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If you would like to learn more about Nevada's newest name in HMOs, call us at (702) 650- 8200, or visit us at our web site http:// ww1<v.aetnaushc.com. LJEtna us Healthcare TIM NOLAN ND90564 You'll Feel Better With Us~ ©1 997 Aetna U.S. HealthcareTMtnc. If you have ever thought of building a dream home. those thoughts probably included big closets, a gourmet kitchen with an island in the middle, a fireplace in the master bathroom or maybe a voice activated electronic system. Whatever size or package your custom home dreams come in, the most important thing is where you build them. At Seven Hills, each custom homesite commands spectacular views of the entire Las Vegas valley and the powerful Black Mountain Range. This combined with lush rolling hills, parks and elegant architecture, create a serene atmosphere. Discover for yourself the style and harmony of Seven Hills. Your dreams are the foundation of who you are. Build the home of your dreams in Seven Hills. 1/3 to 1/2 acre lots from the $zoo,ooos call 897-7000 :; CUSTOM HOMESITES A Henderson comrrunity deYeloped by the Silver Canyon Partnership. COMMENTARY jBUSINESS Conflict ollnterest? 40URN:,~1 CORPORATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lance Bradford - Partner, Bradford & Bradford CPAs Lyle Brennan -Publisher, NBJ Stephen Brock - President, NBJ Philippe Jaramillo - President, Mardi Gras Hotel LYLE E. BRENNAN Publisher Dr. Anthony Pollard -President, Rainbow Medical Center Frank Scott - CEO, Sports Media Network ... caught in conflict of interest," has been the subject of many newspaper ADVISORY BOARD OF DIRECTORS Scott Voeller- Dir. of Advertising & Public Relations stories, especially as of late. What can one do to avoid being the recipient of Silver Legacy Resort Casino such negative recognition? Mary S. Falls - Vice-Pres. Northern Nevada Business Banking US Bancorp A conflict of interest can be defined as "a situation in which a person, such as a Somer Hollingsworth - Pres. evada public' ' official, an employee, or a professional, has a private or personal interest suf­ Development Authority Larry E. Krause - Partner and Director ficient to appear to influence the objective exercise of his or her official duties." Arthur Andersen LLP Political scientists, Ken Kernaghan and John Langford, list seven categories of MaryDean Martin - Pres. MaryDean & Associates Clare O'Brien - Dir. of Marketing McCarran Airport typical conflicts of interest: Stan Thomas - Dir. of Special Business Projects 1. Self-dealing (i.e. working for the gove=ent and using your official position to Sierra Pacific Power Company Carole Vilardo - Pres. Nev. Taxpayers Assoc. secure a contract for your private consulting company, or using your gove=ent Patrida M. Wade - Pres. Wade DeVelopment Co., Inc. position to get a summer job for a member of your family); PUB USHER 2. Accepting benefits (i.e. bribery); Lyle E. Brennan 3. Influence peddling (i.e. receiving benefits from a party in return for using your PRESIDENT Stephen Brock influence to unfairly advance the interests of that party); ASSOCIATE PUBUSHER - EDITOR 4. Using your employer's property for private advantage (i.e. appropriating office Connie Brennan supplies or software for your own personal use); ASSOCIATE EDITOR - ART DIRECTOR Barbara L. Moore 5. Using confidential information (i.e. upon learning a client is planning to buy land CffiCIDAnO~~UTION in your region, you rush out and purchase the land in an' associate's name); Usa Maguire CONI'RIBUTING EDITORS 6. Outside employment or moonlighting (i.e. setting up a business on the side that Tom Dye I Kathleen Foley I George Fuller is in direct competition with your employer, or taking on so many outside clients David Hofstede I Jan jones I Sandy Miller joe Mullich I Richard Perkins I Randall Putz that you don't have the time and energy to devote to your regular duties); jennifer Robison I R. Keith Schwer I Michael Sullivan 7. Post-employment (i.e. a person who resigns from public or private employment CORPORATE OmCE 2127 Paradise Road • Las Vegas, NY 89104 and goes into business in the same area, lobbying the former department in (702) 735-7003 • FAX (702) 733-5953 which he or she was employed). email:www.nevadabusiness.com NATIONAL MARKETING REPRESENfATIYE How do you determine if you are in a conflict of interest, or entering into that Usa Maguire quagmire? The answer surfaces when a particular situation offers the appearance of, SOUlliERN