Howard Hughes Corp. lays off workers, loses senior staff

Tuesday, Dec. 15, 1998 | 12:04 p.m.

The Howard Hughes Corp. has laid off 10 employees in a move a spokesman said is aimed at cutting the expense of duplicate workers.

Howard Hughes is the biggest developer in Las Vegas. Named for the famous billionaire, it is developing desert real estate he acquired as the Summerlin master planned community.

Howard Hughes also has extensive office, commercial and industrial holdings in Las Vegas and its parent company owns Fashion Show Mall on the Las Vegas Strip.

Company spokesman Dale Erquiaga said the company consolidated three marketing staffs serving Howard Hughes' corporate office, Summerlin and commercial and industrial properties divisions. He did not name the workers laid off, but said none of them were senior management-level employees.

Erquiaga said the consolidation would allow the company to operate more efficiently and ultimately save customers money.

The move coincided with other staff retirements and transfers and Erquiaga said that may have left the impression that high-level employees had been dismissed.

He said Charlie McPhee, senior vice president of the commercial and industrial division, transferred within the company to be closer to family in suburban Los Angeles; and General Counsel Nick Niarchos left the company after 17 years.

In addition, Controller Dennis Sizemore retired after 24 years with the company and longtime Chief Executive John Goolsby also retired.

Because Howard Hughes' Maryland-based parent company, The Rouse Co., has corporate controller and legal offices, those executives have not been replaced. Locally, Hughes is now led by John Kilduff, president of the commercial and industrial division; Dan Van Epp, president of Summerlin; and senior vice president Mark Brown.