Vicky VanMeetren, CEO of the San Martín campus of St. Rose Dominican Hospitals COMMENTARY LYLE E. BRENNAN Publisher Doing Business in Nevada? www.nbj.com is Critical If you haven’t visited our website in the last month, now is the perfect time to log on. We have just finished a complete redesign of www.nbj.com. It’s easier to navigate and jam- packed with historical data, all in a format that can be easily searched. The website offers many opportunities to promote your business – many of them at no charge. s an online user and larger competitors by offering per- releases. While it is impossible to subscriber, you’ll have sonalized service and innovative publish all these news items in the A access to our free busi- products. Our other ranking system, magazine, we now have an online ness listings, allowing Nevada’s Choice, allows online outlet. Our paid subscribers can now you to post up-to-date information users to vote for the best in Nevada post their press releases on our web- about your company and show how business. We want to know, so we site at no charge. We at Nevada Busi- your business is different from the can pass that information on to you. ness Journal are especially pleased competition. Your posting automati- Nevada’s Choice will highlight to provide this service, as postings cally makes your organization eligi- the top vote-getters for each type of on www.nbj.com are searchable by ble for ranking in two ways: business: Best Bank, Best Private all search engines and can be ac- TopRank Nevada is a comprehen- Golf Course, Best Public Relations cessed by readers throughout the sive listing of Nevada companies Firm, etc. Which companies will do world. In essence, we’re taking our based on traditional ranking infor- the best job promoting themselves? paid subscribers’ messages to a local, mation, such as annual revenue and Which companies inspire loyalty, regional and global market. number of employees. TopRank not only from their employees, but Get a leg up on the competition Nevada lists all the companies as eq- also from their clients? Who will re- and make NBJ Daily News a part of uitably as possible, with no attempt ceive the most votes? We challenge your morning routine. Informative made to evaluate a company’s prof- you to join in, not only by encourag- daily news feeds prepared by our ed- itability, product or service. Anyone ing votes for your company and your itorial staff feature up-to-the-minute can go to the NBJ website and view clients, but also by taking the time to postings from business to politics, this information. fill out your choices in the categories and even advancements in technolo- However, we realize that bigger is that matter most to you. gy that can affect your business. not necessarily better. A small com- Each month, our editorial depart- Within the next few days, you’ll be pany may be able to outperform its ment receives hundreds of press Continued on Page 8 4 November 2006 November 2006 • Volume 21 • No. 11 A division of BUSINESS LINK, LLC PUBLISHER Lyle E. Brennan • [email protected] PUBLISHER / CEO Connie Brennan • [email protected] EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kathleen Foley • [email protected] ART DIRECTOR Joe Thomasula CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Mark Keays • [email protected] RESEARCH / RANKING NEVADA [email protected] WEB EDITOR McKensie Keever • [email protected] ONLINE MARKETING DIRECTOR Harry Benson • [email protected] CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Vicky VanMeetren is the CEO Doresa Banning • Ruth Furman • Liz Gamble Tony Illia • Mark Keays • Jessica Santina of Nevada’s newest hospital, Edward Serrano • Mike Sullivan • Jason Thomas the San Martín campus of St. Jeff Tino • R. Keith Schwer Rose Dominican Hospitals. ADVERTISING / SALES Our cover story features the Connie Brennan • [email protected] challenges faced by Nevada Sheri Lautherboren • [email protected] hospital CEOs as they try to Dawn Perkins • [email protected] Lucy Cox • [email protected] keep up with growth and Tarah Richardson • [email protected] maintain a healthy bottom line. EXEC. ASSISTANT TO PUBLISHER Hollie Howard • [email protected] CORPORATE OFFICE 375 N. Stephanie St., Suite 2311 • Henderson, NV 89014 (702) 735-7003 • FAX (702) 733-5953 [email protected] NORTHERN NEVADA ADVISORY BOARD Chuck Alvey • EDAWN Krys T. Bart • Reno Tahoe Airport Authority Tom Clark • Tom Clark Consulting Company Connie Fent • Community Representative Valerie Glenn • Rose Glenn Group Rick Gray • Fallon Convention and Tourism Authority Harry York • Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce