Jaki Baskow Remembers 40 Years in Las Vegas

Las Vegas-based Baskow and Associates, a destination management company, celebrity and talent broker, event planner, and speakers bureau, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

Jaki Baskow, CEO and owner of Baskow and Associates, remembers leaving her home in New Jersey in 1976 with $300 in her pocket, determined to make it in Las Vegas. After a three-month stint working for Russ Gerstein and Batman co-creator Bob Kane, who were opening a Las Vegas movie studio, Baskow landed a job as a secretary for Telly Savalas, the actor famous for his titular role in Kojak. The show was filmed in Las Vegas, and not only was working on it a great opportunity to learn -- Baskow helped to find caterers, locations, and extras for the show -- but it was Savalas himself who encouraged Baskow to open her own talent agency.