EDAWN Existing Industry Awards to recognize primary businesses

They often don’t garner the publicity that newcomers to Northern Nevada’s business arena get.

But primary businesses — those that generate most of their revenues from outside the state — are a crucial segment of local commerce, area promoters believe, and so they will be lauded next week in the sixth annual Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada’s Existing Industry Awards.

“Lots of companies are doing great things that no one ever hears about, just doing their jobs. The idea is to give them that appreciation,” said Nancy McCormick, EDAWN senior vice president of business retention, expansion and workforce development. “We try to cover the spectrum of companies doing great things.”

From the “wow” factor to manufacturing excellence, from the best corporate citizens to those companies that treat their employees best to those leading the way in environmental sustainability, more than three dozen businesses and agencies were nominated for the 2017 Existing Industry Awards.

EDAWN’s region encompasses Washoe County, Storey County and Fernley.

Capping the Oct. 24 evening event will be the naming of the winners of Company of the Year. In the “Large” category, or those with 51 employees or more, among the nominees are prominent names as well as lesser-known entities:

Arrow Electronics: Arrow, a distributor of electronic computer and technology components, employs 900 people at two locations: Longley Lane, with two buildings totaling more than 800,000 square feet, and in Stead with a 200,000-square-foot recycling center.

Cintas Corporation: Ohio-based Cintas operates one of its 400 North American sites in east Reno supplying corporate identity uniform programs, providing entrance and logo mats, restroom supplies, promotional products, first aid, safety, fire protection products and services, and industrial carpet and tile cleaning.

Grand Rounds: San Francisco-based Grand Rounds was founded in 2011 and operates in south Reno and in Lewiston, Maine, providing an employer-based solution that gives employees and their families the technology, information and support they need to make critical health-care choices—whether and where to receive medical treatment.

Meri Meri: Has operated in Reno for two years and designs themes and artwork for stationery, wallpaper, baking products, party supplies, jewelry and other merchandise and sells them to retailers worldwide. The company employs 21 people on Aircenter Circle in Reno with operations also in Burlingame, Calif., and in the United Kingdom.

Switch: The Las Vegas-based data location company has a fast-growing operation in the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center east of Sparks. At present, Switch employs 700 people in its Citadel Campus at TRIC that provides security, infrastructure connectivity and other services for hundreds of business clients. The first building will cover 1.3 million square feet when completed and total build-out of the campus is expected to top 7 million square feet.

TrainerRoad: The company, launched in Reno in 2011, employs 57 people in its mission to create software for personalized cycling fitness and workout cross platform programs, including live on-screen workout data, in its offices on Double R Boulevard in south Reno.