Name: Richard D. (Rick) Smith
Title: President/CEO
Company: RDS Associates, LLC
Location: Las Vegas
Type of Business: Commercial real estate development focusing on mixed-use business parks, including office, flex, industrial and support retail.
Years in Nevada: 6
Years with Company: 2
Biggest Business Challenge:
It’s a challenge to stay strategically focused and maintain some degree of organization in the fast-paced world of the entrepreneur.
Greatest Professional Accomplishment:
I am proudest of the fact that, despite whatever material successes, accolades or notoriety may come my way, my family and friends and my commitment to the Lord endure as my priorities.
Worst Failure:
I was involved in real estate in Southern California in the early ’90s when everything and everyone failed. I was caught up in that whole economic disaster.
Most Valuable Lesson Learned:
Don’t dwell on your failures. We all have them and they are really gifts as lessons learned. Failures are life’s most important lessons, usually taught with pain.
Company Goals:
To identify and respond to development opportunities and proceed down the path of progress.
Best Business Advice:
If you are an entrepreneur, your integrity and reputation are your linkages to opportunity. Above all, protect both.
Name: Jane Whisner, CPC
Title: Managing Director
Company: The Eastridge Group
Location: Las Vegas
Type of Business: Staffing service with four locations providing full-time, temporary and contract staffing in all areas, including accounting, human resources, construction and legal.
Years in Nevada: 20
Years with Company: 12
Biggest Business Challenge:
With unemployment as low as it is, my hardest job is to identify and recruit people with the skills, personality traits and experience that clients want.
Greatest Professional Accomplishment:
As managing director for specialty divisions, I helped open six new divisions in the last four years. We monitor trends to see where people need help, and then set up a division to meet their needs.
Worst Failure:
During my 12 years with Eastridge, I have met many people I really liked and wanted to help, but unfortunately I just can’t help everyone. No matter how nice they are, if people don’t have the skills employers want, they will end up being disappointed.
Most Valuable Lesson Learned:
I feel very strongly that a company’s greatest asset is its staff. Employees are your human and intellectual capital.
Company Goals:
Our focus is on finding new ways to add value. We can add value for applicants by providing training. We can add value for clients by sharing our knowledge about market trends and by conducting in-house seminars on attracting and retaining employees.
Best Business Advice:
There will always be things that go wrong, in business and in life. Don’t just react to situations — take a breath and think of ways to come up with a win-win situation.
Name: Kris E. Holt
Title: Executive Director
Company: Northern Nevada Development Authority (NNDA)
Location: Carson City
Type of Business: Non-profit, public/private economic development organization serving Carson City, Douglas and Storey Counties and part of Lyon County.
Years in Nevada: 16
Years with Company: 13
Biggest Business Challenge:
My primary challenges are: politics, finding ways to simultaneously satisfy all four entities we represent, and bringing in new jobs, businesses and investments. It is also a challenge to communicate the value and importance of economic development to the communities we serve.
Greatest Professional Accomplishment:
In 1993, I was part of the NNDA management team that brought 38 new and expanding companies to our area, creating over 1,200 jobs in a service area with a population under 100,000.
Worst Failure:
Losing relocation opportunities to competing states with several signature companies, including Nike, North Star Steel, Aquaglass and Upper Deck.
Most Valuable Lesson Learned:
Two things I have learned are to use your resources wisely and to be genuine and real in dealing with people.
Company Goals:
To help businesses expand and relocate in Northern Nevada, to retain and recruit new members, and to increase the financial stability of NNDA.
Best Business Advice:
“If it’s to be, it’s up to me,” and, “No Excuses.”
Name: Dan Hughes
Title: President
Company: Suburban Graphics, Inc.
Location: Las Vegas
Type of Business: Full-service graphics firm, specializing in designing and producing graphics for gaming devices, indoor/outdoor signage, backlit signs and vehicle wraps.
Years in Nevada: 27
Years with Company: 17
Biggest Business Challenge:
Our company has been averaging about 15 percent growth rate since we started, and we have doubled in the last four years, so my biggest challenge is dealing with growth and properly staffing all the new positions created. As a vendor, I find that I’m under pressure on one side from employees who want to be paid more, and on the other side from clients who want me to lower prices.
Greatest Professional Accomplishment:
I have made some good guesses about the future and some choices that have tremendously impacted my bottom line. However, I’m proudest that I was able to balance my personal life with my fast-growing business and find time to spend with my kids while they were growing up.
Worst Failure:
Underestimating my competitors and the lengths they were willing to go to steal my clients. I allowed some of them to get an edge on me, and it cost me.
Most Valuable Lesson Learned:
I have learned to appreciate good employees, and I try to express my appreciation whenever I can. My second biggest mistake is probably taking employees for granted.
Company Goals:
We want to become a supermarket for graphic needs, to be one of the largest providers of graphic services on the West Coast.
Best Business Advice:
To maximize your profits, stay heavily involved with your company and maintain control. Never forget the philosophy you had when you started your business.
Name: Joseph M. Vassallo
Title: General Manager
Company: Paddock Pools of Las Vegas
Location: Las Vegas
Type of Business: Paddock designs and builds residential and commercial pools and operates two retail pool-and-patio stores in Southern Nevada
Years in Nevada: 12
Years with Company: 2
Biggest Business Challenge:
Rebuilding the image of the swimming pool industry. Any type of business that fails may leave clients high and dry, but it seems like whenever a pool company fails, the media rush to take pictures of the hole in the backyard. As a result, our industry has been singled out and made to conform to much stricter regulations than other types of contractors. To counter that negative image, we participate in organizations such as the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association, and we actively support local charities.
Greatest Professional Accomplishment:
Being able to make our employees aware of our customers’ expectations. Too often, in our day-to-day routine we lose sight of our customers’ feelings — things that are small to us may be very big in our customers’ eyes. Making sure we exceed our customers’ expectations is always on my mind.
Worst Failure:
Our company has been in Arizona for 58 years, but when we moved here two years ago, we grew so fast we were unable to maintain the customer satisfaction we enjoyed in Arizona. We should have slowed our growth and made sure we could deliver. It took awhile to get the right people in the right places, but I am happy to report we can now “deliver the goods.”
Most Valuable Lesson Learned:
No matter how big or good you think you are, new projects need to be nurtured and given the proper time to grow. There is no instant success.
Company Goals:
To grow our company and to bring to Las Vegas a swimming pool company that people can depend on.
Best Business Advice:
Be honest and upfront with everyone you contact, including your customers, subcontractors and employees. This will earn you respect, and with respect you can accomplish great things.
