Feature Stories - January 2002

The Best of Nevada Business

Recognizing Our Unsung Heroes

by Kathleen Foley

In October, thousands of faxes and e-mails were sent to businesspeople across Nevada, asking them to participate in a search for the "Best of the Nevada Business," in categories ranging from "Best Boss" to "Best Computer Geek" to "Most Fun Place to Work." Responses poured in, especially in the "Best Boss" category, which seemed to inspire reactions from many employees who felt their bosses were the greatest. It was heartening to hear so many positive comments about the relationships between employers and staff, the camaraderie enjoyed by groups of people thrown together by chance in a workplace, and the spirit of teamwork that helps Nevada businesses grow and prosper. Although the business of business is all about the bottom line, it brought up the important point that human beings working together shoulder-to-shoulder are the ones who make it all happen. We are happy to bring you the Best of Nevada Business, and to offer congratulations to those whose efforts often go unrecognized.

BEST BOSS

John Guedry

President/CEO

Business Bank of Nevada, Las Vegas and Carson City

Business Bank of Nevada, with three branches in Southern Nevada and one in Carson City, is a full-service commercial bank founded in 1995. The bank’s total assets currently exceed $195 million, making it one of the state’s fastest-growing independent banks. John Guedry was appointed as its president and CEO in February 2000, and also serves as senior banking executive for community and civic activities. The bank’s staff of 68 respecte Guedry enough to nominate him as "Best Boss." Some of the comments received about him include: "John is the kind of boss everybody should have the privilege of working for…He is the kind of boss who lets you reach your full potential by empowering you with decision-making authority…Even though he is the president, he treats everyone as an equal and respects their opinions…He provides positive feedback about your job performance on a regular basis and gives credit where credit is due." A native of New Orleans, Guedry moved to Las Vegas with his family in 1974. He graduated from UNLV with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and has experience in banks and title companies in California and Nevada. He and his wife Debra have been married for 16 years and have two daughters, Jennifer and Jaclyn. He is actively involved in a number of civic and community groups, including Leadership Las Vegas, Walk to Cure Diabetes, Women’s Development Center and UNLV President’s Association.

BEST ROLE MODEL

Lindsey Jydstrup

Executive Director

Democratic Legislative Caucus (statewide)

Lindsey Jydstrup has directed the activities of the Democratic Legislative Caucus in Nevada since 1995. She works with Democratic candidates for the Nevada State Assembly and Senate during the campaign season and with Democratic incumbents in both houses when the Legislature is in session. Jydstrup, who is the owner of Jydstrup Communications, has covered all aspects of campaign work, including field operations, electronic media, direct mail, fundraising and campaign strategy development. Said Assemblyman David Goldwater, who nominated her for this award, "Lindsey Jydstrup works throughout the weekend, day and night, treating 36 prima donnas like her own children. She is a confidant of U.S. senators and congressmen and a tender friend to a part-time volunteer." Goldwater and Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins both praised Jydstrup as a role model for other working mothers. "Andrea (15) and Jay (12) rarely miss the sight of their mother at a softball or basketball game," said Goldwater. "A powerful figure in the middle of a major crisis will be put on hold so Lindsey can offer her undivided attention to one of her ‘darling angels’ when they need her." According to Perkins, "If more people balanced their lives like Lindsey in order to provide a better Nevada for their children, we’d all be better off."

BEST ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Lorraine Krasner

Administrative Assistant

Alzheimers Association of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas

Lorraine Krasner has worked as administrative assistant to Myra Davis, executive director of the Alzheimers Association, since 1999. "Lorraine is our lifeline to sanity," said Davis in her nomination letter. "She does it all in a manner that makes all of us look good at the work we do." Like many hard-working administrative assistants who keep the wheels of their organizations running without getting much public recognition, Krasner is the first one in the office at 7 a.m. and often stays till 7 p.m. to make sure everything gets done. She coordinates the non-profit office’s help line, oversees fiscal obligations, processes payroll for its five employees, fills in at fundraisers and community health fairs, creates brochures and "does anything that needs to be done," as she put it. Krasner said she "fell in love with the job" once she realized the great need that existed for services to elderly people and their families. "Everybody watches out for children," she noted. "But the elderly need people to speak up for them, too." She often enlists the help of her "supportive" husband to assist with projects at the office. The couple has one daughter, currently working at a local law firm and planning to attend law school at UNLV.

