2002

Thursday, June 10, 2010 | 1:41 p.m.

Big stories

AgriBioTech – In what was called “Nevada’s WorldCom,’’ creditors and shareholders say they were defrauded out of some $100 million by Las Vegas seed company AgriBioTech.

Allegiant Air – Las Vegas investor Maurice Gallagher took over tiny Allegiant Air and at the time said: “It’s a small airline on a relative basis, but it has the capability of being profitable and very successful in its own right.’’ By 2010, Allegiant had grown to become the sixth-busiest carrier at McCarran International Airport.

In Business TV – In Business Las Vegas, the television show, debuted on Nov. 15 with host Jeff Gillan. Gillan and Dana Gentry continue to host the program today.

IGT – A big deal we covered, from 2001, was IGT’s purchase of Anchor Gaming.

Medical Crisis – In Business covered a crisis in which doctors had difficulty obtaining medical malpractice insurance and state regulators worked to forge a solution satisfying both consumers and medical professionals.

Poised for Growth – The global real estate and investment firm Jones Lang LaSalle said Las Vegas; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Dublin, Ireland, were the three best cities in the world for growth and investment.

Purchasepro.com – The collapse of the technology company led to its bankruptcy and its value collapsing from $3.2 billion to just $2 million.

Steve Wynn – After selling Mirage Resorts, Steve Wynn once vowed to stay out of publicly traded securities after some scrapes with bankers and investors. But in 2002, Wynn filed a public offering for what was then called Le Reve and that was valued at an unprecedented $2.5 billion. The resort at the site of the old Desert Inn would later become Wynn Las Vegas.

Interviews

Q&A Harry Reid – In 2002 we launched weekly question-and-answer format interviews with newsmakers. A highlight from these Q&As in 2002 was Sen. Harry Reid saying “The business community has been very complacent (about Yucca Mountain). Times were so good for such a long period of time that people didn’t have to worry about a little problem like nuclear waste. Now everything matters, including nuclear waste.’’

Q&A Kenny Guinn – Asked about the lack of economic diversification in the state, Guinn said: “I think everybody has tried very hard, and has certainly made some progress, but not at the rate that our population is growing. I think one of the biggest reasons is that we do not have an educated work force at a substantial level in the state of Nevada.”

Award winning journalism

Nevada Press Association awards won in 2002

First Place

• Best Business Coverage (tie) Staff

• Best Business Story - Richard N. Velotta

• Best Investigative or In-Depth Story -William Hoffman

Second Place

• Best Local Non-Staff Column - Jon Ralston

• Best Special Section - Staff

• Best General News Photo - Steve Marcus

40 Under 40: Where are they now?

Lori Nelson: Class of 2002

Nelson was selected to the 40 Under 40 list in April 2002 when she was the associate director of public relations for R&R Partners.

In 2005, she joined Station Casinos and today serves as the company’s director of corporate communications.

Nelson began her career with Marx Layne & Co. Public Relations in Detroit and later joined Thomas Puckett Advertising in Las Vegas. She opted to start her own public relations firm in 1997 called PRceptions.

She is an active member of the public relations community having earned her accreditation in public relations from the Public Relations Society of America. She served as the president of the local PRSA chapter in 2001. She also graduated from the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Leadership Las Vegas program in ’99.

Today, Nelson serves as vice president of Child Focus, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting the state’s foster care system.