A BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE
NOV.
ISSUE 6
2017
Vol. 1
see page 4
IN THIS ISSUE
CAN YOUR COMPANY GET HEALTH BENEFITS FOR FREE? SEE PAGE 22
LETTER FROM THE
EDITOR Corrine Casanova The focus of this issue is healthcare. There’s one thing I’ve learned while putting this issue together—people are passionate about healthcare whether it’s on a local, national or international level. Dr. Patsy Ruchala, dean of the Orvis School of Nursing at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) is one of those people who has a great passion for nursing and education. When I interviewed her, she told me about how she was living in the Midwest and had no intention of moving out West but she came to UNR in 2004 just to “practice” her interviewing skills. Well, it turns out her skills were pretty good as she landed the job of director at the Orvis School of Nursing. She eventually became the dean once the School was granted independent status. During her tenure here, she’s done some amazing things that you’ll want to read about in our feature article. Throughout her career, Ruchala has valued learning from and mentoring others. She encourages her faculty to do the same. That same philosophy is shared with Leissan Sadykova, a human rights advocate, who created the non-profit Advocates for Rural Community Health (ARCH) in 2016. The goal of ARCH is to provide quality healthcare on a global scale. It has mighty humble beginnings but the impact has the potential to be big. Sadykova became fascinated with post-war conflict when she took a trip to Uganda while doing her master’s thesis. She discovered that during the conflict there is much more interest in assisting others but after the conflict concludes (often war) the area is soon forgotten. She for one couldn’t forget so created an organization that deals specifically with healthcare in post conflict areas. One of the first four medical students who went to Uganda last April for a month shared this, “In the beginning, I was under the illusion that our medical mission could make a lasting impact on the healthcare of Gulu. I imagined that I would be able to share knowledge and experiences from The States with Ugandan medical students and doctors. I envisioned taking on the role of teacher and educator. I could not have been more wrong.” Whether it’s healthcare, personal or business matters we all have the opportunity to learn from each other. Cover photo: Marcello Rostagni
INTHISISSUE
LETTER FROM THE
PUBLISHER Chris O’Sullivan As a young company grows, as bizNEVADA has over our first few months, we’ve had the opportunity to make a few small changes that make a huge difference in the long-term. One of those changes was the decision to have our magazine printed right here in the Biggest Little City. A. Carlisle & Co. has been producing quality printed products in Reno for 100 years. We were formally introduced to their team which included Alan Krogness, Rob Huleva and Wayne O’Hara back in August through Chris Hoff, President of the Barracuda Championship, and they have been working hard to make sure that bizNEVADA has never missed a beat in our transition from one printer to another. I would like to give A. Carlisle & Co. a big shout out and show our appreciation for their commitment to helping us keep bizNEVADA 100 percent Nevadan. And a big thanks to Chris Hoff for impressing upon us the value and importance of keeping it local. We’d also like to thank Tami Jones at CSG Direct for getting your magazines to you! I would recommend them highly for all of your mailing needs. Finally, I’d like to thank Western Industrial Nevada (WIN) for selecting bizNEVADA as their media partner. If you weren’t at the last WIN Breakfast, you missed a wonderful presentation by the world’s greatest (and as far as I know the only) motivational comedian, Karyn Ruth White. I hope to see you at the next WIN breakfast on Friday, November 17th at 7AM at The Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. Chris O’Sullivan, Co-Publisher
BizNEVADA PUBLISHING TEAM PUBLISHERS: Richard Moore and Chris O’Sullivan GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Thom Martinson EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Corrine Casanova SALES DIRECTOR: Lora Enget PHOTOGRAPHER: Marcello Rostagni ADVERTISING: Lora Enget at lora@biznv.com FEEDBACK/IDEAS We welcome your feedback and ideas regarding BizNevada. Send a message to info@biznevada.com @ 2017 Richard Moore and Chris O’Sullivan. All rights reserved. CONTACT US info@biznevada.com www.biznevada.com
PG 8-9 PG 10-11 PG 12-13 PG 14-15 PG 16-17 PG 20-21 PG 22-23 PG 24-25 PG 28-29
PG 30
Orvis School of Nursing Grows to Meet Nevada’s Needs Business Spotlight: The Hidden Benefits of Country Club Membership Business Spotlight: David versus Goliath Calendar of Events Non-Profit spotlight: Giving Locally to Impact Globally Best Kept Secret in Commercial Real Estate Treating Lung Cancer with CyberKnife® Technology How to Add Health Care Benefits for Free Protecting Employees from the Flu Affects the Bottom Line Health Insurance 101: Employee Health Insurance Considerations for Small Business Owners Letter from the Publisher
EXPERT CONTRIBUTORS Jeffrey Benjamin Corporate Training Breakthrough Training BreakthroughTraining.com 775-337-1600
Tim Kirk Credit Card, Merchant Services PaidRight GetPaidRight.com 775-393-9669
Ward Sutton Golf Hidden Valley Country Club HVCCReno.com 775-857-4735
Kyle Reeves Digital Marketing Revolution Online Marketing RevolutionReno.com 775-335-0091
Brian D. Wheeler Financial Advisor Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Agency BoulderBasin.MassMutual.com 775-870-1552
Stephanie Audain Reno Cyberknife Cancer Treatment Center renocyberknife.com 775-348-9900
