Alvey moves to Vistage post

After a long career as top executive of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, Chuck Alvey has come to believe that top executives in northern Nevada simply need time to gather their thoughts.

As a chair of Vistage, a mentoring group for top executives, Alvey hopes to provide them with that opportunity.

"One of the things that Reno is needing is deliberate, considered thinking," says Alvey, who stepped down from EDAWN in November after 13 years as the group's president and chief executive officer.

He had worked eight years as general manager of KOLO-TV before joining EDAWN.

Now he's building peer-advisory groups of chief executives through San Diego-based Vistage International.

Vistage International groups, which are typically composed of chief executives of companies with annual sales of $5 million or more, meet monthly in daylong sessions in which they hear speakers and share their experiences. Group chairs such as Alvey also provide one-on-one counseling and support to members.

Other Vistage groups serve owners of small businesses, key employees who aren't chief executives and business advisors.

Bill Hartman, a longtime Vistage International master chair in Reno, continues to work with his groups while Alvey organizes new ones.

CEO groups need membership of eight to launch, Alvey says, and typically grow to 12 members after a year.

While he had scouted economic-development jobs elsewhere in the nation after leaving EDAWN, Alvey says he was drawn to his new role with Vistage International by the opportunity to develop long-term relationships with bright businesspeople.

"I like being around people who challenge me," he says.