Vol. 2 | ISSUE 16 | SEPTEMBER 2018
Question 3 Heats Up Page 7 Want to Improve Your Online Presence? page 26
Celebrating a Century page 5
LETTER FROM THE
EDITOR
LETTER FROM THE
PUBLISHER
by Corrine Casanova
Richard W. Moore
As the November election grows closer you’ve probably seen your share of political ads. There are six questions that you will see on the ballot this November, the most controversial one being Question 3 that would deregulate Nevada’s energy market. I talked with representatives on both sides of the issue to determine the impact of a “yes” or “no” vote from each of their polar opposite perspectives.
First, it is time to begin preparing for the end of 2017 as we are three quarters of the way through it. I am always truly amazed at how quickly time seems to go by, especially when all of us are working so hard! Second, our editors have really done a good job outlining the various political questions we face on this year’s ballot. My hope is that we all find a way to get through this political season professionally while still engaging in vigorous, rational, discourse.
My colleage, Craig Ruark, editor of the Southern Nevada edition of bizNEVADA, wrote a comprehensive balanced article on Question 3: What You Need to Know in our July issue. It’s worth a read if you’d like additional unbiased background information on this controversial ballot measure. In addition to ballot issues like Question 3 and others, we recognize a couple milestone anniversaries. Our cover story shares Woodburn and Wedge’s story as they celebrate 100 years as the oldest independent law firm in the state of Nevada. Savage and Son, Nevada’s oldest contractor, is also celebrating an anniversary—their 125th. In order to be successful as a company for over 100 years, both organizations have proved that they are adaptable and can evolve with the changing times. As bizNEVADA continues to grow, we too pride ourselves on innovation.
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There are two remarkable companies highlighted in this month’s publication beginning with our cover story, Woodburn and Wedge, the state’s oldest independent law firm celebrating its 100th year. In addition, Savage and Son is celebrating their 125th year of business. They are Nevada’s oldest contractor. When you have some extra time we encourage you to look each of them up. It is no mistake they have been around this long. Finally, we will be outlining in more detail over the next couple of months our greatest innovation here at bizNEVADA—Augmented Reality (AR). What does this mean for you the reader? Through the use of AR, you can get more relevant, DIGITAL information directly from our publications; and for our advertisers / sponsors, for the first time that we know of, they will start getting back true digital analytics on how many times their ad has been viewed or opened. This is all part of our commitment to give you the most complete levels of information possible. Stay tuned for more in our next issue.
INTHISISSUE VOL. 2 / ISSUE. 16 BizNEVADA PUBLISHING TEAM BizNevada Publishing Team PUBLISHERS: Richard Moore and Chris O’Sullivan GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Kaylyn Dazey EDITOR-IN- CHIEF: Corrine Casanova PHOTOGRAPHER: Marcello Rostagni COVER PHOTO: Photo by Marcello Rostagni ADVERTISING Chris O’Sullivan chris@biznv.com Richard Moore richard@biznv.com FEEDBACK/IDEAS We welcome your feedback and ideas regarding BizNevada. Send a message to info@biznevada.com © 2018 Carpe Diem International. All rights reserved. CONTACT US info@biznevada.com www.biznevada.com
PG 5-6
Celebrating a Century of Independence
PG 7-8
Yes or No on Question 3?
PG 9
The Skinny on Two More Ballot Questions
PG 12-13
Question 1, Marsy’s Law, Faces Final Confirmation
PG 14-15
Registration PG 16-17
Home-Away-From-Home
PG 18
How to Hire a Contractor
PG 20-21
Calendar of Events
PG 22-23
Can’t We All Just Eat Cake and Get Along? When Business and Personal Beliefs Collide
PG 24-25
Market Segmentation for Fun and Profit
PG 26-27
The Correct Way to Use Free Online Directories Such as Yelp & YP.com
PG 28
Answerwest Celebrates 30 Years of Non-Stop, Often Life-Saving, Operations
PG 29
Nevada’s Oldest Contractor Celebrates 125 Years of Business
PG 30-31
EXPERT CONTRIBUTORS Jeffrey Benjamin Corporate Training Breakthrough Training BreakthroughTraining.com 775-337-1600 Kyle Reeves Digital Marketing Revolution Online Marketing RevolutionReno.com 775-335-0091 Govind Davis Digital Marketing Big M Marketing bigm-marketing.com/ 415-992-7711 Brent Forbush Certified Public Accountants Forbush & Associates ForbushAndAssociates.biz 775-337-6001
Ballot Question 5 Aims to Increase Voter
NEW COFFEE TALK FEATURE: Circle of Life Community Hospice
Brian D. Wheeler Financial Advisor Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Agency BoulderBasin.MassMutual.com 775-870-1552 Mike Menath Insurance Menath Insurance MenathInsurance.com 775-831-3132 David Spillers Printing Digiprint DigiprintCorporation.com 775-786-4464 Workers Compensation EMPLOYERS EMPLOYERS.com 775-327-2700
KJ Smith Background Checks Employer Lynx EmployerLynx.com 775-883-3733 Ron Ford HVAC Sierra Air SierraAir.com 775-800-5500 Tim Kirk Credit Card, Merchant Services PaidRight GetPaidRight.com 775-393-9669 Golf Hidden Valley Country Club HVCCReno.com 775-857-4735
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Photo Credit: Marcello Rostagni
by Corrine Casanova Woodburn and Wedge, the state’s oldest independent law firm, has its roots firmly planted in Nevada’s rich history as they celebrate their milestone 100th year this month. In those early days, beginning in 1918, their main focus was on mining law, real estate law, water law, corporate law, wills, estates and probates and general litigation. A lot has changed and evolved since then both in the state and in the firm. Over the last century there have been many cases worthy of note. The firm received a contract in the early 1980’s to provide legal services to the United States Air Force where they offered advice on environmental, water and land use law in connection with a missile
system planned for rural Nevada. In 1989, the firm was involved in important first amendment freedom of speech issues. They successfully defended the rock band Judas Priest and CBS Records in a wrongful death action brought by the survivors of two individuals who committed suicide after a long evening of drugs, drinking and listening to music. In 2003, the firm was part of a small team of lawyers responsible for obtaining the 16th largest jury award in the United States of nearly $137 million in a fraud action suit involving a copper mine near Tonopah, Nevada. As they celebrate a 100 years of independent law practice, Woodburn and Wedge stakeholders, Shawn Pearson and Dane Anderson (two of the firm’s 20 lawyers) explained BIZ NEVADA MAGAZINE · WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM · 5
what it takes to be an independent law firm for a century and how they evolved and weathered the storm during some turbulent times, most recently the economic downturn of a decade ago. Pearson has been with the firm since 2000 and focuses primarily on corporate law, real property law and other commercial transactions. He recalls witnessing the full economic boom and bust cycle of the last recession. “Back in the early 2000’s up until around 2006 there was a crazy amount of work and the economy was booming. Then in 2009-2010 you could see tumbleweeds
we came out stronger as a firm. As an independent firm, we don’t need to seek permission from anyone to negotiate a fee or report back to a central office. We make all the decisions here in Nevada and I think there is benefit in that for our clients.” Today, Woodburn and Wedge is a full-service law firm known for their diverse experience and expertise under one roof including litigation, corporate law, commercial law, real estate law, water law, family law, and bankruptcy. They also do estate planning, probate, trust
to technology and start-up companies, Woodburn and Wedge continues to evolve as well into the firm’s next 100 years. “There are a lot of new businesses being built and coming into northern Nevada. While it’s fun to celebrate our past, as a dynamic firm we look forward to our future here in Reno. It’s an exciting time to be living here. We have a good group of young associates to transition in over the next five years, so as we look to the future, we are talking about the next generation of new talent and associates. We will continue to provide the good service for all of our practice areas and look to expand if the opportunity presents itself,” said Anderson. “For many years, Nevada has marketed its corporate friendly statutes to lure businesses to incorporate or relocate to Nevada. While most public companies are organized in Delaware, a disproportionate number of non-Delaware public companies incorporate in Nevada because it is relatively inexpensive and Nevada has constantly adopted corporate friendly statutes. When changes are made in Delaware the Nevada bar watches closely and then makes recommendations to the Nevada legislature based on that. As a result, we do quite a bit of national work,” Pearson shared.
