Hector Diaz believes in his company, believes in his employees, and believes that success is achieved as a team. As the director of beverage for The D and the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, he says, “The great thing about working for this company is you’re not just a person alone—you’re a part of something bigger. We make decisions as a team. That is the best feeling to have. You go into work and watch as it grows. It’s very unique, the culture of the company, that we’re constantly interacting and taking in each other’s perspectives.”

For six years, Diaz has been with the property, hired on a month after he moved to Vegas in 2014—starting out as a beverage manager and promoted to his new position last June. Before he moved to Vegas, he was successful in the food and beverage industry in his hometown of San Diego, holding management positions at golf courses, nightclubs and sports bars. “And I saw some of my directors and VPs were going to Vegas and I said, ‘What’s in Vegas?’ I wanted to grow,” he says. So, he sold everything he had and made the move—and it’s paid off.

“I attribute most of my successes to my grandparents—how they raised me, showed me a strong work ethic and dedication,” Diaz says. “I give all respect to them. My grandfather was always working. He went from having no education to having his own company, raising 10-plus children, taking care of his family and setting a good example.”

But Diaz also believes his successes are attributed to his mentors, and he believes in paying it forward. “I’m just grateful for the people that I’ve encountered in my career,” he says. “From directors to VPs—I think it takes strong leaders for you to be a strong leader. The mentoring is so important, and I in turn have applied the same to my managers. It’s good to help them grow and become strong, because then everyone is successful.”

Libation: Old Canadian Way

Part of Diaz’s job as the director of beverage is to oversee the menu and cocktail creations of the beverage outlets at The D and the DLVEC. When The D’s upstairs bar was recently redesigned as BarCanada, Diaz and his team created cocktails that were Canadian-themed, like the Old Canadian Way. Many of them are a Canadian twist on classic cocktails, and this one is a twist on the Old-Fashioned. It’s mixed with Crown Royal Maple Finished whisky, Angostura bitters and simple syrup.

Benefit: Guests of BarCanada can enjoy betting at the sports book Circa | Sports, which can be found beside the bar.

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