HENDERSON CHAMBER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- General Manager
- General Manager for Brookfield Properties Retail at Galleria
- Licensed Real Estate and Property Management Agent
Andrea serves as General Manager for Brookfield Properties Retail at Galleria at Sunset. Andrea began her career as a Property Manager working for Pan Pacific Retail Properties and more recently served as Associate General Manager for Brookfield Properties Retail at Fashion Show. As a General Manager, Andrea is responsible for enhancing the value of the property, maintaining the physical integrity, creating an environment which enhances guest experience, and supporting tenant sales to position the property for future growth. Andrea possesses advanced shopping center management experience and utilizes that experience to achieve operational excellence in all areas.
During her 19-year career, Andrea has won 4 Prestigious TOBY (The Outstanding Building of the Year) awards and was recognized with the Presidents' Choice Award from BOMA, NV. She served as a board member for 6 years, including 2 years as President for BOMA, NV and served 3 years as Board Member of Commercial Alliance of Las Vegas. Andrea has also served as a Mentor for UNLV LIED Institute, and board member for Grant a Gift Autism Foundation. Andrea currently serves as a Mentor for Tech Impact, a non-profit whose mission is to empower communities and help young urban adults with professional development and a career in IT. In 2021, Andrea was recognized as Vegas Inc's 40 Under 40 Leaders in the Real Estate Industry.
Ms. Blue is a Licensed Real Estate and Property Management Agent and holds a bachelor's degree in business administration.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Legislative Committee
- Member of the HCC ISSUES COMMITTEE
- IMMEDATE past CHAIR
Aviva Gordon graduated from Boston University in 1990 and with distinction from California Western School of Law in 1993. She is a member of both the Nevada and California Bars.
Aviva moved to Nevada in 1994 and started as an attorney with Mahan & Ellis, a boutique law firm representing the business interests of local, regional and national companies. In 2000, the name of the firm changed to Ellis & Gordon. In 2015, Aviva Gordon formed Gordon Law, LLC.
Aviva has successfully argued before the Nevada Supreme Court and has several reported cases. In 2011, she obtained a multimillion dollar judgment for a local general contractor.
Aviva was named a "Legal Elite" in Nevada Business Magazine in 2012 and 2013. She was included in The Distinguished Women in Nevada book for 2014, and designated by Martindale-Hubble as a Member of the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers in 2014. In addition to her private practice, Aviva was General Counsel for the Nevada State Democratic Party from 1998 - 2002 and served on the Nevada Judicial Conduct Commission. She has been a featured speaker on Nevada Receiverships, both for attorneys and for the judges of the Eighth Judicial District Court.
Aviva has provided seminars for the Nevada Legal Aid Center's Small Business Project Seminar; SCORE; and the Nevada Women's Chamber of Commerce. She is a graduate of the Leadership Henderson Class, and is extremely active in the Henderson Chamber of Commerce, serving on the Board of Directors, and all three government advocacy committees: the IMPAC Committee, the Legislative Committee and the Issues Committee. Aviva is also a board member for the Josh Stevens Foundation, chairwoman for the Community Advisory Panel of the Nathan Adelson Hospice, and a board member for Midbar Kodesh Temple.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director, Distribution for Levi Strauss & Co
Ben Elwood serves as the Director, Distribution for Levi Strauss & Co. LS & Co has had distribution operations in Henderson for over 40 years. The current facility opened in 1998 and is located at the corner of Raiders Way and St. Rose Parkway and services Wholesale, Retail and Ecommerce business channels across the US. LS & Co has three US Distribution Centers with Henderson being the only Omni-channel site for the network. The Henderson DC is the largest distribution center in the world to be recognized as a LEED Platinum certified building.
Ben's current responsibilities include overseeing the day-to-day operations of the facility specifically focusing on process improvements, employee safety, engagement and retention, and strategic planning. Ben was named a 2021 Impact Award Winner from LS & Co for his involvement in bringing Levi's West Coast Ecom fulfillment into the Henderson DC in the summer of 2022.
Prior to joining Levi Strauss & Co in 2019, Ben spent 15 years at Under Armour in progressing roles. Ben started at UA in 2004 and immediately helped support the opening of a 360k sq ft facility in Baltimore, MD. When Ben started with UA, they had $200M in revenue and grew to over $5B in annual review in 2019. During that time, Ben had the opportunity to support the opening of several distribution centers across the US and Canada - Baltimore, MD; Rialto, CA; Nashville, TN and Toronto, Canada contributing to the growth and success of Under Armour. Prior to leaving UA, Ben was responsible for opening a state of the art 1.3M sq ft Omni-channel DC in Baltimore, MD.
Ben was raised in Clearfield, PA, a small rural town in western/central PA. He earned a bachelor's degree from Clarion University in Business Administration.
Ben and his wife, Carrie have resided in Henderson since moving to Nevada in 2019. They have three daughters Emma, Lilah and Evelyn.
