LVGEA’s Annual Awards Program Celebrates Local Businesses and Individuals

The Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance (LVGEA) hosted its 2023 Annual Awards Dinner last week at the Aria Resort & Casino. Over 600 people attended the event, celebrating local businesses and leaders driving economic development throughout the region. 

In the past year, LVGEA has assisted 10 companies with relocation or expansion in Southern Nevada, leading to the creation of 855 new jobs over the next two years. 

The theme of the event was The Colors Gala, with each of the colors in the organization’s logo representing one of LVGEA’s core values and award categories: red stands for leadership, blue is for innovation, green means job creation, and gold represents partnership.

The 2023 award winners are:

Innovation Award: Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc. 

The Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc. has launched a first-of-its-kind water conservation program implementing technologies that could make it possible to be the first net-zero water consumption race in Formula 1® history.

Job Creation Award: CAE

CAE, an aircraft simulation software maker, opened its first west coast training center in Clark County this year. The 5,000 square foot facility has seven art flight simulators and will train more than 2,000 pilots per year. The company has already hired more than 100 employees at an average hourly wage of more than $57. 

Partnership Award: Nevada Grant Lab

The Nevada Grant Lab is a nonprofit organization that helps other nonprofits, local governments, and state agencies better access federal funding. Nevada Grant Lab has assisted LVGEA in several grant funding requests, including being a major partner during the region’s submittal of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant.

Leadership Award: Dr. DeRionne Pollard

Dr. DeRionne Pollard is the current president of Nevada State University, a four-year public institution that is one of the fastest growing colleges in the country. Dr. Pollard oversees almost 500 faculty members, and a student body of 7,200.

She became the first black female president of any Nevada System of Higher Education institution when she began her tenure in August 2021. Earlier this year, Dr. Pollard led a successful initiative at both the legislative level and with the state board of regents to rename Nevada State College as Nevada State University. She has held previous roles at the College of Lake County and served as president of both Montgomery College and Las Positas College.