Govind Davis Digital Marketing Agilcore and RSO Consulting RSO-Consulting.com 415-992-7711 Brent Forbush Certified Public Accountants Forbush & Associates ForbushAndAssociates.biz 775-337-6001
2 • ISSUE 6 • NOVEMBER 2017
PG 4-6
VOL. 1 / ISSUE. 6
Mike Menath Insurance Menath Insurance MenathInsurance.com 775-831-3132 David Spillers Printing Digiprint DigiprintCorporation.com 775-786-4464 BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 3
by Corrine Casanova According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the three million nurses working in healthcare, 1.2 million vacancies will open up for registered nurses by 2022. By 2025, the shortfall is expected to be “more than twice as large as any nurse shortage in the mid-1960s,” according to a 2009 research paper by Vanderbilt University. Due to an aging Baby Boomer population and the number of nurses from that age group retiring, the nursing shortage is likely to continue. Dr. Patsy Ruchala is well aware of the urgent need for nurses. Ruchala was hired as director of the Orvis School of Nursing (OSN) at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) in 2004. At that time, Nevada had one of the lowest registered nurses to population ratio in the United States. The national average was 782 nurses for every 100,000 people while Nevada had just 520. 4 • ISSUE 6 • NOVEMBER 2017
BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 5
During her tenure, she’s: •
increased the annual number of BSN graduates by nearly 35 percent (from 96 to 128)
•
increased the national licensure exam passage rate of graduates by over 30 percent
•
reinstated the school’s independent status with leadership by a dean
•
helped design a new building to house the Orvis School of Nursing
•
added additional advanced degree programs including an Adult Gerontology Acute Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs
•
added online course offerings for graduate programs which allows nurses in rural areas to continue practicing in their community while taking classes online
None of these achievements happened overnight. To fully understand what an undertaking this was, it’s helpful to know a bit of the School’s history. OSN opened its doors in 1957, and in 1992 it lost its independent status and was placed into the College of Human and Community Resources. Ruchala’s original intent was to stay at UNR for about five years and then move back to the Midwest to pursue a deanship. But, that didn’t happen. Instead, she fiercely fought to get OSN back to its independent status. It took her over a decade to do it, but it became a standalone school in 2016 when she became dean. As the School celebrates its 60th anniversary and she prepares for retirement in 2018, Ruchala shared why nursing is so important and how she was able to transform OSN. Her leadership philosophy is deeply rooted in Rosalyn Carter’s famous quote: “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but where they ought to be.” Those words have stuck with her throughout not only her tenure here but throughout her career.
pressing issue was (and continues to be) the nursing shortage. Ruchala knew she needed to act quickly to bring that pass rate up to provide the community with top quality nurses. Ruchala shared, “Change is hard, and there was resistance to thinking that the curriculum wasn’t giving our students what they needed. Our alumni wanted to see this be a better school and were very supportive of curriculum change.” She appointed a task force to review the curriculum and changes were implemented rapidly in the evidence-based curriculum in January 2006. Other changes included being more proactive and identifying the student’s needs and deficiencies up front. They now have a clinical improvement plan which allows students to improve upon something they may be struggling with during a specific timeframe. Faculty work directly with the student to make the improvement. This has also greatly impacted the low two percent attrition rate which allows for a high completion rate. Ruchala believes in providing faculty opportunities to attend national conferences where they have exposure to different ideas and can learn how other nursing programs across the nation are working. Even though OSN is relatively small compared to other nursing schools and Reno isn’t in a large metropolitan area, innovative ideas can be incorporated into the curriculum when it comes to best practices. In addition to its focus on clinical practice, research is a crucial component to its continued success. In 2010, a faculty member received one of the OSN’s first research grants from the National Institute of Nursing Research. Ruchala views research productivity to be a priority while continuing to maintain the rigor of their academic programs. The executive search is now on to recruit a new dean for OSN as Ruchala prepares for retirement and going back to the Midwest. She shared that she has been preparing her exit strategy from day one. “When a leader leaves a position they should leave that organization well placed to carry on without them. If a leader is indispensable and an organization can’t run smoothly without them, I think there is a problem. I have worked on developing our leadership and organizational structure for OSN. We are at a point where we have a great infrastructure in relation to the leadership.” In closing, Ruchala shared, “We are in the business of education and providing a product that we greatly need in our community. Our graduates are not only here in the community, they are across the state and country. We have international graduates as well and nurses in leadership positions across the country. I am very proud of the product that we produce in relation to our students, graduates and practicing nurses.”
