Hector Fernandez, CEO of Aristocrat Gaming and LVGEA board member, shares his inspiring journey from Guatemala to Los Angeles. His mother’s sacrifices enabled him to attend a private school, shaping his path to success.

Hector attended Claremont McKenna College and discovered his passion for business through an internship at Ernst & Young. He believes in the importance of skills, leadership, personal sacrifices, and luck. He emphasizes excelling in one skill and building a solid team.

At Aristocrat Gaming, he promotes a "people first, business second" philosophy. He discusses adapting during COVID-19, labor shortages, and workplace diversity. A Las Vegas enthusiast, he highlights the need for better education and healthcare and aligning educational programs with industry needs.

In his free time, Hector enjoys traveling with his family, sports, and learning to take more time for himself. He values money for security and advises young people to choose the right life partner for success.

Aristocrat:
https://aristocrat.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/AristocratExternalCareersSite

Shannon Petersen, Executive Vice President at Nevada State Bank and a board member of LVGEA, began her journey in a small Northern California town. She discovered her passion for economics and finance while studying at UC Santa Cruz. Shannon's banking career took off unexpectedly during her thesis work at the Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco, laying the foundation for her leadership at Nevada State Bank.

In her role as Corporate Banking Manager, Shannon leads teams that provide essential financial services to large businesses across Nevada. Her focus is on loans, money management, and fraud prevention. She is dedicated to nurturing future banking leaders through educational initiatives and internal development programs.

Amid today's job market challenges, Shannon emphasizes the importance of preparing local talent from an early age and supports community sustainability efforts. She believes Nevada State Bank is crucial in shaping Southern Nevada's future by investing in the community.

Outside of work, Shannon cherishes family time, roots for local sports teams, attends concerts, and loves traveling. Her leadership is defined by passion, integrity, and mentorship. She inspires young professionals to pursue their passions and work diligently for personal and professional success.

Shannon highlights Southern Nevada's diverse opportunities beyond tourism, advocating for collaboration and celebrating community achievements while striving to enhance the region's quality of life and affordability.

Nevada State Bank:
https://www.nsbank.com/business/

Vince Ciminise, Senior Vice President and Commercial Loan Manager for Valley Bank of Nevada and a Vegas Chamber Board of Trustees member, joins the show to share his journey from studying accounting to a successful banking career. He highlights his role at Valley Bank, managing a team responsible for generating new business and supporting small businesses with loans and financial advice. He discusses the challenges of recruiting and retaining talent and the impact of competitive wages on staffing.

Vince emphasizes the importance of the Vegas Chamber's support for small businesses and mentions the upcoming DC Fly-In event. He advises young professionals to work hard, be reliable, and continuously learn. In his downtime, Vince walks five miles daily for mental clarity.

Bank of Nevada:
Valley Bank of Nevada (valleybanknv.com)

For Business Needs:
Business Banking Services | Valley Bank of Nevada (valleybanknv.com)

For inquiries or collaboration, Vince’s contact:
VSiminesi@valleybanknv.com

Lori Calderon, General Manager of Recruiting at Empire Caterpillar, shares her career journey from St. Louis to Northeast Missouri State, where she started in Human Resources and Recruiting. With over 30 years of experience, Lori is passionate about connecting people with careers.

She discusses Empire Caterpillar's role in construction, emphasizing integrity and cultural fit in recruiting. Lori highlights their community contributions and K-12 education initiatives. She highlights Empire Caterpillar supports significant infrastructure projects across the region, which is crucial for the mining and construction sectors.

Beyond work, Lori supports veterans and explores alternative labor pools through partnerships. She enjoys rowing, yoga, and traveling with her dogs, which influences her approach to success.

Lori advises young job seekers to set achievable goals and find mentors.

Empire CAT:
https://www.empire-cat.com/company/jobs

Empire CAT Jobs Email:
Greatjobs@empire-cat.com

Dr. Marc Tedoff, founder of the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Institute, joins us to share his inspiring journey and career insights. Growing up in Sea Cliff, Long Island, Dr. Tedoff attended college in upstate New York before starting his professional life as a paralegal. Torn between law school and teaching, he chose the latter, beginning as a teacher aide at a Special Education school specializing in autism in Manhattan.

