Michonne Ascuaga appointed to Plumas Bank board - NNBV People briefs for March 2019

EDITOR'S NOTE: Northern Nevada Business View people briefs are published on a monthly basis 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 February 2019.

Michonne Ascuaga

On February 20, the directors of Plumas Bancorp (Nasdaq: PLBC) appointed Michonne Ascuaga to the Plumas Bancorp and Plumas Bank board. Ascuaga is a proven executive with over 30 years of management experience at John Ascuaga's Nugget in Sparks, Nevada. She served as its CEO for 16 years, until its sale in December 2013.

Ascuaga received her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Santa Clara University and her Master of Business Administration from Stanford University. Ascuaga is very active in her community currently serving on the boards of Northern Nevada Medical Center, Bishop Manogue Catholic High School, and the Institutional Advisory Council of Truckee Meadows Community College.

Devin Sizemore

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

Sizemore is the Area Manager of BBSI (www.barrettbusiness.com) in Reno. His current position with BBSI allows him to leverage the knowledge he has gained in working with hundreds of small to medium businesses in the last 10 years.

In 2012, Sizemore launched MarkUBiz, which was an online marketing and website development company. From 2012 to 2016, he grew the company to over 120 clients, a staff of over 20 and created strong brand awareness in the Reno market. In 2016, he sold MarkUBiz and shortly after launched Powerhouse Consulting, which focused on sales consulting, business growth, personal and business alignment, and client experience.

In March 2018, Sizemore joined BBSI, a PEO (Professional Employer Organization) whose core service offering includes payroll, HR, risk training and mitigation, and business consulting.

Ron Justin

EO Reno Tahoe also recently welcomed Ron Justin as a new member.

Justin has taken numerous products from ideation to market at Breadware, TrackR and other wireless telecom ventures. In addition to being CEO of GroupGets and VP of Solutions at Breadware Inc., he currently serves as an advisory board member to SimpleSense Inc., WashSense Inc., and the University of Nevada Las Vegas' Electrical and Computer Engineering Dept.

An accidental 40 Under 40 Award Winner from the Pacific Coast Business Times, you can usually find Ron somewhere on an MTB or snowboard in the Sierra Nevada on any given weekend. Go to www.eonetwork.org/renotahoe to learn more about EO Reno Tahoe.

Lisa Manning

Easterseals Nevada announced recently that Lisa Manning has been named Chief Financial Officer.

Manning, who assumed the position in January, has over 25 years of experience as a certified public accountant and over a decade of experience as a CFO.

She previously served as the CFO/COO of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, where she was responsible for overseeing the development of the center's $80 million campus, including the famous Frank Gehry building in downtown Las Vegas and the expansion of critical healthcare services in Southern Nevada.

Manning earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from University of Washington. In 2017, she was named CFO of the Year by Southern Nevada's Financial Executives Institute.

Randi Reed

Jewish Nevada, Nevada's prominent Jewish Federation, announced that Northern Nevada resident Randi Reed has been selected as a board member for the organization. She is the first board member from Reno, a move made in order to bridge the gap between the Las Vegas and Reno communities.

Reed will prioritize building relationships in Reno, introducing the work of Jewish Nevada to the community, and acting as a liaison so the organization can continue to provide support and programming through Jewish Nevada in Reno and surrounding areas.

Reed is the owner of Haus of Reed, Inc. Her community involvement includes serving as: executive director of NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association of Northern Nevada; director of business development for Brycon Construction; and chairwoman of Northern Nevada Infrastructure Coalition. She is also the recipient of a Reno Young Professional's Network Top 20 Under 40 Award.

Alan Garrett

Carson Tahoe Health's Board of Directors appointed Alan Garrett as the new chief executive officer effective April 1. He is replacing Ed Epperson, who retired Dec. 31.

Before accepting the position at Carson Tahoe Health, Garrett, originally from Chino Hills, Calif., served in a dual role as president and chief executive officer of St. Mary Medical Center, a 212-bed facility in Apple Valley, Calif., and as regional vice president for St. Joseph Hoag Health, Irvine, Calif. He also previously held several upper management roles with the St. Joseph Health System in Irvine.

Janet Mello and Jackie Naughton

City National Bank recently hired longtime private banking professional Janet Mello as vice president and team lead for its Private Banking group in Northern Nevada. The bank also hired Jackie Naughton as a senior administrative specialist for the group.

Mello joins City National from Nevada State Bank, where she most recently served as vice president and senior private banking officer. She attended Truckee Meadows Community College and is a graduate of Douglas County High School. She holds several securities licenses and has also achieved a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation. Mello is active in the community, serving as a member of the board of trustees for the Nevada Museum of Art, and past board chair for the Nevada Women's Fund.

Naughton also joined City National from Nevada State Bank, where she recently served as a private banking operations officer. Naughton was born in Nevadan and graduated from Sparks High School. She is active in the community, volunteering for a number of great causes includes her church as well as assisting homeless youth in the Reno/Sparks area.

Steve O'Donnell

Steve O'Donnell was recently promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for One Nevada Credit Union. O'Donnell will oversee all aspects of the company's financial operations and information technology functions, and will also assist the President in overall Credit Union leadership, executive, and administrative matters.

O'Donnell received a bachelor's degree in accounting from the UNLV and a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting and Finance from Regis University. He joined One Nevada in 1997; his previous leadership roles included serving as Senior General Accountant, Vice President/Controller, and Senior Vice President.