RENO’S COUNTRY CLUB
Championship Golf Course Men’s Club Ladies Club Junior Programs Swimming Pool Fitness Facility Proprietary Memberships
Corporate Memberships Weddings Reunions Business Meetings Corporate Retreats Special Events
Call us today at 775.857.4735 to schedule a tour or plan your upcoming event
Ward Sutton, PGA Director of Club Operations wards@hvccreno.com
Photo: Marcello Rostagni
When Ruchala came on board in 2004, OSN was in a tough spot. At that time, the passage rate of nurses was about 63 percent compared to today’s passing rate of about 93 percent. Another 6 • ISSUE 6 • NOVEMBER 2017
3575 E. Hidden Valley Drive | Reno, NV 89502
www.hvccreno.com
THE HIDDEN BENEFITS OF COUNTRY CLUB MEMBERSHIP by Corrine Casanova Hidden Valley Country Club in Reno (HVCC) is Nevada’s first private golf course and it has been in operation since 1956. Nevada is home to 136 public and private golf courses. In northern Nevada, people often say they live here because it’s possible to ski in the morning and golf in the afternoon. That’s true here at HVCC as they are open year-round weather permitting. They are one of the 25 golf courses in the Reno/Sparks area.
people and make those impactful connections in both your business and person life.”
As I spoke with Ward Sutton, PGA Master Professional and PGA Director of Club Operations at HVCC, he told me about some of the hidden benefits of being a member of this private member owned club. As a private equity owned club, they have a board of directors, are member owned, don’t have any debt, aren’t tied into an HOA and own their own water rights.
Sutton encourages anyone new to the area or anyone interested in seeing what HVCC has to offer to stop by for a tour, check out the food and get out on the golf course to see if membership might be a good fit. The golf course is a regulation 18 hole playing field with a par 72. This year-round golf course overlooks the city of Reno and has panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. The family friendly environment includes not only golf, but a fitness center, pool, tennis courts and meeting spaces for events. Members can reserve conference rooms and community rooms to host parties, weddings, celebrations of life and business meetings. According to Sutton, “HVCC can be an extension of any member’s business as members can hold lunches, retreats and other types of events to entertain their clients and grow their business.”
Sutton noted that HVCC is sometimes viewed as off the grid, however, the RTC Southeast Connector slated for completion in early 2018 will improve access to the facility. It will provide more access to people living in Damonte Ranch, Sparks and Southwest Reno.
Sutton has been with HVCC for 13 years. He has the unique qualification of being a PGA Certified Master Professional. There are only 350 people who have this classification throughout the country. He explained the rigor involved in attaining that certification including writing a master’s thesis and then having to defend that thesis much like someone who was pursuing a Ph.D. He is on the board of the First Tee of Northern Nevada, President of the Sierra Nevada chapter of the PGA and an at large director of the Northern California Professional Gol Association. “The benefits of being member owned is that we are more focused and able to get things done in a timely manner. At HVCC, if you are a member here, you have a say in what is going on,” said Sutton. Not surprisingly, networking was one of the top reasons people joined. Tom Corley, author of Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals notes that, “Country clubs and golf clubs are an invaluable tool for developing new business relationships and strengthening existing business relationships.” Corley conducted a survey where he discovered about 19 percent of people that join country clubs indicate that the primary reason they joined related to business.
There are currently three membership categories available including a propriety, social and junior executive membership. About 400 members comprise this community. To learn more about membership opportunities, contact Ward Sutton at 775-857-4742.
Sutton couldn’t agree more. “Many of our members use the building and facility to entertain clients and grow their business. There are great networking opportunities in this small community. Typically, if you meet someone here they will know somebody here who can help you out with whatever you are seeking. We have a diverse membership and we can get you in touch with a lot of 8 • ISSUE 6 • NOVEMBER 2017
BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 9
expanded from its humble beginnings, if a product isn’t in stock in the warehouse, it will be delivered next day from one of the 42 warehouses across the United States. No matter what the size of your order, you can expect competitive transparent pricing and excellent customer service. RAM aims to create a higher level of customer experience so their client base doesn’t want to go anywhere else. The phone is answered by a friendly voice and if there is ever a problem, they will take care of it. The online experience is designed with simplicity in mind and staff is there to respond to any queries. When placing initial orders, customers can expect a seamless transfer from purchasing from another vendor to RAM.
computer supplies fair and competitive. RAM is much more than selling copier paper and toner cartridges, in addition there is furniture, technology driven products, maintenance and breakroom supplies and many paper products. RAM takes pride in knowing they have an excellent fill rate. Price comparisons with competitors come easy with the new website. RAM is certified by Hewlett Packard to service printers (even if it isn’t an HP). RAM is a member of the Reno Sparks Chamber of Commerce, the Better Business Bureau, and an associate member of the business networking group, LeTip. Visit them at ramdcs.com.