Job Titles:
- Membership Development Associate
Job Titles:
- Member of the HCC ISSUES COMMITTEE
- Member of the Legislative Committee
- Lead
- Taxes & Regulations TF Lead
Job Titles:
- Chairman / Nevada State Bank
- Executive Vice President / Director of Retail Banking
Craig Kirkland heads up Nevada State Bank's retail branch system. He has more than 27 years of experience in banking, including positions as branch manager, regional manager, and division manager. Craig is an active participant in a number of local volunteer projects. He has served on the Board for the Las Vegas Rescue Mission as vice president since 2008 and also currently serves on the Henderson Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Legislative Committee
Dr. Carolyn Matzinger, M.D. has built her career around the premise that the most important aspect of treatment is creating a deep connection with each individual patient. Her style combines cutting edge research and diagnostics in anti-aging medicine with the personal attention missing today in modern medicine. Her passion for healing and personal touch is the embodiment of her work and continues to be at the forefront of her practice.
Dr. Matzinger's storied career began in 1987 upon receiving her Medical Degree from Wright State University School of Medicine. Completing her Internal Medicine Residency Program in 1990 at the Kettering Medical Center in Kettering, Ohio provided a solid basis for Dr. Matzinger's study in Internal Medicine followed by Anti-Aging, Regenerative and Functional Medicine. As a Diplomate of both the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine, she has worked diligently to be at the forefront of her specialty. She is currently licensed in five states including; Nevada, California, Ohio, Idaho and Montana.
Job Titles:
- TREASURER / Matzinger Institute of Healing
Job Titles:
- President
- President for the College of Southern Nevada
Dr. Federico Zaragoza is the President for the College of Southern Nevada (CSN). He heads one of the largest multicampus higher education institutions in the country with enrollments of approximately 50,000 students. CSN operates in over 50 locations including three main campuses and seven learning centers in Clark County, covering 8,000 square miles. CSN offers associate degrees in over 70 fields of study offering more than 180 degrees and certificates, including associate degrees for university transfer and 10 baccalaureate degree programs including several in the Health Care areas such as Dental Hygiene, BSN Nursing, and Medical Lab Science. The College's Ralph and Betty Engelstad School of Health Sciences is the state's premier educational provider for our healthcare workforce. More than a third of all nurses in Nevada were trained at CSN. Plus, CSN offers a wide variety of degrees and certifications to allow students to develop their own pathways to careers in healthcare. We have affiliations with more than 350 local businesses and organizations where our students can apply their skills in hospitals, schools, private clinics and other real-life work settings. Those relationships help our graduates quickly find jobs in the industry once they graduate. Dr. Zaragoza is the principal spokesperson for the college and maintains many progressive partnerships with business. Under his leadership, Achieving the Dream designated CSN as a national Leader College of Distinction in 2019.
Dr. Zaragoza serves on many national and state committees and commissions. He served on the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), which was established to enforce national education standards for accrediting agencies or associations from 2013-2019. In 2019 he was appointed by the National Skills Coalition to serve on an advisory "Think Tank" concerned with the impact of workforce policies on advancing racial equity in educational attainment, employment, and income. Moreover, he currently serves as the U.S representative on the Board of the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education (IOHE).
Dr. Zaragoza is additionally on the Board of Directors for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), which is the primary advocacy organization for the nation's community colleges. The association represents nearly 1,200 2-year, associate degree-granting institutions and more than 12 million students.
Dr. Zaragoza has held various leadership positions, including State Director for the Wisconsin- Job Training Partnership Act Programs, and Dean of Continuing Education for the Milwaukee Area Technical College and Vice President for the St. Philip's College Southwest Campus. Prior to his appointment at CSN, Dr. Zaragoza had been the Vice Chancellor for Economic and Workforce Development at the Alamo Colleges for almost twenty years. Under his leadership, his colleges have won numerous national recognitions including the prestigious 2015 and 2016 Bellwether Awards for Workforce Innovation Projects (Integrated and Accelerated Models); the 2013 LERN National Instructional Innovation Award for "Just in Time Training programs"; and the 2005 American Association of Community College Trustees' National Workforce Excellence Award for customizing exemplary job training programs for Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
Dr. Zaragoza is a distinguished lecturer in technical and industrial education, including basic skill integration. He has lectured throughout the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, Columbia, Germany, India, Peru, Nicaragua, and Spain. He co-authored the Texas Workforce Commission Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Handbook for Workforce Professionals and the National Science Foundation, AMTEC- National Case Study on Career Pathway Programs That Work. He has keynoted many national and state conferences. Most recently he was a keynote speaker at the National Association of Bilingual Education (NABE) 2020 Annual Convention. He was also a keynote speaker at the National Career Pathway Network at the 2013 Annual Conference and the featured presenter for the White House on Higher Education Anchor Institutions in 2016. He was invited by the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee to provide one of the keynote addresses on workforce innovation at the National Festival of Innovation (New Delhi, March, 2016).
