Anthony Curtis

Anthony Curtis, one of the worlds’s most recognized and quoted gaming authorities, also is publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor and Huntington Press and president of LasVegasAdvisor.com. He is considered one of the world’s foremost experts in tournament play.

Dian Diaz

Singer Dian Diaz, who had performed throughout the world with international superstar, Luis Miguel and opened for The Commodores, Chuck Mangione, Richard Elliot, Spyro Gyra and Jean Luc-Ponti, has a vocal range that spans a number of octaves. She began her singing career at the age of nine.

Murray Sawchuck

Murray Sawchuck, with his signature electric blonde hair, black framed Armani glasses, and contagious smile, performs magic and comedy on the road and on television. He was born in Vancouver, Canada and began performing magic at age 7.

Chris Hudgins

Chris Hudgins, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at UNLV, owns four 12-string guitars, including a custom Gibson based on the Gibson Hummingbird, an iconic 6-string model that Gibson has manufactured for approximately 60 years. Hudgins’ Mighty Hummingbird is the only one Gibson has ever built as a 12-string.

Maura ‘Mo’ Lewit

Celebrity makeup artist Maura ‘Mo’ Lewit is best known for the new Lifetime reality competition TV series “Blush: The Search for the Next Great Makeup Artist.” She is competing for a contract as a professional artist with Max Factor, a cash prize of $100,000 and the opportunity to be the makeup artist for an upcoming InStyle magazine photo shoot.

Kathy Newbern

Kathy Newbern is a romance novelist and travel journalist, and operates yournovel.com, (founded in 1992) full time with her husband and co-writer, JS Fletcher. She has co-authored 17 romance/adventure novels, in which any couple can star as the hero and heroine. Their novels have been featured in hundreds media markets worldwide.

John Katsilometes

Katsilometes is senior editor of Greenspun Interactive, which includes LasVegasWeekly.com and VegasDeluxe.com. ). Katsilometes was honored as the state’s top headline writer for all Nevada daily newspapers in 2003 and 2004 by the Nevada Press Association.

Pat Williams

Pat Williams is president of Friends of Red Rock Canyon, a volunteer organization whose members are committed to protecting the environmental integrity of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and helping visitors enjoy their visit responsibly. One million visitors each year enjoy the spectacular desert landscape as well as climbing and hiking opportunities.

Ron Futrell

Ron Futrell covered the world of sports in Yakima, Washington and Salt Lake City, Utah before moving to Las Vegas more than 25 years ago. He has hosted dozens of news and sports shows over the years, but provides both reporting and analysis on local and national sports.

Valerie Miller

Valerie Miller covers the local business community for the Las Vegas Business Press. She has also written articles for the Business Pressʼ sister publication, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and has previously freelanced for the Las Vegas Sun and Reno News and Review. She is a University of Nevada, Las Vegas graduate and was recently named the Outstanding Journalist for Weeklies for 2008 by the Nevada Press Association.

Sharon Belger

Sharon Belger is co-owner (along with husband, Mathew) of Mystery Adventures Las Vegas, handling day-to-day operations, marketing, creative content, and even a character role in the current mystery. She is a graduate of Dominican University in 1998 and has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.

Roy Winston

Roy Winston is a professional poker player who is also a medical doctor from Rancho Mirage, California. Roy made the decision to pursue poker full-time as of 2008 after winning more than $2 million dollars. Roy’s first foray onto the tournament scene was the 2006 WPT LA Poker Classic No-Limit Hold ‘em Championship.

Steve Dacri

After nearly 30 years as a headlining magic performer, Steve was presented with the highest honors a magician can receive: “Member of the Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star” (MIMC), a designation reserved for the elite of the magic world. He was recently honored with a prestigious MERLIN Award (the Oscar of the magic world) for 2008 Best Close-up Magician in the World.

Mike Weatherford

Mike Weatherford reviews Las Vegas shows and headliners on Friday in the Neon section of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. His entertainment column appears Sunday and Thursday in Living section of the newspaper. He is the author of “Cult Vegas.”

Skip Martin

Grammy Award winner Skip Martin, lead vocalist, trumpet player, songwriter, artist and producer, is based in Las Vegas. His achievements include Platinum & Gold Records working with two major recording groups, Kool & the Gang and The Dazz Band.

Joe Esposito

Joe Esposito is a veteran author and publisher who is best known for his association with Elvis Presley, who he first met in the military in 1958. Joe became Elvis’ right hand man and then his road manager when Elvis started touring again. He was co-best man at Elvis and Priscilla’s wedding in 1967.

