Business briefs

Rex Miller has been promoted to the position of chief operating officer for Kummer Kaempfer Bonner Renshaw and Ferrario, a law firm with offices in Las Vegas, Reno and Carson City. Miller will oversee the firm's strategic planning and business operations, including legal administration, information technology, finance and marketing for its statewide locations.

All American Tire & Automotive organizes benefit

All American Tire & Automotive, 1415 Industrial Way No. A in Gardnerville, will hold a fundraiser for Austin's House on Wednesday and Aug. 31. Seventy-five percent of the company's profits from those days will be donated to the foundation.

The foundation is raising money in the name of Austin Kirby, an epileptic who died suddenly, to complete the Carson Valley Children's Center, which will be named Austin's House and act as a safe haven for up to 10 children. For information or to schedule an appointment, call 782-4802.

Sierra Canyon to pick up homeowners association fees

Sierra Canyon, an active-adult neighborhood in west Reno, will pay homeowners association fees for 24 months for those who purchase homes by Aug. 31. Sierra Canyon is near the California state line. Farmers markets, casual dining and shopping venues and other events are planned for the Town Green being designed.

DRGM named agency of record

DRGM Advertising has been named the advertising agency of record for Grand Sierra Resort and Casino, formerly the Reno Hilton, the largest hotel-casino in Northern Nevada.

The renovation will include converting the top 11 floors into 825 luxury condo hotel rooms and suites, developing a 70,000-square-foot casino and 200,000 square feet of convention meeting space, new lounges, coffee shops, celebrity restaurants, and upgrading and finishing nearly 1,200 hotel rooms.

Development plans include the building of a 150,000-square-foot indoor water park, with 50,000 additional square feet outdoors. DRGM has been responsible for many hotel/casino openings and rebrandings, including Mandalay Bay and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Berndt awarded first-ever doctors' Lurie Award

The Washoe Medical Center Foundation has announced that Theodore B. Berndt, MD, FACC, will be the first recipient of the new Arthur J. Lurie MD Distinguished Physician Award, in recognition of humanitarian medical and community service to Northern Nevada.

Dr. Berndt is a board-certified cardiologist in private practice with Reno Heart Physicians. He is the former chief of cardiology at Washoe Medical Center and serves on its board of directors.

He was a founding member of the Washoe Medical Center Foundation Board.

He has spent more than 30 years working to advance study in the cardiology field. His cardiology training was done at Stanford University.

The award will be presented at the Washoe Medical Foundation's annual dinner on Oct. 17 at the Atlantis Casino Resort in Reno.