Dr. Zaragoza has received numerous awards including the Education Brillante Award from the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA), Texas Association of Community Colleges Carl Nelson Leadership Award. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, a Master's degree in Adult and Vocational Education, an (ED.S) Educational Specialist degree in Industrial and Technical Education from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and a Ph.D. in Urban Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President at Nevada State College
- Provost and Executive Vice President
Dr. Vickie Rutledge Shields is the Provost and Executive Vice President at Nevada State College where she holds the rank of Professor of Communication Studies. She is responsible for establishing the academic vision of the institution and ensuring the quality of academic programs through strategic planning and strategic enrollment management; fostering collaboration between faculty and staff; supporting diversity initiatives, student-centered learning, and creative use of learning technology; collaborating with human resources on hiring, retention of faculty and staff, with emphasis on hiring and retaining diverse and highly qualified faculty; overseeing budget and resource allocation in academic and student affairs; and working across the College to implement processes that support regional accreditation though the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
Prior to moving to Nevada, Dr. Shields served for 11 years as the Dean of the College of Social Sciences and the School of Social Work, and Professor of Communication Studies at Eastern Washington University in Cheney and Spokane Washington. The first 12 years of her career were spent at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH where she held the positions of Assistant/Associate Professor of Telecommunications/Women's Studies, Director of the Women's Studies Program, and Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences for faculty, curriculum and general education, leading a successful University-wide general education reform. She has taught a wide range of courses in speech communication, feminist media studies and qualitative research, ranging from introductory courses through doctoral advising and seminars. An internationally recognized communications and feminist media scholar, Dr. Shields writes from a cultural perspective on gender media content and media audiences specifically in the areas of advertising, television and film. She is also an expert in theoretical and methodological approaches to visual literacy.
She is the author of Measuring Up: How Advertising Affects Self Image, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press as well as over 50 articles, chapters and presentations in media and cultural studies. Measuring Up was the winner of the 2004 Award for Outstanding Research in Visual Communication by the Visual Communication Division of the National Communication Association. In 2010-11 she served as President of the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences (CCAS), the leading national organization of arts and sciences deans.
Vickie Rutledge Shields received her M.A. and PhD degrees in Communication from the Ohio State University. Prior to receiving her doctorate, she was awarded The Ohio State University Presidential Fellowship, one of 30 full fellowships awarded annually by The Graduate School, The Ohio State University in a university-wide competition, to doctoral candidates in the final year of dissertation research who have demonstrated outstanding scholarly accomplishment and potential. She received her B.A. in communication from Boise State University where she was named BSU Alumna of the Year in 2005. In that same year she completed the Management Development Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
As a State of Nevada privileged non-restricted gaming license holder and the owner/operator of local casino, Emerald Island Casino, located in downtown Henderson, Tim has spent his entire career in the hospitality and gaming industry. He has over 34 years' experience in upper level management and ownership in the gaming and food and beverage industries. His areas of expertise include establishing the highest levels of service, his ability to interpret financial data, cut costs, manage and motivate personnel and bring businesses and communities together. He has a unique ability to interpret market trends and develop marketing strategies to continually bring people and businesses to the community.
Presently he serves on a numbers of boards in humble service such as; Henderson Chamber of Commerce as former Chairman of the Board, IMPAC and Legislative Committees and the Henderson Development Association, City of Henderson Cultural Arts & Tourism Commission Chairman, Water Street District Business Association (WSDBA) Board Member, Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada, Board Member, Henderson Community Foundation Board Member, Former Member of the Nevada State College Board of Trustees and was previously named City of Henderson Economic Development Private Sector "Person of the Year" in 2010 and served as Chairman of the City of Henderson Special Budget Ad HOC Committee in 2013. Tim majored in Business at El Camino College and the University of Southern California and is married with two grown children and has been a proud Henderson resident since 1998.
Job Titles:
- Director of Government Affairs
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Founder of G.C Garcia, Inc
George Garcia is the Founder of G.C Garcia, Inc., an 18 year old Nevada land planning and development services firm. The company is well established and respected in southern Nevada's local governments and agencies. The firm is recognized as a leader in government and neighborhood relations, entitlements, due diligence, development coordination, permitting and business licensing.
Guy Martin has built a 40-year career at Martin-Harris through an intense passion for the construction industry, its future workforce, and our local community.
He currently sits on the board for Nevada Workforce Connections because he believes our corporate citizen responsibility extends to helping cultivate the next generation of construction industry professionals. He was recently elected to the Board of Directors for Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Guy has been involved with other industry organizations including serving in leadership positions such as President of the AGC Las Vegas Chapter and Director on the AGC National Committee. He has served the Nevada Construction & Development Assembly for COVID-19 Safety and Best Practices.
Guy serves as a mentor and leader to the small business community, helping build and expand companies throughout Las Vegas. He champions Martin-Harris's participation in organizations such as the Urban Chamber, the Latin Chamber, the Western Minority Supplier Development Council, the National Association of Minority Contractors, and the Women's Business Enterprise Council.
