Bruce Spotleson
VEGAS INC Coverage
If you like Halloween and authentic local events, show up next year for the Boneyard Bash, a fundraiser for the Neon Museum. The first one was held in the historic Fremont East District on Oct. 28.
Amidst the eclectic crowd were some elaborate costumes. Or, at least, I hope they were costumes. Mari and Thom Landers scored my “best-dressed couple” vote, Kimberly Miles was a wild vixen, downtown’s own Gina Gavan was into law enforcement and banker Michael Sexton was a far too believable pimp. And then there was Stephanie and Steve Stallworth, in their annual PBR/NFR spirits.
There were, of course, a few less flamboyant people in plain clothes, like chair Bill Marion and Rob McCoy of the museum’s board of trustees, Kendall Tenney, Mary Hausch and Bob Coffin. A very cool painting by downtown icon Jerry Misko got auctioned off, along with an impressive Tim Bavington work.
In case you missed all the coverage given it, which seems virtually impossible, the Neon Museum is a nonprofit entity dedicated to preserving the legacy of our neon signage, and it’s been saving unwanted signs from destruction for 15 years now. The trustees are in the process of building a visitors center so they can expand its hours. You need an appointment to see the place, but that’s easily done online.
The event was sprawled out in the Jackie Gaughan Plaza across from the El Cortez. Way too early in the evening, I also was sprawled out, after tripping on a curb in the pedestrian plaza and breaking my foot. When I hobbled into the office with a cast and crutches on Halloween Monday, my co-workers thought it was a costume gimmick.
•••
City National Bank held a cocktail reception and art viewing at the Jeff Mitchum Galleries in the Promenade at the Bellagio Oct. 27. Chairman and CEO Russell Goldsmith and senior vice president and Nevada Regional Executive Larry Charlton served as hosts of the soiree.
Mitchum, who is definitely a talented person, moved listeners when he talked about the inspiration he got from the legendary Ansel Adams and the history behind his own impressive “Light of Israel” body of work. A number of the bank’s clients attended — walking away with a book of Mitchum’s work. A cadre of the bank’s execs were there as well, among them Paul Stowell, who does a very good job of keeping the bank’s profile high locally.
•••
United Way of Southern Nevada held its Campaign Kickoff on Oct. 13 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, where it announced its 2012 fundraising goal of $13 million.
Lori Soren, regional market president of U.S. Bank, is this year’s campaign chairwoman. Cass Palmer has been the United Way president and CEO since spring. Before that, he was senior vice president and chief human resource officer for Tropicana Entertainment. It’s a big job, and he’ll be putting to work his knowledge of gaming and hospitality, along with his political, non-profit and union experience.
United Way focuses in the areas of education, financial stability, health, immediate needs and volunteering, forming alliances with corporate and community volunteers, sponsors and advocates to raise funds for accredited local charities. It relies heavily on employee and business contributions. Get ready to pony up.
•••
EMT West Inc. and its managing director, Rahul Sarkar, held an introductory event and gave tours to community leaders Oct. 3 at the company’s new location in Henderson. EMT West is a newly formed business unit of the Elite Group of companies, and recently expanded here to meet regional demand.
General Manager James Fitch says the company has created 20 new jobs here, and he foresees an additional 20-30 hires in coming months. EMT provides manufacturing solutions for industries including gaming, medical, transportation, energy and telecom.
•••
In the media business, you usually have to handle your own PR, since competitors tend not to report on each other’s achievements, unless perhaps it’s a negative achievement.
Esquire magazine, which has really grown in popularity in the past decade, is a publication I’ve read for years. So it felt good to have them plug our Las Vegas Weekly in its most recent issue, referring to it as “one of the last great alt-weeklies in America.” Such compliments about Las Vegas journalism are relatively rare and thus prized. Alternative weeklies have really evolved over the past four decades of their existence. We started Weekly back in 1998, and editor Sarah Feldberg and her team really deserve the shout-out.