The data continue to tell the story of an economic recession, or more stated differently—“No Toto, we are not in Kansas.” In short, Nevada no longer enjoys the benefits of growth and its citizens finds themselves grappling with the economic hardships of the worst recession since the 1930s. Looking at year-ago percentage changes, one sees a clear pattern—negative signs for … [Read more...] about August 2009: Business Indicators
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
“I actually wanted to be a doctor, I think because it was clear exactly what they did. For sure, the helping people part appealed to me.” Tara Young • Owner/Managing Partner, Law Office of Tara Young, P.C. “I wanted to be a Veterinarian until I saw a cat get surgery.” Emmet Scott • Owner, Entrepreneur Advisors “I wanted to be a singer and songwriter a la James … [Read more...] about What did you want to be when you were a kid?
Legislature Taxes Business To Make Ends Meet: Tax package to affect thousands of jobs
June 1, 2009 brought good news and bad news. The bad news was that business was taxed once again to pay for the shortfall in the state budget. The good news was that there wasn’t much more bad news. Before the session started, legislators knew they would have to come up with around $3 billion to balance expenditures and projected revenues over the next biennium. After … [Read more...] about Legislature Taxes Business To Make Ends Meet: Tax package to affect thousands of jobs
Best Companies To Work For: Nevada’s employers find innovative ways to take care of employees in a down economy
With unemployment rates in excess of 11 percent and people throughout Nevada spending their days filling out employment applications, 2009 is definitely an employers market. However, smart employers realize the pendulum will swing in the other direction and strive to create work environments that create loyalty among team members. Nevada Business Magazine’s annual quest for … [Read more...] about Best Companies To Work For: Nevada’s employers find innovative ways to take care of employees in a down economy
Breathing New Life Into Arts: Can Nevada’s arts and culture organizations survive the economy?
When the 2009 Nevada Legislature approved a painful 43 percent budget cut for arts and culture around the state, arts organizations, for the most part, took it in stride. “In a way, in the arts world, we hurt ourselves, because we’re so used to doing more with less,” says Jill Berryman, executive director of Sierra Arts Foundation, the local arts agency for Reno and … [Read more...] about Breathing New Life Into Arts: Can Nevada’s arts and culture organizations survive the economy?
Industry Focus: Alternative Energy
Recently executives representing the alternative energy industry met at the law offices of Holland & Hart, LLP in Reno. Alternative energy is not a new topic; as early as the 1950’s Bell Labs had developed a solar cell capable of operating electrical appliances. However, the pace has picked up, and virtually everyday there are new methods, applications, incentives, and … [Read more...] about Industry Focus: Alternative Energy
Playing with the PERS: Lawmakers should not seek to influence investment decisions
Constitutional provisions prohibit the Nevada Legislature from dictating how money in the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) is invested. However, in the final days of the recent legislative session, state lawmakers passed a law attempting to do exactly that. Assembly Bill 493 would require NV PERS to delineate the portion of its investments maintained in companies … [Read more...] about Playing with the PERS: Lawmakers should not seek to influence investment decisions
July 2009: Around the State
Small Business Lending On the Rise According the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), small business lending has increased more than 25 percent compared to the weeks prior to the passage of the ARRA legislation. “Experts say our unemployment and real estate indicators should start to improve in the coming months,” commented John Scott, SBA’s Nevada District Director. … [Read more...] about July 2009: Around the State
SIOR: Nevada Chapter: Society of Industrial and Office Realtors
Dear Friends and Colleagues, As 2009 President, I invite you to take a few moments to peruse the following pages, which highlight the Nevada Chapter of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) in a special supplement to the Nevada Business Magazine. Inside these pages, you will meet some of Nevada’s top brokers whose high level performance and unwavering ethical … [Read more...] about SIOR: Nevada Chapter: Society of Industrial and Office Realtors
Leadership Development: How good leaders deliver bad news during tough times
In a time when the business world faces falling profits resulting in budget cuts, layoffs, salary decreases, benefit reductions and never-ending bad news from Wall Street, leaders are faced with the immense challenge of navigating their organization and team through these unchartered waters. It is more important now than ever to create a corporate culture that embraces … [Read more...] about Leadership Development: How good leaders deliver bad news during tough times
The Power of Outsourcing Healthcare
As businesses continue to streamline processes and run leaner than ever before, there are some service sectors that are seeing growth and business opportunities – outsourced service companies. Among a handful of industries transitioning services to outsourced personnel is healthcare – particularly when it comes to patient billing. It’s hardly a surprise that the healthcare … [Read more...] about The Power of Outsourcing Healthcare
Craig Willcut: United Construction
President & CEO Las Vegas & Reno, NV Number of Employees: 70 Years in Nevada: 31 Years with Company: 10 Describe your leadership style: My style is to inspire my team to reach obtainable goals while I work alongside them to do the same. I don’t ask anything from my team that I wouldn’t do myself. Biggest Business Challenge: The market is constantly … [Read more...] about Craig Willcut: United Construction
Industrial: A Challenging Market
The credit crisis, economic recession, negative job growth, high unemployment rates and a recovering residential industry all are wreaking havoc on Nevada’s industrial real estate market. Consumer confidence and spending are down. Numerous businesses have downsized, tabled expansion plans or closed. “The market, which historically has been geared for growth, now is dealing … [Read more...] about Industrial: A Challenging Market
Successful Family Business Planning
Business owners face a myriad of decisions every day; decisions that affect the future of their family, as well as their businesses. Not only do business owners face the challenges of running business today, but also must anticipate future challenges related to business and management succession, estate taxes and liquidity, death and disability. These challenges take on even … [Read more...] about Successful Family Business Planning
Retail Summary: First Quarter 2009
Las Vegas During the first quarter of 2009, the Las Vegas commercial retail sector posted its second quarter of negative net absorption and a record-high vacancy rate. Demand turned negative as a number of retail stores closed their doors and a significant amount of space entered the market. Selected retail closings included Circuit City stores, Great Indoors in Boca … [Read more...] about Retail Summary: First Quarter 2009