Guy also oversees all of Martin-Harris's philanthropic efforts, including an annual blood drive and commitments to the USO Las Vegas, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada, the Michael T. Martin Memorial Scholarship Fund, Construction vs. Cancer and various other charities. In 2020, he was named "Pinkest Man of the Year", raising over $28,000 during the Las Vegas Real Men Wear Pink campaign benefitting the American Cancer Society.
Guy and his wife Trish are devout Christians that believe "To whom much is given, much is required" (Luke 12:48). They have three children and three grandchildren. As a family, they enjoy their time together traveling and enjoying outdoor activities.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Legislative Committee
Job Titles:
- General Manager
- Vice President
With more than a decade of experience in the fast-paced hospitality and gaming industries, Hussain Mahrous has made numerous contributions as a leader through every opportunity that has come
his way.
After receiving his bachelor's degree in sociology from California State University San Marcos, the Texas native began his career in the hospitality and gaming industry with Caesars Entertainment in Atlantic City. He went on to earn a master's degree in theology from Liberty University and is finishing a graduate certificate in applied statistics from Texas A&M University.
Hussain joined Penn National Gaming, Inc., the parent company of M Resort, in 2012 and built his career leading properties across the country including locations in Maine and New Mexico. In 2016, he was named vice president & general manager of M Resort Spa Casino, where he oversees all operations for the Forbes Four- Star resort. Hussain is also passionate about giving back to his Las Vegas and Henderson communities working with such organizations as the American Cancer Society and actively raising money and awareness through Real Men Wear Pink.
Job Titles:
- Chief Strategy Officer
- Deputy Director
- Deputy Director & Chief Strategy Officer for Workforce Connections
Irene Bustamante Adams serves as the Deputy Director & Chief Strategy Officer for Workforce Connections, Southern Nevada's Local Workforce Development Board. Prior to joining Workforce Connections in 2017, Bustamante Adams spent 18 years at MGM Resorts International, working her way up from clerk to a corporate position. From 2010 to 2018, she also represented District 42 in the Nevada Assembly, serving as Speaker Pro Tempore in her last leadership role.
Bustamante Adams was raised in the farming community of Kerman, California and woke before dawn to work the agricultural fields alongside her siblings. She was the first in her family to attend and graduate college, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in business management from California State University, Fresno. In 2007, Bustamante Adams became the first Latina in Nevada history to earn an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree from UNLV.
Bustamante Adams currently serves on the boards and councils of the Nevada Commission on Service, United Way of Southern Nevada and Uplift Foundation of Nevada.
​She is married to Army Sergeant Brad Adams, and has two daughters, Olivia and Alaina.
Job Titles:
- Member of the HCC ISSUES COMMITTEE
Job Titles:
- Owner, Real Estate and Development
J. Stuart Hitchen is one of the most highly regarded Real Estate Professionals in Southern Nevada. With over twenty-five years of experience in Land Development spanning site selection and feasibility, through construction, to sales and leasing Mr. Hitchen has a unique comprehension of the land development process that is matched by few professionals.
Stuart moved to Southern Nevada in 1998 where he started and was the Managing Principal of WRG Design, Inc. (now Cardno, Inc.) a consulting firm specializing in Civil Engineering, Land Surveying, Land Use Planning, and Landscape Architecture. Buy June of 2007, WRG Design had grown locally to over seventy-five professional staff , with annual labor fees of over $8 Million, when it was sold to Australia based consulting firm, Cardno, LTD. Over Stuart's tenure WRG became the preeminent Civil Engineering firm in the valley as it was named Southern Nevada Engineering Firm of the year an unprecedented six time by NAIOP (National Association of Industrial and Office Parks).
In addition to consulting for and working alongside some of the most influential developers in Las Vegas, on the valley's most prominent projects, Stuart also has gained over ten years of experience as a Principal on commercial development projects in Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, and most notably Nevada. Through these ventures Stuart has had the opportunity to lead all aspects of the development cycle, beginning with site selection and acquisition, to design development, to construction, to marketing and leasing, to property management, though ultimate sale of the asset.
Stuart is a licensed Broker-Salesperson in Nevada, and holds a Professional Land Surveyor's License (PLS), and is a registered Professional Engineer (PE) in several states throughout the west. He has been active on a number of boards and committees for professional societies and association in the valley. He was appointed by the Governor of Nevada to serve a three-year term on the Nevada State Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors form October of 2007, though September of 2010, and is currently on The Board of Trustees for the Henderson Development Association (NDA).
Job Titles:
- LARGE DIRECTOR
- Vice President of Hospitality for Cox Business
Jady West is the Vice President of Hospitality for Cox Business and Hospitality Network. In this role, Jady works closely with CB/HN Leadership, leading a division of sales professionals in the rapidly expanding Strategic Accounts market. Jady is responsible for driving continued sales development and growth, strategic planning, cross-functional alignment, budgeting, and planning for all enterprise verticals including; the Government, Healthcare, Gaming, Lodging, and Hospitality Network. In 2013 Jady lead his team to several significant wins including the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority (LVCVA) the 3rd largest convention center nationally. This 18-month campaign displaced a 15-year incumbent and launched Cox Business into a new realm of business.