NEVADA MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES Stephen Brock or opportunity for, compromising your judgment in performing your official duties. Christopher Evans • Letty Elias You should ask yourself: "would others (my employer, my associates, my clients, or Claire Smith • Uz Young NORTIIERN NEVADA MARKETING REPRESENIATIVE my constituents) trust my judgment if they knew I was in this situation?" The Elizabeth Younger Agency Tiffany Frisch Private and personal interests can distort a person's objectivity. It is definitely eas­ 223 Marsh Ave. • Reno, NY 89509-1626 ier to recognize when others enter into a conflict rather than when you do. It may be (702) 329-4200 • FAX (702) 329-4283 useful to talk to a trusted associate or friend when you are in doubt. Once you recog­ Nevada Business Journal is Jj sted in Standard Rates & Data, #20A-Business-Metro, State & Regional. Advertisers should conlact Sales at (702) 735-7003 in Southern nize you are heading into a conflict of interest, or already involved in one: get out of Nevada. or (800) 242-0164 in Northern Nevada. or write to: Neva­ da Business Journal, 2 127 Paradise Rd .• Las Vegas. NV 89104. the situation, or, if you can't, make known to all affected parties your private interest. Demographic infonnation available upon request. Month-to-month circulation may vary. Most of us regularly encounter potential conflicts of interest during the course of NBJ is published monthly. bulk poslage paid. Subscription r.lle is $36.00 per year. Special order single-copy price is $3.95. All contents © 1997 copyright, and reproduction of material appear­ our daily lives. Regardles the circumstances, one must strive to steer clear of such eth­ ing in NBJ is prohibited unless so authorized by the publisher of NBJ. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please send previous address or mail­ ical entrapments. Private and personal interests can distort a person's objectivity and ing label & new address. Allow six weeks. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS: Address all submissions to the can result in irrevocable damage to one's reputation and credibility. attention of Connie Brennan. Unsolicited manuscripts must be ac­ companied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. NBJ assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. DISCLAIMER: Editorial views expressed in this magazine COMMENTS? e-mail: [email protected] are not necessarily those of the publisher or its boards. 4 evada Business Journal • November 1997 of letters from visitors that touted out­ Tallc \. From standing service were shared with the audience. And, while tourists expect Dear Editor: exceptional service ... locals demand it. Hooray for a publisher with both con­ the Anyone in the resort business will tell viction and guts. Most are being so care­ you that locals are their toughest cus­ ful to be "politically correct" that they tomers. And, it only takes a trip out of don' t stand for anything anymore. Oh, for Editor town for us to realize that we are, indeed, a few politicians with real convictions and spoiled to the superior service provided the integrity to express them. But now I'm CONNIE BRENNAN Editor here in Nevada. off into fantasy land on a rainy day. Having just returned from a trip to the Enjoy the Nevada Business Journal Midwest, I can tell you that not everyone and what always appears to me to be Customer Service? grasps the concept of customer service. objective reporting. The entire experience ... from transporta­ -You Bet! tion ... accommodations ... and food ser­ Charlie Abbott vice was several notches below the service President Last month the Las Vegas Chamber of routinely delivered in Nevada. Abbott's Audio and Video Commerce made a big d_eal out of And, while management may set the Customer Service Week ... and rightfully policy, the real credit belongs to the thou­ r J "'.: I [.1 I ( so. Nevada's continued success depends sands of front-line workers that deal one­ ~ .!J -!.) J .1 on our ability to continue delivering on-one with the customers. They are the superior service. ones that have made Nevada the resort Dear Charlie: At a recent Chamber luncheon cele­ capital of the world . and they are the Thanks for writing and thank you for your brating Customer Service Week, a number ones on which our future depends. • kind comments, howeve1; our publisher needs no more encouraging. - Ed. COMMENTS? e-mail: [email protected] ARE JUST TOO IMPORTANT TO mss ..