Newsmakers

Longtime KLAS-TV news anchor Gary Waddell was honored by the Court Appointed Special Advocate Foundation as Child Advocate of the Year at a Child Advocacy Recognition dinner Oct. 6 in Las Vegas.

The CASA Foundation raises funds to provide foster care children with clothing, tutoring, school supplies, scholarships and other necessities.

Other award recipients were Kathy Espin, Kim Le, Bonnie Mays, KC Caraballo, Gail Dennis, Larry Dreihaupt, Diane Epstein, Olivia Fisher, Alison Brasier, Diane Climer, Heather McCusker, Patricia Pimentel, Fred Rutberg, Renee Rivera-Shaffer and Vicki Simons.

Bill Young and Dr. Karen Layne, both of Las Vegas, were appointed to the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners by Gov. Brian Sandoval.

Young, a graduate of UNLV, has a Master of Science degree in crisis and emergency management and a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. He is vice president of security for Station Casinos after retiring from the Metropolitan Police Department. He served as sheriff of Clark County from 2003-07.

Layne serves as president of the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society. She is retired from UNLV, where she was assistant professor in the public administration department, and the Metropolitan Police Department, where she was director of planning.

Henderson City Councilwoman Debra March was sworn in as the newest president of the Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities. She is the group's 54th president.

The organization formed in 1959 as a conduit to promote community development through public policy formulation, advocacy and communication.

Carolynn Berardi Towbin, president and CEO of Towbin Automotive in Henderson, has been nominated for the 2013 TIME Dealer of the Year award.

Towbin is one of 57 dealer nominees from across the country who will be honored at the National Automobile Dealers Association Convention & Exposition Feb. 9 in Orlando, Fla.

Keiba Crear has been named library board president by the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Foundation.

Crear is environmental monitoring division director for the Southern Nevada Water Authority, where she manages a team of biologists responsible for native restoration and biological monitoring in the Las Vegas Wash. She also oversees the SNWA's sustainability and climate change initiatives.

Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani was honored by HELP of Southern Nevada at a Tea, Trends & Tranquility fundraising event Oct. 11 in Las Vegas.

Giunchigliani was honored for her efforts in assisting people to become more self-sufficient.

Geoffrey Lavell was recognized by the National Association of Realtors as one of 10 finalists in Realtor Magazine's 2012 Good Neighbor Awards.

Lavell devotes hundreds of volunteer hours to the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation.

A survivor of childhood cancer, Lavell is a 15-year volunteer and co-director of Camp Cartwheel, a summer overnight camp for children with cancer or other life-threatening diseases and their siblings.

Nine new hospitality industry professionals have joined The Las Vegas Hospitality Association, a tourism industry nonprofit organization.

The new members are Tanya Adams, Sara Bovi, Brian Dyke, Mark Foley, Spencer Molnar, Josh Nisenson, William Overly, Laura Plenkovich and Scott Simon.