Meet Our Staff

Located in Northern Nevada

Sandy Haslem P.E.

Director

Phone: (775) 784-1935
Fax: (775) 327-2266

Sarah H. Fleischmann Building, Suite 212, UNR Mail Stop 406
Reno  NV  89557

MS in Metallurgical Engineering; BS in Chemical Engineering
 
Twenty years in a leadership role in the industrial sector of Nevada.  Technical experience includes engineering, research and development and environmental compliance. Special expertise in chemistry, chemical processing, mineral processing unit operations, laboratory operations and quality control, extractive metallurgy, waste treatment and technical writing.

Rhonda Hohenstein

Financial Manager

Phone: (775) 784-1013
Fax: (775) 327-5389  

Sarah H. Fleischmann Building, Suite 212, UNR Mail Stop 406
Reno  NV  89557
 
MBA and BS in Business Administration, University of Nevada, Reno

With over ten years of office experience, including four years of accounting and bookkeeping experience in a CPA practice, Rhonda provides accounting expertise, performance metrics and documentation for grant support for the Nevada Industry Excellence program. Her business experience and background assists coordination of administration of management initiatives with the field activities.

Rhea Gustafson

Project Manager

Phone: (775) 682-6440
Fax: (775) 682-6430

18600 Wedge Parkway, Mail Stop 0600 
Reno  NV  89511 
 
MBA in Business Administration, St. Louis University: BE in Electrical Engineering, Vanderbilt University

More than 20 years of marketing and management experience in commercial and industrial manufacturing. Former President of Astromec, Inc. (Carson City, NV) and former Director of Marketing and Planning for Emerson Electric (St. Louis, MO). One of the founding members of the Carson City Manufacturers forum. Experience in new Product Development, cost effective technical design, and Lean Process implementation. Special expertise in electrical design, manufacturing flow, cost management, engineering management, and technical product marketing.

Martin Potnick

Project Manager

Phone: (775) 445-3328
Fax: (775) 445-4488

2201 W. College Parkway
Carson City NV 89703

Bachelor of Science, Agriculture / Horticulture-Food Processing / Department of Food Technology The Ohio State University
Over thirty years of experience in industrial sales and project management within the food manufacturing and processing industries representing leading suppliers such as Cargill, ConAgra, Tones/Burns Philp, Martin Bauer, and Fuchs North America/Baltimore Spice. Martin’s growth success with regional, national and international companies includes strategic sales development, supply chain and compliance management, and creative product applications within the food industry. Mr. Potnick uses innovative problem solving techniques to improve products, processes, and performance. Martin has a long standing association with The Institute of Food Technologists.

Kathy Halbardier

Project Manager

Phone: (775) 856-5315
Fax: (775) 856-5320

475 Edison Way, Mail Stop 024
Reno NV 89502

Stacy Mueller

Project Manager

Phone: (775) 682-5769
Fax: (775) 682-6430

18600 Wedge Parkway, Mail Stop 0600
Reno NV 89511

Gary Conner

Project Manager

Phone: (775) 420-4428

18600 Wedge Parkway
Reno, NV 89502

One of the newest additions to the Project Managers’ role within Nevada Industry Excellence’ organization is not new at all.  Gary Conner has been a frequent contributor to the many and varied NVIE client companies since 2001.  Gary’s background is in precision sheet metal technology, both as a machine operator, quality assurance manager, lean manufacturing cell team leader and finally as lead instructor for the Associate Degree program in Metals Technology at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City, Oregon.

Since the late 1990’s Gary has worked with over 160 companies and conducted over 600 kaizen (continuous improvement) events; working in 47 of 50 States and two Canadian Provinces.  His diverse background and experience in dozens of industries includes furniture manufacturing, aerospace, injection molding, precision machining, mechanical-electrical assembly, medical product and equipment design and manufacturing, high speed printing as well as service organizations such as non-profits, healthcare and even governmental agencies.
Specializing in adapting the Toyota Production System to high mix-low volume environments, Gary will contribute innovative and positive solutions along with the rest of the NVIE team.

Located in Southern Nevada

Terry Culp

Deputy Director

Phone: (702) 895-2615
Fax: (702) 895-3000

4505 Maryland Parkway, Box 451076
Las Vegas  NV  89154-1076
 
BS in Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University; Pi Tau Sigma Mechanical Engineering Honorary Society.
 
Terry previously owned and operated several manufacturing operations with a diverse client base of industrial, governmental and educational customers including the federal government, New York state, General Motors, Proctor & Gamble, International Paper and Cornell University. He is particularly adept in sales, production, purchasing and engineering design.

Mary Arbutina

Project Manager

Phone: (702) 592-4569
Fax: (702) 522-7016

5550 W. Flamingo Rd, C-1
Las Vegas, NV 89103
 
BSE, Industrial Engineering, Arizona State University
 
Mary has over 20 years experience in manufacturing engineering, supplier quality engineering, and manufacturing management. She specializes in Lean Manufacturing, leading 5S programs and implementing Lean for the Office.

Jeff Englehart

Project Manager

Phone: (702) 469-0835
Fax: (702) 522-7016

5550 W. Flamingo Rd, C-1
Las Vegas, NV 89103
BS in Chemistry, USAF Academy MBA, University of Phoenix

Jeff has over 15 years of military aircraft logistics and manufacturing management expertise. As a Captain in the USAF he supervised numerous aircraft logistic squadron repair facilities. As Jeff transitioned to the private sector, he became a key contributor to the manufacturing management team of Rinker Concrete Pipe where he successfully implemented quality, safety and process improvements that resulted in improved bottom line performance and plant efficiencies.

Lorraine O’Neill

Program Coordinator

Phone: (702) 895-4998

4505 Maryland Parkway, Box 451076
Las Vegas, NV 89154
 
Lorraine has worked in office administration for government and industry and specializes in office process automation. With years of experience, she provides administrative support and coordination for Nevada Industry Excellence projects and professionals in southern Nevada.

Ed Sarmast

Project Manager

Cell: (702) 672-2957
Fax: (702) 895-5292

4505 Maryland Parkway, BOX 451076
Las Vegas, NV 89154-1076
 
BS Mechanical Engineering, University of Nebraska Post Graduate Studies in the Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, New York
 
Ed is a retired Eastman Kodak Company Technical resource, with more than 35 years of national and international experience in design engineering, research and development, project management, implementation and execution of complex and integrated machinery and equipment. He has initiated and has been responsible for developing and implementing high quality manufacturing equipment focusing on business strategy, standardization in design, and process controls specifications. As a member of the facilities organization of Kodak Colorado Division, he was also responsible for the building maintenance and the development of the operational personnel. His primary specialization has been in the converting equipment manufacturing industry, both for the traditional silver-halide sensitized paper and film products and the digital paper and film products. As director of engineering, research, and development for the Colorado Time System Corporation, he was responsible for developing and manufacturing telemarketing and video boards as well as sport timing equipment.

Angela Scissom

Project Manager

Phone:  (702) 895-4963
Fax:  (702) 895-0520

4505 Maryland Parkway, Box 451076
Las Vegas NV 89154-1076

MBA in Technology Management, University of Phoenix;
BS in Production Management, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Angela has owned and operated a Business Management Consulting Firm and Electrical Contracting Company with a diverse client base of aerospace, industrial, marketing management, healthcare, facility management, waste management, governmental and educational customers including the federal government, Nevada state government, and Clark County. She is certified as a six sigma belt & master electrician and also has special expertise in lean manufacturing, industrial engineering, quality engineering, production, lighting, and business development.