Las Vegas Chamber official leaves to open business

A key government-affairs executive has left the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce to open a business, a move that leaves the trade group without two important executives during the state's legislative session.

But sources close to the chamber said Tuesday that the association has enough firepower to represent its members' interests at a lawmaking session featuring intense debate about taxes and government services.

Veronica Meter, the chamber's vice president of government affairs, left the group in January and said Tuesday that she's opened a communications firm called Vero Strategies. The company will focus on public relations, community outreach, government affairs and media relations and training.

Working with thousands of member entrepreneurs through the chamber for four years encouraged Meter to fulfill a goal of launching her own shop, she said.

"Being at the chamber really just opened my eyes to how wonderful it is to have your own business," Meter said. "I'm just so proud of our chamber members and how they're working hard and sticking it out in this economy. They're looking toward the future and keeping their heads high, and it's so inspiring. I know times are difficult, but sometimes great opportunities open up in the most difficult times."

Meter's departure came roughly a month after the Dec. 23 death of chamber CEO Matt Crosson. Crosson passed away at 61, after eight months on the job, after complications from an October stroke.

The chamber has long played a high-profile role in the tug-of-war over raising taxes versus cutting services to cover Nevada's budget deficits. Lawmakers are scheduled to meet into early June and must cover a fiscal shortfall of at least $1 billion.

Cara Roberts, a spokeswoman for the chamber, said the group is as effective a lobbying force as ever, despite the vacancies. The chamber still has a government-affairs manager and additional department staff monitoring proposed laws in Carson City, and it has a board of trustees and a government-affairs committee made up of member volunteers who are helping the group state its case.

On Monday, the chamber released another study in its years-long look at public-sector pay and benefits. The report noted that Nevada's public employees rank as the ninth-best-paid government workers in America, and that public workers' salaries grew 2.2 percent from 2008 to 2009.

"We really haven't skipped a beat. We continue to do all the things that we do," Roberts said. "We have a great board, we have a great government-affairs committee and we have great staff members, so even without the two positions filled, our members have been well-served."

The chamber continues to search for Crosson's replacement. Former chamber President and CEO Kara Kelley, who stepped down in April, is conducting the search for Meter's replacement.

Contact reporter Jennifer Robison at jrobison@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4512.