RAM and Crocco have been building personal relationships with clients for over 34 years. As a small, local business, they have seen numerous economic downturns along with extreme upticks. Their approach has been improving their services throughout each wave. Their clients have stayed with them and their base has even grown. They work diligently to keep their prices for printer and
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by Corrine Casanova When locally owned RAM Discount Office Computer Supplies (RAM) goes toe to toe with some of their competition—nationwide big box office supply retailers, they televise the battle so others can watch too. Here’s how they do it. On their website, they utilize a price comparison shopping tool much like Progressive does in the insurance industry. By going to RAM’s userfriendly website ramdcs.com you can search any product, click on it and over 7,000 of the online items listed will display price comparisons with their competitors. 10 • ISSUE 6 • NOVEMBER 2017
RAM founder and owner, Rob Crocco, likes the price transparency concept as it shows clients that it’s possible to shop local instead of the big box stores to get the best deals. Better yet, he offers free delivery in the Truckee Meadows area with no minimum order requirement. Crocco first opened RAM’s doors in 1983 when it was an exclusive IBM dealer and sold floppy disks, IBM products and rolls of continuous paper (for registers). Throughout the years, he focused on Hewlett-Packard products including the most popular toner cartridges. Since then, the business has
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BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 11
CARSON CHAMBER
BNI MEETINGS
NOVEMBER 14 5:30-7PM Connect90 Nothing to it Culinary Center
DECEMBER 2 12-1PM Ribbon Cutting & Grand Opening at Flavors of India Taste of India 1105 S. Carson St.
TUESDAY 7AM Mimi’s Café BizClub Zero Swill Coffee Napa Sonoma South
NOV/DEC 2017
RENO+SPARKS CHAMBER
NOVEMBER 18 6-9PM Royal Father Daughter Ball Downtown Reno Ballroom DECEMBER 4 11:30AM-1PM Chamber 101: Orientation of NEW members The Chamber DECEMBER 13 5-6:30PM Chamber Holiday Reception The Chamber
NCET NOVEMBER 15 11AM-1PM Biz Bite: Kylie Rowe Atlantis Casino Resort Spa DECEMBER 13 5:30-7:30PM Tech Wednesday: CustomInk 4855 Longley Lane
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7-9AM 7-9AM WIN WINBreakfast BreakfastMeeting Meeting
Laugh to Win; Negotiating Art and the Local Life with Humor Economy Karyn Ruth White Randy Cohen Atlantis AtlantisCasino CasinoResort ResortSpa
12 • ISSUE 6 • NOVEMBER 2017
DECEMBER 14 8AM-5PM Carson City Leadership Institute Carson City Chamber of Commerce
CARSON VALLEY CHAMBER NOVEMBER 14 4-5PM Chamber Ambassador Committee Meeting Cultural Center & Museum NOVEMBER 15 7-8:45AM Carson Valley & NNDA Annual Joint Breakfast Meeting Carson Valley Inn NOVEMBER 30 4:30-7PM Carson Valley Christmas Kickoff Heritage Park NOVEMBER 27 – DECEMBER 7 “Share Your Christmas” Holiday Food Drive Genoa Fire Department DECEMBER 2 5PM 22nd Annual Parade of Lights Olde Time Christmas in Carson Valley Minden Park
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WEDNESDAY 7AM Napa Sonoma South Meadowood Courtyard WEDNESDAY NOON Wildcreek Golf Course Famous Dave’s Reno/Sparks Association of Realtors THURSDAY 7AM Swill Coffee Lakeridge 19th Hole The Plaza Hotel, Carson City Mimi’s Café Napa Sonoma South
LeTIP MEETINGS WEDNESDAY 7AM Mimi’s Café Hidden Valley Country Club
NOVEMBER 18 5:30-10:30PM Fantasies in Chocolate Grand Sierra Resort and Casino NOVEMBER 23 8-11AM Carson Valley Turkey Trot Minden Park NOVEMBER 23 8-11AM Scheels Turkey Trot Sparks Marina DECEMBER 1 4:30-7PM Silver & Snowflakes Festival of Lights and Holiday Tree Lighting Downtown Carson DECEMBER 7-9 4-9PM 39 North Pole Village Victorian Square DECEMBER 8-10 Times vary Nutcracker Ballet Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts For more complete and up-to-date calendar information, visit www. bizNEVADA.com/events
OTHER EVENTS NOVEMBER 16 5:30-8:30PM The Silver Spikes Award The Grove NOVEMBER 17 9AM-4:30PM Sierra Sales Summit Professional Saleswomen of Nevada Atlantis Casino Resort Spa NOVEMBER 17 5:30-7:30PM 20 Under 40 Awards Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 13
by Corrine Casanova
GivingLocallyto
Impact Globally
Working toward a world in which all communities have access to quality healthcare is the mission of Advocates for Rural Community Health (ARCH) which is located in Reno. It’s the brainchild of Leissan Sadykova, a human rights advocate, who got her master’s degree in Diplomacy and Military Studies with an emphasis on Post-Conflict Health Sector Development from Hawaii Pacific University. Her passion brought her to a war-torn region in Uganda which
by Casanova has Corrine been considered post conflict since 2012. While there she
discovered that one of the biggest healthcare issues was human capital. She saw a need that desperately needed to be fulfilled. There aren’t enough healthcare professionals in rural areas of Uganda to see their patients, do immunization campaigns and community outreach on health education. This resonated with Sadykova and she began the work of creating the non-profit ARCH in 2016. In conjunction with the UNR Medical School, fourth year medical students go to post conflict areas and work a four-week rotation with local physicians at rural hospitals. In April 2017, the inaugural group went to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, a community healthcare facility that serves about 150,000 people in Uganda. There they shadowed local physicians and assisted in running the emergency room. They learned how to provide medical care despite having no electricity or running water in the facility. Banners hang throughout the hospital stating, “Give your best with what you have, all the time and in time,” which seems to
14 • ISSUE 6 • NOVEMBER 2017
encapsulate their daily philosophy. While there, they also did a community outreach program where they went to primary and secondary schools and taught them the basics and importance of hand washing. Each medical student immerses themselves in the culture by staying with a host family. Because of the lack of resources, the biggest takeaway for the students was that the medical exam and recording a patient’s history is real. Sadykova explains, “While we have become accustomed to technology, it’s great exposure to what could happen in emergency situations like after a hurricane. This program provides residents a unique training opportunity to prepare them for those types of situations because you never know what could happen.”
