Face to Face - December 2004

Face to Face

Name: Ed Epperson

Title: CEO

Company: Carson-Tahoe Hospital

Type of Business: Full-service healthcare facility

Location: Carson City

Years in Nevada: 10

Years with Company: 10

Biggest Business Challenge:

Leading the organization and the community during the transitioning of Carson-Tahoe Hospital from public ownership to a private 501(c)3 in 2001. Meeting the increasing medical service needs of a growing region at a time when funding for health services is declining and fewer workers have complete health insurance coverage is going to prove a challenge for all healthcare providers.

What do you like best about your job?

The incredible opportunity to make a difference and the variety that comes with the job are why I love coming to work everyday. I have a wonderful team of committed, passionate people who work diligently to create a quality patient experience.

How do you spend your time when you’re not working?

I enjoy spending time with my wife and two sons. We recently purchased a vacation home in northern California that allows us to do everything we love, including hiking, fishing, skiing and golf.

Favorite Business Book?

Best Business Advice:

You can always improve on what you are doing.

What would you like your legacy to be?

That through good financial planning and deliberate, measured strategies Carson-Tahoe was able to significantly raise the level of healthcare to the people in the Carson, Douglas and Lyon counties.

How will developments in your medical complex affect people living in the Carson Valley?

We will provide the full range of healthcare services to people in the Carson Valley through Carson-Tahoe Regional Medical Center, soon to be the newest state-of-the-art, full-service medical center in Northern Nevada.

Name: John Frankovich

Title: Managing Partner

Company: McDonald Carano Wilson, LLP

Type of Business: Statewide law firm

Location: Reno

Years in Nevada: 58

Years with Company: 33

Recognizing, accepting and incorporating the changes in the legal profession and technology, while still maintaining the traditional values and attitudes that have made our firm successful for over 50 years. This includes balancing the enthusiasm of youth with the wisdom of experience. "Change is inevitable, growth is optional."

Dealing with the people who are genuinely interested in improving the firm and maintaining our position as one of Nevada’s pre-eminent law firms. As managing partner of a firm with 100 employees in both Las Vegas and Reno, I am responsible for many administrative duties, which sometimes infringe on the time I spend on my legal work. However, I do enjoy cases involving real estate development and have been involved in a number of important real estate transactions in Northern Nevada.

Outdoors – fishing, hiking, and traveling. I was born in Elko County and still enjoy all areas of Northern Nevada, especially the less-traveled locations.

Work hard, but balance your professional and personal life. Be courageous, honest, compassionate, and try to do the right thing.

Growth: in our community, in the legal profession and in our firm. Reno’s growth has been mostly for the better, but it does present challenges. With any change (for example, the ReTRAC project) the community has concerns at first, but usually discovers when it’s done, that it has become a plus.

Name Brad Pederson

Title President

Company Golden Route Operations

Type of Business  Slot Route Operator

Location Las Vegas, Reno and Mesquite

Years in Nevada Personally since 1968

Years with Company 19

My happy challenge is keeping up with our rapid growth without losing our focus on partner relations. It’s an ongoing challenge to always exceed our route partners’ expectations, but we never stop trying to make a difference.

Working with our staff of hard-driven team members It’s also rewarding to go into a new location, greatly improve their gaming operations and make them (and us) a lot more money at the end of the day.

My first love is aviation, as I am a current IFR-rated pilot and fly my A-36 Bonanza both for work and pleasure whenever possible. Second, I love to spend time with my 11 year-old son Landen, fly fishing, hunting ducks and playing golf.

Build a great team and support that team to the best of your ability. My mother always said, "Love what you do . . . then it’s not work."

A guy who loved the route business and dedicated 30-plus years to exceeding the route partners’ expectations.

Further growth in Reno and the surrounding areas, then on to Mesquite, then who knows?