Former Henderson mayor joining The Greenspun Corporation

By Jeremy Twitchell (contact)

Published Tuesday, June 16, 2009 | 4:02 p.m.

Updated Wednesday, June 17, 2009 | 12:17 a.m.

James B. Gibson

Former Henderson Mayor James B. Gibson has been hired as a senior vice president by The Greenspun Corporation, the company announced Tuesday.

Gibson formally ended his 12-year tenure and handed the city over to newly elected Mayor Andy Hafen at a swearing-in ceremony at 6 p.m. Tuesday night.

In his private life, Gibson has been an attorney for his family's American Pacific Corp. for 33 years, specializing in the areas of business and commercial law, renewable energy and litigation.

Gibson, who serves as general counsel for American Pacific Corp., said he made the decision to join The Greenspun Corporation based largely on the Greenspun family's reputation.

“The Greenspun family and (The Greenspun Corporation) have made numerous important contributions to the fabric of the State of Nevada, from education to industry,” Gibson said in a statement. “I am excited to have the opportunity to work with the skilled professionals at (The Greenspun Corporation) on significant business opportunities.”

The chance for new challenges was also a major draw, Gibson said. "I think that (Greenspun) presents an opportunity to do a multitude of things and be involved in a multitude of projects. That kind of thing is exciting to me," he said.

The Greenspun Corporation's subsidiaries include the Las Vegas Sun and the American Nevada Company, a real estate holding and development firm.

Bruce Deifik, president of The Greenspun Corporation, said, “It is an absolute honor to welcome Jim to our business family.”

Details of Gibson’s responsibilities with Greenspun were not immediately available.

Gibson said he will be working on special projects in a variety of areas. "I suspect it will be across the board with a number of companies," he said.

While mayor, he served on boards and commissions including the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Board of Directors, the Nevada Development Authority Board of Directors, the Las Vegas Events Board of Directors, the Regional Transportation Commission and the Nellis Air Force Base Civilian Military Council.