About
community is continually diversifying and becoming more technology-centered. To help you stay on the cutting edge of business technology, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce formed an alliance with Technology Business Alliance of Nevada (TBAN). Together we are dedicated to ensuring the advancement of the local technology community.
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TBAN Board Members
Shannon Hiller - President
Dave Archer - Social Marketing Chair
Tom Axtell
Mike Ballard - Membership Chair
Brent Eckersley
Carmen Gigar
Russ Ketchum
Ryan C. Whitman - Treasurer
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Dave Archer - Social Marketing Chair
Chief Executive Officer, NCET - Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology
Dave is Chief Executive Officer of NCET - Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology. NCET is a state-wide non-profit organization that encourages people to start their own businesses and connects them with the resources they need to succeed. NCET empowers Nevada’s entrepreneurs with a variety of programs including the annual Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition; eWeek, a statewide celebration of Nevada’s entrepreneurs; NCET’s Entrepreneur Expos; Venture Capital forums; and the new “Reno Angels.”
Dave has over 35 years experience in all facets of marketing, technology, operations and finance. He spent 17 years at Viacom where he introduced numerous new products and services both in the United States and abroad, including Pay-Per-View, home shopping, high-speed data services and “Showtime Arabia,” the Middle East’s largest multi-lingual cable TV and satellite programming service. In 1994, Dave joined Home Box Office in New York as Senior Vice President of International where he was responsible for HBO’s expansion into new international markets. Dave entered the Internet industry as head of International Websites at AOL Netscape, where he managed 17 international portals serving major international markets in Europe, the Pacific Rim and Latin American.
Dave is the co-founder of the Reno Angels, and a member of the boards of TBAN (the Technology Business Alliance of Nevada), the University of Southern Nevada’s MBA Advisory Board, and the EDAWN Foundation. Dave is Past President of the Reno-Tahoe American Marketing Association and a member of the Nevada Development Authority and the Las Vegas Chamber. He was recently named the Reno-Tahoe AMA’s “Marketer of the Year,” and is a newlywed who resides in Reno.
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General Manager, Vegas PBS
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Mike Ballard - Membershiop Chair
Chairman and CEO, 1Velocity
Mike is chairman and CEO of 1Velocity, Inc. 1Velocity is one of the nation’s first wireless local exchange carriers, deploying true carrier-class Ethernet-based metropolitan networks.
Mike brings more than 20 years of experience in information technology and communications industries to 1Velocity. With strong leadership roles in sales, marketing, finance and executive management, his cross-functional business approach is key to successfully driving the strategic direction of 1Velocity and building a customer-driven company. Prior to joining 1Velocity, he founded Ballard Communications, one of the most successful and award-winning Public Relations firms in Nevada and the West. For the better part of a decade, it was the largest independent PR firm in Nevada.
Mike is the chairman of the Vegas Valley Angels and immediate past president of the Technology Business Alliance of Nevada. Mike also sits on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations including the Nevada Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology, the UNLV MIS Department’s advisory board, the Literacy and Education Awareness Project (L.E.A.P.), and the local chapter of Communities in Schools. He is also an active member of the Las Vegas Rotary.
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Judi Dohn - Tech Nevada Honors Co-Chair
VentureCaltalysts, LLC
Judi Dohn has extensive worldwide senior management, sales, marketing and distribution experience. An early participant in the personal computer industry, Judi owned a multi-million dollar technology-oriented business in the San Francisco Bay Area and was a senior executive in one of the fastest growing venture-based software startups in the Silicon Valley.
Through her consultancy, Judi has helped restructure major corporations and worked with numerous start-up companies in emerging markets. She has performed extensive market research, developed and implemented strategic and tactical plans, and has been instrumental in achieving funding events for her clients.
Since moving to Nevada, Judi created successful initiatives for the State of Nevada and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She launched and was director for eight years of the Henderson Business Resource Center, the only business incubator in Nevada. She is an active member of the TBAN board and the UNLV Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering Advisory Board and was president of the Nevada Technology Council.
