Patricia Farley
Patricia Farley is quick to say her love of children inspires her efforts to create opportunities for them as big as the state that welcomed her long ago.
To that end, she dedicates herself tirelessly to running a successful business while raising a family comprised of two daughters and two nieces, all under 14. And to add more excitement to the mix, she continues to be active in both political and philanthropic arenas to positively impact our community.
Patricia brings diversity to the construction industry with her high-end contracting company. Southwest Specialties, Inc. supplies specialty concrete and pavers to both commercial and residential builders. The fully woman-owned business was founded 20 years ago and has developed a reputation for quality, reliability, creativity and professionalism. Southwest Specialties is the exclusive provider of concrete and pavers for two of the largest home builders in the valley because they can be trusted to do the job correctly, on schedule, on budget and with little oversight.
In addition to many other home builder clients, Southwest Specialties is known for its high-end custom homes and large-scale commercial projects, like Downtown Summerlin, the Venetian, Encore and Mandalay Bay, among many others.
Patricia’s leadership has been critical on important issues affecting our state, including the opioid epidemic, child welfare, child hunger and economic diversification initiatives she tackled during her two sessions in Carson City.
In 2014, her love of Nevada and desire to improve its business climate led her to seek elected office. Residents of far-west Las Vegas sent her to the state Senate with nearly 60 percent of the vote in a race against a better-known opponent.
She championed diversification of the state’s economy and promoted new opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses. She also supported investing in our children and was invited to serve on the Blue Ribbon for Kids Commission.
She worked with Sen. Tick Segerblom and lawmakers from both parties to pass the nation's most comprehensive, thoughtful set of marijuana statutes. This effort proved beneficial to both medical and recreational consumers, licensees, their employees and the state’s coffers.
After the 2015 legislative session, Patricia helped form the Nevada Marijuana Council, comprised of fellow lawmakers and cannabis industry leaders encouraging stakeholders to become actively involved in the political process and to promote diversity in the fledgling industry. Today, according to Nevada Dispensary Association statistics, minorities fill nearly a third of the jobs in the marijuana industry.
Patricia received a BS from the University of Arizona in 1996, shortly before she moved to Las Vegas.
Her work in the private and public sectors — which includes everything from founding a developmental play space for young children to running a Senate committee — has provided a unique breadth and depth of experience.
As an active philanthropist, Patricia serves as board president for Serving Our Kids Foundation and she is an active board member for Children's Advocacy Alliance. Previously, Patricia served as board president for Aid for Aids of Nevada, one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the state and the largest AIDS service organization.
She has supported many other organizations with her expertise and resources, including the Las Vegas Veterans Memorial, UNLV Foundation, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Foundation, Volunteers in Medicine, Nevada Women's Philanthropy and Veterans Village.
Among the many causes she advocates, the one closest to her heart is the fight against opioid abuse. She stood strong when addiction touched her family and inspired others with her frank discussion of the ordeal. In a search for answers, she’s heard the cries as she walked the halls of addiction treatment centers and raised money and supported drug abuse research by Roseman University.
Whatever the test — economic downturns, political fights and family challenges – Patricia retains Nevada’s spirit of optimism and openness to all.