Jim DeVolld new chair of Renown Health board – NNBV People briefs for April 2019

EDITOR'S NOTE: Northern Nevada Business View people briefs are published on a monthly basis, at the end of each month, and compiled from submissions emailed to the newsroom at editor@nnbw.com. Please note that submissions are published at editorial discretion, and some briefs may publish online only due to print space limitations. Below are people briefs for April 2019.

Jim DeVolld

After eight years serving in various roles with Renown Health's board of directors, Jim DeVolld, senior vice president, regional manager of First Independent Bank, was elected as the integrated healthcare network's new chairman of the board.

DeVolld was elected to a two-year term, effective Jan. 1, 2019. A lifelong Nevadan, DeVolld grew up in Yerington before moving to Reno 31 years ago. He has spent decades working in the Northern Nevada banking industry. He also serves as chairman of the Nevada Tax Commission and is a board member of the Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows. Lauren Siri, Alison Westfall and Danielle Eaton

Lauren Siri has joined the Advancement and Engagement department at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) as manager of events and protocol. Siri brings over 10 years of marketing, communications and public relations experience to UNR Med. She previously worked as Manager of University Events for the University of Nevada, Reno. Siri graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Santa Clara University, majoring in business with an accounting emphasis.

Alison Westfall, M.D., FACOG has joined the department of OB-GYN at UNR Med. Dr. Westfall will provide comprehensive obstetrical and gynecological care to women in Reno and Northern Nevada. Prior to UNR Med, Dr. Westfall practiced obstetrics and gynecology with OB/GYN Associates in Reno. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from UNR Med and completed residency training at the University of Nevada School of Medicine Department of OB/GYN in Las Vegas.

Danielle Eaton has been promoted to senior director and research manager for the UNR Med Clinical Research Center. Eaton has served as director of research operations and administration for the past two years. Prior to UNR Med, Eaton served as a clinical research coordinator in oncology at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System. A UNR alumna, Eaton earned her Bachelor of Science degree in biology and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree.

Mark A. Krasner

Mark A. Krasner, CPA, Esq., founding partner of Blanchard, Krasner & French, a law firm with offices in La Jolla and Reno, has been elected to serve on the Board of Trustees for the Nevada Museum of Art. Krasner joins 33 additional trustees in their work to guide the vision for the only art museum in Nevada accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.

In addition, Krasner serves as a board member for the National Council of Juvenile and Federal Court Judges (NCJFCJ), Big Brothers Big Sisters Northern Nevada and the Parasol Foundation Trust. Together with partners Bob Blanchard and Alan French, Krasner co-founded Blanchard, Krasner & French in La Jolla, California, in 1992.

Dennis Gutwald

McDonald Carano announced in March that Dennis Gutwald has been elevated from Of Counsel to Partner, effective Jan. 1, 2019. Gutwald has more than 20 years of experience counseling premier gaming companies, banks, investment companies and high-profile individuals on all aspects of gaming law in Nevada and nationally.

His previous experience includes spending seven years as a Senior Agent in the Investigations Division of the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Gutwald earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance from UNLV in 1986 and his J.D. from the William S. Boyd School of Law in 2003. He is also a board member with Keep Memory Alive.

Joshua Halen, Jordan Walsh and Elliot Weiss

Holland & Hart announced the addition of Reno associates Joshua Halen, Jordan Walsh and Elliot Weiss.

Halen has joined the firm's commercial litigation practice. He advises clients on compliance with state and federal laws across multiple industries. He previously served as a Deputy Attorney General in the Bureau of Litigation, Public Safety Division at the Nevada Attorney General's office and as a litigation associate at a Reno law firm.

Walsh has joined the firm's labor & employment practice. She represents public and private entities in collective bargaining. Prior to joining Holland & Hart, Walsh was an associate in labor and employment law and civil litigation with a Northern Nevada law firm.

Weiss has joined the firm's corporate practice. He leverages his background in corporate finance and private banking to provide clients with efficient and cost-effective solutions for a wide range of corporate transactional matters. Previously, he worked as a corporate associate in the Los Angeles and New York City offices of a mid-size, international law firm.

Melanie Mayer

Sparks-based Haws Corporation announced that Quality and Compliance Manager Melanie Mayer has been recognized by EHS Daily Advisor for Young Safety Professional Excellence.

