Best of the Best: Nevada’s Most-Respected CEOs

It takes a special kind of person to develop a strategic plan, run an organization efficiently through good times and bad, build a team of happy and productive employees, and – lest we forget – maintain a balance between business and the rest of life. Making the most profit, having the greatest workplace retention and making a positive difference in the community are all worthy goals, but difficult to accomplish at the same time. We asked our readers to tell us about CEOs who exemplified the best of the breed, and to explain what they had done to earn the respect of their peers. Then we asked a panel of nine judges from the business community to choose the winners in five categories: the Positive Leadership Award, for creating a great workplace environment; the Balancing Act Award, for effectively balancing work and home life; the Survivor Award, for overcoming adversity; the Humanitarian Award, for community involvement; and the 2001 Nevada Most Respected CEO of the Year Award, for the number one, top-notch, most deserving CEO of them all. “And the winners are…”

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2001 Nevada Most Respected CEO Of The Year Award

Winner – Bill Martin, Chairman, President and CEO, Nevada State Bank (statewide)

One secret to Bill Martin’s success is his down-home friendliness and accessibility. He answers his own telephone, insists on being called “Bill” instead of Mr. Martin, and responds to e-mail personally. He keeps his calendar full by attending numerous community events, making contacts and friends wherever he goes. Martin served as the president/CEO of Pioneer Citizens Bank of Nevada from 1989 to 1999. When Pioneer Citizens Bank and Nevada State Bank merged to become Nevada State Bank, he became the chairman, president and CEO of Nevada State Bank. He managed to bring the two organizations together into a cohesive team, despite the differences and banking styles of each institution. Martin believes in communicating with and empowering his employees. His motto is: “Treat others with respect and you will get respect in return.” Martin is proud of treating all his clients on the same level, whether they have $1 in the bank or $1 million.

As spokesman for the bank, Martin appears in radio spots and television commercials, many of them featuring him driving around the state in an armored car. Some of the commercials even tie in with his real life. For example, a customer’s car stalled in the drive-up teller bay at one of the branches when Martin happened to be there. As he was leaving the bank, he noticed the stalled car and immediately pulled his car around, asked what the problem was and responded by hooking his jumper cables up to the stalled vehicle. This real life experience set the groundwork for a commercial in which Martin stops his armored car to help a driver change a flat tire. In one of the radio spots advertising the bank’s supermarket branches, he leaves the bank to clean up a spill in the grocery aisle. While this may seem farfetched to someone who hasn’t met him, it probably wouldn’t surprise someone who knows him well.

Martin is the past president of the Nevada Bankers Association, and was on the board of directors for the Western Independent Bankers Association. He has served on the boards of many charitable and community organizations, including the School/Business Partnership Program, Las Vegas Springs Preserve Foundation, Water Conservation Coalition, Clark County Public Education Foundation, National Conference of Community and Justice (NCCJ), Volunteer Center of Southern Nevada, American Heart Association, United Way of Southern Nevada and Opportunity Village. He is the chairman of the board of the Nevada Development Capital Corporation and serves on the board of trustees of the Nevada Development Authority. He is the former chairman of the board for the Greater Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, and serves on many more boards not listed here.

Finalist: Willi Baer – President/CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nevada, Las Vegas

Willi Baer began her career in the nonprofit field as a volunteer for Easter Seals. She moved on to a paid position with Nevada Public Broadcasting, and has also worked for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Aid for Adoption of Special Kids (AASK) and the American Heart Association. She has been the president/CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Nevada since 1993. When Baer started with BBBS, a national mentoring program that matches young people with adult role models, the local organization had three employees, one location and $18,000 in the bank. Today the chapter has four locations, a donation center and over 100 employees. The Nevada chapter was awarded the Team 2000 Hall of Fame Award from the national organization for doubling the number of children served.

In addition to her position at BBBS, Baer has specialized in facilitating strategic planning sessions and board orientations for other organizations. From 1982 to 1996 she taught classes through the UNLV Continuing Education Department on various topics related to nonprofit management and operations. She has facilitated board retreats for local organizations including the Clark County Bar Association, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Better Business Bureau and Temporary Assistance for Domestic Crisis (Safe Nest), and has trained boards across the country. She has served as chair of the Southwest Region of the National Professional Association Leadership Council. Baer is currently chair-elect of the Better Business Bureau and sits on the board of directors of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Business Council.

