The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada will recognize two northern Nevada companies for doing business in the region at its fourth annual luncheon March 15 at the Reno Hilton.
Featured speaker will be Jeffrey Bleustein, chairman and chief executive officer of Harley-Davidson Inc.
EDAWN will present its chairmen's "Business of the Year" awards recognizing one small company and one large company based on their higher-than-average wage, generation of new revenue into the market and contributions to the community.
Companies nominated in the small business category (100 or fewer employees) include: Blakely Johnson & Ghusn, Inc., Twelve Horses North America, Kimmie Candy and Biodiesel Solutions Inc.
Companies nominated in the large business category (100 or more employees) include: Inter-Tel Technologies, Inc.,Alere Medical, RR Donnelly and Ormat Nevada, Inc.
Company nominations are sought from the public, EDAWN members and individual companies.
Last year, the Haws Corp.
won in the large business category and PC-Doctor, Inc., won in the small business category.
Additionally, the Truckee River Whitewater Park at Wingfield in downtown Reno will receive a special award for its contribution to the local economy.
In his presentation,"Harley-Davidson: A Great American Business Story," Bleustein will share insights and business strategies from his more than 30 years with the company, including innovations that positioned Harley-Davidson as the leading motorcycle manufacturer in the United States.
Among the technical innovations Bleustein led were the belt drive and total redesign of the V-Twin engine.Additionally, new motorcycle designs such as the Tourglide and Softail were introduced during his tenure.
Bleustein has served in various capacities at Harley-Davidson including president and chief operating officer, executive vice president, vice president of parts and accessories and vice president of engineering.
He was named to his current positions in 1998.
Tickets for EDAWN's annual luncheon are $65 per person or $650 for a table of ten.
For tickets or more information, contact Tracey Buxton at 829-3727 or buxton@edawn.org.