Prior to join CB/HN, Jady has held progressively senior leadership positions with AZCom Wireless and most recently T-Mobile USA. Jady brings more than 15 years experience in a highly competitive and evolving industry, in developing and leading successful sales teams, sales strategies, and key business partnerships.
Jady has demonstrated an exceptional and consistent record of over-achievement, high employee and customer satisfaction, and longevity during challenging market conditions.
Jady is actively involved with non-profit organizations and volunteer programs in the Las Vegas area including Unit Commissioner and Scout Master of the Boy Scouts of America Troop 949, Henderson NFL Flag Football League, City of Henderson Baseball, and NYS Soccer. In addition, Jady has served in multiple leadership positions with his local church and in the past several years has overseen several Church auxiliaries, including administrative and financial accountability. Jady received his BS Degree in Management from University of Phoenix. In his spare time Jady participates in Triathlons and is an avid cyclist.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Legislative Committee
- Partner
- CGMA
A native of Las Vegas and Henderson resident since 1990, John graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Accounting in May of 1989. He went on to earn his Certified Public Accountant license in September of 1991, and he formed the accounting partnership of Rich, Wightman & Company with Mark Rich in 1994. Professionally, John has specialized his area of practice to accounting and taxes for closely held, high-net-worth businesses and individuals, mergers and acquisitions, auditing and litigation support.
John is the former Chair of the AICPA Technical Standards Subcommittee-DOL and is a Chartered Global Management Accountant, a member of the City of Henderson Economic Resource Partners. He has been a member of many boards and charitable organizations including the Henderson Chamber of Commerce Issues Committee and the HCC Board of Directors. John worked as an expert for the Nevada Attorney General's office assisting in investigations of business, fraud, securities and other complaints filed through the Attorney General's office and the Secretary of State and has testified as an expert in District, Federal and Family courts here in Nevada.
As a UNLV Alumni, John is very involved as an active athletics booster, an Academic Executive Mentor, a founding Director of the UNLV Soccer Foundation, and loves attending many of the cultural and athletic events put on at UNLV. John is also a Nationally licensed soccer coach (active since 1985) and loves training and developing young players so they can perform at their highest level of the sport while instilling an overall love of the game. John has been married to his wonderful wife Lisa since 1989 and has two children, Kelli and Brian, both of whom attended Coronado High School in Henderson.
Job Titles:
- General Manager
- General Manager of Reflection Bay Golf Club
Jon Openshaw is General Manager of Reflection Bay Golf Club in Henderson's Lake Las Vegas master plan community. He joined the course's management team in 2017 when was recruited from managing two other world-class Henderson golf courses. Jon's initial directive at Reflection Bay was to improve player experience and turn the course around from years of mismanagement. Together with Raintree Investment Corporation, Lake Las Vegas' master developer, Reflection Bay erased a $1 million deficit to break even within 24 months and in 2019 was named the Gold Winner in the Best of Las Vegas list of Southern Nevada golf courses.
Since he joined Reflection Bay, he has helped develop a membership program, the High Performance Golf Institute (HPGI), overseen multiple technology and equipment upgrades, managed hundreds of weddings and special events, and helped design social programs for members.
Prior to his golf career, Jon worked with Las Vegas-based Sunroc, managing all aspects of its construction materials distribution center. He also managed a multi-million dollar loan portfolio for Bank of Nevada, both of which made him uniquely qualified to turn around Lake Las Vegas' crown jewel golf facility.
A native of Trumbull, Connecticut, Jon is a graduate of the Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Business and UNLV's PGA Professional Golf Management program. He has been a Henderson resident for nearly 20 years, and has worked in the Henderson golf industry since 2012.
Jon is married with four children, including one set of twins! His wife is a native Nevadan and has worked as a Henderson RN for more than 20 years. His children currently attend Twitchell Elementary and Bob Miller Middle School and Jon loves spending time with them. He and his wife are at all their sporting events and enjoy taking them hiking, camping and outdoors in the beautiful Southern Nevada desert. His is also very active in serving his church and every once in a while is even able to play a little golf.
Job Titles:
- Membership Development Associate
Job Titles:
- Member of the HCC ISSUES COMMITTEE
- Member of the Legislative Committee
- Lead
Job Titles:
- Business Development Executive
- Energy Business Development Executive
Keith Jackson is the NV Energy Business Development Executive located in Las Vegas, Nevada. In this role, Keith enjoys being part of a strategic team dedicated to growing Nevada and providing utility solutions to Nevada businesses.