Photo Credit: Marcello Rostagni blowing through downtown and no rush hour traffic. Our firm was able to weather the storm,” said Pearson. Anderson, who practices in all areas of commercial and general civil litigation and has also been with the firm since 2000, shared, “When the economy started to shift during that time we saw many firms founded here in Nevada and across other states join regional or national firms. While there were good reasons for that trend we chose to stay independent and in the long run, 6 · ISSUE 16 · SEPTEMBER 2018
administration, and trust litigation. “While our practice is business focused, we do offer some services for individuals. There are some valuable aspects of our practice that provide great synergies with our business side. For example, we can serve the corporate needs of our local business clients, while also handling their principals’ estate planning. We are able to provide very Nevada specific advice to our clients,” said Pearson. As Reno experiences incredible growth especially when it comes
Woodburn and Wedge’s centennial celebration takes place at the Elm Estate in October, where close friends, clients, peers and others who have contributed to the success of the firm over the years will gather. In honor of their 100 year in practice, the firm has committed $100,000 to local charitable and legal support enterprises. “We are proud to be a northern Nevada firm and chose to celebrate our roots and the community we have shared our history with,” said Anderson. “We look forward to continuing our practice as an independent law firm and are honored to be a part of the exciting future of our state.”
by Corrine Casanova On November 6, voters will vote yes or no on Question #3, “The Energy Choice Initiative.” The debate is heating up on both sides. Essentially, it is about deregulating Nevada’s energy market and allowing consumers to make a choice on their electrical provider. The measure seeks to amend the Nevada Constitution by adding language that would open the state’s energy markets to competition. It is one of the hot-button issues on energy that’s dominating the state of Nevada. To gain a better perspective on Question 3, I spoke with James Wadhams, a government affairs attorney at Fennemore Craig; Bradley Mayor, a spokesperson for Yes on 3; and Tracy Skenandore, a spokesperson for the Coalition to Defeat Question 3. As you may recall, in the last general election in 2016, Nevadans voted yes on Question 3 by a whopping 72 to 28 percent vote. Because it amends the constitution, it has to be voted on again. “This sort of process of getting a constitutional amendment takes longer than to change a legislative statute. For example, if the legislature thinks they did something wrong in 2017, they can go back in 2019 and change it. However, as a constitutional amendment, it will take two general elections requiring votes by the people to do that. Once you amend the constitution it kind of locks things in,” said Wadhams. If it passes, they have three legislative sessions in 2019, 2021 and 2023 to create laws that will allow a competitive marketplace. Question 3 has turned into a multimillion-dollar public battle that goes way beyond party lines. A big proponent
for Yes on Question 3 is Sheldon Adelson, chairman, and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp. In contrast, a big supporter of No on 3 is Phil Satre, Chairman of the Board at IGT and former Chairman & CEO of Harrah’s. Warren Buffet who is chairman of NV Energy’s parent company, Berkshire Hathaway Energy who acquired NV Energy in 2013 is also a No on 3 proponent. If the “Energy Choice Initiative” passes, NV Energy has been vocal about selling off their power plants and no longer being an energy provider in the state of Nevada. At the time of this writing, Governor Brian Sandoval and Senator Dean Heller are undecided. Attorney James Wadhams (JW), Yes on 3’s Bradley Mayor (BM) and Coalition to Defeat Question 3’s Tracy Skenandore (TS) weighed in on some of the biggest topics–making a change with a constitutional amendment, rate implications, and what happens when a monopoly goes away. Q: Why use a constitutional amendment to make the change? TS: We are the only state to use a constitutional amendment to deregulate an electric system and no state in 20 years has attempted something like this. Locking it into our state constitution is too risky and would take a minimum of four years to undo when things go wrong. The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada found that 2,200 statutes would have to be amended if Question 3 passes. Imagine the time it would take to do this. Also, a lot of those statutes related to renewableenergyprograms and incentives would be dismantled. BIZ NEVADA MAGAZINE · WWW.BIZNEVADA . 7
BP: All that is being put in the constitution are really two items: a ban of electric generation monopolies in the state of Nevada and having the legislature create the new market by July 1, 2023. In that sense, the legislature maintains full authority to implement the market just like they’ve done in the 14 other energy choice states. In fact, the Governor’s Committee on Energy Choice came up with a 52-page report of recommendations on implementing the plan to give the legislature a head start. Q: How will this impact electrical rates for consumers? TS: Nevadans currently enjoy some of the lowest average electricity rates in the country and are 17 percent lower than the national average. It is likely to increase the average monthly electric bills of Nevadans, at least in the first 10 years. In deregulated states, average residential electrical rates are 30 percent higher than Nevada’s, and there is less reliable service. BP: Free market principles drive costs down, not up, in competitive markets across the country. A July 2015 study shows that consumers in choice states have seen their power costs fall 4.5 percent against inflation on average. In contrast, consumers in monopoly states have seen their price rise 8.5 percent more than inflation. The data really proves that energy choice lowers prices. In our current system, businesses with more than one megawatt of usage can leave NV Energy, but it comes with a price tag. For example, MGM paid $87 million for the right to leave NV Energy. That tells me they must be saving more than $87 million getting their power somewhere else in a relatively short time. Switch left NV Energy and not only are they saving 40 percent on their power bills, but have gone 100% green. Q: What happens when a monopoly system like NV Energy is dismantled after over 100 years of service? Will it impact the quality of service and reliability? JW: The proponents argue two things: the monopoly is always self-benefitting, and the customer can usually do better for himself or herself. Regular voters might ask, if the big guys can find better deals, will I too? As a monopoly, NV Energy has built the infrastructure—the poles and wires that give us access to electricity. BP: NV Energy is trying to hold onto their monopoly. If I had a monopoly, I’d want to keep it too. We want to bring choice to Nevadans and allow them to take control of their energy future and really that is to access lower power bills, access more renewable energy and the jobs that come with having more renewable energy. NV Energy will still operate and maintain the poles and wires. If the power goes out, you will still call NV Energy just as you do today. The difference is you will choose your energy provider and choose the plan that fits best for you. In Texas, for example, they have something like 250 providers offering over 2,000 different types of plans. As far as reliability, NV Energy’s own CEO Paul 8 · ISSUE 16 · SEPTEMBER 2018
Caudill in August 2016 said that energy choice would have no impact on reliability because ‘the backbone of the system are the poles and wires.’ TS: Electricity requires significant infrastructure. Deregulation has shown that it brings higher rates, less reliable systems, rolling blackouts, etc. There is something to be said for a provider like NV Energy that provides reliable service to consumers with affordable rates. From an economic development perspective, can we truly recruit corporations and businesses to consider our state [as their home] if we no longer have that reliable electricity system? That is one thing these corporations look into when considering relocation to another state. They want reliable utility options to keep their operational costs affordable, fair and manageable. For example, if a huge manufacturing facility is looking to move to Nevada and because of deregulation realizes that we no longer have a reliable electricity system in place, they may choose another state for relocation because they have a more reliable system. In April 2018, NV Energy announced they will invest $2 billion in six new solar projects. The reality is, this will not move forward if Question 3 passes. There are so many implications to this that we really want voters to look into and understand before they vote. As the debate continues, so does the passion on both sides. Voters will make the final determination about how to proceed with Question 3 this November.