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Associate, Hale Lane Law Firm
Brent is an Attorney in the law firm of Levine Garfinkel & Katz, practicing primarily in the fields of corporate and commercial law, with an emphasis on entity selection, capitalization, mergers and acquisitions and related commercial transactions. He is admitted to practice law in state and federal courts in Nevada and California, as well as before the United States Supreme Court.
Brent has counseled companies of all sizes on a variety of issues including asset sales and acquisitions, capital financing, and other corporate matters. In addition, Brent has assisted numerous small businesses in developing, protecting and licensing franchise systems.
Before joining Hale Lane, Brent began his career as a bankruptcy law clerk for the Honorable Robert Clive Jones who has since been elevated to United States District Court, District of Nevada. Brent attended the University of Oklahoma College of Law where he graduated with distinction in 1998 and served as the Chief Note Editor of the American Indian Law Review. He received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona in 1993 and his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1998.
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Marketing Director,
Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce
Carmen Gigar, marketing director of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, is responsible for the overall communication and marketing activities related to all Chamber programs, events and membership benefits. Gigar oversees the Chambers online, print and advertising messaging and was part of the team that developed and launched the Chamber’s new brand campaign and image package. She has been instrumental in the redesign of the Chamber’s website, monthly news magazine and executes the marketing and advertising for over 100 events annually at the Chamber.
Gigar joined the Chamber in May of 2006. Prior to working at the Chamber, Gigar was the Director of Marketing, New Product Development and Store Operations for Ethel M. Chocolates ®, a division of MARS, Inc. Additionally, Gigar spent 12 years with Southland Corporation, the parent company of 7-Eleven® stores in various roles including marketing, franchising, store operations, loss prevention and community affairs.
A native Las Vegan, Gigar is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and holds a B.S. in Business Marketing/Advertising. Gigar was part of the blue ribbon task force for the National Forensic League, bringing the National High School Speech and Debate Competition, Desert Lights, to Las Vegas. She is a lifetime member of the National Honor Society, National Forensic League and International Thespian Society.
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Shannon Hiller - President
Director of Marketing & Administration, PBTK
When it comes to public relations, Shannon Hiller has worked in both corporate and agency communications since January of 2000. She has coordinated product launches for consumer and business-to-business products, community events, corporate identity campaigns, trade show media, media tours, VIP events and press conferences.
Shannon works part-time as the Director of Marketing & Administration for Piercy Bowler Taylor & Kern and full-time at being a mom of a busy toddler. She is responsible for PR, advertising, recruiting, administrative policies and procedures, practice development and marketing training for the firm.
Shannon was nominated to the Board of Directors of the Las Vegas chapter of PRSA and is now entering the fourth year serving on the board as a Director-at-Large. She received her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Communications with an emphasis in public relations from Brigham Young University-Provo. In addition to her involvement with TBAN, Shannon is on the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America and is President-Elect of the BYU Management Society – Las Vegas chapter.
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Vice President of Information Technology, Allegiant Airlines
Russ has spent the last 20+ years in the Technology industry with a focus on Hospitality technology. He has worked for several 5 star hotels including most recently Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts serving as the IT Director and Regional IT Director for the Southwest region
During his career, he has accomplished some significant milestones, most notably developing the process and procedures to turn IT into a significant revenue generating department. Under his leadership, there were a number of “firsts” within the hospitality industry, like one of the first hotels to institute high speed internet access in the guest room and Wireless internet access within hotel properties. He was previously Director of Business and Technology operations for Razorstream LLC, and currently is VP of Information Technology for Allegiant Airlines.
He has served on the TBAN board, UNLV MIS advisory board, BMG product testing board. He is SUN Solaris certified along with several other technology accolades. Russ attended Southern Utah University where his Major was Music, which is one of his favorite hobbies along with building and riding custom motorcycles. For the last eight years he has lived in Henderson with his wife and four children.
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Piercy Bowler Taylor & Kern
Ryan C. Whitman has been with Piercy Bowler Taylor & Kern since January 2005. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Whitman spent five years managing the development of hotel and casino projects in the Las Vegas area. He is involved in audit, review, compilation, and other attest services for a wide-range of national and international clients, including publicly-traded companies. While servicing our international clients, Mr. Whitman has spent time in the Caribbean Islands and Middle East performing both gaming-related audit and regulatory compliance services.
