Nevada State College announced that the Nevada System of Higher Education approved its newest bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degree in interdisciplinary data science. Pending approval from NSC’s accrediting body, the program will become the only one of its kind in Nevada. A degree in the program will allow students an opportunity to pursue careers such as data analyst, operations manager, database administrator and software engineer.
Goodwill of Southern Nevada announced the addition of Karen Marben as the new chief mission services officer. She will lead Southern Nevada’s programming for job seekers and employer partnerships. Marben is responsible for developing programs and trainings that will enable job seekers to overcome barriers preventing them from landing a job.
Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters received the No. 1 ranking in the 2020 USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest for Best Helicopter Tour in North America. The Mob Museum ranked No. 1 for Best Las Vegas Attraction. The awards highlight the best of the best in contests covering categories such as destinations, food and drink, hotels and things to do. Nominees for all categories are chosen editorially by a panel of relevant experts.
Brandon Rizk joined Planet Home Lending, a national lender and servicer, as branch manager for a new branch at 2485 Village View Drive #150, Henderson. Rizk has been in the financial industry for nearly two decades and in the Southern Nevada community for more than 14 years.
The Penta Building Group earned three award recognitions for Engineering News-Record’s Regional Best Projects 2020: “Best Project” for its work on Caesars Forum; “Excellence in Safety” for Caesars Forum; and “Excellence in Safety, Award of Merit” for Wynn Las Vegas South Convention Center. Penta also promoted Alex Whitmer to senior project engineer. Initially joining Penta through the company’s internship program, Whitmer became a full-time team member in 2017 as project engineer.
The Vox Agency, an agency specializing in public relations, digital marketing and brand building for attractions, destination dining and retail, health and lifestyle and nonprofit organizations, is now the agency on record for Tivoli Village as well as Leafz, an e-commerce marketplace to connect consumers with sellers purveying premium CBD and hemp-derived products.
SR Construction was named the general contractor for the design and construction of Poet’s Walk 18. The project will consist of the ground-up construction of a 36,381-square-foot, wood-framed facility. Once complete, the memory care facility will house 60 patient rooms and hold 72 patient beds.
Melissa Warren, managing partner of Faiss Foley Warren public relations, announced the firm’s next evolution with the launch of the Warren Group, which will house the firm’s practice encompassing public relations, social media, community relations and messaging. Warren acquired full ownership of the LLC under which both FFW and the Warren Group operate. She will continue to affiliate with her longtime partner, Linda Faiss, on public relations matters, while Helen Foley has launched Foley Public Affairs, a government affairs firm. Joining Warren at the Warren Group are former FFW employees McKinzie Cogswell, senior account executive; Amy Maier, senior account executive; Lisa Robinson, senior account executive; Cherryl Kaopua, account executive; Marsha MacEachern Tempesta, social media director; Lokelani Higa, social media manager; and Karen Wofford, marketing specialist.
The statewide Nevada Dental Association hired Michele Reeder as its new executive director. Reeder joins NDA after serving most recently as vice president of client success for SBI Association Management in Seattle, where she led a team that worked to ensure client satisfaction, retention and company profitability. She previously served as executive director for the American Academy of Oral Medicine and the American Board of Oral Medicine, as well as the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society.
The Nevada Dispensary Association announced the appointment of a new executive director, Layke Martin, the former assistant dean for external relations at the UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law. During her time at the law school, Martin oversaw fundraising, communications, alumni relations, events and career development department. She has taught courses at the law school and at the School of Public Policy and Leadership at UNLV. She practiced business litigation for nearly five years with the firm Marquis Aurbach Coffing.
Howard & Howard expanded its business litigation practice with the addition of Steven E. Kish III. Before joining Howard & Howard, Kish clerked for the Honorable James C. Mahan in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada. In law school, Kish competed nationally on Boyd’s moot court and mock trial teams, externed with the Clark County District Attorney’s Office and worked with Nevada Legal Aid through the Partners in Pro Bono Program.
Las Vegas Realtors announced the results of the association’s annual election of officers and board members, with longtime local Realtors Aldo Martinez serving as its 2021 president and Brandon Roberts serving as 2021 president-elect. Additional officers include Jillian Batchelor, vice president, and Yared Rivera, treasurer. Christina Chipman, Stephanie Grant, Randy Hatada and Shane Nguyen join as directors.
Colliers International Las Vegas welcomed Jennifer Mount, CPM, as the firm’s newest property manager. Mount will be responsible for more than 500,000 square feet of commercial real estate consisting of retail, light industrial and office. Mount began her career at Walker Asset Management Realty in 2013 and later held a position with Property Management by Newmark Knight Frank, where she became assistant property manager.
Black & Wadhams Attorneys at Law announced it is now affiliated with longtime western Nevada attorney, Clark Joseph Guild III of Reno. Guild brings nearly 40 years of legal, lobbying and government affairs experience in Nevada and with Congress to the strategic alliance. His experience includes water law, insurance, rail transportation, entertainment and motion pictures, mining, livestock ranching, natural resource regulation and use, animal welfare, hazardous materials storage, tobacco taxation and cannabis regulation and taxation.