Matter Real Estate Group (Matter) and the Vegas Chamber will host “Saving Restaurants and Your Safety: Bringing Business Dinners Back,” the second webinar in a free four-part “Going Back to Work” series from 11 a.m.-noon PDT on Thursday, May 14. Moderated by J. Riley Lagesen, founder and chair of Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP’s national restaurant industry practice group, panelists will include Scott Gerber, principal and CEO of Gerber Group and Elizabeth Blau, founder and CEO of Blau Associates.
As Nevada enters the recovery phase, the Vegas Chamber is taking the lead in guiding businesses on best practices to reopen their businesses safely, as well as complying with requirements set by the government. “Going Back to Work” is hosting panelists to share their expertise on a variety of topics, from preparing the workplace and the future of dining, to wellness and corporate culture. Registration, which is free to the public regardless of membership status, is available at: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5638408184110986511.
“Saving Restaurants and Your Safety: Bringing Business Dinners Back” will call on industry veterans to share their expertise on how restaurants and bars will be able to safely resume service, how to open poised for long-term success, how to ensure businesspeople, friends and families feel safe when dining out, and the importance business leaders play in saving the vulnerable restaurant industry.
- Lagesen is considered a leading business and legal force in the restaurant industry. Today, in conjunction with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, he is leading Restaurant Team Los Angeles: Eat LA to protect and preserve restaurant jobs. Lagesen represents many of the nation’s most recognized brands and culinary talent including franchises, joint ventures, licenses, and management agreements. Prior to his tenure in law, Lagesen spent many years as a restaurant employee, manager, and owner in Los Angeles.
- Gerber Group has been regarded as a leader in the industry since opening its first venue, The Whisky at the Paramount Hotel, in 1991. Gerber continues to redefine the nightlife industry, and particularly the “hotel bar” in his work developing the W Hotel brand in partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Widely considered a thought-leader in the space, Gerber has developed timeless bars and restaurants while also establishing trends. As a leading representative for the hospitality industry, he has shared his insight on CNBC, Fox Business Network, MSNBC, Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Wall Street Journal and more.
- With an impressive career spanning nearly three decades, Blau, a James Beard Award Nominee, is the founder and CEO of restaurant development company Blau + Associates. She is widely credited for transforming Las Vegas into the world-class culinary destination it is today. A renowned restaurateur, Blau’s skilled touch defines her work in Las Vegas and around the world. She has appeared as a judge on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America,” is an annual judge for Hotel Magazine’s best restaurants, and has been featured on the Today Show, CBS This Morning, Forbes, Los Angeles Times and others. She was one of three investors on the third season of CNBC’s “Restaurant Startup” alongside Tim Love and Joe Bastianich and is a member of OpenTable’s advisory board. Most recently, Blau has been a champion for the Las Vegas restaurant industry, using her influence to get her colleagues much-needed support through the Washington Post, TODAY, and other local and national media outlets.