by Corrine Casanova Question 2, also known as the “pink tax” and Question 4, the Medical Patient Tax Relief Act will also be on the ballot this November. While neither of them are swirling in controversy like the energy choice and renewable energy initiatives in Questions 3 and 6, there are a few things you should know about, as they pertain to taxes.
According to a 2015 study conducted by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, women are paying thousands of dollars more over the course of their lives to purchase similar products as men. They claim products marketed toward women cost an average of seven percent more than products marketed toward men. The state of California studied the issue of gender-based pricing of services and estimated that women effectively paid an annual “gender tax” of approximately $1,351 for the same services as men. Minnesota, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut and Florida have all outlawed the “pink tax.” Now Nevada, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Arizona, and Ohio are considering it in the November election.
$ Question 2, “the pink tax” would exempt certain feminine hygiene products from being taxed in Nevada. “Because the Sales and Use Tax Act of 1955 was enacted by referendum, it can only be changed by a vote of the people. The requested exemption is not a radical change in the law, instead, it’s a clarification,” said James Wadhams, a government affairs attorney at Fennemore Craig. Medical Patient Tax Relief Act Question 4, the Medical Patient Tax Relief Act, proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to exempt certain durable medical equipment and mobility enhancing devices from any tax upon the sale, storage, use or consumption of tangible personal property. Voters in 2016 passed it, but it requires a second vote this year to amend the Constitution. “Question 4 is amending the Sales
and Use Tax Act just like Question 2, but in this particular case, they are doing it by amending the Constitution to give the legislature the power to amend the statute. It says the legislature has the power to provide for the exemption of oxygen tanks, nebulizers, drug infusion devices and a whole range of devices that were probably not used in the 1950’s in a healthcare environment. Question 4 is really adding the modern technology as well as hard goods that people use to compensate for structural or systemic problems. “It’s interesting that drafters of Questions 2 and 4 took two different routes to get there (referendum and Constitutional amendment) but are doing the same thing with tax exemptions,” concluded Wadhams.
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Question 1: Marsy’s Law Faces Final Confirmation by Craig A. Ruark For individuals accused of committing a crime, and those convicted of a crime, the U.S. Constitution and the constitutions of each state has a list of rights afforded to them by law. However, neither the U.S. Constitution nor the constitutions of around a dozen states enumerate strong rights to the victims of crime. Marsy’s Law for All seeks to amend state constitutions that don’t offer protection to crime victims and, eventually, the U.S. Constitution, to give the victims of crime, a set of rights equal to those already afforded to the accused and convicted. During the 2015 and 2017 Nevada legislative sessions, state representatives in both the Assembly and Senate passed “Marsy’s Law for NV Rights to Protect Crime Victims” and, as required by the Nevada Constitution, the measure will appear on the November ballot as Question 1. This initiative must be approved by Nevada’s voters to solidify these victim’s rights as a Nevada Constitutional Amendment. The push for the law started after 21-year-old Marsalee (Marsy) Nicholas, a beautiful, vibrant University of California Santa Barbara student, was stalked and killed by her ex-boyfriend in 1983. Only a week after Marsy was murdered, Dr. Henry Nicholas and Mrs. Marcella Leach, Marsy’s brother and mother, walked into a grocery store after visiting her grave and were confronted by the accused murderer. They had no idea that he had been released on bail.
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Part of Marsy’s Law would make it mandatory that Nevada victims and their families are notified before an attacker is released. It would also give the victims more of a voice in the criminal proceedings. “Question 1/Marsy’s Law would guarantee that the victim has a voice during the court and penalty process. There are many judicial officials who keep victims involved in their case right now, but we want to make sure that it’s a constitutional right so victims have guaranteed protections,” said Will Batista, the State Director for Marsy’s law Nevada. If approved by Nevada’s voters, the following rights to crime victims will become part of the Nevada Constitution:
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be treated with fairness and respect and be free from intimidation, harassment, and abuse throughout the criminal justice process;
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be reasonably protected from the defendant;
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have the safety of the victim and victim’s family considered when setting bail;
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prevent the release of information the defendant could use to locate the victim;
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refuse an interview or deposition unless under court order;
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reasonably confer with the prosecuting agency; reasonable notice of all public proceedings and be present at all public proceedings;
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be reasonably heard at any public proceeding;
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the timely judgment of a case;
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provide information to officers concerning the impact of the crime on the victim;
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be informed of the conviction, sentence, incarceration, and release date of the defendant;
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full and timely restitution;
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prompt return of property when no longer needed as evidence;
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be informed of all post-conviction proceedings;
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have the safety of the victim, the victim’s family, and the public considered before any parole;
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have restitution money first applied to the amount ordered to the victim; and
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be informed of the rights in the amendment.
Going into this election, six other states have ratified constitutional amendments known as Marsy’s Law. The first of these states was California in 2008, where voters approved the citizen-initiated Proposition 9. In 2014, the Illinois State Legislature became the first legislature to refer a Marsy’s Law, which voters approved. Marsy’s Law for All sponsored initiative campaigns in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota in 2016 and Ohio in 2017. In addition to Nevada, voters in Oklahoma, North Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia and Florida will also consider Marsy’s Law amendments during the 2018 election. Dr. Henry Nicholas, the co-founder and former cochairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Broadcom Corporation, and brother to Marsy Nicholas, has provided financial backing for each of the initiatives rather than ask for donations from citizens to fund the effort. While an official opposition to Marsy’s Law has not been filed in Nevada, the ACLU has posted their opposition to the law on their website stating, “This national effort seeks a specific list of constitutional rights for crime victims more expansive than the statutory rights afforded victims in every state. Granting victims constitutional rights equal to the accused in criminal proceedings inappropriately undermines due process by creating conflict between victim and defendant rights. It also exacerbates flagrant inequalities in our criminal legal system.” Despite the opposition by the ACLU, Marsy’s Law has not been rejected by the voters in any of the state ballot initiatives. In Nevada, Marsy’s Law is widely supported by lawmakers in both major parties, as well as city and county leaders, civic figures, heads of law enforcement, advocacy agencies and victims of crime. Among the many officials endorsing Marsy’s Law for Nevada are Governor Brian Sandoval, Lt. Governor Mark Hutchison, Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, Nevada US Senator Dean Heller, Nevada US Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks, Washoe County Sheriff Chuck Allen, Reno Police Chief Jason Soto, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson and Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo. Nevada voters will have the final say on Question 1 and this proposal to expand victims’ rights in the November election.
