EDAWN NEWS RELEASE
The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) welcomes five new members to its 2012-2013 Board of Trustees. Cam Sorenson the HR Leader for Intuit, Be-Be Adams government affairs and community relations manager for Barrick Gold Corporation, Heidi Gansert, special assistant to the president for external affairs at the University of Nevada, Reno, Jim McClenahan 2012-2013 Chamber Liaison and Lance Gilman, Storey County Commissioner have joined the EDAWN board.
As the community relations and government affairs manager for Barrick Gold Corporation, Adams is replacing Michael Brown on EDAWN’s Board of Trustees.
Additionally, as the new liaison between Northern Nevada’s largest university and the local business community, Gansert replaces Marc Johnson, president of the University of Nevada, Reno as an ex-officio trustee.
“The EDAWN board has focused on the task of quality job creation and embraces the significant impact that our education system has on the current and future workforce needs of our employers,” said Stephanie Kruse, EDAWN chair. “Having the leadership of the education community, from K-12 through higher education, directly involved in our efforts will ensure the collaboration needed for the community’s long term economic development success.”
Cam Sorenson is the human resources leader in the Payroll Division for Intuit. With more than 20 years in the Human Resources industry, Sorensen’s expertise ranges from business development to strategic planning within an organization. She is certified in organizational design and strategic human resource leadership and is an active member in the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)..
Be-Be Adams serves as an advocate for Barrick Gold Corporation for responsible mining. She joined Barrick in 1991 after 15 years of working in the gaming and marketing industries in Northern Nevada. Adams acts as an information resource for legislators, academics, industry professionals, journalists and others who can influences policies that affect the mining industry. Consistent with her government responsibilities, Adams is actively involved in such organizations as the National Conference of State Legislators, the National Governors Association, the Democratic Governors Association and the Republican Governors Association.
Heidi Gansert is the former chief of staff for Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and currently serves as the special assistant to the president of external affairs at the University of Nevada, Reno. Gansert’s role is to work closely with the economic development authorities throughout the state of Nevada and strengthen the relationship with the University. She leads the University’s Economic Development and Business Relations Taskforce, which engages the outreach responsibilities of deans and administrators.
Jim McClenahan is the 2012-2013 chamber liaison as well as the director of management and executive programs for extended studies at the University of Nevada, Reno. McClenahan oversees the University’s noncredit, professional programs in human resources, gaming management, social media and other areas. When he is not teaching economics and marketing at Truckee Meadows Community College and the University of Nevada, Reno, he enjoys the outdoor recreation that Northern Nevada has to offer. He will serve as an ex-officio trustee for EDAWN.
Lance Gilman is a Storey County commissioner and the owner/operator of L. Lance Gilman Commercial Real Estate Services. Gilman is the founder and developer of both the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRI) in Storey County and the South Meadows/Double Diamond Ranch in South Reno. Additionally, Gilman was the original owner/operator of the Carson –Tahoe Harley Davidson dealership in Carson City. Having practiced in San Diego, Reno and Storey County, Gilman will provide a wealth of experience in redevelopment and job creation as an ex-officio trustee, furthering EDAWN’s mission.
EDAWN’s board of trustees comprises private investors and industry experts who will serve a two-year term. The board also includes volunteer community leaders and elected officials, dedicated to taking economic development in a new direction in Northern Nevada. It is the governing and administrative body for the non-profit organization, supporting its mission to recruit and expand quality companies to Greater Reno-Sparks-Tahoe.
EDAWN staff changes
In addition to the recent changes to the Board of Trustees, EDAWN is pleased to announce staff changes which include the Marketing and Competitive Expansion Team and Business Development Team.
Aimee Wittler joined the EDAWN team in late 2012 in a part-time role to assist in augmenting the retention efforts of EDAWN alongside Nancy McCormick, the vice president of business retention, expansion and workforce. Wittler comes to EDAWN with a background in sales, marketing, consulting and non-profit management. She is a UNR graduate with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and will be a great addition to the EDAWN team.
Meghan Wagonseller-Pescio has vacated her position as the manager of marketing technology and retention and will remain in the Reno-Tahoe area at her next venture. After five years with EDAWN she has contributed unparalleled time and effort to further EDAWN’s mission of recruiting and expanding quality companies in the Greater Reno-Sparks-Tahoe region.
Kristal Sidener joined the EDAWN team in January 2013 as a marketing coordinator. She will be responsible for coordinating press release content, website updates and maintenance while assisting the team in marketing and competitive expansion. Sidener joined EDAWN after working for two years in marketing at IQ Technology Solutions and is currently on the Board of Directors for the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Program in northern Nevada. She will be graduating from UNR in the spring of 2013 with her master’s in business and an emphasis in entrepreneurship.
For more information visit www.edawn.org or contact Kristal Sidener at [email protected].
About EDAWN
EDAWN is a private, non-profit corporation founded by community leaders in 1982. EDAWN works to recruit and expand quality companies that have a positive impact on the quality of life in Greater Reno-Sparks-Tahoe. In 2012 Nevada was named the No. 3 Most Business Friendly Tax Climate by the Tax Foundation and Reno was among the 50 “Best Places to Live” in BusinessWeek magazine. For more information, visit www.edawn.org.
