Nevada Business: Movers & Shakers: Dan Stewart

Vice President of Development
Gardner Company (1 year with company in Nevada)

Type of Business: Full Service Real Estate Development Company | Hails from: Henderson, Nevada | 1 year with company in Nevada | Based in:Henderson

How did you first get into your profession?

I earned my bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Brigham Young University and then continued to Stanford University where I earned my master’s degree in construction management. When I moved back to Henderson, I began working at a family-owned construction business but always had a love for real estate development and the challenges associated with this industry. Through some fortunate opportunities, I became involved with the development business and have enjoyed it immensely.

What is your pet peeve?

Inefficiency

What is your motto?

Work hard to get where you want to be and, when you get there, don’t take it for granted.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be?

I always wanted to be a train engineer. I was fascinated with trains, but in the end I became a civil engineer.

What business advice would you give someone just starting in your industry?

Attitude is everything. Your attitude towards your work, your employers and your co-workers is so important. Be positive, work hard and make solid goals and don’t let anything stop you from obtaining those goals.

If you could have coined a single phrase of wisdom, what would it be?

“Remember who you are, what you stand for, and think.” My father always told me that when I was young, and I continue to live by that.

What do you wish you would have learned at the beginning of your career?

I wish I would have learned patience. In development, as well as pretty much any industry, it is important to have patience. Rarely does anything go as you expect or want it to. You must not give up, you must keep trying; if you just keep trying, something good will happen.

What is your favorite thing about living in Nevada?

I love the diversity of Nevada. The people and the businesses make it a unique a place to live. My roots run deep in Nevada; I am a third-generation Nevadan and very proud of this fact. Nevada and its people have independence that you don’t find elsewhere. There is an attitude of, no matter the challenge, we can figure out a solution.

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