Bruce Spotleson

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Story Archive

Appreciating Nellis, Dorinson
Air Force base, recycling pioneer have done a lot for this community
Monday, March 18, 2013
For many Southern Nevadans, Nellis Air Force Base comes to mind only when they see contrails in the sky. But Nellis’ impact on the economy is unmistakable.
Kids’ education affects us all
Nonprofit group works to improve state’s economy by cutting dropout rate
Monday, March 11, 2013
Even if you don’t have a child enrolled in the Clark County School District, its success rate should concern you. The state of education locally long ago became an issue that transcends parental concerns.
Miller’s fascinating memoir
Former governor’s story of the city’s evolution parallels that of his own family
Monday, March 4, 2013
The first time I met former Gov. Bob Miller, it was in front of the Governor’s Mansion in Carson City. I stood with a long line of kids waiting to meet him, my son among them.
Where does Las Vegas rank?
If there’s a list to be published, for better or worse, this city is probably on it
Monday, Feb. 25, 2013
Everybody likes a list, and a city such as Las Vegas naturally makes it onto quite a few.
Growing literary reputation
Black Mountain Institute adds to Las Vegas’ recent cultural emergence
Monday, Feb. 18, 2013
Las Vegas may be many things to many people. But it’s fair to say we rarely are seen as a literary center. We should be.
Every day is a celebration
Coming months bring appreciation for listening, procrastination and ... lawyers?
Monday, Feb. 11, 2013
To everything, there is a season. And sometimes, a dedicated day, week or month. Take February, for example. We celebrate Valentine’s Day, Presidents Day and Mardi Gras. But there are several other, more obscure observances that fall on the calendar.
How to keep the city growing
Transportation projects are vital to the health of our economy in a global era
Monday, Feb. 4, 2013
Tom Skancke spoke Jan. 24 at the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce’s annual Preview Las Vegas about globalization and the central role transportation plays in economic development. He easily described the connection.
Fun with science and history
Museum exhibits, popular with locals, keep children as well as adults entertained
Monday, Jan. 28, 2013
Museums and tourists typically go hand in hand, but here in Las Vegas, the Natural History Museum is busier with locals than out-of-town visitors.
Good year for United Way
Surprisingly, the economy has not hurt the charitable organization’s fundraising
Monday, Jan. 21, 2013
Like so many other charitable organizations around the world, the United Way of Southern Nevada relies heavily on contributions from businesses and their employees. So it would come as little surprise to hear it had struggled in the recent economy.
How’d we live without cellphones?
They have become increasingly important to our everyday lives
Monday, Jan. 7, 2013
If it seemed tough to put away the cellphone over the holidays, you weren’t alone. Under oath, many of us would plead guilty as charged.
Looking back and forward
Conference examines global, national, regional economic outlooks
Monday, Dec. 24, 2012
There is a season to everything, including in the business world, and soon your inbox will fill with invitations to previews and forecasts to help us see where the economy is headed.
Blue Man Group still making noise
Incomparable show business success story stays relevant by reinventing itself
Monday, Dec. 17, 2012
Big-name performers and well-branded productions may enhance a hotel’s brand on Las Vegas Boulevard, but the simple reality of show business is that true success is measured only in ticket sales. The number of posteriors in the pews at curtain time is what counts most, and the box office can be a harsh judge of talent.
Back in the saddle again
When it comes to self-diagnosed muscle strains, beware the advisers you choose
Monday, Dec. 10, 2012
One of the first real lessons for many managers is learning the importance of leading by example. One can say or promise anything, but actions alone determine whether subordinates will follow a leader into battle — and whether they’ll have your back once you’re there.
Don’t bother to ask the TSA
Workers with criminal records and thefts from baggage raise plenty of questions
Monday, Dec. 3, 2012
A few years ago, a friend told a group of us that she had valuables stolen from her luggage while traveling for business. An experienced traveler, she insisted it had to have happened at our very own McCarran International Airport.
Giving thanks after holidays
Nevadans will get another chance to show how big their hearts are April 25
Monday, Nov. 19, 2012
Suddenly, it’s that season again, when the business world relaxes just a bit and succumbs to tradition. Business meetings soon will give way to the holidays’ more jubilant gatherings as we wave goodbye to 2012 and join in the optimism of a new year.
The maturation of our city
Las Vegas has gotten a bad rap for its cultural sophistication, but we’re getting there
Monday, Nov. 12, 2012
I’ve never agreed with folks who complain that Las Vegas lacks culture. It seems to me Las Vegas has had, for quite some time now, more culture than most other cities.