BEST COMPUTER GEEK (IN A NON-TECHNICAL FIRM)

Dave Maloney

Network/Systems Administrator

Poggemeyer Design Group, Inc., Las Vegas

Employees at Poggemeyer Design Group, an engineering and landscape architecture firm, mounted an impressive write-in campaign to have Dave Maloney declared the winner in this category. Here are samples of some of their comments: "He never makes you feel stupid for not knowing something, like many computer people do…Jack of all trades and mastered them all…He supports the Poggemeyer team whenever asked, whether it be work week or weekend…He is knowledgeable, helpful and patient…The best part is, he is not a geek!" Like many computer people, he has become accustomed to working irregular hours when necessary. Maloney recently had to update the AutoCADD software on all the computers in the office, which required him to stay late and come in on weekends. He has worked at the firm for four years, and said he enjoys showing people how to do computer-related tasks faster and more efficiently. His duties include troubleshooting computer problems, installing and updating hardware and software, recommending new software programs and customizing the AutoCADD software to fit Poggemeyer’s needs. Maloney has been married for two years and spends his spare time making improvements to his new house, including working on landscaping projects.

BEST SALESPERSON

Brent T. Davis

Senior Vice President, Investment Services

Trammell Crow Company, Reno

With average annual sales of $20 million per year for the past 11 years, Brent Davis of the Trammell Crow Company is definitely a salesman’s salesman. In the competitive world of brokerage and financing of income-producing real estate, he has managed to rise above the pack. A native of Atlanta, Davis has called Nevada home since 1978 and has been with Trammell Crow since 1998. He is responsible for the acquisition and disposition of investment properties, primarily in the Reno/Sparks area, for private, corporate and institutional clients. He also assists in developing Trammell Crow commercial projects such as Sierra Corporate Center and Sierra Town Center. Last summer, he negotiated the sale of the Vista Distribution Center, a 1.145 million-square-foot warehousing and distribution complex in Sparks. The sale represents the largest single-property transaction ever brokered in Northern Nevada, and a "personal best" for Davis. A competitive and intense person by his own admission, Davis has a modest side, too. "I just try to do the best I can in whatever I undertake," he states. Davis is a licensed commercial pilot who enjoys flying, skiing and tennis. He is a member of the Reno Downtown Improvement Association and a director of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN).

BEST TEAM PLAYER

Susan Miller

Receptionist

Realty Executives of Nevada, Las Vegas

Susan Miller has been employed with Realty Executives for the past seven years as a receptionist for the multi-office, full-service real estate agency. Her duties include handling incoming phone calls, welcoming guests to the office, training new clerical employees and "any and all duties that come her way each day," according to Soozi Jones, a commercial agent at the firm. "Susan always has a smile and something nice to say about each and every person who walks through the door," said Jones. "Her cheerfulness and positive attitude rubs off on those around her and makes the office a much happier place." Jones said she can always tell which employees were trained by Miller, because they learn some of her positive spirit and "can-do attitude." Miller said, "It’s not just about me. We’re a great team here. Everybody helps everybody else. People have different personalities and quirks, and I feel it’s up to me to find out their good qualities, to smile and go the extra mile. Realtors have very stressful jobs, so if I can help somebody out, I’ll do it." Miller, a native of England, has three grown children and two grandchildren. Hobbies include reading, browsing through bookstores and doing beauty makeovers for friends and family.

MOST FUN TO WORK WITH

Steve Page

Operations Trainer

Nevada Power Company Reid Gardner Station, Moapa

"I always wanted to be an entertainer when I was a kid," said Steve Page. "I finally found a way to do it." As a trainer for Nevada Power Company, Page is in charge of instructing employees in workplace safety, equipment maintenance and other subjects guaranteed to send most people straight to dreamland. After years of experience as a trainer with a Utah company, Page came to the Reid Gardner plant four years ago with a theory he was eager to try out. "If they’re entertained, they’ll pay more attention and learn better," he said. "I was lucky that management was willing to try new ways of doing things in order to achieve success." The Reid Gardner plant near Moapa employs 180 people, and runs on a 24-hour schedule, 365 days a year to provide power for Southern Nevada. In order to keep the staff entertained as well as educated, Page employs board games, quizzes based on the Jeopardy TV show, and an occasional song accompanied by his guitar. One of his recent sessions on avoiding workplace accidents was entitled, "Honey, I Blew Up the Boiler." Page, who lives in Mesquite, is married and has three sons, ages 14 to 20.

