Shearing sheep and bussing cafeteria tables as a teen, Brian Sandoval said he never imagined being honored in front of a room of some of the most influential Hispanic leaders in the United States.

On Friday, Sandoval, now working as MGM’s president of global gaming development, was given the Eagle Leadership Award by the Latino Leaders Network. The award, offered to leaders whose achievements the organization credits with making “a significant impact on the lives of Latinos living in the United States,” is given out quarterly. Previous winners include musician Emilio Estefan, former U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and journalist Alfredo Corchado.

Born to parents from New Mexico – his father a FAA maintenance supervisor and mother a legal secretary – Sandoval spent most of his childhood in Sparks. He said Friday that the bussing job at a federal courthouse in Northern Nevada allowed him to interact with lawyers and judges, where he gained an appreciation for justice and the rule of law.

The rest is history. He was an intern in U.S. Sen. Paul Laxalt’s office, became an attorney and was elected to the Assembly before becoming Gaming Commission chair, Nevada’s attorney general, a U.S. District Court judge and, finally, governor.