“Rural Resources, Real Talk” Opens WNDD Summit with Urgency and Optimism
The Western Nevada Development District’s 2025 Summit kicked off last week in Virginia City with the "Rural Resources" panel discussion. Speakers from across the state laid bare the challenges facing rural Nevada, from workforce shortages and stalled funding to the need for collaboration and community-led support for small business.
Moderated by Melissa Saavedra, Director of the Office of Small Business Advocacy (OSBA), the panel featured Kathy Halbardier, Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Michelle Beecher, Rural Nevada Development Corporation (RNDC), and Cortney Bloomer, Travel Nevada.
Each speaker brought practical insight into what’s working and what still needs work.
Bloomer stressed the central role of hospitality in shaping visitor experiences. She introduced the upcoming Battleborn Insiders Program, a training program for frontline staff, from shopkeepers to restaurant servers, designed to replace “there’s nothing to do here” with enthusiasm and local knowledge.
She said that tourism can be a powerful economic engine, but only when paired with a strong, trained workforce and a shared community vision.
Panelists agreed that attracting and retaining a workforce in rural areas goes far beyond job openings. Lack of housing, transportation, and startup support create major hurdles. As Beecher put it, “The job might be there but getting people to it, housing them, and supporting them once they start, that’s the work.”
Halbardier detailed how critical it is for new businesses to be "opportunity-ready," not just open-the-doors ready. She spoke candidly about the frustrations of current funding pauses, particularly USDA programs that have stalled just as rural entrepreneurs need support the most.
The panel underscored the need for regional partnerships and community-driven solutions. Ideas ranged from co-op spaces and ride-share models to rethinking local economic ecosystems to better support business incubation and sustainability.
“Small businesses shouldn’t be left to figure it out alone,” Halbardier said. “Their success is our community’s success.”
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