News Briefs | Week of Feb. 24

City National Bank

City National Bank has earned 16 awards for commercial and small business banking from Greenwich Associates, a global financial services research and consulting firm. This includes 14 Excellence Awards and two Best Brand Awards.

The Excellence Awards recognizes overall client satisfaction, the likelihood clients would recommend the bank to others, digital and online services, treasury management, and advice and industry expertise.

City National also received awards in overall satisfaction, (national and regional); likelihood to recommend (national); cash management, digital functionality (national); Industry expertise (national); advice to help my business grow (national and regional); cash management, ease of product implementation (national); middle market cash management – overall satisfaction (national and regional); accuracy of operations (national) and customer service (national); and small business cash management – overall satisfaction (regional).

Healthy Way to Grow

Four northern Nevada early care and education centers received program recognition from Healthy Way to Grow on Feb. 17.

The four area centers were among 16 honored by HWTG for their work to improve practices and policies that create healthier environments for young children.

Sierra Summit Children’s Academy and The Child Garden, partners of HWTG since year one, received Bronze-level recognition. A second-year participant, Imagination Station Learning Center received Silver level recognition, and Aleph Academy, a HWTG partner since the inception of the program in Reno, received Gold level recognition.

HWTG’s recognitions are based on standards developed by a panel of childhood health experts and leaders in the field of early care and education appointed by the AHA and Nemours.

For more information on HWTG, visit www.healthywaytogrow.org.

Turbo Global Partners

Turbo Global Partners (TURBO), with an office in Carson City, has formed two new subsidiaries — Turbo International and Turbo Education in preparation for its upcoming joint venture with counterparts in China for an education and cultural exchange via a “Netflix” monthly subscription business model for China Education Television Network “CETV.” CETV has approximately 600-million cable subscribers.

The purpose of the joint venture is to distribute content created by Turbo Education and produced in the U.S. by Turbo Communication.

Healthiest housing market

Carson City has been ranked as the healthiest housing market in Nevada by the financial technology company SmartAsset.

SmartAsset ranked the housing markets in the state based on such standards as the average number of years residents spend in homes, home values, the number of homes in a community with negative equity, homes decreasing in value, how quickly a home sells and the percentage a home costs of income.

Based on all these factors, Carson City received the highest healthiest market index in the state with a 74.51 rating. The rest of the top 10 rated behind Carson City were: Fernley, 73.69; Sparks 72.91; Reno, 72.49; Boulder City, 66.92; Cold Springs, 65.91; Henderson, 65.16; Mesquite, 62.10; Dayton, 55.64; Las Vegas, 54.37.

Additional details on the study, including methodology and interactive map, can be found at: https://smartasset.com/mortgage/mortgage-calculator?year=2017#Nevada.

City of Fallon

The City of Fallon has introduced a new website at FallonNevada.gov, to better serve community members. Features include: online bill payments, events and things to do, blog and newsletter archives, and business and building permits database.

The Abbi Agency assisted the City of Fallon in creating the new site.

Reno master plan survey

An online survey on the draft design principles for the Reno master plan is now open for comments.

The design principles are intended to guide the character of and development in the different types of places in the Reno community, including centers, employment areas, corridors and neighborhoods. Feedback from the online survey will be used to revise and further review the design principles later this year.

Reimagine Reno is a multi-year effort created by the City of Reno to prepare a new master plan for Reno. The survey will close on March 10. To take the survey, visit www.reimaginereno.us.

IQ Technology Solutions

IQ Technology Solutions, headquartered in Reno, has joined the partner network of Switch, a world-leading data center and technology infrastructure corporation.

IQ will provide technical consulting, implementation and management services to organizations seeking to deploy IT infrastructure in Switch’s datacenter facilities in Reno and Las Vegas.

IQ provides technology infrastructure, managed services and consulting to business, government and educational organizations around the world.

Thermo-Stone USA

Thermo-Stone USA has launched a newly redesigned website, created by Estipona Group with photography from Insight Studio.

Thermo-Stone, a Reno manufacturer known for its thin-film heating technology used in markets ranging from medical to aerospace to household appliance, had a goal to showcase Thermo-Stone products and process in a visually-appealing, modern way. The website also had to provide information to engineers on Thermo-Stone capabilities.

More information on Thermo-Stone can be found at www.thermostone.com.