Finalist: Mark Fine – Managing Partner, Triad Development, Las Vegas and President & CEO, Mark L. Fine & Associates, Las Vegas

Mark Fine came to Nevada in 1973 to become president of a new homebuilding company called American Nevada. Under his leadership, American Nevada turned 8,400 acres of desert into Green Valley, Nevada’s first master-planned community, now home to 60,000 people. As the Green Valley project matured, Fine accepted the challenge to lead another team in developing a large-scale community. He joined the Howard Hughes Corporation as president of Summerlin, which has been the best-selling master-planned community in the U.S. for eight of the past 10 years. Fine is currently president and CEO of Mark L. Fine & Associates, a commercial real estate company specializing in brokerage and consulting. He is also the managing partner of Triad Development, LLC, which is developing Hills Center Business Park I and II in Summerlin. Together with Steve Wynn and Irwin Molasky, Fine is an active partner in the Park Towers luxury high-rise development. Fine was recently awarded the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Community Achievement Award in the area of Real Estate and Land Development.

Since he first arrived in Nevada, Fine has been active in the business community. He has been a member of the executive board for the Nevada Development Authority, has served on the board of the Southern Nevada Strategic Planning Committee and the State of Nevada Tax Commission. He contributes time to Clark County School District activities and has served on many charitable boards, including the Andre Agassi Foundation, Nathan Adelson Hospice, the National Jewish Hospital, Lied Discovery Museum and Youth Charities of Southern Nevada.

Finalist: Marc Furman – Senior Administrative Assistant, Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, Las Vegas

Marc Furman was chosen by our judges as the winner of the Positive Leadership Award, given for creating a positive workplace environment (profiled later in this article). Like the other finalists in the “Most Respected CEO” category, he has many accomplishments in other areas as well. The Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters actually includes five separate local unions and an apprentice training center. He grew the Carpenters Union from 2,500 members in 1996 to more than 9,500 in 2001. Under his leadership the union has garnered more signatory contracts with casinos, contractors and government agencies than any other trade union in the state. The recent opening of the International Brotherhood of Carpenters and Millwrights Training Center near McCarran Airport was a major accomplishment for Furman, who convinced the national leadership to locate the facility in Southern Nevada to provide training to thousands of regional union administrators. Furman has encouraged union members to give generously to their communities, including raising funds for the Nevada Kidney Foundation, the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Ronald McDonald House, CASA Foundation, Help Them Walk Again and many others.

Finalist: Frank Martin, President/CEO of Martin-Harris Construction, Las Vegas

Our judges chose Frank Martin as the recipient of the Balancing Act award for maintaining a balance between home and work life (profiled later in this article). He founded Martin-Harris Construction in 1976 with five associates and $5,000 in his business account. His firm now has more than 500 employees and brought in over $200 million in revenue last year, building large-scale facilities such as hotels, schools, tilt-up commercial buildings and public works projects. Martin-Harris was chosen as General Contractor of the Year for 2001 by the Nevada chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP). Martin believes in giving back to the community, and serves as secretary of the board of directors for Opportunity Village. He recently collected close to $100,000 to construct its new facility in Henderson. He originated Operation Desert Clean Up, which clears vacant lots each year with volunteer help. Martin-Harris underwrites a Boy Scout troop and also supports the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He has served on the board of directors of NAIOP, is a past president of the board of the Associated General Contractors of Southern Nevada and has been a trustee of the Nevada Development Authority.

Positive Leadership Award

For Creating A Positive Workplace Environment

Winner – Marc Furman, Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, Las Vegas

As the leader of 75 employees and 9,500 union members, Marc Furman is in constant touch with the rank and file in his organization. One of his first actions after taking over the carpenter’s union in 1996 was to institute a “team environment” methodology, involving both employees and union members in the decision-making process. Furman has worked to create an atmosphere of open communications and trust, believing his open-door policy is the surest way to generate positive feedback and improve the union. One of his most rewarding endeavors has been the completion of the 65,000-square-foot Nevada Carpenters Apprenticeship Training Center, devoted to helping young people become top-notch carpenters. It also offers continuing education for journeyman members needing to keep up with the latest technological advances. Furman is a tireless advocate for his union, ensuring that members are safe and well-paid on construction sites around the state. He also makes sure the union office headquarters meet the same or higher safety standards. He has been recognized the last three years for his work in promoting “May Safety Awareness Month.”