After the experience, one resident shared, “I am a different physician, no, a different person now than I would have been had I never set foot in Gulu Regional Hospital. I will strive to cherish relationships with others. Recollections of a smiling face, the remembrance of a pungent smell, or visions of dying patients, forever etched in my memory, will offer perspective when confronting future challenges. I will constantly seek to learn from patients, nurses, students, mentors and others around me. What I brought to Africa was not nearly as valuable as the lessons I took home.” Other groups are set to go to Uganda in January and April 2018. Business sponsorships are available to assist ARCH in their mission to ensure global rural communities have adequate access to health care. Sadykova noted, “This allows businesses to have a global impact. People become entrepreneurs because they see a need and then they solve it. We are doing the same thing. ARCH and our sponsors contribute to the good of the world. If rural health, global health, women’s health and immunizations are important to you, this is a great way to know your donation is making a global impact. We also make sure we thank and recognize our businesses that are philanthropists in our community. In addition to that, sponsors will have access to a global network of rural health professionals. Through our outreach efforts, we can help our business sponsors reach a wider audience.”
students who become part of the program go abroad and learn skills they become better doctors, are more creative, more empathetic upon their return. She views it as an investment on a global scale. When the medical students see patients, they can incorporate what they’ve learned into their daily practice. The program helps change the way these health professionals are trained. For Sadykova, living in Africa for six months changed her entire perspective on life. She fell in love with the people there and recognized a real gap in quality healthcare in rural areas like at the Gulu Regional Referral Hospital. She is confident the students that choose to become part of the ARCH program will be impacted by what they see and learn. To date, 300 people have received direct quality healthcare from ARCH services. To learn more about ARCH, visit archruralhealth. org or contact Leissan Sadykova at Leissan@ARCHRuralHealth. org.
Sadykova sees the global impact come full circle as the medical BIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 15
cial real estate loans do not fully amortize over 30 years, so when the loan matures the property owner has to either pay off the loan or refinance the property.
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Another reason to refinance is to lower the interest rate to reduce the mortgage payment and increase the cash flow from the property. In Reno, we are seeing rental rates and occupancy rates that have increased, making this an ideal time for investors to refinance so they can reduce their interest rate, and also pull some equity out of the property. It is common for investors to use the equity they pull out of the property to improve their property, to invest in other properties, or to improve the liquidity of their balance sheet.
BEST KEPT SECRET IN COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE by Lisa Jansen Vacancy rates are down; rents continue to rise, development in Reno is moving full steam ahead. It is a great time to invest in commercial real estate or refinance an existing loan, and one of the best kept secrets for commercial lending is One Nevada Credit Union. Historically, credit unions have been well known as a great source of consumer credit. Since credit unions operate as notfor-profit financial institutions, they pass the savings on to their member-owners. To join a credit union, you have to meet certain requirements. One Nevada is open to all residents of Washoe, Clark, and Nye counties in Nevada plus family members of current members. Credit unions are growing in popularity because they offer the same financial products as banks, but they often have lower rates and fees. One Nevada isn’t just a great resource for consumer credit, but also a great resource for commercial real estate loans. The credit union has a team of lending experts that specialize in refinancing existing loans and financing commercial property purchases. At One Nevada, the commercial lending team is led by Sandy Thompson, Vice President of Business Lending. Thompson has been with One Nevada since October 2011 and has a lending career that spans more than 40 years. During his tenure, his team has successfully managed a commercial loan portfolio in excess of $120 million, while mitigating portfolio risk and minimizing losses during the great recession. He is a good resource for consumers and businesses looking to invest in commercial 16 • ISSUE 6 • NOVEMBER 2017
Rates have remained very low for several years, and although the Federal Reserve has gradually increased their short-term rates, long-term interest rates have continued to remain at historically low levels, so now is still a good time to refinance. Most loans have a prepayment penalty that makes it unattractive to refinance before the loan matures, but in some cases, borrowers are willing to pay the penalties if the new loan payment is sufficiently lower to allow them to recoup the cost of the prepayment penalty over a few months. There are no prepayment penalties on One Nevada commercial real estate loans. As a credit union, One Nevada is committed to helping serve commercial property owners and investors seeking new lending solutions. The best thing about working with a credit union is the excellent customer service you receive because they have competitive rates and a local team that knows your market. Learn more at onenevada.org.
