Business Bank of Nevada Donates $2,500 to Western Nevada Community College's Observatory Project.

Business Editors

CARSON CITY, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2001

Business Bank of Nevada today announced that it has donated $2,500 to the Western Nevada Community College Foundation in support of the Jack C. Davis Observatory Project.

Business Bank was one of the first financial institutions in the Carson City area to make a contribution to this ambitious and worthwhile endeavor.

The new observatory building will be a 2,500-square-foot facility located at the northwest corner of the Carson campus at the west-end of West Nye Lane. With construction to get underway in the coming months and a scheduled opening for later this year, the one-of-a-kind facility will house a 30-inch reflecting telescope, a 16-inch reflecting telescope, two 12-inch reflecting telescopes and a 4-inch refracting telescope. The observatory will also have a fully integrated weather station located inside the facility.

"As a company and as individuals who are long-time residents of the Carson City area, we are extremely proud to get involved in this wonderful project that will benefit students and residents alike," said Jerry Gregory, senior vice president and northern regional manager for Business Bank. "We're a small company, but we fully recognize the importance of giving something back to the community that has been very supportive of us and the entrance of Business Bank into this market."

Gregory added that in the short period of time Business Bank has been in Carson City, the bank has contributed to a number of nonprofit organizations and community programs. Some of these organizations include the Boys and Girls Club, the Brewery Arts Center, the Visionary Foundation, and Western Nevada Community College Foundation.

Business Bank contributes financial assistance to nonprofit institutions and organizations that enhance the quality of life and promote public interest where the company conducts its business. The four main areas of giving include education, health and human services, community development, and arts and culture.

Business Bank's policy toward donating money to nonprofit organizations states that the bank will first look at funding charitable causes and groups that its employees are involved in before it will look at other requests. This year, the bank anticipates donating approximately $25,000 in cash, in-kind and volunteer support to qualified nonprofit groups in the Las Vegas and Carson City areas. The bank's philanthropic budget is estimated at one percent of the bank's after-tax profits.

"We are very pleased to have Business Bank join our growing list of companies that have contributed to a project that will be a real showcase for our college as well as the community," said Helaine Jesse, vice president of Institutional Advancement for the Western Nevada Community College Foundation. "It's through the generous support of companies like Business Bank that is helping us turn a long held dream of the college, and more particularly Professor Robert Colliers, into a reality."

Jesse added that the Foundation has raised $350,000 of the $500,000 needed to complete the observatory. She says the additional funds needed for the project would come from fundraising events that will be held between now and the time that the observatory opens later this year. Last month, one such event took place at the Carson City Community Center, where Apollo XI Astronaut Buzz Aldrin was the featured guest. This event raised more than $40,000 for the observatory project.

The observatory is being named after the college's first full-time administrator and eventual president, Dr. Jack C. Davis. Davis served in this capacity for 11 years before retiring in 1983. As president of the college, Davis was instrumental in developing a number of vocational and academic programs such as nursing, welding, automotive and office skills. Davis now serves as a board member for the Nevada Gaming Foundation for Educational Excellence.

Business Bank of Nevada, with more than $190 million in total assets, is in its sixth year of operation and is one of the fastest-growing independent banks in the state. The bank has four branch offices in Nevada, with three in the Las Vegas area and one in Carson City. Business Bank is FDIC Insured and is a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Its stock is listed over the counter (OTC) at ticker symbol BBNV. For more information about Business Bank or possible career opportunities, visit the bank's Web site at www.bbnv.com.