Worker-recruitment effort

An effort to attract professional-level workers to jobs in northern Nevada and maybe boost the region's image, too will go on the road in June.

If the first event scheduled for San Francisco's Ferry Building on June 26 is successful, organizers hope to take the show to other cities they've identified as home to professionals who might consider relocating to Reno.

"This is not tables and chairs and people sitting in booths. This is about showcasing our lifestyle. It's a networking event," says Gail Conkey, director of marketing for the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada.

EDAWN has been working on recruitment of professionals and other skilled workers for more than a year after the issue was identified as a priority during the Target2010 initiative that set the direction for economic development in the region.

Initially, Conkey said EDAWN executives planned campus trips to recruit new graduates. But they shifted gears after visiting with representatives of about 250 companies in the region and learning that an important human resources need is experienced professionals.

Four organizations Saint Mary's, Renown Health, International Game Technology and the Nevada Alumni Association signed on as founding sponsors and provided start-up capital.

By the time the June 26 event rolls around, organizers hope 15 to 20 northern Nevada companies agree to send representatives to San Francisco.

San Francisco was chosen for the first event because it has a large pool of workers in the industries that are targeted by EDAWN for growth, says Lorna Shepard of Truckee's Red Dog Consulting, which helps the economic development agency crunch marketing numbers.

The Bay Area also has some potential, Shepard says, because its cost of living is high compared to Reno, and the Greater Reno Tahoe message bring some balance into your life and contribute to the community resonates with professionals in the San Francisco area.

Because the event will focus so much on the Greater Reno Tahoe lifestyle, Conkey says organizers hope that it will create a better image for the region.

"Everyone at large benefits when we promote Greater Reno Tahoe outside the community," she says.

Organizers will use social media such as Facebook and MySpace along with traditional publicity outlets to drum up interest in the June event.

The recruitment effort is getting more impetus, Conkey said, from a redesign of the Web site, mynevadadreamjob.com. When the redesign is complete, people who want to move here will be able to post their career interests, and employers can scout the site for potential workers.