Finalists:

Willi Baer – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nevada, Las Vegas

Steve Forsythe – F/F/E Associates & F/F/E Display Services, Las Vegas

Tom Hallett – South Tech Properties, Las Vegas

Steve Rudish – Parson Elementary School, Las Vegas

The Balancing Act Award

For Effectively Balancing Work And Home Life

Winner – Frank Martin, Martin-Harris Construction, Las Vegas

It is significant that the founder of a family-owned company received this award, since so many business owners find their business overlapping into their personal life and vice versa. Frank and his wife, Bonnie, have been married for 35 years. They are both championship cutting horse riders and enjoy working together at their Bitter Root Ranch. Their two sons, Guy and Jerrad, are part of the Martin-Harris team, so the entire family works and also plays together. Frank Martin believes in fostering a spirit of teamwork and “family” among employees as well. The company sponsors an annual fishing trip and recently treated women employees to a spa/beauty weekend at Mesquite. Frank and Bonnie host a company picnic each year at their ranch, and sponsor a Christmas dinner-dance for employees and their spouses at a major hotel, which usually draws over 800 attendees. Martin-Harris Construction was recently named Family Business of the Year, among Nevada companies with more than 250 employees, at an event sponsored by the Nevada Business Journal.

Finalists:

Willi Baer – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nevada, Las Vegas

Steve Chartrand – Goodwill of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas

Carol Cline – MDL Group, Las Vegas

Cliff Findlay – Findlay Automotive Group, Las Vegas

Mark Fine – Triad Development & Mark L. Fine & Associates, Las Vegas

Marc Furman – Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, Las Vegas

The Survivor Award

For Overcoming Adversity

Winner – Steve Chartrand, President and CEO, Goodwill of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas

When Steve Chartrand arrived at Goodwill in 1997 to take over the position of president and CEO, the Southern Nevada chapter of the nonprofit organization was in danger of losing its affiliation with Goodwill Industries International. It did not provide vocational services and had no established personnel policies for its 32 employees. The revenue of the two Goodwill stores was only $800,000 a year, placing them last in retail sales among other Goodwill stores across the country. Today Goodwill’s five Southern Nevada stores will reach $5 million in revenue by the end of 2001. They recently received International Goodwill awards for retail excellence, expense-to-revenue ratio and sales per square foot. With more than 200 employees, Goodwill of Southern Nevada has a comprehensive human resources department that provides detailed orientations for each new staff member. The Goodwill Job Development and Work Adjustment training programs provide vocational rehabilitation to those in need. According to Ted Atencio, treasurer of Goodwill’s board of directors, “Steve has done an outstanding job in turning Goodwill around with success and profitability. His leadership skills and creativity in developing strategic direction are outstanding.”

Finalists:

Doug Dirks – Employers Insurance Company of Nevada, Reno

Mark Fine – Triad Development & Mark L. Fine & Associates, Las Vegas

Marc Furman – Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, Las Vegas

Annette Kerr – McClaskey Properties, Elko

Dee Ladd – Sunrise Children’s Foundation, Las Vegas

Peggy Smith – Hands Ink Advertising, Las Vegas

Humanitarian Award

For Community Involvement And Impact

Winner – Tammy Sisson, Program Administrator, Lend-A-Hand Senior Services, Reno

Since 1992, Tammy Sisson has dedicated her life to helping seniors in Northern Nevada. Her first goal was to develop a program to enable caregivers to assist the elderly in their homes in a non-medical fashion. She called it “Lend-A-Hand Senior Services.” Starting out with just Sisson and her mother, this very small business turned into an organization that today has more than 100 employees. Seeing her clients age and develop medical problems, Sisson was inspired to establish Cottage Crest Group Care, which provides a homelike environment for five elderly gentlemen who need assistance with daily activities. After several years of helping seniors who could afford the services of Lend-A-Hand, Sisson felt the need to help those who were not so fortunate financially. In 1996, she formed a nonprofit organization called Nevada Senior Care Foundation to provide financial assistance for items and services not covered by Medicare. She also developed a nanny placement agency in 1998 called Nanny Services of Nevada. “Tammy Sisson’s own personal motivation is to help someone every day and to be able to assist people of all ages,” said Joseph Stella of Lend-A-Hand.

Finalists:

Willi Baer – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nevada, Las Vegas

Cliff Findlay – Findlay Automotive Group, Las Vegas

Bill Martin – Nevada State Bank, statewide

Dr. Anthony Pollard – Rainbow Medical Centers, Las Vegas

Editor’s Note:

Congratulations to all the nominees and to the most-respected CEOs in all the categories. Those chosen for honors certainly deserve the respect and thanks of Nevada’s business community for their contributions to our economy and also for the example they set for the rest of us.