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by Craig A. Ruark To vote or not to vote—that may be the only question if Ballot question 5 passes during the 2018 Nevada election. Ballot Question 5 asks if Nevada residents support “automatic voter registration” of eligible citizens when they apply for a Nevada Drivers License or make changes to their license.
voter registration “provides the necessary balance for voluntary and informed voter registration.” He continued, “IP1 upsets that balance, removing the element of allowing an individual to initiate the voter registration process, and increasing the possibility of improper registration.”
Currently, in Nevada, registering to vote is something that eligible individuals are responsible for choosing to do. This is often referred to as an opt-in system of voter registration, as eligible individuals need to opt-in to the voter rolls. Enacting an automatic voter registration (AVR) system would change voter registration from an opt-in system to an opt-out system. In 2017, the question of automatic voter registration Initiative Petition 1 (IP1) was bounced around both floors of the Nevada Assembly where the Democrats controlled each of the chambers. As a result, the legislature passed the initiative with 27 Democrat member of the House and 11 Democrat members of the Senate, including one Independent Senator voting “YES.” The initiative obtained ZERO votes from any of the Republican Senate or House representatives. On March 16, 2017, IP1 was delivered to the governor’s desk. Earlier in March 2017, Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) said he had not made a decision whether to sign or veto the initiative. But, on March 21, 2017, Gov. Sandoval vetoed IP1, sending the issue to a public vote in 2018. In his veto, Sandoval said the existing system of 14 · ISSUE 16 · SEPTEMBER 2018
Sandoval went on to explain, “IP1 advances a worthy goal by encouraging more eligible Nevadans to register to vote. However, such a result must partner with sound policy. IP1 fails this test because it extinguishes a fundamental, individual choice—the right of eligible voters to decide for themselves whether they desire to apply to register to vote—forfeiting this basic decision to state government. … the core freedom of deciding whether one wishes to initiate voter registration belongs to the individual, not the government. Moreover, if IP1 became law, it would create an unnecessary risk that people who are not qualified voters may unintentionally apply to vote, subjecting them to possible criminal prosecution, fines, and other legal action.”
and to implement automatic voter registration policies across the country. The organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Ballot Question 5 does not have any registered objectors. However, in January 2018, Nevada Secretary of State, Barbara Cegavske was asking for residents to serve on two committees to write arguments for and against Question 5. Each ballot question committee would be made up of three members. According to the Pew Center on States, as of 2012, approximately 51 million eligible Americans are not registered to vote. This number represents a disproportionate share of low-income voters, people of color, and younger Americans. 30 percent of eligible African Americans, 40 percent of Hispanics, 45 percent of Asian Americans, and 41 percent of young adults (ages 18-24), were not registered to vote in 2008.
“The role of each Ballot Question Committee is very important, “Cegavske said during a press conference. “The arguments for and against provide Nevada Voters with information necessary to make an informed choice at the polls.”
As of August 15, 2018, 14 states and the District of Columbia had enacted automatic voter registration policies. The Nevada Automatic Voter Registration via DMV Initiative is modeled on the automatic voter registration system implemented in Oregon on January 1, 2016. Oregon became the first state to provide automatic voter registration in the United States. The law was also approved in the Oregon State Legislature along partisan lines, with Democrats voting for and Republicans voting against the bill. Known as the Oregon Motor Voter Act or House Bill 2177, the law authorized the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to register and update voter information for individuals who are over 17 years old, an Oregon resident, and a U.S. citizen. Between January 1, 2016, and the election on November 8, 2016, about 250,000 voters were registered using the DMV automatic registration system. As a result, the turnout for the 2016 election was a record 2.02 million. However, the voters registered under the automatic system only turned out at 43 percent, while those who registered through different means turned out at 82 percent. As of August 17, 2018, one political action committee, the Nevada Election Administration Committee, was registered to support this initiative. The committee was previously known as Nevadans for Modern and Secure Elections. The Nevada Election Administration Committee had raised $371,400, with iVote Inc. as the sole donor. The committee spent $371,167, and all expenditures were paid to Ramirez Group for campaign consulting. iVote is a national political action committee (PAC) that, according to the group’s website, aims to “secure voting rights for all Americans.” The group seeks to elect Democratic candidates to secretary of state positions
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by Corrine Casanova “I consider our mission something like the old school Greek hospitality. You come to my door, and regardless of your condition, I will always take you in and treat you like family,” said Rachel Gattuso, Marketing & Communications Director at Ronald McDonald House Charities®. Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Northern Nevada is an autonomous non-profit located in Reno. With care and compassion, RMHC bridges the service gaps in the community by playing an integral role in meeting the health and educational needs of children. Their 12-bedroom home provides a “homeaway-from-home” for families who stay at the Ronald McDonald House in Reno. Brock Marquez, Executive Director of RMHC Northern Nevada said, “The population we serve are families who live at least 30 miles from Reno. All of the houses across the country are dependent on the hospitals they are in close proximity to. For us, we serve a lot of families with premature babies because Renown [Children’s Hospital] is robust in terms of their children’s oncology services. We don’t turn anyone away as long as they 16 · ISSUE 16 · SEPTEMBER 2018
meet our criteria. While we serve 170 people a year at our house, we serve more than 700 annually through the five programs we have.” While McDonald’s restaurants are an incredibly supportive founding partner in the mission, the Reno House raises between 92-98 percent of their annual funding through the local community. It’s a common misconception among donors that McDonald’s is funding the operation. McDonald’s does lend their collective advertising dollars, restaurant packaging and the hospitality of their team members to create customer awareness and support for RMHC. Also, one cent from every happy meal goes to local RMHC as well as donation boxes in the lobby. During 2017: •
190 families stayed at the home-away-from-home equaling 1,691 room nights
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392 clients used the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile
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5,201 individuals (121 families) were served in the Family Room at Renown Children’s Hospital
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97 Northern Nevada high school seniors received
four-year college scholarships •
812 total families were served
Each year RMHC holds two fundraising events (a golf tournament in May) and 3....and The Red Shoe Gala which was held on Friday evening, October 5th at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. This year, there’s a twist to the theme—Oz Couture. “We chose the Oz couture piece to give the event a little different setting. It’s not the same kind of formal dinner event you’d expect. There’s a bit of fantasy and magic with the Wizard of Oz theme,” said Marquez. “We love our red shoes and won’t get away from that theme, but we will mix it up as this is our seventh year of holding The Red Shoe Gala. We have always tried to have a fun and festive atmosphere in the room.” Current Oz Couture sponsors include Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, Wikoff Design Studio, LLC, Renown Health, Dynagraphics, Reno Media Group, Lotus Radio Corp. “About 80 percent of the guests return each year. We want to make sure we reinvigorate our donors and get them on board in some way. Sometimes having a fun event like The Red Shoe Gala accomplishes that. It is a really great opportunity for folks to come together as a community and support our work of keeping families close. We showcase family stories so they get a really good sense of what their dollars are doing in the room that night and who they are supporting when they go home. Events like these have a very influential role in our ability to stay open 365 days out of the year,” said Gattuso. Besides the Red Shoe Gala, there are other ways to get the business community involved. “The fastest way to make a quick impact is to mail us a $10 check. This $10 supports one family per night in our house. Also, our chef program is super simple. You come to the house and cook dinner for the families. That way they have a hot meal when they get back. Corporate giving is a big trend now as companies are looking to humanize their efforts and demonstrate to their employees that they care about their community and their employees alike. Employee giving programs are helpful to charities on the receiving end as well as estate planning. Group volunteer projects are great when you call in advance to orchestrate the right timing and the right project. While year-end donations are important to us, supporting our cause throughout the year if we are a cause close to your heart is appreciated. Another easy way to get involved is to follow us on Facebook or Instagram,” said Gatusso. Email Rachel Gattuso at rachel@rmhc-reno.org for event information, to volunteer or make a donation.
