MARK WAITE / PVT Jeremy Jensen, Pahrump Nugget general manager, at left, accepts the cornerstone award from outgoing Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce President Don Trudeau during the chamber inauguration dinner at the casino Friday night. Advertisement

Executives at the Pahrump Nugget were awarded the Cornerstone Award by the Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce during the annual inauguration dinner at the casino banquet room Friday night.

Outgoing chamber president Don Trudeau admitted the chamber board members were a little nervous about what company would replace Generation 2000, the original owners and builders of the Pahrump Nugget back in 2001. Golden Gaming Inc. took over the business effective in late 2006.

"A lot of the events like the one we're having tonight wouldn't be possible if we didn't have one of the casinos step up to the plate," Trudeau said. "Golden Gaming came to town and we haven't asked them for anything yet that they haven't said yes to."

The sale of the Saddle West Hotel and Casino meant the chamber could no longer count on former co-owner Dennis Deusing to host events, Trudeau said.

Pahrump Nugget General Manager Jeremy Jensen thanked the Chamber.

"We've been in town for one year now; I've been in Pahrump for seven years. This is a wonderful community that I'm just glad to be a part of, and now that I'm with Golden Gaming we've had the opportunity to really step up our presence in town," Jensen said.

In other business, Fifth District Judge Robert Lane swore in the new chamber board, which includes: President Dan Rodriguez, Vice-President Mark Forry, Secretary Michael Selbach, Treasurer Debbie Oberly and officers Keith Froehling, Ron Frazier and Brian Strain.

Master of ceremonies and former chamber President Steve Balint remarked the Pahrump Valley Chamber had 595 members, and that a typical chamber for a community the size of Pahrump would have only 300.

Balint said the goal of the Chamber is to further commercial development and diversity in the community.

A new chamber committee to help recruit businesses and help existing businesses stay was introduced.

The members include Allan Parker, a consultant with the Rural Nevada Development Corp., former Nye County Commissioner Patricia Cox, Pahrump Town Board Chairwoman Laurayne Murray, town economic development Director Al Balloqui, EDEN Inc. Executive Director Paula Elefante, Nye County Commissioner Butch Borasky, Erin Forte-Froehling, owner of The Power of Heals, Victoria Balint, manager of Job Connect, Wal-Mart Manager Kevin Pape and Valley Electric Association spokesperson Staci Behnke.