Keith started with the company in 1998 and has worked within the New Business Department for 23 years. He has worked in numerous capacities in the New Business Department (Sr. Project Coordinator, Sr. Staff consultant and was promoted to New Business Supervisor in 2008). Keith's knowledge and experience of the NV Energy Distribution system is an immense asset to external and internal partners. His relationships with the Development community, both private and government make him a great addition to the Economic Development team.
Keith has a background in Marketing, real estate and has sat on numerous local boards, a graduate of Leadership Las Vegas to include a Loaned Executive for United Way.
Job Titles:
- Owner
- Orbis Solutions, Inc. Read Bio
- Owner of Orbis Solutions, Inc
Kelly Connery is an owner of Orbis Solutions, Inc.(OSI), a virtual IT Department, focusing on solutions to promote companies productivity and profitability. OSI provides all the support and services that you would expect from a large full-service IT department but at the fraction of the cost. She handles business development, customer retention, and account management. She looks forward to developing long-term relationships with all of our clients.
Kelly has been in the Las Vegas valley for over 22 years. She moved from Michigan to Las Vegas to attend/graduate from UNLV. Throughout 14 years of sales experience with Fortune 400 companies, including American Express and FedEx Kinkos, Kelly worked with business owners and/or C-level Execs in relationship sales to provide innovative solutions and assist with enhancing their companies. Kelly has also won multiple awards for leadership and successful sales performance, including the following:
Excellence Award
Chairman's Circle Award
President's Achievement Award
Most Valuable Player Award
Her experience and success with Fortune 500 companies enables her to grow the Orbis Solutions Brand and coordinate effectively with the technical team to ensure we continue to provide excellent customer experience.
Kelly is also very active in the non-profit world along with many organizations including National Association of Women Business Owners, Board Member of Commercial Real Estate Women and Henderson Chamber of Commerce. She is also a graduate of Leadership Las Vegas, Class of 2015 along with Henderson Leadership 2017.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director, HCC Foundation
Job Titles:
- Member of the HCC ISSUES COMMITTEE
- Lead
- Poggemeyer Design Group
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Assistant Vice President for Wells Fargo Bank
- VICE - CHAIR / Wells Fargo Bank
Lester Romero serves as the Assistant Vice President for Wells Fargo Bank in Nevada. In his role, he is directly responsible for helping team members in stores across the state foster retail banking relationships with small businesses. In his last role, he functioned as the Market Sales Manager for the Wells Fargo Business Payroll Service in Nevada, Southern Arizona and New Mexico. He led a team of seven sales representatives and partnered with retail and business banking to drive strong results.
Romero has been with the bank for more than 19 years, starting as a Teller, then as a Personal Banker before becoming a Business Specialist and a Store Manager. He has also worked as a Sales Development Consultant in Las Vegas where he was responsible for creating business partner referrals.
Romero has resided in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada for more than 30 years.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Membership
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- CEO of Las Vegas Digital Marketing Agency
- LARGE DIRECTOR
Maria Bailey is the CEO of Las Vegas Digital Marketing Agency, Success City Online. Her award-winning team excels in online marketing, including website design, social media management, blogging, email marketing, digital advertising and video marketing.
Maria is dedicated to the Henderson community and serves on the following:
Henderson Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors 2021 HCC Executive Board 2022
Henderson Chamber of Commerce Foundation Board Member 2021
City of Henderson Redevelopment Advisory Commissioner 2021
Henderson Police Citizens Advisory Board 2021
Job Titles:
- Digital Trust
- VP of Operations for Horizon Trust
Mary Marriott is the VP of Operations for Horizon Trust, a self-directed alternative IRA trust custodian leading the Operations and FinOps teams.
Ms. Marriott's career has encompassed worldwide entrepreneurship and dedicated leadership. Her first business venture propelled her into the global business arena as her company imported and exported goods from Asia, Europe, and Latin America, and wholesaled to top retailers, such as, Nordstrom, Macy's, Saks 5th Avenue and Bloomingdales.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Commercial Real Estate Broker in Nevada
Michael Hiltz is a licensed Commercial Real Estate Broker in Nevada with over 40 years of experience in Commercial Real Estate. During his career he has specialized in the development of multifamily housing utilizing tax credit financing (LIHTC) and syndication in Pennsylvania and Texas, Property Management turnarounds/rescues of regional neighborhood shopping Centers, and failing multifamily developments as well as Landlord and Tenant Representation of retail, office, industrial and Specialty Use clients and transactions.
His current focus is the Opportunity Zone in Downtown Henderson NV, Charter School Site Acquisition, Leasing and Commercial Sales of income producing properties in addition to Leasing throughout Henderson and Las Vegas Valley.
Michael, a 21 year resident of Henderson is a Partner of Corcoran Global Living with his wife Trish Nash and SGH Commercial Advisers. He is an ardent negotiator and advocate for his clients. Michael prides himself on the relationships he has established with the City of Henderson, City Council and Mayor's office. Michael is an active member of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce (HCC) and serves as a member of HCC Political Action Committee (Issues Mobilization Political Action Committee (IMPAC).