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employees. Licensed contractors are required to carry workman’s compensation insurance; unlicensed individuals may not, leaving you liable if workers are injured on your premises.
by Margi Grein As a business owner or executive, you know the importance of working with established and proven professionals. You also know the value of protecting your investments and interests by properly evaluating the qualifications of those you engage in business with. The same principles and judgement reign true when looking to make repairs or remodeling improvements to your place of business. Such endeavors often require a working knowledge and awareness of the requirements from building departments, state agencies, construction and business laws, and industry standards for the various trades being performed. The Nevada State Contractors Board not only licenses qualified businesses and individuals, but holds them accountable to these expectations during the course of their construction work. Like you, licensed contractors have invested in their businesses and themselves. To obtain their licenses, contractors have logged at least four years of experience in their trade. They have passed trade and business law exams, as well as criminal background checks. They have demonstrated financial strength and are responsible for adhering to all industrial regulation (workers’ compensation), building, and other laws regulated by the state. Unburdened with these quality-control measures, unlicensed contractors may be able to offer you a better deal upfront, but they carry risks most prudent businesspeople would be reluctant to assume. Because their work experience, qualifications, or business acumen have not been properly vetted, there is greater risk and loss of protections for you as a business owner should they make mistakes or fail to make adequate progress, delaying your business opening or expansion. Unlicensed contractors have not proven theirknowledgeof acceptable building practices, which could leave your business liable for costly code violations, or lawsuits as a result of injuries caused by poor workmanship or non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act or other regulations. As they have not undergone the Board’s background checks, unlicensed contractors may be hiding past fiscal improprieties or violent crimes, jeopardizing your finances and the safety of your customers and
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Nevada law requires a contractor’s license for all plumbing, electrical, heating or air conditioning work, no matter how minor the scope of work may be. In addition, state law mandates any work that requires a building permit or carries a value of more than $1,000 combined value for labor and materials be performed by licensed contractors. While some smaller jobs may not require a license, it is always recommended to hire licensed contractors to ensure you receive the full protections of the Board in the event damages or issues occur during your project. Here’s how to hire a contractor: •
Obtain at least three bids from licensed contractors, ask for references, and contact past customers to inquire about the quality of service received and their overall satisfaction.
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Verify the contractor’s license number on the Board’s website: www.nscb.nv.gov, to ensure the license is “active,” that there are no disciplinary actions of concern to you, and that the information provided to you matches the Board’s records.
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Insist on a detailed, written contract that includes model numbers, quantities and related specifications of materials to be used, the date when construction will commence, payment/construction schedules, and any other information about the project that may have been verbally discussed or agreed upon.
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When it comes to payment, do not let payments get ahead of the work performed, pay with check or credit, and always keep a record of the transaction in your files.
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Contact the Board if you are unable to resolve issues with your contractor or if other circumstances arise that elevate your concerns. The Board’s investigative process is a free resource to consumers to seek resolution for workmanship-related concerns.
The Board takes seriously its mission to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public while building public confidence in the integrity of the licensed contractor community. As such, the Board is happy to field any questions you may have before, during, or after your project. Office hours in both Reno and Henderson, Nevada are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding holidays. We welcome the opportunity to assist you and wish you the best outcome in your next repair or remodeling endeavor! Margi Grein is the Executive Officer of the Nevada State Contractors Board.
Who Are Your Brand Advocates? • Customers, employees, channel partners, re-sellers, suppliers, donors, and more. • Let them ALL share their voice, with the Buzz.Tools group advocacy platform!
www.buzz.tools support@buzz.tools | 775.413.0030 BIZ NEVADA MAGAZINE · WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM · 19
September/Octob RENO+SPARKS CHAMBER SEPTEMBER 19 3-5PM GET YOUR BRAG ON 449 South Virginia St. #300 SEPTEMBER 26 4:30PM GREATER NEVADA CREDIT UNION RIBBON CUT 1385 N. Virginia St. SEPTEMBER 28 8:30-9AM NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION 449 South Virginia St. #300 OCTOBER 4 5-6:30PM BUSINESS AFTER HOURS CELEBRATE OKTOBERFEST Great Basin Taps & Tanks 1155 S. Rock Blvd., #490 OCTOBER 4 5:30-9:30PM NORTHERN NEVADA LITERACY COUNCIL 22ND ANNUAL SPELLBINDER Silver Legacy
OCTOBER 17 3-5PM Biz Café: Kit Prendergast Career Connections of Sierra Nevada Incorporating and integrating multiple generations in the workplace Rounds Bakery OCTOBER 24 11AM-1PM Caren Roblin/Brook Bentley Sierra Nevada Media Group Facebook Ads Atlantis Casino Resort Spa
FERNLEY CHAMBER
TUESDAY MORNINGS Tuesday mornings Fernley Ambassadors The Golf Course at Fernley
WIN September 28 7-9 AM WIN Breakfast
OCTOBER 26 8:30-9AM NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION 449 South Virginia St. #300
NCET
SEPTEMBER 26 11AM-1:30PM The Internet and You: Protecting Your Privacy, Part 2 Panel Presentation Atlantis Casino Resort Spa SEPTEMBER 28 10AM-5PM NCET Small Business Expo Atlantis Casino Resort Spa OCTOBER 10 5:30-7:30PM Tech Wednesday: Nevada Center for Applied Research University of Nevada, Reno
Bill Eckstrom, Becoming Comfortable with Discomfort Atlantis Casino Resort Spa
CARSON CHAMBER
SEPTEMBER 19 5-7PM CHAMBER SOCIAL MIXER CARSON PLAZA RETIREMENT COMMUNITY 2120 E. LONG ST. SEPTEMBER 25 11:30AM-1PM Soup’s On! Luncheon Gold Dust West – Carson City
For more complete and up-to-date calendar information, visit biznevada.com/events-calendar
ber Calendar of Events SEPTEMBER 26 2-3PM Peer to Peer – Social Media Seminar 1900 S. Carson St. OCTOBER 11 2019 Carson City Leadership Institute Kick Off 1900 S. Carson St. OCTOBER 16 11:30AM-1PM Soup’s On! Luncheon Gold Dust West – Carson City
CARSON VALLEY CHAMBER JULY-SEPT Every Tuesday Minden Farmers Market 1604 Esmeralda Ave., Minden EVERY SATURDAY Genoa Farmers Market 2285 Genoa St.