Change the tone of discourse
If the business community can talk politics in a civilized way, maybe politicians will
Monday, Oct. 29, 2012
As Election Day nears, one needn’t look at Congress to see how politically polarized our nation has become. Our own business community offers a closer example.
Where there’s never a bad day
The most uplifting story of Opportunity Village is that it continues to thrive
Monday, Oct. 22, 2012
Some of us wince at the ring of the morning alarm. Not the workforce of Opportunity Village. Few locals are happier to go to work.
UNLV minds its business
Monday, Oct. 8, 2012
It didn’t quite offset all the recent budget cuts, but the impact of the Lee family’s $15 million gift to UNLV’s business school can hardly be overstated — even a year later.
FedEx and real estate
Shipping giant influences where businesses settle here, and maybe soon overseas
Monday, Oct. 1, 2012
When it was announced that FedEx managers would speak at the Sept. 12 luncheon for the local chapter of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors, I stuck around to hear why they were on the agenda, which is typically related to real estate.
Wynn sets the precedent
Court victory in slander case could determine how future rulings are made
Monday, Sept. 24, 2012
People in my line of work usually learn the terms “libel” and “slander” in journalism school, but many folks confuse the two. They are not interchangeable. Both can result from defamation, which is unjustified injury to a person’s reputation, but they are not the same.
A case worth watching
Across the country, a discrimination case could affect hiring practices here
Monday, Sept. 17, 2012
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has been investigating the Marylou’s chain of coffee shops because the Massachusetts company routinely hires young, attractive women as servers.
Well-deserved recognition
Media banquet celebrates work of TV, radio journalists who covered tragedies
Monday, Sept. 3, 2012
Northern Nevada has had a run of tragic news recently. The calamities that hit the region in 2011 and 2012 were epic. A train wreck in Fallon. The IHOP shooting in Carson City. The Reno air races crash. The devastating Caughlin and Washoe fires. So it seemed right that the Nevada Broadcasters Association would salute the TV and radio journalists who reported them. Those “first responders” were honored Aug. 27 at the annual Hall of Fame gala at Red Rock Resort.
Medical tourism in practice
Las Vegas could learn a thing or two from a small town in Arizona
Monday, Aug. 27, 2012
Unless you’ve been comatose, you’ve probably heard by now plenty about the concept of medical tourism in Las Vegas. It’s the talk of the town, given our clinics, attractions, tourist access and climate. Other places like it, too, and it’s a concept you can see at work just down the highway from here — in Goodyear, a suburb southwest of Phoenix.
Investing in financial health
EMBA program at UNLV lets employees take development into their own hands
Monday, Aug. 20, 2012
Most leaders know that employee development is a smart investment in a company’s long-term financial health. But when things get tight, it’s often the first area to get cut back or cut out. Organizations tend not to think of tomorrow when the wolf is at the door today.
Movie theater, Chinese restaurant set to open at Green Valley Town Center in Henderson
Friday, Aug. 17, 2012
Green Valley Town Center in Henderson will receive a much-needed boost when Galaxy Theatres opens an eight-screen, 40,700-square-foot cineplex there in October.
Southern Nevada is ready
Building officials consider what’s to come in busier times
Monday, Aug. 6, 2012
It was one of those meetings that makes you feel optimistic, even at 7 a.m. That’s the time people get together from NAIOP, the commercial real estate organization.
Stability is the last ingredient
NSC beat odds in formative years, turns to new president to lead it into next decade
Monday, July 30, 2012
There were doubts about its future, especially given the many challenges of its infancy. But in just a couple more moons, a healthy Nevada State College will mark its 10th anniversary.
Overcoming the big fear
Public speaking is something people dread, but it doesn’t have to be so frightening
Monday, July 23, 2012
There’s a Jerry Seinfeld joke about how public speaking is the average person’s greatest fear.
Attorneys: The marriage of Jones Vargas and Fennemore Craig
Monday, July 16, 2012
It wasn’t anything directly related to torts or writs that convinced the law firm of Jones Vargas it was time to form an alliance. It was the writing on the wall.
The other benefits of McCarran's new Terminal 3
Monday, July 9, 2012
The local airport isn’t a place where most of us would choose to linger. But an airport like ours is more than a collection of gates; it’s part of our economic engine.
Michael Schivo remembers the scene as early promoter
Monday, July 2, 2012
At the age of 20, at a time in life when most young people are trying to figure out how to pay for their entertainment, Michael Schivo was producing it. He already was on his way to becoming an impresario in the entertainment capital of the world, his hometown of Las Vegas.
Mergers, health care and salads
Monday, June 18, 2012
Business lunches hold a special place on calendars, probably because they enable a person to accomplish several important things in one sitting. You can build relationships, discuss serious matters in a neutral environment and, of course, eat, ensuring survival for at least the afternoon. Like most of us, I usually sit down to lunch with glee — only to soon be confronted with the difficult choice between the tasty and the healthy.