BEST PROFESSIONALLY-DRESSED MAN

Kevin Higgins

Senior Vice President

CB Richard Ellis, Las Vegas

BEST PROFESSIONALLY-DRESSED WOMAN

Evelyn Hollins

Director, Training and Performance

Sierra Pacific Resources, Las Vegas and Reno

Kevin Higgins and Evelyn Hollins will be featured in our February issue as models for business fashions for spring 2002.

COMPANY CATEGORIES:

MOST FUN PLACE TO WORK

Garrett, Marrs & Associates, Ltd., Las Vegas

Who would have guessed that a CPA firm would be voted the most fun place to work? Garrett, Marrs & Associates, established in 1964, performs audits and reviews, handles business valuations, prepares tax returns for individuals and businesses, provides bookkeeping services and financial planning. As the company’s nomination form admitted, "Accounting can be monotonous, mundane, tedious and downright boring…so it is our ongoing endeavor to find opportunities to have fun, ‘let it all hang out’ and get crazy." Each week, employees enjoy a group lunch together, and the office closes an hour early each Friday so the staff can retire to a favorite bar and grill for what is described as a "mandatory employee happy hour." During tax season, lunch is delivered daily to the overstressed staff, and as soon as the tax deadline passes, they all go out somewhere special for lunch, followed by an adventurous outing. The staff, which ranges in age from 18 to 57, has tried go-cart racing, laser tag, bowling and even roller coaster-riding. Employees also enjoy less stressful activities together, such as going to movies or plays. "Our firm’s philosophy," said partner Lori Marrs, "is to eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow tax season will begin again."

BEST EMPLOYEE PERKS

Bently Nevada Corp., Minden

Photo cut-line: Bently Nevada lets employees borrow sporting equipment for outdoor adventures on 25,00 acres of private land.

Bently Nevada, with 1,200 employees in the Carson Valley, manufactures instruments to monitor vibration and lubrication within machinery, and provides engineering services, software and fundamental rotor dynamic research. The plant offers a full-service cafeteria, an on-site fitness center, a health center for employees and their families, a lactation room for nursing mothers and a recreational facility with accommodations for special events. The employee park includes a softball field, soccer field, basketball court and horseshoe pits. An equipment and tool loan service includes all types of tools and construction equipment for home projects. The firm’s Bently Adventures 4U program allows employees access to 25,000 acres of private land for recreational purposes, including hunting, fishing, camping, mountain biking and other off-road activities. It even loans out the necessary sports equipment. An educational support program reimburses employees for college courses leading to a degree, and the Bently Nevada Engineering Scholarship provides a special class of awards for children of employees. The company sponsors a variety of sports teams, including football, basketball, soccer, bowling, golf, volleyball, BMX, road cycling and mountain biking. It was recently announced that GE Power Systems will acquire the company, but employees are hoping this will not affect the benefits that earned it the honor of "Best Employee Perks."

BEST TEAM SPIRIT

Westward Ho Casino, Las Vegas

With 777 rooms, 1,000 slot machines and 15 blackjack tables, the Westward Ho is no match for the Strip mega-resorts in the size category. However, the little casino has a big heart, and its employees think of themselves as a team. Family owned and operated since the early 1960s, over one third of Westward Ho’s employees have been with the casino for over five years. On any given day, you are likely to see one of the executives or managers working alongside other staff members to get a job done. During Western-themed Grubstakes dinner shows, top executives don red aprons and join the chefs to cook steaks over open-pit grills for customers. Several times a year, when the casino sponsors slot tournaments, the general manager greets each player and cheers along with the employees from different departments who act as tournament referees. "Many times I’ve seen the vice president in charge of food and beverage serving donuts and coffee so our customers don’t have to be kept waiting," said Joanna Evans of the Westward Ho. "Occasionally even our executive chef can be seen serving ice cream when we’re short on help or just to give an employee a break."

Kathleen Foley
Kathleen Foley is a freelance writer based in Southern Nevada.