For Michael Newman, managing general partner for Colliers Nevada, working with the community is an important aspect of his career. So important in fact, he said he owes much of his success to his off-the-job involvement. Newman is very involved with community events, industry groups and his children's activities, and still finds time to manage one of the largest providers of … [Read more...] about Colliers International Executive Promotes Community Involvement

In business, there are two primary ways to pursue profit. One is by pulling in more money, the other is by putting out less money. Sometimes you cannot cut an expense item, but you can often get more from it and thus increase your profits. For this reason, you should always use percentages when analyzing expenses rather than actual dollar amounts. For example, if you increase … [Read more...] about FIVE TIPS TO DECREASE BUSINESS COSTS: Decrease Expenses and Watch the Bottom Line Grow

Kenneth G. Ladd, President of U.S. Bank Nevada, is also the incoming chairman of the Nevada Development Authority (NDA), the first point of contact for businesses relocating or expanding to southern Nevada. In both positions, he faces challenges, but also sees tremendous growth potential. Headquartered in Minneapolis, U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB) is the nation’s 11th largest … [Read more...] about U.S. BANK: U.S. Bank President Takes On Community Challenges

BANKING & FINANCE BankWest of Nevada has promoted Laura Bergren to assistant vice president/BankCard services officer, responsible for management of the bank’s merchant services program, automatic teller machines, debit cards and credit cards. She has worked for BankWest since its inception in 1994. Kim Sebesian has been promoted to assistant vice president/central … [Read more...] about People On The Move

A recent political mailer sent out in a Clark County Commission race has again inflamed the issue of negative campaigning. The brochure, mailed by the Service Trades Council of Southern Nevada against Commissioner Mary Kincaid, included graphic images of injured and sick children. It was done to illustrate Kincaid’s vote against building a county-funded children’s hospital. … [Read more...] about Does Negative Campaigning Produce Positive Results?

Few areas of the tax law include more tax opportunities - and tax traps - than deductions for business travel. Complex rules often leave taxpayers confused and in search of answers and advice. The Nevada Society of CPAs maps out some of the frequently asked questions regarding deductions for business travel. What travel casts away from home are deductible? The actual cost … [Read more...] about MAPPING OUT YOUR BUSINESS TRAVEL EXPENSES: CAN PUT YOU ON THE ROAD TO A TAX DEDUCTION

There have been many technological breakthroughs in Nevada in the past year and though they are just coming into the public’s attention, it has taken years for such projects to come to fruition and much hard work from individuals who had a vision and enough drive to bring it to reality. Itronics, Inc. Following a 12-year, $6 million research effort, Dr. James Whitney created … [Read more...] about NEVADA INNOVATORS: Scientific Breakthroughs Spell Success for Nevada Businesses

Four years ago, I jumped ship. After years of private practice, I became in-house counsel for a Las Vegas based company. The practice of law for a privately held company is worlds apart from practicing for a firm. First, the time spent focused on billable hours moves from every waking minute to an afterthought at best. Second, winning and losing take on a whole different … [Read more...] about A View from the Other Side

The retirement plan of choice for many employers is the 401(k) plan. Although they may vary in form from employer to employer, 401(k) plans in general are a means to provide employees with an effective retirement savings vehicle, while giving employers a benefit program to attract and retain loyal workers. Financial planners realize that employees need to do three things in … [Read more...] about Employers Find Financial Planning Services Give Boost to 401(k) Plans

I recently invited a number of legislative leaders to my office to lay out for them our revenue projections and my budget priorities for the upcoming legislative session. Prior to the meeting, I had publicly stated my three budget "superpriorities." They are education; the health, safety, and welfare of Nevada’s citizens; and pay raises, training, and benefits for Nevada state … [Read more...] about FUNDAMENTAL REVIEW ALLOWS FOR STATE EMPLOYEE PAY RAISES

Some things do grow in the desert. Take, for example, the entrepreneurial spirit that has been cropping up all over Nevada, giving way to a rash of small businesses in recent years. As independent companies continue to bear fruit, one thing is becoming glaringly clear: When you want to get your own business off the ground, it is crucial to avoid the … [Read more...] about The Business of Starting a Business in Nevada

When the average person connects to the Internet, all he or she wants is to see a message saying, "You’ve Got Mail." Most people don’t know or care how the message got to them, how many miles of cables and lines it traveled through to get to their computer, or how many times it was switched from one carrier to another before it got there. They just want to get information … [Read more...] about Colocation Gateways: Providing Secure Space for Hi-Tech Companies

St. Rose Dominican Hospital opened its second full-service, acute care facility in southern Nevada with a dedication ceremony and open house on June 23. Located at Eastern Avenue and St. Rose Parkway (formerly Lake Mead Drive), the Siena Campus offers a comprehensive range of hospital services in an attractive, patient-friendly setting. The $100 million facility currently … [Read more...] about St. Rose Dominican Hospital Opens Siena Campus