Fall 2007
Illan Kessler
'99 BS Business Administration
by Erin O'Donnell
Job: Sole proprietor of North Pole Xmas Trees, his family business, in Nashua, N.H. The company sells trees and evergreen decorations, both wholesale and retail. It supplies dozens of resellers with trees grown at farms from North Carolina to Nova Scotia.
Why UNLV? An uncle who was a dean at Adelphi University recommended it. "He said, 'Think about how much money you're going to save when you graduate to start your own business versus how much you'll be in debt if you go to another school.' It seemed like a logical choice." Uncle was right: Kessler worked his way through college as a table game dealer and graduated on time, without a single student loan.
From Casinos to Christmas Trees: After graduation, Kessler spent a year working for slot machine manufacturer IGT — not in Nevada but Down Under. His mother, who is Australian, registered all six of her children for dual citizenship. "Because of that, I had the upper hand and I was able to land a little higher position than I would have in the U.S." He soon discovered common ground between slot machines and holiday items, and decided to come home to the family business. "It seemed dichotomous, but the techniques for selling the trees were exactly the same. It's a niche product."
Growing the Business: Kessler's father had been doing business with "pen, paper, and handshakes" for about 30 years, but Kessler wanted to bring the business into the computer age and expand beyond local vendors. In the past six years, the company has become the market leader in corporate supply, sending trees all over the country, including major malls, the World Bank, and the Wynn Hotel and Casino. "I was tickled pink when I gained that account. I consider it to be a big personal achievement. And it's bragging rights for my friends who went to UNLV too."
I'll Know I've Made It to the Top When... "I haven't done the White House yet, but the World Bank is next door, so we're closing in."
'Tis the Season All Year: "The Christmas tree industry encompasses all our time year round. We sell about 30,000 trees a year, and it takes the entire year to coordinate."
Tree Trivia: The tree you'll decorate this year was probably planted the same year Toy Story was released. It takes about 12 years for a tree to grow to the most popular height of 6 to 7 feet.
Kessler's Favorite? It's a toss up. "Aesthetically, the Fraser fir is the most beautiful tree, and it has the best needle retention. However, the smell of a Balsam is the most invigorating fragrance in the world."