BNI MEETINGS
TUESDAY 7AM Mimi’s Café BizClub Zero Swill Coffee Napa Sonoma South 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 THURSDAY 11:30AM Famous Dave’s
SEPTEMBER 29-30 Annual Genoa Candy Dance Downtown Genoa SEPTEMBER 29 9AM-4:30PM Empower Youth 2018 Douglas County Community/ Senior Center OCTOBER 13-14 Aviation Roundup featuring the US NAVY Blue Angels Minden Tahoe Airport
ONE MILLION CUPS Every Wednesday 9AM The Innevation Center
OTHER EVENTS
SEPTEMBER 26-30 Street Vibrations Fall Rally Reno OCTOBER 5 6PM Red Shoe Gala – Oz Couture To benefit the Ronald McDonald House Atlantis Casino Resort Spa OCTOBER 13 9AM-NOON Entrepreneurs Assembly Startup Incubator Roundtable Innevation Center 450 Sinclair St. OCTOBER 24 2-4PM StartUpNV Pitch Day Innevation Center 450 Sinclair St. OCTOBER 26 Nevada Day Carson City
When Business and Personal Beliefs Collide
orientation or other protected classifications as noted above). While the recent Colorado baker decision from the U.S. Supreme Court confirms that a state’s protection of the LGBTQ community cannot extend so far as to signal animosity toward religion, proving that a state has ventured beyond merely enforcing its own antidiscrimination laws and into anti-religious sentiment may be an uphill (and expensive) battle. Lately, we cannot go more than a few news cycles without reports of business owners facing media backlash for business decisions that are based on personal beliefs. Whether it’s White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders being asked to leave a restaurant due to political differences or a baker declining to bake a gay couple’s wedding cake for religious reasons, some business owners are increasingly willing to let personal beliefs guide business decisions, even at the risk of negative publicity.
One area of risk lies in connection with employment matters. If a business owner’s sincerely held religious beliefs causes the business to avoid hiring applicants based on their membership in a protected class (e.g., individuals of a certain race, gender, or sexual orientation, or individuals who identify with a gender other than the gender of their birth), without proper business justification, liability for discrimination may result under state (and possibly federal) law. Similar risks exist when customers are denied service. Contrary to popular opinion, businesses do not always enjoy carte blanche to refuse service to patrons. Rather, Nevada law prohibits certain types of discrimination in public accommodations, meaning that businesses who offer goods or services to the public cannot deny those goods and services due to (e.g., a patron’s sexual 22 · ISSUE 16 · SEPTEMBER2018
To complicate matters further, even declining to take action based on personal beliefs can result in liability. Speaking hypothetically, if a gay or lesbian employee expresses discomfort at serving an overtly religious patron (or vice versa), over time, the lack of a response by the business owner could lead the employee to claim that a hostile work environment has resulted. If both the employer and employee allow business decisions to be driven by personal beliefs and avoid taking sides when personal beliefs collide, can each lead to liability? The question becomes, how can businesses minimize risk? While each set of facts will differ, and while there is no fool-proof way to avoid liability in all circumstances, businesses should analyze factors including the following before denying employment or public accommodations based on personal beliefs. •
Is There Truly a Conflict? Business owners should examine whether the proposed action truly compromises personal beliefs (as opposed to merely causing discomfort). While some might agree that baking a cake for a gay or lesbian couple could be inconsistent with a devoutly-religious baker’s beliefs, outside of the unique context of religious wedding services, some businesses may have difficulty establishing that hiring or providing services to someone of a different belief system or lifestyle compels the business owner to violate religious creeds or other sincerely held beliefs. Without a genuine conflict, the risk of liability may increase.
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Is It Worth the Risk? With the prevalence of social media and other rapid news sources, a single patron denied service, or a single job opportunity denied, can spark local or even nationwide backlash. Especially for smaller businesses, the risk of picketing or brand boycotts may put into perspective whether the issue warrants potential business disruption. Perhaps there will be times when the risk is justified, but either way, businesses should carefully weigh potential outcomes before moving forward.
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WWTLD (What Would the Lawyers Do?) Finally, given the rapidly changing nature of laws concerning employment and public accommodations (which appear amplified by the current Administration’s attempt to enhance protections for the religious beliefs of business owners), businesses are advised to consult with experienced counsel to ensure that they remain up-to-date on the ground rules applicable to infusing personal beliefs into business decisions.
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Is There a Business Necessity Justifying the Decision? In some cases, businesses may be able to offer (and the law may provide) justification for what might otherwise appear discriminatory. For example, Nevada’s public accommodation regulations expressly allow “differential pricing, discounted pricing or special offers” based on gender, if these differences are implemented for marketing purposes (hence, the “ladies drink free” events). If a business can provide a business justification—separate and apart from a personal belief system—that justifies the action being taken, this, too, may reduce risk.
Shannon Pierce and Brandi Planet are practicing attorneys in the offices of Fennemore Craig. For the last 15 years, Shannon Pierce has represented businesses against claims of discrimination brought by employees and business patrons. Brandi Planet has spent nearly a decade litigating on behalf of companies on a variety of issues, including labor and employment.
BIZ NEVADA MAGAZINE · WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM · 23
by Joe Ross If you have been in business for a while, you’ve likely made discoveries about your industry, customers, and market. Hopefully, you’ve uncovered new opportunities and have a strong understanding of how to prosper and grow. Naturally, marketing plays a role in any growth plan. There are tools you can begin using right away to make the most of your promotional efforts. Expert marketers use a fundamental technique to segment your market into groups based on interests and shared motivators. Broad segments like industry, income and location are obvious. You can imagine how the messaging would be different for each of these, however, depending on the goal, these are too broad. The key is to address motivators of individuals that comprise each segment. The more specific the better. Before getting into specific examples, let’s explore another concept; positioning. Positioning is the sales and marketing process/technique of matching interests, activities, lifestyle, personal goals, location, income and other attributes to the products and services individual consumers care about. Get started by asking questions. Business books teach you to ask, “who cares?” Let’s take that up a level by asking the following for each product or service you offer. • • • • • • • •
Who cares about this product or service? Why do they care? How much do they care? What problem does it solve? Is this the best solution on the market? Why? How much does the consumer care about this product or service? Why? What is the most important reason consumers would want and not want this? How does it make your consumer’s life better?
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Come up with as many questions as you can and answer them thoughtfully and completely. Build a profile and mental picture of individuals that share common motivators. The idea is to match the right consumer with whatever you sell. It can be tricky, but the ones that do care probably care a lot. Imagine a leaky pipe. It is natural to assume someone with a leaky pipe needs a plumber. However, a different consumer might resolve the problem with a trip to the hardware store and fix the leak himself. It’s a problem with two very different solutions, which is why positioning is critical. If you are a plumber, it is important to position your service for the “call a plumber” group. Likewise, if you own a hardware store, it is pointless to market plumbing supplies to those that have no interest in fixing their own leaky pipes. As suggested, segmentation is the process of organizing consumers into similarly motivated groups. This allows you to position your products or services to the groups that are most likely to be interested, by matching your messaging with their goals. You can do this several ways. You could simply list them or use a spreadsheet but it will require manual action to keep it up to date. A bigger problem is it’s difficult to work with more than one attribute at a time. Segments are typically built from several attributes (income, interests, special needs, etc.) that add up to form a complete consumer profile. The best tool for this is client relationship management software. You’re probably familiar with CRM. Perhaps you use it in your business. If not, CRM provides a means for storing customer/client information including simple stuff like contact information and purchase history, along with anything else you find relevant. However, storing information is just the beginning. Most CRMs provide
tools to manage your sales pipeline, contact clients and colleagues, send emails and even automate tasks. CRM is a dream for managing customer/client segments. Usually this is accomplished by creating groups by filtering attributes that are stored as fields. For example, you might know from experience that customers that purchase product X frequently also purchase product Y. With a few keystrokes, your CRM will provide a list of customers that purchased product X, but did not purchase product Y. Now you have a segment for a future campaign to market product Y. This makes it possible to focus your message on those who will be most likely to make a purchase.