Contractor cited

On Jan. 17, 2017, formerly licensed contractor Kurt Krug, who operated out of Mound House under the business name Great Basin Deck and Shade was sentenced to 36 months of probation and ordered to pay $25,000 in restitution to his victims.

The board’s investigation showed that in 2015 Krug accepted 50 percent down payments for installation of decks and patio covers. He did not perform any work.

After the board revoked his contractor’s license in June 2015 for failure to pay for materials, failure to establish financial responsibility, acting beyond the scope of the license and other charges, attempts by his victims to recover the moneys paid proved unsuccessful. Under questioning from board investigators, Krug admitted using the money to pay back taxes and for living expenses.

Under a plea deal, Krug pleaded guilty in Washoe District Court to one class E felony and one gross misdemeanor charge of diversion of funds.

Conner pleads guilty

Nevada Attorney General Adam Paul Laxalt announced that Carlton Conner, 56, of Reno, pleaded guilty to embezzlement, a category “B” felony, for misappropriating insurance funds.

Conner, the owner of an insurance brokerage business called Gatekeepers, intentionally violated his fiduciary responsibilities to clients by misappropriating client premiums that were intended for the purchase of insurance. Connor comingled the money with Gatekeepers’ operating funds, using those funds to pay for personal and business expenses instead of insurance. The fraudulent acts were committed between July 2013 and November 2016.

Embezzlement is punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of not more than $10,000. The sentencing hearing for Conner is scheduled for April 19, in the Second Judicial District Court.

RAD Strategies, Inc.

RAD Strategies, Inc., a local full-service marketing communications agency, received a Gold Award in the Social Media Campaign category at the AVA Digital Award competition for work completed on behalf of Virginia City for the “Below The Surface” video series.

RAD Strategies Inc. partnered with Virginia City and Bourns Productions Inc., for the “Below The Surface” video campaign, a series of 10 videos designed to market Virginia City.

The campaign debuted in May 2016 and aired to social media audiences on Facebook. To date, the videos have garnered more than 1.5 million views.

Wolf, Rifkin, Shapiro, Schulman & Rabkin, LLP

Wolf, Rifkin, Shapiro, Schulman & Rabkin, LLP, a law firm with offices in Reno, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, was named Law Firm of the Year by the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada.

WOLF, RIFKIN was honored for committing each of its attorneys to take at least one pro bono case for the Children’s Attorneys Project, an organization to aid and represent abused and neglected children.

The firm received the award at a luncheon at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

Reno Orthopaedic Clinic

Reno Orthopaedic Clinic (ROC) has been named the official orthopaedic surgeons for Reno 1868 FC, the new USL soccer franchise that will begin play in 2017.

John Zebrack, M.D., a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with the ROC, will serve as the head team orthopaedic surgeon.

Steve Patera has been hired by the ROC to be the head athletic trainer. He has extensive prior experience as an athletic trainer with several professional sports teams.

Patera has a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training, and a Masters in Exercise Science.

The Abbi Agency

The Abbi Agency, a Reno-based creative, digital and public relations firm, has been retained by Go Goleta, the destination marketing organization for California’s Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce.

The Abbi Agency will develop the digital strategy for the destination and launch a year-long performance-led digital media campaign for Go Goleta. The destination marketing campaign is scheduled to roll out this spring.

U.S. Bancorp

U.S. Bancorp has been named the world’s most admired superregional bank by Fortune magazine, the seventh consecutive year that it has topped the list.

Among superregional banks, U.S. Bancorp ranked number one in eight of Fortune’s nine key attributes of reputation: quality of management, social responsibility, innovation, quality of products/services, people management, use of corporate assets, financial soundness and long-term investment value.

In addition, U.S. Bancorp ranked in the top 10 among companies across all industries in four of Fortune’s nine key attributes of reputation: Quality of Management (No. 3), Long-Term Investment Value (No. 2), Use of Corporate Assets (No. 2) and Financial Soundness (No. 6).

Ametherm

Ametherm, a Carson City-based company that provides inrush current solutions for companies, has introduced a new series of glass-encapsulated thermistors

The DG series devices provide long-term stability and reliability for high-accuracy temperature sensing in automotive and industrial applications while eliminating errors in resistance readings due to moisture penetration, while offering high operating temperatures and a compact size.

Dermody Properties

Dermody Properties completed renovations on the 128,524-square-foot Huntwood Distribution and Manufacturing Center located in Hayward, Calif., making 99,830-square-foot available immediately for lease. The remaining square footage is being leased by Wohler Technologies – a pioneer in the video, audio and data monitoring industry.