Mayer has led many efforts to enhance safety and quality programs at Haws, and she has completed Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt Certifications. She has also completed a Project Management Professional Certification and is pursuing a master's degree in environmental health and safety. She was honored at the 6th Annual Safety Summit in Austin, Texas, April 8-10.

Briana Silvernail

Briana Silvernail, aka “Booya Briana,” is the new area director of the Reno-Northern franchise for Apex Leadership Company, which focuses on helping students and youth organizations development important leadership skills and learn about the importance of heath and fitness through a fun, interactive fundraising format.

As a UNR graduate who grew up in Las Vegas, Silvernail brings not only a degree in Human Development and Family Studies but also a passion and desire to work with children to help enrich their lives through being active and healthy.

Michael Buis

PacStates announced that Michael Buis has joined the Board of Directors for the Better Business Bureau Serving Northern Nevada and Utah, Inc. Buis is CEO of PacStates, a telecom and IT solutions provider in Northern Nevada who brings over 34 years of telecommunications experience to his role.

In addition to his board seat for BBB, he currently serves on the Board of Directors of Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) Reno Tahoe chapter, Board of Directors and Chairman for the Reno Rodeo, as well as Past President and board member of the Great Reno Balloon Race.

Michael Hix, Teresa Courrier and Rob Thayer

Plumas Bank announced that Michael Hix has joined the bank as senior vice president, commercial loan officer for Reno and the Truckee/Lake Tahoe region. Hix brings over 35 years of banking experience and will be responsible for generating loans and managing relationships for business clients throughout the area. For the last 18 years, Hix served as senior vice president, professional and executive banking manager at First Independent Bank, a division of Western Alliance Bank, Reno. Prior to that, he worked at Colonial Bank and Pioneer Citizens Bank, both in Reno. A Nevada native, Hix graduated from UNR, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Finance.

Teresa Courrier has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Northern Nevada Regional Commercial Lender. Courrier joined the Plumas Bank team in 2015, bringing years of lending and banking experience to the Northern Nevada market. Courrier was raised in Reno and has lived in the area most of her life. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Utah; and will soon be a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School. Courrier is on the Nevada State Board of Finance and an active member of the National Cutting Horse Association.

Rob Thayer has been promoted to Assistant Vice President/Business Relationship Manager of the Reno Office of Plumas Bank. A longtime resident of Reno, Rob understands the financial needs of local businesses in the region and has been a significant part of the success of the Reno Office. Rob is a graduate of UNR with a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Geography/GIS. Thayer is active in a variety of local organizations including Rotary Club of Reno, Western Industrial Network (WIN), Builders Association of Northern Nevada (BANN), Builders Association Charity (BAC), Commercial Real Estate Investment Community (CCIM), Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP), and Autism Speaks.

Casey Prostinak

SVN Gold Dust Commercial Associates announced Casey Prostinak as Senior Advisor. Prostinak specializes in investment sales of industrial and office properties. He joined SVN Gold Dust Commercial with four years of experience in the commercial real estate industry and has been an associate advisor with SVN since 2016. Prostinak earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees in finance and economics from the University of Nevada, Reno.

S. Victoria Kahn

The Whittier Trust Company of Nevada, Inc. announced that S. Victoria Kahn has been promoted to senior vice president, Nevada regional manager. Kahn will lead The Whittier Trust Company of Nevada Inc.'s Reno office. In addition, Kahn will serve on the board of directors of The Whittier Trust Company of Nevada, Inc. Kahn joined Whittier Trust Company in 2017 as a client advisor.

Kahn brings more than 10 years of experience in private banking, estate and financial planning, and tax law. Prior to Whittier, Kahn was a fiduciary advisory specialist with Wells Fargo Private Bank in Santa Barbara, among other roles. Kahn has a B.A. in history, cum laude from Colgate University and her J.D. from University of California, Davis School of Law.

Wayne Cameron

Nevada State Bank recently hired Wayne Cameron as Residential Mortgage Area Manager. He is based in Reno and will serve the surrounding community. Cameron is a veteran of the banking world, having worked in the industry since 1992, with extensive experience in lending.

A lifelong Nevada resident, he is well-versed in the local Northern Nevada community and its needs. Cameron began his banking career as a teller while attending graduate school at UNR, when he was studying sports medicine.