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real estate and has been expanding the One Nevada portfolio in northern Nevada. “One Nevada has been watching the northern Nevada commercial real estate market closely over the last few years. We feel confident that Reno is a good bet, so we are expanding our northern Nevada commercial loan portfolio. We’ve seen a lot of interest in commercial property acquisitions and an upswing in our refinancing activity,” said Thompson. The credit union has been providing commercial real estate loans to its members at competitive rates since 2004. Loans range from $1 million to $5 million and One Nevada prides itself on offering quick responses to loan inquiries. One Nevada provides loans to purchase or to refinance most commercial property types, including office buildings, industrial properties, warehouse space, retail, multi-family units (A and B class), self-storage, mobile home parks, hotel and motel properties. At One Nevada, loans can be tailored to fit the members’ needs and all loan decisions are made locally. One Nevada’s entire lending process is transparent and interactive. There are several reasons why people are refinancing commercial real estate loans right now. One of the main reasons is to avoid balloon payments. Unlike residential loans, most commerBIZNEVADA MAGAZINE • WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM • 17
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According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women in the United States and causes more deaths than colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers combined. An estimated 155,870 Americans are expected to die from lung cancer in 2017, accounting for approximately 27 percent of all cancer deaths.
CyberKnife is a clinically recognized and effective cancer treatment option for lung cancer. It is a painless procedure that targets and treats tumors precisely, and most patients quickly return to their daily routines with little interruption to their normal activities. It is truly cutting edge technology without the cutting.
Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs. These abnormal cells do not carry out the functions of normal lung cells and do not develop into healthy lung tissue. As they grow, the abnormal cells can form tumors and interfere with the functioning of the lung, which provides oxygen to the body via the blood.
To learn more about how Reno CyberKnife treats lung cancer with CyberKnife technology, or to schedule an appointment, please visit www.RenoCyberKnife.com or call 775-348- 9900 today.
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. The national event started back in 1995 as Lung Cancer Awareness Day. As the lung cancer community and the lung cancer movement grew, the awareness activities increased and the day matured into Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
After lung cancer is found and staged, your cancer care team will discuss your treatment options with you. Depending on the stage of the disease and other factors, the main treatment options for people with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common type of lung cancer, can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or a combination of treatments. For lung cancer patients who do not want to undergo chemotherapy or surgery, or when surgery is not an option due to health issues or surgically complex tumors, the CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System is a proven treatment option with a low risk of complications. CyberKnife treats lung cancer patients with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Instead of giving small doses of radiation each day for several weeks, SBRT uses very focused beams of high-dose radiation given in fewer (usually 1 to 5) treatments. During the CyberKnife treatment, hundreds of highly concentrated and incredibly precise beams of radiation are targeted directly to tumors and lesions in the lung. As the patient breathes during the CyberKnife treatment, the CyberKnife robotic arm moves with the rise and fall of his/her body, meaning that healthy tissue is protected from radiation and only the tumor is treated. 20 • ISSUE 6 • NOVEMBER 2017
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ligation; it is a significant expense item. There is workers’ compensation insurance, the impact of OSHA violation fees and potential enterprise-crippling lawsuits to name a few. What many business owners don’t realize is how much control they can exercise over their workplace safety costs. Through training and implementation of time-tested best practices, companies can drastically lower these costs.
HOW TO ADD
HEALTH CARE
This is where your insurance professionals should be able to assist you. For instance, we have extensive training materials and tools to offer our clients that provide an industry-specific blueprint for workplace safety. There is no need for you to reinvent the wheel in finding substantial cost-savings in workplace safety.
BENEFITS FOR FREE
RISK OPPORTUNITIES Finally, one of the most critical (and manageable) expense line items for businesses is in the area of risk. Let’s face it. Every company is vulnerable to corporation litigation, natural disasters, embezzlement, employee theft and a host of other things than can go wrong, and often will.
by Mike Menath Reality is settling in for business owners in northern Nevada: If you want to remain competitive in the labor market, you’ve got to offer health care benefits to your employees. When the United States economy collapsed in 2008, northern Nevada was among the hardest hit in the nation. As a course of pure survival, many companies in the region had to reduce their health care benefits—some entirely. Fast forward to 2017 and by most accounts, the local economy is booming. Now, with unemployment numbers at low levels, employees are once again wielding the upper hand. Providing health care benefits is rapidly becoming a necessity if you want to be competitive in this ultra-tight labor market. But with health care costs skyrocketing, and the politics surrounding it in Washington D.C. in complete disarray, how is that even possible?
IF YOU’RE NOT PROVIDING HEALTH CARE BENEFITS...YOU’RE ALREADY SPENDING A FORTUNE The sad truth is, you are already spending a great deal on health care in your business, even if you aren’t providing benefits to your employees. First off, you’ve got the expense of hiring and retaining employees. Most business owners list staff turnover as one of their highest productivity impacts. For many companies, it takes at least three months of on-the- job training for an employee to start carrying their weight. Often, it can require as long as a year to get them fully up to speed. This ties up supervisor-level time as well. Many of the top recruits won’t even respond to your job postings if they know your company doesn’t offer health care benefits. And for those who will work for you without benefits, you are facing elevated instances of absenteeism, and worse, having them come to work ill and getting the rest of your staff sick. Clearly, a company benefits financially by having healthy employees. Your
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staff will have more energy, higher productivity and better attitudes because they know they are being taken care of by their company.