Eric Ruud

Jobs for Nevada's Graduates (JAG Nevada), a statewide high school dropout intervention and work readiness program, recently welcomed Eric Ruud as the new Director or Business Development for JAG Nevada in Reno.

He will focus on collaborating with businesses in Nevada to help students find gainful employment and he will pursue funding for the JAG program.

Ruud has a degree in geology and has worked in many parts of North America, from the Arctic to the Tropics. He previously worked for analytical service companies, metallurgical companies and geotech engineering firms.

Stephanie Campbell

Through the IREM Foundation, Commercial Project Management (cpmnv.com) Property Manager Stephanie Campbell was recently awarded the Paul H. Rittle Sr. Memorial Scholarship. She will utilize the scholarship to help her attain the ACoM Certification.

Campbell joined the Commercial Project Management team in July of 2016 as Administrative Assistant; within a year, she earned her Real Estate License and obtained her Property Manager Permit. Stephanie was born and raised in South Lake Tahoe, and she moved to Reno in 2005.

Dani Rawson

Dani Rawson has joined the Reno-based Estipona Group as the digital media coordinator. With a bachelor's degree in journalism and a minor in photography from the University of Nevada, Reno, Rawson is well equipped for this multidimensional role.

She spends much of her time writing, editing and scheduling social media content, while also digging deep into the data and analytics that help guide client social media strategies. She also shoots/edits video and takes photos to support the agency's social media work.

Andrea Acosta-Cruz

Nevada State Bank recently named Andrea Acosta-Cruz branch manager at the Wingfield Springs branch, located at 2483 Wingfield Hills Road in Sparks.

Acosta-Cruz will oversee the branch staff, client services, and banking operations. She brings more than 20 years of experience in retail banking, sales, and marketing to her new role. She is experienced in business development and client relations and is active in the community.

Kody Baker

SVN Gold Dust Commercial Associates announced recently the hire of Kody Baker as Associate Advisor. Baker specializes in retail property and tenant representation. He joins SVN Gold Dust Commercial Associates with over two years of experience in real estate; he obtained his Nevada Real Estate license in October 2018.

Baker is an active member of NAIOP Northern Nevada chapter and was recently accepted into the Developing Leaders Institute, which is geared toward commercial real estate professionals 35 years and younger.

Matt Grimes, Brett Edwards and David Woods

Commercial real estate firm CBRE recently made a series of promotions and title changes to staff serving the Reno and Northern Nevada/California region.

Matt Grimes, First Vice President, joined CBRE in 2010. He previously worked for NAI Alliance. He brings his previous experience in coordinating the lease and sales transaction process for local clients, national corporate accounts and institutional investors to advise clients with in-depth market knowledge, financial analysis of lease and sale opportunities, relocation versus renewal analysis, and build-to-suit opportunities.

Brett Edwards, First Vice President, represents buyers and sellers in the purchase and sale of land properties with expertise in residential, industrial, and commercial land. He brings over 25 years of successful commercial brokerage experience to the Northern Nevada land market, specializing in land sales out of the Reno office.

David Woods, Senior Vice President, joined CBRE in 2007 and specializes in all aspects of leasing and sales of office properties in Northern Nevada. He is a Certified Commercial Investment Member and is active in the community as a member of EDAWN.

James R. Laughton Jr.

James R. Laughton Jr., CIMA, who works as Managing Director-Investment Officer of Wells Fargo Advisors in Reno, was recently recognized as a “2019 Best in State Wealth Advisor” by Forbes.

Jim has 38 years of experience in the financial services industry. He holds a bachelor's degree in finance and investments from University of Southern California. The Forbes Best in State Wealth Advisors ranking algorithm is based on industry experience, interviews, compliance records, assets under management, revenue and other criteria by SHOOK Research, LLC, which does not receive compensation from the advisors or their firms in exchange for placement on a ranking.

Michael Holcomb

Michael Holcomb, who works as a Family Wealth Director and Financial Advisor in Morgan Stanley's Lake Tahoe Wealth Management office, was recently recognized as a “2019 Best in State Wealth Advisor” by Forbes.

The Forbes Best in State Wealth Advisors ranking algorithm is based on industry experience, interviews, compliance records, assets under management, revenue and other criteria by SHOOK Research, LLC, which does not receive compensation from the advisors or their firms in exchange for placement on a ranking.

Ro and Dale Lazzarone

New York Life Insurance Company recently announced that Ro and Dale Lazzarone of the Lazzarone Group in Reno earned membership in the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) for 2019.

Founded in 1927, MDRT is a global, independent association of more than 66,000 of the world's leading life insurance and financial services professionals from more than 500 companies in 72 nations and territories.

MDRT membership represents the top life insurance and financial service professionals worldwide. MDRT is an international, independent association of the world's best life insurance and financial services professionals.

Go to www.thelazzaronegroup.com to learn more about the Lazzarone Group.

Melissa Molyneaux

The Reno office of Colliers International recognized Executive Managing Director and Senior Vice President of Office Services Melissa Molyneaux, SIOR, CCIM, on earning the Everest Club Designation.

The Everest Club recognizes the top 10 percent of all Colliers professionals in brokerage, valuation and Corporate Solutions across the Americas based on revenue production. In 2018, Molyneaux transacted over 700,000 square feet of commercial property, totalling over $75 million in volume.