Web Site: nbj.com • nevadabusiness.com TopRank Nevada: topranknevada.com BPA APPLIED May 2005 The high-rise market is boom- Nevada Business Journal is a division of Business Link, LLC. 375 N. Stephanie ing in both ends of the Silver St.,Bldg. 23, Suite 2311, Henderson, NV 89014. It is listed in Standard Rates and Data, #20A-Business-Metro, State and Regional. TopRank Nevada – Annual State. Sam Cherry, shown at his Statewide Book of Lists is a publication of Nevada Business Journal. Advertisers should contact Sales at (702) 735-7003, or write to: Nevada Business Soho Lofts project in down- Journal, 375 N. Stephanie St., Bldg. 23, Suite 2311, Henderson, NV 89014. Demo- graphic information available upon request. Month-to-month circulation may vary. town Las Vegas, is one of the Nevada Business Journal is published monthly with one additional issue each year. Subscription rate is $44.00 per year. Special order single-copy price is $7.50. TopRank developers who are changing Nevada – Annual Statewide Book of Lists,a compilation of lists which have ap- peared in Nevada Business Journal over the past 12 months, is published on an an- Nevada’s skyline. nual basis. All contents ©2006 copyright, and reproduction of material appearing in Nevada Business Journal and TopRank Nevada – Annual Statewide Book of Lists is pro- hibited unless so authorized by the publisher. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Nevada Business Journal, 375 N. Stephanie St., Bldg. 23, Suite 2311, Henderson, NV 89014. Sub- scribers please include previous address or mailing label. Allow six weeks. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS: Address all submissions to the attention of Kathleen Foley. Unsolicited manuscripts must be accompanied by a SASE. Nevada Business Journal assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. DISCLAIMER: Editorial views expressed in this magazine, as well as those appearing in area focus and industry focus supplements are not necessarily those of the publisher or its boards. 6 November 2006 CONTENTS FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 13 Healthcare Checkup 4 Commentary LYLE BRENNAN What’s Ailing Nevada’s Hospitals? Doing Business in Nevada? JESSICA SANTINA www.nbj.com is Critical 25 Industry Focus: Philanthropy 10 Business Up Front Giving Back to the Community Home Office or Corner Office? New Law May Affect Tax Returns 34 Nevada’s Credit Unions SBA Loans Set Records Engaged in a Delicate Balancing Act 11 Face to Face DORESA BANNING Paul Perkins, Alliance Commercial Real Estate Services Jim Howard, Desert Community Bank 13 58 Inside Politics MIKE SULLIVAN The 2007 Legislative Session What’s Ahead for Nevada? 59 Nevada Briefs • Nevada Hospitals Recognized for Quality Care • NCED Approves Economic Development Grants • Elko Casino Group Changes Hands • Convention Center Launches Recycling Efforts 60 Compassionate Capitalism UNLV Foundation Inventing the Future 61 Banking on It KATHLEEN FOLEY Silver State Bancorp Expanding in Nevada and Arizona 62 Technology EDWARD SERRANO B UILDING NEVADA Online Promotions How to Navigate this New World 44 Nevada’s High-Rise Market 63 Vital Signs Reaching Sky-High Levels LIZ GAMBLE Desert Radiologists TONY ILLIA New CEO Takes Over Growing Company 57 Building Nevada News in Brief 64 People First • Victorian Square Plans Mixed-Use Project MARK KEAYS • TWC to Construct Medical Office Building Returning Military Employees • Bank Building Topped Off Challenges in Returning to the Workforce • Work Progressing on Montecito Marketplace 67 Expert Advice • Build-to-Suit Project Breaks Ground JEFF TINO Employee Recognition 55 Strata Building Group Is It Really That Important? New Name, New Direction 68 Money Management RUTH FURMAN JASON THOMAS 55 Commercial Real Estate The Roth 401(k) Plan Market Report Can It Permanently Improve Your Future? Second Quarter 2006 – Industrial Market 70 Business Indicators R. KEITH SCHWER November 2006 7 Continued From Page 4 able to subscribe to our RSS feed and have these articles beamed straight to your mobile phone or email address. Keep an eye on both NBJ Daily News and our new NBJ PR Wire for breaking news that will keep you up to date on all that is happening in Nevada. Getting started is easy. Go to www.nbj.com. If you are not current- ly a paid subscriber, start your paid subscription so you can take advan- tage of all the new benefits. If you are a current subscriber, proceed di- rectly to the Member Login page; you’ll find a variety of ways to log in and verify your existing sub- scriber information. 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