The facility is located in the Crocker South submarket blocks from Interstate 880.

uBreakiFix

uBreakiFix, a technology repair brand that specializes in same-day repair service of all electronics, has opened at 6795 S Virginia St. Suite F, in Reno.

uBreakiFix Reno is the first store for owner Francesco Angiulo, a southeast Florida native who relocated to Reno to help grow the brand’s Nevada footprint. uBreakiFix services phones, tablets and computers, to drones, hover boards and game consoles.

uBreakiFix was founded in 2009 by millennial duo David Reiff and Justin Wetherill, a 2017 Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. The pair later partnered with Eddie Trujillo.

‘Unsettled’ art exhibition

City National Bank and RBC Wealth Management to Co-Sponsor Nevada Museum of Art’s “Unsettled” exhibition.

The exhibition focuses on work by artists living and/or working in the Greater West, a super-region bounded from Alaska to Patagonia, and from Australia to the American West.

TEGG

TEGG, a provider of electrical maintenance services, announced Tuesday, Feb. 21, that Intermountain Electric, Inc. has signed an agreement to provide TEGG Service for Colorado, Wyoming and portions of Nevada.

Intermountain Electric, Inc. is a full-service provider of electrical construction service and solutions for commercial, industrial and renewable energy customers. TEGG is a franchise brand of ABM Franchising Group, a unit of ABM.

Kidder Mathews

Kidder Mathews, a commercial real estate firm, announced it has acquired Alden Management Group based in Costa Mesa. Alden is a commercial property management firm with a large portfolio of office, industrial and retail properties located throughout the greater southern California market.

Alden Management will be rebranded to Kidder Mathews in the coming weeks and the Alden staff will be relocating to Kidder Mathews’ Irvine office, bringing Kidder Mathews’ property management division to 178 people, and over 45 million square feet of managed properties.

Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd.

Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd., a mineral exploration company, is planning a four-hole drill program to take place in late March or early April at its Poker Brown gold project, located near Lovelock. The planned drill program is fully permitted.

Boart Longyear

Boart Longyear, a global provider of drilling services, equipment and performance tooling with a location in Elko, will highlight a broad range of products and technologies at this year’s PDAC International Convention, Trade Show and Investors Exchange, March 5-8, in Toronto, Canada.

NDOT

The American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) recently released analysis of 2016 U.S. Department of Transportation bridge inventory data (www.artba.org) shows only 1.6 percent of Nevada’s approximately 2,000 public bridges being structurally deficient, which is the nation’s best ranking. It is also the third straight year Nevada has earned the top ranking.

The nationwide average is 9.1 percent.

The Nevada Department of Transportation inspects all bridges in the state of Nevada, including city and county-maintained structures, every two years.

The Nevada Department of Transportation dedicated approximately $17 million in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 to bridge preservation. Nearly 440 of Nevada’s state-owned bridges are more than 50 years of age, an age when rehabilitation is often necessary to keep the structure to current standards.

Newmont Mining Corp.

Newmont Mining Corp., reported its 2016 financial results. Some highlights were:

Generated $2.4 billion in adjusted EBITDA, up 25 percent from the prior year.

Produced 4.9 million ounces of gold, up seven percent from the prior year.

The company has also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.05 per share of common stock, payable on March 23, to holders of record at the close of business on March 9.

For details, go to: www.newmont.com.

TMCC

Truckee Meadows Community College students will benefit from recently approved grant funding of $175,000 for students enrolled in the Panasonic Preferred Pathway (P3) training program. The funds, awarded by the Board of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), are provided by the state’s Workforce Innovations for the New Nevada (WINN) program.

The WINN funding will be distributed along with the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) through Nevada JobConnect offices. To apply for the scholarships, students are advised to send an e-mail to Reno resumes at DETR. Include full name, phone number, email address and attach a recent resume.

NuSystems

NuSystems, a company that provides home theater, audio, security and central vacuum systems, recently closed on $2.28 million in refinancing of existing debt.

Nevada State Development Corp., the state’s largest SBA 504 loan provider, assisted with the financing package.

Owned and managed equally by David Blackford and Robert Blackford, NuSystems has been operating for more than 34 years. The firm’s target demographic area includes Reno, Sparks, Carson City, Incline Village, Minden, Gardnerville and the Lake Tahoe area.

The Abbi Agency

The Abbi Agency has incorporated a new branch in San Francisco, Calif.

