Face to Face - May 2008

Face to Face

Robert J. Kolesar

Managing Shareholder

Kolesar & Leatham, Chtd.

Las Vegas

Number of Employees: 52

Years in Nevada: 26

Years with Firm: 22

Type of business: Commercial/Business Law Firm

Describe your leadership style:

Lead by example, hire well and avoid micromanaging by holding professionals to high standards.

Biggest Business Challenge:

Finding and hiring quality and motivated professional and support talent, while continuing to deliver first-class legal advice and counseling in a cost-effective manner.

Best Business Advice:

When confronted with an issue calling for a response, an old mentor once told me, “If possible, let the world spin for awhile before reacting.”

How do you retain your best and brightest employees?

Provide them with exciting and challenging work, treat them with respect and create a work environment that is pleasant, dignified and non-threatening. Secondarily, paying valued employees a better-than-competitive salary is simply good business.

Who inspired you to get into the business?

Given the fact that upon graduation from college in 1965, I had a choice of “working” for the government in Vietnam or attending law school, it could be said that Ho Chi Min and/or Lyndon Johnson had a direct influence on my career.

How has the downturn in the real estate market affected your law practice?

The prior high volume of real estate transaction-related work, acquisitions, financings, etc., has diminished considerably. However, there is a significant increase in loan-related litigation, bankruptcy matters, loan work-outs and construction litigation. On balance, the total amount of legal work has probably increased rather than decreased as a result of the downturn.

Cathy Jones

President

Sun Commercial Real Estate, Inc.

Las Vegas

Number of Licensed Sales Agents: 11

Years in Nevada: 27

Years with Firm: 2

Type of business: Commercial Real Estate Brokerage –Sales and Leasing

Describe your leadership style:

Take charge or I will. As an employer and as a leader in the United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council, I encourage others to take initiative.

Biggest Business Challenge:

Starting a new career, and then a new company from scratch.

Best Business Advice:

Do what you love, work hard at what you do, give back to your community and find time to play with friends and family.

How do you retain your best and brightest employees?

Mentor them, support their goals and get out of their way.

Who inspired you to get into the business?

The many successful entrepreneurs who built Las Vegas. I want to be part of that story through my business and my philanthropic activities.

What is the most important thing you learned from your parents?

Integrity and hard work. Our business is built on a foundation of solid values and hard work – my parents taught me that foundation.

Explain the importance of corporate and individual philanthropy.

The tremendous growth of Las Vegas and the surrounding communities has afforded many companies and people opportunities for great financial and personal success. Growth also brings many community challenges. It is very important to give back to our community, both with time and dollars.