Companies announce plans to expand in Las Vegas

By Las Vegas Sun Staff (contact)

Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 | 4:48 p.m.

Four deals announced this week will see out-of-state companies grow in Las Vegas.

Among the biggest, announced Thursday, is convention and tradeshow company Freeman of Dallas buying Encore Productions of Las Vegas.

Encore, with more than 200 employees, is a creative production and audio visual equipment rental company with satellite rental offices in 14 Las Vegas locations such as hotels.

The other deals announced this week were:

• Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. of Miami announced it completed its previously-announced acquisition of Premier Trust Inc., a Las Vegas-based provider of wealth management services -- including trust administration, estate and financial planning, custody and investment services -- with assets under administration of about $530 million. Mark Dreschler, president and CEO of Premier, and the rest of Premier’s management team will continue to operate Premier out of its Las Vegas headquarters.

• Hub International Ltd. of Chicago said it acquired the assets of McFadden Insurance Agency Inc. of Las Vegas. McFadden offers business and personal insurance and employee benefits programs. Bernie Trujillo and Greg Pike, the owners of McFadden, and the McFadden employees joining Hub will remain in their current office location. Greg Pike will lead the new Hub Las Vegas operations.

• Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union announced the planned opening of its Las Vegas branch at 8660 W. Cheyenne Ave. Ste. 110. Aloha said the development of the Nevada location is a groundbreaking move and the first of its kind by any Hawaii-based credit union. The branch location, due to open in November, is being closed by Silver State Schools Credit Union as part of Silver State’s reorganization.

“The leadership team and board of directors of Aloha Pacific decided to embark on a bold new plan to leverage a great financial opportunity for our members,” President and CEO Wallace Y. Watanabe said in a statement. “Our extensive preliminary research indicates great potential to increase member returns and strengthen the credit union, as well as offer convenience to our many existing members who spend time in Las Vegas.”

Terms of these deals were not disclosed.