Paul Georgeson

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) has elected Paul Georgeson, Esq., Vice President and Senior Counsel, Eldorado Resorts, Inc. to the NCJFCJ Board of Directors. Prior to joining Eldorado Resorts, Inc., in January of 2019, he was a partner at McDonald Carano LLP.

He has served as the president of the Nevada Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, a lawyer representative for the U.S. District Court, District of Nevada, a lawyer representative for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, a member of the Bench-Bar Committee for the Washoe County Second Judicial Court, and a pro bono mediator for the U.S. District Court, District of Nevada's pro se inmate mediation program. Georgeson is a graduate of University of California, Santa Barbara and received his J.D. from the University of California, Davis, School of Law.

Melissa Duvall

West 2nd Events Center and MidSparks Events Center has announced Melissa Duvall as events director at both venues.

Duvall most recently was employed by Walton's Funerals & Cremations as executive assistant. In addition to her current role, she is assuming the responsibility for booking, promoting and coordinating events at the venues. Duvall was previously employed with the Nevada Chapter Associated General Contractors, where she acted as special events coordinator and education and finance manager.

Dr. J. Kyle Dalpe

Western Nevada College has announced that J. Kyle Dalpe, Ph.D., will join the college as Vice President of Instruction and Institutional Effectiveness on July 1, 2019. Dr. Dalpe has worked for more than 23 years supporting student access and success.

During the past 16 years, Dr. Dalpe has served at Truckee Meadows Community College in various leadership positions, including Director of Institutional Advancement, Associate Dean and Chief of Staff in the President's Office, Acting President, and Dean of the Technical Sciences Division. He is currently serving as the Interim Executive Director of Legislative Affairs for the Nevada System of Higher Education for the 2019 legislative session.

Dalpe earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Photojournalism from the University of Connecticut; a Master of Arts degree in Journalism, Speech and Political Science from the University of Texas at Tyler; and a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership from UNR.

Ryan Hart

EO Reno Tahoe, the local branch of the international Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), recently welcomed Ryan Hart as a new partner.

Hart owner and founder of Amada Senior Care of Northern Nevada. Founded in Reno in 2016, Amada provides non-medical care to our senior citizen and veteran community.

Hart worked in the medical device field for about 10 years before deciding to start his own business. He now has over 150 employees and has decided to start a non-profit organization that will help fund those who can't afford the care his company provides.

Go to www.eonetwork.org/renotahoe to learn more about EO Reno Tahoe.

Eric Luhrs

Kidder Mathews has announced the completion of a leadership plan for the firm's core divisions, brokerage, property management, and valuation advisory. The firm's four brokerage heads — Brian Hatcher, Northwest, Eric Luhrs, Northern California and Nevada, Robert Thornburgh, Southern California, and Mark Read, Southwest — have been named regional presidents of brokerage for their respective regions.

In addition, Keith Kaiser has been promoted to president of the firm's property management division, and Peter Shorett has been named president of the firm's valuation advisory division. In their expanded roles, each will focus on strategic business development, recruitment, and revenue collaboration across the firm's product lines within their market.

Bram Buckley, Matthew Harris, Ron Sheehan, Jessie Rich-Greer and Dereck Barrett

Reno commercial real estate brokerage, Avison Young/Western Alliance Commercial, Inc., has recently made a number of promotions with title changes.

Bram Buckley has been promoted to Vice President/Office Division. He has been involved in commercial real estate since 2006 and specializes in office leasing and sales; providing both landlord and tenant representation.

Matthew Harris has been promoted to Vice President/Industrial Division. He has been practicing real estate brokerage since 2011 and joined Avison Young/Western Alliance Commercial, Inc. in 2016. He is the 2019 NAIOP Northern Nevada Chapter President.

Ron Sheehan has been promoted to Vice President/Industrial Division. He represents Principals and Tenants in the leasing, sales and acquisition of industrial buildings and business parks.

Jessie Rich-Greer, MSRE, CCIM, CPM, a recent rising star recipient, has been promoted to Vice President of the Multifamily and Investment Division. Rich-Greer began his career in 2007 by starting his own advisory and asset management firm for high net worth and single family offices in San Diego and eventually expanded the firm to include property management, brokerage and cost segregation services.

Dereck Barrett was welcomed as a new Avison Young/Western Alliance Commercial associate, specializing in office sales and leasing. As the co-owner and CEO of Galena Sport Physical Therapy, he joins the team with a large breadth of experience starting and running successful medical practices.