Bryan and Miller cherish friendship with Guinn

Former Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn, who died of an apparent heart attack Thursday, was a generous spirit who never let politics get in the way of doing what he believed was right for Nevada, former Governors Richard Bryan and Bob Miller say.

Details of Guinn’s death at age 73 are still emerging. Nevada’s 28th governor was born Aug. 24, 1936 in Garland, Ark. A two-term governor, Guinn was one of Nevada’s most popular elected officials.

Bryan, who was elected to two terms in Carson City and later served as a U.S. Senator, recalls his friend Guinn as a man who transcended partisan politics and was always willing to serve no matter the difficult duty.

“I think the thing that people should appreciate about him is that nobody in the state’s history has a more impressive record of public and private service than did Kenny Guinn,” Bryan says. “Decades before he ran for public office, he was the go-to guy for public officials.”

Guinn chaired the fledgling and terribly political Metro police finance commission, which had the difficult task of determining how much the City of Las Vegas and Clark County would contribute to the newly formed countywide department. It was thankless but important work.

“He looked at anything that could help the state,” says Miller, the former Clark County District Attorney during Metro’s formative years. “He was always there. Obviously, he was a Republican in elected office, but he always made his decisions based on what he thought was in the best interests of the state of Nevada.”

Guinn was also the chairman of Republicans for Miller during the Democrat’s record 10-year gubernatorial tenure.

Guinn was the superintendent of the Clark County School District during a time of racial unrest when the community was transitioning from segregation to integration.

Back when Bryan was a state Senator and the Legislature had reached an impasse, he recalled that it was Guinn who rallied the troops in Carson City, bringing together disparate superintendents and teachers and helping to forge a compromise.

“He was always a welcome presence,” Bryan says.

Guinn also was a presence on the commission that studied the MGM Grand and Las Vegas Hilton fires in the early 1980s. When a governor needed a reliable presence on a committee, he found a volunteer in Guinn.

When then Gov.-Bryan was attempting to land the City Bank credit card payment center at The Lakes, it was Guinn who helped persuade reluctant Nevada bank bosses that it was a good idea.

“They were somewhat skeptical and apprehensive about what it would be like to allow this behemoth to come into Southern Nevada,” Bryan says. “He convinced them that it would be a good thing for Nevada. I always appreciated that. I was all for it and agreed to call a special session, but Guinn deserves much credit for getting the financial community on board.”

Years later, Guinn set aside politics and named a building in Carson City after Democrat Bryan. (Guinn was criticized as being a RINO – Republican in Name Only.)

One thing was certain, he was a helluva good Nevadan. He cared about his community and its children. He is, of course, the father of the Millennium Scholarship, which enables young people to attend college in state.

Guinn also was a successful CEO of Nevada Savings and Southwest Gas.

“Guinn was not a partisan,” Bryan says. “He was a Republican, but he was always willing to do whatever you asked him to do to be helpful to the state. He had the ability to bridge the divide between Democrats and Republicans. He was frequently derided as a RINO … but he had the ability and desire to do what was helpful to the state. Whether the governor was a Democrat or Republican, he always responded to the call.”

In this poisonous political environment, that kind of leadership is to be prized.

“The club has gotten smaller,” Bryan says. “We’re going to miss him.”

Bryan, Miller, and Guinn recently addressed a small business leadership group in Reno and were slated to return to Northern Nevada to meet with a larger audience on the subject of helping the state out of its economic woes.

“Here’s a man who dedicated his entire life to making Nevada a better place to live,” Miller says, his voice raspy from a summer cold.

“Long before he was in public office, he was dedicated and hard-working as a superintendent of education, successful businessman, he was involved in multiple community activities and endeavors. He was a person people looked to to provide leadership.

“He looked at anything that could help the state. He was always there.”

Guinn took a major role in an attempt to reorganize state government to improve its efficiency.

“He made his decisions based upon what he thought needed to be done,” Miller says. “He was elected as a Republican, but he governed as a Nevadan.”

As Governor, Guinn was known as a plainspoken budget wonk.

“With the utmost respect for Gov. Bryan, I’d have to say of the three of us Gov. Guinn was the most budget detail oriented. He really worked the budget numbers,” Miller says. “Where many governors rely on their director, “I think he did most of that himself. He was very knowledgeable about where the money went and where it came from.”

Miller and Guinn shared many conversations and were with Bryan were known as three of the more approachable Nevada governors.

“In the end, you’re there to help the people who can’t help themselves,” Miller says. “People felt comfortable coming up and talking to him.”