Once you have developed consumer segments, create personas to represent individuals in each segment. Personas serve as real people that have a reason to be interested in your services. They help you develop a relatable, personalized understanding of what motivates individual consumers to make buying decisions. This will be especially useful when deciding on the marketing mix and to develop messaging. Personas will help you avoid talking about yourself by focusing on the needs of individuals rather than you and what you sell. Imagine a friend coming to you for advice. The first thing you’re likely to do is listen and make sure you understand the problem or need. You’ll ask clarifying questions and think about similar experiences of your own or others before offering ideas. Personas not only make your market segments human, they make you human. No one wants to be sold, but we all want to learn from someone we trust. Try to imagine how you will earn the role of trusted advisor to each of your personas. While each persona represents a larger group of similarly motivated individuals, be careful not to simply give your market segments names. Give them context, challenges, goals and even objections. Market segmentation is not a new concept. Same with buyer personas. The challenge for most small business owners is limited time and budget constraints. However, taking time to define and address groups of customers as individuals can mean the difference between thriving and merely surviving. The good news is your competitors probably won’t put in the effort. Advantage: You. Joe Ross is the President of OCG Creative, a digital marketing agency based in Reno, NV with clients throughout the world.
BIZ NEVADA MAGAZINE · WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM · 25
What have you done recently to improve the online presence of your business? You at least have a company website, right? Shockingly, according to a recent study commissioned by GoDaddy, over 50 percent of small businesses in America do not have a website. And about 10 percent of those businesses without a website don’t even have a Facebook page. If any of this applies to you, listen up because your competitors who have a good online presence are grabbing a lot of your potential business. Let’s be honest, many small businesses (whether they are brick and mortar or online wwonly) want more of a prominent web presence but have no idea where to start or what to do. What if I told you that you can increase your online prominence dramatically for little or no money? The good news is you can and it is fairly easy to do. The trick is to correctly utilize the free (or mostly free) online business directories that exist. Yelp. com is one of the most popular, however, there are surprisingly many more online directories you should be aware of and probably be listed on. Keep in mind that many of the small businesses that are already on Yelp.com have incorrect business profiles. These Seven Free Online Directories Are a Must I suggest being on these top seven online
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directories: Yelp.com; Google My Business; LinkedIn Company Directory; Foursquare; YP.com (online Yellow Pages); Angie’s List and Manta. How many of these are you already using? By not utilizing all seven, you are probably losing business to your more websavvy competition. When you list your business properly on online business directories like these, you will: • increase your SEO (basically placing you higher in the search engine rankings for those such as Google and Bing) • show up in more individual spots or places on the pages viewed when someone does an online search • increase the number of potential customers or clients who visit your website, call you, and/or send you an email possibly leading to new business (and profits) from new customers
Now that you see the advantage of being on these free online directories, it’s time to create a business profile that packs a punch.
How to Create a Business Profile The following are what you need in your business profile for any online business directory: • Your website and/or Facebook/LinkedIn direct link. • Your company hours. Even if you are not
a brick and mortar, state when human beings will be answering the phone or responding to an email •
Your physical address if you have a store front or an office.
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A company description that tells people what you do and what you offer.
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Make sure ALL your online directory profiles match and there are no discrepancies.
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On your profile, include a picture of your office, your staff working or something else to more personalize your business.
Not Rocket Science Does this seem like too much work? How about delegating it to someone you trust? OK, I know, I know. Many of you reading this hate anything to do with the Internet. I get it. Not to worry, there are companies that specialize in doing these profile postings for businesses just like yours. Some have modestly priced fees as well. A common question I sometimes get from clients is, “What if I get bad reviews?” That is a topic for another day which I refer to as “Reputation Management.” As we conclude, are online business directories worth “the trouble,” so to speak? Well, I have known businesses that have seen their revenue increase from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars each month by doing this. Since the price is right (generally free), why not give them a try? You and your bank account may be quite pleased with the results. Bruce Brown has had his own successful small businesses and is the author of four how-to books. He helps business owners to start and/ or grow their business(s) (even B2B’s.) But he also shows business owners and executives how writing a book can help position them as “experts in their field.” He can be reached at: www.brownmarketingconsulting.com and www. yourpublishedbook.com or 1-(800) 982-5007 anytime. Also contact him for a free copy of the report this article is based upon. BIZ NEVADA MAGAZINE · WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM · 27
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Domestic Violence Resource Center Hotline (formerly Committee to Aid Abused Women): Provides afterhours support to abused women and children needing housing and protection.
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City of Reno Emergency Dispatch: Qualifies and dispatches Reno emergencies to various City of Reno on-call groups.
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Nevada Donor Network: Provides 24/7/365 conduit to maximize organ and tissue donation for those in need of transplantation therapy. If the deceased is an organ donor, law enforcement, ambulatory, hospice and hospitals have one number to call. Donor Network West currently leads the nation in number of lives saved per capita through organ, eye and tissue donation.
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North Tahoe Public Utilities: Provides emergency service for compromised water and sewer lines and service.
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Rape Crisis Center & Human Trafficking Hot-Line of Southern Nevada: Provides critical instructions or connects to an advocate or officer, depending on the type of call.
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Washoe County Family Court Domestic Violence Hotline: Working with law enforcement, Answerwest provides Washoe County domestic violence victim’s information and access to on-call judges who may issue a TPO (Temporary Protective Order) at any time of day or night.
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One number city-wide on-call schedule access for hospitals and large medical groups: Allows medical groups and hospitals immediate access to trauma and critical care providers.
