The financial services industry has experienced a few rough years but, like many other industries, is beginning to see a bit of a turn-a-round. With individuals beginning to show an interest in wise investments and a slow unclenching of funds, the financial industry is poised for a good year. Connie Brennan, publisher of Nevada Business Magazine, served as moderator for the … [Read more...] about Industry Focus: Investment Firms
Nevada business
Alternative Energy: Still Energetic?
With the economy still languishing and no dramatic change in sight, questions need to be asked: Is the green movement retaining the fervor it had seen in the past? Does alternative energy have a shot at becoming a diversifying factor for Nevada? How will the movement ultimately affect Nevada’s diversity base? Are the jobs there for the long run? Does the industry stand on its … [Read more...] about Alternative Energy: Still Energetic?
Stop the Union Bullying: Culinary Tactics Hurt Us All
Leaders of the Culinary Workers Union in Las Vegas must be frustrated that they can’t convince Station Casinos workers to unionize. Think of all the dues they could be collecting right now, if only they could get their hands into the pockets of another 13,000-plus workers. They’ve been trying for more than 10 years to unionize Station employees, without success. Maybe Station … [Read more...] about Stop the Union Bullying: Culinary Tactics Hurt Us All
Michael V. Cristalli: Gordon Silver Attorneys & Counselors at Law
Shareholder Las Vegas Number of Employees: 43 Years in Nevada: 17 Years with Company: 3 months How did you first get into your profession? My mother was a judicial executive assistant for 30 years. As a child, I was always around the law, meeting lawyers and judges and hanging out in the law library. The law became a natural environment for me. I was always the most … [Read more...] about Michael V. Cristalli: Gordon Silver Attorneys & Counselors at Law
March 2012: Around the State
Governor to Head Trade Mission to Israel The Governor’s Office of Economic Development has announced that Governor Brian Sandoval will lead a Nevada trade mission to Israel in mid-May. The trade mission will include opportunities to discuss the technologies that Nevada and Israel are pursuing to expand their water supplies for residential and commercial needs. Other areas of … [Read more...] about March 2012: Around the State
Series LLCs: Protect Your Investment
With home prices at historic lows, and mortgage interest rates around 4%, real estate investment is on the rise. If you own (or are considering owning) multiple rental properties, consider starting a series LLC (“Series LLC”) to maximize liability protection and save costs. Since the creation of limited liability companies (“LLCs”), an owner of multiple real estate … [Read more...] about Series LLCs: Protect Your Investment
Office Summary: Fourth Quarter 2011
Las Vegas The office sector’s performance continues to struggle as pricing fell amid a continued supply-demand imbalance. Rising three-tenths of one percent from the prior quarter, the vacancy rate reached yet another all-time high at 25.3 percent by the close of the fourth quarter of 2011. For the year, the vacancy rate climbed 1.5 percentage points. Despite weak market … [Read more...] about Office Summary: Fourth Quarter 2011
March 2012: Business Indicators
U.S. real GDP grew at an annualized rate of 2.8 percent during fourth quarter 2011, which represents a gain over the third-quarter figure of 1.8 percent. Consumption spending and inventory investment were particularly strong. Residential investment showed stronger growth, but business fixed investment slowed. U.S. nonfarm employment rose by 243,000 jobs in January, and the … [Read more...] about March 2012: Business Indicators
Power Poll 2012
For the past several years, Nevadans have seen a multitude of changes in the state’s economic landscape. Unfortunately, many of those changes have been negative. Despite that, in this year’s tenth annual Power Poll, many executives maintain an optimism that was illustrated in last year’s poll and show hopes for the future of the Silver State. The Power Poll survey was sent … [Read more...] about Power Poll 2012
Social Media: Get in the Game
Eight out of 10 U.S. companies use social media, according to data from eMarketer, a digital marketing researcher. Is yours one of them? “It’s necessary to have some type of social media presence. If you can dedicate some time to it, there’s going to be a return,” said Adam Carter, Web and social media manager at Bauserman Group, a Reno-based communications agency … [Read more...] about Social Media: Get in the Game
Telecom: Now Calling the Future …
What’s ahead for Telecom in 2012? Lots of exciting new technologies and services, for one thing. And continued diversification, for another. And a still-crummy economy that will hamper a good amount of the growth that should be taking place. Reuters reported in early January that telecom firms around the world are expected to slash spending on networks over the next 11 … [Read more...] about Telecom: Now Calling the Future …
Michael Hemphill: CSG Direct, Inc.
President / CEO Las Vegas & Reno Number of Employees: 28 Years in Nevada: 18 Years with Company: 18 What do you like most and least about your industry? Most: The industry moves much slower than technology so we are always able to create new systems and technologies to help our clients gain advantage. Least: The industry moves much slower than technology so the … [Read more...] about Michael Hemphill: CSG Direct, Inc.
Texas Margin Tax: Always a Bad Idea: Margin Tax is More Destructive than Alternatives
Leaders in the Democratic majority during the 2011 state legislative session proposed a dramatic change to Nevada’s tax system: Phase out the Modified Business Tax — a tax on private-sector payroll — and replace it with a new, larger levy modeled after Texas’ business margin tax. The effort gained so little traction in Carson City that the Democratic leadership, embarrassed, … [Read more...] about Texas Margin Tax: Always a Bad Idea: Margin Tax is More Destructive than Alternatives
February 2012: Around the State
UNR and DRI Reach Out to Business Community The Technology Transfer Office (TTO) for the University of Nevada, Reno and Desert Research Institute has created an Industry/Faculty Partnering Clinic. The program is one of three from the TTO designed to engage the community and enhance technology transfer, economic development and the relationship between the institutions and the … [Read more...] about February 2012: Around the State
Industrial Summary: Fourth Quarter 2011
Las Vegas The Las Vegas Valley industrial market continued to demonstrate signs of weakness in both net absorption and pricing. The vacancy rate pushed upward to a new all-time high of 18.5 percent as 476,900 square feet of negative net absorption was reported during the fourth quarter. The vacancy rate is up 0.6 percentage points from the previous quarter, and a larger … [Read more...] about Industrial Summary: Fourth Quarter 2011