Mr. Ercan Aydogdu holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics Teaching and a Master degree in Educational Administration. Currently, he is in a doctorate program of Executive Leadership at UNLV. He has been working in the education field for 28 years. With a background in mathematics, he has taught from Algebra all the way up to AP Calculus. He has had experience as a mathematics teacher, Mathematics Department Chair, Dean of Students, Dean of Academics, Principal, Special Education Director, and New School Projects Coordinator for various school districts. He has been serving as the Executive Director of Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas (CASLV) since 2012. During his ten years of leadership CASLV expanded to seven campuses with 5500 students.
Mr. Aydogdu is also serving on Coral Academy Reno's Governing Board, Charter Schools Association of Nevada's Board, and Nevada Congressional Award Council Advisory Board. He is a member of Nevada Association of School Administrators and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). Mr. Aydogdu has three daughters one in CASLV and two graduated from college whom both also graduated from CASLV.
CASLV has earned 5 STAR recognition, Award School and ranked as the best high school at US News & World Report and most challenging school recognition at Washington Post under his supervision. Charter School Association of Nevada recognized Mr. Ercan as the Administrator of the year in Nevada in 2014. Under Mr. Aydogdu's leadership CASLV was awarded bonds with a total of $97M to construct two new campuses, one high school Gym, and to purchase three campuses.
Job Titles:
- Eagle Corporate Advisor
- Member of the HCC ISSUES COMMITTEE
- Vice Chair of the Legislative Committee
- Taxes / Regs TF
Job Titles:
- Director of Project Development
Nate Jacobs is a passionate builder who began his career with McCarthy Building Companies directly after graduating from Montana State University at Bozeman. Currently, Nate serves as Director of Project Development where he is responsible for managing strategic client relationships and market visibility in Nevada.
He focuses in both public and private markets, with an emphasis on early project development, project team creation, and design partner integration. In addition to his daily operational responsibilities, he's also taken on leadership roles in training, recruiting, community outreach and industry involvement.
Jacobs holds a Bachelor's in Construction Engineering with a minor in Business Administration from Montana State University. He is active in the National Association of Industrial Office Properties (NAIOP), Design Build Association of America (DBIA), Associated General Contractors (AGC), and Nevada Contractors Association. His professional credentials include a LEED AP BD+C and an American Institute of Constructors Associate Constructor.
Job Titles:
- President
- Founder and President of All in Aviation
Founder and President of All In Aviation, Paul Sallach was raised in Alberta and Vancouver, Canada, and later attended high school in Erie, Pennsylvania. He attended the University of North Dakota, the leading aviation university in the world, where he met his wife Lindsay, who is also a pilot, flight instructor and co-owner of All In Aviation.
Upon graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commercial Aviation, Sallach began his career at Cirrus Aircraft in 2004, where he worked in sales and marketing and also as a flight instructor teaching new aircraft owners how to safely operate their plane. In 2009, Sallach relocated to Las Vegas to work for Lone Mountain Aircraft, specializing in pre-owned Cirrus sales. After seven years of clients requesting him to offer plane rentals and flight instruction, he launched All In Aviation in June of 2016. Beginning in 2017, Sallach began working on a 5 acre, 26 hangar development at Henderson Executive Airport which opened in 2020.
As president of All In Aviation, the only Platinum Cirrus Training Center in Southern Nevada, Sallach oversees operations, sets company objectives and works to expand the business. Sallach remains anactive aircraft sales broker with more than 15 years of experience and over 650 transactions. He hasaccumulated over 7500 incident free flight hours, 6500 of which are in Cirrus aircraft, with 800 ofthose being in the Cirrus Vision Jet and 1800 hours as a flight instructor. He is certified as an ATP(Airline Transport Pilot) and CFII (Certified Flight Instructor - Instrument).
Sallach has been awarded with numerous business and industry accolades, including 2020's "Small Business Person of the Year" for the state of Nevada from the U.S. Small Business Administration, and Vegas Inc's "40 Under 40" in 2021, recognizing the top 40 most influential professionals in Las Vegas.
Sallach says he enjoys the lifestyle and freedom of a pilot, where you can "go wherever you want, whenever you want, with whoever you want." In his spare time, Sallach remains involved in his family's church, is an avid Golden Knights and Raiders fan, enjoys going to concerts, entertaining guests, golfing, and traveling in his Cirrus SR-22 with his family. Sallach lives in the Green Valle y Ranch area of Henderson with his wife and two children.
Job Titles:
- Adjunct Professor at the Boyd School of Law
Robert Anderson has over three decades of experience advising private and public companies on federal income tax and merger and acquisition matters. He has extensive experience with both the tax and operational issues of limited liability companies.
Bob assists clients on matters related to tax and business law issues that arise during the formation and operational phases of a business. He represents companies in both roll-up transactions and in assessing outright sale versus IPO exits. Bob is well regarded for his knowledge and experience in structuring complex transactions to satisfy the needs of both buyers and sellers in a tax efficient manner. He also represents companies actively pursuing buy-side acquisitions and those sought by publicly traded companies and private equity funds.
