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| National Grange News |
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John Ascuaga Set to Address Grangers at the 141st Annual Convention |
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JUNE 2007 --
John Ascuaga is the President of John Ascuaga's Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks, Nevada. The Nugget opened as a 60-seat coffee shop in March 1955. With a business style that has been described as "never stand still," Mr. Ascuaga emphasizes that everything must be done with care, quality and integrity. It's a method that has earned the Nugget and its employees the reputation as one of the most recognized and respected entertainment, dining and gaming venues in Northern Nevada and the entire hospitality industry.
Mr. Ascuaga was born in Caldwell, Idaho, in 1925. His father, Jose, was a Basque sheepherder from Spain who came to America in 1914. Jose and his wife, Marina, had four children, including John. In 1952, Mr. Ascuaga met another important figure in his life: restaurateur Dick Graves. Mr. Ascuaga became food manager for Graves' Idaho properties, and in 1954 he was named food director for Graves' Nevada restaurants. Mr. Ascuaga's duties included managing a small casino-café called Dick Graves' Nugget, which opened in Northern Nevada on March 17, 1955.
With Graves' retirement in 1960, Ascuaga purchased the Nugget and became sole owner and operator. Today, John Ascuaga's Nugget Casino Resort features 1,600 hotel rooms, eight award-winning restaurants, 75,000 square feet of casino area, 110,000 square feet of convention space, a race and sports book, a keno area, a bingo parlor, a wedding chapel, a salon, spa and exercise facility, a cabaret, a 1,900-seat Rose Ballroom concert area, the 700-plus seat Celebrity Showroom and full business center.
Along with his hospitality endeavors, Mr. Ascuaga has been an active and avid rancher for most of his life. His has owned and operated a variety of working ranches throughout his career and at one time supplied all of the beef used at the Nugget and various other fine food establishments throughout the area.
Mr. Ascuaga holds a degree in accounting from the University of Idaho and a degree in hotel and restaurant management from Washington State. He has been married to his wife, Rose, for 47 years. They have four children, two of whom currently serve in senior executive roles in the family's namesake business.
The Grange is happy to have Mr. Ascuaga address its members at the 141st Annual Convention in Reno, Nevada. He will be speaking at the 12:15 luncheon on Tuesday, Nov 13th.
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