During a vacation in Las Vegas, he reached out to the Clark County School District and secured a job upon his return. Dr. Tedoff dedicated over 11 years to CCSD, earning his PhD in Special Education and a Behavioral Analyst Credential. He was instrumental in rolling out the Medicaid program for autism treatment, highlighting his commitment to improving mental health services.

In this episode, Dr. Tedoff explains what Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and a Registered Behavior Therapist (RBT) are. He shares how the EmployNV Youth Hub assisted him in staffing his practice with skilled RBTs. He discusses his innovative idea of training aging-out foster youth to become RBTs, emphasizing the importance of flexibility, focus, and dedication in therapy.

A family man passionate about working on his 1996 Corvette C4, Dr. Tedoff effortlessly balances his professional and personal life. His advice for young people is simple yet powerful: work hard and keep going.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Institute:
https://abainstitute.us/

Joining the show is Glenn Christenson, managing director of Vestland Investments and longtime LVGEA board member, who shares his journey from public accounting to the casino industry and his deep commitment to philanthropy. Born in Honolulu and raised in Iowa, Glenn shifted from aspiring to play college basketball to pursuing a career in accounting and finance, earning his MBA from Ohio State University.

Glenn talks about his roles at Haskins & Sells in Las Vegas, his 17 years with Deloitte, and his executive positions at Station Casinos. He also discusses his significant contributions to economic development through LVGEA, emphasizing how it can transform communities and the importance of philanthropy beyond financial donations.

In his personal life, Glenn enjoys golf and actively supports Las Vegas colleges. He advises young people on self-awareness, perseverance, education, work-life balance, and keeping options open.

LVGEA:
LVGEA - Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance

Denette Suddeth, the Regional President and head of Commercial Banking for PNC Bank joins the show today. Having moved from Southern California as a child, Denette attended local K-12 schools. She shares her journey, starting her career at UNLV while working for Nevada Title Company, and gives us a glimpse into her typical workday.

Denette discusses the strategies PNC Bank uses to drive business growth in Nevada. As a small business owner and founder of Suddeth Inc., she has worked as an executive coach, helping leaders recognize their blind spots. She emphasizes the growing importance of Emotional
Intelligence in the workplace.

A 2008 graduate of Leadership Las Vegas, Denette gained unique insights into the city and formed lasting friendships. She remains active with United Way and Junior Achievement, reflecting on the values she learned growing up. Denette is also involved in the new Inspiration Center, where PNC Bank will provide real-world banking experiences
for over 60,000 students in Clark County.

Beyond her professional life, Denette is passionate about Doodle dogs, riding ATVs, and traveling. She advises young people on building networks and relationships in their careers and highlights PNC Bank’s commitment to empowering women in business through its
Women’s Business Advocate certification program.

PNC Bank-Women in Business:
https://www.pnc.com/en/small-business/topics/women-in-business.html

Junior Achievement (JA):
https://southernnevada.ja.org/

JA Biz Town:
https://southernnevada.ja.org/programs/ja-biztown

Vincent Saavedra, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Southern Nevada Building Trades and a Workforce Connections’ Program Committee member, joins the show. Born and raised in Fontana, California, Vince comes from a hard-working blue-collar family. After moving to Las Vegas, he joined the Iron Workers Union Local 416. Vince discusses the 19 construction unions that are part of the Southern Nevada Building Trades, an association of unions. He proudly notes that he is the first Latino to hold his current position and is the founding president of the Las Vegas chapter of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LACLA), which focuses on voter education and information.

Vince emphasizes the importance of talent and workforce development in the K-12 school system. He explains the involvement and impact of the Southern Nevada Building Trades, particularly in the Brightline project. He also highlights the significance of addressing the mental health of construction workers.

Outside work, Vince enjoys smoking cigars, practicing jujitsu with his kids, and watching them compete in sports. He also mentors young men and encourages young people to never stop working hard.

Southern Nevada Building Trades:
https://www.snbtu.org/news-details/webview/overview/single/24727

Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LACLA):
https://www.lclaa.org/