40 Under 40 Alumni: Paola Armeni Androvandi and Jason Strauss

Paola Armeni Androvandi

Paola Armeni Androvandi

Managing Partner at the Law Firm of Gentile Cristalli Miller Armeni Savarese

Where were you when you received your 40 Under 40 award? I was a partner in the government investigations, business crimes section of the law firm of Gordon Silver.

Where are you now? I established my own law firm with partners Dominic Gentile, Michael Cristalli, Ross Miller and Vincent Savarese.

What’s your biggest accomplishment since you received the award? Being the only lawyer in Nevada to be placed in the Best Lawyers of America in the area of civil rights litigation and being the state’s only female attorney in the Best Lawyers of America for criminal defense.

Who is your business hero, local or global? The person I strive to be is made up of many different people, as they inspire me in a variety of ways. If I had to pick one person in the legal community though, it would be Dominic Gentile. My first job was at his law firm and now, 22 years later, we are partners. He has been an amazing mentor.

What’s the best advice you can offer? Never let anyone dull your sparkle; stay true to who you are.

If you ran Las Vegas, what’s the first thing you would do? I would focus on our education system. Nevada ranks as one of the lowest in the country in education. This is unacceptable. Education opens doors, and every child should be given the best education possible.

What have you learned the hard way? That being managing partner of a law firm is not all glitz and glamour but rather a lot of extra work. However, I think learning the business of a law firm has made me a better attorney.

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Jason Strauss

Jason Strauss

Partner at TAO Group

What’s your biggest accomplishment since you received the award? The overall growth of TAO Group, which led to partnering with Madison Square Garden Co. this year, allowing for even more expansion into new areas of hospitality.

What have you learned the hard way? Plans can change, and you should be open to those changes because they may turn out for the best. When I came to Las Vegas, I planned to stay for one year to open TAO, then head back to New York. I have been here ever since, and the city has been my home for 13 years.

What’s your favorite lunch spot? Milos is a favorite because it has the best lunch value in the city and great fish, plus you always see someone you know.

Who is your business hero, local or global? Rob Goldstein, president and chief operating officer of Las Vegas Sands. He has been an incredible adviser and mentor. He leads by example and manages all that he does with class.

If you ran Las Vegas, what’s the first thing you would do? I would devote more resources to downtown. The area has so much potential and could benefit greatly from further development. Whether that is a professional soccer team, incentives for developers to build more residential options or additional expansion, the area should be the next great growth story of Las Vegas.

What’s the best advice you can offer? Choose partners who excel in different areas of your overall business. A huge key to the success of TAO Group is that my partners and I complement each other and we respect each other’s strengths, which allows us to make the best decisions.

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