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Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/112509
EX EC U T I V E M BA P R OG R A M L EE BU S I NES S S C H OOL 40 UNDER 40 2013 Trina Jiles Age: 39 Owner Gritz Caf�� T rina Jiles is a single mother, former firefighter, full-time fire investigator who puts in 24-hour shifts and the founder/owner of a landmark Vegas eatery and ���Best of Las Vegas��� award winner. Chicken and waffles, po��� boys (fried catfish sandwiches), rich boys (shrimp on a hoagie roll) and other tastes of the deep South await foodies in this self-described ���Ritz for the grits.��� One compliment set things in motion ��� when Jiles��� boyfriend���s uncle told her she made the best grits he���d ever tasted. ���It wasn���t something that I���ve always wanted to do,��� she admitted. ���I stepped out on faith and did it.��� After five years, Gritz Caf�� is still right next door to her sister���s cosmetology school. And the restaurant remains a testament to her family. Long before Gritz, her brother was murdered in 2006. Jiles recalled the frustration of putting up posters and raising a reward. ���In a lot of low-income communities, they really have a fear of helping to identify people who committed a crime,��� she said. ���At my brother���s murder, there were 17 people at the scene and no one saw anything.��� These days, she���s set up a fund to address that problem, donating a portion of the proceeds from Gritz every first Tuesday of the month to help families of homicide victims, whether they need reward money or something else. ���I have been able to donate to mothers who did not have the funds available to bury their children,��� she said. Her inspiration is her own mother, who raised six kids alone, worked as one of the first black casino dealers on the Strip, and has owned a dozen businesses. ���G.R.D. Erden Kendigelen Age: 34 Executive Director of Hotel Operations Bellagio E rden Kendigelen���s typical day might involve working on ���Bellagio���s Got Talent��� ��� the hotel���s version of ���American Idol,��� in which employees compete with one another, finally pitting a winner from each MGM property against one another. ���We���ve got about 42 individuals who participated in the auditions, and we found that we have so many different talents on our property,��� Kendigelen said. ���It gave us an opportunity to get to know our employees better. Not only their current work talents 20130304_VI01_I.indd 23 in their positions, but also outside work.��� As chairman of Bellagio���s Cultural Board, Kendigelen spearheads annual events and corporate initiatives ��� everything from attendance at Martin Luther King Day parades to sorting food at Three Square to a guest service initiative called ���Stop, Pause, and Greet.��� The idea is to encourage participation, support and leadership. Building exemplary engagement with guests is the ultimate goal ��� particularly when running a five-diamond resort with 4,000 rooms, an average of 1,200 lobby transactions and 23 percent of market share consisting of international visitors. That isn���t even counting a stellar reputation to maintain, along with last year���s Conde Nast Traveler���s Navigator Award and a five-diamond status extending over 12 consecutive years. Kendigelen���s leadership and team-building skills were truly tested when Bellagio lost power, on New Year���s Eve day in 2011. It took seven hours to solve the problem, just in time for the celebration. ���There were so many different things that we accomplished, bringing flashlights to the floor, offering complimentary make-ups to our guests, and ensuring that our guests were genuinely cared for and comfortable during their stay right before New Year���s Eve,��� he recalled. ���G.R.D. EMBA students on a corporate visit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. PREPARE TO COMPETE In 18 months, every other Friday and Saturday The Executive MBA program is designed for experienced managers who want to compete for top management positions. ��� EXECUTIVE CURRICULUM ��� GLOBAL EXPERIENCE ��� STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE Now Accepting Applications for 2013. Visit www.emba.unlv.edu We would like to congratulate Justin Micatrotto, who joins his brother, Joe Micatrotto Jr., on the Vegas Inc. 40 Under 40 list. "Making dreams come true, one chicken finger at a time!" 2/28/13 3:04:13 PM