Recently, executives representing Nevada’s banking industry met at the law offices of Holland & Hart in Las Vegas to discuss the changed industry and their expectations for the future. Despite some signs of improvement, there continues to be a divide between banks looking to lend and businesses looking to borrow. Bankers hope to bridge that divide and find qualified … [Read more...] about Industry Focus: Bankers
Features
Property Management: Feeling the Squeeze
Like so much of the American business landscape over the last three years, commercial property management has changed – often abruptly. With the economy straining to hang on, more brokers moving into property management, the unprecedented number of foreclosures, crowds of clients coming from out of state and relationships with banks and other lenders in flux, Nevada’s real … [Read more...] about Property Management: Feeling the Squeeze
How much is too much?: Government wages are extravagant and arbitrary
It’s one of the most challenging questions facing labor economists today: At what level should most public employees be paid? In public sector employment, the typical price signals that help determine wage rates in competitive labor markets are absent. After all, most government agencies do not compete in an open labor market wherein they must also provide quality goods to … [Read more...] about How much is too much?: Government wages are extravagant and arbitrary
Nevada Industry Excellence
Four segments of the economy take raw materials and turn them into things: mining, agriculture, construction and manufacturing. Of those, manufacturing may be the one that works the most with the others, from food manufacturers to construction (on-site manufacturing) and mining. Ray Bacon, executive director, Nevada Manufacturer’s Association, said, “If you wanted to barbecue … [Read more...] about Nevada Industry Excellence
Integrity in Government: An Endangered Species
Merriam-Webster’s defines integrity as “a firm adherence to a code of moral values (incorruptibility).” Words related to integrity are: character, decency, goodness, honesty, morality, righteousness, uprightness, and virtue. Opposites include evildoing, immorality, sin, villainy, and wickedness. Whether you are Liberal or Conservative, I would like to ask you if you feel our … [Read more...] about Integrity in Government: An Endangered Species
Berkley vs. Heller: Game On!
The race for the seat vacated by Senator John Ensign, and currently held by Senator Dean Heller, promises to be among the most hotly contested races in Nevada history. Governor Sandoval appointed Heller to the Senate seat in May of this year, upon Ensign’s resignation. That seat is up for grabs and will be decided by Nevada voters in the November 2012 election. Heller, a … [Read more...] about Berkley vs. Heller: Game On!
Security at Work: How to Protect All of Your Company’s Assets
Embezzlement. Identity fraud. Data loss. Copyright infringement. Hacking. Robbery. These are only a sampling of potential threats to a business—the list is long. “There are so many different opportunities for crooks to take advantage. Everything has changed from what it was 20 years ago,” said Joe Martin, Jr., chief executive officer and co-owner of Reno-based Martin-Ross … [Read more...] about Security at Work: How to Protect All of Your Company’s Assets
Industry Focus: Mining
Mining executives seeking to dispel myths about their industry and educate Nevada business leaders on the state of mining recently gathered at the Reno offices of Holland and Hart for a roundtable discussion. These executives have numerous projects in the pipeline in Nevada. Many are still in the lengthy permitting process. Their projects will bring job opportunities to … [Read more...] about Industry Focus: Mining
A “Fixer Upper”: Navigating the New Residential Market
Remember when buying a home was as simple as liking the neighborhood, peeking inside closets, flushing the toilets and filling out papers? These days, Nevada’s residential real estate market is a maze to be navigated, with buyers and sellers alike having to juke and swivel around such things as turbulent national and state economies, a saturated market, rampant unemployment, … [Read more...] about A “Fixer Upper”: Navigating the New Residential Market
The Dreaded “R” Word —- Revenues
There is no doubt that Nevada has been one of the hardest hit economies not only in the United States, but even the world. Our double-digit unemployment rate is the highest in the nation month after month – exceeding even Greece’s unemployment. Our housing market is second only to Detroit’s, with more than 70 percent of Las Vegas area mortgages under water and no signs of … [Read more...] about The Dreaded “R” Word —- Revenues
Public Employees as Legislators: Foxes Guarding the Henhouse?
The principle of separation of powers is an important part of the Nevada Constitution, which states that no one “charged with the exercise of powers properly belonging to one of these departments [Executive, Legislative and Judicial] shall exercise any functions, appertaining to either of the others, except in the cases expressly directed or permitted in this … [Read more...] about Public Employees as Legislators: Foxes Guarding the Henhouse?
How We Stack Up: Nevada By the Numbers
Nevada is a unique state, with challenges and opportunities not found anywhere else. Those who have chosen to make Nevada home have a stake in its future, and in supporting measures that promote its benefits and work on areas that need improvement. This article comples statistics from a number of sources to provide a straightforward look at the state of the Silver State. … [Read more...] about How We Stack Up: Nevada By the Numbers
Financial Services: The Business of Smarter Lending
If money makes the world go round then, well, the world is rotating a bit more creakily than it used to. Financing for the Nevada business community, or any business community in the U.S., still isn’t what it was before the economy took a turn for the worse. But it is getting better -- thanks to a variety of factors such as lenders that want and need to lend; a shakeout … [Read more...] about Financial Services: The Business of Smarter Lending
Industry Focus: Telecommunications
Nevada’s telecommunications industry has made it a priority to keep up with rapidly changing technologies, from the latest tablet to cloud computing and mergers and acquisitions. Telecommunication professionals have embraced these changes in their industry, while recognizing not all changes are perfect. Recently, executives representing this industry met at the law offices of … [Read more...] about Industry Focus: Telecommunications
Public Works: The Survivors Arena
As the economic recession continues to take its toll on the Silver State, it’s not exactly business as usual for public works in Nevada. Although individuals who plan and execute these public ventures are gamely trying to meet demand for services, they are finding themselves in a much more competitive environment that requires increased efficiency, but often with a paucity of … [Read more...] about Public Works: The Survivors Arena