Headed up by Constance Aguilar, a co-founding team member and public relations manager at the firm, the San Francisco branch of the agency will serve both as a service hub for the company’s Bay Area clients and as a networking funnel for new business.

Reno Buick GMC Cadillac

Reno Buick GMC Cadillac has partnered with the Nevada Veterans Memorial to aid in fundraising for the multi-year, $1.6 million-dollar fundraising effort.

Reno Buick GMC Cadillac pledges to donate one brick to build the plaza for every vehicle purchased throughout the months of February and March, 2017.

The vision for the plaza is to honor the legacy of our fallen military statewide. The plaza will represent Nevadans from the state’s 17 counties that have been involved in conflicts, foreign or domestic. The plaza is located at the future intersection of Veterans Parkway and Greg Street in Sparks and is at the northern terminus of the SouthEast Connector Phase 1 at Sparks Boulevard and Greg Street.

For more information, visit NevadaVeteransMemorial.org.

Pershing Resources

Pershing Resources Company, Inc., a development stage precious metals producer based in Reno, has staked and filed a 420 acre site previously known as the Standard Mine in Arizona.

The new project is located in the vicinity of the company’s New Enterprise project. been designated as the Mohave-Standard Project.

ML Gold Corp.

ML Gold Corp., a mining company based in Canada, has received a positive decision on its application for drilling from 13 different locations at the Palmetto Gold Project in Esmeralda County.

The drilling permit will be finalized once the reclamation bond has been posted at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Reno, NV. ML Gold anticipates beginning this drilling program in early March.

Circus Circus Reno

Circus Circus Reno announced in a report received from Waste Management, the resort property recycling diversion rate for 2016 was close to 18.5 percent, meaning 18.5 percent of the property’s total waste stream was recycled as opposed to being sent to a landfill.

In 2016 Circus Circus recycled 256,000 pounds of single stream / white paper, glass and plastic bottles, 206,000 pounds of cardboard, 69,000 pounds of shredded paper, 9,000 pounds of miscellaneous plastics, and 8,000 pounds of electronic waste.

Douglas County

A new video tour book highlighting Douglas County is now available on the county’s website. The video features topics such as education, quality of life, economic vitality, health and living, tourism, and law enforcement. In August of 2016, CGI Communications approached the county with an offer to produce the video tour book at no charge; advertising revenue from local businesses covered the production costs of the videos – tax funds were not used for this project. Several local businesses participated with CGI by purchasing advertising that appears with the video tour book.

The videos can be viewed at: http://www.elocallink.tv/m/v/player.php?pid=Q1zx4pB92&fp=nvdougco16_wel_rev1_iwd.

SBA federal disaster loans

Small nonfarm businesses in Carson City, Lyon, Storey and Washoe counties have until March 21, 2017, to apply for an SBA federal disaster loan for economic injury, according to Tanya N. Garfield, director of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Disaster Field Operations Center West.

These low-interest loans are to offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by the drought in Storey County that began May 20, 2016.

Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance. Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency about the U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance made available by the Secretary’s declaration. However, nurseries are eligible for SBA disaster assistance in drought disasters.

Applicants may apply online using SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or emailing disastercustomerser vice@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call 800-877-8339. For more disaster assistance information or to download applications, visit https://www.sba.gov/disaster.

Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

CANNABIS GROWING EXPO

The fifth annual CannaGrow Expo Showcases is coming to Reno March 25 and 26 to the Grand Sierra Resort.

The two days of education and networking are dedicated to the art and science of growing world-class cannabis.

The event includes educational seminars and a full exhibit hall with vendors such as Grow-Tech Systems, Airstream Innovations, Hydrobuilder Complete Garden Center, Soil Tek Garden Solutions.

Learn more at CannaGrowExpo.com.

LEED workshop

There will be a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design workshop event at the Nevada Discovery Museum on Tuesday, Feb. 28, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. hosted by the City of Reno, Community Development, Building and Safety.

This half-day workshop on LEED v4 will focus on three key areas: collaboration, performance and well-being.

Lynn N. Simon, senior vice president of Thornton Tomasetti will be speaking at the event.

The fee is $150 for members and $200 for non-members. Register for the workshop at http://www.usgbc.org/event/workshop-leed-v4-intersection- collaboration-performance- wellbeing.

If you are interested in submitting news brief items for consideration to be printed in the NNBW please email Duane at djohnson@nnbw.biz.