NNDA names Lynn O’Mara vice president and Amy Miller, director of business development
CARSON CITY — Northern Nevada Development Authority is pleased to announce Tuesday that Lynn O’Mara, MBA has been promoted to Vice President, Administration and Programs, and Amy Miller has been promoted to Director of Business Development.
The organization also announced the departure of Andrew Haskin, MBA who has been with NNDA for over seven (7) years and served most recently as Deputy Director. Mr. Haskin has accepted a position with Lyon County, and NNDA looks forward to continuing our working relationship with him in his new position.
Ms. O’Mara has been with NNDA for four (4) years as Director of Communications. In her new position, she will assist with day-to-day operations of the organization; be responsible for the direction and management of NNDA programs, marketing, and communications; support business development efforts; and collaborate with the NNDA President & CEO on business advocacy, government relations, special projects, and strategic initiatives.
A diverse business professional, Ms. O’Mara has public sector experience working for the State of Nevada that included regulatory oversight, grants management, and facilitating the development and passage of state legislation. Her private sector experience includes working as Director of Corporate Communications for a Nasdaq microelectronics company focused on defense electronics. She began her career as a Registered Dietitian (R.D.) and worked for both large teaching and small community hospitals. Ms. O’Mara earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Pepperdine University, Malibu, California and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rosary College (now Dominican University), River Forest, Illinois.
NNDA President & CEO, Robert “Rob” Hooper, said, “I am excited that Lynn O’Mara has accepted this new position with NNDA. She has worked with the organization over the past nine (9) years in various roles, first as a client and then as a consultant before formally joining us in 2017.” He continued, “Lynn’s knowledge of federal and state government operations in combination with her private sector experience and communications expertise will be indispensable to NNDA.”
Ms. Miller joined NNDA two years ago as a Business Support Specialist. In her new position, she is now responsible for all of NNDA’s business development activities, including: development of new businesses and regional entrepreneurial support; directing and managing business support activities for retention and expansion; directing and managing activities for out-of-state attraction and relocation or expansion of companies; forging and maintaining relationships with city and county partners; and coordinating preparation and submission of applications for state business incentives. Ms. Miller will also manage NNDA’s U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Coalition Assessment Cooperative Agreements (grants) and the Sierra Region Certified Sites Program.
A native Nevadan born in Carson City, Ms. Miller is an alumnus of Douglas High School and has attended business management courses at Liberty University. She served as the Executive Director of the Yerington Chamber of Commerce for over four (4) years. Ms. Miller has five (5) years of experience as an educational paraprofessional working with special needs students at Yerington Elementary School. Her ten (10) years of experience in the retail industry included four (4) years as a department supervisor for a mid-scale regional department store chain.
Mr. Hooper said, “I am equally excited that Amy Miller will be leading NNDA business development as we help Nevada’s Sierra Region navigate economic recovery and growth. Under the tutelage of Andrew Haskin, she has developed an excellent understanding of the business development process, state business incentives, how to work with the increasingly sophisticated clients attracted to our region, and how to assist our resident companies with growth and expansion.” He continued, “Amy’s firsthand knowledge of rural Nevada and her experience leading the Yerington Chamber of Commerce will continue to be invaluable for NNDA as we collaborate with our Sierra Region partners to strengthen strategic ties and grow the region’s economy.”
On July 15, 2021, NNDA celebrates its 40th Anniversary. The organization is the first and oldest regional development authority (RDA) established in the Silver State.
About NNDA: Northern Nevada Development Authority (NNDA.org) is a Nevada domestic 501(c)(6) nonprofit corporation established in 1981, and the state-designated Regional Development Authority (RDA) for the Sierra Region of Nevada: Carson City (state capital), Douglas County, Lyon County, Mineral County, and Storey County. The region is Nevada’s third largest metropolitan area, includes south Lake Tahoe, and encompasses a diverse set of industry sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, mining, health care, information technology, aerospace, logistics, aviation, transportation, tourism, and many others. Since 2010, NNDA has assisted more than 100 companies with relocation and expansion, and its economic development efforts have resulted in over $2 billion total economic impact for the region.