His entrepreneurial experience includes organizing a bank with others, raising capital for the bank, serving as a board member of two banks and on the board of a publicly traded bank holding company.
Bob has co-authored numerous materials for CLE presentations on federal income tax law, drafting acquisition agreements, and advising companies on exit strategies.
Bob has served as an Adjunct Professor at the Boyd School of Law, where he taught Business Planning, and is a guest speaker at both the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and in the MBA program at the University of Nevada, Reno. He served as the chairperson of the Tax Section of the State Bar of Nevada (2010-2012) and the president of the Southern Nevada Chapter of the Nevada Society of CPAs (2010-2012). Bob currently serves as a board member of the Nevada State Board of Accountancy and the Nevada Capital Investment Company.
Bob is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Nevada.
Education
McGeorge School of Law (LL.M., Taxation, 1983)
University of Florida College of Law (J.D., 1976)
University of Florida (B.S., Business Administration, 1973)
Job Titles:
- Member of the HCC ISSUES COMMITTEE
Sam Kaufman - CEO, Managing Director
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Managing Director
- CEO / Managing Director of Henderson Hospital
Sam Kaufman serves as the CEO/Managing Director of Henderson Hospital (HH). The hospital opened in the fall of 2016 and offers comprehensive emergency care, surgical services, maternity care, cardiac services, and a wide variety of ancillary services.
Sam's current responsibilities include the day-to-day management/oversight of the hospital with a particular emphasis on strategic planning, business development, MD relations, patient safety/experience, and value-based purchasing, along with finance, and human resources.
Sam's career has spanned over a quarter century, beginning as an Assistant Head of Record Processing with the National Institutes of Health in 1989. Since relocating to Las Vegas in 1991, and joining what is now The Valley Health System, his career path has included medical records, medical staff, Assistant Administrator and Chief Operating Officer.
He was named the CEO of Desert Springs Hospital in 2005 and added Valley Hospital to his portfolio in 2013 where he served as CEO for both facilities simultaneously between September 2013 and July 2015. He was then promoted to the position of CEO/Managing Director of Henderson Hospital in October of 2015, and served as CEO at both Desert Springs and HH until May 2016 where he is now overseeing HH.
Sam earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a Masters in Health Services Administration from the University of Saint Francis. He is currently a member of the American College of Health Care Executives and participates in numerous community boards and panels (Touro University, March of Dimes, Henderson Development Association Board (Chamber of Commerce), LV HEALS, Governor's Taskforce on GME, and the Indian Chamber of Commerce). He has been honored as a Healthcare Hero by Nevada Business Magazine as well as an honoree of the Asian American Group. He has also been a three-time recipient of the Chairman's Council Award, along with the Eagle Award (the highest honor for any Chief Executive Officer in Universal Health Services), the hospital's parent company.
Sam and his wife, Andrea, have resided in the Henderson Community for the past 29 years and have four children, three of whom have graduated from college, and the fourth is a senior at Coronado High School.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the HCC ISSUES COMMITTEE
- Member of the Legislative Committee
- PRESIDENT
- SECRETARY
Job Titles:
- Eagle Corporate Advisor
- Owner
Job Titles:
- CEO
- President
- Chairman of the Board of Sunshine Minting ( Shanghai ) Co
Mr. Power has over 30 years' experience in the precious metals and minting fields. He began his career with Johnson Matthey Ltd., the Canadian division of Johnson Matthey PLC based in the United Kingdom. During his tenure with Johnson Matthey, Mr. Power held several key management positions in both Operations and Sales. In May of 1997, Mr. Power emigrated from Canada to the United States to join Sunshine Minting, Inc., as a key member of the senior management team. After a 10-year track record of growth, Mr. Power successfully acquired 100% ownership of Sunshine Minting, Inc. in January of 2007, and assumed the role of its President and CEO. During his tenure as its strategic leader, Mr. Power has successfully expanded Sunshine Minting, Inc. from a small regional supplier of products with 30 employees to the large multi-national corporation that it is today, through strategic acquisitions and expansion into international markets. The company now employ's over 200 people with operations in the United States and China, serving a number of the world's largest sovereign Mints and financial institutions.
Since 2011, Mr. Power has served as Chairman of the Board of Sunshine Minting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., a joint venture between Sunshine Minting, Inc., and Shanghai JinYuan Culture Development Co. Ltd., to produce precious metal blanks and products in Shanghai, China to meet world-class standards for quality and delivery globally.
Mr. Power also currently serves as a Director for Star Gold Corporation, an exploration stage company, which engages in exploring, evaluating, and acquiring mineral prospects with the potential for economic deposits of precious and base metals. Its flagship project is the Longstreet Property located in Nevada.
Prior to the precious metal field, Mr. Power has held several positions in Food Manufacturing, as well as the Financial Services Industry.