SO, WHAT ABOUT THESE FREE HEALTH CARE BENEFITS? Everybody knows how expensive health care benefits can be. And it’s clear the costs are going to continue to climb. You can’t technically add health care insurance without paying a carrier. However; you can recover the cost of providing this benefit by discovering savings or productivity enhancements in different areas of your business. This will free up currently wasted resources to pay for your new health care offering. What follows are some of the ways you can accomplish this.
OVERINSURANCE Having quality insurance is essential to operating a responsible business. Yet, in many cases, companies are overinsuring themselves in unnecessary and expensive ways. Some of the policies that were set up early on in your business may not be as streamlined as they should be for how you run your operation today. We’ve discovered companies who have been paying insurance on employees who have long left the firm. Other businesses are paying coverage on products that have been discontinued for many years.
And these are the most painful checks for a business owner to write. The good news is there are insurance tools and proven strategies to greatly minimize your exposure to risk. Your insurance representative should be an expert in risk reduction with products to offer and critical knowledge to share.
FREE DOESN’T COME EASY So, will you be able to add or enhance health care benefits for your company at no additional cost to your bottom line? The answer will depend on your current efficiencies. If you’re already running at 100 percent maximum efficiency in all areas of your business, then there will be fewer opportunities to find excess resources to cover your health care costs. But if you’re like most busy business owners, running a company in a competitive environment—then there are quite a few opportunities to free up resources that can be better invested elsewhere. It all starts with a comprehensive overview of your entire insurance strategy by someone who understands all facets of the industry. Who knows? You might be able to shift costs significantly enough to make your goal of adding health care benefits much more affordable than you think. And in today’s labor market, this might lead to your best business investment of 2018. Menath Insurance is an independent insurance agency with offices in Reno, NV, Incline Village, NV and South Lake Tahoe, CA.
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By having your coverage policy thoroughly examined by a professional, you may discover significant savings that could be more wisely applied to offering health care benefits.
WORKPLACE SAFETY For many businesses, workplace safety is not only an ethical ob-
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Protecting Employees
FROM THE FLU AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINE by Immunize Nevada The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report that up to 111 million workdays are lost every year because of the flu (influenza). In dollars, this equates to an estimated $7 billion per year loss due to sick days and lost productivity. By encouraging your staff members to get a flu vaccine, you’re ensuring they’re able to work and provide for their families, while also protecting your customers from potentially contracting the influenza virus as well. “This time of year, flu is responsible for 45 percent of lost workdays lost and those in the 50-64 age bracket are the most vulnerable,” shares Immunize Nevada Executive Director Heidi Parker. “And one of the easiest ways to keep employees healthy is to encourage them to get vaccinated against the flu.” Bill Pearce Motors Co-Owner Lydia Meyer says protecting employees from the flu is critical for her company. “We have nurses from Renown come out and administer the vaccines to our employees and their families every year,” she shares. “It’s free for our employees through Hometown Health, and available at a reduced rate for their families.” The reason Bill Pearce Motors goes the extra mile? “It’s simple— reduces our sick time at work,” Meyer says. “Personally, I get my shot every year because with three kids and a full-time job, I can’t afford to get sick.” The flu can also be highly dangerous to people in our community who are not able to get the flu vaccine, namely the very young, the immunocompromised and the very old. Most healthy adults can infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five to seven days after becoming sick.
For Meyer, it’s also personal, since one of her children has a weakened immune system due to the medicine she takes for juvenile arthritis. “Even if I don’t get sick, I could be a carrier and bring it home,” Meyer says. “We need everyone around her to be vaccinated.” Immunize Nevada shares a number of ways businesses can support flu vaccination: •
Managers and leaders can set an example by getting vaccinated first.
•
Offer on-site flu vaccinations. Allow employees to attend as part of their work day.
•
If not available on-site, allow employees to take an hour or two to get vaccinated each year.
•
Let employees know it’s a business priority for them to get vaccinated.
•
Post articles in company communications about the importance of flu vaccination. Download examples at influencenevada.org/toolkit/ business/
•
Prevention is a team effort.
•
Support daily cleaning of desks, phones, doorknobs, copiers, break room, etc.
•
Place tissues, disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer throughout the workplace. According to the CDC, good hand hygiene practices can reduce illness and absenteeism costs by up to 50 percent.
•
Allow telecommuting and offer paid sick time to prevent the spread of contagious illness.
•
Send employees home if they arrive at work sick.
•
Sick? Stay home and get better. Immunize Nevada shares that more than 85 percent of employees admit coming to work sick during cold and flu season.
