AN INDEPENDENT LAS VEGAS JOURNALTHE PEOPLE FILES
ARGENT
THE PEOPLE FILES

Notables of
Las Vegas.

Follow generations of influence, from the founding years to contemporary Las Vegas. Explore a person’s contribution, then follow the businesses, places and source records. Careers can span more than one generation.

Explore generations, family connections & public life

Generations of influence

From territorial Nevada to the contemporary valley.

POWER & PUBLIC LIFE

Who governed the growing valley?

City Hall, Clark County, Carson City and Washington each shape a different part of the story. The Strip sits in unincorporated Clark County; the Las Vegas mayor governs the city.

Explore politics & public life · Governors & Senate directories · Understand the jurisdictions

Every Nevada governor 31 state governors + the territorial transition

Chronological service, including acting administrations. Each name opens a sourced brief and original records.

  1. TJames W. Nye1861–1864
  2. 01Henry G. Blasdel1864–1871
  3. 02Lewis R. Bradley1871–1879
  4. 03John H. Kinkead1879–1883
  5. 04Jewett W. Adams1883–1887
  6. 05Charles C. Stevenson1887–1890
  7. 06Frank Bell1890–1891
  8. 07Roswell K. Colcord1891–1895
  9. 08John E. Jones1895–1896
  10. 09Reinhold Sadler1896–1903
  11. 10John Sparks1903–1908
  12. 11Denver S. Dickerson1908–1911
  13. 12Tasker L. Oddie1911–1915
  14. 13Emmet D. Boyle1915–1923
  15. 14James G. Scrugham1923–1927
  16. 15Fred B. Balzar1927–1934
  17. 16Morley I. Griswold1934–1935
  18. 17Richard Kirman1935–1939
  19. 18Edward P. Carville1939–1945
  20. 19Vail M. Pittman1945–1951
  21. 20Charles H. Russell1951–1959
  22. 21Grant Sawyer1959–1967
  23. 22Paul Laxalt1967–1971
  24. 23Mike O’Callaghan1971–1979
  25. 24Robert List1979–1983
  26. 25Richard Bryan1983–1989
  27. 26Bob Miller1989–1999
  28. 27Kenny Guinn1999–2007
  29. 28Jim Gibbons2007–2011
  30. 29Brian Sandoval2011–2019
  31. 30Steve Sisolak2019–2023
  32. 31Joe Lombardo2023–present
Original legislative addresses →
CURRENT LEADERSHIP · OCTOBER 14, 2026

Mike Dreitzer

Chair, Nevada Gaming Control Board

From Nevada gaming counsel to equipment-industry leadership and the Board chair. Explore his career and the office he has held since June 2025.

Read the leadership profile

Resort founders & visionaries

The resort founders who changed the scale and imagination of the Strip.

13 profiles

Gaming & hospitality

The people who developed the business of gaming and hospitality.

61 profiles

Banking & finance

The financing and partnerships behind the city’s growth.

2 profiles

City builders & civic voices

Publishing, development, hospitals and the institutions of everyday life.

19 profiles

Sports betting & bookmaking

The origins of the lines, the sports books and their craft.

5 profiles

Travel & technology

The reservation businesses, distribution networks and technology that brought people to Vegas.

4 profiles

Restaurants, nightlife & supply

The restaurants, bars, nightlife and suppliers behind everyday hospitality.

19 profiles

Politics & public life

Regulators, mayors, legislators, national leaders and every Nevada governor.

54 profiles

Entertainers & the stage

The artists, partnerships and ensembles behind the city’s showrooms and stages.

14 profiles