A chat with the owner of the Las Vegas Wranglers
Monday, June 11, 2012
At first, Gary Jacobs seems like the sort of person you’d be likely to meet at a think tank event, the kind held in Lake Tahoe or Sun Valley that’s focused on deep global topics. Looking at his resume, I’d guess he has been to a few.
In health care, a history and reputation for quality go a long way
Monday, May 28, 2012
When it comes to health care, few things matter more than trust.
Nevada insurance firm merges with national brokerage
Friday, May 25, 2012
Insurcorp, a Nevada health and welfare brokerage and consulting firm, has merged with Brown & Brown Insurance, a national company with a local presence.
Dress for Success helps get and keep jobs
Monday, May 21, 2012
Let’s begin with the May 10 official location opening of Dress for Success Southern Nevada, a nonprofit organization that helps women seeking employment. Much credit is due founder Paige Candee and Executive Director Paula Lawrence for putting long hours into a project with long-term benefits to our business community and residents.
The smartphone industry takes overdue steps
Monday, May 7, 2012
There had been too many events in too short a time, so it was probably inevitable that I’d finally get my signals crossed. After concluding that I was at the wrong place, I headed back to my parked car at the Hughes Center, whipped out my iPhone, again checked the calendar in it, made a phone call and quickly dispatched some emails.
The commotion about an NBA franchise in Las Vegas
Monday, April 30, 2012
By most any definition, Las Vegas is a world-class city. If our major attractions and global tourism appeal weren’t already enough to earn such a distinction, the arrival of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and the Smith Center for the Performing Arts downtown made it more official.
Talking franchising on a spring day
Monday, April 23, 2012
Though it’s usually brief in this desert, spring is a season in which daydreaming is a constant threat to productivity. No matter what activity you’re engaged in, a perfect spring day can get your mind wandering about things you’d rather be doing.
Tony Plana wants to use the arts in our schools
Monday, April 9, 2012
As a successful stage, film and television professional, Tony Plana knows the role the performing arts play in society. And as a Latino American, he knows they represent even more than culture and entertainment.
Entrepreneurs Organization is built on candor and openness
Monday, April 2, 2012
Acting as their own bosses and assuming their own risks, it makes sense that entrepreneurs are by nature an independent breed. So I must say the concept of a formal organization for entrepreneurs seemed to me an oxymoron at first.
Mufflers, guns and small business
Monday, March 26, 2012
The free enterprise system and gun ownership are two of the better-known aspects of our American culture, and this being Las Vegas, where almost anything can be seen or done, I recently came upon an intersection of the two worlds.
Steve Hughes rethinks the elevator pitch
Monday, March 19, 2012
Just as they do in the rest of our society, fads and trends come and go in the business world. For many, the business fad of 2011 was the elevator pitch.
Dialogue about philanthropy is important for the community
Monday, March 12, 2012
Regular readers know that in addition to reporting bread-and-butter business news, we also cover subjects related to philanthropy. The reason is pretty basic: charities often draw both financial support and board members from the business community, and the two worlds are at times virtually interwoven.
Marketing: For small-business operators, it’s good to remember the basics
Monday, March 5, 2012
Looking back, things were probably challenging enough for small-business owners even before the economy got redefined. For them, the responsibilities are endless, the hours thankless, and the job description includes everything from sales to service to fixing the plumbing.
Getting together with business, civic leaders
Monday, Feb. 27, 2012
Local real estate organizations often seem to be best known by their acronyms. It always seems that a broad part of the business community knows who you’re talking about whenever they hear the initials NAIOP, CCIM or GLVAR.
A CPA's life: In a small firm, personal relationships are key
Monday, Feb. 20, 2012
It being tax season, I pictured a harried fellow who might have trouble pulling himself away from piles of paper. But accountant Adam Hodson arrived right on time, and seemed calm when he did.
Academy’s goal: Create ‘SEALs’ of business leaders
Monday, Feb. 13, 2012
A new program that we might all be able to get behind, the Las Vegas Business Academy was unveiled at a Jan. 26 luncheon. It’s the result of a lot of work by longtime food and beverage figure Rino Armeni, whose impact in the industry and our community was reflected in an impressive show of support for the event, held at Guy Savoy Restaurant.
Chamber leader out to add pizazz to events
Monday, Feb. 6, 2012
It was the lunch hour and I was enjoying the down time as I waited at the Famous Dave’s at Craig and Losee. When you’ve got a mobile device with you, you’re never really idle, anyway.