If you can’t bring the flu vaccine to your employees, encourage them to visit immunize Nevada’s online “Flu Vaccine Locations” to find a location near them. 24 • ISSUE 6 • NOVEMBER 2017
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The Affordable Care Act (ACA) brought about the creation of Metal Tiers to help consumers understand the ratio of the cost split between the insurance company and the insured member. Here is a rough estimate of how these costs are split in each metal tier:
BRONZE – 40% CONSUMER/60% INSURER SILVER – 30% CONSUMER/70% INSURER GOLD – 20% CONSUMER/80% INSURER PLATINUM – 10% CONSUMER/90% INSURER A Bronze plan is going to have a lower monthly premium than a Gold or Platinum plan, and may be the right fit for a business that has a lot of young, healthy employees who rarely utilize medical services. Conversely, paying the higher premium that comes with a Gold plan may make sense if a business employs older people who tend to utilize more medical services.
101
HEAL TH INSURANCE
Employee Health Insurance Considerations for Small Business Owners by Ty Windfeldt
With that in mind, small business owners should be aware that there are ways to provide employees with high-quality health insurance coverage in a cost effective manner. When it comes to health insurance, there are three key aspects that determine the cost of coverage – type of plan/provider network, plan design/metal tiers and employee contribution.
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Health insurance is complicated. The options can appear to be endless and the impact on a small business, from both a financial and employee recruitment/retention aspect cannot be overstated. Small business owners should consult with a reputable, licensed health insurance broker to ensure they understand the options available and have the information they need to make the best choice for their business. Ty Windfeldt, MBA, is a Senior Vice President for Renown Health and Chief Executive Officer of Hometown Health. In this role, he oversees all aspects of Hometown Health, the region’s largest and most experienced not-for-profit health insurance company with more than 140,000 members.
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For many small business owners, offering an employee benefit plan that includes health insurance is critical to attracting and retaining key talent. Here in Nevada, and particularly in the Reno/Sparks area where skilled employees are in high demand, employers who do not offer health insurance will find themselves at a distinct disadvantage in the marketplace. Forward-thinking business people are no longer viewing health insurance as an expenditure that doesn’t pay dividends, but instead as an investment in their employees and in their businesses that sets them apart as a “best place to work” employer.
Most health plans require employers to pay at least 50 percent of the plan premium for covered employees. Requiring an employee
to pay some portion of the premium is standard practice and good business. It encourages employees to take responsibility for their own health care while helping to offset the employer’s monthly premium expense. The amount of the employee contribution is up to the employer, but the percentage must be the same for all eligible employees.
For most small employers with 50 employees or less, there are two basic types of health insurance plans to choose from; a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). An HMO plan may help contain health care costs because these plans require members to select an in-network primary care provider (PCP), specialist visits require a referral from a PCP, and out-of-network health care costs are not covered. In contrast, a PPO plan may ultimately cost more because they are much less restrictive in that members can choose to see an in-network provider or they can pay more and see an out-ofnetwork provider. Selecting the right type of plan based on the provider network you intend to utilize is an important first step.
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WHAT DRIVES YOU
IS WHAT DRIVES US. Your passion fuels your success. And we’re as dedicated to you as you are to your business. MassMutual will listen to your needs, seek solutions to your financial challenges and help you plan for what’s ahead. Brian D. Wheeler MassMutual Boulder Basin 9590 Prototype Ct., Suite 400 Reno, NV 89521 775-870-1552 Brianwheeler@financialguide.com
Letter from THE PUBLISHER
Photo: Marcello Rostagni
by Richard W. Moore Throughout each of our lives, we have experienced moments of feeling humbled. Whatever the cause of that moment, the emotion never quite leaves. Speaking solely for myself, I have truly been blessed to know many remarkable people. I recently experienced a moment where I felt so honored and humbled to be in the presence of somebody else. It happened on an otherwise unremarkable mid-October day when I was asked by our editor if I could attend the photo shoot for this issue. In truth, I had already planned on attending because of the subject, Dr. Patsy Ruchala, Dean of the Orvis School of Nursing at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). I typically do not share my personal feelings, however, in this case, I simply can’t resist. UNR, the Orvis School of Nursing, and our community have been blessed to have such an incredible leader in our midst for the past 12 or so years. Dr. Ruchala has quietly served our great state and healthcare in general during the industry’s most trying times. She took on an incredible mission and has seen it through, leaving our community in far better shape than she found it. I was humbled in her presence, knowing there was a great power within, and yet she only showed complete grace and kindness during a lengthy photo shoot. All of us at bizNEVADA hope you enjoy our cover story this month. If you have a chance, let UNR know she will be missed as she is retiring in June 2018. Richard W. Moore, Co-Publisher
30 • ISSUE 6 • NOVEMBER 2017
BUSINESS SUCCESSION PLANNING + KEY EMPLOYEE RETENTION AND EXECUTIVE BENEFITS PRODUCTS +RETIREMENT/401(K) PLAN SERVICES
MassMutual Financial Group refers to Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. (MassMutual), its affiliated companies and sales representatives. Local sales agencies are not subsidiaries of MassMutual or its affiliated companies. CRN201809-186028
Celebrating the magic and beauty of the season
Warm wishes for the very best this holiday season and a prosperous New Year. Wells Fargo Center • 5340 Kietzke Lane • 775-689-6333 www.biznevada.com
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