live with KTNV-TV Channel 13 Friday, June 12 10 - 10:15 a.m.
We're In This Together Free Short-Term Memberships Now Available
The Vegas Chamber and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, with the help of KTNV-TV Channel 13 Action News is honoring all of first and second quarter nominees for their dedication to great customer service. This is our opportunity to recognize our Customer Service Excellence stars! We invite you and your guests to celebrate your service and commitment to the Las Vegas Valley.
Register at VegasChamber.com For more information, visit VegasChamber.com