It was 1964 when Jack Simon met Marcy Stiel at a mutual friend’s wedding. Smitten from the beginning, the couple married shortly thereafter. Thus began their loving partnership that has flourished in business, community involvement, and most importantly in raising their two sons, Ron and Steven. The Simon’s can be a modest power couple. However, they are clearly capable of making things happen. When they first married, Jack was a California electrical contractor and homebuilder and Marcy became his business administrator. The Simons through their Electrical Company, Expo-Tech Electrical & Plumbing Services, Inc. won the contract to provide all of the electrical services for the entire 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, encompassing (26) twenty six venues located in California spanning from San Diego to Stanford University. The trajectory of the business was extraordinary, establishing twelve offices nationwide to provide temporary electrical and plumbing services for conventions and special events. Expo-Tech was eventually bought by industry giant GES. Their success was due in large part to Jack’s technical knowledge and Marcy’s administrative and marketing skills. With entrepreneurial zest, and over the period of eleven years, the couple found their way into the ownership of four local casinos in Elko and Wendover Nevada. Marcy was one of the first women in Nevada to hold multiple gaming licenses. In total, she held four Unrestricted Gaming Licenses. The Simons hosted Passover Seders for the Elko Jewish Community during their ownership of the casinos. In 2004, Marcy and Jack sold the four casino operations. Since moving to Nevada in 1994, the couple has made a warm and lasting impression, being generous in their focus for the well-being of the Jewish community. They are among those that actively paved the way for SB26, which outlaws government bodies from conducting business with companies that boycott Israel. They continue to be tireless advocates and philanthropists in Jewish organizations of Las Vegas and Nevada.
On February 19, 1979, Raymond Haft interviewed his friend, J. W. Campbell (born June 13, 1918 in Pioche, Nevada). This interview covers the history of Nevada, including Mr. Campbell’s personal history and the growth of Nevada, overall. Mr. Campbell discusses the Stewart Ranch, the Mormon Fort, swimming pools in Las Vegas, and the above ground atomic tests. He also recalls the crash of Carole Lombard’s plane and the building of the Basic Magnesium Plant in Henderson. Mr. Campbell calls Las Vegas a “One industry town,” stating that gambling (and tourism) are the main and major factors in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In the signature line of Harry Fagel?s emails is a reads: Be the light in dark spaces. This illumines the person that Harry is both as a police officer and a poet in Las Vegas. Harry is native Las Vegan, who has served the community with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for nearly 30 years. He currently is a police lieutenant serving in Laughlin, Nevada. In addition, Fagel is a respected poet, writing both for the public and on commission. He performs in the local poetry scene. He also has showcased his poetry in two published books, released an album, and is a recipient of the Hilliard Endowment Grant from the University Nevada, Reno. Fagel is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and currently lives in Henderson with his wife, Leilani and two sons, Sam and Jake. In this interview, Fagel discusses his family background, how his grandparents came to live in Las Vegas in the 1950s, as well as his relationships with both his mother and father. He recalls his early jobs which included working for his cousin Freddie Glusman?s restaurant Piero?s and for Circus Circus-long before becoming a policeman. His involvement with the Jewish community started young and he shares how it has evolved over the decades. In addition, Fagel reflects upon his career as a law enforcement officer, the progressiveness of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and changes in relations between the police and communities, both locally and nationally. Lastly, Fagel talks in detail about his poetry, its dominant themes, and the local poetry scene.
Meghan Boyle interviews her father John Boyle (born 1924 in Risen, Arkansas), who at the time was Chief Pilot of Operations for Republic Airlines. The two discuss changes in air travel over the years and John’s profession as a pilot. They also discuss improvements in Las Vegas roads over the years, the rise in crime rates, and the impacts on changes in the economy.
On March 31, 1977, Patricia Holland interviewed Celia Rivero Grenfell (born 1926 in Las Vegas, Nevada) about her life in Southern Nevada. Grenfell first talks about her family background in Mexico and later describes her family’s restaurant business. She also describes her education, recreational activities, Downtown Las Vegas, and Helldorado. The two also discuss racial segregation and prejudice, the El Rancho Vegas, Lorenzi Park, early churches, environmental changes, early air conditioning, and Grenfell’s early work in a laundry business.
Bud Weil worked as a disc jockey in Mexico after serving in the military during World War II. In 1947, he moved to Las Vegas to work at KLAS but after two days he was job hunting. His search landed him at KENO, a radio station owned by Max and Laura Belle Kelch. His was an interview show that afforded him entree to stars performing in town. The list of his favorite interviews includes Sophie Tucker, Sammy Davis, Jack Benny, The Mills Brother, Rosemary Clooney, Leno Home, Joey Lewis and many others. In 1955, he became restless, left the career in broadcasting, and joined Max Kelch as a partner in a new venture for Las Vegas - Musak. This enterprise took him to the doors of every business in town and shortly, he knew everybody. He uses that knowledge in this interview to talk about all aspects of life as the town grew over the years. Today he is a senior statesman of our town, enjoying everything about Las Vegas except the traffic.
The Walking Box Ranch Collection (1880-1979, bulk 1930-1945) contains digital images compiled by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Public Lands Institute. The collection consists of images of the Walking Box Ranch (Searchlight, Nevada), the Mojave Desert, and the Bell Family, consisting of American film stars Rex Bell, Clara Bow, and their children. There are also candid and professional photographs of Rex Bell and Clara Bow taken at various locations, some of which include friends and other family members, as well as a large number of unidentified film stills from Rex Bell movies. Images in this collection are from Bell family photograph albums and assorted prints, and were reformatted into digital images by the UNLV Public Lands Institute.
Oral history interview with Robin Greenspun conducted by Barbara Tabach on February 09, 2017 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Greenspun discusses her family background and growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada. She talks about her early interest in the arts, working in television productions, and becoming a film director.