LVGEA’s 2019 Annual Awards Dinner Celebrated Leaders in SNV

Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance (LVGEA) hosted its Annual Awards Dinner, one of its biggest events of the year, at ARIA Resort & Casino. Amongst more than 600 business and community leaders, the evening reflected on the year’s accomplishments while honoring major names in economic and community development.

“We are proud to present awards to companies and individuals aligned with our core values: leadership, innovation, partnership and jobs,” said LVGEA President & CEO Jonas Peterson. “It’s a great opportunity to look back on the year’s accomplishments and celebrate the work we do together to further Southern Nevada.”

The night kicked off with guests taking in the Exhibitor Showcase, featuring two exciting presentations: the No. 41 Haas Automation Ford Mustang, driven by Daniel Suarez in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, and a live mural painted by artist Aniko Doman. After performances from Las Vegas Philharmonic, Las Vegas Academy and “Golden Pipes” Carnell Johnson, the presentation began with opening remarks from Governor Sisolak by video and Peterson.

See below for the full list of award recipients:

Leadership Award Honoree

Applied Analysis Principal Analyst Jeremy Aguero 

Nominated and selected by our Board of Directors, the Leadership Award honors a business or community leader whose vision, influence and inclusiveness have positively impacted the economy of Southern Nevada. Jeremy Aguero is this year’s honoree for the Leadership Award.

Applied Analysis Principal Analyst Jeremy Aguero has been with the firm since its inception in 1997. A graduate of UNLV, his areas of expertise include economic analysis, operational model development and fiscal impact analysis. Aguero’s project history has demonstrated major influence in the landscape of Southern Nevada. Most recently, alongside the Nevada Legislature, he drafted a new school funding formula to modernize Nevada’s education funding system. Additionally, under Aguero’s direction, Applied Analysis operated as the lead research firm in support of Southern Nevada’s Tourism Infrastructure Committee (SNTIC), which ultimately led to the expansion of the Convention Center and creation of Allegiant Stadium.

Innovation Award Winner

Vegas Golden Knights

Tonight, Vegas Golden Knights was announced as the winner of the Innovation Award. The team became the first NHL franchise in Las Vegas, as well as the first NHL expansion team since 2000. Their historic first season broke records, pushed the boundaries of innovation and spurred tourism. They deserve high praise for innovations in sports marketing, partnership development, community integration and live event entertainment. With the team’s incredible success, Vegas has gained a new sense of pride, and the NHL has a new standard for innovation.

Three Square and Nevada State College were the additional two nominees for LVGEA’s Innovation Award in recognition of their innovative programs to combat hunger and teacher shortages, respectively.

Jobs Award Recipient 

Aptiv

This award was presented to Aptiv for its contribution of jobs to Southern Nevada’s economy. Last year, LVGEA assisted Aptiv—global technology leader providing automated driving solutions—as it planned to relocate to Southern Nevada, bringing 150 jobs in the next five years and positioning Las Vegas at the cutting edge of automated vehicles (AV). Las Vegas is home to Aptiv’s largest self-driving fleet, a portion of which is available through an ongoing partnership with Lyft. The autonomous vehicles support more than 1,600 destinations across Clark County, including the Las Vegas Convention Center and City Hall. In December 2018, Aptiv opened its Las Vegas Technical Center.

Partnership Award Recipient

Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce

This year,  Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce took home the Partnership Award. The Metro Chamber is focused on helping Nevada businesses succeed and create jobs. This September, Metro Chamber hosted a joint event with LVGEA: the Federal Forum. The organizations hosted a dinner gala to highlight diverse industries and audiences in Nevada, as well as advocating to Congressional members. Additionally, the organizations are collaborating on the Workforce Blueprint 2.0. This initiative will highlight recent economic trends, existing employer needs, expected target industry growth and aspirational community goals.

Chairman’s Award Honoree

City of North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee

This year, LVGEA debuted the inaugural Chairman’s Award, presented to North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee for his vision, influence and accomplishments in positively impacting the economy of North Las Vegas and greater Southern Nevada. Since taking office in April 2013, Mayor John Lee has transformed the City of North Las Vegas into an economic powerhouse, recruiting multiple Fortune 500 companies and high-tech startups to North Las Vegas, including Amazon, Fanatics, The Honest Company, Hyperloop One and Bed, Bath and Beyond. Under his leadership, thousands of jobs have been created, 14 million square feet of commercial and industrial space is in development, and more than $1 billion has been invested in North Las Vegas.

You can find complete videos from the awards presentation on our YouTube page.