Governor's Industry Awards to honor five companies

Five northern Nevada companies will be recognized for their contributions during the 23rd Annual Governor's Industry Appreciation Awards Nov. 1.

Recipients of the "Distinguished Business of the Year" award will be AT&T Nevada, CGI, Inc., High Desert Special Operations Center, Intuit Inc., and Microsoft Licensing GP.

The Distinguished Business of the Year award recognizes companies that have been in business in northern Nevada for more than five years, demonstrate strong corporate citizenship and contribute to the regional economy.

This year's Distinguished Business of the Year award winners' accomplishments:

* AT&T Nevada, which is brining 650 new jobs to Nevada, including 300 in Reno. The company also is recognized for the community volunteerism of AT&T Pioneers. Last year, the group volunteered 15,000 hours of staff time and donated $614,000 in Nevada.

* CGI, Inc., a Carson City company that designs and manufactures precision motion control products. The company and its employees support groups ranging from the Veterans of Foreign Wars to Little League.

* High Desert Special Operations Center in Hawthorne, a major training facility for law enforcement agencies, special operations units and armed security forces. The center provided training to more than 700 U.S. Armed Forces personnel deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan this year, and the company supports numerous community organizations.

* Intuit, Inc., a provider of payroll software and services. At its Reno facility, 533 employees last year volunteered 2,964 hours for Inuit-sponsored activities, raising more than $53,000 for the American Cancer Society and other charities.

* Microsoft Licensing GP, whose Reno employees donated more than 1,600 hours to 15 organizations during its annual Community Action Week. The company also awarded five scholarships to students at Truckee Meadows Community College.

Also recognized during the Governor's Industry Appreciation Awards event will be companies that are new to the region or undertook significant expansion projects.

New companies include Aloha Medicinals; American AVK Company Inc.; Carry-On Trailer; Gems TV USA Ltd.; K2 Distribution; SK Food Group Inc.; Sunie Seiki Tech Co. Ltd.; Veltec Sports; Wal-Mart distribution center; and Western Dairy Specialities LLC.

Expanded companies to be recognized include Bright Systems Inc.; Complete Millwork Services Inc.; EE Technologies Inc.; Forward Foods LLC; Goldcorp Inc./Marigold Mine; Golden Phoenix Minerals Inc.; Hamilton Company; Henry Schein-Western Distribution Center; Independent Inc.; Microsoft Licensing, GP; Quad/Graphics; Starbucks Coffee Co. - Carson Valley Roasting Plant; and The Tire Rack.

Keynote speaker for the awards event will be Alan Webber, co-founder of Fast Company magazine. He is a columnist for USA Today, and also has written for the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, The New York Times Magazine and The Washington Post.

The event is co-hosted by the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada and Northern Nevada Development Authority in cooperation with the Nevada Commission on Economic Development. It will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Grand Sierra Resort with a no-host reception followed by the program and dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $130 per person or $1,200 for a table of 10. To purchase tickets, to to www.edawn.org/giaa.