A local business that has been delivering critical, sometimes life-saving services has been in operation 365 days a year, 24 hours a day since 1988 and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Answerwest, a 24/7 call center, has never had an unscheduled interruption in service since 1988. The business was operational during two floods, many fires and domestic emergencies, and has been integral to dispatching and triaging emergency, law enforcement, disaster response and medical professionals in crisis situations. As technology has evolved, so has Answerwest, which has constantly incorporated state-of-the-art solutions coupled with professionally trained humans. The roots of Answerwest reflect the common expression, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Cherie Humphreys began the company in 1988 because she had a vision for a better way of connecting people with their important messages. “In the early 80s, answering service messages were simplyhand-written on slips of paper and inserted in numbered slots on a giant wheel,” she shares about the early days of the manual and cumbersome process. “One day while visiting the answering service for the company I was working for, hundreds of messages were lying all over the floor. I was told someone had aggressively spun the wheel and ALL the messages, including mine, went airborne. “It was at his moment a lightbulb turned on,” she recalls. “There had to be a better alternative.” Humphreys researched DOS (Disk Operating System) technology and paperless solutions to find that alternative. On March 17, 1988, she opened her business doors with four customers and four employees. The business currently provides service to more than 1,200 medical service providers and hundreds of critical care service businesses. Humphreys brought in her son Steve Humphreys as business development officer after he graduated from college in 2005. He had been in and around the company since he was a child — literally growing up in the industry, as he often came to work after school. Answerwest’s unique software allows them to represent various businesses, crisis centers and medical professionals, including:
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Answerwest technology allows mass dispatching in times of emergencies. For example: After the fatal crash at the Reno Air Races, Answerwest was called to dispatch ALL “off property” anesthesiologist and specialty surgeons to three local Reno hospitals. By dialing one number, ALL trauma specialty surgeons in the greater Reno, Sparks area were summoned. The company also provides specialized out-patient services for Carson Tahoe Medical Groups, Barton Hospital, Northern Nevada Medical Groups, Renown Regional Medical Center, Saint Mary’s Medical Groups and Tahoe Forest Hospital. Humphreys says the secret is the human touch. “Our staff is hands-down the most critical component to the success of Answerwest. Without the empathetic, helpful, caring human voice, the technology doesn’t matter much,” she says. “Our company culture evolves around simple telephone manners, communication and customer service. Research shows that the tone of your voice accounts for 87 percent of the communicated message. Customers want to feel taken care of and listened to and at Answerwest the customer’s well-being is always first.”
Nevada’s oldest contractor, Savage and Son Inc., a provider of full-service Plumbing, HVAC and Piping, is celebrating their 125th anniversary of being in business. Established in 1893, Savage and Son has the oldest active contractor’s license in Nevada, number 10. The family business ties its roots back to the early mining days in Virginia City and has been passed down through five generations of leaders. This year Savage and Son will celebrate this impressive milestone by reliving some of their family’s rich history in Nevada and highlighting some of the iconic structures they’ve worked on in northern Nevada and the Sierra and have helped shape the city and region to what it is today. In 1859, Leonard Coates Savage helped discover the Savage Mine in Virginia City and the Savage mansion and mine office was later built in 1861. Leonard was unable to afford the development of the mine and found himself dealing claims in a gambling hall and transitioning his focus to a new venture. In 1880, Leonard Coates Savage’s son, Frank Charles Savage, co-established Genesy & Savage Plumbers and Tinners in Virginia City. In 1893, Frank moved to Reno to create his own plumbing business, Savage and Son, where they repaired everything from steam boilers to walk-in refrigerators on ranches. Savage and Son was the original plumbing and heating contractor for many historical buildings in northern Nevada including, Stewart Indian School, University of Nevada, Reno’s Lincoln Hall in 1896 (and is doing the renovation today), St. Mary’s Hospital, Central (Reno) High School and Washoe County Hospital. In 1905, Savage and Son installed a heating plant at the Washoe County Hospital (now Renown) for $100 and has continued to service and perform projects throughout the century, including the Renown Tahoe Tower in 2007. The family business grew rapidly along with the growth of the Biggest Little City and Frank Charles’ son, Leonard Charles, moved the company to a new location on South Virginia Street and California Avenue, now Michael’s Deli, in 1941. His son L.J. Savage joined the company in 1955 and they continued to help develop the skyline of Reno by serving as the sub-contractor on many projects including, Arlington Towers, Lake Mansion, Eldorado Resorts, Peppermill Hotel Casino, Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, John Ascuaga’s Nugget, Lawlor Events Center, the Governor’s Mansion, Hyatt Lake Tahoe, Village at Mammoth, many buildings at University of Nevada, Reno. Most recently, Savage and Son helped with the development of the Switch Citadel Campus and the National Bowling Stadium HVAC Piping replacement, where they received a Pinnacle Award for “Meeting the Challenge of a Difficult Job – Over $500,000” by the Associated General Contractors of Northern Nevada. The Savage family attributes their success as a family business to its dedicated employees and their strong family guiding principles of valuing hard work, ingenuity, loyalty and character. Savage and Son approaches all business and projects with integrity, selflessness and resourcefulness. They have been philanthropically involved with countless charities, non-profit organizations and causes that benefit the community in northern Nevada and the Sierra. BIZ NEVADA MAGAZINE · WWW.BIZNEVADA.COM · 29
by Corrine Casanova Recently I had coffee with Michelle Cagle who is an Administrator at Circle of Life Community Hospice in Reno. Michelle was happy to answer my questions. Hospice is a program for people in the advanced stages of a chronic or terminal illness who have made the decisions to discontinue curative treatments, emphasize physical comfort and live their remaining days with dignity, surrounded by our team of compassionate caregivers. It is never too early to learn about hospice. We suggest learning about hospice long before you or a loved one need it. Anybody can make a referral to hospice including the patient themselves. Hospice provides physician services, skilled nursing, certified nursing assistants, spiritual counseling, social services, volunteers and bereavement support after losing their loved one. We provide durable medical equipment such as: hospital beds, bed side tables, walkers, wheelchairs, bed side commodes, etc. We provide all medications that pertain to the hospice diagnosis. Services are available nights, weekends and holidays. Anybody with a terminal illness where the attending physician and the hospice medical director feel the patient would most likely not live longer than six months, given the trajectory of the illness. The Medicare guidelines state that the hospice benefit is for six months, however, if the patient is still declining due to the hospice diagnosis, the benefit will be extended ongoing. How is it funded? Hospice is covered 100% by Medicare and Medicaid (no out of pocket expense). We also accept most private insurance plans.
Providers should have a true hospice heart 30 · ISSUE 16 · SEPTEMBER 2018
and a passion for helping those at the end of their lives. Providers offer dignity, comfort and peace to the patient and families. A lthough not required, it is good if the medical director of a hospice is adept in internal medicine, geriatrics or a certified hospice and palliative physician. Circle of Life Hospice was founded in 1999 by Mike and Deb Girard, RN with the idea of helping patients with the Art of Living at the end of life. In addition to the services required by Medicare, the Circle offers complimentary services such as: massage, aromatherapy, pet therapy, guided imagery, music for relaxation and Healing Touch therapies. Michelle’s passion for hospice happened quite by accident. Her background is in media and marketing but when her mom was dying 13 years ago in Susanville, California and there was no certified Medicare provider for hospice in that area, Michelle dropped everything
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and became her full-time caregiver and nurse. “I took care of her and it was the most beautiful experience of my life. She told me I needed to be involved in hospice care,” she shared. After her mother died, she went back to her media and marketing career. In April 2014, she visited Circle of Life as she was an account executive at Cumulus Media. They recognized her heart for hospice and offered her a job on the spot. She is now the Administrator at Circle of Life where she has successfully been able to combine her media and marketing experience with her passion for hospice. To learn more about choosing a quality hospice, the Circle of Hope Hospice and their Foundation, go to www.colhospice.com or call 775-827-2298.
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Costom Resid ential • Comm ercial Streetscapes • Playgrounds • Sportsfeilds 775-741-830 5 | gjameson@ jadesignreno.c om
ldocs.com www.nvlega
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