LAS VEGAS, NV, November 07, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Senator Valerie Wiener (Retired) with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Senator Wiener celebrates many years' experience in her professional and political network, as well as being noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes that she has accrued in her field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors, such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all considered during the selection process.
Senator Wiener began her career as a student at the University of Missouri/Columbia, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism in 1971, as well as a Master of Arts in Journalism in 1972. From 1972 to 1973, she became a producer at KOMU-TV. She was vice president and owner of Broadcast Associates, Inc. in Nevada from 1972 to 1986, as well as an editor at the Illinois Journal Register and public affairs director for First Illinois Cable TV from 1972 to 1974.
In 1974, Senator Wiener earned a Master of Arts from the University of Illinois/Springfield. From 1974 to 1975, she produced "Nevada Realities" at KLVX TV in Las Vegas, NV. From 1975 to 1979, she worked as an account executive at KBMI and KFMS radio stations in Las Vegas. She attended the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, CA, from 1976 to 1979, and returned to work as traffic director for KBMI and KFMS in 1979. From 1980 to 1983, she was executive vice president and general manager of KKJY and KXKS in Albuquerque, NM, and moved into the role of executive administrator of KKJY and KXKS and KSET AM/FM in El Paso, TX.
From 1983 to 1986, she served as press secretary and speech writer for U.S. Congressman Harry Reid in Washington, D.C. In 1986, she was administrative assistant for the Friends for Harry Reid. From 1987 to 1988, she worked as press secretary and speech writer for U.S. Senator Harry Reid.
From 1988 to 2015, she owned Wiener Communications Group; from 1998 to 2015, she owned PowerMark Publishing. From 1988 to 2015, she served on the Better Business Bureau Board and has been a member of the Public Education Foundation Board since 1997. Senator Wiener co-founded the National Association of Women Business Owners/Southern Nevada. In 1992, she earned the NAWBO Nevada Advocate of the Year, was a finalist for NAWBO National Advocate, and earned the SBA's Nevada District Small Business Media Advocate Award. While Leadership Las Vegas Alumni Association president, she earned the 1993 Distinguished Leadership Award from the National Association for Community Leadership. Also, in 1993, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce honored Senator Wiener with its Circle of Excellence Award. In 2006, Senator Wiener was inducted as the first woman into the LLV Hall of Fame.
In 1991, she earned the Outstanding Achievement Award from the National Federation of Press Women Communications Competition. Between 1990 and 2015, she received more than 250 state/national/international communications awards. This includes multiple awards for her books: "Power Communications: Positioning Yourself for High Visibility," the first and second edition of "Gang Free: Friendship Choices for Today's Youth," "The Nesting Syndrome: Grown Children Living at Home," Winning the War Against Youth Gangs," and "Power Positioning: Advancing Yourself as THE Expert." She also earned multiple awards for her series of five PowerMaster HandBooks.
Senator Wiener entered state politics in 1996 and was re-elected in 2000, 2004, and 2008. She served as: Minority Whip from 2001 to 2009, as part of the first-ever, all-woman state legislative leadership team in the United States; Majority Whip from 2009 to 2011; and Assistant Majority Leader from 2011 to 2012, as the first female to hold this position. She is also the longest-serving female legislator who was born in Nevada.
From 1997 to 1998, Senator Wiener vice-chaired the Legislative Interim Study Committee on Juvenile Justice and chaired it from 1999 to 2000. She also chaired Nevada's Legislative Commission on School Safety and Juvenile Violence from 1999 to 2000. In 1998, she was the only state legislator in the U.S. to participate in the White House Conference on School Safety.
In 2002, the National Conference of State Legislatures sponsored Senator Wiener at the first Healthy Schools Summit in Washington, D.C., where she was honored as one of 27 Healthy Schools Heroes in the U.S. In 2003, she was named a Healthcare Policy Hero by southern Nevada healthcare professionals and educators. During the 2003-2004 legislative interim, she chaired the Legislative Study Committee on Obesity. In 2004, the Society of Public Health Educators named Senator Wiener the Legislator of the Year. In 2010, she was named Nevada Public Health Advocate of the Year, as well as a Children's Healthcare Champion. In 2011, she was the inaugural recipient of the Partners for a Healthy Nevada Leadership Award. In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named Senator Wiener a Community Hero, and the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition honored her with its Community Leadership Award (one of 47 national honorees).
In 2009, Senator Wiener chaired the Senate Committee on Health and Education. During the 2009-2010 interim, she chaired the Legislative Committee on Health Care. During the 2011 legislative session, Senator Wiener chaired the Senate Committee on Judiciary. During the 2011-2012 interim, she chaired the Legislative Committee on Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice, as well as the state's Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease. She continues to chair TFAD.
In 2007, Senator Wiener sponsored legislation to establish the Nevada Youth Legislature, which has earned 36 state/national/international awards for its innovative leadership training. In 2009, she was presented the Jean Ford Award for her exemplary service in promoting participatory democracy in Nevada. Senator Wiener has chaired the NYL Foundation since 2011.
Senator Wiener was a member of the Governor's Commission on Aging from 1997 to 2010 and the Technological Crime Advisory Committee from 1999 to 2012. During eight legislative sessions, Senator Wiener primarily sponsored 90 bills, and 75 of these bills were signed into law.
From 1998 to 2007, Senator Wiener earned 17 gold medals in the Nevada Senior Olympics for both fitness and weightlifting and held the state records for both events from 1999 to 2007. She also earned 12 gold medals in swimming and a silver medal in walking. She was named Nevada's Distinguished Senior Athlete in 2000. With a fitness partner, Senator Wiener won the Nevada Legislature's eight-week Fitness Challenge during its 2005 session. In 2007, the Nevada Athletic Trainers' Association honored Senator Wiener with its Special Service Award.
Due to constitutional term limits, Senator Valerie Wiener retired from the Senate in 2012. In 2014, she founded PublicServiceNV, which sponsors the Gratitude Awards Program, honoring youth for their civic-engagement projects. Since 2016, the program has engaged more than 1,300 students and earned five international awards.
Senator Wiener has appeared in various Marquis Who's Who publications, including the 27th and 28th editions of Who's Who in Finance and Industry and the 34th through 37th editions of Who's Who in Finance and Business. She has been featured in the 48th through 53rd and 55th through 68th editions of Who's Who in America, as well as the 16th through 23rd, 25th, and 26th editions of Who's Who in Politics and the first edition of Who's Who in the Media and Communication. Her achievements have been recorded in the 22nd through 43rd editions of Who's Who in the West, as well as the 10th, 11th, 17th, 19th, 20th, and 21st editions of Who's Who in the World. Senator Wiener has also appeared in the 16th, 17th, 19th, 20th, 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 26th, and 28th editions of Who's Who of American Women and third and fourth editions of Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to her profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, Senator Wiener has been featured on the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honor.
About Marquis Who's Who :
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America , Marquis Who's Who has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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