Nevada governor appoints Lake Tahoe ski industry stalwart John Wagnon to Tourism Commission

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval on Tuesday appointed John Wagnon of Vail Resorts and Herb Santos, Jr. to the Nevada Commission on Tourism. Wagnon, a 40-year veteran of the snowsports industry, is senior director of brand marketing for Vail Resorts, Inc at Heavenly Mountain Resort south shore Lake Tahoe and Kirkwood Mountain Resort.

He has served on the on the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, Ski Lake Tahoe and the California Travel Industry Association boards. Wagnon is also a trustee and past chairman of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Board.

“John and Herb both bring unique perspectives to the Commission on Tourism and I am grateful they have agreed to serve our state in this way,” Gov. Sandoval said. “John’s experience in the snowsports industry will help the Commission understand the desires of winter visitors to our state and help turn some of those visitors into members of the year-round Nevada family. Herb’s connection with the Northern Nevada market will bring the Commission a closer perspective on the day-to-day intricacies of a local market.”

Wagnon was appointed to serve the remainder of Blaise Carrig’s term, which runs until June 30, 2014.

Herb Santos, Jr. was appointed to serve the remainder of Wayne Burke’s term, which runs until June 30, 2015. Santos, a graduate of UNLV and the McGeorge School of Law, is the Managing Partner of the NBA D-League Reno Bighorns Basketball Team and the owner of the Law Firm of Herb Santos, Jr. in Reno.

Santos has earned the AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale Hubbell, the highest rating an attorney can earn. In 2011, Santos formed Santos Sports, LLC and partnered with Stephen and Jeffrey Adams of Adams Sports LLC to form Bighorns Basketball LLC. The local ownership group purchased the Reno Bighorns in August of 2011.