Jaki Baskow

Jaki Baskow is the CEO, owner and founder of Baskow and Associates, an event, meeting and destination management agency. Jaki has worked with numerous philanthropies in Las Vegas and has been honored by the Arthritis Foundation for her extensive work for the organization.

Michael Feder

Michael Feder is co-author of “Joy of Liberace, Retro Recipes from America’s Kitschiest Kitchen,” “Liberace: Your Personal Fashion Consultant,” “Elvis: Your Personal Fashion Consultant,” and the soon-to-be-released “Star Wars: Punch Out and Play.”

Karan Feder

Karan Feder is an award-winning Hollywood costume and fashion designer who has designed for many film, television and stage productions. She has served on the Liberace Museum Costume Collection advisory council, and is co-author with Michael of the Liberace, Elvis and other books.

Gary Mule Deer

Gary Mule Deer, whose unique comedy and music have set him apart as one-of-a-kind, has performed on every major concert stage in the country. He has made over 350 television appearances, including many on both “The Tonight Show” and “The Late Show With David Letterman.”

Kieta

Kieta, a former actress/model, is vice president/CEO of American Memorabilia. The company auctions authentic memorabilia, including photos, movie props and sports items. The company has sold items such as Mickey Mantle’s 500th home run ball, and Babe Ruth’s home run bat.

Mike Pacini

Boulder City Mayor pro tem Mike Pacini has lived in Boulder City since January 1970. He was elected to the City Council in 1997, the second youngest candidate elected to that position. He actively promotes Boulder City as a tourism destination.

Laurie Bloch

Laurie Bloch is a cosmetic dentist in private practice a well as a clinical instructor at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies. She teaches dentists from all over the world on advanced procedures, with a focus on cosmetics and neuromuscular dentistry. Bloch also in an international author and lecturer.

Howard Schwartz

Howard Schwartz is owner of Gambler’s Book Shop (formerly Gambler’s Book Club) since 1979. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, he earned graduate degrees from Kansas State University in Manhattan and University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. He considers himself a “librarian for gamblers.”

Dan Schlossberg

Dan Schlossberg, the author of 34 books and more than 25,000 articles about baseball, is one of the country’s premier baseball experts. The former Associated Press sportswriter is managing editor of “BallTalk,” a syndicated weekly radio baseball show, and is president of the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA).

Rudy Sarzo

Rudy Sarzo has been a professional recording and performing artist worldwide for more than 20 years. As a member of Ozzy Osbourne’s band, he toured the world. When he joined Quiet Riot, Rudy recorded the multi-platinum albums “Metal Health,” and as a member of Whitesnake, he recorded the multi-platinum album “Slip of the Tongue.”

Tony Montana

Tony played in numerous Hollywood bands throughout the early 80’s, eventually joining Great White in early ‘87. He also has played on numerous other releases and began several business ventures while playing, writing, recording and performing in various groups.

Al Marquis

Al Marquis, a trial lawyer by trade, writes books on cowboy poetry. In 1995, he purchased Kingston Ranch in Sandy Valley, Nevada, and divides his time between the ranch and his home in Las Vegas. Al performs poems from his books at cowboy events across the southwest.

Richard Abowitz

Richard Abowitz moved to Las Vegas in 1999 to take a job writing and editing at “Las Vegas Weekly,” where he remains contributing editor. Since October, 2005, Abowitz has been writing “The Movable Buffet” blog and a print column for The “Los Angeles Times.”

Jay Kornegay

Jay Kornegay, executive director of the Las Vegas Hilton SuperBook, has more than 15 years of race and sports book experience. He graduated from Colorado State University in 1987 and pursued a successful gaming industry career, beginning with Harrah’s in Lake Tahoe.

Stephen Lenett

Stephen (“Cabman”) Lenett retired years ago, but took a job as a cabdriver in Las Vegas to “get out of my wife’s hair.” He co-hosts a weekly radio show called “Behind the Wheel,” where he talks with fellow cabbies about the business.

Greg Preston

Photographer Greg Preston has spent more than a decade traveling to the studios of the greats of cartooning and illustration to capture a moment in time with these classic artists. He developed the concept for this book while still a student at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Kathleen Gustafson

Kathleen Gustafson is executive director of membership for the Stirling Club at Turnberry Place. Gustafson’s background includes six years at the Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas Resort as director of VIP services. Ms. Gustafson was also the past President of the Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association.